An unusual case of neutrocytic, culture-negative meningitis in an immunocompetent adult.

Patient presenting with fever, acute onset seizure and neck stiffness on examination; deteriorating despite initiation of early treatment for meningitis.

Reliability of measuring lesion volumes in transient ischemic attack and minor stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Lesion volume measurements in disabling ischemic stroke have excellent reliability, but it is not clear whether this is also true for small lesions. We assessed the reliability of measuring baseline and follow-up lesion volumes in transient ischemic attack and minor stroke. METHODS: Patients who presented with a transient ischemic attack or minor stroke (NIHSS < or = 3) who had brain MRI within 24 hours from symptom onset and at 30-day follow-up and had an acute lesion on baseline MRI were included. Using semiautomated software, 4 stroke fellows independently assessed ischemic lesions twice on acute diffusion-weighted imaging and follow-up fluid-attenuated inversion recovery. RESULTS: Eighty patients were included, with a median baseline NIHSS of 1. Mean baseline diffusion-weighted imaging lesion volume was 3.4+/-7.4 mL (87.5% had <5 mL). There was excellent inter-rater/intrarater reliability, with intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.94/0.96 for acute diffusion-weighted imaging, 0.74/0.92 for follow-up fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, and 0.81/0.93 for growth. CONCLUSIONS: We found excellent concordance between and within raters for acute diffusion-weighted imaging and 30-day follow-up fluid-attenuated inversion recovery lesion volume measurements in patients with transient ischemic attack and minor stroke.

Importance of leukoaraiosis on CT for tissue plasminogen activator decision making: evaluation of the NINDS rt-PA Stroke Study.

BACKGROUND: Leukoaraiosis is associated with microhemorrhages on T(2)*-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. Such hemorrhages have been postulated to be responsible for symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) after thrombolytic treatment. We examined the relationship between small-vessel ischemic disease and symptomatic ICH within the NINDS rt-PA Stroke Study. METHODS: Baseline CT scans from the NINDS rt-PA Stroke Study were re-evaluated retrospectively by blinded expert CT readers using the van Swieten Score (vSS) for leukoaraiosis. The scale examined the severity of white-matter changes on 3 serial CT slices and graded separately for the 2 distinct regions anterior and posterior to the central sulcus: 0 = no lesion, 1 = partly involving the white matter, and 2 = extending up to the cortex. RESULTS: 603 CT scans were interpreted. The risk of symptomatic ICH increased with higher vSS in both the placebo and treatment groups. The absolute risk of symptomatic hemorrhage was 7.9% in the rt-PA-treated cohort among patients with severe white-matter disease (vSS = 3-4) versus 2.9% receiving placebo. Among severe leukoaraiosis patients (vSS = 3-4), no differential treatment effect was seen with rt-PA patients achieving better outcomes than placebo, modified Rankin score 0-1 in 31.6% of rt-PA-treated versus 14.7% of placebo-treated patients. CONCLUSION: The results from the present study do not support the concept that leukoaraiosis present on baseline noncontrast CT scanning is critical to thrombolysis decision making in the first 3 h from symptom onset. No clear leukoaraiosis threshold was identified below which no benefit or harm could be seen from intravenous rt-PA therapy.

Imaging features in Hirayama disease.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the MR findings in clinically suspected cases of Hirayama disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The pre and post contrast neutral and flexion position cervical MR images of eight patients of clinically suspected Hirayama disease were evaluated for the following findings: localized lower cervical cord atrophy, asymmetric cord flattening, abnormal cervical curvature, loss of attachment between the posterior dural sac and subjacent lamina, anterior shifting of the posterior wall of the cervical dural canal and enhancing epidural component with flow voids. The distribution of the above features in our patient population was noted and correlated with their clinical presentation and electromyography findings. OBSERVATIONS: Although lower cervical cord atrophy was noted in all eight cases of suspected Hirayama disease, the rest of the findings were variably distributed with asymmetric cord flattening, abnormal cervical curvature, anterior shifting of the posterior wall of the cervical dural canal and enhancing epidural component seen in six out of eight (75%) cases. An additional finding of thoracic extension of the enhancing epidural component was also noted in five out of eight cases. CONCLUSION: Dynamic post contrast MRI evaluation of cervicothoracic spine is an accurate method for the diagnosis of Hirayama disease.

Real-World Effectiveness of Intravenous Stroke Thrombolysis is more than the Expectation of Practicing Neurologists.

