Pre-existing Neurological Disorders Research Articles

Pre-existing chronic illnesses as a risk factor for the onset of respiratory failure due to COVID-19

Problem consideredHaving cardiovascular, pulmonary and metabolic illnesses increases the likelihood of developing critical COVID-19. As the global population is aging, people with chronic illnesses may have high demands for health care, including critical care, in future health crises. The purpose of this research was to examine whether presence of different pre-existing chronic illnesses were associated with the onset of respiratory failure among patients who were treated and discharged from the intensive care unit. MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted at the University Hospital “Dr Dragiša Mišović-Dedinje” in Belgrade (Serbia) during the January–March 2021 epidemic wave, which had the highest mortality rate in Serbia. The study included COVID-19 patients who were treated and discharged from the intensive care unit (ICU). Data on chronic illnesses and clinical parameters regarding COVID-19 were retrieved from the electronic medical records. ResultsOf 299 surviving ICU-treated patients during the study period, 47.5 % required mechanical ventilation. The adjusted logistic regression models adjusted for body mass index (BMI), platelet count, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, lactate dehydrogenase, urea, oxygen saturation on admission and CT score showed that diabetes, neurological disorders (predominantly stroke), and recent injuries/fractures were independently associated with the onset of respiratory failure. Patients who had respiratory failure also had a higher BMI, laboratory parameters, and CT severity scores on admission. ConclusionPeople with pre-existing diabetes, neurological disorders (especially stroke), and recent injuries/fractures are at higher risk of respiratory failure in COVID-19 and should strictly adhere to COVID-19 prevention measures to minimize the risk of getting infected.

PECARN prediction rules for CT imaging of children presenting to the emergency department with blunt abdominal or minor head trauma: a multicentre prospective validation study

The intra-abdominal injury and traumatic brain injury prediction rules derived by the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) were designed to reduce inappropriate use of CT in children with abdominal and head trauma, respectively. We aimed to validate these prediction rules for children presenting to emergency departments with blunt abdominal or minor head trauma. For this prospective validation study, we enrolled children and adolescents younger than 18 years presenting to six emergency departments in Sacramento (CA), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), San Diego (CA), Los Angeles (CA), and Oakland (CA), USA between Dec 27, 2016, and Sept 1, 2021. We excluded patients who were pregnant or had pre-existing neurological disorders preventing examination, penetrating trauma, injuries more than 24 h before arrival, CT or MRI before transfer, or high suspicion of non-accidental trauma. Children presenting with blunt abdominal trauma were enrolled into an abdominal trauma cohort, and children with minor head trauma were enrolled into one of two age-segregated minor head trauma cohorts (younger than 2 years vs aged 2 years and older). Enrolled children were clinically examined in the emergency department, and CT scans were obtained at the attending clinician's discretion. All enrolled children were evaluated against the variables of the pertinent PECARN prediction rule before CT results were seen. The primary outcome of interest in the abdominal trauma cohort was intra-abdominal injury undergoing acute intervention (therapeutic laparotomy, angiographic embolisation, blood transfusion, intravenous fluid for ≥2 days for pancreatic or gastrointestinal injuries, or death from intra-abdominal injury). In the age-segregated minor head trauma cohorts, the primary outcome of interest was clinically important traumatic brain injury (neurosurgery, intubation for >24 h for traumatic brain injury, or hospital admission ≥2 nights for ongoing symptoms and CT-confirmed traumatic brain injury; or death from traumatic brain injury). 7542 children with blunt abdominal trauma and 19 999 children with minor head trauma were enrolled. The intra-abdominal injury rule had a sensitivity of 100·0% (95% CI 98·0-100·0; correct test for 145 of 145 patients with intra-abdominal injury undergoing acute intervention) and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 100·0% (95% CI 99·9-100·0; correct test for 3488 of 3488 patients without intra-abdominal injuries undergoing acute intervention). The traumatic brain injury rule for children younger than 2 years had a sensitivity of 100·0% (93·1-100·0; 42 of 42) for clinically important traumatic brain injuries and an NPV of 100·0%; 99·9-100·0; 2940 of 2940), whereas the traumatic brain injury rule for children aged 2 years and older had a sensitivity of 98·8% (95·8-99·9; 168 of 170) and an NPV of 100·0% (99·9-100·0; 6015 of 6017). The two children who were misclassified by the traumatic brain injury rule were admitted to hospital for observation but did not need neurosurgery. The PECARN intra-abdominal injury and traumatic brain injury rules were validated with a high degree of accuracy. Their implementation in paediatric emergency departments can therefore be considered a safe strategy to minimise inappropriate CT use in children needing high-quality care for abdominal or head trauma. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Comparison of emergency consultations of patients with neurologic complaints before and during COVID-19 pandemic in a single tertiary hospital in Makati City, Philippines

