Artery of Percheron Infarction: Clinical Presentation and Outcomes.

Background and Objectives: Occlusion of the artery of Percheron (AOP) produces bilateral thalamic infarction classically leading to deficits of arousal. This nonspecific presentation complicates the diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke. We sought to describe the spectrum of clinical presentation, diagnostic neuroimaging findings, and outcomes in AOP infarction (AOPi). Methods: We conducted a keyword search of our health system's neuroimaging database from 2014 to 2022 to identify patients with AOPi. We abstracted patient demographics, clinical presentation, neuroimaging findings, acute treatment, and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores (at baseline, 3 months, and 12 months). We used descriptive statistics to report our findings. Results: Our initial keyword search identified 192 potential AOPi cases. Fifteen cases of AOPi were confirmed and included in our study (8 female [53%], median age 65 years [interquartile range (IQR): 59.5-79.5], median presenting NIHSS 6 [IQR: 2-22]). Common clinical findings on presentation were systolic blood pressure (SBP) > 140: 12 patients (80%); decreased level of consciousness (LOC): 11 patients (73%); diplopia: 8 patients (57%); disorientation: 6 patients (42%); dysarthria: 4 patients (28%); and acute memory/cognitive disturbance: 3 patients (21%). Twelve cases (80%) presented to the emergency department (ED). Median time from symptom onset to ED arrival was 774.5 minutes (IQR: 202.25-3789.0), 4 cases (27%) arrived within 4.5 hours, and one patient (7%) received intravenous thrombolysis. The median time from ED arrival to stroke diagnosis was 519.0 minutes (IQR: 227.5-1307). Head CT was only diagnostic when obtained >570 minutes from time last known well; MRI was diagnostic at all time points. Rates of functional independence (mRS ≤2) at baseline, 3 months, and 12 months were 64%, 21%, and 18%, respectively. Discussion: The diagnosis of stroke was considerably delayed in patients with AOPi, and only one patient received IV thrombolysis. SBP >140, impaired consciousness, and diplopia were the most common findings at presentation. CT was often nondiagnostic, but MRI demonstrated bilateral thalamic infarct in all cases. AOPi caused considerable long-term morbidity. Clinicians should maintain a high degree of suspicion for AOP stroke and consider thrombolysis in appropriately selected patients.

Human leukocyte antigen genetics and clinical features of self-treated patients on a gluten-free diet.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Increasingly, people start a gluten-free diet (GFD) without a clear celiac disease (CD) diagnosis. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotyping is useful in ruling out CD in patients with equivocal results of serologic testing or small-bowel biopsy (SBB), but its utility and the clinical features of patients on self-treated GFD (ST-GFD) are largely unknown. METHODS: Retrospective study of single tertiary care center cohort compared 137 patients on ST-GFD and 443 patients with well-defined CD. We compared HLA genotype, symptoms, serologic and SBB results, and response to GFD between the 2 groups. Analysis used univariate logistic regression modeling, adjusted for age and sex. RESULTS: Patients with ST-GFD presented more often with diarrhea (P<0.001), abdominal distention (P<0.001), flatulence (P=0.002), cramping (P=0.02), itchy skin (P=0.02), oral inflammation (P=0.04), and constipation (P=0.01) and less often with anemia (P<0.001) or malaise (P=0.02) than CD patients. In addition, 41% did not carry DQ2.5 and DQ8 versus 6% of CD patients (P<0.001). Only 2% of ST-GFD patients had SBB clearly consistent with CD. Family history of CD showed no difference between groups (P=0.77). Although CD patients had a statistically higher rate of GFD benefit, both groups had a high responsiveness rate (98% vs. 94%; P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: HLA genotyping is useful in evaluating patients on an ST-GFD. Although confirmed CD is rare in self-treated patients, most still report benefit from GFD regardless of DQ2 and DQ8 status. Nonceliac gluten sensitivity may play a role.

Perspective on radiation risk in CT imaging.

