An assessment of advance relatives approach for brain death organ donation.

BACKGROUND:: Advance announcement of forthcoming brain death has developed to enable intensivists and organ procurement organisation coordinators to more appropriately, and separately from each other, explain to relatives brain death and the subsequent post-mortem organ donation opportunity. RESEARCH AIM:: The aim was to assess how potentially involved healthcare professionals perceived ethical issues surrounding the strategy of advance approach. RESEARCH DESIGN:: A multi-centre opinion survey using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire was conducted in the six-member hospitals of the publicly funded East of France regional organ and tissue procurement network called 'Prélor'. PARTICIPANTS:: The study population comprised 460 physicians and nurses in the Neurosurgical, Surgical and Medical Intensive Care Units, the Stroke Units and the Emergency Departments. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS:: The project was approved by the board of the Lorraine University Diploma in Medical Ethics and the Prélor Network administrators. MAIN FINDINGS:: A slight majority of 53.5% of respondents had previously participated in an advance relatives approach: 83% of the physicians and 42% of the nurses. A majority of healthcare professionals (68%) think that the main justification for advance relatives approach is the comprehensive care of the dying patient and the research of his or her most likely opinion (74%). The misunderstanding of the related issues by relatives is an obstacle for 47% of healthcare professionals and 51% think that the answer given by the relatives regarding the most likely opinion of the person regarding post-mortem organ donation really corresponds to the person opinion in only 50% of the cases or less. CONCLUSION:: Time given by advance approach should be employed to help and enable relatives to authentically bear the values and interests of the potential donor in the post-mortem organ donation discussion. Nurses' attendance of advance relatives approach seems necessary to enable them to optimally support the families facing death and post-mortem organ donation issues.

Post-Thrombolysis Recanalization in Stroke Referrals for Thrombectomy: Incidence, Predictors, and Prediction Scores.

Background and Purpose­Whether all acute stroke patients with large vessel occlusion need to undergo intravenous thrombolysis before mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is debated as (1) the incidence of post-thrombolysis early recanalization (ER) is still unclear; (2) thrombolysis may be harmful in patients unlikely to recanalize; and, conversely, (3) transfer for MT may be unnecessary in patients highly likely to recanalize. Here, we determined the incidence and predictors of post-thrombolysis ER in patients referred for MT and derive ER prediction scores for trial design. Methods­Registries from 4 MT-capable centers gathering patients referred for MT and thrombolyzed either on site (mothership) or in a non MT-capable center (drip-and-ship) after magnetic resonance­ or computed tomography­based imaging between 2015 and 2017. ER was identified on either first angiographic run or noninvasive imaging. In the magnetic resonance imaging subsample, thrombus length was determined on T2*-based susceptibility vessel sign. Independent predictors of no- ER were identified using multivariable logistic regression models, and scores were developed according to the magnitude of regression coefficients. Similar registries from 4 additional MT-capable centers were used as validation cohort. Results­In the derivation cohort (N=633), ER incidence was ≈20%. In patients with susceptibility vessel sign (n=498), no-ER was independently predicted by long thrombus, proximal occlusion, and mothership paradigm. A 6-point score derived from these variables showed strong discriminative power for no-ER (C statistic, 0.854) and was replicated in the validation cohort (n=353; C statistic, 0.888). A second score derived from the whole sample (including negative T2* or computed tomography­based imaging) also showed good discriminative power and was similarly validated. Highest grades on both scores predicted no-ER with >90% specificity, whereas low grades did not reliably predict ER. Conclusions­The substantial ER rate underlines the benefits derived from thrombolysis in bridging populations. Both prediction scores afforded high specificity for no-ER, but not for ER, which has implications for trial design.

Effect of general anaesthesia on functional outcome in patients with anterior circulation ischaemic stroke having endovascular thrombectomy versus standard care: a meta-analysis of individual patient data.

