Parkinsonism-hyperpyrexia, a rare consequence of deep brain stimulator malfunction in advanced Parkinson's disease.

Parkinsonism-hyperpyrexia syndrome (PHS) is a rare neurological emergency that shares clinical features with neuroleptic malignant syndrome. It is usually due to sudden deprivation of dopaminergic treatment, although there are cases related to failure of the deep brain stimulation system.

¿Existe relación entre las lesiones de la sustancia blanca asociadas a migraña y el foramen oval permeable? Análisis de una serie de pacientes con migraña crónica / Is there a relationship between white matter lesions associated with migraine and patent foramen ovale? Analysis of a series of patients with chronic migraine

INTRODUCCIÓN: Las lesiones de la sustancia blanca son más prevalentes en los pacientes migrañosos que en la población general, especialmente en los que tienen una alta frecuencia de ataques. El foramen oval permeable se ha descrito como posible nexo de unión entre la migraña y las lesiones de la sustancia blanca. OBJETIVO: Determinar la existencia de una posible relación entre el foramen oval permeable y las lesiones de la sustancia blanca en una serie de pacientes con migraña crónica. PACIENTES Y MÉTODOS: Estudio observacional, unicéntrico, de casos y controles. Se seleccionó a 89 mujeres con migraña crónica. La persistencia y las características del foramen oval permeable se evaluaron mediante un estudio Doppler transcraneal. El foramen oval permeable se clasificó como pequeño, moderado o masivo. Se consideraron permanentes los detectados en reposo, y latentes, el resto. El protocolo de resonancia magnética incluyó imágenes sagitales potenciadas en T1, axiales potenciadas en FLAIR-T2 y secuencia combinada de densidad protónica y T2-FSE. Las lesiones de la sustancia blanca se clasificaron como profundas, periventriculares o ambas. RESULTADOS: La prevalencia de foramen oval permeable (53,6% frente a 48,5%; p = 0,80) y la proporción de foramen oval permeable masivo y permanente fueron similares entre los pacientes con y sin lesiones de la sustancia blanca. Tampoco se encontraron diferencias en la prevalencia (55,6% frente a 52,6%; p = 1,00) o las características del foramen oval permeable en función de la distribución de las lesiones de la sustancia blanca. CONCLUSIÓN: Los resultados no sugieren la intervención del foramen oval permeable en la fisiopatología de las lesiones de la sustancia blanca observadas en pacientes migrañosos

INTRODUCTION. White matter lesions are more prevalent in migraine patients than in the general population, especially those with a high frequency of attacks. A patent foramen ovale has been described as a possible link between migraine and white matter lesions. AIM. To determine the existence of a possible relationship between a patent foramen ovale and white matter lesions in a series of patients with chronic migraine. PATIENTS AND METHODS. Observational, single-centre, case-control study. Eighty-nine women with chronic migraine were selected. The persistence and characteristics of the patent foramen ovale were assessed by means of a transcranial Doppler study. The patent foramen ovale was classified as small, moderate or massive. Those detected at rest were considered permanent, and the others were classified as latent. The MRI protocol included T1-enhanced sagittal images, FLAIR-T2-enhanced axial images, and a proton density and T2-FSE combined sequence. The white matter lesions were classified as deep, periventricular or both. RESULTS. The prevalence of patent foramen ovale (53.6% versus 48.5%; p = 0.80) and the proportion of massive, permanent patent foramen ovale were similar among patients with and without white matter lesions. Neither was there any difference in the prevalence (55.6% versus 52.6%; p = 1.00) or the characteristics of the patent foramen ovale as a function of the distribution of white matter lesions. CONCLUSION. The results do not suggest that a patent foramen ovale intervenes in the pathophysiology of the white matter lesions observed in patients with migraine

Réplica: Valoración de la atrofia cerebral en la esclerosis múltiple mediante el índice de cuerpo calloso / Reply: Appraisal of cerebral atrophy in multiple sclerosis by means of the corpus callosum index

