NOS inhibition reverses TLR2-induced chondrocyte dysfunction and attenuates age-related osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a joint disease featuring cartilage breakdown and chronic pain. Although age and joint trauma are prominently associated with OA occurrence, the trigger and signaling pathways propagating their pathogenic aspects are ill defined. Following long-term catabolic activity and traumatic cartilage breakdown, debris accumulates and can trigger Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Here we show that TLR2 stimulation suppressed the expression of matrix proteins and induced an inflammatory phenotype in human chondrocytes. Further, TLR2 stimulation impaired chondrocyte mitochondrial function, resulting in severely reduced adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. RNA-sequencing analysis revealed that TLR2 stimulation upregulated nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS2) expression and downregulated mitochondria function-associated genes. NOS inhibition partially restored the expression of these genes, and rescued mitochondrial function and ATP production. Correspondingly, Nos2-/- mice were protected from age-related OA development. Taken together, the TLR2-NOS axis promotes human chondrocyte dysfunction and murine OA development, and targeted interventions may provide therapeutic and preventive approaches in OA.

Autologous bone grafting in combination with autologous chondrocyte implantation yields favourable outcomes in the treatment of osteochondral defects of the knee: A systematic literature review.

PURPOSE: This study addresses the gap in the current literature by evaluating the combined treatment of autologous bone grafting and autologous chondrocyte implantation (ABCI) for osteochondral defects of the knee. It aims to evaluate clinical outcomes against methodological quality and to summarize histological results and surgical techniques. METHODS: A thorough search was conducted across Pubmed, Cochrane and Embase databases. Studies reporting clinical outcomes of ABCI for osteochondral defects of the knee were included. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), failure rates, methodological quality and potential conflicts of interest were evaluated. Histological results and surgical techniques were summarized. RESULTS: Eighteen studies with 344 analyzed patients met the eligibility criteria for inclusion. All studies showed a significant improvement (p < 0.05) across different PROMs (subjective International Knee Documentation Committee score, Cincinnati Knee Rating System, Visual Analogue Scale, Lysholm Score, Tegner Activity Scale, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score and Knee Society Score) compared to the preoperative status. Failure rates ranged from 0% to 17.6%, with a mean follow-up of 73.2 months (range: 9.0-143.6 months). Methodological quality was low to medium, including only one comparative study. Six studies reviewed reported a potential conflict of interest. The histological assessment showed effective bonding between autologous chondrocytes and bone graft. A large degree of variability was observed in the operative technique used. CONCLUSION: The current literature suggests that ABCI yields good clinical outcomes at mid- to long-term follow-up with favourable histological results for osteochondral defects of the knee. However, future research should focus on high-quality comparative studies to better guide treatment choices. Introducing ABCI as the standard abbreviation may enhance clarity in future research. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Metabolic reprogramming of synovial fibroblasts in osteoarthritis by inhibition of pathologically overexpressed pyruvate dehydrogenase kinases.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common degenerative joint disease and a major cause of age-related disability worldwide, mainly due to pain, the disease's main symptom. Although OA was initially classified as a non-inflammatory joint disease, recent attention has been drawn to the importance of synovitis and fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) in the pathogenesis of OA. FLS can be divided into two major populations: thymus cell antigen 1 (THY1)- FLS are currently classified as quiescent cells and assumed to destroy bone and cartilage, whereas THY1+ FLS are invasively proliferative cells that drive synovitis. Both THY1- and THY1+ FLS share many characteristics with fibroblast-like progenitors - mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC). However, it remains unclear whether synovitis-induced metabolic changes exist in FLS from OA patients and whether metabolic differences may provide a mechanistic basis for the identification of approaches to precisely convert the pathologically proliferative synovitis-driven FLS phenotype into a healthy one. To identify novel pathological mechanisms of the perpetuation and manifestation of OA, we analyzed metabolic, proteomic, and functional characteristics of THY1+ FLS from patients with OA. Proteome data and pathway analysis revealed that an elevated expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) 3 was characteristic of proliferative THY1+ FLS from patients with OA. These FLS also had the highest podoplanin (PDPN) expression and localized to the sublining but also the lining layer in OA synovium in contrast to the synovium of ligament trauma patients. Inhibition of PDKs reprogrammed metabolism from glycolysis towards oxidative phosphorylation and reduced FLS proliferation and inflammatory cytokine secretion. This study provides new mechanistic insights into the importance of FLS metabolism in the pathogenesis of OA. Given the selective overexpression of PDK3 in OA synovium and its restricted distribution in synovial tissue from ligament trauma patients and MSC, PDKs may represent attractive selective metabolic targets for OA treatment. Moreover, targeting PDKs does not affect cells in a homeostatic, oxidative state. Our data provide an evidence-based rationale for the idea that inhibition of PDKs could restore the healthy THY1+ FLS phenotype. This approach may mitigate the progression of OA and thereby fundamentally change the clinical management of OA from the treatment of symptoms to addressing causes.