BACKGROUND: General anaesthesia (GA) during endovascular thrombectomy has been associated with worse patient outcomes in observational studies compared with patients treated without GA. We assessed functional outcome in ischaemic stroke patients with large vessel anterior circulation occlusion undergoing endovascular thrombectomy under GA, versus thrombectomy not under GA (with or without sedation) versus standard care (ie, no thrombectomy), stratified by the use of GA versus standard care. METHODS: For this meta-analysis, patient-level data were pooled from all patients included in randomised trials in PuMed published between Jan 1, 2010, and May 31, 2017, that compared endovascular thrombectomy predominantly done with stent retrievers with standard care in anterior circulation ischaemic stroke patients (HERMES Collaboration). The primary outcome was functional outcome assessed by ordinal analysis of the modified Rankin scale (mRS) at 90 days in the GA and non-GA subgroups of patients treated with endovascular therapy versus those patients treated with standard care, adjusted for baseline prognostic variables. To account for between-trial variance we used mixed-effects modelling with a random effect for trials incorporated in all models. Bias was assessed using the Cochrane method. The meta-analysis was prospectively designed, but not registered. FINDINGS: Seven trials were identified by our search; of 1764 patients included in these trials, 871 were allocated to endovascular thrombectomy and 893 were assigned standard care. After exclusion of 74 patients (72 did not undergo the procedure and two had missing data on anaesthetic strategy), 236 (30%) of 797 patients who had endovascular procedures were treated under GA. At baseline, patients receiving GA were younger and had a shorter delay between stroke onset and randomisation but they had similar pre-treatment clinical severity compared with patients who did not have GA. Endovascular thrombectomy improved functional outcome at 3 months both in patients who had GA (adjusted common odds ratio (cOR) 1·52, 95% CI 1·09-2·11, p=0·014) and in those who did not have GA (adjusted cOR 2·33, 95% CI 1·75-3·10, p<0·0001) versus standard care. However, outcomes were significantly better for patients who did not receive GA versus those who received GA (covariate-adjusted cOR 1·53, 95% CI 1·14-2·04, p=0·0044). The risk of bias and variability between studies was assessed to be low. INTERPRETATION: Worse outcomes after endovascular thrombectomy were associated with GA, after adjustment for baseline prognostic variables. These data support avoidance of GA whenever possible. The procedure did, however, remain effective versus standard care in patients treated under GA, indicating that treatment should not be withheld in those who require anaesthesia for medical reasons. FUNDING: Medtronic.

Mechanical thrombectomy after intravenous alteplase versus alteplase alone after stroke (THRACE): a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous thrombolysis with alteplase alone cannot reperfuse most large-artery strokes. We aimed to determine whether mechanical thrombectomy in addition to intravenous thrombolysis improves clinical outcome in patients with acute ischaemic stroke. METHODS: THRACE is a randomised controlled trial done in 26 centres in France. Patients aged 18-80 years with acute ischaemic stroke and proximal cerebral artery occlusion were randomly assigned to receive either intravenous thrombolysis alone (IVT group) or intravenous thrombolysis plus mechanical thrombectomy (IVTMT group). Intravenous thrombolysis (alteplase 0·9 mg/kg [maximum 90 mg], with an initial bolus of 10% of the total dose followed by infusion of the remaining dose over 60 min) had to be started within 4 h and thrombectomy within 5 h of symptom onset. Occlusions had to be confirmed by CT or magnetic resonance angiography. Randomisation was done centrally with a computer-generated sequential minimisation method and was stratified by centre. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients achieving functional independence at 3 months, defined by a score of 0-2 on the modified Rankin scale, assessed in the modified intention-to-treat population (ie, patients lost to follow-up and those with missing data were excluded). Safety outcomes were analysed in the per-protocol population (ie, all patients who did not follow the protocol of their randomisation group precisely were excluded from the analysis). THRACE is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01062698. FINDINGS: Between June 1, 2010, and Feb 22, 2015, 414 patients were randomly assigned to the IVT group (n=208) or the IVTMT group (n=204). Four patients (two in each group) lost to follow-up and six (four in the IVT group and two in the IVTMT group) with missing data were excluded. 85 (42%) of 202 patients in the IVT group and 106 (53%) of 200 patients in the IVTMT group achieved functional independence at 3 months (odds ratio 1·55, 95% CI 1·05-2·30; p=0·028). The two groups had no significant differences in mortality at 3 months (24 [12%] deaths of 202 patients vs 27 [13%] of 206; p=0·70) or symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage at 24 h (four [2%] of 185 vs three [2%] of 192; p=0·71). Common adverse events related to thrombectomy were vasospasm (33 [23%] patients) and embolisation in a new territory (nine [6%]). INTERPRETATION: Mechanical thrombectomy combined with standard intravenous thrombolysis improves functional independence in patients with acute cerebral ischaemia, with no evidence of increased mortality. Bridging therapy should be considered for patients with large-vessel occlusions of the anterior circulation. FUNDING: French Ministry for Health.

