Cheyne-Stokes Respiration in Patients with Acute Ischaemic Stroke: Observations on Middle Cerebral Artery Blood Velocity Changes Using Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound

Abstract

Variation in middle cerebral artery blood velocity was observed in 8 patients with Cheyne-Stokes respiration following acute ischaemic stroke in the middle cerebral artery territory. The middle cerebral artery blood velocity was highest during the first half of the respiratory phase, and lowest in the first half of the apnoeic phase, the mean difference between the blood velocities in the apnoeic and respiratory phases being significant at the p < 0.01 level on the symptomatic and asymptomatic sides. The respiratory pattern should be taken into account when measuring cerebral blood velocity in patients with stroke. The possible effect of Cheyne-Stokes respiration on blood flow to ischaemic brain is discussed.