Bacterial contamination of irrigation fluid and suture material during ACL reconstruction and meniscus surgery : Low infection rate despite increasing contamination over surgery time.

PURPOSE: During knee arthroscopy, irrigation fluid from the surgical site accumulates in the sterile reservoir. Whether these fluid collections and also suture material used during the arthroscopic surgical processes show bacterial contamination over time during surgery remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine this contamination rate and to analyze its possible influence on postoperative infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 155 patients were included. Fifty-eight underwent reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), 63 meniscal surgery and 34 patients combined ACL reconstruction and meniscus repair. We collected pooled samples of irrigation fluid from the reservoir on the sterile drape every 15 min during the surgery. In addition, we evaluated suture material of ACL graft and meniscus repair for bacterial contamination. Samples were sent for microbiological analysis, incubation time was 14 days. All patients were seen in the outpatient department 6, 12 weeks and 12 months postoperatively and examined for clinical signs of infection. RESULTS: A strong statistical correlation (R2 = 0.81, p = 0.015) was found between an advanced duration of surgery and the number of positive microbiological findings in the accumulated fluid. Suture and fixation material showed a contamination rate of 28.4% (29 cases). Despite the high contamination rate, only one infection was found in the follow-up examinations, caused by Staphylococcus lugdunensis. CONCLUSION: Since bacterial contamination of accumulated fluid increases over time the contact with the fluid reservoirs should be avoided. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

[Position paper on stroke aftercare of the German Stroke Society-Part 3: structural concepts for future forms of care of stroke aftercare]. / Positionspapier Schlaganfallnachsorge der Deutschen Schlaganfall-Gesellschaft ­ Teil 3: Strukturelle Konzepte für zukünftige Versorgungsformen der Schlaganfallnachsorge.

BACKGROUND: Irrespective of the great impact stroke exerts on the society as a whole and far-reaching advances in acute treatment and rehabilitation of stroke, so far outpatient services for post-stroke care have not been established on a national level in Germany. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: Against the background of this contemporary lack of care, in May 2020 the German Stroke Society (DSG) established the stroke aftercare commission. This position paper discusses structural models of future services addressing outpatient post-stroke care. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The specialized care by a neurologist should be central to a multidisciplinary, interprofessional and transsectoral treatment. Structural concepts of post-stroke care must take regional differences but also effective strategies for quality control into account. Certification processes and appropriate financing of follow-up registries at state and federal levels may pave the way for improvement over the medium term. Structured outpatient post-stroke care services should be open to all subgroups of stroke patients. Additionally, innovative technologies can make an important contribution to post-stroke care; however, the implementation of specialized services demands adequate funding as well as separate financial incentives for the providers. The solution must carefully balance the advantages and disadvantages of the specific care and financing models. Currently the discussion of new models of post-stroke care is gaining new momentum, which opens up perspectives for the advancement of the otherwise still insufficient contemporary care structures.

Subcortical lesions due to cobalamin deficiency: an unusual MRI lesion pattern.

We present a 44-year-old male patient with new onset of right focal epilepsy and bilateral hand hypesthesia. Cerebral MRI showed bilateral T2w/DWI hyperintense subcortical lesions in the cingulate gyrus, insula, and amygdala, whereas spinal MRI revealed a cervical posterior column lesion, corresponding to subacute combined degeneration. Laboratory workup revealed a cobalamin deficiency due to type A gastritis, and no evidence of antibodies associated with limbic encephalitis. After sufficient cobalamin substitution, the cerebral and spinal lesions gradually regressed. Our case represents a unique cerebral subcortical MRI lesion pattern in a patient with epilepsy and cobalamin deficiency. Thus, the latter represents an important differential diagnosis for autoimmune encephalitis.

