Diffuse Optical Monitoring With Inhaled Nitric Oxide

Inclusion criteria

Stroke Patients:

• Age greater than 18
• Acute ischemic stroke in the territory of the anterior, middle, or posterior cerebral artery, on either side of the brain
• Study can be initiated within 72 hours of stroke symptom onset

• Ability and willingness to sign informed consent

Healthy subjects:

• Age greater than 18
• Ability and willingness to sign informed consent

Exclusion criteria

Stroke subjects:

• History of prior stroke or transient ischemic attack
• Known cerebrovascular abnormality
• History of congestive heart failure
• Presence of pneumonia or active pulmonary infection
• Current use of any NO donor medication (sodium nitroprusside or nitroglycerin)
• Age less than 18 years
• Skull defect that would interfere with CBF monitoring
• Pregnancy
• Structural brain lesion
• Prior neurosurgical procedure
• History of psychiatric disease
• Any medical condition that the clinical investigator feels would pose a hazard to the subject if he/she participated in the study

Healthy subjects:

• History of any neurological disease
• History of stroke or transient ischemic attack
• Known cerebrovascular abnormality
• History of congestive heart failure
• History of chronic pulmonary disease such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Presence of pneumonia or active pulmonary infection
• Current use of any NO donor medication (sodium nitroprusside or nitroglycerin)
• Age less than 18 years
• Skull defect that would interfere with CBF monitoring
• Pregnancy (urine or blood tests will not be performed)
• Structural brain lesion
• Prior neurosurgical procedure
• History of psychiatric disease
• Any medical condition that the clinical investigator feels would pose a hazard to the subject if he/she participated in the study
• Cognitive impairment