A unique case of pure lateral spinal cord herniation

BackgroundSpinal cord herniation (SCH) remains a challenging diagnosis for neuroradiologists and may require treatment challenging for neurosurgeons. Most cord herniations are usually found at anterior thoracic levels.Clinical presentationA 28-year-old woman presented at our department with a 7-year history of progressive myelopathy. MR analysis showed a displacement of the spinal cord in a lateral thoracic dural defect. The herniated cord was released using a microscope and the patient significantly recovered 6 months after surgery.ConclusionWe present a unique case of pure lateral SCH. In the light of reviewed literature and operative findings, the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms are discussed.     

Gastrostomy and internal cerebrospinal fluid shunt in adults. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the risk of infection

BackgroundHydrocephalus is a frequent neurological condition, commonly treated by ventriculoperitoneal shunting (VPS), a neurosurgical procedure with significant risk of infection. Some severely brain-injured hydrocephalic patients with swallowing dysfunction may require percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). There are few data on the safety of PEG in patients with VPS, with contradictory results reported.ObjectiveThe aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the rate of VPS infection in the setting of PEG.MethodsSix databases were searched for the period January 1990 to June 2022. Only original articles reporting the rate of shunt infection in the setting of PEG in adults were included. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to assess the rate of infection.ResultsFifteen of the 1,703 identified articles were selected, reporting 701 internal cerebrospinal fluid shunts, with 63 infections. The pooled rate of infection in patients with both PEG and VPS was 7.41% (95% CI [3.67–14.38]). There was a significantly higher risk of VPS infection in the PEG group vs. the control group with VPS without PEG: relative risk (RR) = 2.33 (95% CI [1.11–4.89]). On the other hand, the risk of infection was the same whether the PEG was placed before or after the VPS surgery: RR = 1.05 (95% CI [0.57–1.92]).ConclusionGastrostomy tube placement is a significant risk factor for VPS infection. However, onset of infection was not related to the sequence of or interval between VPS and PEG.Trial registrationThis meta-analysis is registered in https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, PROSPERO ID: CRDCRD42022326774.     

7例羊水栓塞诊断与抢救的临床分析

目的 分析7例羊水栓塞的临床诊断与抢救,提供临床诊治羊水栓塞的参考,以提高抢救成功率。方法选取2011年1月～2019年10月于本院住院治疗的7例羊水栓塞的产妇临床资料、救治措施、预后及有无并发症进行回顾性分析。结果 7例羊水栓塞患者中,4例行剖宫产术,3例阴道分娩,经多学科合作积极抢救,4例抢救成功,1例有肺挫裂伤、胸骨、肋骨骨折,其余3例无并发症,1例植物人状态,2例死亡(死于严重的DIC、多器官功能衰竭)。结论 羊水栓塞起病急骤、表现不一、进展快,死亡率高,因此早期识别、积极治疗,多学科合作,必要时及时行子宫切除术,可提高抢救成功率,改善预后、减少并发症的发生。     

Plasma matrix metalloproteinase 7, CC-chemokine ligand 18, and periostin as markers for pulmonary sarcoidosis

BackgroundSome patients with sarcoidosis experience worsening of pulmonary lesions. However, no biomarker has been identified that reflects pulmonary disease status in sarcoidosis. We investigated the usefulness of potential markers of pulmonary fibrosis in patients with sarcoidosis.MethodsPlasma matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP-7), CC-chemokine ligand 18 (CCL-18), and periostin levels were evaluated in 60 patients with sarcoidosis and 30 healthy controls; bronchoalveolar lavage fluid levels were analyzed in 22 patients with sarcoidosis. To determine the usefulness of these markers, we explored potential correlations between these markers and sarcoidosis clinical characteristics.ResultsPlasma MMP-7, CCL-18, and periostin concentrations were significantly higher in patients with sarcoidosis than those in healthy controls. MMP-7 concentrations in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were higher in patients with sarcoidosis with parenchymal infiltration than in those without lung lesions. Moreover, MMP-7 concentration was negatively correlated with pulmonary function.ConclusionAmong these novel biomarkers, MMP-7 most precisely reflected pulmonary sarcoidosis disease status and thus, might be useful for diagnosing and evaluating sarcoidosis, particularly in patients with pulmonary parenchymal lesions.     

Corynebacterium species as one of the major causative pathogens of bacterial pneumonia

Recent advances using molecular methods, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flightmass spectrometry, and next-generation sequencers enable rapid and precise detection of bacterial species in the clinical samples, revealing bacterial diversities in the human body. Corynebacterium species are Gram-positive bacilli, which can cause pneumonia and have been reported as causative pathogens of lower respiratory tract infections since the 1970's. However, Corynebacterium spp. may be recognized and sorted as part of normal respiratory flora on Gram staining and culture, resulting in clinical under-recognition as pathogenic bacteria.The results of the clone library method using bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence analysis in Japanese patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia revealed that bronchoalveolar lavage fluid obtained from the lung lesions contained 11.8% Corynebacterium spp., which was the second most predominant bacterial phylotype. Additionally, among patients in whom Corynebacterium spp. were detected, C. simulans was most commonly detected followed by C. striatum. In addition, almost half of the patients in whom C. simulans was detected was monophylotypic infection and/or co-detection of C. simulansand C. striatum. Further clinical information is expected on corynebacteria as pathogens of lower respiratory tract infection.     