Background & Objective: COVID-19 forced us to develop adaptive ways to the new normal of healthcare delivery. Neurology has one of the most diverse types of patients who require urgent, prolonged and multidisciplinary care. This study aimed to understand the impact of the unprecedented community lockdown among patients with chronic and new onset neurologic conditions on emergency room (ER) utilization in a single tertiary hospital in Makati City, Philippine. Methods: We retrospectively examined all consecutive neurology referrals made at the ER from March to August 2020 and compared them with a control group consisting of all ER neurology referrals during the same months in 2019. Results: There was a 45% decline in the volume of referral to neurology service at the ER during the first 6 months of the lockdown period. There were fewer females who sought emergency neurologic care (p=0.019). The average age of patients increased from 55.5 years (σ=19.9) in 2019 to 59.5 years (σ=18.4) in 2020 (p<0.001). The top three chief neurologic complaints in 2019 were dizziness (17.7%), motor weakness (14.1%), and headache (13.2%). In 2020, the top three neurologic complaints where motor weakness (19.0%), decreased level of consciousness or loss of consciousness (13.2%), and dizziness (11.2%), (p<0.001). The average time from symptom onset to ER admission in 2019 was 5.1 days (σ=23.9) which increased to 8.4 days in 2020(σ=28.1), (p<0.001). The proportion of patients with no co-morbidities at the ER decreased from 27.6% in 2019 to 17.0% in 2020 (p<0.001). Patients with pre-existing cardiovascular diseases, endocrine diseases, pulmonary diseases, renal diseases, cancers, and others have significantly increased (p<0.05). However, the increase in the proportion of patients with pre-existing neurological disorders (p=0.143) was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The only pre-existing neurologic conditions with significantly increased in proportion was stroke (p=0.010). Among new onset neurologic diagnoses, headache and facial pain (p<0.001) and peripheral and other neuropathies (p=0.005) significantly decreased in proportions while proportions of cases with new stroke or vascular pathology (p<0.001) and encephalopathy (p=0.003) have significantly increased. ER dispositions showed a significant (p<0.001) decrease in proportions of patients who were admitted, discharged, and transferred to hospital of choice; while patients who were discharged against medical advice and who died at the ER have significantly increased. Conclusion: The initial six months of community lockdown during COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant change in the characteristics of patients referred to neurology for emergency care. These changes provide us a new perspective on how to better deliver optimal neurologic care to these diverse patients especially during times of pandemic.

Outcomes of Mechanical Thrombectomy in Patients With Neurological Disorders: A National Inpatient Sample Database Analysis.

Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) has changed the standard of care for patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The window of treatment has significantly increased the number of patients who would benefit from intervention and operators may be confronted with patients harboring preexistent neurological disorders. Still, the epidemiology of patients with AIS and neurological disorders has not been established. This is a retrospective study,which utilizes data from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) between 2012 and 2016. Patients with the major neurological comorbidities in the study were included: Alzheimer's dementia (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), and myasthenia gravis (MG). These patients were divided into groups and analyzed based on discharged home status, length of hospital stay (LOS), and inpatient mortality. These outcomes were also compared between patients who underwent MT versus those who did not. In this study, 460,070 patients with AIS were identified and included. MT was performed less often when the patient had a neurological diagnosis compared to those without aneurological disease (p<0.0001). However, patients with AIS whohave underlying neurological disorders such as AD, PD, and MShave shown similar outcomes after MT to those who do not have these disorders. Patients with preexisting neurological disorders were less likely to undergo MT. Further studies are required to elucidate the implications of having a neurological disorder in the setting of an AIS.

A nationwide survey of adenovirus-associated encephalitis/encephalopathy in Japan

BackgroundAdenovirus is a major pathogen causing febrile illness among children. It may also cause acute encephalitis/encephalopathy. This study aimed to elucidate the clinical features of adenovirus-associated encephalitis/encephalopathy (AdVE) among children in Japan. MethodsA nationwide survey of children with AdVE was conducted. An initial survey was distributed among pediatricians to obtain information about children with AdVE treated between January 2014 and March 2019. A second survey was used to obtain the clinical information of children with AdVE from hospitals that responded to the initial survey and those identified from a literature search of the reported cases. We collected demographic data and information about symptoms of infection, neurological symptoms, laboratory parameters, treatment, and outcomes. Outcomes were determined using the Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category Score. ResultsClinical information was available for 23 children with a median age of 39 months. Two had preexisting neurological disorders and six had a history of febrile seizures. The outcome was good in 15 patients and poor in eight patients. Serum lactate dehydrogenase, glucose, and ammonia levels were higher among children with a poor outcome compared to those with a good outcome. Clinically mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion was the most common type (n = 8), followed by acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion (n = 7). ConclusionA prior history of febrile seizures was frequent in children with AdVE. Several different subtypes of acute encephalopathy were seen in children with AdVE, and the outcome was poor in those with acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion and hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome. Elevated lactate dehydrogenase, glucose, and ammonia levels on admission were found to correlate with a poor outcome.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Patients with Pre-existing Neurologic Autoimmune Disorders.

