Neuroprotective Effects of Drug-Induced Therapeutic Hypothermia in Central Nervous System Diseases.

OBJECTIVE: This review article focuses on the neuroprotective effect of drug-induced hypothermia in cerebrovascular diseases and discusses its related side effects. METHOD: A systematic literature search was performed using Pubmed and Embase electronic databases for a retrospective analysis. RESULTS: Experimental studies have shown that drug-induced hypothermia alleviates brain damage and plays a neuroprotective role, thereby reducing mortality and ameliorating neurological deficits. Therefore, drug-induced hypothermia has an important research value and is worth further consideration in the clinical setting. However, drug-induced hypothermia is also associated with side effects, such as ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, suppressed immune function, infection, electrolyte imbalance, glucose metabolism disorders, and skeletal muscle tremor. Existing drugs with cooling effects belong to the following categories: (1) dopamine receptor agonists; (2) cannabis; (3) opioid receptors; (4) vanilloid receptors; (5) vasopressins (potent neurotensin receptor agonists); (6) thyroid drugs; (7) adenosine drugs; and (8) purine drugs.

Central pontine and extrapontine myelinolysis in an infant associated with the treatment of craniopharyngioma: case report.

A 3-year-old girl presented with osmotic demyelination syndrome after undergoing uneventful neuroendoscopic cystostomy for a growing cystic suprasellar craniopharyngioma following microscopic subtotal resection 1 year previously. Endocrinopathy had well been controlled by hormone replacement therapy and administration of 1-amino-8-d-arginine-vasopressin with serum sodium concentration within the normal range. She presented generalized seizure and fever on postoperative day 7, with hyponatremia beginning on postoperative day 4 and deteriorating despite frequent correction. The serum sodium concentration began to fluctuate on the same day, in the range 111-164 mEq/l, which lasted for 2 weeks, refractory for intense management. Her body temperature also fluctuated between hypo- and hyperthermia not correlated with serum inflammatory markers. Her conscious disturbance progressively deteriorated with spastic paraparesis. T(2)-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging taken on postoperative day 19 revealed hyperintense areas in the pons, external capsule, bilateral thalami, and basal nuclei, which had not been recognized before, suggesting osmotic demyelination syndrome causing central pontine and extrapontine myelinolysis. MR imaging taken on postoperative days 230 and 360 showed some diminished lesions but others persisted and resulted in a cavity. The patient's depressed conscious level did not improve. Suprasellar craniopharyngioma with long-standing hypothalamic dysfunction may be associated with severe osmotic demyelination syndrome even after less invasive surgery, so serum sodium derangement after surgery should be promptly corrected even if only subtle signs are present.