Chronic Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy Associated with “Human Immunodeficiency Virus” Infection: Different Clinical Features and Diagnostic Problems

Hücresel bağışıklık sisteminin baskılandığı kronik bir infeksiyon hastalığına yol açan insan immün yetersizlik virüsü (Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV) infeksiyonunun seyri sırasında, bulaşma döneminden ileri aşamasına kadar farklı evrelerde birçok periferik nöropati tablosu görülebilir. Kronik inflamatuvar demiyelinizan poliradikülonöropati (CIDP), genellikle hastalığın erken ya da orta evresinde ortaya çıkar. Bu makalede, duyusal belirti ve bulguları baskın bir CIDP tablosuyla başvuran, aslında başlangıçtan beri yaygın bir polinöropati tarif ettiği halde elektromiyografide (EMG) karpal tünel sendromu saptanıp opere edilmiş olan, yakınmalarının artarak devam etmesi nedeniyle kliniğimize başvuran, etiyoloji araştırılırken beyin omurilik sıvısında (BOS) protein artışı ve pleositoz görülmesi sonucunda yapılan incelemeler ile HIV-1 infeksiyonu saptanan 66 yaşında bir erkek hasta sunulmaktadır. Periferik sinir ve sinir köklerinde çok segmentli demiyelinizasyonla seyreden bir nöropati olan CIDP'de demiyelinizasyon odakları alışıldık tuzak bölgelerinde de çok sık görülür. Eğer ayrıntılı hasta öyküsü alınmaz, muayene yapılmaz ve EMG incelemesi sınırlı tutulup doğru değerlendirilmezse yaygın bir nöropati tablosu sadece tuzak nöropatisi varmış gibi algılanabilir. Bu da hastamızda olduğu gibi gereksiz ameliyata ve gerçek tanının konulmasında gecikmelere yol açabilir. Kronik seyirli demiyelinizan polinöropatilerin nedenlerinin araştırılmasında BOS incelemesi çok değerlidir. CIDP olgularında BOS'ta sadece protein artışı görülürken, pleositoz saptandığında başta HIV olmak üzere kronik infeksiyonların, kronik inflamatuvar hastalıkların ve sinir köklerinin malin infiltrasyonuna yol açan hastalıkların araştırılması gerekir.During the course of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, which leads to a chronic infectious disease that suppresses the cellular immune system, various types of peripheral neuropathies can be seen in different stages from seroconversion to the advanced stage. Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) usually occurs in early or mid-stage of the disease. In this study, we are presenting a 66 year-old man who was admitted to our clinic due to progressive and predominantly sensorial symptoms and signs of CIDP, who had recently been operated for carpal tunnel syndrome which was suggested by electromyography even though he had complains of diffuse polyneuropathy symptoms from the beginning. During his diagnostic work-up cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis had revealed elevated protein and pleocytosis, and further investigation revealed HIV-1 infection. Areas of demyelination are very common in usual entrapment zones in the course of CIDP, which is a neuropathy with multi-segment demyelination in peripheral nerves and/ nerve roots. Without a detailed patient history and examination, and a detailed EMG evaluation, a diffuse neuropathy can be misdiagnosed as an entrapment neuropathy. As it is in our case, this can lead to an unnecessary surgery and a delay in the actual diagnosis. CSF examination is very valuable for the investigation of the etiology of chronic demyelinating polyneuropaties. In CIDP patients, only protein elevation can be seen in CSF analysis; however, in the presence of pleocytosis, other diseases such as chronic infections, particularly HIV infection, other chronic inflammatory diseases, and malignant infiltration of nerve roots should be investigated

Akut iskemik inmede damar okluzyonu, NIHSS skoru (National Institues of Healt Stroke Scale Scores) ile tutulan hemisfer arasındaki ilişki

