Clinical characteristics of 365 hospitalized COVID-19 patients with neurological symptoms: an observational study.

OBJECTIVE: Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of COVID-related neurological manifestations have been reported. We aimed to categorize the features of hospitalized COVID-19 patients who experienced neurological symptoms. METHODS: In this descriptive, cross-sectional study, we enrolled all patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who experienced neurological symptoms in two hospitals in Tehran. Diagnosis of COVID-19 was established by PCR tests or computed tomography of the chest combined with COVID-19 clinical findings. The clinical characteristics, laboratory data, and imaging findings from 365 patients were analyzed. RESULTS: The average patient age was 59.2 ± 16.7 years and included 213 males and 152 females. The most prevalent neurological symptoms were headache (56.2%), impaired consciousness (55%), and dizziness (20.5%). During hospitalization, most of the patients did not require mechanical ventilation (81.9%). The percentage of patients with end-organ damage was 9% and mortality was 15%. Regression analysis on the neurological symptoms indicated that the mortality rate of patients with headaches was 84% lower than for the other neurological symptoms. Hyperglycemia was significantly related with end-organ damage and mortality (p = 0.029, p = 0.08, respectively). New vascular lesions were evident on brain MRIs of 9 patients and brain CTs of 16 patients. CONCLUSION: Among the neurological symptoms of patients with COVID-19, headache appeared to indicate a protective factor against development of end-organ damage as well as mortality.

Volvulus of the transverse colon after resection of the sigmoid volvulus: A case report.

Sigmoid volvulus is a common cause of colon obstruction, while volvulus of the transverse colon rarely causes bowel obstruction. The occurrence of transverse colon volvulus after resection of the sigmoid colon volvulus is extremely rare. This report presents a 73-year-old man who presented with abdominal pain and peritonitis. The patient underwent exploratory laparotomy, and sigmoid volvulus and cecum perforation were confirmed. A right hemicolectomy, end-to-side ileotransverse colon anastomosis for the cecal perforation, and sigmoidectomy with end-colostomy (Hartmann's procedure) for the sigmoid volvulus were performed. A month later, the patient returned to the emergency room with abdominal distention and the blockage of colostomy. Abdominal CT revealed a transverse colon volvulus. A transverse and descending colon resection and ileorectal anastomosis were performed. The patient's condition was stable at the time of discharge from the hospital. The management of metachronous colon volvulus should include surgical intervention. If patients are not diagnosed immediately, their condition may deteriorate dramatically because of bowel infarction or peritonitis. It is essential to highlight this case, as many surgeons may not have attended a transverse colon volvulus after sigmoid volvulus, which might lead to high morbidity or mortality. Overall, metachronous colonic volvulus must be considered in the differential diagnosis of bowel obstruction, particularly in patients with significant risk factors.

Isolated psoas abscess caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis: A rare case report.

Psoas tuberculosis abscess is very rarely detected primarily without an adjacent vertebral cold abscess. Early diagnosis prevents unnecessary operations and life-threatening complications.

Medical treatment for an isolated renal multilocular hydatid cyst in an elderly: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Almost all cases of renal hydatid cysts need surgical intervention for treatment. We report a case of isolated renal hydatid cyst treated successfully only with medical therapy. CASE PRESENTATION: This case is a 79-year-old veterinarian presented with right flank pain, hydatiduria and positive echinococcus granulosus serology. A 70*50 mm cyst with daughter cysts in mid-portion of right kidney on presentation was changed into a 60*40 mm cyst without daughter cysts at last follow-up. Due to patient's refusal of surgery, our patient received medical treatment including praziquantel and albendazole. After completion of first round of treatment, recurrence occurred and the same treatment was repeated. At last, the cyst became inactive and calcified with negative serology and no clinical symptoms under medical treatment. CONCLUSION: The treatment of choice in renal hydatid cyst is surgery; although there are some reports about the efficacy of medical treatments for hydatid cysts but lower rates of recurrence and higher efficacy put surgery in a superior position compared to medical approaches. Our case showed relative success of medical treatment, despite the presence of a large multilocular renal involvement. Thus, medical therapy without surgery can be considered in very particular cases with isolated renal hydatid cysts.

Multiple High Grade Rhabdoid Papillary Meningiomas Mimicking Choroid Plexus Carcinoma: A Case Report.

Rhabdoid papillary meningioma is an uncommon aggressive variant of meningioma which has the potential to metastasize and spread throughout the brain and even out of the cranium. Herein, we present recurrence of the brain tumor in a 26-year-old woman. The patient had history of the surgery for two lesions in the right temporal lobe and the left cerebellopontine angle. Imaging showed three lesions in the right temporal lobe, the right occipital horn wall, and the left cerebellopontine angle. These radiologic findings were mostly suggestive of atypical meningioma. In the surgical view, the mass was solid-cystic reddish Cauliflower-shaped in the right temporal lobe attaching to the temporal horn. The microscopic examination showed a cellular neoplasm with the sheet-like and papillary growth pattern. Individual cells had vesicular nuclei some with prominent nucleoli and eosinophilic cytoplasm. The areas of the tumor cells showed round eccentric nuclei and prominent nucleoli with eosinophilic cytoplasm. Immunohistochemistry studies showed diffuse positivity of tumor cells with Vimentin, EMA, and S100. The overall clinical, radiological and histopathological examinations were compatible with high grade rhabdoid-papillary meningiomas. In the present case study, we discuss imaging and histomorphological features of this rare entity of meningiomas.

