Investigation and management of serum sodium after subarachnoid haemorrhage (SaSH): a survey of practice in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

BACKGROUND: Hyponatraemia is a common complication of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). We aimed to determine current neurosurgical practice for the identification, investigation and management of hyponatraemia after SAH. METHODS: An online questionnaire was completed by UK and Irish neurosurgical trainees and consultant collaborators in the Sodium after Subarachnoid Haemorrhage (SaSH) audit. RESULTS: Between August 2019 and June 2020, 43 responses were received from 31 of 32 UK and Ireland adult neurosurgical units (NSUs). All units reported routine measurement of serum sodium either daily or every other day. Most NSUs reported routine investigation of hyponatraemia after SAH with paired serum and urinary osmolalities (94%), urinary sodium (84%), daily fluid balance (84%), but few measured glucose (19%), morning cortisol (13%), or performed a short Synacthen test (3%). Management of hyponatraemia was variable, with units reporting use of oral sodium supplementation (77%), fluid restriction (58%), hypertonic saline (55%), and fludrocortisone (19%). CONCLUSIONS: Reported assessment of serum sodium after SAH was consistent between units, whereas management of hyponatraemia varied. This may reflect the lack of a specific evidence-base to inform practice.

Temporal Progression of Craniofacial Dysmorphology in Unilateral Coronal Synostosis: A Mechanistic Hypothesis.

AIM: This study chronicles skull base and face development in nonsyndromic unilateral coronal synostosis (UCS) during infancy, to characterize the mechanistic progression of facial dysmorphology. METHODS: Computed tomography scans from 51 subjects were reviewed (26 UCS, 25 controls) and data were reconstructed. Patients were stratified into 5 age groups. A series of measurements were taken from the reconstructions. RESULTS: All patients had a unilaterally fused coronal suture at the time of analysis. Asymmetry of the sphenoid wings was present across all age groups. The sphenoid wing ipsilateral to the fused suture consistently had a more acute angle from the midline. At 19 days of age, ipsilateral nasal root and cribriform plate deviation are noted, as well as increased contralateral zygoma antero-posterior length. Patients younger than 2 months also had elongated posterior cranial bases. At 2 to 3 months of age, the cranial base widens in the anterior portion of the middle cranial fossa with an increased ipsilateral pterion to sella distance. The most delayed change observed was the increase in contralateral orbital rim angle at 7 to 12 months of age compared to normal. CONCLUSION: After suture fusion, sphenoid wing changes are among the earliest restructural malformations to take place. This suggests that the cascade of dysmorphology in UCS originates in the cranial vault, then progresses to the skull base, and lastly to the facial structures. Ipsilateral orbital changes are early facial changes in UCS that begin before 2 months of age. This is then followed by changes in the contralateral face later in development.

The Use of Ovarian Vein Sampling to Lateralize a Virilizing Leydig Cell Ovarian Tumor.

Background/Objective: Leydig cell tumors are a rare androgen-secreting ovarian tumor. We present a patient with virilization symptoms secondary to a Leydig cell tumor, with nonrevealing imaging studies, that was localized using ovarian vein sampling (OVS). Case Report: A 56-year-old postmenopausal woman was referred by her gynecologist to the endocrinology clinic for voice-deepening, clitoral enlargement, scalp hair loss, and excessive body hair growth. Her total testosterone was 11.5 (0.3-1.3 nmol/L), bioavailable testosterone was 7.19 (0.1-0.6 nmol/L), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate was 4.0 (0.8-4.9 µmol/L). Transvaginal ultrasound and abdominal magnetic resonance imaging showed no adrenal or ovarian masses bilaterally. On adrenal vein sampling (AVS) and OVS, total testosterone from the left gonadal vein was 780.0 (0.3-1.3 nmol/L) and right gonadal vein was 18.6 (0.3-1.3 nmol/L), with a left-to-right ovarian testosterone ratio of 41.94. A bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed, and a 1.0 cm Leydig cell tumor in the left ovary was noted on histopathology. One month after surgery, her total and bioavailable testosterone were <0.4 (0.3-1.3 nmol/L and 0.1-0.6 nmol/L, respectively). At 6 months, she had normalization of her voice to baseline, decreased clitoral size, decreased hair growth on her back, and improvement in her male-pattern baldness. Discussion: OVS and AVS are useful diagnostic investigation tools in cases of virilization, in which imaging is nonrevealing. Our case supports previously suggested left-to-right ovarian vein testosterone ratio of ≥15 being associated with a left-sided tumor. Conclusion: Few cases have been published on the interpretation of AVS and OVS in the setting of virilization. Previously suggested ratios for lateralization were valid for this patient.

Prospective, multicentre study of screening, investigation and management of hyponatraemia after subarachnoid haemorrhage in the UK and Ireland.

BACKGROUND: Hyponatraemia often occurs after subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). However, its clinical significance and optimal management are uncertain. We audited the screening, investigation and management of hyponatraemia after SAH. METHODS: We prospectively identified consecutive patients with spontaneous SAH admitted to neurosurgical units in the United Kingdom or Ireland. We reviewed medical records daily from admission to discharge, 21 days or death and extracted all measurements of serum sodium to identify hyponatraemia (<135 mmol/L). Main outcomes were death/dependency at discharge or 21 days and admission duration >10 days. Associations of hyponatraemia with outcome were assessed using logistic regression with adjustment for predictors of outcome after SAH and admission duration. We assessed hyponatraemia-free survival using multivariable Cox regression. RESULTS: 175/407 (43%) patients admitted to 24 neurosurgical units developed hyponatraemia. 5976 serum sodium measurements were made. Serum osmolality, urine osmolality and urine sodium were measured in 30/166 (18%) hyponatraemic patients with complete data. The most frequently target daily fluid intake was >3 L and this did not differ during hyponatraemic or non-hyponatraemic episodes. 26% (n/N=42/164) patients with hyponatraemia received sodium supplementation. 133 (35%) patients were dead or dependent within the study period and 240 (68%) patients had hospital admission for over 10 days. In the multivariable analyses, hyponatraemia was associated with less dependency (adjusted OR (aOR)=0.35 (95% CI 0.17 to 0.69)) but longer admissions (aOR=3.2 (1.8 to 5.7)). World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies grade I-III, modified Fisher 2-4 and posterior circulation aneurysms were associated with greater hazards of hyponatraemia. CONCLUSIONS: In this comprehensive multicentre prospective-adjusted analysis of patients with SAH, hyponatraemia was investigated inconsistently and, for most patients, was not associated with changes in management or clinical outcome. This work establishes a basis for the development of evidence-based SAH-specific guidance for targeted screening, investigation and management of high-risk patients to minimise the impact of hyponatraemia on admission duration and to improve consistency of patient care.