Cluster headache: an update on clinical features, epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment.

Cluster headache (CH) is one of the worst primary headaches that remain underdiagnosed and inappropriately treated. There are recent advances in the understanding of this disease and available treatments. This paper aims to review CH's recent clinical and pathophysiological findings, diagnosis, and treatment. We performed a narrative literature review on the socio-demographics, clinical presentations, pathophysiological findings, and diagnosis and treatment of CH. CH affects 0.1% of the population with an incidence of 2.07-9.8/100,00 person-years-habitants, a mean prevalence of 53/100,000 inhabitants (3-150/100,000 inhabitants). The male-to-female ratio remains inconclusive, as the ratio of 4.3:1 has recently been modified to 1.3-2.6, possibly due to previous misdiagnosis in women. Episodic presentation is the most frequent (80%). It is a polygenetic and multifactorial entity that involves dysfunction of the trigeminovascular system, the trigeminal autonomic reflex, and the hypothalamic networks. An MRI of the brain is mandatory to exclude secondary etiologies. There are effective and safe pharmacological treatments oxygen, sphenopalatine, and great occipital nerve block, with the heterogeneity of clinical trial designs for patients with CH divided into acute, transitional, or bridge treatment (prednisone) and preventive interventions. In conclusion, CH remains underdiagnosed, mainly due to a lack of awareness within the medical community, frequently causing a long delay in reaching a final diagnosis. Recent advances in understanding the principal risk factors and underlying pathophysiology exist. There are new therapeutic possibilities that are effective for CH. Indeed, a better understanding of this challenging pathology will continue to be a subject of research, study, and discoveries in its diagnostic and therapeutic approach.

Cluster headache: state of the art in treatment.

Cluster headache (CH) is the most common and devastating autonomic headache with multiple and recent advances in treatment. However, it usually goes unrecognized and is found to have a delayed and inappropriate treatment. This paper aims to review the current therapeutic options for patients with CH. We conducted a narrative literature review on the treatments available for this condition using the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) classification of therapeutic evidence. We found effective and safe pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies with heterogeneity of clinical trial designs for patients with CH, and they are divided into three phases, namely, transitional, acute, and preventive interventions. Prednisone (A) is the most studied treatment in the transitional phase; acute attacks are treated using triptans (A), oxygen (A), and non-invasive transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation (A). Verapamil (A) and monoclonal antibodies (possible A) are considered the first options in preventive treatments, followed by multiple pharmacological and non-pharmacological options in prophylactic treatments. In conclusion, numerous effective and safe treatments are available in treating patients with episodic, chronic, and pharmacoresistant CH according to the clinical profile of each patient.

Brain vascular lesions: a clinicopathologic, immunohistochemistry, and ultrastructural approach.

Brain vascular malformations are relatively common lesions that cause serious neurologic disability or death in a significant proportion of individuals bearing them. The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinicopathologic and immunohistochemistry these lesions, looking for common antibodies expressed such as CD31, CD34, CD15, factor VIII, nestin, vimentin, vascular endothelial grow factor (VEGF), vascular endothelial grow factor receptor-2 (VEGF-R2), glial fibrillar acidic protien (GFAP), and fibroblastic grow factor ß (ß-FGF) and ultrastructure in endothelial cells as well as in vessel walls. Fifty cases of vascular lesions were included in this study: 29 (58%) of them were arteriovenous malformations and 21 (52%) were brain cavernomas. Twenty-six (52%) patients were women and 24 (48%) men. The age range was from 13 to 68 years (mean age, 35.86 ± 15.19 years). The size of the lesions ranged between 1 and 8 cm (3 ± 1.65 cm), and parieto-occipital lesions had a bigger size. Evolution time varied from 1 month to 1 year (mean, 7.5 months). There was a significant statistical correlation between age and sex (P = -035), rupture of lesion (P = .015), brain hemorrhage (P = .033), necrosis (P = .011), hemosiderin deposit (P = .042), VEGF (P = .015), and VEGFR (P = .037), as well as localization of rupture (P = .017), loss of consciousness (P = .000), visual deficit (P = .026), hyaline vessels (P = .000), and CD31 (.009). Interactions between endothelial cells and mural cells (pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells) in blood vessel walls have recently come into focus as central processes in the regulation of vascular formation, stabilization, remodeling, and function in brain vascular lesions. However, the molecular mechanisms that underlie the formation and growth of brain arteriovenous malformations are still poorly understood.

Coexistence between meningioma and tuberculosis: case report.

Intracranial tuberculoma generally presents as either solitary or multiple lesions in the brain parenchyma. These are characterized by a ring-enhancing area on either computerized tomography scans or magnetic resonance images. A 66 year-old female with a history of breast carcinoma at 41 years, treated with radical mastectomy and radio and chemotherapy, and rheumatoid arthritis, treated in the last 10 years, presented two months ago with occipital headache, nausea, cerebellar syndrome, alterations of speech, and memory loss. The TC scan showed occipital enhancement by contrast and surrounded by oedema, suggesting metastasis. Histology showed a benign meningioma with many multinuclear giant cells, granulomas, and central caseating necrosis. In addition, some classic plasma cells, mastocytes, and lymphocytes were also detected. The authors describe the unusual case of coexistence between an occipital meningioma and tuberculosis in the same area that resembled metastasis.

