Relationship between white matter hyperintensities and retinal nerve fiber layer, choroid, and ganglion cell layer thickness in migraine patients.

Aim To compare the relationship between white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on brain magnetic resonance imaging and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), choroid, and ganglion cell layer (GCL) thicknesses in migraine patients and healthy subjects. We also assessed the role of cerebral hypoperfusion in the formation of these WMH lesions. Methods We enrolled 35 migraine patients without WMH, 37 migraine patients with WMH, and 37 healthy control subjects examined in the Neurology outpatient clinic of our tertiary center from May to December 2015. RFNL, choroid, and GCL thicknesses were measured by optic coherence tomography. Results There were no differences in the RFNL, choroid, or GCL thicknesses between migraine patients with and without WMH ( p > 0.05). Choroid layer thicknesses were significantly lower in migraine patients compared to control subjects ( p < 0.05), while there were no differences in RFNL and GCL thicknesses ( p > 0.05). Conclusions The 'only cerebral hypoperfusion' theory was insufficient to explain the pathophysiology of WMH lesions in migraine patients. In addition, the thinning of the choroid thicknesses in migraine patients suggests a potential causative role for cerebral hypoperfusion and decreased perfusion pressure of the choroid layer.

Ipilimumab treatment associated with myasthenic crises and unfavorable disease course.

Ipilimumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting the cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 is a treatment option for metastatic melanoma. This receptor serves as an inhibitor receptor on T lymphocytes and blockage of these results predisposition to autoimmune diseases. The patients with autoimmune disorders were excluded in clinical trials and there is no sufficient data of the treatment on these patients who already have an autoimmune disorder. Here, we report a case of myasthenia gravis who was treated with ipilimumab and we presented the long-term prognosis of the patient after treatment.

Clinical results of carotid artery stenting versus carotid endarterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To review our results of carotid artery stenting (CAS) and carotid endarterectomy (CEA). METHODS: We evaluated the medical records of patients undergoing carotid artery revascularization procedure, between 2001 and 2013 in Baskent University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. Carotid artery stenting or CEA procedures were performed in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis (>/=70%) or symptomatic stenosis (>/=50%). Demographic data, procedural details, and clinical outcomes were recorded. Primary outcome measures were in 30-day stroke/transient ischemic attacks (TIA)/amaurosis fugax or death. Secondary outcome measures were nerve injury, bleeding complications, length of stay in hospital, stroke, restenosis (ICA patency), and all-cause death during long-term follow-up. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-four CEA and 115 CAS procedures were performed for symptomatic and/or asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis. There is no significant differences 30-day mortality and neurologic morbidity between CAS (13%) and CEA procedures (7.7%). Length of stay in hospital were significantly longer in CEA group (p=0.001). In the post-procedural follow up, only in symptomatic patients, restenosis rate was higher in the CEA group (p=.045). The other endpoints did not differ significantly. CONCLUSION: Endovascular stent treatment of carotid artery atherosclerotic disease is an alternative for vascular surgery, especially for patients that are high risk for standard CEA. The increasing experience, development of cerebral protection systems and new treatment protocols increases CAS feasibility.

The relationship between the degree of cognitive impairment and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness.

The goal of the present study is to investigate the relationship between the degree of cognitive impairment and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness which is measured by the optical coherence tomography (OCT). Thirty-five patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), 35 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 35 healthy volunteers, between the ages of 60-87, who were examined in the neurology outpatient clinic among 2012-2013 were prospectively involved in our study. Mini mental state examination (MMSE) test, montreal cognitive assessment (MOCA), and also neuropsychological test batteries were used for the neurocognitive evaluation. RNFL thickness was measured by the OCT technique and the differences among groups were studied. The relationship between RNFL thickness and MMSE scores with demographic characteristics was investigated. RNFL thickness was significantly lower in AD and MCI groups compared with the control group (p < 0.01). No significant differences of RNFL were found between the MCI and the AD groups (p > 0.05). Significant correlation was found between MMSE scores and the RNFL values (p < 0.05). Significant thinning in RNFL along with age was detected (p < 0.05). In our study, it is thought that retinal nerve fiber degeneration and central nervous system degeneration may be concurrent according to the thinning of RNFL measured by OCT in AD and MCI groups. RNFL measurement may also be useful for early diagnosis and evaluation of the disease progression. Further studies are needed to optimize the utility of this method as an ocular biomarker in AD.

