A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY OF RECOVERY PATTERN IN WATERSHED INFARCTS IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTRE.

Abstract

Background: Acute ischaemic stroke is one of the leading causes of morbidity along with cancers and cardiovascular diseases. Millions suffer from acute ischaemic stroke every year worldwide of which 5% suffer from watershed infarcts(1). The aetiopathogenesis and recovery from decits in watershed infarcts are different from territorial infarcts. The identication of specic features of recovery pattern and pathogenesis of infarcts may throw more light on these diseases as modern-day treatment of stroke is mainly concentrated on the treatment of territorial infarcts like endovascular procedures. This study may help to ll that gap. Aim: To study the recovery pattern in acute watershed infarcts. Methodology: 153 patients with acute watershed infarcts were studied. Detailed examination, NIHSS Score, mRS scale and Barthel index were assessed at the presentation and after 90 days of follow-up. Patients with Cognitive impairments were assessed and followed up after 90 days. Statistical analyses were done using SPSS 25.0 software for Windows. Chi-square and independent t-tests were applied to analyze categorical and numerical data, respectively. Results: A total of 153 patients out of the 2233 acute strokes were studied. The mean NIHSS score, mRS scale, and Barthel Index in patients of watershed infarcts are 10.9,3.1,62.9, and after 90 days are 7.9,2.3, and 74.5 respectively. The comparison was statistically signicant. Most patients had signicant motor improvement and cognitive improvement. The most common etiology was Internal Carotid artery thrombosis which also had the best prognosis. Conclusion: The pathogenesis and recovery in Watershed Infarcts are different from that of territorial infarcts. Prognosis and Recovery depend upon the etiology. Both Motor and Cognition recovery in watershed infarcts is signicantly higher