Super refractory status in a case of Febrile Infection-Related Epilepsy Syndrome due to hemophagocytic lymphocytic histiocytosis.

A 14-year-old boy presented with a prodromal respiratory infection followed by super refractory status epilepticus. A diagnosis of Febrile Infection-Related Epilepsy Syndrome (FIRES) was made. Initial MRI study and CSF analysis were normal. He required multiple anticonvulsants owing to the refractory nature of the seizures. The course of the illness was rather stormy, laced with various medical problems viz. hepatic dysfunction, sepsis, hemodynamic, and hematological abnormalities which posed several challenges in the management. Hemophagocytic lymphocytic histiocytosis (HLH) was identified as the etiology of the illness and was treated but without success. The case report highlights the several immunomodulatory strategies that were employed to treat the disease, despite which the outcome was unfavorable.

Efficacy and Safety of Intravenous Tenecteplase Bolus in Acute Ischemic Stroke: Results of Two Open-Label, Multicenter Trials.

BACKGROUND: Tenecteplase (TNK-tPA) is a promising third-generation plasminogen activator, because of its greater fibrin specificity and longer half-life than alteplase. There is a paucity of studies on intravenous thrombolysis using TNK-tPA in developing countries. The present study has been undertaken to compare the efficacy and safety of TNK-tPA with alteplase. METHODS: Two studies were conducted. Study I was an open-label, randomized study in which two doses of TNK-tPA (0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg) were compared. Study II was an open-label study in which TNK-tPA 0.2 mg/kg bolus was compared with historical controls. The primary endpoint for study I and study II was an improvement of ≥ 8 points or a score of 0 on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) [major neurological improvement (MNI)] at 24 h. Secondary endpoints for both studies were neurological improvement as assessed using the NIHSS score, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score and the Barthel Index (BI) on days 7, 30 and 90. Minimal disability was defined as an mRS score of 0 or 1 and good functional recovery as a BI score of 50-90. Safety was assessed by the proportion of patients having symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) within 36 h and asymptomatic intracranial hemorrhage at 48 h after treatment. RESULTS: In study I, 20 patients received 0.1 mg/kg and 30 received 0.2 mg/kg TNK-tPA. There was no significant difference in MNI at 24 h between 0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg TNK-tPA doses. The patients given 0.2 mg/kg TNK-tPA had a significantly better 3-month outcome (minimal disability, p = 0.007). There was no sICH in study I. In study II, 62 patients (one lost to follow-up) received 0.2 mg/kg TNK-tPA. MNI was noted in ten patients (16.4%), 3-month minimal disability was noted in 37 patients (60.7%), and good functional recovery was seen in 33 patients (54.1%). sICH occurred in one patient, and four patients died. Pooled data of patients in study I and study II receiving 0.2 mg/kg TNK-tPA were compared with data from the historical National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) trial. For comparison, the primary endpoint of the NINDS trial (improvement on NIHSS of ≥ 4 points or a score of 0 at 24 h) was taken. The primary endpoint though was not significantly different (58.2% vs. 47%, p = 0.08), but with TNK-tPA, greater neurological improvement, minimal disability (70.3 vs. 39%, p < 0.001) and good functional recovery (36.3 vs. 16%, p < 0.001) was noted at 3 months. There was a lower incidence of sICH (1.1 vs. 6.4%, p = 0.05) and lower 3-month mortality (5.5 vs. 17%, p = 0.01) noted with TNK-tPA compared with alteplase. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous TNK-tPA 0.2 mg/kg administered within 3 hours of symptom onset seems to be well tolerated and effective option in patients with acute ischemic stroke. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials Registry-India, www.ctri.nic.in ; unique identifiers: CTRI/2009/091/000251 and CTRI/2015/02/005556.

Autonomic dysfunction in Wilson's disease --a clinical and electrophysiological study.

Wilson's disease is known for its protean manifestations; however involvement of the autonomic nervous system has not received much attention. Fifty patients with varying duration and severity of illness were evaluated for autonomic dysfunction clinically and electrophysiologically, using sympathetic skin response (SSR) and RR interval variability (RRIV) on deep breathing. The change in heart rate (AHR) was calculated from RRIV. Five patients had at least one autonomic symptom and one asymptomatic patient had significant postural hypotension. Absent SSR and abnormal AHR were noted in seven patients each. Overall, 13 patients had electrophysiological dysautonomia and an additional six had clinical dysautonomia. All had normal peripheral conductions and all but one had normal hepatic functions. Dysautonomia was more common among patients with neurological presentation (12/32) than non-neurological (1/18) (p = .012). Dysautonomia, often subclinical is common in Wilson's disease and is probably of central origin. It is more frequent among those with neurological presentation. Sympathetic and parasympathetic functions are equally affected.