Rare Presentation of Midbrain Infarction: Isolated Medial Rectus Palsy.

A 69-year-old woman presented with sudden onset of diplopia. In neurologic examination left medial rectus palsy without abduction nystagmus was detected. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed acute ischemic lesion in mesencephalon on diffusion-weighted images. Sponteneous resolution was observed after 1 month. Medial rectus palsy is a rare presention of acute ischemic stroke and early neuroimaging is important to establish such lesions.

Validation of Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Discriminant Power of Montreal Cognitive Assessment Subtests in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer Dementia in Turkish Population.

Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a new cognitive tool developed for screening mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The authors examined validity of MoCA and discriminating power of subtests in a Turkish population comprising of 474 participants (246 healthy controls, 114 subjects with MCI and 114 subjects with dementia). The ANCOVAs showed that age and education had a main effect on MoCA scores. Cut scores were computed according to different education levels. The overall cut-off values for MCI and dementia were found to be lower compared to western studies. MoCA was found to have good internal consistency. The subtests most useful in discriminating MCI from healthy controls were recall, visuospatial and language, while in discriminating dementia from MCI were visuospatial, orientation and attention subtests. The results demonstrated that MoCA is a valid and reliable instrument in screening MCI, and compared with the MMSE, MoCA was proved to have superior sensitivity and specificity in detecting MCI.

The prevalence and recognition rate of delirium in hospitalized elderly patients in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: Delirium is frequently observed, but generally under recognized in elderly hospitalized patients. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of delirium in elderly patients hospitalized at a university hospital, and to determine the recognition rate by hospital staff during hospitalization. METHODS: The study included 108 consecutive patients aged ≥ 65 years that were hospitalized in the medical and surgical inpatient departments at Baskent University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. All the patients were evaluated using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) upon admission and Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) on a daily basis during hospitalization. Written documents and consultation requests from psychiatry and/or neurology departments were reviewed for recognition of delirium by hospital staff. RESULTS: Among the 108 patients in the study, delirium was noted in 18 (16.7%) during their hospital stay. Consultation from psychiatry or neurology departments was requested for 5 of the 18 patients, only 1 with a delirium diagnosis, indicating that 17 of the cases (94.4%) were not recognized by their primary physicians. CONCLUSIONS: The delirium non-recognition rate in elderly hospitalized patients was very high. We think that hospital staff must be trained to recognize the symptoms of delirium and identify high-risk patients.

Transient global amnesia and hippocampal diffusion restriction: an overlooked radiological finding.

Transient global amnesia (TGA) is characterized by isolated sudden anterograde amnesia. Diffusion restriction can be observed in the hippocampus on DWI-MRI at varying rates in TGA patients. This study analyzes the prevalence and characteristics of the hippocampal diffusion restriction (HDR), its relationship with vascular risk factors, and the prevalence of lesions overlooked in routine reports. 91 patients diagnosed with TGA at a tertiary hospital between 2011 and 2022 were evaluated retrospectively. The mean age was 64.8 ± 7.3 years, and 63.7% of patients were female. 75.8% of the patients had at least one vascular risk factor. Focal diffusion restriction was detected in 17 patients (18.5%) on DWI-MRI, with only one being extra-hippocampal. 81.2% of HDR was detected when DWI-MRI scan was performed between 12 and 96 h after the onset of symptoms. HDR was detected most when the imaging was performed in 24 to 48 h (p = 0.03). There was no correlation between the duration of symptoms and the detection rates of HDR (p = 0.55). In 9 patients (53% of 17) diffusion restriction was not specified in routine radiology reports. Although focal ischemia, venous flow abnormalities, migraine and epileptic phenomena have been suggested in its etiology, TGA is a clinical condition of which pathophysiology has not been determined clearly. Signal changes observed in DWI-MRI has led to discussions that cerebrovascular etiology may play a role, yet more comprehensive studies are required to prevent and manage TGA. HDRs can be overlooked in routine reports. Therefore, the DWI-MRI images of patients with TGA should be examined vigilantly.

Do Mean Platelet Volume and Platelet Distribution Width Have An Association with White Matter Hyperintensities in Migraine Patients?

