Relationship Between Automated Pupillometry Measurements and Ventricular Volume in Patients With Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: Pupillometry allows for a standardized assessment of the pupillary light reflex. Acute hydrocephalus (HCP) is a common complication in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). HCP may affect the pupillary light reflex because of increased intracranial pressure or dilation of the rostral aqueduct. The association between the pupillary light reflex and HCP in aSAH patients has not been clearly established. The objective of this study is to analyze the correlation between the Neurological Pupil index (NPi) and the degree of HCP in aSAH patients. METHODS: The Establishing Normative Data for Pupillometer Assessments in Neuroscience Intensive Care Registry is a prospectively collected database of pupillometry readings in patients admitted to 4 different neurological intensive care units. Patients in the registry with aSAH who had pupillometry assessments within 6 hours of a brain computed tomography were studied. The degree of HCP was quantified using the HCP score, and the relationship between the NPi and HCP was analyzed after controlling for confounders. RESULTS: A total of 43 patients were analyzed (mean age, 54 ± 15 years; 53.2% male; mean HCP score, 5.3 ± 3.8). Thirty-eight patients had HCP. Mean NPi for the right eye was 4.02 (±1.2), and that for the left eye was 3.7 (±1.5). After adjusting for age, sex, race, and sedation, there was no significant correlation between HCP and NPi (right eye: r = 0.12, P = .44; left eye: r = 0.04, P = .8). CONCLUSION: In patients with aSAH, NPi was not correlated with HCP score. A small sample size could be a limitation of this study. Additional studies are needed to characterize the clinical significance of pupillometry in the evaluation of patients with aSAH and HCP.

Scoring System to Predict Hospital Outcome After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage-Incorporating Systemic Response: The CRIG Score.

OBJECTIVES: Local and systemic proinflammatory and prothrombotic processes after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) precipitate delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) and determine clinical outcome. Recent studies using admission and temporal trends of mean platelet volume to platelet count ratio (MPV:PLT) and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) have identified patients developing DCI. We examine if MPV:PLT and NLR along with admission clinical or radiological features can be used to develop a scoring system to predict DCI and in-hospital clinical outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 7-year retrospective cohort of aSAH patients admitted to a tertiary care medical center was used to study and identify clinical, radiological and laboratory parameters to predict DCI and clinical outcome (good: discharge to home or rehabilitation facility; poor: all other discharge destinations). Using regression analyses a scoring system (Clinical, Radiological, Inflammatory, dysGlycemia, CRIG) was developed. RESULTS: Of 271 patients, admission clinical grade (World Federation of Neurological Surgeons' scale), radiological grade (modified Fisher score), NLR and glycated hemoglobin were identified as contributors for CRIG score. CRIGDCI score threshold of 112 and CRIGdischarge 109, respectively predicted DCI and adverse clinical outcome in score development cohort. The same threshold predicted DCI and adverse clinical outcome with 78.1 and 100% sensitivity, 44.0 and 52.2% specificity, and 63.2 and 61.4% accuracy, respectively in the score validation cohort. CONCLUSIONS: CRIG is an easily calculable scoring system that incorporates systemic response of aSAH - thus, alluding to its multisystem nature. It can be used at the time of admission to predict DCI and clinical outcome.

Intravenous thrombolysis in the elderly is facilitated by a tele-stroke network: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Data suggest that elderly patients have less favorable outcomes after ischemic stroke. OBJECTIVE: To study the outcomes after intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) administration in elderly patients with acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: Cross-sectional study using prospective collected patient data maintained via our "tele-stroke" network, which provides acute care in 29 community hospitals within our region from 2013-2015. Exposure of interest was age divided into >80 years (octogenarian) or younger. Outcomes of interest were rate of intravenous tPA administration, hemorrhagic transformation (ICH), in-hospital neurological deterioration, and poor outcome defined as a composite of hospital discharge to long-term care facility or death. RESULTS: Mean age 67 ± 16 years, 57 % (743/1317) were women, and median (Md) NIHSS was 4 (Interquartile Range [IQR] 8). The rate of tPA was 20 % (267/1317). Compared to reported rates of tPA administration in the nation, our tPA rate exceeded the one from the literature (20 % v 3%, z = 2.83, SE = 0.04, p = .005). There were no differences in ICH or neurological deterioration. The octogenarian group had a higher proportion of poor-outcome (61 % vs. 23 %, p < 0.001) than the younger group but similar in-hospital case-fatality (25 % v 14 %, p = 0.09). Predictors of poor-outcome were age >80 (OR 4.9; CI, 2.0-12, p < .001) and α-NIHSS>9. (OR 8.7; CI, 3.5-20, p < .001). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that in our "tele-stroke" network, rates of tPA administration are higher than those reported in the literature and that this rate was not different in octogenarians compared to younger patients. Octogenarians were not at risk for ICH or neurological deterioration after tPA administration. However, octogenarians had a higher risk of poor outcome.

Vitamin B12 deficiency presenting as pseudo-thrombotic microangiopathy: a case report and literature review.

Pseudo-thrombotic microangiopathy (pseudo-TMA) is a recognized, yet uncommon, clinical presentation of vitamin B12 deficiency. Patients with pseudo-TMA present with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (MAHA), thrombocytopenia and schistocytes. They are often misdiagnosed as thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura (TTP) and receive unnecessary therapy. Here, we report a case of a 60-year-old male who presented with thrombocytopenia and normocytic normochromic anemia. Anemia work-up was remarkable for severe B12 deficiency (<60 pg/mL) and a positive non-immune hemolysis panel. Peripheral smear was reviewed and showed anisocytes, poikilocytes, schistocytes and hypersegmented neutrophils. Vitamin B12 replacement (1000 mcg IM daily) was started, ADAMTS13 activity was sent and daily plasmapheresis was initiated. Over the next 3 days, the patient's hemoglobin and platelets were stable and the hemolysis panel showed gradual improvement. On day 4, ADAMTS13 activity results came back normal at 61%. Accordingly, plasmapheresis was discontinued, parenteral B12 replacement was continued and that resulted in gradual improvement and eventually cessation of hemolysis and normalization of hemoglobin and platelets. In this patient, parietal cell autoantibodies were positive and so the diagnosis of pernicious anemia was made. Patients with severe vitamin B12 deficiency may present with features mimicking TTP such as MAHA, thrombocytopenia and schistocytosis. An early and accurate diagnosis of pseudo-TMA has a critical clinical impact with respect to administering the correct treatment with vitamin B12 replacement and avoiding, or shortening the duration of, unnecessary therapy with plasmapheresis.

Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome Associated with Refractory Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis.

We present the case of a young man who was transferred to our hospital with worsening acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) despite treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone, intravenous immunoglobulin and plasma exchange. He developed neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) without the use of dopamine-modulating drugs. His progressive clinical improvement started after treatment with intravenous cyclophosphamide and methylprednisolone. In our patient, acute demyelination with severe bilateral inflammation of the basal ganglia could have caused a state of central dopamine depletion, creating proper conditions for the development of NMS. Significant clinical improvement of our case after treatment with intravenous cyclophosphamide and steroids provides further evidence for a possible role of the inflammatory lesions in the pathogenesis of NMS in association with ADEM.