Primary angiitis of central nervous system - A challenging diagnosis.

Primary angiitis of the central nervous system is a rare disease characterized by vasculitis of the central nervous system without any systemic involvement. This review aims to provide an insight into the existing stagnancies in the diagnostic approach and management of this disease. The clinical presentation is typically nonspecific, ranging from headaches, altered sensorium, and seizures to recurrent ischemic strokes. The definitive diagnosis can only be ascertained by histopathological studies of tissue obtained from a brain biopsy. While angiography can provide clues to diagnosis, it has often been normal, even in biopsy-proven cases. Primary angiitis of the central nervous system continues to be a diagnostic challenge as little progress has been made over the years in the diagnosis and management strategies. Considering the vast list of mimickers of primary angiitis of the central nervous system and the existence of a significant proportion of imaging-negative and biopsy-negative cases, it becomes imperative to devise universally accepted diagnostic criteria for this disease. Steroids in combination with cyclophosphamide are the agents used to achieve remission. Rituximab can be an alternative. The treatment-related toxicity of cyclophosphamide warrants larger trials for alternative drugs to be studied.

Clinical Spectrum of Movement Disorders in Neurology Inpatients in a Tertiary Care Centre.

Background Little data are available on the spectrum of movement disorders in inpatients, particularly those admitted in neurology specialty. This may be related to the fact that patients presenting with movement disorders are usually evaluated from outpatient clinics. Objective The aim of this study is to provide data on the pattern of movement disorders in neurology inpatients. Materials and Methods Patients admitted through emergency department or neurology clinic with complaints of movement abnormalities were recruited in this study from October 2019 to September 2020. Cases were subjected to proforma-based detailed history, examination, and appropriate investigations. Statistical Analysis Descriptive statistics using SPSS 20. Results and Conclusion Bradykinesia with or without tremor was the most common movement disorder (28.3%), followed by ataxia and dystonia (24.5% each) and hemifacial spasm and myoclonus (7.5% each). Chorea, tic disorder, and hemiballismus were also reported. Etiologies included Parkinson disease, Wilson's disease, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), drugs, stroke, spinocerebellar ataxia, Huntington's disease, neuroacanthocytosis, and others. Dystonia represented the most common disorder in the younger age group (44.4%), whereas bradykinesia and/or tremor represented the most common movement disorder in the older age group (46.4%). This study demonstrates the characteristic distribution of movement disorders in neurology inpatients.