Prevalence of the Usage of Smokeless Tobacco in Patients Presenting With Stroke in a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Background Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability, long-term morbidity, and mortality. The key modifiable risk factors for stroke are largely driven by demographic changes and various social adaptations. Smokeless tobacco consumption is high in developing countries with less awareness of its potential health risks. Aim This study was designed to determine the prevalence of usage of smokeless tobacco in patients presenting with stroke in a tertiary care hospital in Karachi. Methods This is a cross-sectional study conducted at the Department of Neurology of Dr. Ruth K. M. Pfau Civil Hospital in Karachi. A total of 192 patients were enrolled during the study period of six months, from September 2018 to March 2019. All consenting patients were recruited who presented with stroke and fulfilled the inclusion criteria. All patients were assessed by a trained neurologist. Results A total of 192 patients with stroke were included. There were 146 (76%) males and 46 (24%) females with a mean age of 53 ± 6.1 years. The highest percentage (39%) of cases was illiterate. A majority (64%) of patients presented belonged to a lower socioeconomic background. Out of 192 stroke patients, 131 (68.2%) consumed smokeless tobacco.  Conclusion The frequency of smokeless tobacco consumption was found to be high in stroke patients who require the attention of the physician on modifiable risk factors.

COVID-19 Associated Coagulopathy Resulting in Cerebral Venous Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism.

Venous stroke is an infrequent complication of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) disease. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) acts as a causative factor for thromboembolic events such as pulmonary embolism (PE), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic), and myocardial infarction. We report a case of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) following severe COVID-19 infection, with co-incidence of pulmonary thromboembolism. A 39-year-old English lady presented with fever and cough; subsequently, she was diagnosed with COVID-19 and was managed in the high dependency unit (HDU) due to the severity of symptoms; she received dexamethasone and tocilizumab. Her condition improved and she was discharged, but presented again after 15 days due to headache and left-sided weakness. Her neurological examination confirmed nystagmus, past pointing, and dysdiadochokinesia positive on the left side. Initial blood investigations showed D-dimer being raised at 1875 ng/ml. Head CT venogram reported evidence of thrombus in the superior sagittal sinus, left transverse sinus, and inferior sagittal sinus consistent with venous sinus thrombosis. She also underwent CT pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) which revealed lingular acute segmental PE and patchy ground-glass shadowing throughout both lung fields, confirming recent infective COVID-19 changes. She was started on a therapeutic dose of dalteparin (low-molecular-weight heparin). Luckily she made a good recovery from her neurological symptoms. Like this case and many other reported cases, COVID-19 acts as an independent risk factor for increased coagulopathy. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for CVT to aid in timely diagnosis and prompt treatment to save lives.

Use of pacemaker in GBS dysautonomia.

Autonomic dysfunction in Guillain-Barrè syndrome (GBS) involves labile hypotension, hypertension, resting tachycardia and sweating. While autonomic involvement affects 66% of patients with GBS, the changes are usually transient and reversible. We hereby delineate a case of a female who presented to our medical centre with flaccid, painless progressive quadriparesis with features of dysautonomia. She had resting tachycardia, was tachypneic with reduced chest expansion and required immediate invasive mechanical ventilation. After pertinent laboratory evaluation, nerve conduction studies were promptly performed at the bedside and findings were concordant with acquired acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. The diagnosis of GBS was made on the standard set of investigations and plasmapheresis was initiated on the same day. Her intensive care unit stay was complicated by the multiple episodes of asystole. Even though a temporary transvenous pacemaker was inserted, she, unfortunately, succumbed to a sudden episode of asystole. This paper illustrates that GBS-associated autonomic dysfunction can be severe and close cardiac monitoring is imperative in these patients.