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Valoración de la atrofia cerebral en la esclerosis múltiple mediante el índice de cuerpo calloso / Appraisal of cerebral atrophy in multiple sclerosis by means of the corpus callosum index

Introducción. La esclerosis múltiple se caracteriza en su evolución por el desarrollo de atrofia cerebral. Su monitorización resulta de interés para evaluar la respuesta al tratamiento, y son de elección los análisis volumétricos cerebrales, actualmente confinados al ámbito de la investigación. Objetivo. Analizar el índice de cuerpo calloso (ICC) como una posible alternativa a los métodos basados en la segmentación cerebral. Sujetos y métodos. Se reúne a 109 pacientes con enfermedades desmielinizantes de reciente diagnóstico (90 con esclerosis múltiple remitente recurrente, 7 con formas primarias progresivas y 12 con síndrome desmielinizante aislado) y se calcula el ICC en su primer estudio de resonancia magnética cerebral, así como en 101 controles sanos. Las secuencias de los pacientes se someten a análisis volumétrico mediante el programa MSmetrix. Resultados. El valor medio del ICC es de 0,377 en los pacientes y 0,411 en los controles, y la diferencia es estadísticamente significativa (p < 0,001). El ICC muestra una correlación estadísticamente significativa con el volumen encefálico (p < 0,001; r = 0,444) y con el volumen lesional en secuencia FLAIR (p < 0,001; r = -0,521), mientras que no se demuestra asociación con el volumen de la sustancia gris (p = 0,058). Conclusiones. El ICC se relaciona con el volumen encefálico global obtenido mediante técnicas volumétricas y puede reflejar la presencia de atrofia ya en los estadios iniciales de las enfermedades desmielinizantes, por lo que se presenta como una alternativa de rápido y sencillo cálculo

Introduction. The course of multiple sclerosis is characterised by the development of cerebral atrophy. It is of interest to monitor it in order to evaluate the treatment response, and the preferred technique consists in performing brain volume analyses, which are currently restricted to the field of research. Aim. To analyse the corpus callosum index (CCI) as a possible alternative to the methods based on brain segmentation. Subjects and methods. Our sample was made up of 109 patients with recently diagnosed demyelinating diseases (90 relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, 7 primary progressive forms and 12 isolated demyelinating syndromes), and the CCI was calculated in their first magnetic resonance brain scan, together with 101 healthy controls. The sequences of the patients were submitted to a volumetric analysis using the software package MSmetrix. Results. The mean value of the CCI was 0.377 in patients and 0.411 in the controls, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The CCI also showed a statistically significant correlation with the brain volume (p < 0.001; r = 0.444) and with the lesional volume in the FLAIR sequence (p < 0.001; r = -0.521), while no association was observed with the volume of grey matter (p = 0.058). Conclusions. The CCI is related to the overall brain volume obtained by volumetric techniques and may reflect the presence of atrophy in the initial stages of demyelinating diseases, which makes it a fast and easy to calculate alternative

Cavernous sinus thrombosis during pregnancy.

Cavernous sinus thrombosis (CST) represents a rare but devastating disease process that may be associated with significant long-term patient morbidity or mortality. Rapid diagnosis and aggressive medical and surgical management are imperative for patients with CST. We present the case of a 24-year-old pregnant woman with intraorbital abscess and CST secondary to Streptococcus milleri. Surgical intervention included orbital abscess drainage and dental extraction, medical therapy included intravenous antibiotic, heparin, and methylprednisolone and an elective cesarean section was performed. The latter was the key point to resolution the disease.

Anatomical results, rebleeding and factors that affect the degree of occlusion in ruptured cerebral aneurysms after endovascular therapy.