Objective: Increased prevalence of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) is reported in migraine patients; however, the pathophysiology and the progression of these lesions are not definitely clear. Mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) are easily obtained markers for platelet activity. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the presence of WMH and MPV and PDW in patients with migraine in order to determine the role of platelet activity in the pathophysiology of WMH. Methods: Patients who were admitted to the neurology outpatient clinics of Baskent University Hospital from January 2011 to December 2015 with migraine and between 18 and 55 years of age were evaluated retrospectively. The blood samples were taken and total blood count parameters including MPV and PDW were analyzed. Brain magnetic resonance images were evaluated. Results: Totally, 218 patients were evaluated in this study. Forty-eight (22.0%) patients had WMH in the brain magnetic resonance imaging. In patients with WMH, the median of age was higher than the patients without WMH and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between MPV, PDW values, and the presence of WMH. Conclusions: There are multiple theories suggested for the mechanism of WMH, but the major cause and pathophysiology are still undetermined. Our data suggested that increased platelet activity is insufficient by itself to explain the pathophysiology of WMH in migraine patients and to improve the knowledge on this issue further large longitudinal studies should be performed.

Listeria Rhombencephalitis and Infratentorial Brain Abcesses in a Young Adult with Stroke Like Presentation.

Rhombencephalitis refers to the inflammation of rhombencephalon, and Listeria monocytogenes is one of the causes of infectious rhombencephalitis. Listeria rhombencephalitis is a rare and severe infection with high mortality and morbidity. As the disease can present with a variety of neurological symptoms and nonspecific laboratory tests, it can easily be misdiagnosed. Sudden onset of neurological signs without fever can resemble stroke. Magnetic resonance imaging can be useful in patients for confirmation of the diagnosis and during the follow-up. Early diagnosis and treatment are especially important for improvement of the outcomes. Here we report a case with stroke-like presentation that was diagnosed as Listeria rhombencephalitis in follow-up and present the serial brain magnetic resonance imaging features.

Hyperprolactinemia and galactorrhea with duloxetine in neuropathic pain management.

Duloxetine is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor that is widely used in chronic pain treatment in various diseases. Hyperprolactinemia and galactorrhea are rare side effects of this medication. Here, we reported a 34-year-old female with multiple sclerosis who used duloxetine for pain management and mood disorder and experienced galactorrhea.

Predictors of progression in primary progressive multiple sclerosis in a large Turkish cohort.

BACKGROUND: Studies on the predictors of progression for primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) are limited and there is no information in the literature for populations outside Europe and North America. In this study, we aimed to identify predictors of progression in a large Turkish PPMS cohort. METHODS: We analyzed a cohort of 157 PPMS patients to investigate the effect of age of onset, gender, onset symptoms, presence or absence of relapses, and baseline gadolinium-enhancing lesions on the rate of progression to EDSS6 by using Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariate Cox regression. RESULTS: Older age of onset and presence of spinal motor symptoms at onset were associated with a shorter time to EDSS6 and presence of supratentorial signs at onset was associated with a longer time to EDSS6 according to Kaplan-Meier analysis. These factors remained significant after multivariate Cox-regression analysis. Clinical relapses were present in 22.3% and gadolinium-enhancing lesions on baseline MRI were present in 28% of patients, but these factors were not predictive of time to EDSS6. CONCLUSION: We identified age of onset and symptom at onset as predictors of progression in Turkish PPMS patients. Presence of clinical relapses or baseline gadolinium-enhancing lesions did not affect PPMS progression rate.

Do knowledge of, perception of, and attitudes toward epilepsy affect the quality of life of Turkish children with epilepsy and their parents?

The main goal of this study was to evaluate knowledge of, perceptions of, and attitudes toward epilepsy and then to correlate knowledge with quality of life and stigmatization of children with epilepsy and their families. Specific questionnaires were administered to children aged 8 to 17 with epilepsy (n=220) and their parents (n=313). Poor school performance, less social support, less self-esteem, higher anxiety, greater stigmatization, and more depressive symptoms were documented in children who were less knowledgeable (P<0.05). Parents were found to be more knowledgeable about the antiepileptic drugs used, understanding both the effects and the side effects of the medications (P<0.05). Family activities were less restricted if they were more knowledgeable and these parents reported worrying less about their children (P<0.05). Knowledge about epilepsy is associated with less perceived stigmatization and social isolation, as well as fewer depressive symptoms and misperceptions.

Spontaneous Spinal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage with Residual Arachnoid Cyst: A Case Report.

