Acquired hemophilia A associated with internal border-zone infarction triggered by major hemorrhage of thigh and leg: a case report.

It is unusual to be complicated with cerebral infarction for bleeding disorders. We describe a first case of internal border-zone infarction (I-BZI) complicated with acquired hemophilia A. A 79-year-old man was introduced from other hospital by cerebral infarction and severe anemia. His left thigh and leg were swollen with subcutaneous bleeding. Activated partial thromboplastin time was 99.4 seconds. Factor VIII activity was less than 1% and Factor VIII inhibitor concentration was 85 BU, respectively. The platelet count and prothrombin time were normal. These results were consistent with the diagnosis of acquired hemophilia A. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed multiple small infarction in bilateral internal border zone. To our knowledge, this is the first case of I-BZI complicated with acquired hemophilia A. This case suggested that major hemorrhage is one of the sole causes of I-BZI.

Noncardiogenic stroke patients with metabolic syndrome have more border-zone infarction and intracranial artery stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the clinical character of stroke patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Chinese population. In this hospital-based cross-sectional study, we elucidated the prevalence of MetS among patients with acute noncardiogenic cerebral infarction from south China, the topographic infarction patterns in magnetic resonance imaging, and vascular angiography findings of stroke patients with MetS. METHODS: The patients with acute noncardiogenic stroke were clinically evaluated including waistline circumference, blood pressure, glycemia, serum triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, magnetic resonance imaging, and angiography evaluation, including magnetic resonance angiography, computed tomography angiography, or digital subtraction angiography for intracranial (IC) and extracranial arteries. According to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criterion, the patients were classified into the MetS and non-MetS groups. RESULTS: Among 222 patients studied, the prevalence of MetS was 54.5%, and there were more women in the MetS group than in the non-MetS group (P < .05). Frequency of all the individual factors of MetS was higher in the MetS group than in the non-MetS group (P < .05). The lesion pattern of border-zone (BZ) infarction was more prevalent in MetS patients (P < .05). The frequency of IC artery stenosis was higher in the MetS group than in the non-MetS group (odds ratio [OR], 1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0-3.0). After adjustment for age and gender, IC stenosis was significantly associated with large waistline circumference (OR, .95; 95% CI, .91-.99). CONCLUSIONS: According to our findings, MetS was of high prevalence in noncardiogenic stroke patients in China, and female patients were more likely to have MetS. The MetS patients tended to have more BZ infarctions and more IC artery stenosis than the non-MetS stroke patients.

New Cortical Spot Cerebral Infarction Out of Border Zone in ICA Occlusion Suggests Recanalization: A Case Report.

Internal carotid artery occlusion rarely recanalizes spontaneously. Awareness of signs of recanalization is important, as it may necessitate changing the treatment strategy. We report a case of new cortical infarction outside the border zone, which led to the realization of internal carotid artery recanalization and revascularization. A 76-year-old woman presented with mild dysarthria. Magnetic resonance imaging showed cerebral infarction in the left-hemispheric border zone and occlusion of the internal carotid artery origin. Cerebral angiography performed showed complete occlusion of the internal carotid artery origin and intracranial collateral blood flow from the external carotid artery through the ophthalmic artery. She was diagnosed with infarction due to a hemodynamic mechanism caused by internal carotid artery occlusion and was treated with supplemental fluids and antithrombotic drugs. Four days after hospitalization, the right paralysis worsened and a new cerebral infarction was observed in the cortex, outside the border zone. This infarction appeared to be embolic rather than hemodynamic; thus, we suspected recanalization of the internal carotid artery. The patient underwent emergency cerebral angiography again, which revealed slight recanalization. Thus, emergency revascularization and carotid artery stenting were performed. New cortical infarcts outside the border zone in patients with complete internal carotid artery occlusion is an important finding, suggesting spontaneous recanalization of the occluded internal carotid artery.

Multiple Cerebral Infarctions Accompanied by Subcortical and Subarachnoid Hemorrhaging in Bilateral Border Zone Areas in a Patient with Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis.

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is often associated with peripheral neuropathy, but reports of central nervous system involvement are quite rare. We herein report a patient with EGPA first identified as having hypereosinophilia who later developed asthma, eosinophilic otitis media, sinusitis, and hemorrhagic colitis. She subsequently developed hemiparesis. Head magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiple cerebral infarctions with subcortical and subarachnoid hemorrhaging colocalized at the bilateral border zone areas. She was diagnosed with EGPA-induced stroke and successfully treated with oral prednisolone. Inflammation in the small cerebral arteries in EGPA may induce bilateral border zone infarction with colocalizing subcortical and subarachnoid hemorrhaging.

Cerebral border zone infarction: an etiological study.

BACKGROUND: Border zone infarcts (BZI) are ischemic lesions at the junction between two main arterial territories which may be either cortical or internal BZI. METHODS: This study was conducted on 76 cerebral BZI patients and 20 healthy control subjects. Patients were divided to group I included 26 internal BZI, group II included 19 cortical BZI and group III included 21 mixed internal/cortical BZI patients. Included subjects were submitted to neurological examination, laboratory investigations, ECG, echocardiogram, brain CT and/or MRI and extra and intracranial blood vessels imaging by duplex and CT angiography. RESULTS: Hypertension was significantly higher among groups I and III compared to group II while atrial fibrillation (AF) was significantly higher in groups II and III than group I (p < 0.05). Sonographic duplex assessment of extra and intracranial blood vessels revealed significant increase in mean flow velocities of CCA, ICC and MCA on both side in groups I and III compared to group II (p < 0.05). CT angiography revealed non-significant differences between BZI patients and control as well as in between the three BZI patient's groups regarding the existence of vertebral artery hypoplasia and/or circle of Willis anomalies. CONCLUSIONS: Vascular stenosis is the main etiological factor in internal BZI while AF is the predominant etiological factor of cortical BZI. Congenital vascular anomalies play roles in the localization of BZI but cannot predispose to it except when comorbid with hemodynamic disturbances.

Routine Shunting During Carotid Endarterectomy in Patients With Acute Watershed Stroke.

AIM: To evaluate the protective role of routine shunting in patients with acute watershed stroke (WS) undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA). METHODS: A total of 138 patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis (SCS) who underwent CEA after acute ischemic stroke from March 2008 to March 2015 were included in this study. Transient ischemic attacks were excluded. These patients were divided into 2 groups according to the topographic pattern of the stroke on magnetic resonance imaging: group 1, territorial strokes (TS) caused by emboli of carotid origin, and group 2, WS caused by a hemodynamic mechanism related to an SCS. Primary end points were 30-day mortality and postoperative neurological morbidity. The insertion of a Pruitt carotid shunt was performed systematically. RESULTS: Ninety (65.2%) patients presented a TS of carotid origin and were included in group 1, and 48 (34.8%) of the 138 patients had a WS related to an SCS and were included in group 2. The median time between clinical onset of the cerebral ischemic event and surgery was 9 days (range: 0-89 days). Postoperative mortality was 0%. Seven (5.1%) patients had an aggravation of the neurological status during the postoperative period, of whom 2 presented a complete regression of the symptoms in less than 1 hour (definitive postoperative neurologic morbidity: 3.6%). Postoperative neurologic morbidity rate was significantly higher in the TS group (7 of 90; 7.8%) compared to the WS group (0 of 48; P = .04). No other independent predictive factor of neurologic morbidity after CEA for an SCS was found. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that routine shunting should be considered in case of acute WS since it may play a protective role. Further studies are eagerly awaited to better define the timing and the best treatment option for both acute WS and TS related to an SCS in order to reduce postoperative neurologic morbidity.