OBJECT: To present a series of ruptured cerebral aneurysms in consecutive non-selected patients treated with endovascular therapy, analyzing the initial degree of occlusion, its anatomical evolution mid-term and the variables that could statistically affect them. METHODS: 251 aneurysms were first treated with coiling (embolization). 203 patients were followed up with conventional angiography for 6-8 months after the initial treatment and 182 were followed up with three-dimensional time of flight MR angiography at 18-24 months. Postoperative and mid-term anatomical results were evaluated anonymously and independently using the modified Montreal Scale. RESULTS: The initial rate of complete occlusion was 70.9%, with rates of neck remnants and aneurysm remants of 18.3% and 10.7%, respectively. The recurrence rate was 13% after 6 months and 2% between 6 months and 2 years. The rate of retreatment was 11%. Statistically, the variables that were found to be related to the initial degree of occlusion were the use of a remodeling balloon technique (p=0.012), the size of the aneurysm neck (p=0.044) and the size of the aneurysm (p=0.004). The recanalization rate at mid-term depended on the size of the aneurysm. Although aneurysms with partial occlusion initially tended to evolve to a worse degree of closure than those with complete occlusion initially, the relationship was not statistically significant (p=0.110). CONCLUSIONS: Embolized aneurysms can develop a worse degree of closure even when the initial occlusion is complete. The degree of occlusion depends directly on morphological factors and the use of balloon-assisted techniques. The recanalization rate at mid-term depends on the size of the aneurysm and probably on the density of the packing achieved with the initial treatment.

¿Se abusa de las técnicas de neuroimagen en pacientes con migraña crónica? Estudio en un área de salud del Principado de Asturias / Is there overuse of neuroimaging procedures in patients with chronic migraine? An study in a Health Area in Asturias, Spain

Introducción. Existe la creencia del abuso de las técnicas de neuroimagen en pacientes con cefalea en nuestro medio. Objetivo. Analizar el consumo de técnicas de neuroimagen, y fundamentalmente de la tomografía computarizada (TC), ya que es de acceso libre en nuestra área, en la práctica clínica habitual en pacientes con migraña crónica (MC). Pacientes y métodos. Se revisan las historias clínicas de una serie de mujeres consecutivas diagnosticadas en nuestra consulta de cefaleas de MC. Se recogieron datos acerca de la realización de técnicas de neuroimagen a todos niveles (urgencias, consultas y pacientes ingresados). Resultados. Se incluyeron 139 mujeres con MC. Un total de 106 pacientes (76%) tenía al menos una TC de cráneo y 28 (20%) dos o más estudios de TC de cráneo. En seis de estas pacientes (21%) existía justificación clínica para la repetición del estudio, pero no en las 22 (79%) restantes. Ya en nuestro servicio se solicitó resonancia magnética (RM) a 59 pacientes (42%). En 43 (73%), la RM fue normal; en nueve (15%) puso de manifiesto lesiones inespecíficas en la sustancia blanca; y en siete (11%) fue patológica, si bien en ninguno de estos casos había relación directa entre la lesión de la RM y la clínica de MC. En 15 pacientes con MC (11%) no se había solicitado ningún estudio de neuroimagen. Conclusiones. En contra de nuestra hipótesis inicial, no encontramos un abuso de las técnicas de neuroimagen en pacientes con MC en nuestra área de salud (AU)

Introduction. There is a general perception of neuroimaging procedures overuse, mainly of CT scan, in patients with headache in Spain. Aim. To analyze the use of neuroimaging techniques, mainly CT scan as it is of free access in our region, in routine clinical practice in patients with chronic migraine (CM). Patients and methods. We reviewed the medical records of a consecutive series of women diagnosed as CM in our headache clinic. The data on consumption of neuroimaging procedures were collected at all levels (emergency department, inpatient ward and neurologic outpatient consultation). Results. We included 139 women with CM. A total of 106 patients (76%) had at least one CT brain scan. Twenty-eight patients (20%) had 2 or more CT scans. In 6 of these patients (21%) there was a clinical reason for repeating the studies, while there was no reason in the remaining 22 (79%). MRI had been carried out in our headache clinic in 59 patients (42%). In 43 (73%) MRI was normal, in 9 (15%) the MRI showed nonspecific lesions in the white matter and in 7 patients (11%) MRI studies were abnormal. There was no direct relationship between MRI lesion and CM. There were 15 patients with CM (11%) without any neuroimaging study. Conclusions. We could not find a real overuse of neuroimaging techniques in patients with CM in our health area (AU)

