Cavernous malformations of the central nervous system (CNS) in children: clinico-radiological features and management outcomes of 36 cases

Background

Cavernous malformations (CMs) of the central nervous system (CNS) are angiographically occult vascular lesions that affect approximately 0.5 % of the general population, and one quarter of all CMs occurs in children.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed demographic, clinical, radiological, management, and follow-up data of 36 pediatric patients with CMs from a single institution.

Results

The mean age of the children at first presentation and at operation was 8.7 and 9.6 years, respectively. However, a bimodal age distribution was found with peak under 4 years and above 12 years. Seizure was the most common single presenting symptom (38.9 %), and 61.1 % of patients had at least one seizure before the admission. Focal neurological deficits (410.7 %), intracranial hypertension (27.8 %), and headache (2.8 %) were the other manifestations. Acute/subacute hemorrhage was evident at presentation in 63.9 %. The patients under 6 years of age were found to have significantly more giant cavernomas (69 vs 20 %; p?=?0.011), and more overt hemorrhages (81 vs 47 %; p?=?0.065) at diagnosis than those patients above 12 years. Surgery was performed in 31 patients (32 CMs), with 26 total and 6 incomplete resections. Mean follow-up duration was 6.9?±?4.1 years. Of all patients, 63.8 % had excellent and 30.5 % had good clinical outcomes, and also 90.9 % of the epileptic patients were seizure-free (Engel Class I) at the last follow-up.

Conclusions

Younger children tend to harbor larger CMs and present with hemorrhage more frequently than older ones. Microsurgical resection should be the treatment of choice in symptomatic and accessible CMs.     

Thyroid function tests in the newborn infants of preeclamptic women.

The purpose of this study was to identify possible changes in thyroid functions in newborn infants of preeclamptic women. Fifteen neonates (nine boys and six girls) of preeclamptic women and 17 healthy neonates (nine boys and eight girls) for the control group were included in the study. Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), total triiodothyronine (TT3) and total thyroxine (TT4) levels and thyroid gland volumes were determined in both groups. Serum TSH and TT4 levels were not statistically different between the two groups. However, serum TT3 level was 79.22 +/- 40.19 ng/dl in the study group and 40.00 +/- 15.99 ng/dl in control subjects (p < 0.01). The mean right, left and total thyroid volumes were 1.3 +/- 1.2 ml, 1.2 +/- 1.1 ml and 2.4 +/- 2.3 ml in the study group and 0.6 +/- 0.2 ml, 0.6 +/- 0.2 ml, and 1.1 +/- 0.4 ml in the control group, respectively (p < 0.05). The mean thyroid volume/body weight was 0.9 +/- 0.09 ml/kg in the study group and 0.3 +/- 0.06 ml/kg in the control group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, we would like to stress that preeclampsia might be a cause of fetal and neonatal thyroid enlargement and elevated serum TT3 level.     

Left Ventricular Diastolic Functions in Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

Cardiac involvement as pericarditis, myocarditis, and endocarditis is common in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). Though there are many reports concerning systolic and diastolic functions of adults with rheumatoid arthritis, there are no studies on children with JRA. Thirty patients with JRA without any cardiac symptoms and 30 sex- and age-matched controls were included in the study. M-mode and pulsed-wave Doppler echocardiography were performed on each participant to assess the systolic and diastolic functions of the left ventricle. Left ventricular end-systolic diameter and volume were larger and ejection fraction and fractional shortening were decreased in the JRA group. Among the diastolic parameters, increased late flow velocity, decreased early flow velocity, and prolonged isovolumic relaxation time reflected an abnormal relaxation form of diastolic dysfunction. Mortality rate is increased in adults with rheumatoid arthritis, and ischemic heart disease is the leading cause of cardiovascular mortality. The abnormal relaxation form of diastolic dysfunction found in children with JRA is seen in ischemic heart disease. These children can therefore be candidates for ischemic heart disease in the future even though they are fully asymptomatic at present. In conclusion, children with JRA should be assessed for systolic and diastolic functions with serial echocardiography. In this way it may be possible to reduce the mortality and morbidity of the disease from cardiac causes.     

The effect of high dose melatonin on cardiac ischemia- reperfusion Injury

Purpose

Melatonin, the most potent scavenger of toxic free radicals, has been found to be effective in protecting against pathological states due to the release of reactive oxygen species. This study was performed to establish the effect of high dose melatonin on protection against ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rat hearts.

Materials and Methods

Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. They were separated into four groups of ten rats each. A left coronary artery occlusion was induced in the rats by ligating the artery for 20 minutes and then releasing the ligation (reperfusion) afterwards. The control group was Group A. Group B was subjected to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion without any treatment, while Group C underwent myocardial ischemia-reperfusion with a melatonin treatment before the ischemia. Group D was subjected to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion with a melatonin treatment before the reperfusion. After 20 minutes of reperfusion, blood samples were obtained from each group for biochemical studies, and the animals were sacrificed for histological and, immunohistochemical examinations of the myocardial tissue.