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for oncologic indications is associated with immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Patients with pre-existing autoimmune diseases are at increased risk of irAEs and have largely been excluded from clinical trials of ICIs. Therefore, there is limited data on the safety of safety of ICIs in patients with pre-existing neurologic autoimmune diseases (nAIDs) such as myasthenia gravis and multiple sclerosis. This review aims to synthesize the literature on the post-marketing experience with ICI in patients with pre-existing nAID and to discuss possible strategies for mitigating the risk of post-ICI nAID relapses. Patients with pre-existing myasthenia gravis (MG), myositis, and paraneoplastic encephalitis appear highly susceptible to neurologic relapses of their underlying neurologic disorder following ICI initiation; these relapses can cause considerable morbidity and mortality. In patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), the risk and severity of MS relapses following ICI appears to be relatively lower compared to MG. Preliminary evidence suggests that older MS patients with no recent focal neuroinflammatory activity may be safely treated with ICI. Among the several case reports of ICI in patients with a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), neurologic worsening was only recorded in one patient who was in the acute phase of GBS at the time of ICI start. Initiating an ICI in a patient with pre-existing nAID involves a complex risk-benefit discussion between the patient, their oncologist, and neurologist. Relevant issues to consider before ICI include the choice of disease-modifying therapy for nAID (if any) and strategies for promptly identifying and managing nAID relapses should they occur. Currently, the literature consists mainly of case reports and case series, subject to publication bias. Prospective studies of ICI in patients with nAID are needed to improve the level of evidence.

Perioperative complications after total shoulder arthroplasty in patients with neurological disorders

BackgroundTotal shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) is an effective procedure to treat end stage osteoarthritis of the shoulder. Outcomes in patients with neurologic disorders are not well documented. Previous studies have shown that TSA in patients with Parkinson’s disease was successful in alleviation of pain, but the overall shoulder function results were poor. We would like to extend this to include more neurologic symptoms. The purpose of this study is to determine the perioperative and the early postoperative outcomes in patients with neurologic disorders undergoing TSA. MethodsThe Nationwide Readmission Database was used to identify all available primary anatomic TSA (aTSA) and reverse TSA (rTSA) occurring the US from 2011 to 2019 resulting in a total of 428,761 cases of TSA, with 209,789 being aTSA and 218,972 being rTSA. Relevant ICD9 and ICD10 codes identified 3602 (0.8%) patients to have at least 1 neurological disease. Both one way analysis of variance and Chi-squared analyses were used for demographic and comorbidity comparisons. For outcomes analyses, a Chi-squared/Fisher’s Exact Test and binary logistic regression were used, which accounted for patient age, sex, primary payer, and Charlson-Deyo comorbidity index. Fisher’s Exact Test was used to confirm significance in all low sample size parameters. ResultsSignificant differences in several demographic categories were found between patients with and without neurological disorders receiving TSA including age (P < .001), sex (P < .001), zip-code income quartile distribution (P < .001), and the primary payer distribution (P < .001). At 180 days, the presence of a neurological condition was significantly predictive of higher rates of extended hospital stay (aTSA: P < .001, rTSA: P < .001) and non–home discharge following both aTSA and rTSA (aTSA: P < .001, rTSA: <0.001). The presence of a neurologic condition was predictive of significantly higher 180-day all-cause complication (P < .001) and mortality rates (P < .001) in patients undergoing rTSA, however this was not seen in those undergoing aTSA. Regarding perioperative complications, in patients undergoing aTSA and rTSA the presence of a neurological condition was significantly predictive of increased complication rates. ConclusionThis study demonstrates that patients with neurologic disorders undergoing TSA are at increased risk for perioperative complications, extended hospital stay, non–home discharge, and mortality out to 180 days. This information is helpful for both patients and surgeons when making an informed decision regarding TSA. Identifying patients with preexisting neurologic disorders before TSA can assist in tailoring preoperative and postoperative management of these patients to improve both short-term and long-term outcomes.

