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Ischemic stroke is the main cause of permanent disability in adult patients. No commonly accepted method were discovered to predict stroke before the first symptoms. Activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) and S100B protein may be observe in patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. Hemorrhagic transformation of ischemic stroke may be associated with changes in MMP, TIMP and S100B., Aim: The aim of this study was to determine if MMP-9, TIMP-1 and S-100B protein may markers of forthcoming ischemic stroke in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy., Materials and Methods: Blood samples were taken and an analysis of circulating proteins (MMP-9, TIMP-1, S100B) 73 subsequent patients with carotid artery stenosis ≥70% (33 asymptomatic and 40 symptomatic), who were referred for potential revascularization., Results: A statistically significant difference was found between MMP- 9 levels in patients with ischemic stroke compared to patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis after endarterectomy. Also, average TIMP-1 levels in patients with ischemic stroke and stenosis ≥70% were statistically significantly higher than the average levels in patients after endarterectomy. In terms of S-100B, a higher mean value was observed in patients with stroke than in endarterectomy group. No statistical differences were found in the levels of that proteins in the hemorrhagic transformation of ischemic stroke., Conclusions: Increased levels of MMP-9, TIMP-1 and S-100B in patients with ischemic stroke compared to patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis after endarterectomy showed that abovementioned proteins may be a good predictive factor of ischemic stroke in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy., (© 2022 MEDPRESS.)

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a set of neurological symptoms including impaired consciousness, cognitive disorders, seizures, blurred vision, dizziness and headache. The symptoms are closely related to the location of pathological changes in the brain; bilateral occipitto-parietal region is most often affected. Both focal neurological symptoms and encephalopathy are usually transient. We present the case of 64-year-old woman with PRES. She suffered from many internal diseases and was admitted to the hospital due to impaired consciousness, speech disorders, balance disorders. Significant neurological deterioration was observed within several days from the onset. Differential diagnosis included stroke and viral neuroinfection (cytosis 23 cells /ul, protein level of 93 mg/dl); magnetic resonance examination revealed lesions typical for posterior reversible encephalopathy.After 6 weeks of hospitalization patient condition improved, but did not restore to the premorbid state. The patient was discharged with generalized cognitive impairment., (© 2016 MEDPRESS.)