Cerebral Infarction Presenting with Unilateral Isolated Foot Drop

Weakness of the dorsiflexor muscles of the ankle or toe, referred to as foot drop, is a relatively common presentation. In most cases, foot drop is caused by a lower motor neuron disease such as peroneal peripheral neuropathy, L4-5 radiculopathic sciatic neuropathy, or polyneuropathy. Although upper motor neuron lesions can present as foot drop, the incidence is very rare. Here, we report an extremely rare case in which foot drop was the only presenting symptom of cerebral infarction.     

Sleep disorders in children with cerebral palsy and its correlation with sleep disturbance in primary caregivers and other associated factors

Aims:

To observe prevalence of sleep disturbance (SD) in cerebral palsy (CP) children in a specific age-group and its correlation with SD in primary caregivers and other associated factors.

Materials and Methods:

This was a prospective cross-sectional study. SD assessed using Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) in CP children and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in caregivers. Fifty cases of clinically diagnosed CP [27 females, mean age: 107.9 ΁ 29.5 months (range: 78-180 months)] fulfilling criteria were included.

Results:

Eighteen (36%) children had pathological sleep total score (TS) and Disorders of Initiating and Maintaining Sleep (DIMS) was the commonest SD (n = 25, 50%). All primary caregivers were mothers. Twenty-five (50%) mothers had SD on PSQI scale. DIMS, Disorders of Excessive Somnolence (DES), and TS had significant correlation with PSQI (P < 0.05). Disorders of Arousal (DA) and TS had significant correlation with seizures (P < 0.05) in CP children. Bed-sharing had significant correlation with SD in caregivers (P < 0.001) but not with CP children. No significant correlation was observed between SD in CP and gross motor function (Gross Motor Function Classification System), use of orthoses, and dental caries.

Interpretation:

Children with CP have underreported significant SD, which negatively impacts caregiver''s sleep also. Seizure disorders and medications contribute significantly to SD.     

Gait characteristics in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy assessed with a trunk-worn accelerometer

This study aimed to investigate gait characteristics reflecting balance and progression in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) compared with typically developing (TD) children. Gait characteristics variables representing aspects of balance were trunk acceleration, interstride regularity and asymmetry of accelerations while gait characteristics representing progression were gait speed, cadence, step time and step length. Children in the age range 5–18 years (mean age 11.1 years) with spastic CP (n = 41) and a gross motor function corresponding to GMFCS I–III and children with TD (n = 29) were included. The children walked back and forth along a 5 m pathway with a tri-axial accelerometer worn on the lower back to allow assessment of their gait characteristics. Data were recorded along the anterioposterior (AP), mediolateral (ML), and vertical (V) axes. To assess the magnitude of potential differences in gait characteristics, standard deviation scores were calculated, using TD children as reference. Gait parameters related to balance, such as AP, ML, and V accelerations, were higher in the children with CP (z-scores between 0.4 and 0.7) and increased with increasing GMFCS levels. The differences in accelerations in the AP and V directions increased between children with CP and TD children with increasing speed. Also asymmetry in trunk accelerations differed significantly between the two groups in all three directions (z-scores between 0.8 and 1.8 higher in the CP group), while interstride regularity differed only slightly between children with CP and TD children, and only in the AP direction. Gait characteristics also differed between children with the spastic subtypes unilateral and bilateral CP, for accelerations and asymmetry in the AP and ML directions. Our results showed significant differences in gait characteristics between children with CP and TD children. The differences may be more related to balance than progression, and these problems seem to rise with increasing gross motor impairment and speed.     

兔急性脑缺氧时脑及脑脊液内腺嘌呤核苷含量的变化

本文报告了由低张性低氧血症所致兔急笥脑缺氧时脑组织内腺苷、次黄嘌呤核苷及次黄嘌呤水平分别从正常对照的５３．３±２．９、１１５．６±１１．８及１８６．５±１０．３增至８１６．４±５９．０、１０４９．７±３７．５及７０４．４±５５．３μＭ／ｇ（Ｘ±ＳＤ），各组间Ｐ值均＜０．０１至０．０５。同步测定的脑脊液中三种腺嘌呤核苷水平分别从正常对照的１．６±０．８、５．１±１．０及１３３．９±５０．８增至７．０     

EVALUATION OF A NONINVASIVE TRANSCRANIAL DOPPLER AND BLOOD PRESSURE-BASED METHOD FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF CEREBRAL PERFUSION PRESSURE IN PREGNANT WOMEN

Objective: We have developed a Doppler method for the estimation of cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) using noninvasive techniques. Our objective was to evaluate our new method in pregnant women.