Comparative effectiveness of decompressive craniectomy versus craniotomy for traumatic acute subdural hematoma (CENTER-TBI): an observational cohort study

Limited evidence existed on the comparative effectiveness of decompressive craniectomy (DC) versus craniotomy for evacuation of traumatic acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) until the recently published randomised clinical trial RESCUE-ASDH. In this study, that ran concurrently, we aimed to determine current practice patterns and compare outcomes of primary DC versus craniotomy. We conducted an analysis of centre treatment preference within the prospective, multicentre, observational Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (known as CENTER-TBI) and NeuroTraumatology Quality Registry (known as Net-QuRe) studies, which enrolled patients throughout Europe and Israel (2014-2020). We included patients with an ASDH who underwent acute neurosurgical evacuation. Patients with severe pre-existing neurological disorders were excluded. In an instrumental variable analysis, we compared outcomes between centres according to treatment preference, measured by the case-mix adjusted proportion DC per centre. The primary outcome was functional outcome rated by the 6-months Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended, estimated with ordinal regression as a common odds ratio (OR), adjusted for prespecified confounders. Variation in centre preference was quantified with the median odds ratio (MOR). CENTER-TBI is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02210221, and the Resource Identification Portal (Research Resource Identifier SCR_015582). Between December 19, 2014 and December 17, 2017, 4559 patients with traumatic brain injury were enrolled in CENTER-TBI of whom 336 (7%) underwent acute surgery for ASDH evacuation; 91 (27%) underwent DC and 245 (63%) craniotomy. The proportion primary DC within total acute surgery cases ranged from 6 to 67% with an interquartile range (IQR) of 12-26% among 46 centres; the odds of receiving a DC for prognostically similar patients in one centre versus another randomly selected centre were trebled (adjusted median odds ratio 2.7, p<0.0001). Higher centre preference for DC over craniotomy was not associated with better functional outcome (adjusted common odds ratio (OR) per 14% [IQR increase] more DC in a centre=0.9 [95% CI 0.7-1.1], n=200). Primary DC was associated with more follow-on surgeries and complications [secondary cranial surgery 27% vs. 18%; shunts 11 vs. 5%]; and similar odds of in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR per 14% IQR more primary DC 1.3 [95% CI (1.0-3.4), n=200]). We found substantial practice variation in the employment of DC over craniotomy for ASDH. This variation in treatment strategy did not result in different functional outcome. These findings suggest that primary DC should be restricted to salvageable patients in whom immediate replacement of the bone flap is not possible due to intraoperative brain swelling. Hersenstichting Nederland for the Dutch NeuroTraumatology Quality Registry and the European Union Seventh Framework Program.

Impact of new-onset and preexisting neurological disorders in COVID-19 patients.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is still considered a global pandemic. The prognosis of COVID-19 patients varies greatly. We aimed to assess the impact of preexisting, chronic neurological diseases (CNDs) and new-onset acute neurological complications (ANCs) on the disease course, its complications, and outcomes. We conducted a monocentric retrospective analysis from all hospitalized COVID-19 patients between May 1, 2020 and January 31, 2021. Employing multivariable logistic regression models, we explored the association of CNDs and ANCs separately with hospital mortality and functional outcome. A total of 250 among 709 patients with COVID-19 had CNDs. We found a 2.0 times higher chance of death (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.37-2.92) for CND patients than for non-CND patients. The chance for an unfavorable functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale>3 at discharge) was 1.67 times higher in patients with CNDs than those without (95% CI: 1.07-2.59). Furthermore, 117 of all patients had 135 ANCs in total. We observed a 1.86 times higher chance to die (95% CI: 1.18-2.93) for patients with ANCs than without. The chance for a worse functional outcome was 3.6-fold higher in ANC patients than without (95% CI: 2.22-6.01). Patients with CNDs had 1.73 times higher odds for developing ANCs (95% CI: 0.97-3.08). Preexisting neurologic disorders or ANCs in COVID-19 patients were associated with higher mortality and poorer functional outcome at discharge. Furthermore, development of acute neurologic complications was more frequent in patients with preexisting neurologic disease. Early neurological evaluation appears to be an important prognostic factor in COVID-19 patients.

A practical approach to in-hospital management of new-onset refractory status epilepticus/febrile infection related epilepsy syndrome.

