Background and Aim: Hypoxemia is associated with neurological deterioration in stroke patients. Severity of stroke may affect the benefit of oxygen supplementation. Abnormal breathing patterns among stroke patients increase the risk of hypoxemia. High flow nasal cannula (HFNC) has benefits of positive airway pressure throughout the breathing cycle. We aimed to assess the effect of HFNC on oxygen desaturation index (ODI) and neurological outcomes in stroke patients with moderate and severe severities. Methods: We conducted a single-center, prospective, RCT. The patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted in a stroke unit within 72 hours after the onset were enrolled. Inclusion criteria were stroke patients with moderate and severe severities and low risk of prior OSA. The eligible patients were randomly assigned to high flow, low flow and no oxygen groups. The primary outcome was ODI in the first day of treatment , while secondary outcomes were 1) numbers of patients with oxygen desaturation, and 2) NIHSS change at seventh day of admission.

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Background: Remote ischaemic per-conditioning (RIC) in experimental ischaemic stroke is neuroprotective. Several neurohumoral, vascular and inflammatory mediators are implicated.