Post-stroke seizures: risk factors and management after ischemic stroke.

Stroke is the leading cause of epilepsy in the elderly, ahead of degenerative diseases, tumors and head injuries. It constitutes a significant complication and a considerable comorbidity. The aim of our study was to describe the main factors implicated in the occurrence of post-stroke seizures and to identify the predictors of seizure recurrence. We conducted a descriptive, retrospective, monocentric study from January 2010 to December 2019, including patients who presented seizures following an ischemic stroke. We classified these seizures according to the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) into acute symptomatic seizures (ASS) if they occur within seven days of stroke, and unprovoked seizures (US) if they occur after more than one week. Clinical, para-clinical, therapeutic and follow-up data were statistically analyzed and compared. A total of 52 patients were included (39 men, 13 women; median age 55.1 years). 21 cases (40%) had ASS and the remaining 31 cases (60%) presented US. Young age below 65 years (71%), middle cerebral artery infarcts (83%), and cortical localization (87%) were the main factors depicted in our series. Parietal lobe infarction was more associated with US than ASS (p = 0.035). 24 patients (46%) have presented a recurrence of seizures (8/21 of ASS and 16/31 of US). The use of sodium valproate in monotherapy was identified as a recurrence risk factor (p = 0.013). In patients with post-stroke seizures, parietal lobe infarcts are more associated with US. We identified a higher risk of seizure recurrence in patients treated with sodium valproate monotherapy.

Parsonage-Turner syndrome of the brachial plexus secondary to COVID-19 vaccine: A case report.

Parsonage-Turner syndrome (PTS) is a peripheral inflammatory neuropathy of unknown etiology. We present a rare case of a 50-year-old male patient with PTS post-COVID-19 BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. Symptoms occurred 15 days after the second dose. He was treated with corticosteroids, analgesics, and physical rehabilitation with a partial recovery.

Association between an angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism and Alzheimer's disease in a Tunisian population.

BACKGROUND: The angiotensin-converting enzyme gene (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D or indel) polymorphism has long been linked to Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the interpretation of established data remains controversial. The aim of this study was to determine whether the angiotensin-converting enzyme is associated with the risk of Alzheimer's disease in Tunisian patients. METHODS: We analyzed the genotype and allele frequency distribution of the ACE I/D gene polymorphism in 60 Tunisian AD patients and 120 healthy controls. RESULTS: There is a significantly increased risk of AD in carriers of the D/D genotype (51.67% in patients vs. 31.67% in controls; p = .008, OR = 2.32). The D allele was also more frequently found in patients compared with controls (71.67% vs. 56.25%; p = .003, OR = 2.0). Moreover, as assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination, patient D/D carriers were more frequently found to score in the severe category of dementia (65%) as compared to the moderate category (32%) or mild category (3%). CONCLUSIONS: The D/D genotype and D allele of the ACE I/D polymorphism were associated with an increased risk in the development of AD in a Tunisian population. Furthermore, at the time of patient evaluation (average age 75 years), patients suffering with severe dementia were found predominantly in D/D carriers and, conversely, the D/D genotype and D allele were more frequently found in AD patients with severe dementia. These preliminary exploratory results should be confirmed in larger studies and further work is required to explore and interpret possible alternative findings in diverse populations.

Association of HLA-DR/DQ polymorphism with Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex disorder, resulting from an interaction between environmental and genetic factors. Several studies have addressed the association of AD with major histocompatibility complex (MHC) polymorphisms without arriving at any definite conclusions. The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region is the key susceptibility locus in many immunological diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the probable association between HLA-DR/DQ alleles and AD in Tunisian patients. METHODS: HLA-DR/DQ genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific primers with 55 AD patients and 100 healthy individuals serving as the control group. RESULTS: AD in Tunisian patients was found to be associated with the following alleles (Pc denotes Bonferroni corrected probability values): HLA-DRB1*15 (Pc < 10-3), DRB1*04 (Pc = 0.03) and DQB1*06 (Pc < 10-3). Two haplotypes found to be associated with the disease were DRB1*1501/DQB1*0602 (Pc < 10-3) and DRB1*0402/DQB1*0302 (Pc = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The authors believe this to be the first research linking the haplotypes DRB1*1501/DQB1*0602 and DRB1*04/DQB1*0302 with AD. Larger studies in other populations will be important to support the present findings of the possible susceptible risk of HLA-DR/DQ in AD.

Cerebral venous thrombosis: clinical features, risk factors, and long-term outcome in a Tunisian cohort.

BACKGROUND: Data from African countries regarding diagnosis, prognosis, management, and outcome of patients with cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) are limited. The aim of the present study is to characterize clinical presentation, predisposing factors, neuroimaging findings, and outcomes of the disease in the Tunisian population. METHODS: This is a prospective study including patients referred to the Neurology Department of the Military Hospital of Tunis between January 2009 and December 2012. The diagnosis of CVT was confirmed in all patients using magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance venography. The demographic, clinical, radiological, and outcome data were recorded and analyzed. Median follow-up was 16 months (range 6 months to 4 years). Primary outcome was death or dependency as assessed by modified Rankin score more than 2 at the end of follow-up. RESULTS: This study included 41 patients with CVT. Mean age was 41.24 years, predominantly women (68%). The mode of onset was acute in 10 patients (24%), subacute in 26 (64%), and chronic in 5 (12%). The most common presenting features were headache, observed in 83% of the patients, followed by seizures, focal motor deficits, papilledema, and mental status changes. Lateral (56%) and superior longitudinal (51%) sinuses were the most commonly involved. Multiple sinuses were involved in 46% of cases. Nineteen patients (46%) had a D-dimer level more than 500 ng/mL. Major causes of CVT were thrombophilia (56%), either genetic or acquired, obstetric and gynecological (50%), and septic (34%). Outcome was favorable in 83% of patients. At the end of follow-up, 32 patients (78%) had complete recovery (modified Rankin Scale [mRs] score 0-1), 2 (5%) had partial recovery (mRs score 2), and 4 (10%) were dependent (mRs score 3-5). One patient (2.5%) had a recurrent sinus thrombosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our Tunisian population presented distinct risk factors profile with high frequency of thrombophilia, infections, and postpartum state. Oral contraceptive use is not a major risk factor in our population. The overall prognosis was good.