BACKGROUND: The objective of the study was to compare the actual results of intravenous thrombolytic therapy (IVTT) in acute ischemic stroke with results anticipated by neurologists in practice. METHODS: Neurologists practicing in Thrissur metropolitan region, covering a population of 1.8 million, were telephonically surveyed about the number of yearly IVTT and their expert opinion/comment about effects of thrombolysis. This was compared with the results of IVTT from a single institution in the same region from 2012 to 2016. RESULTS: Eight neurologists in the region give approximately 140-150 IVTT per year. Nearly 20%-40% (median 32%) patients have good outcome, 5%-10% (median 9%) have intracerebral hematoma (ICH), and 25%-35% (median 30%) have death/bad outcome. Two neurologists from a tertiary care hospital in the region treated 122 cases of ischemic strokes with IVTT from 2012 to 2016. Age ranged from 8 to 88 years and 88 were males. Average delay in reaching hospital was 138.1 min and the door-to-needle time was 56.3 min. There were 26 cases of posterior-circulation strokes and 14 cases of cardioembolic strokes. At presentation, average National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was 14.7; Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0.4; and CT Alberta Stroke Program Early Computerized Tomography Scores was 9.5. Good and sustained benefit (GSB) (>4 reduction in NIHSS at 24 h and 7 days) was there in 49% and no improvement (NI)/worsening in 36%. mRS 0-2 at discharge/30 days was documented in 57.3%. Symptomatic ICH was 10% (12/122) and mortality rate was 11.5% (14/122). GSB in posterior circulation strokes was 69.2% and NI/worsening in only 7.7%. mRS was 0-2 in 77% of posterior circulation strokes. CONCLUSION: Contrary to the popular belief of the practicing neurologists, IVTT has a high percentage of good outcome with a reasonable bleeding risk and low rates of absolute futility.

Co-occurrence of radiological features of progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration.

We report an interesting case demonstrating co-occurrence of radiological features of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and corticobasal degeneration (CBD). The clinical features were typical of PSP but magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed both typical brainstem changes of PSP and an atypical pattern of cortical atrophy. While the MRI had markers of CBD, the clinical features were not classical of CBD.

Subjective symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome correlate more with psychological factors than electrophysiological severity.

AIM: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy and is one of the most common requests for electrodiagnosis. We aimed to note the relationship of subjective symptom severity of CTS, with objective electrophysiological severity and psychological status of patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and forty-four consecutive patients of CTS referred to neurophysiology laboratory of a tertiary care hospital over 1 year were prospectively studied. Boston CTS Assessment Questionnaire (BCTSAQ) and visual analog scale (VAS) were used to assess subjective symptom severity. Psychological status was assessed by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Electrophysiological severity of CTS was estimated by median motor distal latency and median to ulnar peak sensory latency difference across the wrist. Each parameter in both hands was scored from 0 to 3 depending on the severity grade, and a composite electrophysiological severity score (CEPSS) was calculated for each patient by summing up the scores in both hands. Statistical analysis was done by Spearman's rank correlation test. RESULTS: There was significant correlation of BCTSAQ with VAS (P = 0.001), HADS anxiety score (P < 0.001), and HADS depression score (P = 0.01). CEPSS had no significant correlation with VAS (P = 0.103), HADS anxiety score (P = 0.211), or HADS depression score (P = 0.55). CEPSS had a borderline correlation with BCTSAQ (P = 0.048). CONCLUSIONS: While the subjective symptoms of CTS are well correlated with psychological factors, their correlation with objective electrophysiological severity is weak. Hence, prompt treatment of psychological comorbidity is important in symptomatic management of CTS; decision about surgical intervention should be based on electrophysiological severity rather than symptom severity.

Mononeuritis multiplex in acquired amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia.

Mononeuritis multiplex involves inflammation of two or more nerves, typically in unrelated parts of the body. It has been well described in bleeding disorders like idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and Hemophilia. Acquired amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (AAT) is a bleeding diathesis characterized by thrombocytopenia but with reduced number of megakaryocytes in the bone marrow, as against ITP. Though AAT is a well described entity, peripheral nervous system manifestations have not been described so far. We report a young man who has presented with bleeding diathesis and mononeuritis multiplex due to AAT. The mechanism of development of mononeuritis multiplex and treatment options are discussed.

A combined power m-mode and single gate transcranial doppler ultrasound microemboli signal criteria for improving emboli detection and reliability.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Single gate transcranial Doppler spectrogram (sgTCD) has a high variability in the detection of microembolic signals (MES), Adding Power M-mode Doppler (PMD) information may improve MES detection. Our study's aim is to derive combined PMD/sgTCD microemboli criteria to overcome this limitation. METHODS: Patients with symptomatic carotid disease were prospectively enrolled within 24 h of symptom onset underwent 1 hour TCD emboli monitoring. We reviewed disparity between PMD MES criteria and sgTCD MES criteria. We compared combined PMD/sgTCD criteria to sgTCD alone criteria by measuring the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: Of 92 patients, 28 patients had evidence of MES on sgTCD or PMD. Total MES count was 269 based on sgTCD criteria, and 326 based on combined PMD/sgTCD criteria (P= 0.005). Combined PMD/sgTCD criteria revealed 17 MESs (4.8%) based on sgTCD criteria to represent artifacts and 57 MESs (17.5%) not to be detected by sgTCD criteria. Overall ICC based on sgTCD criteria was 0.67 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.58-0.74]; however, introducing combined PMD/sgTCD criteria resulted in a significant increase in the ICC, 0.91 (95% CI: 0.88-0.93). CONCLUSION: Our combined PMD/sgTCD criteria for MES appeared to improve the yield of MES detection. Reliability in MES detection interpretation was improved when combined PMD/sgTCD criteria was applied.