Patients that have suffered from a stroke have a higher risk of a similar event happening and, in consequence, greater possibilities of dying.
For the first time, 52 hospitals in Spain, three of which (Basurto; Cruces and Bidasoa) in the Basque country, are participating in a study to determine if certain concrete inflammation markers can be linked to the appearance of a new stroke or other vascular events such as myocardiac arrest. The MÍTICO study was presented at the IV International Meeting on Isquemic Ictus.
The study included patients from different Autonomous Communities and that had suffered a stroke one to three months previously. By means of periodical controls, a number of inflammation markers found in the plasma (interleucines, metalloproteases, fibronectines) were studied over a period of a year. "We know that that there are certain inflammation markers that can contribute to patients suffering from new strokes or other vascular events such as heart attack. In fact, those who have chronic mouth infections or inflammatory processes have a greater risk of repeating these illnesses", explains doctor José Castillo, coordinator of the MÍTICO project.
A second objective of this work is to determine if the use of habitual pharmaceutical drugs in these patients (plaque antiagregants, antihypertensives, estatines) is also associated with a decrease in the inflammation markers analysed, i.e. what effect these treatments have on the inflammation markers. Doctor Castillo says that the conclusions of the study will be known in less than three months.