İstanbul Bilim Üniversitesi, Tıp Fakültesi.Introductıon: The NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) is used to assess acute ischemic stroke severity and outcome, however, it can award more points for tests of presumed left-hemisphere function, such as language, than for tests of right-hemisphere function, such as neglect. This difference may be important if a low NIHSS score is used to exclude patients with right-hemisphere stroke from clinical trials or established treatments. High NIHSS scores are usually associated with arterial occlusion but it is unknown what the effect of side of stroke lesion to clinical evaluation in this association is. We tested the NIHSS scores as an instrument to determine arterial occlusion within 12 hours of stroke onset. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the relationship between acute NIHSS score and arteral occlusion as determined by acute MR angiography differs between right- and left-sided stroke. Methods: This was a retrospective study of 139 patients with acute stroke seen at Florence Nightingale Stroke Center who underwent an MRI examination and NIHSS within 12 hours of stroke onset. NIHSS score was recorded prospectively by the admitting stroke fellow at the time of acute presentation, immediately preceding imaging. Computerized volumetric analysis of the MRI lesions, intracranial MR anjiography evaluation was performed by investigators blinded to clinical data. Results: Mean (±SD) NIHSS score was 9,7 ± 6,7 Receiver operating characteristic curves showed that the validity of NIHSS in predicting arterial occlusion was smilar in patients between left and right-sided stroke. The best cut-off point in patients evaluated with left-sided stroke was an NIHSS of 8 (83 % sensitivity, specificity 84 %), while in patients evaluated after with right-sided stroke best cut-off point was 9 (sensitivity 72 %, specificity 72 %).Giriş Ve Amaç: Amaç: Ulusal İnme Sağlık Ölçeği Skalası (NIHSS) akut iskemik inmenin şiddetini belirlemede kullanılır. Ancak dil fonksiyonu gibi sol hemisfer fonksiyonlarının, ihmal gibi sağ hemisfer fonksiyonlarına göre daha yüksek NIHSS skoru teşkil ettiği bilinmektedir. Bu durum sağ hemisfer inmeli düşük NIHSS skorlu hastaların tedaviden dışlanmasına sebep olabilir. Yüksek NIHSS skoru genellikle intrakranyal arter okluzyonu ile ilişkilidir, ancak tutulan hemisferin (Sağ ya da sol hemisfer inmesi) damar okluzyonunu ön gördüren NIHSS skoruna etkisi bilinmemektedir. Çalışmamızda inmenin ilk 12 saatinde başvuran hastaların NIHSS skoru ve arteriyel okluzyon varlığı değerlendirildi. Bu çalışmanın amacı akut intrakranyal MR anjiografi ile belirlenen damar okluzyonunun, NIHSS skoru ile ilişkisinin sağ ve sol taraflı inmeli hastalar arasında farklı olup olmadığının araştırmaktır. Yöntem ve Gereçler: Yöntemler: Bu çalışma, 2006-2009 yılları arasında Florence Nigtingale İnme Merkezi’ne inme başlangıcından 12 saat içinde başvuran ve DWI MR ve İntrakranyal MR anjiografi yapılmış olan 139 hastanın verilerinden retrospektif olarak yapıldı. NIHSS skoru görüntülemenin hemen öncesinde bir Nöroloji hekimi tarafından kaydedildi. İntrakranyal MR anjiografi incelemeleri hastaların klinik verilerinden habersiz bir Nörolog ve Nöroradyolog tarafından yapıldı. Bulgular: Mean (± SD) NIHSS skoru 9,7 ± 6,7 idi. ROC Eğrisi ile arter tıkanıklığını ön gördüren NIHSS Cut-Off değeri sağ ve sol taraflı inme arasında hastalarda benzerdi. Sol taraf inmeli hastalarda damar okluzyonunu ön gördüren Cut-off noktası 8 (duyarlılık % 83, özgüllük % 84) idi. Sağ taraf inmeli hastalarda damar okluzyonunu ön gördüren Cutoff noktası 9 (Duyarlılık % 72, özgüllük % 72) idi

Evaluation of abdominal computed tomography findings in patients with COVID-19: a multicenter study

PURPOSE To evaluate the frequency of abdominal computed tomography (CT) findings in patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) and interrogate the relationship between abdominal CT findings and patient demographic features, clinical findings, and laboratory test results as well as the CT atherosclerosis score in the abdominal aorta. METHODS This study was designed as a multicenter retrospective study. The abdominal CT findings of 1.181 patients with positive abdominal symptoms from 26 tertiary medical centers with a positive polymerase chain-reaction test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 were reviewed. The frequency of ischemic and non-ischemic CT findings as well as the association between CT findings, clinical features, and abdominal aortic calcific atherosclerosis score (AA-CAS) were recorded. RESULTS Ischemic and non-ischemic abdominal CT findings were detected in 240 (20.3%) and 328 (27.7%) patients, respectively. In 147 patients (12.4%), intra-abdominal malignancy was present. The most frequent ischemic abdominal CT findings were bowel wall thickening (n = 120; 10.2%) and perivascular infiltration (n = 40; 3.4%). As for non-ischemic findings, colitis (n = 91; 7.7%) and small bowel inflammation (n = 73; 6.2%) constituted the most frequent disease processes. The duration of hospital stay was found to be higher in patients with abdominal CT findings than in patients without any positive findings (13.8 ± 13 vs. 10.4 ± 12.8 days, P < 0.001). The frequency of abdominal CT findings was significantly higher in patients who did not survive the infection than in patients who were discharged after recovery (41.7% vs. 27.4%, P < 0.001). Increased AA-CAS was found to be associated with a higher risk of ischemic conditions in abdominal CT examinations. CONCLUSION Abdominal symptoms in patients with COVID-19 are usually associated with positive CT findings. The presence of ischemic findings on CT correlates with poor COVID-19 outcomes. A high AA-CAS is associated with abdominal ischemic findings in patients with COVID-19