Yield of Computed Tomography (CT) Angiography in Patients with Acute Headache, Normal Neurological Examination, and Normal Non Contrast CT: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with acute severe headache, normal neurological examination, and a normal noncontrast head computed tomography (NCCT) may still have subarachnoid hemorrhage, cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), cervical arterial dissection, or reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS). Computed tomography angiography (CTA) is used increasingly in the emergency department for evaluating this, but its added value remains controversial. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data on the diagnostic yield of CTA in patients with acute severe headache, normal neurological examination, and normal NCCT who received additional CTA in the acute phase in 2 secondary referral centers for vascular neurology. We combined data of our patients with those from the literature and performed a meta-analysis. RESULTS: We included 88 patients from our hospital files and 641 patients after literature search. Of 729 patients 54 had a vascular abnormality on CTA (7.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.5%-9.3%). Abnormalities consisted of aneurysms (n = 42; 5.4%; 95% CI 3.8%-7.0%), CVT (n = 3, .5%), RCVS (n = 4, .5%), Moyamoya syndrome (n = 2, .3%), arterial dissection (n = 2, .3%), and ischemia (n = 1, .1%). Because most of the aneurysms were probably incidental findings, only 12 (1.6%) patients had a clear relation between the headache and CTA findings. The number needed to scan to find an abnormality was 14 overall, and 61 for an abnormality other than an aneurysm. CONCLUSION: Diagnostic yield of CTA in patients with acute headache, normal neurological examination, and normal NCCT is low, but because of the possible therapeutic consequences, its use might be justified in the emergency setting. Prospective studies confirming these results including cost-effectiveness analyses are needed.

Corticosteroid injection in patients with ulnar neuropathy at the elbow: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the effect of ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injection in patients with ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE). METHODS: Fifty-five patients were randomized between an ultrasound-guided injection of 1 ml containing 40 mg methylprednisolone acetate and 10 mg lidocaine hydrochloride or a placebo injection. The primary outcome was the subjective change of symptoms after 3 months. The secondary outcomes were change in electrodiagnostic studies and ultrasonography findings. RESULTS: A success rate of 30% was found in the corticosteroid injection group versus 28% in the placebo injection group. Only the nerve cross-sectional area changed significantly in the intervention group, from a mean of 11.9 mm(2) to 10.9 mm(2) . CONCLUSIONS: We could not demonstrate a positive effect of ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injection in UNE compared with placebo. Favorable outcomes may be attributed to the natural course of UNE or the effect of patient education.

D-dimer for the exclusion of cerebral venous thrombosis: a meta-analysis of low risk patients with isolated headache.

BACKGROUND: Patients with isolated headache may have cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). D-dimers are proven sensitive in excluding deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) in low risk patients. We aimed to determine whether D-dimer may play the same role in low risk CVT patients with isolated headache. METHODS: We included consecutive patients suspected of CVT from our teaching hospital with isolated headache, a normal neurological examination and normal standard head CT in whom D-dimer was determined. Additionally we did a systematic review on articles describing consecutive patients suspected of CVT with isolated headache and their D-dimer values. CVT was investigated with CT or MR venography in all patients. RESULTS: A total of 636 consecutive patients were collected from our own data and the literature search. Of 45 CVT patients one had a negative D-dimer (7.5 %). Sensitivity of D-dimer for diagnosing CVT was 97.8 % (95 % CI: 88.2-99.6 %), specificity was 84.9 % (95 % CI: 81.8-87.7 %), positive predictive value was 33.1 % (95 % CI: 25.2-41.7 %), negative predictive value was 99.8 % (95 % CI: 98.9-100 %). Another 56 isolated headache CVT patients were identified in literature, lacking consecutive isolated headache controls. Sensitivity of D-dimer for diagnosing CVT including these patients was 87.1 % (95 % CI: 79.0-93.0 %). CONCLUSIONS: D-dimers have a high negative predictive value in patients with isolated headache for excluding CVT. Sensitivity is lower but comparable to the values accepted in PE and DVT. Low risk patients were defined as headache patients with a normal neurological examination, normal standard head CT and absence of risk factors such as pregnancy or puerperium. Normal D-dimers in these patients may reduce unnecessary imaging, making it a potential valuable marker.

Prediction of vascular abnormalities on CT angiography in patients with acute headache.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with acute headache increasingly undergo CT-angiography (CTA) to evaluate underlying vascular causes. The aim of this study is to determine clinical and non-contrast CT (NCCT) criteria to select patients who might benefit from CTA. METHODS: We retrospectively included patients with acute headache who presented to the emergency department of an academic medical center and large regional teaching hospital and underwent NCCT and CTA. We identified factors that increased the probability of finding a vascular abnormality on CTA, performed multivariable regression analyses and determined discrimination with the c-statistic. RESULTS: A total of 384 patients underwent NCCT and CTA due to acute headache. NCCT was abnormal in 194 patients. Among these, we found abnormalities in 116 cases of which 99 aneurysms. In the remaining 190 with normal NCCT we found abnormalities in 12 cases; four unruptured aneurysms, three cerebral venous thrombosis', two reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndromes, two cervical arterial dissections and one cerebellar infarction. In multivariable analysis abnormal NCCT, lowered consciousness and presentation within 6 hr of headache onset were independently associated with abnormal CTA. The c-statistic of abnormal NCCT alone was 0.80 (95% CI: 0.75-0.80), that also including the other two variables was 0.84 (95% CI: 0.80-0.88). If NCCT was normal no other factors could help identify patients at risk for abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with acute headache abnormal NCCT is the strongest predictor of a vascular abnormality on CTA. If NCCT is normal no other predictors increase the probability of finding an abnormality on CTA and diagnostic yield is low.

Procalcitonin in cerebrospinal fluid in meningitis: a prospective diagnostic study.

OBJECTIVES: Bacterial meningitis is a severe but treatable condition. Clinical symptoms may be ambiguous and current diagnostics lack sensitivity and specificity, complicating diagnosis. Procalcitonin (PCT) is a protein that is elevated in serum in bacterial infection. We aimed to assess the value of PCT in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. METHODS: We included patients with bacterial meningitis, both community acquired and post neurosurgery. We included two comparison groups: patients with viral meningitis and patients who underwent lumbar punctures for noninfectious indications. We calculated mean differences and 95% confidence intervals of procalcitonin in CSF and plasma in patients with and without bacterial meningitis. RESULTS: Average PCT concentrations in CSF were 0.60 ng mL-1 (95% CI: 0.29-0.92) in the bacterial meningitis group (n = 26), 0.81 (95% CI: 0.33-1.28) in community-acquired meningitis (n = 16) and 0.28 (95% CI: 0.10-0.45) in postneurosurgical meningitis (n = 10), 0.10 ng mL-1 (95% CI: 0.08-0.12) in the viral meningitis group (n = 14) and 0.08 ng mL-1 (95% CI: 0.06-0.09) in the noninfectious group (n = 14). Mean difference of PCT-CSF between patients with community-acquired bacterial meningitis and with viral meningitis was 0.71 ng mL-1 (95% CI: 0.17-1.25) and 0.73 ng mL-1 (95% CI: 0.19-1.27) for community-acquired bacterial meningitis versus the noninfectious group. The median PCT CSF: plasma ratio was 5.18 in postneurosurgical and 0.18 in community-acquired meningitis (IQR 4.69 vs. 0.28). CONCLUSION: Procalcitonin in CSF was significantly higher in patients with bacterial meningitis when compared with patients with viral or no meningitis. PCT in CSF may be a valuable marker in diagnosing bacterial meningitis, and could become especially useful in patients after neurosurgery.