Evolution Of Clinical Symptoms Research Articles

Clinical progression of benign fasciculation syndrome: a systematic literature review.

Benign fasciculation syndrome (BFS) is a challenging clinical condition that causes great concern to patients, as the sudden onset of fasciculations often raises suspicion of the presence or future development of motor neuron diseases. This article hence aims to provide a systematic literature review of clinical studies that investigated the clinical progression of BFS over time. We conducted an electronic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science using the keyword "benign fasciculation syndrome" in article title, abstract, and keywords, with no time or language restrictions, to identify all possible studies with a minimum number of 10 patients that examined the clinical progression of BFS over time. Three articles with 180 patients, predominantly men (140/180; 78%), could be included in our analysis. In 98.3% of all patients fasciculations persisted over a period of 8months to several years after the initial diagnosis of BFS, but no patient developed motor neuron dysfunction at follow-up. In the two studies providing details on clinical evolution of symptoms, fasciculations improved in 51.7% of patients and worsened in 4.1%. These results confirm the almost benign nature of BFS, with progression to overt motor neuron disease described only in specific case reports. Despiteits benign nature, BFS does not appear to resolve over time, as fasciculations persist in the vast majority of BFS cases, albeit with some improvements in more than half of patients.

Endovascular treatment of unruptured cavernous carotid aneurysms using flow diverter devices in Vietnam: A single-center prospective study

ObjectiveThis prospective study aims to investigate the safety and effectiveness of flow diverter (FD) in the treatment of unruptured cavernous carotid aneurysms (CCAs) in Vietnam. MethodsA single-center, prospective case series of 32 patients with unruptured CCAs treated by FD at our center from January 2017 to January 2022 was performed. We analyzed the aneurysm characteristics, procedure details, aneurysm occlusion rate, evolution of clinical symptoms, complications, and functional outcomes after treatment. Angiographic study was scheduled at the 6-month and 12-month follow-up. The occlusion rate was evaluated according to the O’Kelly-Marotta (OKM) Scale. Results35 FDs were deployed to treat 32 unruptured CCAs in 32 patients (mean age, 59.25; mean aneurysm size, 12.13 mm). Stent implantation was successful in all patients. Single FD was used in 29 cases (90.6%). Adjunctive coils were placed in five patients (15.6%). Complete aneurysm occlusion was achieved in 61.3% at 6 months and 96.4% at 12 months. Favorable outcome defined as mRS 0–2 was reported in all except one patient. Complete resolution or significant improvement of clinical symptoms was noted in 29 of 30 symptomatic patients (96.7%). Periprocedural complications included vessel perforation with severe SAH leading to death in one case (3.1%), minor vasospasm in four (12.5%), acute in-stent thrombosis in two (6.3%), and puncture-related hematoma in two (6.3%). All of these patients were successfully managed without clinical sequalae after the procedure except for one case. ConclusionFD represents a safe and effective treatment modality that might be considered as a valuable alternative to standard endovascular coiling techniques or carotid sacrifice for unruptured CCAs.

Re-positive testing, clinical evolution and clearance of infection: results from COVID-19 cases in isolation in Viet Nam.

ObjectiveAsymptomatic infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and test re-positivity after a negative test have raised concerns about the ability to effectively control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of COVID-19 asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic infections during the second wave of COVID-19 in Viet Nam, and to better understand the duration of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the dynamics between the evolution of clinical symptoms and SARS-CoV-2 test positivity among confirmed COVID-19 cases.MethodsWe conducted a cohort analysis on the first 50 confirmed cases during the second COVID-19 wave in Viet Nam using clinical, laboratory and epidemiological data collected from 9 March to 30 April 2020. Kaplan–Meier estimates were used to assess time to clearance of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and log-rank tests were used to explore factors related to time to SARS-CoV-2 infection clearance.ResultsMost cases (58%) had no typical signs or symptoms of COVID-19 at the time of diagnosis. Ten cases (20%) were re-positive for SARS-CoV-2 during infection. Eight cases (16%) experienced COVID-19 symptoms after testing negative for SARS-CoV-2. The median duration from symptom onset until clearance of infection was 14 days (range: 6–31); it was longer in re-positive and older patients and those with pre-existing conditions.ConclusionAsymptomatic and pre-symptomatic infections were common during the second wave of COVID-19 in Viet Nam. Re-positivity was frequent during hospitalization and led to a long duration of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Influencia pronóstica de la edad y el tiempo de evolución de los síntomas en la mielopatía cervical espondilótica

OBJETIVO: Presentamos un estudio, que trata de dilucidar la influencia de la edad y el tiempo de evolución de los síntomas, en el pronóstico tras la cirugía. MÉTODO: Estudio prospectivo de 66 pacientes, intervenidos debido a MCE, valorados (escala mJOA) pre y postoperatoriamente. Seguimiento de tres años. Se analizan las variables edad y tiempo de evolución clínica (TE), esta última se subdivide en dos grupos: larga evolución (>1 año), con 35 casos y corta evolución (≤ 1 año), con 31 casos, así como la variable de reciente agravación (RA). Esta última, si la enfermedad ha ido progresando de forma paulatina, sin grandes altibajos, se valora como NO (15 casos); si hubiese una aceleración en la progresión de la enfermedad antes de la intervención, se valora como SI (20 casos). RESULTADOS: La edad tuvo una correlación (r=-0,38) con significación P<0,01 con la situación clínica preoperatoria (r=-0,38) y posoperatoria (r=-0,30) p<0,05. No se encontró correlación entre la edad y la tasa de recuperación. El TE no presentó correlación con el estado clínico preoperatorio. Se encontró una correlación negativa entre el tiempo de evolución, estado clínico postoperatorio (r=-0,46) y el TR (r=-0,42) con una significación p<0,001. TR fue un 20% mayor en los pacientes con corta evolución clínica. Cuanto a la variable RA, se apreció una mayor afectación clínica preoperatoria, 1,45 puntos de media (mJOA) con significación p<0,05, así como peores tasas de recuperación (10%) que aquellos pacientes. En RA, aunque esta última sin significación estadística. CONCLUSIONES: La edad influye negativamente en la situación clínica preoperatoria y postoperatoria, no siendo predictiva cuanto a la capacidad de mejorar. El tiempo de evolución es un valor de pronóstico para la capacidad de mejorar, siendo su influencia negativa.

