ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: We sought to determine if children with functional constipation (FC) would have an improvement in bladder function with treatment of constipation with a bowel management program (BMP). METHODS: A single-institution review was performed in children aged 3-18 with FC who underwent a BMP from 2014 to 2020. Clinical characteristics, bowel management details, and the Vancouver Symptom Score for Dysfunctional Elimination Syndrome (VSS), Baylor Continence Scale (BCS), and Cleveland Clinic Constipation Score (CCCS) were collected. Data were analyzed using linear mixed effect modeling with random intercept. RESULTS: 241 patients were included with a median age of 9 years. Most were White 81 and 47% were female. Univariate tests showed improvement in VSS (- 3.6, P < 0.0001), BCS (- 11.96, P < 0.0001), and CCCS (- 1.9, P < 0.0001) among patients having undergone one BMP. Improvement was noted in VSS and CCCS among those with more than one BMP (VSS: - 1.66, P = 0.023; CCCS: - 2.69, P < 0.0001). Multivariate tests indicated undergoing a BMP does result in significant improvement in VSS, BCS, and CCCS (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: There is significant improvement in bladder function in children with FC who undergo a BMP. For patients with bowel and bladder dysfunction and FC, a BMP is a reasonable treatment strategy for lower urinary tract symptoms.
Subject(s)
Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms , Urinary Bladder , Child , Constipation/therapy , Female , Humans , Intestines , Male , SyndromeABSTRACT
Objective: NA Background: Here we report a patient with COVID-19 associated inflammatory myopathy, presenting with facial, bulbar and proximal limb weakness. A 58-year-old woman presented with cough, dyspnea, and myalgia. Vital signs and her physical exam was unremarkable. Initial PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 was negative and the patient was discharged home. She returned three weeks later with more severe dyspnea, cough, dysarthria, dysphagia, odynophagia and severe generalized weakness with inability to ambulate. She had no sensory symptoms or bowel or bladder dysfunction. Physical examination was significant for tachycardia and oxygen saturation of 88% on room air. She had bilateral ptosis, facial weakness, hypernasal dysarthria and profound symmetric proximal limb weakness. Reflexes were symmetrically diminished. Repeated SARS-CoV-2 PCR was positive. MRI of the entire neuroaxis showed no central or peripheral nervous system involvement, but demonstrated diffuse muscle edema and enhancement, with a region of myonecrosis Motor nerve conduction studies were unremarkable, needle electromyography revealed sparse fibrillation potentials;On admission, CK was elevated to 700 U/L. Anti-Sjögren's-syndrome-related antigen and anti-small ubiquitinlike modifier-1 activating enzyme antibodies were both strongly positive and Ku antibody was weakly positive. Muscle biopsy showed perivascular inflammatory infiltration with endomysial extension, regenerating fibers and upregulation of HLA Class ABC expression on non-necrotic fibers. Our presumptive diagnosis was COVID-19 associated myositis and a five-day course of 1000 mg intravenous methylprednisolone was administered. Over two weeks, her CK levels normalized and she recovered the ability to raise her arms and legs from the bed and showed slow improvement in bulbar function. Design/Methods: NA Results: Viral infection is a well-known cause of myositis. The severe immune activation known to occur in COVID-19 patients likely plays a major pathophysiologic role. The finding of multiple serologic autoimmune antibodies is intriguing suggesting an epiphenomenon rather than activation or unmasking of a specific immune response directed to the muscles. Conclusions: NA.