New-onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE) is "a clinical presentation, not a specific diagnosis, in a patient without active epilepsy or other preexisting relevant neurological disorder, with new onset of refractory status epilepticus without a clear acute or active structural, toxic, or metabolic cause." Febrile infection related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES) is "a subcategory of NORSE that requires a prior febrile infection, with fever starting between 2 weeks and 24 h before the onset of refractory status epilepticus, with or without fever at the onset of status epilepticus." These apply to all ages. Extensive testing of blood and CSF for infectious, rheumatologic, and metabolic conditions, neuroimaging, EEG, autoimmune/paraneoplastic antibody evaluations, malignancy screen, genetic testing, and CSF metagenomics may reveal the etiology in some patients, while a significant proportion of patients' disease remains unexplained, known as NORSE of unknown etiology or cryptogenic NORSE. Seizures are refractory and usually super-refractory (i.e., persist despite 24 h of anesthesia), requiring a prolonged intensive care unit stay, often (but not always) with fair to poor outcomes. Management of seizures in the initial 24-48 h should be like any case of refractory status epilepticus. However, based on the published consensus recommendations, the first-line immunotherapy should begin within 72 h using steroids, intravenous immunoglobulins, or plasmapheresis. If there is no improvement, the ketogenic diet and second-line immunotherapy should start within seven days. Rituximab is recommended as the second-line treatment if there is a strong suggestion or proof of an antibody-mediated disease, while anakinra or tocilizumab are recommended for cryptogenic cases. Intensive motor and cognitive rehab are usually necessary after a prolonged hospital stay. Many patients will have pharmacoresistant epilepsy at discharge, and some may need continued immunologic treatments and an epilepsy surgery evaluation. Extensive research is in progress now via multinational consortia relating to the specific type(s) of inflammation involved, whether age and prior febrile illness affect this, and whether measuring and following serum and/or CSF cytokines can help determine the best treatment.

Neurological Manifestations and Clinical Outcomes of Patients with COVID-19 in the Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia

COVID-19 patients also present with rheumatological problems, cardiac problems, and even neurological manifestations. However, the data are still insufficient at present to fill the gaps in our understanding of the neurological presentations of COVID-19. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to reveal the various neurological manifestations of patients with COVID-19 and to find the association between neurological manifestations and the clinical outcome. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Abha, in the Aseer region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, among COVID-19 patients aged 18 years or older who were admitted with the neurological manifestations of COVID-19 to the Aseer Central Hospital and Heart Center Hospital Abha. Non-probability convenient sampling was used. All the information was gathered by the principal investigator using a questionnaire including sociodemographic information, disease characteristics of COVID-19, neurological manifestations, and other complications. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 16.0 (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). A total of 55 patients were included in the present study. About half of the patients were admitted to the ICU, and 18 (62.1%) patients died after 1 month of follow-up. Patients aged over 60 years had a 75% mortality rate. About 66.66% of patients with pre-existing neurological disorders died. Statistically significant associations were found between neurological symptoms such as cranial nerve symptoms and a poor outcome. A statistically significant difference was also found between laboratory parameters such as the absolute neutrophil count (ANC), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), total cholesterol (TC), creatinine, urea, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level and the outcome. A statistically significant difference was also found between the use of medications such as antiplatelets, anticoagulants, and statins at the baseline and after a 1-month follow-up. Neurological symptoms and complications are not uncommon among COVID-19 patients. Most of these patients had poor outcomes. Further studies are required to provide more data and knowledge about this issue, including the possible risk factors and the long-term neurological consequences of COVID-19.

A nationwide survey of human metapneumovirus-associated encephalitis/encephalopathy in Japan

BackgroundAs there have been no comprehensive reports of human metapneumovirus-associated encephalopathy (hMPVE), this study examined the clinical features of hMPVE in children in Japan. MethodA nationwide survey of children with hMPVE was conducted using a structured research form. An initial survey asked pediatricians about children with hMPVE treated between 2014 and 2018. A second survey obtained patient information from hospitals that responded to the initial survey and those identified as having treated cases from a literature search. We collected demographic data, symptoms of hMPV infection, neurological symptoms, laboratory data, treatment, and outcomes. Outcomes were determined using the Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category Score. ResultClinical information was available for 16 children. Their median age was 37 months. Six had preexisting neurological disorders. The interval between the onsets of infection and hMPVE was 4 days. Outcomes were good in 11 patients and poor in 5. There were no significant differences in demographic data, neurological symptoms, or laboratory data between the patients with good and poor outcomes. The encephalopathy subtypes were acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion in 3, clinically mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion in 3, hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome in 2, and others in 8. ConclusionThe outcomes of children with hMPVE were not very different from those of acute encephalopathy due to other viruses. We found no factors associated with poor outcomes.