Outcome of intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator for acute ischemic stroke in patients aged over 80 years.

AIM: Practitioners are faced with a substantial challenge when considering recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) therapy for older patients with ischemic stroke. Patients aged over 80 years suffer from the most severe cerebral infarcts. The benefit of rt-PA treatment compared with single standard care only in stroke units remains to be clearly assessed. METHODS: We collected data from 321 patients aged over 80 years admitted for acute cerebral infarction to the stroke unit of Nancy University Hospital in France between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2012. Patients were stratified into two groups: treated or not with rt-PA. Baseline characteristics and outcome were collected and compared between both groups. Good outcome at 3 months was defined as modified Rankin Scale score ≤2. RESULTS: The 55 patients treated with rt-PA had a higher National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score on admission than those without (15 vs 5; P < 0.001). They were more likely to have intracranial haemorrhage (20 vs 5%; P < 0.001) without an increased mortality rate (28 vs 27%; P = 0.95). Multivariate analysis showed a more favorable outcome (odds ratio 7, 95% confidence interval 3-16.5; P < 0.001). Slightly higher percentages of patients with modified Rankin Scale ≤2 were found after intention-to-treat analysis (49 vs 45%) and after exclusion of patients with baseline modified Rankin Scale >2 (57 vs 54 %), but without reaching significance (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Rt-PA therapy would appear to improve prognosis in the elderly with ischemic stroke. This suggests that age alone should no longer be a barrier to rt-PA therapy. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; 16: 843-849.

Non-therapeutic intensive care for organ donation: A healthcare professionals' opinion survey.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Providing non-therapeutic intensive care for some patients in hopeless condition after cerebrovascular stroke in order to protect their organs for possible post-mortem organ donation after brain death is an effective but ethically tricky strategy to increase organ grafting. Finding out the feelings and opinion of the involved healthcare professionals and assessing the training needs before implementing such a strategy is critical to avoid backlash even in a presumed consent system. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: A single-centre opinion survey of healthcare professionals was conducted in 2013 in the potentially involved wards of a French University Hospital: the Neurosurgical, Surgical and Medical Intensive Care Units, the Stroke Unit and the Emergency Department. A questionnaire with multiple-choice questions and one open-ended question was made available in the different wards between February and May 2013. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: The project was approved by the board of the Lorraine University Diploma in Medical Ethics. RESULTS: Of a total of 340 healthcare professionals, 51% filled the form. Only 21.8% received a specific education on brain death, and only 18% on potential donor's family approach and support. Most healthcare professionals (93%) think that non-therapeutic intensive care is the continuity of patient's care. But more than 75% of respondents think that the advance patient's consent and the consent of the family must be obtained despite the presumed consent rule regarding post-mortem organ donation in France. CONCLUSION: The acceptance by healthcare professionals of non-therapeutic intensive care for brain death organ donation seems fairly good, despite a suboptimal education regarding brain death, non-therapeutic intensive care and families' support. But they ask to require previously expressed patient's consent and family's approval. So, it seems that non-therapeutic intensive care should only remain an ethically sound mean of empowerment of organ donors and their families to make post-mortem donation happen as a full respect of individual autonomy.

Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension: Characteristics of the Serious Form in a Series of 24 Patients.

BACKGROUND: Recommended treatments for spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) range from bed rest only to neurosurgery. However, the serious form of SIH is poorly defined. A better description of patient characteristics and their outcome may help define therapeutic options. METHODS: We reviewed 24 cases of patients with SIH and separated them into 2 groups according to whether or not they presented with signs of severity at admission: disturbance of consciousness, subdural hematomas (SDHs), and cerebral venous thrombosis. RESULTS: Nine patients (37%) were classified as having a serious form of SIH: six (25%) presented SDHs; three (12%) disturbance of consciousness; and one (4%) cerebral venous thrombosis. Bed rest and epidural blood patches (EBPs) were sufficient to treat all patients in the nonserious form group and 4 patients in the serious form group. Two patients (8%) had to undergo cerebrospinal fluid leak repair, and 3 others (12%) evacuation of SDHs. Outcome was good in both groups, with only one (4%) death due to extensive SDHs. Times to diagnosis in the serious form group (63 vs. 35 days, P = 0.052) and to recovery (9 months vs. 5 months, P = 0.088) tended to be higher without reaching difference. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of SDHs, disturbance of consciousness, and a trend toward a longer time to diagnosis and recovery seem to define the serious form of SIH. These patients may require exploration and surgical repair of cerebrospinal fluid leak, only after failure of conservative measures--bed rest and time--and EBP, with good outcome.

Cerebrovascular Events in Lyme Neuroborreliosis.

BACKGROUND: Cerebrovascular events in neuroborreliosis are a rare condition described only in isolated or small case series. No specific clinical or radiological features have been identified, and diagnosis is based on very different criteria. METHODS: We retrospectively describe cases diagnosed in the Stroke Unit of Nancy Hospital, located in the endemic area of the northeast of France. We also reviewed other cases found in the literature. RESULTS: We identified 5 cases in our center and 57 other reported cases. Mean age was 39 years (range 5 to 77). Possible previous contact with Borrelia burgdorferi (B burgdorferi) was found in about half of cases. Additional neurologic symptoms (headache, cognitive impairment, and/or gait disturbance) were found in 44% of cases. Cerebral imaging revealed both ischemic (87%) and hemorrhagic lesions (13%) with a multiterritorial aspect in 22% of strokes, and signs of vasculitis in 71%. Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) revealed lymphocytic meningitis in 90% of cases and elevated protein level in 86%. CSF/serum anti-B burgdorferi antibody index (AI) was positive in 91% of cases. Outcome was favorable after appropriate antibiotic treatment. Our 5 patients presented a modified Rankin scale score 0-1, without any stroke recurrence, after a median follow-up of 2.8 years. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of Lyme neuroborreliosis should be considered for patients with cerebrovascular events without obvious cause living in an endemic area, in the presence of repeat multiterritorial strokes at short intervals, other neurologic symptoms, a history of B burgdorferi infection, and radiological signs of vasculitis. Diagnosis can be confirmed by CSF analysis with AI but with an incomplete sensitivity.

Impact of anxiety on verbal and visuospatial working memory in patients with acute stroke without severe cognitive impairment.

BACKGROUND: Working memory is the most impaired cognitive domain in the acute phase of stroke. In a context where anxiety is highly prevalent, close attention must be paid to anxiety which could mimic mild to moderate working memory impairments. This is the first study to assess the contribution of state anxiety (the currently experienced level of anxiety) to the working memory (verbal, visuospatial) in patients with first-ever acute stroke without severe cognitive impairment. METHODS: 28 patients with first-ever acute stroke and 41 matched control subjects were exposed to a neutral condition and an anxiogenic condition in which verbal (VWM) and visuospatial working memory (VSWM) performance and state anxiety were assessed. State anxiety was assessed before the beginning of the experiment (baseline), after the neutral condition and after the anxiogenic condition. RESULTS: The mean state anxiety score was higher in patients than in controls in the neutral (z = 1.9, p<0.05) and anxiogenic (z = 2, p<0.05) conditions despite a similar level at baseline. Multiple regression analyses with a dummy variable 'group' (patients vs controls) showed that increased state anxiety in patients contributed significantly more to both reduced VWM (ß = -0.93, p<0.05) and VSWM (ß = -1, p<0.05) performance between the neutral and anxiogenic conditions compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: In a stressful context, the contribution of state anxiety to reduced working memory performance is more pronounced in patients with acute stroke than in controls. These results are of particular relevance for clinicians assessing patients in the acute phase of stroke in which anxiety is highly prevalent.

