Comparative Analysis of the Prognostic Significance of IDH,TERT, EGFR and MGMT Status in Patients with Adult Non-H3-Altered Grade 4 Gliomas: A Prospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Gliomas continue to have a dismal prognosis. A myriad of genetic alterations has been described in this subset of tumors over the last decades. The integrative interpretation of the biomarker constellation for individual patients remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the impact of some known genetic factors as prognostic biomarkers in grade 4 gliomas. METHODS: Adult non-H3-altered grade 4 gliomas who underwent maximal safe resection accompanied by adjuvant therapy were successively enrolled since January 2019 till January 2021. Patient data were documented preoperatively and during the follow-up visits. The genetic profiling of the tumors included Isocitrate Dehydrogenase (IDH)-1 and IDH-2 mutation, MGMT promoter methylation rate, EGFR gene amplification and telomerase reverse transcriptase gene promoter (TERTp) mutation. RESULTS: Mean Overall survival (OS) and Progression-free survival (PFS) were 14.45 ± 5.13 months (3-24 months) and 10.66 ± 4.87 months respectively. TERTp-mutant group had a significantly lower OS (10.9 vs. 15.9) and PFS (6.9 vs. 12.3) than TERTp wildtype group. In the TERT-mutant group, those with concomitant IDH wildtype tumor had higher OS and PFS, comparable to those with both TERTp and IDH wildtype tumors. In multivariate analysis, IDH mutation and TERTp wildtype status were predictive of longer OS and PFS. While IDH and absence of TERTp mutation were associated with KPS > 80 across the follow-ups, their predictive values were inferior to preoperative KPS scores. CONCLUSIONS: TERTp mutation and IDH-wildtype status were associated with worse OS and PFS and lower follow-up KPS score in surgically resected gliomas, while MGMT and EGFR status did not have considerable prognostic value in this study.

Prognostic Factors of the Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma: Clinical Experience from a Tertiary Care Center in the Middle East.

Aim Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare extra nodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The optimal treatment for PCNSL is still unclear. In this study, we present our experience with management of PCNSL in a tertiary care center in Iran. Methods In this retrospective study, 58 patients with tissue diagnosis of PCNSL were studied. All patients were treated with chemotherapy including intravenous high-dose methotrexate, rituximab and temozolomide and radiotherapy by the same oncologist. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS. Results The mean overall survival (OS) in this study was 37.4 ± 13.6 months and the mean progression free survival (PFS) was 35.1 ± 9.8 months. The mean time to progression was 15.2 ± 8.79 months among 8 patients who experienced progression in this series. Finding of a positive CSF cytology was not linked with disease progression, while HIV infection and multifocal involvement at initial presentation were strongly linked to a lower PFS. The single most important factor affecting the OS was the histopathologic type of the PCNSL; two of the three patients who died from their disease in this series had non-B cell PCNSL, whereas only one patient with DLBCL died because of brainstem involvement. Conclusion The results of this study show a lower rate of HIV-infection in patients with PCNSL as compared to the series from the western countries. Non-B cell histopathology and HIV-infection were found to be associated with the dismal prognosis.

Prevalence of Abnormal Urodynamic Study Results in Patients with Congenital and Idiopathic Scoliosis and Its Predictive Value for the Diagnosis of Tethered Cord Syndrome: A Single Institution Clinical Study.

STUDY DESIGN: A total of 110 patients with scoliosis were enrolled in this analytical cross-sectional study. PURPOSE: We aimed to compare the urodynamic study (UDS) results of patients with idiopathic scoliosis (ISC) and congenital scoliosis (CSC) and to evaluate the clinical significance of abnormal UDS findings in predicting underlying tethered cord syndrome (TCS). OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: An abnormal UDS finding is commonly found in patients with CSC. However, there is no consensus regarding its prevalence in patients with ISC. METHODS: Using the STROBE checklist for cross-sectional studies, 110 patients with scoliosis were selected based on our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Among the patients, 76 presented with ISC and 34 with CSC. Demographic data and other details, such as the results of spine radiography, UDS, and magnetic resonance imaging of the spine in both supine and prone positions, were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: Approximately 50% of patients with CSC had normal UDS findings; 8.8%, mild impairment; and 41.2%, significant abnormalities. Moreover, 67.1% of patients with ISC had normal UDS findings; 9.2%, mild impairment; and 23.7%, significant abnormalities (p =0.166). TCS was identified in 38.2% and 26.3% of patients with CSC and ISC, respectively (p =0.571). In patients with ISC, a significantly abnormal UDS finding indicated that the risk of TCS increased from 26.3% to 50% (odds ratio [OR], 4.2; p =0.009). Meanwhile, in patients with CSC, the risk was almost similar (OR, 0.8; p =0.8). CONCLUSIONS: Even with the absence of subjective urinary symptoms, subclinical urologic impairments can be observed in a significant number of patients with ISC. An abnormal UDS finding can be a sign of underlying spinal cord tethering in a patient with ISC who is a candidate for corrective spine surgery even though it is an independent variant and is not exclusive to candidates for surgery. This finding has high clinical utility for neuro- and ortho-spine surgeons who aim to correct scoliosis (OR, 4.2; p =0.009).