Methods and Materials: Laboring women with a lumbar epidural in situ had transcranial Doppler interrogation of the maternal middle cerebral artery (MCA) to measure systolic, diastolic, and mean velocities. A pressure transducer was connected to the epidural catheter and pressure was recorded. Systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), and mean (MAP) blood pressure were taken with a Dinamap monitor. Doppler estimated CPP (mm Hg) = [V_mean/ V_mean- V_diastolic](MAP – DBP) and directly measured CPP = MAP – Epidural pressure data were plotted on a Bland–Altman graph with limits of agreement. The mean difference (the mean of the sum of both positive and negative differences) and absolute difference (the mean of the sum of the absolute differences) were calculated. In addition, linear and polynomial regression analyses were performed.

Results: Twenty laboring women were studied. All had normal pregnancies. The mean maternal age was 28 ± 7 years and the mean gestational age was 39 ± 2 weeks. The mean maternal MAP was 77 ± 12 mm Hg. The Bland–Altman plot showed a mean difference of 2.2 mm Hg at a mean CPP of 65 ± 12 mm Hg; with a standard deviation of 4.8 mm Hg, the absolute difference was 3.9 ± 3.0 mm Hg at a mean CPP of 65 ± 12 mm Hg. The regression analysis showed an r = 0.92, r² = 0.86, and p < 0.0001.

Conclusions: Our formula allows the estimation of CPP using a simple calculation and noninvasively acquired data. This method may be of use for frequent, easy, and accurate CPP and intracranial pressure estimation and may, as such, have significant research and clinical applications.     

Two-year outcomes for infants with low cord pH at birth

Abstract

Objective: To determine the long-term outcome of infants born with cord pH?≤?7.0 and no clinical evidence of asphyxia at birth.

Design: Setting: Tertiary Referral Centre. A prospective matched cohort study was conducted. 51 term infants were recruited following singleton birth with venous cord pH?≤?7.0. For each recruited baby a healthy baby with normal cord pH?≥?7.20 was recruited matched for gestation, gender and mode of delivery. Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ)^TM and Health Screening Questionnaires (HSQ) were sent out at 24 months of age. Two independent assessors, blinded to the case assignment, reviewed intrapartum and neonatal events to look for clinical evidence of birth asphyxia among the cases.

Result: From 102 infants recruited, 62 questionnaires (24 cases, 38 controls) were returned. 20 matched pairs with no clinical evidence of birth asphyxia were available for analysis. The groups were similar except in terms of birth weight; the pH?≥?7.0 group had mean birth weight 584?g lower than controls (p?=?0.005). The ASQ motor scores were lower in children born with low cord pH (p?=?0.019); however, once adjusted for birth weight, the difference was not significant (p?=?0.289).

Conclusion: It is unlikely that abnormal cord pH in otherwise healthy neonates leads to a substantially increased risk of abnormal neurodevelopmental outcome or severe health problems by 2 years of age.     

Placental weight and neurologic outcome in the infant: a review

Objective: To review the agreement of published standards on placental weights (PW) and fetal–placental (F/P) ratios, examine factors contributing to PW and ask whether aberrant placental weight is associated with adverse neurologic outcome. Methods: We conducted a literature search for standards of PW, F/P ratio and the relationship of PW to perinatal death, neonatal encephalopathy or cerebral palsy. We reviewed 17 studies of normative PW and 10 of F/P ratios. Since 1990, seven studies compared mean and extreme percentile bounds between 35 and 42 weeks of gestation. Nine publications examined PW and neurologic outcome. Results: Untrimmed placentas were heavier by 131–193 g. F/P ratios differed by 0.2–2.34 between trimmed and untrimmed placentas. Fresh, frozen or fixed preparation prior to weighing had minimal effect on weight. Gender and race had negligible affect. Placentas from caesarean sections averaged 75 g heavier than vaginal deliveries. There were no consistent associations of aberrant PW and neurologic outcome. Conclusions: Reference standards of recent studies on trimmed placentas were largely in agreement. Current findings relating aberrant PW and adverse neurologic outcome are inconclusive. Further study of the relationship between placental weight and neonatal encephalopathy or cerebral palsy is warranted, in representative populations using within-study controls.     