Chordoid meningioma: a report of ten cases.

Chordoid meningioma is a rare variant of meningioma with histological features resembling those of chordoma. This tumor has a great risk of recurrence and aggressive growth (WHO grade II). This study was done to document the clinical and pathological features of ten patients with chordoid meningioma who submitted to surgery at the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery in Mexico City. Clinical, histological and immunohistochemical features were examined. The age range was from 30 to 67 years old (mean, 34.2 years). Seven patients were female and three male. The duration of symptoms varied from 3.5 months to 5 years (mean, 14.1 months). No systemic symptoms were noted. The tumor was localized in eight cases in the supratentorial compartments. Histologically, the tumors were characterized by strands and cords of meningothelial cells arranged in a mucinous stroma. Two of the ten tumors showed metaplasic changes, and seven showed brain invasion. Tumor cells demonstrated CK7, EMA and focal S-100 protein and Ep-CAM. Cytokeratin AE1/AE3, GFAP and synaptophysin were negative. The MIB-1 proliferative index was from 6 to 9% (mean 7.8). PCNA Li was 6 to 20% (mean, 14), and microvascular density was 6-16 (mean, 14.5). The mean rate of the MIB-1 labeling index in recurrences was 7.1% versus 6.33% for no tumor recurrence. Chordoid meningioma, World Health Organization grade II, is an uncommon variant of meningioma with a propensity for aggressive behavior and increased likelihood of recurrence. Chordoid meningiomas are predominantly tumors of young adults with a predilection for the supratentorial location. Intraventricular location and absence of systemic manifestations, despite the presence of abundant B-lymphocytes, mast cells and low MIB-1 LI, are some of the interesting findings in the present series that need further study. Hence, a larger number of cases with adequate follow-up data need to be studied further to establish the clinical relevance of this variant.

[Type I spinal atrophy (Werdnig-Hoffman disease). Case report]. / Atrofia espinal tipo I (síndrome de Werdnig-Hoffmann). Reporte de un caso.

BACKGROUND: We report a case of type I spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), also known as Werdnig-Hoffmann disease. METHODS: This was a descriptive case report. The patient was in the pediatric intensive care unit of a medical center. CASE REPORT: The patient was a 5 1/2 month-old male admitted to the emergency room from another hospital with a diagnosis of pneumonia with right apical atelectasis and with poor clinical evolution. The patient showed symptoms of acute respiratory failure and also generalized muscular weakness. Auscultation showed disseminated crackles, ronchi and hypotonic limbs. In view of his respiratory condition he was admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and intubated. Chest X-ray showed a narrow chest with an apical infiltration and a left parahilar atelectasis. During the first days in the ICU, successful extubation was not possible because the patient showed hypoxemia and bradycardia. SMA was suspected because of the general muscular weakness; therefore, biopsy and neurophysiology studies were performed, demonstrating an axonal motor polyneuropathy with tongue fasciculations and signs of chronic denervation. The Pathology Service reported neurogenic fascicular atrophy and genetic analysis supported the diagnosis by blood test sampling, revealing a homozygous state for a deletion on exon 7 of the gene SMN1. Fifteen days after his admission to the hospital, the patient showed severe respiratory and heart failure to the CPR maneuvers. CONCLUSIONS: Type 1 SMA is a rare entity with few cases reported in the literature, but it is important for the pediatrician to be familiar with this disease because of its severe implications.

[Characterization of children with cleft lip or palate]. / Caracterización de una población pediátrica con labio y paladar hendidos.

We reviewed 237 cases of children with cleft lip and/or palate from the Department of Human Communication. Sociodemographic data, diagnoses, surgeries, family structure, family problems reported, psychological evaluation, conduct report, disabilities and emotional indicators were all considered. All these categories are reviewed from a systemic perspective in which each is directly inter-related and directly responsible (along with other factors that must be researched) for the outcome and well being of the patient.

[Perioperative lesions in lower extremity peripheral nerves]. / Lesiones perioperatorias en nervios periféricos de extremidades inferiores.

OBJECTIVE: To review the actual concepts concerning perioperative nerve injuries during surgical or anesthetic procedures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A summary of published medical literature from Medline search files and published reviews. CONFLICT IF INTEREST: We have not conflicts of interest. RESULTS: Perioperative nerve injuries during surgical and anesthetic procedures of the lower extremities are the most common. Many possible etiologies have been proposed to explain perioperative nerve injury and include stretch, compression, and ischemia. Commonly this injuries are under recognition and an important aspect of perioperative nerve injuries is that they can occur for multiple reasons. It is necessary to have a good communication among surgeons, neurologists and clinical neurophysiologists, so it can lead to a more detailed neurological assessment with transoperative procedures that may prevent such injuries.