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Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics, treatments and prognosis of pulmonary arteriovenous fistula (PAVF) related ischemic stroke, as well as summarize the diagnosis and treatment process to screen and confirm PAVF related ischemic stroke.Methods:The clinical data of six PAVF related ischemic stroke patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University from January 2015 to January 2019, including clinical manifestations, brain magnetic resonance imaging, risk of paradoxical embolism (RoPE) score, contrast-enhanced transcranial Doppler (cTCD), contrast transesophageal echocardiography (cTEE), chest CT and pulmonary arteriography, were analyzed. PAVF patients were treated with interventional catheter embolization or conservative medication. All patients were followed up for 1.5 to 5.5 years.Results:All the six PAVF related ischemic stroke patients were young and middle-aged. The ratio of men to women was 1∶2. RoPE scores ranged from 6 to 7 points. Recurrent stroke was seen in five patients, and only one patient had primary stroke. Both anterior and posterior cerebral circulation could be involved. Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) was common in PAVF patients. Of the six patients, two had definite HHT with PAVF, two had suspicious HHT with PAVF, and the other two had sporadic PAVF. In all the six cases, a grade Ⅳright-to-left shunt (RLS) was observed on cTCD, and a mass of delayed microbubbles in the left atrium appeared on cTEE. One patient was diagnosed with patent foramen ovale (PFO). Lung enhanced CT was applied in all the patients. In three cases, PAVF was found located in left lower lobe. And in other three cases, lesions were located in left upper lobe, right lower lobe and right middle lung, separately. All cases were confirmed with simple type PAVF. Transcatheter embolization was performed to resolve PAVF in five patients. Of five post-operative patients, four cases showed no sign of RLS on cTCD. One patient combined with PFO still remained a small amount of potential RLS after embolization. One patient chose aspirin for conservative medication. All patients had no recurrence of ischemic stroke during the 1.5 to 5.5-year follow-up.Conclusions:PAVF related ischemic stroke patients have a high recurrence rate of ischemic stroke. PAVF related ischemic stroke has no specific brain imaging characteristics. cTCD is recommended for cryptogenic stroke patients with a high RoPE score (≥ 6 points) to detect RLS. If a patient turns out to be positive for RLS, cTEE could help differentiate intracardiac shunt from extracardiac shunt. For patients with cTEE suggesting extracardiac shunt, lung enhanced CT scan is necessary to confirm PAVF diagnosis. Patients who are diagnosed as PAVF can choose transcatheter embolization or surgical resection. cTCD could be used to evaluate the treatment effect.
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Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and mechanism of cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistula (CSDAVF). Methods The clinical data of 17 CSDAVF patients, including clinical manifestations, characteristics of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)and neuroimaging,were analyzed.The interventional catheter embolization of CSDAVF and postoperative follow-up were performed. Results Of the 17 subjects with CSDAVF, 5 (29.4%) were men and 12 (70.6%)were women (sex ratio=1:2.4).The average age of onset was (58.12±14.61)years old. Older CSDAVF patients were prone to be complicated with hypertension than general population at the same age. Onset symptoms included headache in 6 cases,eye symptoms in 5 cases,intracranial murmur in 2 cases,diplopia in 2 cases, dizziness in 1 case and slurred speech in 1 case. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was performed in all 17 patients. Further embolization was applied in 14 patients and had satisfactory outcome. In CSDAVF patients with headache, 2 patients showed orthostatic headache as initial symptom. One of them with intracranial hypotension reported exophthalmos 3 months after the onset. Those two patients remained asymptomatic during 3-year and 2-year follow-up after receiving interventional catheter embolization for CSDAVF. Conclusions CSDAVF usually occurs in middle-aged and older women, especially in those with hypertension. CSDAVF varies in clinical manifestations. A special attention should be given to orthostatic headache which can be presented as the initial symptom in few patients with CSDAVF. CTA or DSA should be considered in patients with clinically suspected CSDAVF to rule out the possibility of CSDAVF. The interventional catheter embolization is the primary treatment of CSDAVF.
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Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral prednisone in patients with relapsing neuromyeli?tis optica. Methods Seventeen patients with relapsing neuromyelitis optica receiving long-term oral prednisone had been followed. The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and annualized relapse rates were used to evaluate curative effect. Results During long-term oral prednisone treatment, patients had a significant reduction in the EDSS [(3.09 ± 0.85) vs. (4.06 ± 0.80), P<0.05] and the median annualized relapse rate was significant reduced [(0.34 ± 0.31) vs. (1.51 ± 0.57), P<0.005]. But the effect of different dosage of prednisone on annualized relapse rates was not different. No severe adverse re?actions were observed. Conclusions Treatment with long-term oral prednisone in patients with NMO significantly reduces relapse rates, improves neurological function and the treatment was well-tolerated.
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BACKGROUND: Transcranial Doppler(TCD) spectrum analysis techniques cannot measure the diameters of blood vessels and therefore and not be used to calculate the changes of brain blood flow. A formula was designed for regional cerebral blood flow loss index(rCBFLI) following arteriostenosis when arteriostenosis index formula was deduced; the former may provide a reference to assess cerebral function.OBJECTIVE: To introduce the formula of cerebral blood flow loss ratio obtained basing on TCD results.DESIGN: Retrospective controlled study based on patients with cerebral middle arteriostenosis diagnosed with TCD and healthy people.SETTING: At the departments of neurology in a university hospital and in a military medical university affiliated hospital of Chinese PLA.PARTICIPANTS: Between October 1994 and December 2000,43 patients who were confirmed of arteriostenosis with TCD at outpatient or neurological ward of the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University were enrolled into this study,and their TCD results were compared with 908 normal controls between March 1992 and September 2000.METHODS: Stenosis index (STI) formula was deduced from TCD results of 31unilateral and 12 bilateral stenoses at middle cerebral artery(MCA) . STI = 1- [ normal average blood velocity (Vm0) ÷ average blood velocity at stenosisSince(PI1 ÷PI0) may be equal to [post-stenosis blood flow(Q1) ÷ normal blood flow(Q0)],regional cerebral blood flow loss index is concluded as:MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: rCBFLI,relationship between STI and Vm,as well as between rCBFLI and STI.RESULTS: rCBFLI formula was used to calculate the rCBFLI of 31 patients following unilateral MCA stenosis. rCBFLI of these 31 patients was obtained by Pearson statistical analysis. STI was found to be related to the average blood velocity at stenosis with relative coefficient(Vm) of(r) =0.76( P ＜ 0. 001 )and r = 0. 83 ( P ＜ 0. 001 ) . rCBFLI was proved to be correlated with Vm and STI with r = 0. 76( P ＜ 0. 01 ) and r = 0. 81 in 55 side MCA stenoses,and the difference was of statistical significance( P ＜ 0. 001 ).CONCLUSION: rCBFLI can be used to assess the decrement of regional brain blood flow due to the stenosis of supplying artery; also,it can be used to observe the changes of brain hemodynamics if combined with STI.