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration and dementia with Lewy bodies: Clinicopathological issues associated with antemortem diagnosis

Currently, the clinical diagnostic criteria of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) are well known to neurologists and psychiatrists. However, the accuracy of the clinical diagnosis of these diseases in autopsy series is not always adequate. For example, FTLD is a syndrome rather than a clinicopathological disease entity that is comprised of various pathological substrates, including Pick's disease, FTLD with microtubule-associated protein tau gene mutation, FTLD with tau-negative ubiquitin-positive inclusions (FTLD-U), FTLD-U with progranulin gene mutation, corticobasal degeneration, basophilic inclusion body disease, and neuronal intermediate filament inclusion disease. Whether these underlying pathologies can be identified clinically is one of the greatest interests in neuropathological research. The pathophysiological relationship between Lewy pathology and Alzheimer pathology in DLB is explored with interest because it may be associated with the accuracy of clinical diagnoses. For example, although Lewy pathology may progress from the brain stem nuclei to the cerebral cortex in Parkinson's disease, recent studies have demonstrated that the progression pattern in DLB is not always identical to that in Parkinson's disease. It is also considered that the progression pattern of Lewy pathology correlates with the evolution of clinical symptoms and that the progression pattern of Lewy pathology may be altered when Alzheimer pathology coexists. In the present paper, the clinicopathological features of two demented cases are presented, and some pathological issues associated with the clinical diagnosis of FTLD and DLB are discussed.

Ertapenem-induced acute pancreatitis in a surgical elderly patient

Case summary A 78-year old man was given, after surgery, 1 g ertapenem every 24 h intravenously. His clinical evolution was favorable and on day 8 ertapenem was discontinued and the patient was put on a semi-solid diet. On day 9, abdominal distension was seen accompanied by epigastric pain. The laboratory tests on day 8 showed an altered pancreatic profile: amylase = 1823 U/l (normal value: 0-100); lipase = 8045 U/l (normal value: 0-60); C-reactive protein (CRP) = 16.09 mg/dl (normal value: 0-0.5). Full Blood Count (FBC) showed leukocytosis with an increase in neutrophils and eosinophils. The prior pancreatic parameters were normal without leukocytosis. The evolution of clinical symptoms after discontinuing ertapenem was rapid. Between days 11 and 16, the laboratory parameters returned to normal values; the eosinophilia persisted longer, decreasing between days 14 and 16. Conclusions clinicians should include monitoring the development of acute pancreatitis in the safety parameters in patients undergoing treatment with this carbapenem.

Factores pronósticos de la evolución clínica del derrame pleural tuberculoso

To date, no studies have been reported analyzing the prognosis factors related to severe clinical complications in tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE). We studied clinical, biochemical, radiological, and microbiological factors that could help establish the clinical outcome of TPE.Retrospective study of > or = 15 years old patients diagnosed of TPE along 9 years. Patients were classified in two groups: a group without complications (NCG), and a group with complications (CG) on the basis of residual pleural thickening (RPT) > or = 10 mm, need of surgery or death.Sixty six patients were included, mean age 35.3 years, 53% male, 47 in the NCG group and 19 in the CG (1 died, 4 needed surgery, 14 had RPT). The evolution of clinical symptoms was 20.7 days in the NCG and 45.6 in the CG. 94.7% of the CG patients had loculations (23.4% in the NCG). We observed significant differences in the pH (7.34 vs 7.11), glucose (78 vs 30 mg/dl) and lactic dehydrogenase (925 vs 3,235 U/l).Severe TPE has similar characteristics to complicated parapneumonic pleural effusion. Loculations, pH < 7.25 and glucose < 50 mg/dl were indicative of a poorly outcome in our study.

Intramedullary Cervical Spinal Cord Abscess

Intramedullary abscesses are uncommon with a prevalent incidence in childhood and adolescence. Prognosis is not always favourable. Management entails a combined surgical and medical approach with long-term drug therapy. We describe a patient with rapidly progressive hemiparesis and MR findings of an undefined intramedullary expanding lesion in the cervical spine. Rapid evolution of clinical symptoms, and brain MR disclosing meningitis suggested an abscess, subsequently confirmed by histological analysis.

T-Plasminogen activator and von Willebrand factor in patients with unstable angina

We investigated whether the clinical evolution of symptoms in patients admitted with unstable angina is associated with changes in t-plasminogen activator antigen (t-PA) and von Willebrand (vW) factor levels. Concentrations of vW factor antigen and t-PA antigen were measured by an enzyme-linked immunoassay method in 10 patients who became clinically stable within 24 h of admission and remained so for 5 days. A significant rise in morning t-PA plasma level occurred 24 h after the admission (15.15 ± 2.1 ng/ml, P < 0.05), whereas the vW factor remained unchanged. No significant changes were found in the night concentration in t-PA and vW factor during the 5 day period. Thus t-PA level is significantly raised 24 h after admission in patients with unstable angina who stabilize in response to medical treatment.