Spatial and Ecological Factors Modulate the Incidence of Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis-A Systematic Review.

Anti-NMDAR encephalitis has been associated with multiple antigenic triggers (i.e., ovarian teratomas, prodromal viral infections) but whether geographic, climatic, and environmental factors might influence disease risk has not been explored yet. We performed a systematic review and a meta-analysis of all published papers reporting the incidence of anti-NMDAR encephalitis in a definite country or region. We performed several multivariate spatial autocorrelation analyses to analyze the spatial variations in the incidence of anti-NMDA encephalitis depending on its geographical localization and temperature. Finally, we performed seasonal analyses in two original datasets from France and Greece and assessed the impact of temperature using an exposure-lag-response model in the French dataset. The reported incidence of anti-NMDAR encephalitis varied considerably among studies and countries, being higher in Oceania and South America (0.2 and 0.16 per 100,000 persons-year, respectively) compared to Europe and North America (0.06 per 100,000 persons-year) (p < 0.01). Different regression models confirmed a strong negative correlation with latitude (Pearson's R = -0.88, p < 0.00001), with higher incidence in southern hemisphere countries far from the equator. Seasonal analyses showed a peak of cases during warm months. Exposure-lag-response models confirmed a positive correlation between extreme hot temperatures and the incidence of anti-NMDAR encephalitis in France (p = 0.03). Temperature analyses showed a significant association with higher mean temperatures and positive correlation with higher ultraviolet exposure worldwide. This study provides the first evidence that geographic and climatic factors including latitude, mean annual temperature, and ultraviolet exposure, might modify disease risk.

Long-Term Follow-Up on Bilateral Posterior Hypothalamic Deep Brain Stimulation for Treating Refractory Aggressive Behavior in a Patient with Cri du Chat Syndrome: Analysis of Clinical Data, Intraoperative Microdialysis, and Imaging Connectomics.

Posterior hypothalamic-deep brain stimulation (pHyp-DBS) has been reported as a successful treatment for reducing refractory aggressive behaviors in patients with distinct primary diagnoses. Here, we report on a patient with cri du chat syndrome presenting severe self-injury and aggressive behaviors toward others, who was treated with pHyp-DBS. Positive results were observed at long-term follow-up in aggressive behavior and quality of life. Intraoperative microdialysis and imaging connectomics analysis were performed to investigate possible mechanisms of action. Our results suggest the involvement of limbic and motor areas and alterations in main neurotransmitter levels in the targeted area that are associated with positive results following treatment.

Choque séptico por Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Septic shock due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Resumen: La tuberculosis típicamente se considera una enfermedad crónica, aunque puede manifestarse de forma aguda, cuya manifestación se revisa en este caso clínico. La patogenia de la tuberculosis aguda suele estar relacionada con factores epidemiológicos y genéticos del huésped. El choque séptico debido a Mycobacterium tuberculosis es poco frecuente, pero está bien reconocido, se comporta de manera similar al choque séptico bacteriano, conocido como sepsis tuberculosa gravissima. Nuestra paciente ingresó con afectación hemodinámica y diagnóstico de choque séptico que evolucionó a insuficiencia multiorgánica; a pesar del tratamiento antimicrobiano y antituberculoso establecido, falleció a los cinco días del ingreso a la unidad de cuidados intensivos. El espectro de la enfermedad por M. tuberculosis dificulta el diagnóstico, a menos que la sospecha clínica sea alta, pero la alta mortalidad exige su consideración. El inicio temprano del tratamiento es decisivo para optimizar el resultado clínico.

Abstract: Tuberculosis is typically considered a chronic disease, although it can be manifested acutely, whose form is reviewed in this clinical case. The pathogenesis of acute tuberculosis is usually related to epidemiological and genetic factors of the host. Septic shock due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis is rare, but it is well recognized, behaving similarly to bacterial septic shock, known as sepsis tuberculosa gravissima. Our patient was admitted with hemodynamic compromise and diagnosis of septic shock that evolved to multiorganic failure; despite antimicrobial and antituberculous management, patient died five days after admission to the intensive care unit. The spectrum of M. tuberculosis disease makes diagnosis difficult, unless clinical suspicion is high, but high mortality requires consideration. The early start of therapy is decisive to optimize the clinical outcome.

