Because VSP and intracranial hypertension represent significant events in a high proportion of patients after wartime TBI, daily TCD monitoring is recommended for the management of such patients. This paper was supported in part by the US Army Medical Research and Material Command’s Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (Fort Detrick, MD, selleck products USA). In addition, we would like to express our gratitude to Richard L. Skolasky, Jr., Sc.D., Assistant Professor, Director of the Spine Outcomes Research Center at the Johns Hopkins University

for his statistical assistance and guidance (Baltimore, MD, USA). Also we need to thank neurosonographers Dr. A. Dzhanashvili, M.D., RVS and Mirkko Galdo who have been responsible for data collection. “
“Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder caused by homozygosity for a single β-globin gene mutation (β6GAG → GTG), in which glutamic acid has been substituted for valine at the sixth codon of the β-globin chain. Although the incidence of strokes is higher in patients with the Hb SS and Hb S/ß0 thalassemia genotype, it should be noted that strokes also occur in patients with other genotypes. The clinical course of patients

suffering from SCD is extremely variable and the severity of manifestations Proteases inhibitor ranging from asymptomatic to a very severe course [1]. SCD is characterized by chronic hemolytic anemia and intermittent vaso-occlusive events. These events result in tissue ischemia, which leads to acute Resveratrol and chronic pain as well as damage to any organ in the body. Acute complications include

ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, acute chest syndrome, painful vaso-occlusive crises, splenic sequestration, aplastic crises, and bacterial sepsis due to hyposplenia. Chronic morbidities include cerebrovascular disease, pulmonary hypertension, osteonecrosis, nephropathy and organ failure [2]. The vaso-occlusive process in SCD is of a complex nature mediated by red cell and leukocyte adhesion, inflammation, oxidative stress, and a hypercoagulable state, all resulting in endothelial injury and dysfunction [3]. In addition, by reducing the nitric oxide bioavailability and by damaging the endothelium through catalyzation of oxidative reactions in endothelial cells, chronic hemolysis leads to vascular complications [4], [5] and [6]. Although stroke can occur at any age, the most vulnerable group for ischemic stroke is between the age of 2 and 20 years (0.30–0.75 acute events/100 patients/year) [7]. Stenotic lesions involve primarily large vessels in the intracranial internal carotid, middle, and anterior cerebral circulation and can progress for months and even years before symptoms develop [8] and [9].