Is off-label thrombolysis safe and effective in a real-life primary stroke center? A retrospective analysis of data from a 5-year prospective database.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) use for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) varies among countries, partly due to guidelines and product labeling changes. The study aim was to identify the characteristics of patients with AIS treated with off-label IVT and to determine its safety when performed in a primary stroke center (PSC). METHODS: This observational, single-center study included all consecutive patients admitted to Perpignan PSC for AIS and treated with IVT and patients transferred for EVT, between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2019. Data of patients treated with IVT according to ("in-label group") or outside ("off-label") the initial guidelines and manufacturer's product specification were compared. Safety was assessed using symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (SIH) as the main adverse event. RESULTS: Among the 892 patients in the database (834 screened by MRI, 93.5%), 746 were treated by IVT: 185 (24.8%) "in-label" and 561 (75.2%) "off-label". In the "off-label" group, 316 (42.4% of the cohort) had a single criterion for "off-label" use, 197 (26.4%) had two, and 48 (6.4%) had three or more criteria, without any difference in IVT safety pattern among them. SIH rates were comparable between the "off-label" and "in-label" groups (2.7% vs. 1.1%, P=0.21); early neurological deterioration and systematic adverse event due to IVT treatment were similar in the 2 groups. "Off-label" patients had higher in-hospital (8.7% vs. 3.8%, P=0.05) and 3-month mortality rates (12.1% vs 5.4%, P<0.01), but this is explained by confounding factors as they were older (76 vs 67 years, P<0.0001) and more dependent (median modified Rankin scale score 0.4 vs 0.1, P<0.0001) at admission. CONCLUSIONS: "Off-label" thrombolysis for AIS seems to be safe and effective in the routine setting of a primary stroke center.

Endovascular treatment for acute ischemic stroke at a primary stroke center: First results of the Perpignan center.

INTRODUCTION: Converting a high-volume primary stroke center (PSC) into a stroke center that can perform emergency endovascular treatment (EVT) could reduce the time to thrombectomy. We report the first results of a newly established EVT facility at the Perpignan PSC and their comparison with the targets defined by the established guidelines. PATIENTS AND METHOD: For this comprehensive observational study, data of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to proximal large vessel occlusion (LVO) and treated by EVT at the Perpignan PSC from December 5, 2019 to September 15, 2020 were extracted from an ongoing prospective database. RESULTS: During the study period, 37 patients underwent EVT at the Perpignan PSC. The median (range) symptom-onset to recanalization time was 262min (100-485min). The median (range) intra-hospital times were: 20min (2-58min) for door-to-imaging, 57min (30-155min) for imaging-to-puncture, 55min (15-180min) for puncture-to-recanalization, and 137min (59-319min) for door-to-recanalization. At 3 months post-AIS, the favorable outcome (modified Ranking Score: 0-2) rate was 50% and the mortality rate was 19.4%. These results are comparable to those of previous clinical trials, and meet the targets defined by the current consensus statements for EVT. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our results show the feasibility and safety of EVT in a PSC for patients with AIS due to LVO. The implementation of this strategy may be important for shortening the time to thrombectomy.

[Treatment with intravenous rt-PA in a general hospital context: A review of the Saint-Jean Hospital experience from Perpignan, France]. / Utilisation du rt-PA intraveineux dans l'ischémie cérébrale en Centre Hospitalier Général: l'expérience de l'Hôpital Saint-Jean de Perpignan.

INTRODUCTION: Intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) has approval for use despite of its authorization for treatment of ischemic stroke within the 3-hour time window in 2003, is rarely used in community hospital (CH). It therefore remains questionable if the positive results of the key studies conducted in specialized centers may be extended to community hospitals less specialized in the management of stroke. METHODS: We report the results of an observational cohort study including 39 patients treated with intravenous rt-Pa (according to the NINDS rt-PA stroke trail treatment protocol) at St Jean Hospital (Perpignan, France) between March 1, 2002 and August 31, 2005. Results are compared to those of the treated arm of the NINDS study. RESULTS: 1.2p.cent of ischemic stroke were treated with intravenous rt-Pa. Results are similar to those of the NINDS study: The outcome was favorable (modified Rankin score (mRS) with 0 or 1) for 44p.cent of the patients (as compared to 39p.cent in the NINDS study (X2 = 0.34; p = 0.5)) and there was no significant difference in term of death or outcome as assessed by mRS at 3 months (X2 = 0.09; p = 0.75 and X2 = 0.77; p = 0.75, respectively). No symptomatic hemmorrhagic transformation related to the use of rt-Pa was observed. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that rt-PA therapy for ischemic stroke may be as safe and effective in the setting of a community hospital as it is in specialized centers.

Pneumococcal cellulitis in an HIV-infected adult.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an uncommon cause of cellulitis. In almost all of the reported cases, the infection occurred in immunosuppressed patients, especially in those with connective tissue diseases. We report a case of cervical cellulitis associated with septicemia which occurred in an HIV-infected adult.

Polymicrobial meningitis revealing an anterior sacral meningocele in a 23-year-old woman.

Polymicrobial meningitis has become increasingly rare during recent decades. Historically, it has mainly been reported as being associated with disorders of the ENT-sphere. The treatment of these infections being optimized, polymicrobial meningitis nowadays is essentially a complication of gastrointestinal or gynaecological disorders and trauma. We present a case of polymicrobial meningitis following puncture of a unrecognized pre-sacral meningocele in a patient with Currarino syndrome and review of the relevant literature.