[Is there overuse of neuroimaging procedures in patients with chronic migraine? An study in a Health Area in Asturias, Spain]. / ¿Se abusa de las técnicas de neuroimagen en pacientes con migraña crónica? Estudio en un área de salud del Principado de Asturias.

INTRODUCTION: There is a general perception of neuroimaging procedures overuse, mainly of CT scan, in patients with headache in Spain. AIM: To analyze the use of neuroimaging techniques, mainly CT scan as it is of free access in our region, in routine clinical practice in patients with chronic migraine (CM). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of a consecutive series of women diagnosed as CM in our headache clinic. The data on consumption of neuroimaging procedures were collected at all levels (emergency department, inpatient ward and neurologic outpatient consultation). RESULTS: We included 139 women with CM. A total of 106 patients (76%) had at least one CT brain scan. Twenty-eight patients (20%) had 2 or more CT scans. In 6 of these patients (21%) there was a clinical reason for repeating the studies, while there was no reason in the remaining 22 (79%). MRI had been carried out in our headache clinic in 59 patients (42%). In 43 (73%) MRI was normal, in 9 (15%) the MRI showed nonspecific lesions in the white matter and in 7 patients (11%) MRI studies were abnormal. There was no direct relationship between MRI lesion and CM. There were 15 patients with CM (11%) without any neuroimaging study. CONCLUSIONS: We could not find a real overuse of neuroimaging techniques in patients with CM in our health area.

TITLE: Se abusa de las tecnicas de neuroimagen en pacientes con migraña cronica? Estudio en un area de salud del Principado de Asturias.Introduccion. Existe la creencia del abuso de las tecnicas de neuroimagen en pacientes con cefalea en nuestro medio. Objetivo. Analizar el consumo de tecnicas de neuroimagen, y fundamentalmente de la tomografia computarizada (TC), ya que es de acceso libre en nuestra area, en la practica clinica habitual en pacientes con migraña cronica (MC). Pacientes y metodos. Se revisan las historias clinicas de una serie de mujeres consecutivas diagnosticadas en nuestra consulta de cefaleas de MC. Se recogieron datos acerca de la realizacion de tecnicas de neuroimagen a todos niveles (urgencias, consultas y pacientes ingresados). Resultados. Se incluyeron 139 mujeres con MC. Un total de 106 pacientes (76%) tenia al menos una TC de craneo y 28 (20%) dos o mas estudios de TC de craneo. En seis de estas pacientes (21%) existia justificacion clinica para la repeticion del estudio, pero no en las 22 (79%) restantes. Ya en nuestro servicio se solicito resonancia magnetica (RM) a 59 pacientes (42%). En 43 (73%), la RM fue normal; en nueve (15%) puso de manifiesto lesiones inespecificas en la sustancia blanca; y en siete (11%) fue patologica, si bien en ninguno de estos casos habia relacion directa entre la lesion de la RM y la clinica de MC. En 15 pacientes con MC (11%) no se habia solicitado ningun estudio de neuroimagen. Conclusiones. En contra de nuestra hipotesis inicial, no encontramos un abuso de las tecnicas de neuroimagen en pacientes con MC en nuestra area de salud.

Surgical adverse events of deep brain stimulation in the subthalamic nucleus of patients with Parkinson's disease. The learning curve and the pitfalls.

