Predicting outcome of stroke . . . and other stories

Outcomes of cerebellar strokeData from 500 patients presenting with ischaemic cerebellar stroke to neurological centres in Germany were used to develop a score to predict outcomes. Individually, the most powerful predictors for 30 day mortality were age, score on the Glasgow coma scale at admission, the volume of brain affected, and whether the brain stem was also involved. The investigators modestly admit that their scoring system may not influence treatment decisions but they hope it will help when discussing prognosis with patients and caregivers (Stroke doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.123.043478).Fluoroquinolones and aortic aneurysmCiprofloxacin and other fluoroquinolone antibiotics have been linked to tendon rupture, perhaps through an effect on matrix metalloproteinases and collagen metabolism. There’s anxiety that the same antibiotics increase the likelihood of aortic aneurysm by a similar mechanism. Database studies using primary care records from the UK are reassuring. Although prescription of a fluoroquinolone was associated with a small increase in the risk…
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