Effects of butylphthalide injection on treatment of transient ischemic attack as shown by diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging abnormality.

Background and

Objective

Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a serious condition that is often called a warning stroke. The risk of cerebral infarction in patients with TIA and positive DWI findings is greater than that in patients with TIA and normal DWI findings. Butylphthalide injection is a new type of brain protective drug. The study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of butylphthalide injection for treating TIA as shown by DWI abnormality progressing to infarction.

Methods

We studied 98 patients with positive DWI findings among 260 patients with TIA, and randomly divided into the experimental (treatment with butylphthalide injection) and control (treatment with aspirin) groups. The number of cerebral infarctions in the two groups was recorded on 7th, 14th, 30th and 90th day, and adverse reactions were observed. The number of cerebral infarctions was compared among the different ABCD2 scores of patients with TIA and positive DWI findings.

Results

The incidence of cerebral infarction in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group (p < .05). The incidence of cerebral infarction with an ABCD2 score less than 3 points was significantly lower than that with an ABCD2 score of more than 3 points (p < .05), with less adverse reactions.

Conclusion

Butylphthalide injection is helpful and safe for preventing stroke following TIA, and treating TIA with positive DWI and progression to infarction.