Stroke in Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are artificial pumps used in end-stage heart failure to support the circulatory system. These cardiac assist devices work in parallel to the heart, diverting blood from the left ventricle through an outflow graft and into the ascending aorta. LVADs have allowed patients with end-stage heart failure to live longer and with improved quality of life compared to best medical therapy alone. However, they are associated with significant risks related to both thrombosis and bleeding in this medically complex patient population. As LVADs continue to be used more widely, stroke neurologists need to become familiar with the unique physical exam and vascular imaging findings associated with this population. SUMMARY: Reported rates of LVAD-associated stroke at 2 years post-implantation range from 10 to 30%, which is significantly higher than in age-matched controls. There are approximately equal rates of ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, and rates are highest during the peri-implantation period and in the first year of therapy. Risk factors associated with ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke in this cohort can be grouped into treatment-related factors, including specific devices and antithrombotic/anticoagulation strategy, and patient-related factors. Evidence for reperfusion therapy for acute stroke in this population is limited. Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV-tPA) is often contraindicated as events may occur in the perioperative setting, or in the context of therapeutic anticoagulation. Endovascular therapy with successful recanalization is reported, but there is little experience documented in the published literature. Key messages: LVAD use is increasingly common. Given the high associated risks of stroke, neurologists will need to become increasingly familiar with an approach to assessment and therapy for LVAD patients with cerebrovascular issues.

Paraneoplastic sensorimotor neuropathy and ventral cauda equina nerve root enhancement as initial presentation of small cell lung carcinoma: a case study.

BACKGROUND: Paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes (PNS) are rare, however, are important to recognize as oftentimes they precede the detection of an occult malignancy. Our case highlights a rare circumstance of paraneoplastic radiculoneuropathy and the importance of recognizing PNS in antibody negative disease, as is the case in up to 16% of sensory neuronopathies, and the process of excluding other etiologies. CASE PRESENTATION: We discuss a 51-year-old man who presented with asymmetric subacute sensorimotor deficits in the lower limbs. Initial clinical examination showed weakness throughout the right lower limb and normal strength on the left with objective numbness in a mixed dermatomal and stocking-glove distribution. Electrophysiology was consistent with axonal sensorimotor neuropathy. Cerebrospinal fluid showed pleocytosis and elevated protein. Intravenous immunoglobulin treatment was given with some improvement in pain symptoms but no measurable motor improvement. Following clinical and electrophysiologic deterioration the patient was transferred to a tertiary centre. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine showed smooth enhancement of the ventral caudal nerve roots. Chest computed tomography revealed left lower vascular scarring. Further positron emission tomography scan imaging identified fluorodeoxyglucose avid right lung lymphadenopathy. Bronchoscopy-guided biopsy revealed small cell lung carcinoma. Onconeural and antiganglioside antibodies were negative. The patient was then transferred to a medical oncology ward where he underwent chemoradiotherapy and subsequently experienced improvement in his motor function, supporting that his neurological condition was indeed secondary to a paraneoplastic process. CONCLUSIONS: Onconeural negative paraneoplastic radiculoneuropathy can precede diagnosis of small cell lung carcinoma. If considered early and adequately investigated, it can allow earlier diagnosis and treatment of underlying malignancy, improving overall and neurological prognosis.

Updates in the Treatment of Post-Stroke Pain.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide an overview of the current treatment strategies for common subtypes of post-stroke pain. RECENT FINDINGS: There is growing research interest in non-pharmacological treatment approaches for chronic pain, including neurostimulation as well as lifestyle and psychosocial interventions. Newer pharmacotherapy research includes cannabinoids and NMDA-receptor antagonists as well as bee venom. Persistent post-stroke headache is an increasingly appreciated entity, though the role of novel chronic migraine treatments for post-stroke headache is not known. Overall, most treatment approaches to post-stroke pain lack high-quality evidence. Stroke survivors are in need of effective treatments based on methodologically sound evidence. To address the interplay of clinical and psychosocial factors that contribute to post-stroke pain, it may be reasonable to adopt a multimodal treatment strategy incorporating both lifestyle interventions and conventional therapies.

A Narrative Review of Persistent Post-Stroke Headache - A New Entry in the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd Edition.

BACKGROUND: Persistent post-stroke headache is a clinical entity that has recently entered the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition. In contrast to acute headache attributed to stroke, the epidemiology, clinical features, potential pathophysiology, and management of persistent post-stroke headache have not been reviewed. METHODS: We summarize the literature describing persistent headache attributed to stroke. RESULTS: Persistent headache after ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke affects up to 23% of patients. These persistent headaches tend to have tension-type features and are more frequent and severe than acute stroke-related headaches. Risk factors include younger age, female sex, pre-existing headache disorder, and comorbid post-stroke fatigue or depression. Other factors including obstructive sleep apnea or musculoskeletal imbalances may contribute to headache persistence. Although more evidence is needed, it may be reasonable to treat persistent post-stroke headache according to headache semiology. CONCLUSION: Recognition of persistent post-stroke headache as a separate clinical entity from acute stroke-attributed headache is the first step toward better defining its natural history and most effective treatment strategies.

How's Your Health at Home: Frail Homebound Patients Reported Health Experience and Outcomes.

We used a web-based mixed methods survey (HowsYourHealth - Frail) to explore the health of frail older (78% age 80 or older) adults enrolled in a home-based primary care program in Vancouver, Canada. Sixty per cent of eligible respondents participated, representing over one quarter (92/350, 26.2%) of all individuals receiving the service. Despite high levels of co-morbidity and functional dependence, 50 per cent rated their health as good, very good, or excellent. Adjusted odds ratios for positive self-rated health were 7.50, 95 per cent CI [1.09, 51.81] and 4.85, 95 per cent CI [1.02, 22.95] for absence of bothersome symptoms and being able to talk to family or friends respectively. Narrative responses to questions about end of life and living with illness are also described. Results suggest that greater focus on symptom management, and supporting social contact, may improve frail seniors' health.

Aquatherapy for neurodegenerative disorders.

Aquatherapy is used for rehabilitation and exercise; water provides a challenging, yet safe exercise environment for many special populations. We have reviewed the use of aquatherapy programs in four neurodegenerative disorders: Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington's disease. Results support the use of aquatherapy in Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis, however further evidence is required to make specific recommendations in all of the aforementioned disorders.

Adapting to target error without visual feedback.

What information is necessary for the motor system to adapt its behaviour? Visual hand-to-target error provides salient information about reach performance, but can learning proceed without this information? We investigated adaptation to an unperceived target perturbation under visual open-loop conditions. Participants looked and reached, without any vision of their hand, to a target that jumped rightward at saccade onset (Perturbation condition) or remained stationary throughout the trial (Stationary condition). The target jump in the Perturbation condition was tied to the saccade, such that participants were unaware that it had occurred. Each type of exposure was followed by a posttest, in which participants reached to a target that disappeared at saccade onset. In the posttest, participants reached farther following exposure to the perturbation than they did following exposure to the stationary target, indicating that participants had learned from systematic exposure to the jump. These findings imply that online error induces motor learning, even when participants receive no visual information about their performance.