Withdrawal of artificial nutrition: influence of prior experience on the perception of caregivers.

CONTEXT: In spite of the existence of clinical guidelines and a legal framework in France, the withdrawal of artificial nutrition (AN) in palliative care remains a difficult situation for caregivers who are confronted with this reality. OBJECTIVES: To describe the perception of caregivers on the withdrawal of AN and to compare this perception between caregivers who have already been confronted with this situation and those who have not. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey questionnaire of nurses and nurses' aides (n = 274) working in medicine, surgery, and palliative care departments of a regional hospital. RESULTS: Of the caregivers, 59.5% declared having been confronted with the withdrawal of AN in their professional practice. This was associated with a better perception by these caregivers even if their knowledge on the criteria to be considered in the decision was not significantly modified. CONCLUSION: The coherence of the withdrawal of AN with the personal beliefs of the caregivers, already high in the absence of being confronted with this practice, is better among caregivers who have been confronted with this situation. The lack of information perceived by caregivers should prompt us to develop additional training on the withdrawal of AN, its objectives, and its clinical consequences.

Caregivers Confronted With the Withdrawal of Artificial Nutrition at the End of Life: Prevalence of and Reasons for Experienced Difficulties.

BACKGROUND: Withdrawing artificial nutrition in palliative care is an issue that often leads to ethical dilemmas among health care providers, despite clinical guidelines. OBJECTIVES: To describe the experience of health care providers confronted with the withdrawing of artificial nutrition at the end of life and identifying the factors related to the level of ethical dilemmas. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey questionnaire of all the nurses and nurses' aides working in medicine, surgery, and palliative care departments of a regional hospital and who have already been confronted with the withdrawal of artificial nutrition. RESULTS: Of 818 questionnaires sent, 274 were returned (response rate 33.5%); 60% (163) of the care providers who responded were involved in withdrawing artificial nutrition at the end of life. Among these, 42 (25.8%) had always or often been affected with ethical dilemmas, and 97 (60%) responded that withdrawing artificial nutrition had always or often been preceded by a multidisciplinary discussion. Items significantly associated with a high level of ethical dilemmas were (1) existence of differences in opinion within the health care team, (2) lack of information regarding the indication of the withdrawal of artificial nutrition, (3) feeling uncomfortable with the patient and his or her relatives, (4) guilt, (5) feeling of abandonment of care, and (6) uneasiness. CONCLUSION: Health care providers seem to have a lack of information and consensus regarding the withdrawal of artificial nutrition at the end of life. The ethical dimension of withdrawing artificial nutrition in palliative care has a strong impact on care providers, regardless of the circumstances of the withdrawal.

Incidental Diagnosis of Cerebral Cortical Venous Thrombosis in Postdural Puncture Headache on Brain Computed Tomography.

Diagnosis of cerebral cortical venous thrombosis in patients with postdural puncture headache (PDPH) is usually secondary to changes in headache pattern or cerebral infarctions. Nevertheless, incidental discovery of asymptomatic forms on brain imaging has never been reported before and its management thus remains ill-defined. We describe 2 cases of patients with asymptomatic cortical vein thrombosis in the context of PDPH. In both cases, brain computed tomography (CT) scans showed an isolated cortical vein thrombosis without cerebral damage. Neurological examination revealed the typical orthostatic feature of PDPH, independently of cortical vein thrombosis which was considered as a radiological incidental finding. Clinical and radiological signs resolved after bed rest, oral caffeine, and anticoagulation therapy. Asymptomatic cortical vein thrombosis may be found on radiological exploration, even basic like brain CT scan without contrast, of PDPH. Utility of anticoagulation therapy, which could increase the risk of cerebral hemorrhagic complications in this specific context, has to be assessed.

