Epileptic Seizures Induced by a Spontaneous Carotid Cavernous Fistula

A 79-year-old woman was admitted to our emergency department with complaints of fainting and loss of consciousness three times during the past month. She was diagnosed with epilepsy and started to be treated with antiepileptic drug. Physical examination showed, in the left eye, chemosis, limited eye movements in all directions, and minimal exophthalmos as unexisting symptoms on admission developed on the sixth day. Orbital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) imaging revealed a carotid cavernous fistula (CCF). Epileptic attacks and ophthalmic findings previously present but diagnosed during our examinations were determined to ameliorate completely after performing the coil embolization. Based on literature, we present the first case with nontraumatic CCF manifesting with epileptic seizures and intermittent eye symptoms in the present report

A recurrence of Guillain-Barr and eacute; syndrome or a case of acute-onset chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy in the course of chronic hepatitis B?

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy is a demyelinating polyneuropathy characterized by distal/proximal weakness, which shows gradual progression over a period of 8 weeks or longer. Guillan-Barre Syndrome is a condition characterized by acute monophasic paralysis typically following an infectious assault, and it usually peaks in severity over 3-4 weeks at most. Although rare, there are acute-onset chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy cases that show progression over a period shorter than 4 weeks, as is the case in Guillan-Barre Syndrome .This report discusses a case of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy in a HBsAg-positive patient, which started as Guillan-Barre Syndrome but showed 3 recurrences within 6 months, each with rapidly progressing quadriplegia, respiratory arrest, and elevated liver enzymes and HBV DNA. [Cukurova Med J 2016; 41(4.000): 782-786

The effect of high-dose steroid treatment used for the treatment of acute demyelinating diseases on endothelial and cardiac functions

Objective: The cardiovascular effects of short-term high-dose steroid treatment (pulse steroid treatment) have not yet been clarified. We examined the short-and long-term effects of pulse steroid treatment in demyelinating diseases on endothelial and cardiac functions. Methods: In this prospective study, we included 35 patients (20 females and 15 males; mean age, 32.8 +/- 9.3 years) who were not treated with steroids and who were previously diagnosed with multiple sclerosis or neuromyelitis optica. Patients were evaluated before, 1 week after, and 3 months after the steroid treatment. Brachial artery flow-mediated relaxation and cardiac systolic/diastolic function were evaluated using echocardiography to assess physical examination results, carotid intima-media thickness, and endothelial function. Results: There was no difference between biochemical values, systolic function, left ventricular dimensions, and carotid intima-media thicknesses in the three evaluation periods. There were significant increases in the body mass index, body weight, and systolic/diastolic blood pressure measurements at 1 week and 3 months after treatment (p<0.001). There was a significant decrease in brachial artery flow-mediated relaxation at 1 week and 3 months (1 versus 2, p=0.042; 1 versus 3, p=0.003). In Doppler measurements at 1 week and 3 months, there was an increase in mitral A velocity, IVRT, and EDT values and a decrease in the E/A ratio in line with diastolic dysfunction. Conclusion: Pulse steroid therapy used for demyelinating diseases deteriorated endothelial and left ventricular diastolic functions in the early and late periods. Future studies are needed to evaluate the development of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in patients receiving this type of treatment