Prestroke dementia

OBJECTIVE

To determine the frequency, associated factors and outcome of dementia previous to a stroke.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study of a cohort of 324 consecutive unselected stroke patients (mean age 70.9 years, range 20-98; 255 ischaemic, 46 haemorrhagic and 25 indefinite).

METHODS

Cognitive and functional status prior to stroke were assessed by means of an interview to a relative, a short version of the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly and the Barthel Index. The DSM-III-R criteria were used to establish the diagnosis of prestroke dementia. Clinical and CT features of patients with and without prestroke dementia were compared.

RESULTS

Forty-nine patients (15%) were demented before stroke; they were significantly older, less well educated, they had more frequently female gender, prior cerebrovascular disease, cerebral and medial temporal lobe atrophy and leukoaraiosis in the CT scan, and they had a higher mortality rate. Female sex (OR 3.7, CI 95% 1.2-12), low education (OR 2.1, CI 95% 1.1-4.2), previous stroke (OR 3.6, CI 95% 1.2-11), and cerebral atrophy (OR 3.8, CI 95% 1.7-8.3) were independently associated with prestroke dementia in the logistic regression analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Fifteen percent of stroke patients have prestroke dementia and they have a worse outcome. Factors associated with prestroke dementia are reminiscent both of degenerative and vascular brain pathology.

Abdominal cystic lymphangiomas: US and CT findings

We retrospectively analyzed six cases of abdominal cystic lymphangiomas (CL), who had undergone surgical resection. These cases had been evaluated by several modalities: ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), angiography and fine needle aspiration. No age predilection was found. All patients were symptomatic. The most common presenting symptoms were abdominal pain (66%), palpable mass (66%), fever (50%) and vomiting (30%). US showed septations (85%) and unicameral mass (15%); in three cases (50%) echogenic material within the cyst was found, probably due to hemorrhage and infection. CT showed capsular enhancement in all cases. Capsular and septation thickness were slightly increased in cases of infection or bleeding. At CT the contents were usually of fluid attenuation (66%); in 33% the attenuation values were higher, probably because of internal bleeding and infection. US was superior to CT in the demonstration of septations and the internal nature of the cysts. The major role of imaging is to demonstrate the cystic nature of these abdominal masses, because they do not have specific signs or symptoms that could allow a clinical diagnosis.