• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.192-199
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• 2008

Objective : Silent infarct is more common in healthy elderly people and seems associated with risk of future stroke. However, the prevalence and risk factors of silent infarct are unclear. We investigated the prevalence and risk factors of silent infarct. Methods : 56 first-ever cerebral infarct patients were enrolled in this study. CT images were made of all 56 patients. We divided them into two groups according to the presence of silent infarcts and comparedage, sex, education period, WHR, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, smoking, numbness and weakness of thumb and index finger, neck stiffness, facial spasm, and blepherospasm. Result : Silent infarcts were found in 24 patients(43%). Most infarcts(48%) were located in basal ganglia. Age, sex, education period, WHR, numbness and weakness of thumb and index finger, neck stiffness, facial spasm, and blepherospasm were similar between the two groups. Diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and smoking were higher in the silent infarct group. Hypertension was higher in the non-silent infarct group. Conclusion : The prevalence of silent infarct in first-ever cerebral infarction patients was 43% and diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and smoking were higher in silent infarct patients.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.137-139
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• 2002

Background : Subtle status epilepticus (SE) is an end-stage of convulsive SE. This phenomenon might be a clinical expression of neuronal exhaustion caused by sustained electrical discharges. As subtle SE may show diverse clinical features, early detection depends on clinical suspicion. Case : A 68-year-old woman was presented with repetitive involuntary movement of right limbs after two generalized tonic-clonic seizures. She experienced right middle cerebral artery infarction 4 months ago, and after the event, left side hemiplegia sustained. These seizures were first-ever after the cerebral infarction. Orientation and verbal responses were fairly preserved but general cognitive function was minimally slowed. During the video-EEG monitoring, repetitive sharp waves were noted in the right hemisphere and these sharp waves occasionally spread to the contralateral side. Her right side involuntary movement was identifiable when the epileptic discharges were found on her right hemisphere. Conclusion : We suggested that this unexpected convulsive movement is a reflection of earlier exhaustion in the right hemisphere or deefferentation of right hemisphere because of preexisting neuronal damage.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.46-53
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• 2006

Objectives : The purposes of this study were to investigate that a blepharospasm means the presymptom of stroke based on the traditional hypothesis in the oriental medicine and to compare a blepharospasm with warning signs of stroke in the western medicine. Methods : In the time period Oct. 2005 to Oct. 2006, 409 patients with a first-ever stroke admitted in the department of Internal Medicine of Kyungwon University In-cheon Oriental Medical Hospital, Kyunghee University Oriental Medical Hospital, Dongguk Il-san Oriental Medical Hospital were included. Patients were hospitalized within 14 days after the onset of stroke. Stroke patients were interviewed by residents who studied standard operation procedures in Fundamental Study for Standardization and Objectification of Differentiation and Pattern Identification of Syndrome of Oriental Medicine for Stroke. A questionnaire was completed by a question-and-answer form between patients and residents after explanation details to patients and the agreement of patients. Results : Age, care of patients or grandson, diabetes mellitus, and smoking were higher among cerebral infarction group, while smoking was higher among hemorrhage group. Female, young age, hyperlipidemia, hypertension in the family history and fat body in waist-hip ratio were higher among patients undergoing the blepharospasm before stroke onset. And the incidence of blepharospasm was lower in patients who dislike the fast food. Finally, when we compared a blepharospasm with warning signs of stroke in the western medicine, the incidence of blepharospasm in this study were the most frequent. Conclusion : In this study, the incidence of blepharospasm in patients before stroke onset was more frequent than that of warning signs in the western medicine. But more data from prospective cohort studies should be collected to be accepted that the blepharospasm is the presymptom of stroke as like warning signs in the western medicine.