Reversed shoulder arthroplasty leads to significant histological changes of the deltoid muscle: a prospective intervention trial.

INTRODUCTION: Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) shows promising short- and mid-term results in cuff tear arthropathy. However, functional impairments are described in long-term findings. Micromorphological changes in the periarticular musculature could be in part responsible for this, but have not yet been analysed. Thus, histological changes of the deltoid muscle and their association to the functional outcome were evaluated in this study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 15 patients treated with RSA were included in this prospective study. Functional outcome was assessed using the Constant Score (CS) and the DASH (disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand) Score before RSA and after a mean follow-up of 12 months. Deltoid muscle biopsies were harvested intraoperatively and 12 months postoperatively. Mean deltoid muscle fibre area (MMFA) was calculated histologically after haematoxylin-eosin staining. RESULTS: Postoperative shoulder function significantly improved within 12 months (CS: Δ 37.4 ± 22.6, p = 0.001; DASH: Δ 27.1 ± 29.1, p = 0.006). The MMFA significantly decreased (p = 0.02), comparing the results from the intraoperative biopsy (MMFA: 8435.8 µm2, SD ± 5995.9 µm2) to the 12 months biopsy (MMFA: 5792. µm2, SD ± 3223.6 µm2). No correlation could be found between the functional score results and MMFA. CONCLUSION: Signs of deltoid muscle changes in terms of a reduced MMFA can be detected 1 year after RSA and thus already a long time before long-term functional impairments become apparent. Further studies with larger patient series and longer follow-up periods as well as extended histological assessments and simultaneous radiological examinations are required.

Failure analysis of infection persistence after septic revision surgery: a checklist algorithm for risk factors in knee and hip arthroplasty.

PURPOSE: Several studies describe risk factors for primary periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) and general treatment outcome factors like microbe spectrum or patient-specific risk factors. However, these general and patient dependent findings cannot solely explain all cases of infection persistence after a prior septic revision. This study analyzes possible specific and patient independent reasons for failure after revisions for PJI in knee and hip arthroplasty. METHODS: In a prospective analysis all patients were included that were treated: (1) at our department, (2) with a two-stage exchange, (3) between 2013 and 2017, (4) due to an infection persistence after a previous revision for PJI. Possible reasons for infection persistence were identified using a checklist algorithm, based on international guidelines. RESULTS: 70 patients with infection persistence could be included (44 knee joints, 26 hip joints). The average age was 71 years, the CCI (Charlson Comorbidity Index) 2.8 and the ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) score 2.7. In 85% at least one possible reason for patient independent infection persistence could be identified analyzing the previous infection therapy: (1) 50% inadequate therapy concept (n = 35), (2) 33% inadequate surgical debridement (n = 23), (3) 30% inadequate antimicrobial therapy (n = 21), (4) 13% missed external bacterial primary focus (n = 9). After the individual failure analysis, all 70 patients were treated with a two-stage exchange in our department and in 94.9% infection freedom could be achieved (34.3 ± 10.9 months follow-up). CONCLUSIONS: In the majority of failed revisions with subsequent infection persistence at least one possible patient independent failure cause could be identified. The entire previous therapy should be critically reviewed following failing revisions to optimize the outcome of septic revisions. By using a checklist algorithm, high rates of infection freedom were achieved.

Mesenchymal stromal cell and bone marrow concentrate therapies for musculoskeletal indications: a concise review of current literature.

The interest on applying mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in orthopedic disorders has risen tremendously in the last years due to scientific successes in preclinical in vitro and animal model studies. In a wide range of diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system, MSCs are currently under evaluation, but so far have found access to clinical use only in few cases. The current assignment is to translate the acquired knowledge into clinical practice. Therefore, this review aims at presenting a synopsis of the up-to-date status of the use of MSCs and MSC related cell products in musculoskeletal indications. Clinical studies were included, whereas preclinical and animal study data not have been considered. Most studies published so far investigate the final outcome applying bone marrow derived MSCs. In fewer trials the use of adipose tissue derived MSCs and allogenic MSCs was investigated in different applications. Although the reported results are equivocal in the current literature, the vast majority of the studies shows a benefit of MSC based therapies depending on the cell sources and the indication in clinical use. In summary, the clinical use of MSCs in patients in orthopedic indications has been found to be safe. Standardized protocols and clear definitions of the mechanisms of action and the mode and timing of application as well as further coordinated research efforts will be necessary for finally adding MSC based therapies in standard operating procedures and guidelines for the clinicians treating orthopedic disorders.

