Sociodemographic and Clinical Factors for Microcephaly Secondary to Teratogenic Infections in Brazil: An Ecological Study.

Microcephaly is a neurological condition characterized by anomalies in the growth of the cranial circumference. This study aims to examine the association between sociodemographic and clinical variables and the occurrence of secondary microcephaly in newborns in Brazil. It also aims to investigate the association between this congenital anomaly and teratogenic infections. This research adopts an observational approach with an ecological, descriptive, and analytical design. The sample includes infants aged ≤28 days and registered in the country's Live Births Information System from January 2015 to December 2021. Newborns were categorized into G1, consisting of newborns with one of the three infections (Zika, toxoplasmosis, or syphilis), and G2, consisting of newborns with two of the three infections. A total of 1513 samples were analyzed and divided into two groups: one infection (syphilis n = 423; toxoplasmosis n = 295; or Zika n = 739) and two infections (n = 56). The northeastern region of Brazil has the highest prevalence of microcephaly. Regarding the population profile, the Zika virus infection is more common among white mothers, while the syphilis infection is more common among black mothers. Among newborns with microcephaly, boys have a lower prevalence of toxoplasmosis infection, while girls have a lower prevalence of Zika virus infection. This study provides pertinent information on each infection and contributes to the epidemiologic understanding of the association between teratogenic infections and microcephaly.

Ventricular empyema associated with severe pyogenic meningitis in COVID-19 adult patient: Case report.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic raised global attention especially due to the severe acute respiratory symptoms associated to it. However, almost one third of patients also develop neurological symptoms. The aim of the present study is to describe the case of a previously health adult that evolved cerebral ventricular empyema in the IV ventricle during COVID-19 infection treatment. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 49-year-old man with COVID-19 developed pneumonia caused by multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. After treating adequate treatment, sedation was switched off without showing appropriate awakening. Brain CT was performed with evidence of communicating hydrocephalus. External ventricular shunt (EVD) was implant with intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid suggestive of meningitis with a positive culture for oxacillin-sensitive Staphylococcus hominis. Twenty days after EVD, meningitis treatment was finished and with 2 negative cultures, conversion to ventriculoperitoneal shunt was performed. In the following week, during the evaluation of the patient in intensive care, quadriplegia and absence of spontaneous respiratory movement were evidenced, just maintaining head movement. Brain MRI was performed with a diagnosis of ventriculitis associated with pus collections on the IV ventricle. The patient underwent microsurgical drainage removal of the shunt, with a positive intraventricular collection culture for Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, without improvement in the neurological condition. After 14 weeks of hospitalization, the patient died. CONCLUSION: It is well known that COVID-19 has potential to directly attack and cause severe damage to the central nervous system; however, ventricular empyema is an extremely rare life-threatening complication.

Spinal cord injury in elderly patients admitted to a tertiary hospital.

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord injury (SCI) has a negative impact on quality of life and healthcare costs. In recent years with the age pyramid inversion, there has been a high prevalence of SCI in the elderly. These patients must be studied in order to invest in the prevention and treatment of SCI in these patients. OBJECTIVE: To identify the characteristics and clinical aspects of spinal cord injury (SCI) in the elderly. METHODS: Retrospective study of elderly patients (≥ 60 years of age) with a clinical diagnosis of SCI. Clinical and socio-demographic variables were collected from medical records. RESULTS: Sixty-two elderly patients were studied (56% men). The patients were analyzed according to gender. Women presented compression fractures associated with thoracolumbar transition, while men presented with listhesis associated with cervical lesions and increased complications. It was found that the need for surgical intervention was higher in men. Among many characteristics that differed between the elderly and younger people (< 60 years; n = 259), in the morphological diagnosis, we observed that compression fractures and dislocation fractures were more highly associated with ages ≥ 60 and < 60, respectively. After SCI, the elderly have a higher risk for late hemodynamic instability. CONCLUSION: Elderly individuals with SCI have distinct characteristics and clinical factors related to gender and age.

Microsurgical treatment of patients with refractory epilepsy and mesial temporal cavernous malformations: Clinical experience of a tertiary epilepsy center.

BACKGROUND: Mesiotemporal cavernous malformation can occur in 10-20% of patients with cerebral cavernomas and are frequently associated with refractory. METHODS: A retrospective investigation was performed in the epilepsy clinic of a Brazilian tertiary referral epilepsy center, from January 2000 to March 2012. RESULTS: A total of 21 patients were included in the study. Thirteen patients (62%) evolved to Engel I; 5 (24%) to Engel II, 2 (10%) to Engel III, and 1 (5%) to Engel IV. We observed that 10 (48%) patients with 12 years or less of epilepsy duration evolved to Engel I and 1 (5%) to Engel II; whereas from a total of 10 patients with epilepsy duration of more than 12 years, 3 (30%) evolved to Engel I and 7 (70%) to Engel II, III, or IV (P < 0.001 [bilateral]; P1 ≠ P2). CONCLUSION: Postsurgical seizure outcome for temporal lobe epilepsy associated with mesiotemporal cavernomas is very satisfactory.

Contralateral extradural hematoma following decompressive craniectomy for acute subdural hematoma (the value of intracranial pressure monitoring): a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Decompressive surgery for acute subdural hematoma leading to contralateral extradural hematoma is an uncommon event with only few cases previously reported in the English medical literature. CASE PRESENTATION: The present study describes the case of a 39-year-old White Brazilian man who had a motorcycle accident; he underwent decompressive craniectomy for the treatment of acute subdural hematoma and evolved contralateral extradural hematoma following surgery. CONCLUSION: The present case highlights the importance of close monitoring of the intracranial pressure of severe traumatic brain injury, even after decompressive procedures, because of the possible development of contralateral extradural hematoma.