Mast cell density in cardio-esophageal mucosa.

Mast cells are related to certain gastrointestinal complaints. Mast cell density has not been studied in cardio-esophageal region to the best of our knowledge. In this study we wanted to obtain an estimate of mast cell density in this region and compare it with mast cell density in antrum. From April 2007 till March 2010, we chose children (<14 years old) who underwent upper endoscopy and from whom the taken biopsy was stated to be from lower third of esophagus, but in microscopic examination either cardio- esophageal mucosa or only cardiac mucosa was seen. Mast cells were counted by Giemsa stain at × 1000 magnification in 10 fields. 71 children (<14 years old) were included in this study of which, 63.4% (n=45) were female and 36.6% (n=26) were male. The mean age of patients was 7.20 ± 4.21 years (range: 0.2 -14 years). The most common clinical manifestations were recurrent abdominal pain (64.8%) and vomiting (23.9%) followed by symptoms of gastro-esophageal reflux disorder, poor weight gain, hematemesis and dysphagia. The mean mast cell density in the cardiac mucosa was 33.41 ± 32.75 in 0.25 mm2 (range: 0-155), which was two times of that in antral mucosa. We found a significant but weak positive correlation at the 0.05 level between mast cell density of cardiac mucosa and the antrum. Higher mast cell counts were seen in cardiac mucosa in this study. Significant positive correlation between mast cell density of cardiac mucosa and the antrum could hint to a single underlying etiology for the inflammatory process in gastro- esophageal junction and gastric mucosa.

Measurement of colonic transit time based on radio opaque markers in patients with chronic idiopathic constipation; a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Constipation is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders particularly in industrialized countries. Incidence of constipation varies from 3.4 % to 27.2% in different societies. Increase in urban population, industrialization of communities, changes in behavioral and nutritional habits and inactivity have increased the number of patients suffering from constipation. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to measure colonic transit time in patients with chronic idiopathic constipation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-two patients with chronic idiopathic constipation (according to ROME III criteria) were selected. Patients with diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, and hypoparathyroidism were excluded. Each patient took a capsule containing ten 1-3 mm long angiographic guide daily for 6 days. Abdominal x-ray was performed on the seventh day. Remaining markers in each segment were counted and segmental and total colonic transit time was calculated. The analysis was performed by SPSS version 18. In all tests, a P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 36.9 ± 10.1 years. 80.8 % of patients were female. The mean total colonic transit time was 40.8 ±35.1 hours. 34.6 % of patients and 36.5 % of them had prolonged total and segmental colonic transit time. CONCLUSIONS: We found that prolonged total and segmental colonic transit time is common in patients with chronic idiopathic constipation.

Mast cell gastritis: children complaining of chronic abdominal pain with histologically normal gastric mucosal biopsies except for increase in mast cells, proposing a new entity.

BACKGROUND: Mast cells reside within the connective tissue of a variety of tissues and all vascularized organs. Since 1996, few studies have been performed on mast cell density in gastrointestinal biopsies, mainly in adult age group. We recently studied mast cell density in pediatric age group on rather larger number of cases in a referral children hospital. Mast cell density was 12.6 +/- 0.87 in 0.25 mm2 (range: 0-81) in our study.Since we frequently encounter cases with rather normal gastric biopsies with no H. pylori, which mainly complain of chronic abdominal pain, we gathered those cases with mast cell density more than 30/0.25 mm2. from 895 gastric biopsies and wanted to study their clinical and endoscopic findings and propose a new entity. METHODS: Between April 2005 and May 2008, 895 children (< 14 years old), with gastrointestinal complaints who underwent endoscopy were selected and antral biopsies were obtained for histological examination. Among these children, those who had normal or erythematous (but not nodular or ulcerative) gastric mucosa on endoscopic view, plus pathologic report of normal mucosa or mild gastritis in addition to mast cell count more than 30/25 mm2, were chosen and a questionnaire was filled for each patient including clinical, endoscopic and pathologic findings.The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS, version 13 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). RESULTS: Over a 3 year period of study, of 895 selected children, 86 patients fulfilled the entrance criteria. The major complaint of patients was recurrent abdominal pain. The mean mast cell density was 45.59 +/- 13.81 in 0.25 mm2 (range: 30-93). Among our cases, about 67.4% (n = 58) had 30 to 49, 23.3% (n = 20) had 50 to 69, 8.1% (n = 7) had 70 to 89 and 1.2% (n = 1) had 93 mast cells/0.25 mm2 in their specimens DISCUSSION: In 29% of our cases, neither endoscopic nor pathologic change was detected and only increase in mast cell number was reported and in others endoscopic and histopathological findings were negligible except increase in mast cells. In updated Sydney system (classification and grading of gastritis), no term is introduced which is in concordance with this group but we think that increased density of mast cells in these cases should not be overlooked and it may contribute to clinical manifestations in some way. We hope that further studies will direct us to institute therapeutic measurements in this regard.