Síndrome de Guillain-Barré concomitante con infección por virus Zika / Guillain-Barre syndrome associated with Zika virus infection

Resumen OBJETIVOS Comunicar una serie de casos de síndrome de Guillain-Barré y describir las características clínicas de una posible asociación con infección previa por virus Zika. MATERIAL Y MÉTODO Estudio descriptivo de serie de casos en el que se recolectaron datos clínicos, bioquímicos y demográficos de los pacientes con síndrome de Guillain-Barré tratados en el Hospital General Acapulco con antecedente reciente de síndrome viral agudo sospechoso de infección por virus Zika, del 24 de julio al 24 de agosto de 2016, con realización de estudio de líquido cefalorraquídeo y comprobación de disociación albúmino-citológica. Se estableció diagnóstico de certeza de síndrome de Guillain-Barré según los criterios de Asbury-Cornblath y Brighton. RESULTADOS Se estudiaron 10 pacientes con síndrome de Guillain-Barré y antecedente reciente de síndrome viral agudo compatible con infección por virus Zika; la edad media de los sujetos en estudio fue de 47.8 años, 4 eran hombres. Los déficits motor y sensitivo sobrevinieron en una mediana de 4.5 y 4.3 días, respectivamente, después del inicio de los síntomas de infección viral. Hubo complicaciones, como neumonía asociada con ventilación mecánica, infección de vías urinarias en tres casos y disautonomía en dos casos. CONCLUSIONES Todos los casos de este brote de síndrome de Guillain-Barré tenían antecedente reciente de infección sospechosa por virus Zika, lo que refuerza la evidencia existente de la asociación entre el síndrome de Guillain-Barré y la infección por virus Zika.

Abstract OBJECTIVES To communicate a series of cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome and to describe the clinical characteristics related to a possible association with previous infection due to Zika virus. MATERIAL AND METHOD A descriptive study of series of cases in which clinical, biochemical and demographic data were collected from patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome treated at the Hospital General Acapulco with a recent history of acute viral syndrome suspected of infection due to Zika virus, performed from July 24 to August 24, 2016, with conducting study of cerebrospinal fluid and ascertainment of cytological albuminous dissociation. A certainty diagnosis was established for Guillain-Barre syndrome according to the criteria of Asbury-Cornblath and Brighton. RESULTS Ten patients with GBS and a recent history of acute viral syndrome compa-tible with Zika virus infection were included. The mean age was 47.8 years, 4 were male. The motor and sensitive deficits were developed at a median of 4.5 and 4.3 days, respectively after the onset of symptoms of viral infection. The complications found were ventilator-associated pneumonia, urinary tract infection and dysautonomia. CONCLUSIONS All cases of this outbreak of Guillain-Barre syndrome had a recent history of suspected infection due to Zika virus, reinforcing the evidence for the association between Guillain-Barre syndrome and infection due to Zika virus.

Accuracy of the Babinski sign in the identification of pyramidal tract dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: The extensor plantar response described by Joseph Babinski (1896) indicates pyramidal tract dysfunction (PTD) but has significant inter-observer variability and inconsistent accuracy. The goal of this study was to determine the accuracy of the Babinski sign in subjects with verified PTD. METHODS: We studied 107 adult hospitalized and outpatient subjects evaluated by neurology. The reference standard was the blinded and independent diagnosis of an expert neurologist based on anamnesis, physical examination, imaging and complementary tests. Two neurologists elicited the Babinski sign in each patient independently, blindly and in a standardized manner to measure inter-observer variability; each examination was filmed to quantify intra-observer variability. RESULTS: Compared with the reference standard, the Babinski sign had low sensitivity (50.8%, 95%CI 41.5-60.1) but high specificity (99%, 95%CI 97.7-100) in identifying PTD with a positive likelihood ratio of 51.8 (95%CI 16.6-161.2) and a calculated inter-observer variability of 0.73 (95%CI 0.598-0.858). The intraevaluator reliability was 0.571 (95%CI 0.270-0.873) and 0.467 (95%, CI 0.019-0.914) respectively, for each examiner. CONCLUSION: The presence of the Babinski sign obtained by a neurologist provides valid and reliable evidence of PTD; due to its low sensitivity, absence of the Babinski sign still requires additional patient evaluation if PTD is suspected.

Oral surgery in patients undergoing oral anticoagulant therapy.