Can an acute high-grade acromioclavicular joint separation be reduced and stabilized without surgery? A surgeon's experience.

INTRODUCTION: While the management of Rockwood type III injuries is still a topic of debate, high-grade Rockwood type V injuries are mostly treated surgically, to anatomically reduce the acromioclavicular (AC) joint and to restore functionality. In this case report, we present a method for non-operative reduction and stabilization of a high-grade AC joint injury. CASE: A 31-year-old male orthopaedic resident sustained a Rockwood type V injury during a snowboarding accident. His AC joint was reduced and stabilized with an AC joint brace for six weeks. The brace provided active clavicle depression and humeral elevation. After removal of the brace the AC joint showed a nearly anatomic reduction. Six-month follow-up weighted X-ray views showed an AC joint which had healed in a Rockwood type II position and the patient returned to full pre-injury function with a satisfying cosmetic appearance. CONCLUSION: Non-operative reduction and stabilization of high-grade AC joint separations seems to be a valuable treatment option. A "closed reduction and external fixation" approach with the aid of a dedicated AC joint brace can reduce the AC joint and keep it in place until ligamentous consolidation occurs, thus improving AC joint stability and cosmetic appearance without surgical intervention.

[Prevention of infections following open fractures]. / Prävention von Infektionen nach offenen Frakturen.

Open fractures involve a high risk of open fracture-associated infections (OFAIs), and the treatment can often be protracted and complicated. Thus, prevention of OFAIs in the acute and perioperative management of open fractures is of great importance. Through vigilance and thorough treatment planning, between the day of injury and the hospital discharge, the risk of OFAIs can be considerably reduced.

Bacteriophages as Adjuvant to Antibiotics for the Treatment of Periprosthetic Joint Infection Caused by Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

We documented the adjunctive bacteriophage therapy to treat a chronic relapsing periprosthetic joint infection of the knee and chronic osteomyelitis of the femur caused by multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa The combined antibiotic-phage treatment eradicated the infection, and no side effects to phages were observed.

In vitro antimicrobial activity against Abiotrophia defectiva and Granulicatella elegans biofilms.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy of different antibiotics (alone or in combination) against Abiotrophia defectiva and Granulicatella elegans biofilms and to investigate the anti-biofilm activity of gentamicin alone versus blood culture isolates from both species. METHODS: The activity of benzylpenicillin, clindamycin, daptomycin, fosfomycin, gentamicin, levofloxacin and rifampicin against 24-hour-old biofilms of A. defectiva and G. elegans was investigated in vitro by conventional microbiological methods and isothermal microcalorimetry. RESULTS: For planktonic bacteria, the MIC values of tested antibiotics ranged from 0.016 to 64 mg/L, as determined by microcalorimetry. Higher antibiotic concentrations, ranging from 1 to >1024 mg/L, were needed to produce an effect on biofilm bacteria. Gentamicin was an exception as it was active at 1 mg/L against both planktonic and biofilm G. elegans. A synergistic effect was observed when daptomycin was combined with benzylpenicillin, gentamicin or rifampicin against A. defectiva biofilms and when gentamicin was combined with rifampicin or levofloxacin against G. elegans biofilms. A. defectiva clinical isolates displayed greater variability in gentamicin susceptibility as compared with G. elegans strains. CONCLUSIONS: Antimicrobial susceptibility profiles vary widely between Abiotrophia and Granulicatella biofilms, and synergistic effects of the tested antibiotics were heterogeneous. The clinical relevance of these in vitro observations needs to be confirmed in experimental in vivo conditions and human trials, before guidelines for the treatment of A. defectiva and G. elegans infections are established. This study suggests the benefit of further clinical exploration of antibiotic combinations with anti-biofilm effect.

Management of Chronically Infected Total Knee Arthroplasty With Severe Bone Loss Using Static Spacers With Intramedullary Rods.