帕金森病患者和健康对照者的纵向CSF生物标志物对比研究

目的 探讨帕金森病(Parkinson's disease,PD)患者脑脊液(CSF)生物标志物的水平变化及其临床意义。方法 选取本院2018年3月-2019年3月收治的70例PD患者,并根据改良PD综合评分量表(UPDRS量表)及Hoehn-Yahr评分标准将患者分为轻度组(n=38)、中度组(n=18)和重度组(n=14)。另选择同期于本院接受体检健康人员70例作为对照组,检测并比较4组研究对象CSF生物标志物蛋白α-突触核蛋白(α-syn)、磷酸化Tau蛋白(P-Tau)及总Tau蛋白(T-Tau),微小RNA133 b(miR-133b)及C反应蛋白(CRP)、白细胞介素-8(IL-8)水平。结果 各组性别、年龄比较无明显差异(P>0.05); 不同病情严重程度PD患者UPDRS评分比较有明显差异,且均显著高于对照组(P<0.05); PD患者轻度组、中度组及重度组H-Y评分比较有明显差异(P<0.05)。各组α-syn、P-Tau、T-Tau、miR-133b、CRP及IL-8水平比较有明显差异(P<0.05),且随着PD患者病情严重程度加重,α-syn水平显著降低,P-Tau、T-Tau、miR-133b、CRP及IL-8水平显著升高(P<0.05)。Pearson相关分析显示,α-syn与UPDRS评分呈显著正相关,P-Tau、T-Tau、miR-133b、CRP及IL-8与UPDRS呈显著负相关(P<0.05)。受试者工作曲线(ROC)显示α-syn、P-Tau、T-Tau、miR-133b、CRP及IL-8水平诊断PD的曲线下面积(AUC)分别为0.755、0.785、0.742、0.746、0.779、0.755,联合诊断的AUC为0.905。结论 脑脊液生物标志物的水平变化是PD发生与发展的重要参考指标,其对于PD的诊断和病情严重程度判断具有重要价值     

Evidence of altered Th17 pathway signatures in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Guillain Barré Syndrome

Data indexing the contribution of various immuno-inflammatory components in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) towards the pathophysiology of Guillain Barré Syndrome (GBS) are limited. Th17 pathway plays crucial role in many immune mediated disorders of the nervous system. This study was aimed at exploring the role of Th17 pathway related cytokines in the CSF of patients with GBS. Levels of multiple key cytokines of Th17 pathway in CSF of patients with GBS (N = 37) and controls (N = 37) were examined in this prospective study using Bio-plex Pro Human Th17 cytokine assays in a Multiplex Suspension Array platform. The findings were correlated with clinical features and electrophysiological subtypes. Three key cytokines of Th17 pathway (IL-6, IL-17A and IL-22) were significantly elevated in CSF of patients with GBS as compared to controls. There was a positive correlation between the levels of IL-6 and IL-17A as well as between the levels of IL-17A and IL-22 in the CSF of patients with GBS. The CSF levels of IL-6 and IL-22 were negatively correlated with the duration of symptoms of GBS. None of the studied cytokines correlated with functional disability scores at admission to hospital or with the electrophysiological subtypes. Identification of Th17 pathway signatures in CSF sheds more insights into the pathogenic role of Th17 cells in GBS. These findings complement the contemporary knowledge and tender further support towards the involvement of Th17 pathway in GBS.     

Utility of heavily T2-weighted MR myelography as the first step in CSF leak detection and the planning of epidural blood patches

Heavily T2-weighted MR myelography (HT2W-MRM) is emerging as an alternative approach for detection and follow up of CSF leaks. We aimed to assess epidural blood patch (EBP) treatment outcome when using HT2W-MRM as the primary modality for detecting CSF leak and planning EBP placement in routine clinical practice. Since 2018, patients at our institute suspected of having CSF leak, routinely HT2W-MRM instead of CT myelography to determine presence of the leak and identify the EBP target site. Fifty-nine consecutive patients suspected of having a CSF leak underwent HT2W-MRM. After excluding patients with subdural hematoma and poor image quality, 26 (10 men, 16 women; mean age 44.92 ± 12.6 years) patients were included in this study. Patients received EBP on the basis of HT2W-MRM assessments and clinical assessment. Imaging findings and clinical outcome were evaluated. CSF leak was identified in 21 patients (80.8%, 21/26) based HT2W-MRM. Most cases were graded on a confidence scale as CSF leak definitely (n = 13) or probably (n = 3) present. Successful clinical EBP treatment was achieved in 14 of 17 patients (82.4%) after first targeted EBP, and patient symptoms significantly improved after treatment (numerical rating score 6.4 before EBP, 1.3 after EBP, P < 0.001). HT2W-MRM based EBP are the rational and effective choices for CSF leak treatment in routine clinical practice.     

COVID-19, SARS and MERS: A neurological perspective

Central to COVID-19 pathophysiology is an acute respiratory infection primarily manifesting as pneumonia. Two months into the COVID-19 outbreak, however, a retrospective study in China involving more than 200 participants revealed a neurological component to COVID-19 in a subset of patients. The observed symptoms, the cause of which remains unclear, included impaired consciousness, skeletal muscle injury and acute cerebrovascular disease, and appeared more frequently in severe disease. Since then, findings from several studies have hinted at various possible neurological outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Here, we review the historical association between neurological complications and highly pathological coronaviruses including SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. We draw from evidence derived from past coronavirus outbreaks, noting the similarities and differences between SARS and MERS, and the current COVID-19 pandemic. We end by briefly discussing possible mechanisms by which the coronavirus impacts on the human nervous system, as well as neurology-specific considerations that arise from the repercussions of COVID-19.