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Objective: We aim to report clinical characteristics of an extremely rare case of myelitis with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and cerebellar ataxia (CA) after COVID-19 infection. Background: There have been many reports about neurological complications following the world pandemic of COVID-19. We found about 100 GBS, 50 myelitis, and 10 CA cases after COVID-19 infection. To best our knowledge, this is the first report of myelitis with GBS and CA accompanied by multiple autoantibodies. Design/Methods: NA Results: A 60-year-old man with fever and cough was diagnosed with mild COVID-19 infection. Fourteen days later from the onset, he developed gait disturbance and fell frequently. On hospitalization, he exhibited fever, hypoxemia, mild consciousness disturbance, flaccid paraplegia, mild numbness and severe deep sensory disturbance in the lower limbs, bladder and bowel disturbance, mild muscle weakness in the fingers, myoclonus in the extremities, and CA. The PCR of COVID-19 was negative. Blood investigations showed elevated inflammatory markers with dehydration, rhabdomyolysis, and hypercoagulation. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis presented mild pleocytosis and elevated protein without anti-COVID-19 antibodies. Contrast-enhanced CT showed massive pulmonary embolisms and deep venous thromboses. Brain SPECT showed cerebellar hypoperfusion despite no abnormalities in brain MRI. Spine MRI revealed longitudinal hyperintense lesions mainly in the dorsal white matter, compatible with myelitis. Additional investigations of autoantibodies realized anti-GM3, TPI, GluR, and NMDAR IgG antibodies in serum, and anti-GluR and NMDAR IgG antibodies with increased granzyme B in CSF. Treatments of corticosteroid and intravenous immunoglobulin resulted in complete recovery to consciousness disturbance, muscle weakness of fingers, myoclonus, and CA, while paraparesis with deep sensory and bladder and bowel disturbance remained. Conclusions: We highlight the possibility of the coexistence of several post-infectious autoimmune neurological complications in patients of COVID-19. It is important to search autoantibodies carefully corresponding to clinical manifestations for appropriate treatments and understanding of pathophysiology.
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Objective: To describe, to the best of our knowledge, the first case of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody syndrome associated with the Moderna COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, and a case of acute transverse myelitis (ATM) associated with the Pfizer COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. Background: Post-vaccination CNS demyelinating syndromes have been reported with different vaccines, most notably the influenza and human papilloma vaccines. Two cases of new-onset multiple sclerosis (MS) and a case of new-onset neuromyelitis optica (NMO) associated with the Pfizer vaccine have been reported. One case of new-onset relapsing-remitting MS was reported after the Moderna vaccine. Design/Methods: NA Results: A 38-year-old man developed left blurry vision, lower extremity weakness/paresthesia and bowel/bladder dysfunction three days after receiving the Moderna vaccine. He was diagnosed with left optic neuritis and longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis;he tested positive for MOG antibody. A 39-year-old woman presented with progressive lower extremity weakness/numbness seven days after receiving the Pfizer vaccine. She was diagnosed with ATM. Both patients improved with intravenous corticosteroids. Conclusions: The association between CNS demyelinating syndromes and vaccination has been reported for many years. The proposed pathogenesis of CNS demyelinating syndromes after vaccines includes molecular mimicry, epitope spreading, bystander activation, polyclonal activation, effects of adjuvants, and depends on vaccine-related factors like type, dose, and route of administration. The adjuvanticity of COVID-19 vaccines is novel in that it involves Toll-like Receptor (TLR) 7 and 9 agonism, and several immune-mediated disorders have been linked to altered nucleic acid metabolism and processing that have stimulated TLR-7 and TLR-9 experimentally. While the risk of CNS demyelinating events is non-negligible, the incidence is very low. The rate of demyelinating events after the COVID-19 infection is higher. Therefore, we feel that the overall benefits of vaccination outweigh the marginal risk. However, providers should be aware of this potential neurological complication of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To assess if patients with persistent positive nasopharyngeal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab for SARS CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus seem to be at a higher risk of developing complications like acute transverse myelitis (ATM). Background: ATM as post-infectious sequelae was mostly attributed to bacteria-like Mycoplasma pneumonia or viruses like varicella in the pre-pandemic times. However, in the light of the world seeing two waves of the COVID-19, ATM as a post-COVID-19 sequelae is being reported more frequently. Design/Methods: The literature search was done using PubMed and Google scholar using keywords. The search criteria was set to filter cases of ATM in COVID-19 patients, reports between Jan 2020 to July 2021. A total of eight case reports were selected from peer reviewed journals. Results: The reported cases included a total of eight patients ranging from 32-72 years of age. Of the eight case reports, five presented after two weeks of initial COVID-19 symptoms. Seven of the eight patients tested positive for a nasopharyngeal PCR swab for COVID-19 at the time of presentation with ATM symptoms. The most common initial manifestation was acute onset bladder dysfunction and lower limb weakness. In six out of eight cases, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the whole spine showed cervicothoracic cord hyperintensities. Treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone started on day 2 of ATM at a 1g/day dose showed clinical improvement in three patients. Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy (IVIg) at a dose of 25- 30g/day for three days showed improvement in two patients, and one patient improved with plasma exchange following steroid therapy. Conclusions: Most patients with ATM presented with a long latency period (beyond 2 weeks after the initial COVID-19 positive test) and intravenous steroid therapy helps, but most patients seem to require additional IVIg or plasma exchange before showing clinical improvement. We encourage further large scale studies in this regard.