Comparative Analysis of Tenecteplase versus Alteplase in Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Multicentric Observational Study from Eastern India.

BACKGROUND: Tenecteplase is used as an alternative to alteplase and is considered noninferior for thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke. OBJECTIVES: To compare the effectiveness and adverse effects of tenecteplase and alteplase in the real-world management of acute ischemic stroke. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective observational study, we collected data from acute ischemic stroke patients admitted in six hospitals in West Bengal, India, and were thrombolysed with tenecteplase or alteplase between July 2021 and June 2022. Demographic data, baseline parameters, hospital course, and 3-month follow-up data were collected. The percentage of patients achieving a score of 0-2 in the modified Ranking scale at 3 months, rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, and all-cause mortality within 3 months were the main parameters of comparison between the two thrombolytic agents. RESULTS: A total of 162 patients were initially included in this study. Eight patients were excluded due to unavailability of follow-up data. Among the remaining patients, 71 patients received tenecteplase and 83 patients received alteplase. There was no statistically significant difference between tenecteplase and alteplase with respect to the percentage of patients achieving functional independence (modified Rankin scale score 0-2) at 3 months (53.5% vs. 60.2%, P = 0.706), rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (5.6% vs. 10.8%, P = 0.246), and all-cause mortality at 3 months (11.3% vs. 15.7%, P = 0.628). CONCLUSION: The effectiveness of tenecteplase is comparable to alteplase in the real-world management of acute ischemic stroke. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage and all-cause mortality rates are also similar in real-world practice.

Spectrum of Posterior Cerebral Artery Dissection: A Retrospective Observational Study and a Critical Review.

Background and Aims: Intracranial arterial dissections commonly involve the vertebrobasilar system leading to subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) or cerebral infarction attributable to a dissecting aneurysm of the vessel or occlusion of the lumen depending on the depth of dissection. However, isolated posterior cerebral artery dissections (PCADs) are rare and sparsely reported in the literature. Methodology: A retrospective multicentric observational study was carried out after collecting data from 14 patients admitted with PCAD in three hospitals of Kolkata, Jaipur, and Patna within the period of July 2021 to June 2022. Results: The median age of the population was 48.5 years, and 64.28% were females. SAH was the most common presentation with dissecting aneurysms in all patients barring one, who presented with a left occipital infarct consequent to ipsilateral PCAD. Among the 14 patients, three patients denied endovascular intervention and were lost to follow-up; one patient with an occipital infarct and another patient with a dissecting left P3 aneurysm, which underwent spontaneous thrombosis, were managed conservatively. Among the nine patients scheduled for endovascular coiling, one patient succumbed before intervention and one patient succumbed to sepsis in the postoperative period. A complete recovery was noted in six patients, whereas residual neurodeficits were present in three patients. Among the six patients who had an uneventful recovery at the end of 3 months, five patients had an endovascular intervention. Conclusion: PCAD may present with large-scale neurodeficits and is associated with high morbidity and mortality, hence necessitating prompt management. Conservative management is preferable for consequent infarcts, whereas endovascular management is desirable in cases of dissecting aneurysms, which usually tend to have a favorable outcome if intervened early.

Dengue and Scrub Typhus Coinfection: A Diagnostic Dilemma.

Due to overlapping clinical features, scrub typhus infection may be missed in presence of dengue. Concurrent infection with those two pathogens is rare and creates a diagnostic dilemma. We present a case of a 65-year-old male who was admitted with a high-grade fever and maculopapular rash. A complete hemogram revealed thrombocytopenia with raised hematocrit and positive diagnostic tests for dengue. The patient was treated conservatively with intravenous fluids and antipyretic medications in response to which the hematocrit improved, and the rash disappeared. But fever with thrombocytopenia continued to persist. On further clinical examination, a small eschar was noted on his abdomen. Doxycycline was started upon which the fever subsided, and thrombocytopenia improved. This case illustrates the importance of early recognition of coinfection in unremitting febrile illness in tropical countries to prevent potentially dangerous complications.

The Coexistence of Two Genetic Astrocytopathies-Megalencephalic Leukoencephalopathy and Vanishing White Matter Disease-in an Indian Child.

A 9-month-old male child, born of second-degree consanguinity, presented with a progressively enlarging head since early infancy. The child had normal early development, but further acquisition of milestones after 6 months was delayed. He had afebrile seizures at 9 months, followed by the appearance of appendicular spasticity. First magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed nonenhancing, diffuse, bilaterally symmetrical T1/fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) hypointensity and T2 hyperintensity of the cerebral white matter and anterior temporal cysts. Subsequently, the periventricular and deep white matter developed microcystic changes with a pattern of radial stripes. Next-generation sequencing revealed homozygous autosomal recessive variations in the MLC1 gene [c.188T > G, (p.Leu63Arg)] on exon 3 and also in the EIF2B3 gene [c.674G > A, (p.Arg225Gln)] on exon 7, the parents being heterozygous carriers for both variations. This article highlights the rare occurrence of two leukodystrophies of diverse pathogenesis in a child from a nonpredisposed community.

Cerebral Venous Thrombosis as The Sole Presenting Manifestation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis B Virus Co-Infection.

Background: Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) following either human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a very rare condition. Moreover, it has never been reported as the presenting manifestation of HIV and HBV co-infection, even more so when the patient had a normal CD4 count and no demonstrable opportunistic infections. We aimed to report the first case of an adult Indian male, an intravenous drug abuser who developed CVT as the presenting manifestation of HIV-HBV co-infection. Methods: Patient data were obtained from medical records from the Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research & SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Results: A 25-year-old male with a history of intravenous drug abuse and a normal CD4 count developed CVT as the presenting manifestation of HIV-HBV co-infection. His CD4 count was normal, and he had no demonstrable opportunistic infections. He had an uneventful recovery of the condition (CVT) following the institution of conventional anticoagulation therapy alongside anti-retroviral therapy. Conclusion: Whether illicit drug abuse or HIV/HBV infection itself or all in combination led to this thrombotic event cannot be precisely established. Notwithstanding, we recommend serologic testing for HIV and HBV in patients suffering from CVT with high-risk behavior.

Bickerstaff encephalitis: An uncommon sequalae of a bacterial infection.

Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis (BBE) is a rare neurological disorder characterised by the presence of the triad of ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and altered consciousness. It is thought to be associated to an autoimmune condition triggered by an antecedent infection. Scrub typhus is a zoonotic disease caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, and it is associated with myriads of neurological complications. We hereby present an unusual case of BBE in a young lady, who was probably a sequalae of scrub typhus infection. Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis in association with scrub typhus has not been reported till date.

Hypokalaemia with Guillain-Barré syndrome: a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.

Acute-onset quadriparesis is not only debilitating and a grave concern for the patient but also perturbs the clinician as it demands early diagnosis and prompt management to prevent catastrophic outcome due to respiratory failure. Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and hypokalaemia are notorious causes of acute-onset lower motor neuron (LMN) quadriparesis and warrant a rapid evaluation to necessitate early management. However, coexistence of these two entities is extremely rare and may pose a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge and mandates exclusion of either condition to avoid a poor outcome. We hereby report a case of a young woman who presented with an acute-onset LMN quadriparesis, initially found to have significant hypokalaemia with poor response to supplementation and was further evaluated to have an axonal variant of GBS.