Group B streptococcus meningitis in an HIV-positive adult: case report and review.

We report a new case of meningitis due to group B streptococci (S. agalactiae) in an HIV-positive patient. Only three other cases have been reported so far, and common features are discussed.

Spontaneous Escherichia coli meningitis in an adult.

Spontaneous meningitis due to gram-negative bacilli (excluding Hemophilus influenzae) is an infrequent infection in adult patients. It usually occurs in patients with underlying immunosuppressive conditions. Most of the cases are due to Escherichia coli and represent a complication of bacteraemia. The infection has a high mortality rate which may be as high as 90%, especially if associated with septicaemia. We report the case of a 53-y-old man with spontaneous, community-acquired Escherichia coli meningitis who was admitted with an unusual presentation. Blood and urine cultures were negative.

Primary sternal osteomyelitis and septicaemia due to Staphylococcus aureus.

Primary sternal osteomyelitis is rare in these recent decades. Only scattered cases have been reported, most of them in intravenous drug users. We report the case of an 88-y-old woman who presented a primary sternal infection due to Staphylococcus aureus associated with secondary septicaemia. The only predisposing factor was radiotherapy for a malignant tumour of the right mammary gland 20 y ago. Diagnostic evaluation and therapeutic management are briefly discussed.

[Tuberculosis of the central nervous system. MRI features and clinical course in 12 cases]. / Tuberculose du système nerveux central. Aspects IRM et évolution à propos de 12 cas.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to characterize the MR findings of various intracranial lesions in the central nervous system (CNS) tuberculosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The MRI findings (T1, T2 and T1 sequence after contrast) of 12 proved cases (10 males, 2 females, 24 to 64 years old, average: 35) of CNS tuberculosis were reviewed; 4 patients were seropositive for HIV. RESULTS: Several types of lesions were identified: tuberculomas called miliary lesions if they were smaller than 2 mm in diameter (7 cases), in 1 case the tuberculoma was revealed by two large lesions and bi-hemispheric localisations, leptomeningitis (5 cases), infarction (4 cases), abscesses (3 cases with solitary lesions in 2/3 cases), hydrocephalus (3 cases), pachymeningitis (2 cases). A tuberculomas-leptomeningitis association was found in 4 patients. The pachymeningitis form had an unusual aspect in one case. Patients with leptomeningitis showed thick meningeal contrast enhancement involving all basal cisterns, expanding to the sylvian fissures level, and causing narrowing of the sylvian arteries. Massive infarctions resulted from arterial englobement or embols. In three out of five patients, leptomeningitis was the initial presentation. In seropositive patients, tuberculosis was severe with high mortality (3/4 patients), and associated with other multiple lesions. CONCLUSION: Central nervous system tuberculosis has different appearances, mostly tuberculomas and leptomeningitis. MR with contrast is necessary for follow-up during treatment.

[Neurologic toxicity of methotrexate in a patient with cerebral arteritis. Report of a case]. / Toxicité neurologique du méthotrexate avec artérite cérébrale. Un cas.

We report the case of an 18 year-old woman treated for femoral osteogenic sarcoma who presented generalized seizures requiring sedation, tracheal intubation and artificial ventilation. CT brain scan showed diffuse hypodensities. Doppler studies showed an increased cerebral arterial resistance. Regional cerebral blood flow was decreased. A right carotid angiogram showed abnormalities consistent with diffuse cerebral arteritis. The patient slowly recovered and 6 weeks later, magnetic resonance imaging showed disseminated areas of hyposignal on T1 and hypersignal on T2 weighted images. We reviewed the different published cases of acute high dose methotrexate neurotoxicity and the different underlying mechanisms.

Streptococcus B meningitis in post-partum.

We report a case of post-partum meningitis due to group B-streptococcus developing 24 h after vaginal delivery. Diagnosis was established by latex agglutination of streptococcus B-antigenes and confirmed by cerebrospinal fluid-culture later on. Clinical and haematological signs of meningitis disappeared after treatment with ampicillin. In a review of the literature we found eight other cases of streptococcal post-partum meningitis. In all of these cases, delivery was vaginal and no antibioprophylaxis was given.

[Thrombosis of the basilar trunk in a young woman previously treated by radiotherapy for malignant lymphoma]. / Thrombose du tronc basilaire chez une jeune femme précédemment traitée par radiothérapie pour lymphome malin.

We report the case of a 23-year-old-woman, who had received mediastinal radiotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Five years later, she presented a basal artery thrombosis. Arteriography showed an ectopic origin of the left vertebral artery on the aortic arch located within the irradiation field. This artery was irregular and narrowed up to 15 cm from its origin. All other cerebral arteries were normal. We reviewed the literature of other observations describing radiation-induced cervical arteritis.

Adult respiratory distress syndrome and pancytopenia associated with miliary tuberculosis in a HIV-infected patient.

Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a rare but severe complication of miliary tuberculosis, which may appear even after introduction of antituberculosis therapy. Mortality has been reported to be as high as 100% if there is associated pancytopenia. We report a case of a patient infected with the human immunodeficiency virus who presented with miliary tuberculosis associated with pancytopenia and adult respiratory distress syndrome.