UNLABELLED: There is an evident need for procedural protocol for oral surgery patients who undergo oral anticoagulant treatment (OAT) because of: 1) the possible severity of complications and 2) the growing demand for OAT, which in some cases may be as much as 8% of the oral surgery patients that are referred to the hospital from primary care centers. In this study, the authors define the parameters for creating a proto- col applicable to this group of patients. The conclusion is that it is not necessary to suspend OAT before surgery; rather, these procedures should be performed under multidisciplinary medical control. OBJECTIVE: The authors demonstrate that it is possible to perform oral surgery on OAT patients, without having to sus- pend treatment beforehand. STUDY DESIGN: A longitudinal study was performed in OAT patients that required some type of oral surgical procedures. After an INR control, the patient underwent surgery and afterwards the patient was given tranexamic acid as a mouth rinse. Postoperative hemorrhage was classified as slight when it lasted less than 5 minutes, moderate when it lasted longer than five minutes, and severe when it required blood transfusion. RESULTS: The study was performed over a 5-year period (1996-2000), by the maxillofacial surgery department. In that time period, 125 patients with OAT were treated; 90 of them were males and 35 were females. Tooth extraction was per- formed in 229 sessions and a total of 367 teeth were extracted, with an average of 1.6% per session. With regards to postoperative hemorrahage, it was slight in 210 cases (91.7%), moderate in 18 (7.9%) and severe only in one case (0.4%). All the variables were compared and no statistically significant differences were found. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that OAT should not be suspended before oral surgery, but it surgery should be performed under multidisciplinary control-especially in the case of the elderly (over 65) or with those patients that have other concomitant illnesses such as renal insufficiency or anemia or other medical treatments.

Cirugía oral en pacientes en tratamiento con anticoagulantes orales. Pauta de actuación / Oral surgery in the patients undergoing oral anticoagulant therapy

Hay una necesidad evidente de protocolizar los procedimientos de cirugía oral en pacientes sometidos a tratamiento anticoagulante por vía oral (TAO), tanto por la gravedad de las complicaciones como por la frecuencia creciente de la demanda, que puede cuantificarse en algunos casos en el 8 por ciento de los pacientes referidos desde atención primaria al hospital para tratamiento quirúrgico oral. En este estudio se definen los parámetros para crear un protocolo aplicable a este grupo de pacientes. Se concluye que los pacientes en TAO no deben suspenderlo previamente a la cirugía oral si bien debería realizarse con control multidisciplinario. especialmente si se trata de mayores de 65 años o con patología concomitante como insuficiencia renal o anemia o con otros tratamientos médicos, Objetivo: Pretendemos demostrar que es posible la realización de cirugía oral en pacientes anticoagulados, sin necesidad de retirar el tratamiento previamente. Diseño del estudio: Se realizó un estudio longitudinal en aquellos pacientes que precisaron algún procedimiento quirúrgico a nivel oral de los que estaban en TAO. Tras un con trol de INR se procedía a la intervención quirúrgica y posteriormente se suministraba al paciente ácido tranexámico para enjuagues bucales. La hemorragia postoperatoria se catalogó leve cuando el sangrado fue inferior a 5 minutos, moderado mavor de 5 minutos e intenso cuando se precisó transfusión. Resultados: Durante 5 años (1996-2000) se atendieron en nuestro Servicio 125 pacientes con TAO, 90 hombres y 35 mujeres, a los que se les exodonciaron 367 piezas dentarias, en 229 sesiones, con una media de 1,6 exodoncias por sesión. Con respecto a la hemorragia postoperatoria, fue leve en 210 casos (91,7 por ciento), moderada en 18 (7,9 por ciento) y grave en un solo caso (0,4 por ciento).Se compararon todas las variables observándose que no existieron diferencias estadísticamente significativas. Conclusiones: Consideramos que el TAO no debe suspenderse previamente' a la cirugía oral si bien debería realizarse bajo control multidisciplinario, especialmente si se trata de mayores de 65 años o con patología concomitante como insuficiencia renal o anemia o con otros tratamientos médicos (AU)

Non-Hodgkin lymphomas of oral cavity.

Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) often show up in an extranodal pattern, especially in the head and neck. Intraoral locations are much less frequent, particularly when they are single. This, in turn, can lead to a prolonged diagnosis and even to inadequate treatment. Different patients with initial extranodal location of NHL which were not previously diagnosed and in which it was manifested only intraorally are presented in this paper. These cases are presented together with the additional examinations used for the early diagnosis and with the corresponding clinical pictures, as well as with the overview of other cases from the available literature.