BackgroundChronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a common disease that is more prevalent in older people. Surgical intervention is a safe treatment of choice. However, the recurrence rate is relatively high and the outcome is not always satisfactory among surgically treated patients. It is believed that aberrant angiogenesis and intracapsular inflammation contribute to the development of CSDH. Atorvastatin is reported to promote angiogenesis and suppress inflammation. We have recently shown that atorvastatin is effective to non-surgically reduce and eliminate CSDH with minimal side effects. Here, we report a clinical research trial protocol that is designed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of atorvastatin on CSDH.Methods/DesignWe have designed a multi-center, randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind clinical trial for evaluating the efficacy of oral atorvastatin in reducing CSDH. We have so far recruited 96 patients with CT-confirmed or MRI-confirmed CSDHs from 16 medical centers in China. These patients were originally recruited for the Oriental Neurosurgical Evidence-based Study Team (ONET) study. After informed consent is provided, patients are randomized to receive either atorvastatin (oral 20 mg/night for 8 weeks) or placebo (dextrin for 8 weeks); and followed for 16 weeks after the treatment. The primary outcome is the change in hematoma volume at the end of 8-week treatment. Secondary outcomes include: changes in 1) the hematoma volume at the 4th, 12th, and 24th weeks; 2) Markwalder’s Grading Scale and Glasgow Coma Scale (MGS-GCS); 3) Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) and 4) Activities of Daily Life – the Barthel Index scale (ADL-BI). Safety will be assessed during the study by monitoring adverse events, laboratory tests, electrocardiography (ECG), measurements of vital signs (temperature, pulse, and blood pressure) and body weight.DiscussionResults of this trial will provide critical information regarding whether atorvastatin is an effective and safe alternative to surgical treatment of CSDH.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier – NCT02024373The date of trial registration: 7 August 2013Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13063-015-1045-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Clear prognostic indicators exist for early hematoma enlargement after spontaneous ICH, suggesting that hematoma inhomogeneity has important implications for predicting ICH progression, and we discovered as well as defined the 'hematoma enlargement border', an imaging characteristic of early hematoma enlargement.

AbstractObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence rate of post-stroke upper limb spasticity and its correlation with cerebral infarction site.MethodsA total of 498 inpatient and outpatient cases are included in the present study. The post-stroke upper limb spasticity rate of different cerebral infarction site was calculated.ResultsA total of 498 patients with cerebral infarction are enrolled in this study. Of these patients, 91 have dropped out and 407 have completed the study. Of the completed cases, 172 are in the spasm group and 235 are in the non-spasm group. The total incidence of upper limb spasticity is 34.5%. The incidences of upper extremity spasms are 12.5%, 20%, 22.5%, 35%, 40%, and 42.5% in 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months, respectively. The incidence of upper extremity spasms increases with time. The incidences of upper limb spasticity are 12.1%, 63.3%, 58.5%, 9.4% and 8.3% when cerebral infarction occurs in the cortical and subcortical mixed areas, basal ganglia and internal capsule, cerebralcortex, brainstem and cerebellum respectively. The incidence of upper limb spasticity varies in different infarction sites (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe post-stroke upper limb spasticity rates were different according to the different cerebral infarction site. Patients with the ganglia and internal capsule infarctions had the highest risk of developing post-stroke upper limb spasticity.