[The efficacy and safety of Mexidol Forte 250 as part of long-term sequential therapy in patients with carotid stroke].
AIM
To evaluate an effect of long-term sequential therapy with mexidol and mexidol forte on the functional outcome of patients with carotid ischemic stroke.


MATERIAL AND METHODS
The study included 50 patients with newly developed carotid stroke, hospitalized in the stroke unit on the first day from the onset of the disease. Patients of the main group (n=25) received mexidol in a dose of 500 mg intravenously once a day for 14 days, then mexidol forte 250 in tabs 250 mg 3 times a day for 60 days. Patients of the comparison group (n=25) received standard basic therapy. The significance of intergroup differences was assessed using the Mann-Whitney test, Fisher's exact test, and relative risk (OR) calculation. Differences were considered significant at a level of p<0,05.


RESULTS
After 14 days of therapy, both groups of patients showed a positive trend compared to baseline. At the same time, patients of the mexidol group had a higher MoCA score (U=173,5, p=0,006), a lower score when performing tasks on dynamic praxis (U=214,0, p=0,028) and optical spatial disturbances (U=170,5, p=0,003), better memorization strength (181,5, p = 0,006) and better performance on abstraction MOCA subtest (U=200,5, p=0,014). By the 74th day, the absence of moderate cognitive impairment (MoCA> 26 points) was diagnosed in 17 patients (68%) of the main group and 14 patients (56%) of the comparison group. No significant differences were found. Moreover, patients of the main group had a significantly lower NIHSS score (U=124,0, p<0,001) and a lower degree of disability: a total mRS score 0-2 was achieved in 19 (76%) patients of the main group and only in 12 (48%) patients of the comparison group (OR=3,34, F=0,07, p<0,05). Also, patients receiving long-term sequential therapy with mexidol and mexidol forte 250 had milder spatial disorders than patients of the comparison group.


CONCLUSION
Consecutive treatment with mexidol and mexidol forte 250 in the acute and early recovery periods of ischemic stroke positively affects the regression of local neurological symptoms, increases the likelihood of achieving independence in everyday life by 3,34 times, and reduces the severity of optical-spatial, neurodynamic and memory impairments.