Results

We found that the cardiac troponin T(cTn-T) levels were significantly increased in Group B when all groups were compared. In the Group C rats treated with melatonin, the cTn-T values were significantly lower than those in Groups B and D. In addition, malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidant enzymes including, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were lower than those in Group B in the melatonin treated groups. The differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Histopathologic and immunohistopathologic studies also supported the effectiveness of melatonin.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that high dose melatonin, appears to offer protection against cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injuries in rats by scavenging the free radicals and could have a potential clinical use in the management of myocardial ischemia.     

Effect of melatonin in the prevention of post-operative adhesion formation in a rat uterine horn adhesion model

BACKGROUND: Our main aim was to investigate the effects of melatonin (ME), possibly the most powerful free-radical scavenger, on the prevention of i.p. adhesion formation in rat uterine horn. Our secondary aim was to determine whether different methods of administration of ME were beneficial. METHODS: Animals were randomly assigned into seven groups, each consisting of 13 rats. Measured serosal injury was created using a standard technique. While control and two sham groups were not given ME, two of the remaining four groups were given a single dose of 10 mg/kg (2 mg) of ME i.p. immediately after injury and 30 min prior to injury respectively. In the two other groups, ME treatment was continued daily for 5 days. All animals were killed 2 weeks after surgery and adhesions were determined and scored by a examiner blinded to the test. RESULTS: The extent, severity and total scores of adhesion were found to be significantly reduced in all of the ME treatment groups when compared with control and sham groups. There were no statistically significant differences between the treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that even single dose ME therapy was effective in the prevention of post- operative i.p. adhesion formation.     

Effects of L-carnitine on neutrophil functions in aged rats

Several age-related alterations occur at the cellular level in the immune system leading to a decrease in the immune response. The present study was designed to determine the effect of L-carnitine on impaired neutrophil functions of aged rats. For this reason, superoxide anion radical production, chemotaxis and phagocytic activity were studied in the neutrophils obtained from the peripheral blood of young and old rats. We orally gavaged L-carnitine (50 mg/kg b.w. per day) or control vehicle into young (2 months) and aged (24 months) rats for 30 consecutive days. The neutrophils of aged rats exhibited an increase in superoxide anion production and decline in phagocytosis and chemotaxis when compared with that in young rat neutrophils. Superoxide anion production in aged rats was significantly decreased by L-carnitine treatment which was accompanied with a significant enhancement of chemotactic and phagocytic activity being restored to control levels. These findings demonstrated that L-carnitine is capable of restoring the age-related changes of neutrophil functions.     

Correlation between breast density in mammography and background enhancement in MR mammography

Purpose

We aimed to analyse the influence of mammographic breast density on background enhancement (BE) at magnetic resonance (MR) mammography in preand postmenopausal women. In addition, we questioned predictability of contrast-enhancement dynamics of normal fibroglandular tissue (NFT) at MR mammography according to mammographic breast density.

Materials and methods

Twenty-six patients (mean age 51.54±11.5 years; range 37–79 years) who underwent both MR mammography and conventional mammography were included in this retrospective study. Fourteen patients were premenopausal and 12 were postmenopausal. The ethics committee of our institution approved the study. The mammograms were retrospectively reviewed for overall breast density according to the four-point scale (I–IV) of the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) classification. Two radiologists, who were unaware of the clinical data, separately assessed the MR mammography images. Images were assessed for enhancement kinetic features (enhancement kinetic curve and the early-phase enhancement rate) and BE. MR mammography and conventional mammography findings were compared according to BI-RADS breast density category and menopausal status.

Results

Percentage of increased signal intensity values during the first minute did not change according to mammographic breast density, and the mean early-phase enhancement rate scores were similar among breast density groups (p=0.942). There was no significant difference between pre- and postmenopausal groups. Enhancement kinetic features of the different groups based on BI-RADS breast density category and menopausal status were similar. There was no correlation between breast density and BE in either premenopausal (p=0.211) or in postmenopausal (p=0.735) groups.

Conclusions

We determined no correlation between mammographic breast density and so-called BE in MR mammography in either premenopausal or postmenopausal women. NFT at MR mammography cannot be predicted on the basis of mammographic breast density.     

The practical assessment and management of bladder outflow obstruction

The initial management of bladder outflow obstruction typically related to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) falls to a large extent within the remit of general practice. Referral onwards to secondary care typically arises following the failure to respond to conservative measures or when complications have supervened; the most significant of which is urinary retention. In the hospital setting, anaesthesia, constipation and immobility are the common precipitants. What follows is a practical guide to the management of these situations and provides an overview of the conservative, medical, minimally invasive and surgical treatments available.