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Title: Research Uncovers Sinusitus, Stroke Link: Presented at NASM

"Research Uncovers Sinusitus, Stroke Link: Presented at NASM"

By Lynn Haley Special to DG News SAN DIEGO, CA -- August 19, 2001 -- Sinusitis may be an indicator for risk of ischemic stroke, according to Akron, Ohio researchers. Their findings were presented at the 2001 North American Stroke Meeting held here August 15th-18th. The researchers obtained data from a chart review of all patients admitted to their hospital's stroke unit during the period between March and November 2000. All patients had an admitting diagnosis of ischemic stroke. Sinusitis was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. Of the 244 patients admitted to the facility with ischemic stroke, 29 of them had a secondary diagnosis of sinusitis (12 percent). Ninety-seven percent of them also had at least one known stroke risk factor. None of the 29 patients reported using an over-the-counter medication that contained phenylpropanolamine. Six of the 29 however, did report having recently had the flu, head congestion, headache or had chronic sinus problems. Investigators note that there have been numerous reports of intracranial complications associated with paranasal sinusitis, and in some incidences, appears to suggest an association between stroke and sinusitis, particularly in those patients with risk factors associated with stroke. Researchers concluded that their evidence supports their hypothesis that sinusitis may increase a person's risk of having stroke, particularly in those with co-existing risk factors. They recommended further studies to determine whether the association is independent of other risk factors.

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