Spinal subarachnoid hemorrhage is a rare condition that usually occurs because of secondary causes and idiopathic spontaneous ones are extremely rare. We report a 56-year-old woman who presented with severe headache, neck pain and urinary retention. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed subarachnoid hemorrhage that extended from T1 to lumbar vertebrae. She was treated conservatively and symptoms were resolved within 1 month. An asymptomatic arachnoid cyst was observed on the follow-up magnetic resonance imaging after 3 months with no neurologic deterioration. She was still stable clinically and radiologically at the end of 19 months. Spinal subarachnoid hemorrhage is a surgical emergency, although in some cases a conservative approach may be useful.

Prevalence and Treatment of Neuropathic Pain in Kidney and Liver Transplant Recipients.

OBJECTIVES: Neurologic complications are common after kidney and liver transplant. Neurologic complications affect mortality and morbidity in transplant recipients, and neuropathic pain is an important symptom affecting a patient's quality of life. The aim of the present study was to provide readers with our experience regarding causes and treatment of neuropathic pain in patients undergoing kidney and liver transplant at our transplantation center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical data of 553 kidney transplant recipients and 258 liver transplant recipients who received transplant procedures at the Baskent University Transplantation Center between 2008 and May 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Fifty-one patients who were examined by an expert neurologist and diagnosed with neuropathic pain on the basis of clinical, neurologic examination, and laboratory findings were included for analyses. RESULTS: Among 811 transplant recipients, 51 patients (6.2%) were diagnosed with neuropathic pain. Of these, 22 were female and 38 were male patients, and 42 were kidney transplant recipients and 9 were liver transplant recipients. Causes of neuropathic pain included uremia, diabetes mellitus, ischemic peripheral arterial disease, inflammatory neuropathy, vasculitis, discopathy, postherpetic neuralgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, and multiple myeloma. Patients with symptoms too mild to affect daily life activities were treated conservatively. Plasmapheresis, gabapentin, pregabalin, alpha-lipoic acid, and duloxetine were administered as treatment modalities and medications. CONCLUSIONS: Neuropathic pain was lower in our transplant recipients than in the general population. Treatment medications were effective for transplant recipients at lower doses for the management of neuropathic pain impairing quality of life than doses for the general population.

A Rare Cause of a Cerebrovascular Accident in a Renal Transplant Recipient: Corpus Callosum Infarction.

Renal transplantation is a life-saving procedure in patients with end-stage renal failure. Advanced surgical procedures and enhanced perioperative care favorably affect the progression of the disease. Despite these advances, neurological complications are important sources of mortality and morbidity. The rate of neurological complications after renal transplantation has been reported as 10-21% by various studies. Here we report a case with corpus callosum infarction in a 39-year-old renal transplant recipient.

Unfavorable outcome of pediatric onset multiple sclerosis: Follow-up in the pediatric and adult neurology departments of one referral center, in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of MS starting under 18 years of age ranges between 2-10% of the total MS population. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine the clinical and long term follow-up data of pediatric-onset cases in our institutional MS database. METHOD: We evaluated the clinical data from the MS database of the Departments of Neurology and Pediatric Neurology of Hacettepe University Hospital. RESULTS: The clinical features of 74 patients who had experienced the first attack before age 18 years comprised 3.9% of our MS population. Median age at onset was 15 (3, 5-17, IQR=3.63) years, and female: male ratio was 2.4. The most frequent symptom at onset was brainstem/cerebellar dysfunction (32.4%). Seventy two patients (97.3%) initially had relapsing remitting course and in the follow-up, 17 (23%) of them developed secondary progressive (SP) course. The median interval to develop SPMS course was 10 (5-21, IQR=8) years. At the last visit, median disease duration was 6.67 (0.83-25, IQR=9.06) years, 41 (55.4%) of them had EDSS of ≥4. CONCLUSION: These findings illustrate the profile of our pediatric MS patients: almost all are relapsing-remitting initially; about one fourth become secondarily progressive in 10 years, and about half acquire disability EDSS ≥4 in mean 8 years.

Aspirin resistance in cerebrovascular disease and the role of glycoprotein IIIa polymorphism in Turkish stroke patients.

