Our findings suggest that both disability and depression significantly influence the HRQoL in Serbian MS patients, with depressive symptoms having the major influence.

Background: Locked-in syndrome (LIS) is a condition characterized by quadriplegia and anarthria. The most common cause is a ventral pontine lesion due to atherosclerotic basilar artery disease. Methods: Cases with LIS were prospectively identified among the patients with acute ischemic stroke over 3 years, between 2009 and 2011. Clinical characteristics, topographic localization of lesions, and outcome were determined during the first 6 months from onset of LIS. Results: Our case series consists of 20 patients (mean age 62 ± 10 years; range 46–82). Initially 16 patients had a reduced level of consciousness (mean 3 days; range 1–15). Respiratory disturbance, mainly as impairment of the breathing pattern, was noted in all cases. Five patients died within the first 10 days due to stroke progression or cardiac arrest. In the remaining cases the most frequent causes of death were pulmonary infections and sepsis. Overall mortality in the acute phase of LIS is 75%, and the median survival time is 42 days. There was a statistically significant association between the more extensive parenchymal brain stem lesions and observed mortality. Conclusions: Ischemic LIS is commonly caused by an acute complete occlusion of the basilar artery due to atherosclerotic lesions in intracranial vertebrobasilar vessels. Mortality remains high in the acute phase of the disease.

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Biochemical alterations may be implicated in the pathophysiology of DH. Specific features of DH might contribute to better understanding of this secondary headache disorder.

Connection between oxidative stress and clinical outcome in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) has been poorly investigated. This study was aimed to assess redox state (through measurement of oxidative stress markers) of patients with acute ischemic stroke during different stages of follow-up period, and to find association between values of mentioned markers and clinical outcome. The investigation was conducted on 60 patients (both sexes, aged 75.90 ± 7.37 years) who were recruited in intensive care units at the Special Hospital for Cerebrovascular Diseases "Sveti Sava," Belgrade. After verification of AIS, patients were followed up in four interval of time: (1) at admission, (2) within 24 h after AIS, (3) within 72 h after AIS, and (4) 7 days after AIS. At these points of time, blood samples were taken for determination of oxidative stress parameters [index of lipid peroxidation (measured as TBARS), nitric oxide (NO) in the form of nitrite ([Formula: see text]), superoxide anion radical ([Formula: see text]), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)], and enzymes of antioxidant defense system [superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)] using spectrophotometer. Present study provides new insights into redox homeostasis during ischemic stroke which may be of interest in elucidation of molecular mechanisms involved in this life-threatening condition. Particular contribution of obtained results could be examination of connection between redox disruption and clinical outcome in these patients. In that sense, our finding have pointed out that [Formula: see text] and NO can serve as the most relevant adjuvant biomarkers to monitor disease progression and evaluate therapies.