[A case of Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome with exacerbation of respiratory failure triggered by acute myocardial infarction].

The patient, a 58-year-old man, experienced weakness of the proximal muscles in both lower extremities, and Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome and small cell carcinoma of unknown primary origin were diagnosed. He received symptomatic treatment for myasthenia and radiochemotherapy for small cell carcinoma; once this regimen, the myasthenic symptoms improved. However, acute myocardial infarction occurred, after which type II respiratory failure developed, and the patient required ventilator management with tracheal intubation. Acute-phase treatment, such as plasma exchange, intravenous immune globulin therapy, and methylprednisolone pulse therapy, and intensification of symptomatic treatment allowed for extubation, and eventually the patient was able to walk independently. According to electrophysiological examination, compound muscle action potentials were larger at discharge than at the time of exacerbation.

[Morvan syndrome associated with unresectable thymoma responsive to chemotherapy: a case report].

A 51-year-old Japanese man presenting with a several-month history of parasomnia, orthostatic hypotension and generalized myokymia was admitted to our hospital. He had a past medical history of unresectable recurrent thymoma, but chemotherapy for thymoma was discontinued according to the patient's decision four years before this hospitalization, and the thymoma had enlarged. He exhibited symptoms of the peripheral nervous system (myokymia), central nervous system (parasomnia, short-term memory impairment), and autonomic nervous system (orthostatic hypotension), and his serum was positive for voltage-gated potassium channel (VGKC)-complex antibodies. Based on the above findings, Morvan syndrome was diagnosed. Resumption of chemotherapy for thymoma resulted in shrinkage of the thymoma accompanied by remission of Morvan syndrome. Subsequently, discontinuation of chemotherapy led to aggravation of thymoma with recurrence of Morvan syndrome. This clinical course suggests a strong correlation between the disease activity of thymoma and Morvan syndrome. In the present case of Morvan syndrome associated with unresectable thymoma, chemotherapy contributed to the remission of Morvan syndrome. Our patient suggests a possibility that chemotherapy for thymoma is a useful treatment for Morvan syndrome.

Neurological Disorders Identified during Treatment of a SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

A 69-year-old man was admitted to our hospital under diagnosis of pneumonia due to severe acute respiratory syndrome-corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (Day 0). He underwent endotracheal intubation from Day 3. Although his respiratory condition improved and anesthetic drugs were discontinued, no cough reflex was observed despite intubation having been performed until Day 17. His tendon reflexes were also diminished. We suspected that he had developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), and administered intravenous immunoglobulin from Day 18. The absence of cough reflex improved and extubation was successfully performed on Day 23. Neurological disorders including GBS should be considered when intubated SARS-CoV-2 patients present with a loss of cough reflex during the treatment period.

Recurrent Guillain-Barré and Fisher Syndromes in Two Patients Who Were Subsequently Diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia.

Guillain-Barré (GBS) and Fisher (FS) syndromes rarely recur and the characteristics of recurrence have not been fully elucidated. We describe the cases of 2 patients with GBS or FS that recurred more than twice and who were subsequently diagnosed with aplastic anemia. Case 1 was a 66-year-old man who was diagnosed with aplastic anemia 10 months before admission with limb ataxia and a sensory disturbance of the distal limbs that developed 3 days after an upper respiratory tract infection. He had a history of double vision with ataxia at the ages of 38 and 56 years. Case 2 was a 66-year-old woman who had been treated for aplastic anemia 1 year previously. She had a history of upper limb weakness after upper respiratory tract infections at the ages of 39 and 60 years. Tendon reflexes were absent in both patients at the time of onset and they were respectively diagnosed with FS and GBS and treated with intravenous immunoglobulin. No neurological deficits persisted. Blood findings showed that both were positive for IgG type ganglioside antibodies and HLA-DR15. The positive HLA-DR15 might have been associated with the recurrent GBS or FS and the development of aplastic anemia.

Ischemic Stroke with Protein S Deficiency Treated by Apixaban.

A 57-year-old man with atherosclerosis obliterans was admitted with sudden-onset sensory aphasia and right hemiparesis. Brain MRI revealed acute cerebral infarctions in the left temporal lobe and magnetic resonance angiography showed occlusion of the posterior branch of the left middle cerebral artery. Transesophageal echocardiography and ultrasonography respectively confirmed a patent foramen ovale and deep vein thrombosis in the bilateral femoral veins. Blood findings showed low protein S antigen, low protein S activity, and a missense mutation of the PROS 1 gene. The administration of apixaban 10 mg BID prevented ischemic stroke recurrence and decreased the deep vein thrombosis. These outcomes indicated that apixaban may be alternative to warfarin for the secondary prevention of ischemic stroke in a patient with a protein S deficiency.

Incidence of anti-NMDAR encephalitis in patients undergoing resection of ovarian teratoma in a single institution.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of anti-NMDAR encephalitis in patients in whom a teratoma was removed. As far as we know, there has been no report on the incidence of anti-NMDAR encephalitis in patients in whom a teratoma was removed. METHODS: This study was a single-institutional observational study. We enrolled patients who were diagnosed with teratoma in the Department of Pathology, Sapporo City General Hospital during a nine-year period between January 2008 and December 2016. RESULTS: In Sapporo City General Hospital, 6 NMDAR encephalitis cases were detected during the 9-year period. In the same 9-year period, a pathological diagnosis of teratoma was made in 343 cases in the hospital. Anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients with a teratoma accounted for only 1.17% of all teratoma patients. Three of the 4 anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients with a teratoma underwent second removal of a teratoma, and no nervous tissue was detected pathologically. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we determined the association between teratoma with anti-NMDAR encephalitis and teratoma without anti-NMDAR encephalitis in cases in a single institution. As far as we know, this report is the first report on the incidence of anti-NMDAR encephalitis in teratoma patients.

Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder with Recurrent Intracranial Hemorrhage.

The patient was a woman without hypertension who had previously experienced intracranial hemorrhage twice at 48 and 56 years of age. At 59 years of age, she was diagnosed with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) based on the presence of a brain stem lesion and the detection of anti-aquaporin 4 (AQP4) antibodies. After 5 months of continuous treatment with prednisolone (15 mg/day), she presented with optic neuritis and intracranial bleeding. A recurrent attack of NMOSD and intracranial hemorrhage were concurrently diagnosed. We herein report a case of NMOSD with recurrent intracranial hemorrhage, which indicates an association between NMOSD and cerebellar vascular dysfunction.