Awareness of and communication about issues related to radiation dose are beneficial for patients, clinicians, and radiology departments. Initiating and facilitating discussions of the net benefit of CT by enlisting comparisons to more familiar activities, or by conveying that the anticipated radiation dose to an exam is similar to or much less than annual background levels help resolve the concerns of many patients and providers. While radiation risk estimates at the low doses associated with CT contain considerable uncertainty, we choose to err on the side of safety by assuming a small risk exists, even though the risk at these dose levels may be zero. Thus, radiologists should individualize CT scans according to patient size and diagnostic task to ensure that maximum benefit and minimum risk is achieved. However, because the magnitude of net benefit is driven by the potential benefit of a positive exam, radiation dose should not be reduced if doing so may compromise making an accurate diagnosis. The benefits and risks of CT are also highly individualized, and require consideration of many factors by patients, clinicians, and radiologists. Radiologists can assist clinicians and patients with understanding many of these factors, including test performance, potential patient benefit, and estimates of potential risk.

Nontraumatic Vascular Emergencies of the Neck.

Nontraumatic vascular emergencies of the head and neck are uncommon, but can occur in patients with central venous catheters, head and neck infections, and in patients with head and neck cancer. Recognizing the imaging findings of vascular complications in these patient populations is critically important to ensure expeditious treatment to avoid significant morbidity and mortality.

Reducing Unnecessary Shoulder MRI Examinations Within a Capitated Health Care System: A Potential Role for Shoulder Ultrasound.

PURPOSE: MRI is frequently overused. The aim of this study was to analyze shoulder MRI ordering practices within a capitated health care system and explore the potential effects of shoulder ultrasound substitution. METHODS: We reviewed medical records of 237 consecutive shoulder MRI examinations performed in 2013 at a Department of Veterans Affairs tertiary care hospital. Using advanced imaging guidelines, we assessed ordering appropriateness of shoulder MRI and estimated the proportion of examinations for which musculoskeletal ultrasound could have been an acceptable substitute, had it been available. We then reviewed MRI findings and assessed if ultrasound with preceding radiograph would have been adequate for diagnosis, based on literature reports of shoulder ultrasound diagnostic performance. RESULTS: Of the 237 examinations reviewed, 106 (45%) were deemed to be inappropriately ordered, most commonly because of an absent preceding radiograph (n = 98; 92%). Nonorthopedic providers had a higher frequency of inappropriate ordering (44%) relative to orthopedic specialists (17%) (P = .016; odds ratio = 3.15, 95% confidence interval = 1.24-8.01). In the 237 examinations, ultrasound could have been the indicated advanced imaging modality for 157 (66%), and most of these (133/157; 85%) could have had all relevant pathologies characterized when combined with radiographs. Regardless of indicated modality, ultrasound could have characterized 80% of all cases ordered by nonorthopedic providers and 50% of cases ordered by orthopedic specialists (P = .007). CONCLUSIONS: Advanced shoulder imaging is often not ordered according to published appropriateness criteria. While nonorthopedic provider orders were more likely to be inappropriate, inappropriateness persisted among orthopedic providers. A combined ultrasound and radiograph evaluation strategy could accurately characterize shoulder pathologies for most cases.

Glycemic control in non-critically ill hospitalized patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The effect of intensive therapy to achieve tight glycemic control in patients hospitalized in non-critical care settings is unclear. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the effect of intensive glycemic control strategies on the outcomes of death, stroke, myocardial infarction, incidence of infection, and hypoglycemia. We included randomized and observational studies. Bibliographic databases were searched through February 2010. Random effects model was used to pool results across studies. RESULTS: Nineteen studies (nine randomized and 10 observational studies) were included. The risk of bias across studies was moderate. Meta-analysis demonstrates that intensive glycemic control was not associated with significant effect on the risk of death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. There was a trend for increased risk of hypoglycemia (relative risk, 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 0.97-2.57), particularly in surgical studies and when the planned glycemic target was achieved. Intensive glycemic control was associated with decreased risk of infection (relative risk, 0.41; 95% confidence interval, 0.21-0.77) that was mainly derived from studies in surgical settings. CONCLUSION: Intensive control of hyperglycemia in patients hospitalized in non-critical care settings may reduce the risk of infection. The quality of evidence is low and mainly driven by studies in surgical settings.