INTRODUCTION: This study was performed to investigate the relationship between serum magnesium level and atherosclerosis of carotid arteries in ischemic stroke cases.
METHODS: Eighty-five patients with ischemic stroke (48 females, 37 males) were included in the study. In all patients serum magnesium levels were measured and colour Doppler ultrasonographic evaluation of bilateral carotid arteries was performed. While 56 cases having progressive intimal hyperplasie and plaque and/or stenosis of carotid arteries formed the case group, 29 patients having minimal intimal hyperplasie the control group. The independent variables other than serum magnesium levels were as follows: Age, gender, serum LDL and HDL cholesterol levels, hypertension, smoking habit and diabetes mellitus. Data were analysed in computer with SPSS programme. Multiple logistic regression technic was used in the analysis of the association. All independent variables mentioned above were entered in the logistic regression model. In order to express the odds ratio more meaningfully, magnesium and HDL cholesterol levels were considered as cathegoric variables. In the categorisation of magnesium values, the patients were divided into two groups: while in one group magnesium levels were between 1.2 and 1.7 mg/dl, in the other group magnesium levels were higher than 1.7 mg/dl.
RESULTS: As a result of study, serum magnesium level was found to be negatively associated with carotid atherosclerosis. Those having serum magnesium levels higher than 1.7 mg/dl had an odds ratio of 0.1122 for carotid atherosclerosis (p= 0.0007, 95% confidence interval: 0.0315- 0.3992, referent category included those having serum magnesium levels between 1.2-1.7 mg/dl).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In order to see the consistency and the nature of the association new studies are needed.

Various factors were shown about the etiology of cerebral venous thrombosis and hypercoagulopathy plays a very important role among these factors. In this study, we described a 34 year-old woman who had nausea, vomiting and gradually increasing headache for a month. Neurological evaluation was normal except for bilateral grade IV papiloedema. Neuroradiological investigation demonstrated complete thrombosis of the superior sagittal sinus, confluent sinium, transvers and sigmoid sinuses bilaterally. Laboratory findings revealed that the hemoglobin concentration was 17.1 g/dl, the hematocrit was 48.4%, the WBC count was 28 500 /mm3, the platelet count was 674 000/ mm3. Bone marrow biopsy was performed and essential thrombocythemia was diagnosed. The patient has been maintained on anticoagulant and ribonucleotide reductase inhibitor. In the literature disseminated venous thrombosis as seen in our patient was rarely reported. Hematological diseases, endocrinological disorders and anatomical variations are reported as etiological factors.

INTRODUCTION: In patients with intracerebral hemorrhage localization, volume, and ventricular extension of hematoma can be shown by computed tomography at the beginning of the attack. As the risk factors; these features of hematoma effect prognosis.
METHODS: In this study, the relationship between CT findings and case fatality rates (CFR) was investigated in 91 cases admitted with intracerebral hemorrhage to Kütahya State Hospital from April 1998 to December 1999.
RESULTS: There was no difference for CFR considering localization and lateralization. The overall CFR was significantly higher in patients with ventricular involvement (54.38% vs 14.29%) as compared to those with no ventricular extension (p=0.0008). For putaminal hemorrhage, mean hematoma volume in those who died was larger than in those who lived (49.26±63.1 cm3 vs 12.58±19.4 cm3, p=0.0036). No statistically significant difference was found for volume between fatal and nonfatal cases with thalamic and pontine hemorrhage. The volume of hematoma was larger than 50 cm3 in died case with lobar hematoma and was larger than 10 cm3 in died case with cerebellar hematoma. Considering all cases the hematoma volume was significantly different between fatal and nonfatal cases (respectively 38.65±54.2 cm3, 11.69±15.8 cm3, p=0.0018).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: We concluded that large hematomas, especially lobar, putaminal and cerebellar, and those with ventricular involvement have high mortality rates. Volume of thalamic and pontine hematomas were not correlated with CFR.

INTRODUCTION: Although there are many studies about findings of evoked potentials -one of the diagnostic methods- in cases with cerebral infarcts, the results about prognosis of early period and its relationship with neurological sequels is insufficient. So we have compared the clinical and radiological findings with somatosensorial findings of a group of the patients who were followed by diagnosis of cerebral infarct. We investigated the correlations of these findings with functional outcome during early period.
METHODS: A total of 26 acute ischemic stroke patients aged from 36 to 71 (11 men, 15 women) were included to the study. The cortical SEPs median nerve stimulated were performed in all patients during the first week.
RESULTS: Various SEP abnormalities of 84.6% of cases were obtained. The most common findings observed were absent of responce (46.1 %), decreased amplitude (19.2%) and prolonged latencies (19.2%). In twelve cases, the SEPs were repeated one or several times during 2-6 weeks. In all of the cases with infarct in middle cerebral artery territory (MCA) except one, SEP responces were not obtained. Declining of N18-P25 amplitudies and prolongation of latencies occured in the patients with deep, small, mild or lacunary infarcts of basal ganglia and thalamic regions. The SEP responces were not obtained in the most of patients with MCA infarcts in serial investigations. In these cases, the functional improvement to have been suggested with Brunnstrom scale were not sufficient.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: As a result, we suggested that the SEP abnormalities were associated with size and location of infarct, and correlated with prognosis and motor functions in early period of acute stroke. It was concluded that serial SEP investigations of the patients with cerebral infarct would be useful on follow-up of them.

Visual losses due to different etiologies of occipital cortex are not uncommon. In this report we presented a left occipital meningioma with intraparanchymal hematoma of the right occipital lobe. We discussed etiologies and treatment of preoperative (post-angiographic) and postoperative transient blindness with the pertinent literature.

Seventy four years old, female patient was admitted to emergency service with an acute onset right hemiplegia and motor aphasia in the first 4th hour of event. Cerebral CT showed no abnormalities unless periventricular leucoareosis Patient was hospitalized with an acute ischaemic stroke (middle cerebral artery occlusion) pre-diagnosis and a treatment of anti-edema, anti-aggregant, anti-oxidant and high dose piracetam was begun. After a stable clinical course in the first 12 hours, a progression was observed and at the end of 24 hours patient was in locked-in syndrome. At the MRI, performed at the 7th day, showed periventricular leuceareosis and bilateral lacunar infarction in centrum semiovale and a ventral pontine infarction spreading biletarally. At the end of 18 days hospitalization, patient was externated with nasogastric feeding and seconder stroke profilaxy treatment. Especially while planning intraarterial tPA treatment in patients with ischeamic stroke admitted in the first 3-6 hours, a progressing character may cause wrong decision for affected vascular territory and so angiographic examination must contain both anterrior and posterior circulation.

“Primary Angiitis of Central Nervous System” (PACNS) is a disease of unknown etiology characterized by signs and symptoms of diffuse ischemia or recurrent strokes and histologic evidence of vascular inflammation. Headache and progressive multifocal neurologic deficits, exclusion of systemic inflammation or infection, demonstrating segmental arterial narrowing with cerebral angiography and leptomeningeal/parenchymal biopsy showing vascular inflammation are important criteria for diagnosis of PACNS. PACNS was diagnosed in a 57 year old woman with progressive multifocal neurologic deficits and without systemic vasculitic inflammation after stereotactic brain biopsy. Magnetic Resonans Imaging showed multiple ischemic lesions and arterial digital substraction angiogram was normal.