Diagnostic de l’acidose métabolique à la naissance par la détermination du pH eucapnique

The identification of a metabolic acidosis is a key criterion for establishing a causal relationship between fetal perpartum asphyxia and neonatal encephalopathy and/or cerebral palsy. The diagnostic criteria currently used (pH and base deficit or lactatemia) are imprecise and non-specific.ObjectiveThe study aimed to determine among a low-risk cohort of infants born at term (n = 867), the best diagnostic tool of metabolic acidosis in the cordonal from the following parameters: pH, blood gases and lactate values at birth.Materials and methodsThe data were obtained from arterial blood of the umbilical cord by a blood gas analyser. The parameter best predicting metabolic analysis was estimated from the partial correlations established between the most relevant parameters.ResultsThe results showed a slight change in all parameters compared to adult values: acidemia (pH: 7.28 ± 0.01), hypercapnia (56.5 ± 1.59 mmHg) and hyperlactatemia (3.4 ± 0.05 mmol/L). From partial correlation analysis, pCO₂ emerged to be the main contributor of acidemia, while lactatemia was shown to be non-specific for metabolic acidosis. Seven cases (0.81 %) showed a pH less than 7.00 with marked hypercapnia. The correction of this respiratory component by EISENBERG's method led to the eucapnic pH, classifying six out of seven cases as exclusive respiratory acidosis.Discussion and conclusionIt has been demonstrated that the criteria from ACOG-AAP for defining a metabolic acidosis are incomplete, imprecise and generating errors in excess. The same is true for lactatemia, whose physiological significance has been completely revised, challenging the misconception of lactic acidosis as a specific marker of hypoxia. It appeared that eucapnic pH was the best way for obtaining a reliable diagnosis of metabolic acidosis. We proposed to adopt a simple decision scheme for determining whether a metabolic acidosis has occurred in case of acidemia less than 7.00.     

磁共振DTI及DTT在脑梗死白质纤维束损伤中的应用

目的：探讨MR扩散张量成像（DTI）及扩散张量纤维束成像（DTT）技术对不同时期脑梗死白质损伤的诊断价值,并观察白质纤维束的受损情况,为脑梗死后患侧肌力恢复治疗提供影像学依据。方法：53例脑梗死患者按不同发病时期分为4组,行常规MRI及DTI检查,对比测量梗死侧与健侧相应部位脑白质的各向异性系数（FA）值,并观察梗死灶白质纤维柬的改变,按照皮质脊髓束（CST）移位、连续性及破坏程度在DTT图像上的表现分为3级。结果：超急性期梗死侧FA值（0．35±0．04）与健侧（0．37±0．06）比较差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）,急性期、亚急性期和慢性期梗死侧FA值分别为0．17±0．07、0．14±0．06和0．09±0．05,分别低于健侧相应部位的FA值（分别为0．39±0．08、0．36±0．08和0．33±0．06）,差异均有显著性意义（P〈0．05）。3组DTT分级比较差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）,患侧肌力改变与皮质脊髓束损伤程度呈正相关（rs=0．76,P〈0．05）,皮质脊髓束损伤程度可以通过重建的扩散张量纤维束成像显示。结论：DTI及DTT技术能较好的评价不同时期脑梗死白质纤维束的损伤程度,对指导临床诊断和帮助判断预后有重要价值。     

彩超检测分析颈动脉粥样硬化与急性前循环脑梗死的关系

目的探讨颈动脉粥样硬化与急性前循环脑梗死的关系。方法回顾性分析具有典型前循环脑梗死临床表现并经CT或MRI证实为脑梗死的患者136例颈动脉的彩色多普勒超声检查结果,与对照组50例同年龄组非脑梗死患者相比较。结果136例急性前循环脑梗死患者中107例（78．7％）检出颈动脉硬化斑块,而对照组检出颈动脉硬化斑块者仅12例（24％）。结论颈动脉粥样硬化斑块与前循环脑梗死密切相关,超声能够早期发现颈动脉粥样硬化,对预防前循环脑梗死的发生有重要意义。