External assessment of preoperative scores for predicting outcome after microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia.

OBJECTIVE: Recently, two scoring systems have been developed for predicting pain-free outcomes after microvascular decompression (MVD). Evaluation of these scores on large external datasets has been limited. In this study, the authors aimed to evaluate the performance of published MVD scoring systems in predicting pain-free outcome. METHODS: A total of 458 patients who underwent MVD for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) between 2007 and 2020 and had at least 6 months of follow-up were included in this study. Hardaway and Panczykowski scores were retrospectively computed for each patient and compared with postoperative pain recurrence and pain-free duration. RESULTS: The mean ± SD area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for predicting any pain recurrence after MVD was 0.567 ± 0.081 using the Hardaway score and 0.546 ± 0.085 using the Panczykowski score. On log-rank tests and Kaplan-Meier analysis, the patients with Hardaway scores of 0-2 had significantly shorter pain-free survival times after MVD than did those with a score of 3. Patients with a Panczykowski score of 1 had a significantly shorter pain-free duration after surgery compared with both patients with scores of 2-3 and patients with scores of 4-5. Patients with Panczykowski scores of 2-3 also had significantly shorter pain-free duration compared with patients with scores of 4-5. CONCLUSIONS: Both the Hardaway and Panczykowski scores may be useful for predicting postoperative pain-free duration in TN patients, and their utility may be greatest when scores are clustered. Continued refinement of both scoring systems will help to improve our ability to predict patient outcomes after MVD.

Hemoglobin Drop is Associated with Early Post-operative Stroke Following Revascularization Surgery for Moyamoya Disease.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative stroke is a potentially devastating neurological complication following surgical revascularization for Moyamoya disease. We sought to evaluate whether peri-operative hemoglobin levels were associated with the risk of early post-operative stroke following revascularization surgery in adult Moyamoya patients. METHODS: Adult patients having revascularization surgeries for Moyamoya disease between 1999-2022 were identified through single institutional retrospective review. Logistic regression analysis was used to test for the association between hemoglobin drop and early postoperative stroke. RESULTS: In all, 106 revascularization surgeries were included in the study. A stroke occurred within 7 days after surgery in 9.4% of cases. There were no significant associations between the occurrence of an early postoperative stroke and patient age, gender, or race. Mean postoperative hemoglobin drop was greater in patients who suffered an early postoperative stroke compared with patients who did not (2.3±1.1 g/dL vs. 1.3±1.1 g/dL, respectively; P=0.034). Patients who experienced a hemoglobin drop post-operatively had 2.03 times greater odds (95% confidence interval, 1.06-4.23; P=0.040) of having a stroke than those whose hemoglobin levels were stable. Early postoperative stroke was also associated with an increase in length of hospital stay (P<0.001), discharge to a rehabilitation facility (P=0.014), and worse modified Rankin scale at 1 month (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: This study found a significant association between hemoglobin drop and early postoperative stroke following revascularization surgery in adult patients with Moyamoya disease. Based on our findings, it may be prudent to avoid hemoglobin drops in Moyamoya patients undergoing surgical revascularization.

Perioperative Infection After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Risk Factors, Causative Pathogens, and Long-Term Outcomes.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Nosocomial infections are the most common complication among critically ill patients and contribute to poor long-term outcomes. Patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) are highly susceptible to perioperative infections, yet it is unclear what factors influence infection onset and functional recovery. The objective was to investigate risk factors for perioperative infections after aSAH and relate causative pathogens to patient outcomes. METHODS: Clinical records were obtained for 194 adult patients with aSAH treated at our institution from 2016 to 2020. Demographics, clinical course, complications, microbiological reports, and outcomes were collected. χ 2 , univariate, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to analyze risk factors. RESULTS: Nearly half of the patients developed nosocomial infections, most frequently pneumonia and urinary tract infection. Patients with infections had longer hospital stays, higher rates of delayed cerebral ischemia, and worse functional recovery up to 6 months after initial hemorrhage. Independent risk factors for pneumonia included male sex, comatose status at admission, mechanical ventilatory use, and longer admission, while those for urinary tract infection included older age and longer admission. Staphylococcus , Klebsiella , and Enterococcus spp. were associated with poor long-term outcome. Certain pathogenic organisms were associated with delayed cerebral ischemia. CONCLUSION: Perioperative infections are highly prevalent among patients with aSAH and are related to adverse outcomes. The risk profiles for nosocomial infections are distinct to each infection type and causative organism. Although strong infection control measures should be universally applied, patient management must be individualized in the context of specific infections.

Hypothermia is Associated with Improved Neurological Outcomes After Mechanical Thrombectomy.