BACKGROUND: Two-stage revision with static antibiotic spacers is the preferred treatment for chronically infected total knee arthroplasty (TKA) associated with severe bone loss. Intramedullary rods to reinforce static spacers have been described. On those, however, bacterial colonization may occur and hamper infection control. This study reports the microbiological findings on the spacer rods and the treatment outcome among these patients. METHODS: We reviewed 97 infected TKA with extensive bone loss treated with antibiotic-loaded cement spacers reinforced with intramedullary rods. Mean interim period with the spacer in situ was 9 weeks (range: 6-24 weeks). Intraoperative cultures and sonicated spacer rods were analyzed. Mean follow-up after TKA reimplantation was 41 months (range: 27-56 months). Treatment success was defined using the modified Delphi consensus criteria. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients (23%) had treatment failure, including 3 reinfections caused by the same organism, 9 reinfections caused by a different organism, 9 patients required interim spacer exchange, and 1 patient died in the early postoperative course. Sonication cultures of the spacer rods were positive in 2 cases (2%), and none of them failed. Host and limb status was significantly worse in patients who sustained reinfection. At the latest follow-up, all patients had a TKA in place, and 2 patients received chronic antibiotic suppression. CONCLUSION: Two-stage revision with the use of intramedullary rods is a safe and efficient treatment for chronically infected TKA with severe bone loss. Most reinfections grew different organisms compared with initial infection. Compromised hosts and extremities may be subjected to chronic antibiotic suppression.

The worst-case scenario: treatment of periprosthetic femoral fracture with coexistent periprosthetic infection-a prospective and consecutive clinical study.

BACKGROUND: The simultaneous occurrence of periprosthetic fracture (PPF) and periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is among the most devastating complications in arthroplasty and carries the risk of limb loss. For the first time, this study will describe the characteristics, treatment concepts, and outcomes of this complication. METHODS: Patients were consecutively included who were treated at our specialized interdisciplinary department between 2015 and 2016 with a PJI and an additional PPF of the hip. The treatment algorithm followed a three-step procedure: the complete removal of any foreign material (step 1), fracture stabilization by plate, intramedullary rod osteosynthesis or cerclages using an additional spacer (step 2), and reimplantation of a new prosthesis (step 3). RESULTS: Overall, eight cases [four male, four female, mean age 77 years (55-91)] were included. The mean follow-up was 34 ± 8 months. The fractures included one PPF Vancouver B1, three B2/3, and four type C. Most frequent microbes were CNS (Coagulase-negative staphylococci) (n = 4), Cutibacterium (n = 2) and Staphylococcus aureus (n = 2). Mixed infections (≥ 2 microorganisms) occurred in five cases. The time between explanation and reimplantation was 42 ± 34 (range 7-123) days. A re-infection took place in one, a re-revision in four cases, and in five cases fracture healing was noticed. In all eight cases, freedom from the infection and limb preservation could be achieved. CONCLUSION: PPF in the case of a PJI is a devastating situation and a huge challenge. Extremity preservation should be the primary goal. The described procedure offers a possible solution.

Outcome of short versus long interval in two-stage exchange for periprosthetic joint infection: a prospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: A two-stage exchange is the standard treatment approach for chronic periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). While a 6-8 week interval is commonly used before reimplantation, the optimal length of the prosthesis-free interval has not yet been determined. We evaluated the influence of a short (< 4 weeks) and long (≥ 4 weeks) interval on reinfection rate and functional outcome of hip and knee PJI. METHODS: In this prospective cohort, patients undergoing two-stage revision for PJI were assigned to prosthesis reimplantation after a short (< 4 weeks) or long (≥ 4 weeks) interval. All patients received standardized antimicrobial therapy, which consisted of antibiogram-adapted, non-biofilm-active antibiotics during the interval and an antimicrobial combination therapy with biofilm-active antibiotics after reimplantation. Follow-up was performed for infection, joint function, pain, need for care and quality of life. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients undergoing two-stage revision for PJI (18 hips and 20 knees) were included. Short interval was used in 19 patients having a mean interval of 17.9 days (range 7-27 days), long interval in 19 patients having a mean interval of 63.0 days (range 28-204 days). At a mean follow-up of 39.5 months (range 32-48 months), 37 of 38 patients (97.4%) were infection-free. One failure occurred among patients with long interval and none among patients with short interval. Functional results (ROM, HHS, KSS, VAS) and quality of life (SF-36) were similar in both groups. Patients treated with long interval required cumulatively additional 204 inpatient days for nursing care compared to patients with short interval. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that two-stage exchange with short interval has a similar outcome than with long interval, when highly active antibiotic therapy is used. Patient inconvenience and care costs due to immobilization were lower when strategies with a short interval were used.

