International Journal of Stroke International Journal of Stroke

International Journal of Stroke presents an exclusive interview with newly appointed Associate Editor, world renowned expert in stroke and Chairman of the Department of Neurology at Cedars-Sinai, Professor Patrick Lyden.
Interviewed by Managing Editor, Carmen Lahiff-Jenkins, Professor Lyden discusses his studies across several continents and interaction in stroke centers on a global scale, drawing focus on the importance the journal plays for stroke disciplines, globally. Divulging his early passions for the subject and eventual switch to stroke treatments and diagnosis, and provides an insight to some career defining moments.

International Journal of Stroke Managing Editor, Carmen Lahiff-Jenkins spoke to Christopher Chen current Committee Chair and N Venketasubramanian previous Committee chair for previous editions of the guidelines who were equally responsible for developing guidelines for the Singapore Ministry of Health Clinical Practice on Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attacks; a summary of the guidelines can be found in the May/June edition of the International Journal of Stroke.

The preliminary results of Cerebrolysin in patients with Acute ischemic STroke in Asia (CASTA) were presented at the 2010 World Stroke Congress in Seoul, Korea. CASTA is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Cerebrolysin. The trial included patients from more than 50 participating centres with acute ischemic hemispheric stroke who were randomized within 12 hours of symptom onset to treatment (30 ml Cerebrolysin diluted in physiologic saline) or placebo (saline) given as intravenous infusion once daily for 10 days.

Carmen Lahiff-Jenkins, Managing Editor of the International Journal of Stroke spoke to leader in the field of stroke and strokeologist with considerable clinical trial experience, Professor Stephen Davis who has also been a member of an independent data and safety monitoring committee and has attended some advisory board meetings for the CASTA trial.

ACT NoW - Assessing Communication Therapy in the North West is a research project, which aims to evaluate the effectiveness, cost effectiveness and service user preferences for communication therapy following stroke. Dr Audrey Bowen; Senior Lecturer in Psychology - University of Manchester spoke to the International Journal of Stroke on the eve of the presentation of the preliminary results at the UK Stroke Forum in Glasgow, 2010.

Read the abstracts: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ijs.2010.5.issue-s3/issuetoc

For patients to regain life after stroke, there needs to be appropriate services and understanding of these services by service providers and funding bodies. Professor Marion Walker University of Nottingham, Professor in Stroke Rehabilitation, School of Community Health Sciences spoke to the International Journal of Stroke about the National Stroke Strategy.

Read the UK Stroke Forum abstracts: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ijs.2010.5.issue-s3/issuetoc

The UK Stroke Survivor Needs Survey presents findings from a national survey of long-term stroke survivors across the UK. Although stroke is recognised as a long-term manageable condition, robust estimates of long-term needs are lacking. The International Journal Stroke spoke to Joe Korner, Director of Communications at the UK Stroke Assosiation. You can order a copy of this study via www.stroke.org.uk.