Aspirin resistance occurs in 5-45% of high-risk patients, with various mechanisms proposed for its development. This study aimed to determine the relationships among aspirin resistance, aspirin dosage, type of aspirin and glycoprotein IIIa P1A1/A2 polymorphism in patients with vascular risk factors. Two hundred and eight (75 symptomatic, 133 asymptomatic) patients with vascular risk factors who were using aspirin for primary or secondary prevention were prospectively included. The symptomatic group was further classified into two groups according to aspirin use at the time of stroke. Aspirin resistance was measured by the PFA-100 system (collagen/epinephrine cartridge) and glycoprotein IIIa P1A1/A2 polymorphism was determined by PCR. The overall prevalence of aspirin resistance was 32.2%. The mean age of patients with aspirin resistance was significantly higher than that in those who did not have resistance (P = 0.009). The prevalence of aspirin resistance was similar for the symptomatic and asymptomatic under aspirin therapy groups. The resistance rate was found to be highest with 100 mg enteric-coated preparation use (39.3%). Increasing the aspirin dosage and/or shifting to uncoated preparations caused a change in aspirin sensitivity of 36-60%. Repeated measurements showed development of aspirin resistance in 14% of patients who were sensitive to aspirin in previous measurements. Glycoprotein IIIaP1A1/A2 polymorphism, aspirin resistance and development of atherothrombotic stroke were not significantly related. The effect of aspirin can change by time, dosage and type of preparation used. There are no relationships among glycoprotein IIIa P1A1/A2 polymorphism, aspirin resistance and development of atherothrombotic stroke.

Neurologic Complications After Cardiac Transplant.

OBJECTIVES: Cardiac transplant is the best available therapy for patients with end-stage heart failure. Neurologic complications occur at a rate of 30% to 70% in patients undergoing cardiac transplant, and they affect mortality and morbidity of these patients. Risk factors for neurologic complications include immunosuppressive medication toxicity, infections, brain lesions, and metabolic disorders. The aim of our study was to determine the incidence of neurologic complications in adult patients undergoing cardiac transplant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of 70 patients who underwent cardiac transplant between 2004 and April 2016. We recorded the demographic data, neurologic symptoms, neurologic examination findings, laboratory test results, brain imaging study results, and treatments received of the patients. RESULTS: Of the 70 patients enrolled, 55 were male and 15 were female patients. The age range was 18 to 63 years, and the mean age was 42.4 years. Twelve patients had encephalopathy, 4 had neuropathic pain, 3 had tremor, 2 had ischemic cerebrovascular accident, 7 had posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, and 1 had drop foot. Encephalopathy usually developed secondary to other neurologic disorders. The incidence of neurologic complications in adult patients undergoing cardiac transplant was 30%. CONCLUSIONS: Neurologic complications are common after cardiac transplant. We observed an incidence of 30% for neurologic complications in our clinic, with encephalopathy being the most common complication. Encephalopathy most commonly developed secondary to posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome.

Epilepsy After Heart Transplant: A Single Center Experience.

OBJECTIVES: Cardiac transplant is the best treatment for patients with end-stage heart failure. Neurologic complications occur at a rate of 30% to 80% in patients undergoing cardiac transplant. Seizures occur at a rate of 2% to 20%. The main causative factors include immunosuppressant drug toxicity, infections, brain lesions, and metabolic disorders. Here, our aim was to determine seizure types and associated conditions in patients undergoing cardiac transplant and to report our treatment experience at our institution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of 109 patients who underwent cardiac transplant between 2004 and 2016. We recorded demographic data, immunosuppressive treatment, seizure type, cause, recurrence rate, and treatment. RESULTS: Of 109 patients, 13 had seizures after cardiac transplant. Our study involved 69 adult and 40 pediatric patients. The pediatric patients had an age range of 1 to 17 years, with a mean age of 9.6 years (22 female and 18 male patients). Five pediatric patients had seizures (4 female and 1 male patient). The seizure causes included 2 postarrest hypoxic encephalopathies and 3 posterior reversible encephalopathies. Adult patients ranged from 18 to 63 years old, with a mean age of 42.3 years (54 male and 15 female patients). Eight patients in the adult patient group had seizures (5 female and 3 male patients). Seizure causes were ischemic cerebrovascular events in 2 patients, metabolic disorders in 2, posterior reversible encephalopathies in 3, and postarrest hypoxic brain in 1. CONCLUSIONS: Seizure is an important complication after cardiac transplant. At our institution, the most common cause of seizure was posterior reversible encephalopathy, with immunosuppressant drugs being responsible.