Anesthesia management in patients with neurological diseases: an updated systematic review

Prior literature discouraged anesthesiologists from administering regional anesthesia on patients with pre-existing neurologic disorders. Anesthesiologists are occasionally faced with adopting a regional anesthetic method in patients with pre-existing neurological diseases. There is uncertainty about whether secondary variables such as patient characteristics and anesthetic and surgical risk factors might influence the post-operative neurological outcome. To review the current literature on the anesthetic management of patients with neurological diseases. Studies related to our subject were explored using PubMed and Google scholar databases. The keywords included were &amp;quot;Anesthesia, anesthetic management, neurological disease, regional anesthesia,&amp;quot; and were used in various combinations. The inclusion criteria were original studies that reported Anesthesia management in patients with neurological disease and full text- articles. A total of 100 articles were obtained, only 8 articles were eligible for the inclusion criteria were published between 2004 and 2021. The detailed studies were conducted on 156 participants, two of them were case series, and six were case reports. Patients with central nervous system (CNS) problems such as multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Tuberous sclerosis, and brain tumors were included in our study. General anesthesia has been associated with worsening MS. A bupivacaine-based scalp nerve block and Dexmedetomidine were used as the primary hypnotic-sedative medicine to perform awake craniotomies on 10 patients, allowing safe tumor removal. The study shows that the risks associated with neuraxial anesthesia and analgesia in those with pre-existing CNS illnesses may be less prevalent than previously thought.

Monitoring of regional cerebral oximetry by near-infrared spectroscopy during off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting to evaluate the impact on postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction – A prospective study

Abstract Background and Aims: Postoperative neurological dysfunction is a common noncardiac complication following cardiac surgery. Primary objective of our study was to evaluate the effects of cerebral oxygen desaturation on the neurological outcome in the postoperative period by monitoring regional cerebral oxygen saturation in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG). Secondary objective was to study the correlation between regional cerebral oxygen saturation and mean arterial pressure (MAP) during grafting. Setting and Design: It was a prospective observational study in 100 patients of the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status grading II-III of either sex, having triple vessel coronary artery disease undergoing OPCABG. Patient, having left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) &lt;35%, carotid artery disease, on extracorporeal membrane oxygenator or intra-aortic balloon pump, preexisting neurological disorder with standardized mini-mental state examination (SMMSE) score &lt;23, undergoing emergency surgery, re-do surgery, and co-existing valvular diseases were excluded from the study. Surgeries were conducted under general anesthesia with midazolam 0.1 mg/kg, fentanyl 5 μg/kg, and vecuronium 0.1 mg/kg. Anesthesia was maintained with intermittent boluses of fentanyl, vecuronium, and isoflurane. Materials and Methods: The SMMSE was performed preoperatively, 8 and 12 h after extubation. Patients with postoperative SMMSE score of 24–30 were allocated to Group A and patients with SMMSE score ≤ 23, were allocated to Group B. The cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2), heart rate, MAP, and arterial blood gas were monitored perioperatively. Statistical Analysis: The Chi-square test was used to compare categorical variables and independent Samples t-test was used to compare continuous variables. Pearson bivariate correlation test was used to correlate between the continuous variables. Results: The mean difference of right and left rSo2, between baseline value, and during saphenous vein graft (SVG) to obtuse marginal grafting were 8.70 ± 3.38, 8.78 ± 3.19 in group A and 18.8 ± 2.40, 18.91 ± 1.88, respectively, in group B and were found to be statistically significant. The mean difference of right and left rSO2, between baseline value and during SVG to posterior descending artery grafting were 6.48 ± 3.91, 7.10 ± 3.67 in group A and 18.1 ± 3.57, 17.9 ± 3.60 in group B and were found to be statistically significant. Mean difference and percentage variation from baseline of right and left rSo2 and MAP from preinduction to grafting from left internal mammary artery to left anterior descending artery were found to be statistically insignificant. Conclusion: A decrease of regional cerebral saturation value by 25% from baseline or an absolute reduction of rSO2 value by 50% and reduction in MAP from baseline, during the period of grafting was associated with postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction.

A case of cryptogenic new-onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE) in which cerebrospinal fluid IL-6 was elevated with increased seizure frequency early in the disease: a case report

A 25-year-old male presented with clonic seizures three days following a fever. The patient developed status epilepticus and required mechanical ventilation and intravenous anesthesia. The patient's epileptic seizures persisted despite administering intravenous anesthesia and multiple anti-epileptic drugs. The clinical presentation in this case, without pre-existing relevant neurological disorder and an active structural, toxic, or metabolic cause in the acute phase, was compatible with new-onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE). After immunotherapy, including intravenous methylprednisolone, plasma exchange, and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, the epileptic discharge on electroencephalogram (EEG) decreased gradually, and mechanical ventilation was discontinued. Neversless the final outcome was poor. The patient's condition was finally diagnosed as cryptogenic NORSE. The IL-6 levels in the cerebrospinal fluid showed a significant increase between day 6 and 11 after onset, during which time there was a rapid escalation in seizure frequency on EEG. Considering this, IL-6 may be involved in the process of seizure exacerbation.

Neurological Complications Following COVID-19 Vaccination.