Hydrocephalus as the sole presentation of primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the brain: Report of a case and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: The most common lymphoid malignancy in adults is diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The median age of occurrence of DLBCL is between 6th and 7th decade of life, although some other types of aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) are present in younger age. Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is an uncommon type of extranodal NHL, which is either more prevalent or is diagnosed more often than before. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 22-year-old man with ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) performed at another center was referred with manifestations of shunt malfunction, unusual behavior, dysphasia, and hallucination. The shunt malfunction was handled appropriately several times and exploration of the enhancing cystic temporal lesion confirmed the diagnosis of DLBCL. CONCLUSION: In this communication, we intend to highlight the issue that hydrocephalus refractory to several interventions can be the sole manifestation of PCNSL and needs special clinical considerations.

Primary intraventricular osteosarcoma in a 3-year-old boy: report of a case and review of literature.

INTRODUCTION: Extraskeletal osteosarcoma (ExOS) is a rare and well-known entity. Three to 4% of ExOSs occur in the head and neck region but anecdotally in the central nervous system (CNS). Primary intracranial osteosarcoma (PIOS) can originate from the skull, brain parenchyma, or meninges. CASE PRESENTATION: A 3-year-old boy with history of head trauma 2 weeks before admission is presented harboring an ExOS in the left temporoparietal region. He was operated with the impression of intraventricular meningioma but turned to be a PIOS without any sources in his skeleton. Tumor recurred after 5 months and patient died in 2 weeks with tumor seeding to the brain stem. CONCLUSION: This case is reported to show failure of surgery as the only treatment for these tumors, highlighting the need for more aggressive treatment.

Effects of neurofeedback on the short-term memory and continuous attention of patients with moderate traumatic brain injury: A preliminary randomized controlled clinical trial.

PURPOSE: There are some studies which showed neurofeedback therapy (NFT) can be effective in clients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) history. However, randomized controlled clinical trials are still needed for evaluation of this treatment as a standard option. This preliminary study was aimed to evaluate the effect of NFT on continuous attention (CA) and short-term memory (STM) of clients with moderate TBI using a randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT). METHODS: In this preliminary RCT, seventeen eligible patients with moderate TBI were randomly allocated in two intervention and control groups. All the patients were evaluated for CA and STM using the visual continuous attention test and Wechsler memory scale-4th edition (WMS-IV) test, respectively, both at the time of inclusion to the project and four weeks later. The intervention group participated in 20 sessions of NFT through the first four weeks. Conversely, the control group participated in the same NF sessions from the fifth week to eighth week of the project. RESULTS: Eight subjects in the intervention group and five subjects in the control group completed the study. The mean and standard deviation of participants' age were (26.75 ± 15.16) years and (27.60 ± 8.17) years in experiment and control groups, respectively. All of the subjects were male. No significant improvement was observed in any variables of the visual continuous attention test and WMS-IV test between two groups (p ≥ 0.05). CONCLUSION: Based on our literature review, it seems that our study is the only study performed on the effect of NFT on TBI patients with control group. NFT has no effect on CA and STM in patients with moderate TBI. More RCTs with large sample sizes, more sessions of treatment, longer time of follow-up and different protocols are recommended.

The incidence and risk factors for surgical site infection after clean spinal operations: A prospective cohort study and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative infection is one of the most common complications after spine surgeries. In our study, surgical site infection (SSI) is described as; superficial (i.e., skin and subcutaneous tissues) and deep (i.e., fascia and muscles) infections occurring in the short term (i.e., 1-month) after spine surgeries (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definition 81.00-81.08). To detect the risk factors for the occurrence of such a complication, studies require a large number of patients, a high quality of data and adequate analysis. In this study, we prospectively enrolled 987 patients undergoing spinal surgery over a 3 years period. METHODS: From November 2010 to November 2013, 987 patients had a variety of spinal operations that included; disc herniation, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, fracture-dislocations, spine and spinal cord tumors, and syringomyelia. Patients under the age of 10, those with a recent history of infection and antibiotherapy, and patients with immunodeficiency disorders were excluded. RESULTS: Of the 987 spine procedures performed, 27 (2.73%) developed postoperative infections. Multi-variant data analysis indicated that multiple factors correlated with an increased risk of SSI in descending order; trauma, a past history of diabetes, smoking, being confined to bed, in the perioperative period, mean blood sugar levels above 120 mg/dl, longer lengths of incisions, and longer hospital stay. CONCLUSION: Considering the preventable nature of most of the factors contributing to SSI, it should be possible to reduce these complications.