BACKGROUND: Several surgical adverse events (SAEs) have been associated with Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients, leading to certain confusion about the risk/benefit ratio of this technique, and giving rise to the need of more and more extensive control studies over longer periods. The aim of this article is to identify and quantify the factors associated with the most frequent AEs from STN DBS in PD-diagnosed patients. METHODS: The following variables were studied: aborted procedure, misplaced leads, intracranial haemorrhage, and seizures. This study was carried out in 233 patients diagnosed with PD, with 455 STN electrodes implanted and follow-up after 7 (8-14) years follow up. RESULTS: A total amount of 56 SAEs occurred in 49 patients (11.76 % of total procedures, 12.31 % of implanted leads, 21.03 % of patients). SAEs were: five aborted procedures, 26 misplaced leads, ten intracranial haemorrhages, and 15 seizures. Of all the SAEs, long-term effects only happened in two cases of hemiparesis caused by intracranial haemorrhage; the other SAEs were reversible and didn't leave any long-term clinical consequences (0.42 % of procedures, 0.44 % of leads, and 0.86 % of patients). CONCLUSIONS: STN DBS in PD patients is a safe surgical procedure, with good risk/benefit ratios: procedure reliability/correct lead implantation in 95.59 %, 0 mortality/implanted lead, 0.12 morbidity/implanted lead, and 0.0043 neurological sequelae/implanted lead.

[Sarcoidosis presenting as partial seizures. Report of one case]. / Crisis epiléptica como primera manifestación de sarcoidosis. Caso clínico.

The nervous system is affected in 10% of patients with sarcoidosis. However, neurological disturbances are rarely the first manifestation of the disease. We report a 36-year-old woman presenting with partial seizures that generalized secondarily. Magnetic resonance showed a left parietal cortical-subcortical lesion with a minimal mass effect, moderate vasogenic edema and intense enhancement with intravenous contrast. A magnetic resonance spectroscopy disclosed a low aggressiveness profile, compatible with an inflammatory lesion. Angiotensin converting enzyme levels were normal. The lesion was excised and the pathological study showed the presence of granulomas with dubious necrosis. The patient was treated with antituberculous drugs. One year later, the lesion had grown and a thorax CT scan showed numerous mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathies. A new determination of angiotensin converting enzyme disclosed elevated levels and the biopsy of mediastinal lymph nodes confirmed the presence of sarcoidosis.

Crisis epiléptica como primera manifestación de sarcoidosis: caso clínico / Sarcoidosis presenting as partial seizures: report of one case

The nervous system is affected in 10 percent of patients with sarcoidosis. However, neurological disturbances are rarely the frst manifestation of the disease. We report a 36-year-old woman presenting with partial seizures that generalized secondarily. Magnetic resonance showed a left parietal cortical-subcortical lesion with a minimal mass effect, moderate vasogenic edema and intense enhancement with intravenous contrast. A magnetic resonance spectroscopy disclosed a low aggressiveness profle, compatible with an infammatory lesion. Angiotensin converting enzyme levels were normal. The lesion was excised and the pathological study showed the presence of granulomas with dubious necrosis. The patient was treated with antituberculous drugs. One year later, the lesion had grown and a thorax CT scan showed numerous mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathies. A new determination of angiotensin converting enzyme disclosed elevated levels and the biopsy of mediastinal lymph nodes confrmed the presence of sarcoidosis.

A black mobile mass: diagnosis and management.

The diagnosis and treatment of left ventricular apical thrombi after myocardial infarction are still not well established. Fibrinolytic treatment, heparin treatment and surgical removal might be therapeutic options. We present the case of a 37 year old man who came into the Emergency department complaining of pleuritic chest pain. ECG revealed an evolving anterior wall infarction and transthoracic echocardiogram showed a big mobile thrombus in the ventricular apex. In order to confirm diagnosis and to differentiate other entities like pseudoaneurysm, contrast echocardiography and cardiac MRI with late gadolinium enhancement were performed and allowed a definitive diagnosis. Our patient was treated with intravenous heparin and then with oral anticoagulation. Two months later, echocardiogram showed an apical non-mobile and smaller thrombus.