A variety of neurological complications have been reported following the widespread use of the COVID-19 vaccines which may lead to vaccine hesitancy and serve as a major barrier to the public health aim of achieving protective herd immunity by vaccination. In this article, we review the available evidence regarding these neurological adverse events reported, to provide clarity regarding the same so that unfounded fears maybe put to rest. There is a greater than expected occurrence of severe neurological adverse events such as cortical sinus venous thrombosis, Bell's palsy, transverse myelitis, and Guillain-Barré syndromes along with other common effects such as headaches following different kinds of COVID-19 vaccination. Precipitation of new onset demyelinating brain lesions with or without detection of specific antibodies and worsening of pre-existing neurological disorders (like epilepsy, multiple sclerosis) are also a matter of great concern though no conclusive evidence implicating the vaccines is available as of now. The COVID-19 pandemic is far from being over. Till such time that a truly effective anti-viral drug is discovered, or an appropriate therapeutic strategy is developed, COVID-appropriate behavior and highly effective mass vaccination remain the only weapons in our armamentarium to fight this deadly disease. As often occurs with most therapeutic means for the treatment and prevention of any disease, vaccination against COVID-19 has its hazards. These range from the most trivial ones like fever, local pain and myalgias to several potentially serious cardiac and neurological complications. The latter group includes conditions like cerebral venous thrombosis (curiously often with thrombocytopenia), transverse myelitis and acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy amongst others. Fortunately, the number of reported patients with any of these serious complications is far too low for the total number of people vaccinated. Hence, the current evidence suggests that the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risk of these events in majority of the patients. As of now, available evidence also does not recommend withholding vaccination in patients with pre-existing neurological disorders like epilepsy and MS, though adenoviral vaccines should be avoided in those with history of thrombotic events.

Identifying Patterns of Neurocognitive Dysfunction through Direct Comparison of Patients with Leukemia, CNS Tumors, and Sickle Cell Disease

Background. Innovations in pediatric oncology have led to advances that take the place of older, more toxic therapies, making it possible for more children to survive. As this population grows, it is essential to monitor and carefully study late effects. Perhaps most insidious and far reaching in its effect on the daily lives of survivors is neurocognitive dysfunction that impacts school performance, occupational attainment, and quality of life. The populations at greatest risk for neurocognitive dysfunction in the pediatric hematology oncology population include children with central nervous system (CNS) tumors, leukemia (ALL), and sickle cell disease (SCD). What is known about neurocognitive dysfunction in these populations has come from studying these groups separately and with heterogeneous tools, putting each group on a different "measuring stick." Methods. The current study seeks to quantify and compare the magnitude and type of neurocognitive dysfunction between groups of children with CNS tumors, pre-B ALL, and SCD by employing a common methodology to directly compare these groups to each other. Neurocognitive function was assessed using the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery. Children between the ages of 7-12 were included without pre-existing neurological disorders. Children with CNS tumors or pre-B ALL were within 18 months of completing therapy. Children with SCD possessed the SS or Sβ0 genotype, regularly took hydroxyurea, had no history of overt stroke, and did not receive chronic transfusions. NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery scores are presented as age-adjusted standard scores with a mean of 100, standard deviation of 15. Effect sizes were calculated using Cohen's d statistic. We hypothesized that these groups would perform significantly differently from normative data and differently from each other, with children with CNS tumors showing the greatest deficits, followed by children with SCD, with children with ALL showing the fewest deficits. Results. Fifty-three patients were included in analysis (n = 11 CNS tumor, n = 27 ALL, n = 15 SCD). Children with ALL demonstrated a large, negative effect in processing speed (median=86, IQR 65-95; Cohen's d = -0.93) and medium, negative effects in working memory (median=91, IQR 84.5-105.5, d = -0.6) and attentional control (median= 92, IQR 80-102, d = -0.6; Figure 1). Children with CNS tumors experienced medium deficits in cognitive flexibility (median=90, IQR 84-97, d = -0.67) and large, negative effects in processing speed (median=77, IQR 69-95, d = -1.53) and attentional control (median=88, IQR 76.5-93, d = -0.8). Children with SCD demonstrated medium, negative effects in episodic memory (median=92.5, IQR 85-102.8, d = -0.5). For the overall cognitive fluid composite score, children with SCD performed in the average range (median=99.5, IQR 83.2-105), while children diagnosed with malignancies demonstrated poorer performance with large effect sizes (ALL median=87, IQR 82-95, d = -0.87; CNS tumor median=84, IQR 74.5-95.5, d = -1.07). Conclusions. Preliminary analyses suggest that at-risk groups of children with ALL, CNS tumors, and SCD experience neurocognitive deficits differently from one another in multiple domains. Future studies should employ findings like these to develop and implement disease- and domain-specific interventions to reverse or alleviate neurocognitive deficits. Figure 1View largeDownload PPTFigure 1View largeDownload PPT Close modal