An often-unrecognized entity as cause of recurrent infection after successfully treated two-stage exchange arthroplasty: hematogenous infection.

INTRODUCTION: Reinfection after two-stage exchange arthroplasty is a difficult clinical scenario with limited data on adequate treatment algorithms. Beside the possibility of treatment failure and a new intraoperative infection at the time of reimplantation, hematogenous seeding could play an up to date underestimated crucial role as another cause of an infection after two-stage exchange. The aim of this study was to evaluate its incidence and treatment possibilities in a prospectively followed case series. METHODS: All consecutive hip and knee periprosthetic joint infection cases (93 hips and 89 knees) treated according to a standardized diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm at our institution with a two-stage exchange arthroplasty from 2013 to 2015 were included and followed prospectively to identify recurrent infections due to hematogenous seeding. RESULTS: Six percent from our septic revision hip and knee arthroplasties (11 of 182, including 5 hips and 6 knees) were identified with a hematogenous reinfection after a mean follow-up of 31.8 months (range 14-48 months). The mean time to reinfection after reimplantation was 12.2 months (range 3.1-35.1). In all but two cases was the causative microorganism different than isolated at the time of initial two-stage exchange. In 5 of 11 patients, the primary focus of infection was identified. CONCLUSION: Hematogenous infection after a successful two-stage exchange arthroplasty is a rare but very important cause of a reinfection. With our work, we aim at raising the awareness for this entity and recommend consideration of irrigation and debridement with implant retention in these cases, as well as possibly the identification of a primary infection source.

New-Onset Headache in Patients With Autoimmune Encephalitis Is Associated With anti-NMDA-Receptor Antibodies.

OBJECTIVE: We tested the hypotheses (i) that autoimmune encephalitis is associated with new-onset headache, and (ii) that the occurrence of headache is associated with the presence of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-receptor antibodies. BACKGROUND: Autoimmune encephalitis presents with cognitive dysfunction as well as neuro-psychiatric symptoms. Its pathophysiology might involve antibody-mediated dysfunction of the glutamatergic system as indicated by the presence of anti-NMDA-receptor antibodies in some patients. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, patients with autoimmune encephalitis were assessed with a standardized interview for previous headache and headache associated with autoimmune encephalitis. Headache was classified according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders, second edition. Clinical and paraclinical findings were correlated with the occurrence of headache. RESULTS: Of 40 patients with autoimmune encephalitis, 19 did not have a history of headache. Of those, nine suffered from encephalitis-associated headache. Seven of these nine had anti-NMDA-receptor antibodies in contrast to only two among the remaining 10 patients without new-onset headache (P = .023, odds ratio: 14, 95% confidence interval: 1.5; 127). In most patients headache occurred in attacks on more than 15 days/month, was severe, and of short duration (less than 4 hours). International Headache Society criteria for migraine were met in three patients. CONCLUSIONS: New-onset headache is a relevant symptom in patients with autoimmune encephalitis who have no history of previous headache, especially in the subgroup with anti-NMDA-receptor antibodies. This indicates a thorough investigation for secondary headaches including anti-NMDA-R antibodies for patients with new-onset headache and neuropsychiatric findings. Glutamatergic dysfunction might be important for the generation of head pain but may only occasionally be sufficient to trigger migraine-like attacks in nonmigraineurs.

Validation of Synovial Aspiration in Girdlestone Hips for Detection of Infection Persistence in Patients Undergoing 2-Stage Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of synovial aspiration in Girdlestone hips, without a Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) spacer, for the detection of infection persistence before total hip arthroplasty (THA) reimplantation. METHODS: Seventy-four patients undergoing stage revision THA surgery were included in this retrospective cohort study. Both synovial cultures and serum C-reactive protein values were acquired before explantation of the THA and of the Girdlestone hip before reimplantation. RESULTS: The diagnostic performance of the synovial aspiration of the Girdlestone hip achieved a sensitivity of only 13% and a specificity of 98%. The determination of the serum C-reactive protein value for Girdlestone hips achieved a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of only 20%. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that the Girdlestone aspiration can neither reliably confirm nor exclude a persistence of infection.