BACKGROUND: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is the second leading cause of death globally. Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) has improved patient prognosis but expedient treatment is still necessary to minimize anoxic injury. Lower intraoperative body temperature decreases cerebral oxygen demand, but the role of hypothermia in treatment of AIS with MT is unclear. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients undergoing MT for AIS from 2014 to 2020 at our institution. Patient demographics, comorbidities, intraoperative parameters, and outcomes were collected. Maximum body temperature was extracted from minute-by-minute anesthesia readings, and patients with maximal temperature below 36°C were considered hypothermic. Risk factors were assessed by χ2 and multivariate ordinal regression. RESULTS: Of 68 patients, 27 (40%) were hypothermic. There was no significant association of hypothermia with patient age, comorbidities, time since last known well, number of passes intraoperatively, favorable revascularization, tissue plasminogen activator use, and immediate postoperative complications. Hypothermic patients exhibited better neurologic outcome at 3-month follow-up (P = 0.02). On multivariate ordinal regression, lower maximum intraoperative body temperature was associated with improved 3-month outcomes (P < 0.001), when adjusting for other factors influencing neurological outcomes. Other significant protective factors included younger age (P = 0.03), better revascularization (P = 0.03), and conscious sedation (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Lower intraoperative body temperature during MT was independently associated with improved neurological outcome in this single center retrospective series. These results may help guide clinicians in employing therapeutic hypothermia during MT to improve long-term neurologic outcomes from AIS, although larger studies are needed.

Risk of Subdural Hematoma Expansion in Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease: Continuous Venovenous Hemodialysis Versus Intermittent Hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Subdural hematoma (SDH) patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) require renal replacement therapy in addition to neurological management. We sought to determine whether continuous venovenous hemodialysis (CVVHD) or intermittent hemodialysis (iHD) is associated with higher rates of SDH re-expansion as well as morbidity and mortality. METHODS: Hemodialysis-dependent patients with ESRD who were discovered to have an SDH were retrospectively identified from 2016 to 2022. Rates of SDH expansion during CVVHD vs iHD were compared. Hemodialysis mode was included in a multivariate logistic regression model to test for independent association with SDH expansion and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 123 hemodialysis-dependent patients with ESRD were discovered to have a concomitant SDH during the period of study. Patients who received CVVHD were on average 10.2 years younger ( P < .001), more likely to have traumatic SDH (47.7% vs 19.0%, P < .001), and more likely to have cirrhosis (25.0% vs 10.1%, P = .029). SDH expansion affecting neurological function occurred more frequently during iHD compared with CVVHD (29.7% vs 12.0%, P = .013). Multivariate logistic regression analysis found that CVVHD was independently associated with decreased risk of SDH affecting neurological function (odds ratio 0.25, 95% CI 0.08-0.65). Among patients who experienced in-hospital mortality or were discharged to hospice, 5% suffered a neurologically devastating SDH expansion while on CVVHD compared with 35% on iHD. CONCLUSION: CVVHD was independently associated with decreased risk of neurologically significant SDH expansion. Therefore, receiving renal replacement therapy through a course of CVVHD may increase SDH stability in patients with ESRD.

Frailty Predicts Worse Pain Outcomes for Older TN Patients Treated with Microvascular Decompression.

BACKGROUND: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a debilitating orofacial pain disorder. Recent data from a national database suggest that microvascular decompression (MVD) in frail patients is associated with more postoperative complications. However, the long-term pain outcomes for frail TN patients are not known. We aimed to elucidate the relationship between frailty and long-term pain outcomes after MVD for TN. METHODS: From 2007 to 2020, 368 TN patients aged ≥60 years underwent MVD at our institution. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, postoperative complications, and long-term pain outcomes were recorded. Frailty was assessed using the modified 5-item frailty index (mFI-5) score, and the patients were dichotomized into nonfrail (mFI-5 <2) and frail (mFI-5 >1). Differences were assessed via the t test, χ2 test, multivariate ordinal regression, and Cox proportional hazards analysis. RESULTS: Of the 368 patients analyzed, 9.8% were frail. The frail patients were significantly older (P = 0.02) with a higher body mass index (P = 0.01) and a greater incidence of comorbidities (P < 0.001). Frail patients presented with significantly higher pain levels at the final follow-up (P = 0.04). On multivariate analysis, frailty was independently associated with more pain at follow-up (P = 0.01), as was younger age, female sex, and black race. The relationship between frailty and postoperative pain recurrence showed a trend toward significance (P = 0.06), and younger age and black race were significantly associated with recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Frail patients undergoing MVD are at risk of worse long-term pain outcomes. Our results provide clinicians with useful information pertaining to the influence of frailty on the long-term efficacy of MVD in treating TN.

Venous thromboembolism in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: Risk factors and timing of chemoprophylaxis.

