New and Noteworthy Information—July 2018
Researchers Examine Mortality Rate of Pediatric Stroke
In-hospital mortality occurs in 2.6% of children with arterial ischemic stroke, according to a study published in the May issue of Pediatrics. The retrospective study included 915 infants younger than 1 month and 2,273 children age 1 month to 18 years with stroke at 87 hospitals in 24 countries. Death during hospitalization and cause of death were ascertained from medical records. A total of 14 neonates and 70 children died during hospitalization. Of 48 cases with reported causes of death, 31 were stroke-related. Remaining deaths were attributed to medical disease. In multivariable analysis, congenital heart disease, posterior plus anterior circulation stroke, and stroke presentation without seizures were associated with in-hospital mortality for neonates. Hispanic ethnicity, congenital heart disease, and posterior plus anterior circulation stroke were associated with in-hospital mortality for children.
Beslow LA, Dowling MM, Hassanein SMA, et al. Mortality after pediatric arterial ischemic stroke. Pediatrics. 2018;141(5).
FDA Approves zEEG Dry Electrode Headset
The FDA has approved the zEEG dry electrode EEG headset for clinical use. The zEEG headset is backed by a cloud platform that allows users to upload data instantly, provides tools for analysis, and enables remote interpretation by neurologists. A clinical study found that the zEEG headset provided EEG signal quality that was comparable to that of an approved, traditional EEG system. In two study cohorts, a total of 30 patients were studied for time periods of as long as two hours, and the zEEG device performed at least as well as the reference device, based on predefined acceptance criteria. Study results will be published in the coming months. Zeto, headquartered in Santa Clara, California, markets the device.
South Asian Americans Have High Cardiovascular Mortality
South Asians living in the United States have higher mortality from heart conditions caused by atherosclerosis, such as heart attack and stroke, according to a study published online ahead of print May 24 in Circulation. Investigators reviewed the literature relevant to South Asian populations’ demographics and risk factors, health behaviors, and interventions, including physical activity, diet, medications, and community strategies. South Asians have higher proportional mortality rates from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, compared with other Asian groups, largely because of the lower risk observed in East Asian populations. A majority of the risk in South Asians can be explained by the increased prevalence of known risk factors, especially factors related to insulin resistance. The authors found no unique risk factors in this population.
Volgman AS, Palaniappan LS, Aggarwal NT, et al. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in South Asians in the United States: epidemiology, risk factors, and treatments: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2018 May 24 [Epub ahead of print].
How Much Exercise Improves Cognition in Older Adults?
Exercising for at least 52 hours over six months is associated with improved cognitive performance in older adults with and without cognitive impairment, according to a study published online ahead of print May 30 in Neurology. Researchers reviewed data for 98 randomized, controlled exercise trials including 11,061 participants with an average age of 73. About 59% of the participants were healthy adults, 26% had mild cognitive impairment, and 15% had dementia. Researchers collected data on exercise session length, intensity, weekly frequency, and amount of exercise over time. Aerobic exercise was the most common form of exercise. In healthy people and people with cognitive impairment, longer term exposure to exercise, at least 52 hours conducted over an average of about six months, improved the brain’s processing speed.