Abstract 320: Gray-white Matter Ratio Under 1.12 Could Predict Poor Neurological Outcomes, Even When Measured Within Two Hours After Return Of Spontaneous Circulation

Introduction: Literature on neuroprognostication suggests that gray-white matter ratio (GWR) measured from head computed tomography (CT) within two hours after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) can’t adequately predict neurological outcomes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. However, severe cerebral edema may predict poor outcomes within two hours after ROSC. Hypothesis: We evaluated if GWR measurements obtained early after OHCA (≤ 2 hours) indicated poor neurological outcomes in patients with severe cerebral edema. Methods: We conducted a multicenter, retrospective cohort study using data from five hospitals collected between 2007 and 2019 in Japan. Inclusion criteria: adult comatose OHCA survivors with head CT within two hours after ROSC. Exclusion criteria was trauma, stroke, or pre-existing neurological disorders. Primary outcome was poor neurological outcome, defined as Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) score ≥ 3 at one month after admission. GWR was measured at the levels of the basal ganglia (BG), corpus callosum (CC), and posterior internal capsule (PIC). The prognostic value of GWR for predicting poor outcome was assessed using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, area under the curve (AUC) with sensitivity/specificity. Results: A total of 377 patients were included. Of those, 281 (74.6%) exhibited poor neurological outcome at one month after admission. GWR values did not alter by the time of obtaining head CT: 1.22 (0-30 min: n=194); 1.22 (31-60 min: n=127); 1.22 (61-120 min: n=56). Using a cut-off GWR value of &lt;1.2, ROC analysis demonstrated AUC for GWR-BG (0.69, 95% CI 0.65-0.73), GWR-CC (0.77, 95% CI 0.69-0.76), and GWR-PIC (0.76, 95% CI 0.72-0.79) with sensitivities/specificities of 45.5%/92.7%, 47.6%/97.9%, 55.8%/96.8%, and 46.2%/97.9%, respectively for poor outcomes. However, GWR values &lt;1.12 demonstrated 100% specificity for poor outcomes: GWR-BG (AUC 0.56, sensitivity/specificity 13.5%/100%), GWR-CC (AUC 0.56, sensitivity/specificity 13.5%/100%), and GWR-PIC (AUC 0.59, sensitivity/specificity 19.5%/100%). Conclusion: GWR (&lt;1.12) obtained even within two hours after ROSC could be used as a threshold for poor neurological outcome in OHCA patients.

How to Help Your Patients Enroll in the New-Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus (NORSE) and Febrile Infection-Related Epilepsy Syndrome (FIRES) Family Registry, and Other Rare Epilepsy Registries.

New-onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE) is a rare clinical presentation of refractory status epilepticus (RSE) that occurs in people without active epilepsy or preexisting neurologic disorder. Febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES) is a subcategory of NORSE. New-onset refractory status epilepticus/FIRES are becoming increasingly recognized; however, information pertaining to disease course, clinical outcomes, and survivorship remains limited, and mortality and morbidity are variable, but often high. The objective of the NORSE/FIRES Family Registry is to (1) provide an easily accessible and internationally available multilingual registry into which survivors or NORSE/FIRES surrogates or family members of people affected by NORSE/FIRES or their physicians can enter data in a systematic and rigorous research study from anywhere in the world where internet is available; and (2) to examine past medical history, outcomes, and quality of life for people affected by NORSE/FIRES.

Exacerbation of Pre-existing Neurological Symptoms With COVID-19 in Patients With Chronic Neurological Diseases: An Updated Systematic Review.

The neurotropism of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can potentially explain the worsening of symptoms in patients with a history of neurological conditions such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, and epilepsy. Several studies have reported that these pre-existing conditions may worsen with a higher frequency of flare-ups, thus resulting in a more significant risk of patient mortality. In this review, we sought to provide an overview of the relationship between pre-existing neurological disorders and COVID-19, focusing on whether the initial infection directly influenced the severity of symptoms. We systematically searched the electronic database PubMed (MEDLINE) and used specific keywords related to our aims from January 2020 to July 2022. All articles published on COVID-19 with keywords pertaining to pre-existing neurological diseases were retrieved and subsequently analyzed. After independent review, the data from 107 articles were selected and evaluated. After analyzing the data from selected articles reviewing the effect of COVID-19 on neurological conditions, we have documented the relationship between said pre-existing neurological diseases, showing an increased risk of hospitalization, admission length, worsening of symptoms, and even mortality in COVID-19 patients.