Report of a recurrent cerebral venous thrombosis in a young athlete.

BACKGROUND: Reports of occurrence of deep vein thrombosis during intensive sport are scarce. While a few cases have been described in the cerebral territory, these are only in the context of traumatism or anabolic agent consumption. Thus, causality with exercise remains uncertain and the mechanisms hypothetic. We present the case of a young athlete who experienced two episodes of severe cerebral venous thromboses (CVT), both during intensive training, in the absence of any other known thrombogenic factor. CASE PRESENTATION: A healthy 26-year-old man presented a thrombosis of the superior sagittal sinus during recent intensive training for a triathlon. Investigation at the time found no drug or anabolic steroid consumption, or any hematologic or coagulation disturbance. Anticoagulation therapy was initiated for 10 months with good outcome. One year later, soon after returning to intensive exercise, mainly running, the patient presented a thrombosis of the straight sinus complicated by bithalamic hyperintensities observed on T2 magnetic resonance imaging sequences. Anticoagulation treatment was reinitiated and led to repermeabilization of the cerebral vein and reversibility of thalamic abnormalities. Four months later, the patient was free of headache and had no cognitive impairment. He continues to practice intensive sport with vitamin K antagonist as preventive treatment. CONCLUSION: This is the first case report of recurrent CVT in a context of intensive sport, without any other thrombogenic features, suggesting a causal link. Intensive exercise should be considered as a potential promoting factor of CVT and investigated during routine examination.

Long-term follow-up study of endarterectomy versus angioplasty in patients with symptomatic severe carotid stenosis trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We aimed at comparing the long-term benefit-risk balance of carotid stenting versus endarterectomy for symptomatic carotid stenosis. METHODS: Long-term follow-up study of patients included in Endarterectomy Versus Angioplasty in Patients With Symptomatic Severe Carotid Stenosis (EVA-3S), a randomized, controlled trial of carotid stenting versus endarterectomy in 527 patients with recently symptomatic severe carotid stenosis, conducted in 30 centers in France. The main end point was a composite of any ipsilateral stroke after randomization or any procedural stroke or death. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 7.1 years (interquartile range, 5.1-8.8 years; maximum 12.4 years), the primary end point occurred in 30 patients in the stenting group compared with 18 patients in the endarterectomy group. Cumulative probabilities of this outcome were 11.0% (95% confidence interval, 7.9-15.2) versus 6.3% (4.0-9.8) in the endarterectomy group at the 5-year follow-up (hazard ratio, 1.85; 1.00-3.40; P=0.04) and 11.5% (8.2-15.9) versus 7.6% (4.9-11.8; hazard ratio, 1.70; 0.95-3.06; P=0.07) at the 10-year follow-up. No difference was observed between treatment groups in the rates of ipsilateral stroke beyond the procedural period, severe carotid restenosis (≥70%) or occlusion, death, myocardial infarction, and revascularization procedures. CONCLUSIONS: The long-term benefit-risk balance of carotid stenting versus endarterectomy for symptomatic carotid stenosis favored endarterectomy, a difference driven by a lower risk of procedural stroke after endarterectomy. Both techniques were associated with low and similar long-term risks of recurrent ipsilateral stroke beyond the procedural period. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00190398.

Unilateral posterior cervical spinal cord infarction due to spontaneous vertebral artery dissection.

