Predictors of Extubation Success in Patients with Posterior Fossa Strokes.

OBJECTIVE: Posterior fossa stroke is unique in its presentation and outcomes, and mechanical ventilation is commonly used in the management of these patients. We aimed to identify predictors of extubation success in patients with posterior fossa stroke, who require mechanical ventilation. DESIGN: We included consecutive adult patients admitted to the neurosciences ICU from January 2003 to December 2012. Extubation failure was defined as re-intubation within 7 days of extubation. A modified Rankin Scale score of 0-3 was considered a good outcome. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We identified 150 patients with mean age of 65 ± 15.7 years with posterior fossa strokes; 77 (51 %) were hemorrhagic, and 73 (49 %) were ischemic. The most common reason for intubation was depressed consciousness (54 %). Fifty-two (35 %) were successfully extubated, 18 (12 %) failed extubation, 17 (11 %) patients had tracheostomy without attempted extubation, and 63 (42 %) were transitioned to palliative care prior to extubation. In the logistic regression analysis, controlling for transition to palliative care, Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) score >6 at the time of intubation (p = 0.020), mechanical ventilation for less than 7 days (p = 0.004), and surgical evacuation of a hematoma (p = 0.058) were independently associated with successful extubation. The presence of cough, gag reflex, and absence of pneumonia/atelectasis were not associated with successful extubation. Success of extubation predicted a good outcome at hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS: In posterior fossa stroke patients with a GCS ≤ 6 at the time of intubation and who remain intubated for more than 1 week, extubation is less likely to be successful, and tracheostomy should be considered.

Serotonin syndrome in the intensive care unit: clinical presentations and precipitating medications.

BACKGROUND: Serotonin syndrome (SS) is becoming a more frequent diagnosis in the intensive care unit (ICU). We sought to determine the clinical presentation, drug exposures, and outcomes of SS in critically ill patients. METHODS: A retrospective study of 33 consecutive ICU patients with SS between March 2007 and March 2012 in ICUs in a large teaching hospital. SS was defined using the Hunter Serotonin Toxicity Criteria. RESULTS: Seventeen patients (52%) were admitted for mental status changes, including seven patients (21%) with drug overdose and four cases (12%) in which SS was considered the primary admission diagnosis. In 13 patients (39%) the features of SS developed only after a mean of 6.8 ± 9 days of hospitalization. Most received multiple serotonergic drugs upon diagnosis (median three drugs, range 1-5). Antidepressants were the serotonergic medications most often used before admission, and opioids (principally fentanyl) and antiemetics were the most frequently prescribed new serotonin-enhancing medications. Altered mental status was present in all patients and myoclonus, rigidity, and hyperreflexia were the most prevalent examination signs. All but one patient had documented recovery. The mean time to neurological improvement was 56 ± 5 h, but ranged from 8 to 288 h. There were no cases of renal failure related to rhabdomyolysis, or death or persistent disability caused by SS. CONCLUSION: SS in the ICU occurs most often because of exposure to multiple serotonergic agents. Continuation of antidepressants plus the addition of opioids and antiemetics during hospitalization are most commonly responsible for this complication.

Limited-Montage EEG as a Tool for the Detection of Nonconvulsive Seizures.

PURPOSE: Prefabricated arrays with a limited number of electrodes offer an opportunity to hasten the diagnosis of seizures; however, their accuracy to detect seizures is unknown. We examined the utility of two limited-montage EEG setups for the detection of nonconvulsive seizures. METHODS: Thirty previously interpreted EEG segments with nonconvulsive seizures from 30 patients and 60 segments with background slowing or normal EEG from 60 patients were rendered in a bipolar "double banana" montage, a double distance "neonatal" montage, and a circumferential "hatband" montage. Experts reviewed 60 to 180 seconds long segments to determine whether seizures were present and if the EEG data provided were sufficient to make a decision on escalation of clinical care by ordering an additional EEG or prescribing anticonvulsants. The periodic patterns on the ictal-interictal continuum were specifically excluded for this analysis to keep the focus on definite electrographic seizures. RESULTS: The sensitivities for seizure of the neonatal and hatband montages were 0.96 and 0.84, respectively, when compared with full montage EEG, whereas the specificities were 0.94 and 0.98, respectively. Appropriate escalation of care was suggested for 96% and 92% of occurrences of seizure patterns in neonatal and hatband montages, respectively. When compared with clinical EEG, the sensitivities of the neonatal and hatband montages for seizure diagnosis were 0.85 and 0.69, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Nonconvulsive seizures were detected with high accuracy using the limited electrode array configuration in the neonatal and hatband montages. The sensitivity of the neonatal montage EEG in detecting seizures was superior to that of a hatband montage. These findings suggest that in some patients with nonconvulsive seizures, limited-montage EEG may allow to differentiate ictal and slow patterns.

Worsening Restless Leg Syndrome Symptoms as a Presentation of Colon Cancer: A Reminder to Work Up the Anemia.

Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a common neurological disorder with an estimated prevalence of 10-35% in people over 65 years of age. Current clinical practice guidelines include the recommendation to check serum ferritin levels and provide iron supplementation if the ferritin level is ≤75 µg/L. We present a case of an 84-year-old man who developed worsening RLS symptoms over the past year despite up-titration of oral ropinirole to maximum daily dose. As part of his workup for RLS, his serum ferritin level was found to be severely low. He was also previously noted to be anemic, so we recommended that he be worked up for iron deficiency anemia. He later received a colonoscopy, which revealed a cecal polyp with high grade dysplasia, and then underwent right hemicolectomy. The patient reported significant improvement in RLS symptoms following the surgery. This case demonstrates the importance of working up iron deficiency anemia in the setting of worsening RLS symptoms, particularly in the geriatric population.

Fisher-Pharyngeal-Cervical-Brachial Overlap Syndrome With Novel Ganglioside Antibodies.

Several variants of Guillain-Barré syndrome have been described. The Fisher syndrome (FS) presents with ataxia, areflexia, and ophthalmoparesis. The pharyngeal-cervical-brachial (PCB) variant presents with bulbar weakness, along with arm and neck weakness. The 2 variant syndromes can overlap. Both the isolated and overlap syndromes respond to immunomodulatory treatment, thus are important to recognize clinically. Ganglioside antibodies are detectable in the variant syndromes and may aid in their diagnosis. The FS typically is associated with anti-GQ1b antibodies, and PCB is typically associated with anti-GT1a antibodies, whereas the overlap syndrome may have both ganglioside antibody subtypes. We present a case of overlap FS-PCB syndrome with a novel ganglioside antibody profile of GM1 and GD1b antibodies, which typically are associated with other variant syndromes. This case suggests the need for all ganglioside antibodies to be tested in suspected variant Guillain-Barré syndromes. The antibodies may prove especially useful in cases in which the clinical diagnosis is ambiguous.

Anterior corpus callosotomy in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy: Invasive EEG findings and seizure outcomes.

Corpus callosotomy (CC) is used in patients with drug-resistant seizures who are not candidates for excisional surgery and failed neurostimulation. We examined ictal scalp and intracranial electroencephalogram (iEEG) recordings in 16 patients being evaluated for anterior CC alone or CC in combination with focal resection, to determine the role of the iEEG in predicting postoperative seizure outcomes. In our cohort, CC improved generalized atonic seizures and focal seizures with impaired awareness but did not alter outcomes for generalized tonic-clonic or tonic seizures. Invasive EEG prior to CC did not refine the prediction of postsurgical seizure outcomes in patients with inconclusive scalp EEG.