Modern concepts of transport in multiple trauma: a narrative review.

Multiple variables can influence triage decision in multiple trauma. Recognition of priorities and selection of the destination can be successfully achieved by field triage and individualized clinical judgment. This narrative review summarizes the new options and protocols for transport of injured subjects. There are four levels of emergency medical providers including first responders and three levels of emergency medical technicians. Two distinct accepted protocols for transport are known as scoop and run and treat and then transfer. The former provides minimum lifesaving treatment at the scene of accident followed by transferring the patient(s) as soon as possible, and the latter mainly emphasizes the need for complete stabilization as a prerequisite for safe transport. The destination and mode of transport are selected according to clinical capabilities of the receiving hospital, transfer time from the scene to the facility, patient's medical condition, accessibility of the scene, and weather. Two common methods of transfer are ground transport, including various type of ambulances, and air medical transport, i.e. helicopter and airplane.

ICU sedation with haloperidol-propofol infusion versus midazolam-propofol infusion after coronary artery bypass graft surgery: a prospective, double-blind randomized study.

Combinations of hypnotics with or without opiates are commonly used in agitated patients. We hypothesized that combination of haloperidol-propofol in comparison with midazolam-propofol would lower consumption of propofol and lead to better hemodynamic and respiratory profile during sedation of agitated patients. Among 108 patients admitted in our ICU, 60 patients were agitated according to Ramsay Sedation Score (RSS) and randomly divided into two groups. Morphine sulfate (0.05 mg/kg) was administered to all patients for relief of postoperative pain. In one group, sedative infusion was started with 1 mg/h of haloperidol plus 25 µg/kg/min of propofol after bolus injection of 2 mg haloperidol. In the other group, midazolam1 mg/h and propofol 25 µg/kg/min were infused after a bolus injection of 2 mg midazolam. Propofol infusion was adjusted to keep bi-spectral index between 61-80 and the RSS between 3-5. Hourly propofol consumption was recorded during 24 h of sedation and compared statistically. We also compared SpO 2 , arterial blood gas variables, hemodynamic parameters and episodes of respiratory depression (SpO 2 ≤85%) requiring respiratory support between the groups. Haloperidol, when added to propofol infusion, decreased its consumption at all the measured times (P = 0.001). There was no significant difference in hemodynamic variables between two groups, but the episodes of respiratory depression was significantly higher in propofol-midazolam group (P = 0.02). We conclude that haloperidol-propofol infusion decreases propofol requirements in the agitated patients. Besides, this combination showed a better profile in terms of occurrence of respiratory depression.

Spinal tuberculosis: diagnosis and management.

The spinal column is involved in less than 1% of all cases of tuberculosis (TB). Spinal TB is a very dangerous type of skeletal TB as it can be associated with neurologic deficit due to compression of adjacent neural structures and significant spinal deformity. Therefore, early diagnosis and management of spinal TB has special importance in preventing these serious complications. In order to extract current trends in diagnosis and medical or surgical treatment of spinal TB we performed a narrative review with analysis of all the articles available for us which were published between 1990 and 2011. Althoug h the development of more accurate imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging and advanced surgical techniques have made the early diagnosis and management of spinal TB much easier, these are still very challenging topics. In this review we aim to discuss the diagnosis and management of spinal TB based on studies with acceptable design, clearly explained results and justifiable conclusions.

Effects of tight versus non tight control of metabolic acidosis on early renal function after kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Recently, several studies have been conducted to determine the optimal strategy for intra-operative fluid replacement therapy in renal transplantation surgery. Since infusion of sodium bicarbonate as a buffer seems to be safer than other buffer compounds (lactate, gluconate, acetate)that indirectly convert into it within the liver, We hypothesized tight control of metabolic acidosis by infusion of sodium bicarbonate may improve early post-operative renal function in renal transplant recipients. METHODS: 120 patients were randomly divided into two equal groups. In group A, bicarbonate was infused intra-operatively according to Base Excess (BE) measurements to achieve the normal values of BE (-5 to +5 mEq/L). In group B, infusion of bicarbonate was allowed only in case of severe metabolic acidosis (BE ≤ -15 mEq/L or bicarbonate ≤ 10 mEq/L or PH ≤ 7.15). Minute ventilation was adjusted to keep PaCO2 within the normal range. Primary end-point was sampling of serum creatinine level in first, second, third and seventh post-operative days for statistical comparison between groups. Secondary objectives were comparison of cumulative urine volumes in the first 24 h of post-operative period and serum BUN levels which were obtained in first, second, third and seventh post-operative days. RESULTS: In group A, all of consecutive serum creatinine levels were significantly lower in comparison with group B. With regard to secondary outcomes, no significant difference between groups was observed. CONCLUSION: Intra-operative tight control of metabolic acidosis by infusion of Sodium Bicarbonate in renal transplant recipients may improve early post-operative renal function.