CONTEXT: Ischemia of the cervical spinal cord is a rare complication of spontaneous vertebral artery dissection (VAD) and usually involves the ventral portion. We describe a less evocative clinical presentation and images of unilateral posterior spinal cord infarction due to spontaneous VAD in order to facilitate early diagnosis. FINDINGS: A previously fit 30-year-old man presented with persistent headaches and proximal motor deficit of the right arm. He was diagnosed with spontaneous dissection of both vertebral arteries, with occlusion of the right one, and the right carotid artery. Neurological examination also revealed a right C2-C3 tactile sensory loss, with unilateral proprioceptive deficit below. Brain images revealed small bilateral cerebellar infarcts which could not be responsible for the clinical symptoms. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spinal cord showed a right posterior cervical spinal cord infarction. The patient achieved nearly complete recovery after several weeks of anticoagulation and rehabilitation. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Infarction of the caudal portion of the cervical spinal cord, especially unilateral, caused by spontaneous VAD, has rarely been described and is certainly under-diagnosed due to less suggestive symptoms, like unilateral and mainly sensory deficit. Nevertheless, early diagnosis of this condition is important to guide patient management and rehabilitation.

Rupture of lenticulostriate artery aneurysms.

The authors report on 3 rare cases of ruptured lenticulostriate artery (LSA) aneurysms that were heralded by deep cerebral hematomas. The hematomas were unilateral in 2 cases and bilateral in 1; in the bilateral case, only a single LSA aneurysm could be identified on the right side of the brain. Because of their small size (≤ 2 mm), fusiform aspect, and deep location within the brain, all of the aneurysms were treated conservatively. There was no hemorrhage recurrence, and follow-up angiography demonstrated spontaneous thrombosis in 2 of the 3 cases. The clinical course was favorable in 2 of the 3 patients. The course in the patient with the bilateral hematoma was marked by an ischemic event after the initial episode, resulting in an aggravation of deficits. The cause of this second event was uncertain. Because our knowledge about the natural history of LSA aneurysms is incomplete, there is no consensus concerning a therapeutic strategy. The authors' experience in 3 reported cases leads them to think that a conservative approach involving close angiographic monitoring may be proposed as first-line treatment. If the monitored aneurysm then persists or grows in size, its occlusion should be considered. Nonetheless, other studies are needed to further strengthen the legitimacy of this strategy.

Internal carotid thrombus in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: two cases.

Increased ischemic stroke risk is observed in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Causes and physiopathological aspects of cerebral infarct, in this specific population, are less often described. There is little information to provide guidelines for the best curative and preventive treatment. We report 2 cases of ischemic strokes due to internal carotid thrombus in patients during active phase of IBD. Ulceration of early atherosclerotic plaques activated by a hypercoagulation state may cause a thrombus. A combined therapy with heparin and corticosteroids was used for both our patients. Lysis of the thrombus was obtained after several days without surgical treatment and shown by ultrasonography. These cases highlight an aetiology of stroke in patients with IBD and use of a synergic treatment to respond to hypercoagulability in link with IBD. Benefits and safety of this therapy should be confirmed with clinical studies.

Paradoxical state anxiety and working memory in a patient with acute stroke.

OBJECTIVE: In view of the negative impact of anxiety on working memory, we induced anxiety in 26 patients with acute stroke and 33 healthy controls, and studied how the anxiety affected their emotional reactivity and how the reactivity affected their verbal and visuospatial working memory. We compared the overall findings with those in 1 of our patients (C.B.) who had presented with an abnormally high level of state anxiety. METHODS: We gave verbal and visuospatial 1-back tasks under both neutral and anxiogenic conditions, and we compared participants' working memory scores, self-reported levels of state anxiety, and electrodermal activity. RESULTS: When comparing performance in the neutral condition, the control and patient groups exhibited disrupted verbal working memory, which was associated with greater electrodermal activity and higher state anxiety during the anxiogenic condition. Although patient C.B. also had heightened electrodermal activity during the anxiogenic condition, she experienced a significant reduction in her state anxiety. Her verbal working memory was better during the anxiogenic than the neutral condition. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the phonological (subvocal speech) nature of verbal working memory, a higher level of anxious apprehension could explain the increase in state anxiety and the corresponding disruption of verbal working memory in our patient and control groups during the anxiogenic condition. C.B.'s lower state anxiety and selective improvement in verbal working memory during the anxiogenic condition suggest that she felt less anxious apprehension.