INTRODUCTION: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality among patients recovering from aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Prophylactic heparin reduces the risk of VTE, but the optimal timing for its initiation among aSAH patients remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a retrospective study assessing risk factors for VTE and optimal timing of chemoprophylaxis in patients treated for aSAH. METHODS: From 2016-2020, 194 adult patients were treated for aSAH at our institution. Patient demographics, clinical diagnoses, complications, pharmacologic interventions, and outcomes were recorded. Risk factors for symptomatic VTE (sVTE) were analyzed via Chi-squared, univariate, and multivariate regression. RESULTS: In total 33 patients presented with sVTE (25 DVT, 14 PE). Patients with sVTE had longer hospital stays (p < 0.01) and worse outcomes at one-month (p < 0.01) and three-month follow-up (p = 0.02). Univariate predictors of sVTE included male sex (p = 0.03), Hunt Hess score (p = 0.01), Glasgow Coma scale (p = 0.02), intracranial hemorrhage (p = 0.03), hydrocephalus requiring external ventricular drain (EVD) placement (p < 0.01), and mechanical ventilation (p < 0.01). Only hydrocephalus requiring EVD (p = 0.01) and ventilator use (p = 0.02) remained significant upon multivariate analysis. Patients with delayed heparin introduction were significantly more likely to sustain sVTE on univariate analysis (p = 0.02) with a trend-level significance on multivariate analysis (p = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with aSAH are more likely to develop sVTE following use of perioperative EVD or mechanical ventilation. sVTE leads to longer hospital stays and worse outcomes among patients treated for aSAH. Delayed heparin initiation increases the risk of sVTE. Our results may help guide surgical decision-making during recovery from aSAH and improve VTE-related postoperative outcomes.

Sex-Specific Pain Outcomes Following Microvascular Decompression for Trigeminal Neuralgia.

BACKGROUND: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is more prevalent among women. However, while microvascular decompression (MVD) is the most effective long-term surgical treatment for TN, it is unclear whether it is equally efficacious for men and women. We sought to characterize the relationship between sex and pain outcomes following MVD for TN. METHODS: From 2007 to 2020, 938 unilateral TN patients were treated with MVD at our institution. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, operative features, and pain outcomes were recorded. Differences between men and women were analyzed via t-test and chi-squared analyses. A multivariate ordinal regression was used to establish significant predictors of pain outcome. Differences in time to pain recurrence were assessed via Cox proportional hazards and Kaplan-Meier nonparametric survival analysis. RESULTS: A majority (67%) of the 938 patients analyzed were female. Men and women presented with similar preoperative pain severity (P = 0.17). Female sex (P = 0.048) and younger age (P = 0.03) were independently associated with worsened Barrow Neurological Institute pain scores at 3-month follow-up on multivariate analysis. Women were also more likely to experience recurrence than men (P = 0.01), and time to recurrence was shorter among women (P = 0.02). Only female sex was independently associated with increased risk of postoperative pain recurrence on multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Female TN patients undergoing MVD had worse pain outcomes, more frequent pain recurrence, and shorter time to recurrence. Our results indicate a sex-specific dimorphism in response to MVD among TN patients.

Cardiorespiratory Fitness Is Associated With Better White Matter Integrity in Persons Living With HIV.

BACKGROUND: Despite improved survival rates, neurocognitive impairment persists in persons living with HIV (PLWH). An active lifestyle is linked to improved cognition among PLWH, yet the neural substrates remain unclear. Diffusion tensor imaging and diffusion basis spectrum imaging measure HIV-related changes in brain white matter integrity. We used these measures of structural brain integrity to assess white matter changes, physical fitness, and cognition in a cross-sectional study of PLWH. METHODS: Forty-four virologically well-controlled PLWH were recruited (average age of 56 years, a median recent CD4+ count of 682 cells/mm3). Diffusion tensor imaging -derived fractional anisotropy (FA) and diffusion basis spectrum imaging-derived axonal density were calculated. Cardiorespiratory fitness [maximal volume of oxygen consumption (VO2 max)] was measured by performing indirect calorimetry during exercise to volitional exhaustion. Cardiovascular risk was assessed by the Framingham risk score. Neuropsychological performance (NP) testing evaluated learning, memory, psychomotor/processing speed, and executive function. Partial correlations assessed the relationships among cardiorespiratory fitness, neuroimaging, NP, and HIV clinical metrics (CD4+ count and time since diagnosis). RESULTS: Higher VO2 max was associated with higher FA and higher axonal density in multiple white matter tracts, including the corticospinal tract and superior longitudinal fasciculus. Better NP in the motor/psychomotor domain was positively associated with FA and axonal density in diverse tracts including those associated with motor and visuospatial processing. However, higher VO2 max was not associated with NP or HIV clinical metrics. CONCLUSIONS: An active lifestyle promoting cardiorespiratory fitness may lead to better white matter integrity and decreased susceptibility to cognitive decline in virologically well-controlled PLWH.