Sub-acute herpes simplex virus myelitis in a patient with esophageal cancer on chemo-radiation with 5-fluorouracil: a case report.

No reported cases to date describe herpes simplex virus (HSV) myelitis in association with cancer and chemo-radiation. We report a case of sub-acute HSV myelitis in a 54-year-old man receiving chemo-radiation with 5-flourouracil for esophageal cancer who presented to the emergency department with increasing numbness in both lower limbs that gradually spread to waist level. Magnetic resonance imaging with gadobutrol contrast 1 week later showed transverse myelitis involving the dorsal columns. Radiation-induced myelitis was suspected, and the patient was initially treated with dexamethasone; however, CSF analysis revealed HSV myelitis. Treatment with antivirals resolved much of the numbness. HSV myelitis can be confused with complications of radiation or malignancy in patients presenting with focal neurological deficits.

Usefulness of multiparametric computerized tomography findings in the differential diagnosis of stroke mimics of epileptic origin: A preliminary study. / Utilidad de la tomografía computarizada cerebral multiparamétrica en el diagnóstico diferencial de patología comicial en el código ictus. Estudio preliminar.

OBJECTIVE: Thirty percent of the patients for whom code stroke is activated have stroke mimics, the most common being epilepsy. Our purpose was to evaluate the usefulness of multiparametric CT for differentiating between seizure-related symptoms and vascular events. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study; data were gathered prospectively during one year. We studied multiparametric CT images of patients admitted following code stroke activation and finally diagnosed with epilepsy. RESULTS: The study included a total of 11 patients; 36% were men and mean age was 74.5 years. Three patients had right hemisphere syndrome, 4 displayed left hemisphere syndrome, and the remaining 4 had isolated aphasia. Maximum time from symptom onset to multiparametric CT study was 8.16hours. Perfusion CT results were normal in 2 patients. Nine patients showed longer or shorter times to peak (Tmax); cerebral blood volume (CBV) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) maps varied. EEG was performed a maximum of 47.6hours after symptom onset. Four patients showed findings compatible with status epilepticus, 2 displayed focal epileptiform activity, and 5 showed post-ictal slowing ipsilateral to perfusion CT abnormalities. CONCLUSION: The most sensitive parameter for differentiating between stroke and epilepsy in our series was increased time to peak in multilobar cortical locations in the absence of large-vessel occlusion and basal ganglia involvement. Multiparametric CT is a fast, readily available, and useful tool for the differential diagnosis of acute-onset neurological signs of epileptic origin in patients initially attended after code stroke activation.

[Multiple cerebral haemorrhages secondary to disseminated intravascular coagulation in a patient with COVID-19]. / Hemorragias cerebrales múltiples secundarias a coagulación intravascular diseminada en un paciente con COVID-19.

TITLE: Hemorragias cerebrales múltiples secundarias a coagulación intravascular diseminada en un paciente con COVID-19.

[Record of neurological emergencies at a tertiary care hospital]. / Registro de urgencias neurológicas en un hospital de tercer nivel.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: There is a progressive increase in the demand for multidisciplinary attention from the Emergency Medical Services. The objective of this study was to determine the proportion of neurological conditions in the total hospital emergency workload, their demographic composition and medical needs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We present an observational study of a cohort of histories of neurological emergencies at a tertiary hospital during a period of one year. RESULTS: On analysis of all emergencies, 1,592 were neurological conditions. The duty neurologist was consulted in 87.9% of the cases. The average age was 59, and the majority were women (56.3%). Maximum demand was between 14.00 and 19.59 hours. Monday was the day of the week when most were seen. The commonest causes of consultation were change in strength or language, headache and epileptic crises. The complementary investigation done most frequently was a blood test. Cerebral CT scan were done in 31.9% of the patients. The diagnoses most often made, as a group, were cerebrovascular disease followed by epilepsy and headache. The majority of the patients were referred to Primary Care Centres or for neurological consultation. When the patients were grouped according to the specialties with doctors on duty, the second largest group were seen by the emergency neurologist at our hospital. CONCLUSION: In view of the above results, we consider the presence of a neurologist in the Emergency Department to be fully justified.