A case of eosinophilic granulomatous polyangiitis with concurrent central and peripheral nervous system involvement.

Eosinophilic granulomatous polyangiitis (EGPA) like other antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis has multisystemic involvement. It commonly manifests with prodromal pulmonary involvement as asthma, chronic sinusitis followed by systemic vasculitic complications associated with blood and tissue eosinophilia. Central nervous system manifestations at presentation are uncommon compared with peripheral nervous system involvement. Vasculitic neuropathy in EGPA commonly presents as mononeuritis multiplex but rarely as polyradiculopathy. Late onset EGPA often presents with systemic involvement, and early diagnosis is a key to prevent further complications. The neuropathy in late onset EGPA is often refractory to immunosuppression and corticosteroids treatment. We report a case of EGPA with late onset asthma presenting with acute infarct and demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy that progressed with bulbar paralysis and profound dysautonomia. This illustrates simultaneous involvement of central and peripheral nervous system with EGPA. Autonomic dysfunction can occur in patients of EGPA with multisystem involvement, which may predict severe complications.

Anxiety, depression, and psychosocial adjustment in people with epilepsy.

Objective: Effect of psychological disorders on social functioning in people with epilepsy (PWE) is not extensively reported. We evaluate psychosocial functioning in PWE attending an outpatient clinic and aim to understand the differences in psychosocial functioning between anxiety, depression, and coexisting anxiety and depression in PWE. Materials and Methods: A prospective evaluation of psychosocial functioning of 324 consecutive adult PWE attending outpatient epilepsy clinic was done using self-reported Washington Psychosocial Seizure Inventory. The study population was divided in four groups - without psychological disorders, anxiety, depression, and both anxiety and depression. Results: The mean age of study population was 25.90 ± 6.22 years. Anxiety was noted in 73 (22.5%), depression in 60 (18.5%), and both anxiety and depression were seen in 70 (21.6%) and the rest had normal psychosocial function. There were no significant differences across all the four sub-groups for sociodemographics. Psychosocial functioning did not differ significantly between PWE with normal psychosocial function and PWE with anxiety alone. However, psychosocial functioning scores were worse in PWE with depression and PWE with both anxiety and depression when compared to PWE with normal psychosocial function. Conclusion: In the present study of PWE attending an outpatient epilepsy clinic, one-fifth of PWE had both anxiety and depression. Psychosocial functioning in PWE with anxiety was similar to otherwise healthy/normal PWE, whereas PWE with depression showed poor psychosocial functioning. Role of psychological interventions on psychosocial aspects of epilepsy should be studied extensively in future.

Long-Term Seizure Freedom, Resolution of Epilepsy and Perceived Life Changes in Drug Resistant Temporal Lobe Epilepsy With Hippocampal Sclerosis: Comparison of Surgical Versus Medical Management.

BACKGROUND: Outcome of temporal lobe epilepsy associated with hippocampal sclerosis (TLE-HS) has rarely been evaluated exclusively. OBJECTIVE: To compare long-term seizure freedom, resolution of epilepsy, and perceived life changes in patients with drug-resistant TLE-HS who underwent surgery vs those who opted for best medical management. METHODS: In this retrospective longitudinal study, 346 patients with TLE-HS who underwent surgery were compared with 325 who received best medical management. Predictors for long-term remission, resolution of epilepsy, and seizure recurrence were analyzed. RESULTS: The duration of follow-up ranged from 3-18 (mean 12.61) years. The average age of study population was 28.54 ± 12.27 years with 321 (47.8%) women. Age at onset of epilepsy (11.84 ± 8.48 vs 16.29 ± 11.88; P ≤ .001) was lower, and duration of epilepsy (15.65 ± 9.33 vs 12.97 ± 11.44; P < .001) was higher in the surgery group. Seizure freedom at 3 (81.8 vs 19.0%; P < .001), 5 (73% vs 16.1%; P < .001), and 10 years (78.3% vs 18.5; P < .001) and resolution of epilepsy (30.5% vs 0.6%; P < .001) was higher in the surgery group. The overall perceived life changes score was higher in the surgery group (80.96 ± 25.47 vs 66.24 ± 28.13; P < .001). At long-term follow-up (≥10 years), the presence of an aura was the strongest predictor for resolution of epilepsy (ß: 2.29 [95% CI; 1.06-4.93]; P = .035), whereas acute postoperative seizures (APOS) (ß: 6.06 [95% CI 1.57-23.42]; P < .001) and an abnormal postoperative EEG (ß: 0.222 [95% CI 0.100-0.491]; P < .001) were predictors of persistent seizures. Seizure freedom both at 3 and 5 years predicted seizure freedom at 10 years. CONCLUSION: Surgery for drug-resistant TLE-HS was associated with higher rate of long-term seizure-freedom, resolution of epilepsy, and reduction of anti-seizure medications with improvement in perceived life changes compared with best medical management. The presence of an aura was predictor for resolution of epilepsy while APOS and an abnormal postoperative EEG were predictors of persistent seizures.

Awareness, Recognition, and Response to Stroke among the General Public-An Observational Study.

Objective To evaluate awareness and response to stroke among the general public. Materials and Methods In this prospective, observational study, self-reported stroke awareness questionnaire was administered in 2000 consecutive participants who visited outpatient clinic of a tertiary care hospital. For data analysis, comparison included for awareness of stroke and response in case of stroke. Results The average age of the study participants was 39.64 ± 15.55 (17-85), with 651(32.6%) women. Among the respondents, 786(39.3%) participants mentioned stroke as blood clot in the brain; 268(13.4%) stated it as brain hemorrhage. Awareness of stroke was higher in people in cities (71.0 vs. 8.5%; p < 0.001) and graduates (75.3 vs. 60.9%; p < 0.001) or knew a family member or friend who had stroke (42.7 vs. 30.4%; p < 0.001). Most commonly recognized risk factors included stress (1,152; 57.6%) and hypertension (1,148; 57.4%). Most identified warning sign was weakness of one side of body (807; 40.4%) and speech impairment (658; 32.9%). Participants who were aware of stroke knew a greater number of risk factors (3.75 ± 2.88 vs. 2.45 ± 2.66; p < 0.001) and warning signs (2.85 ± 2.25 vs. 1.49 ± 1.41; p <0.001). Among 1,138 participants who were aware of stroke, 166 (14.6%) participants knew one correct response in case of a stroke, either call a doctor (49.3 vs. 35.0%; p <0.001) or call an ambulance (41.1 vs. 34.9%; p = 0.055). Participants who knew one correct response to stroke had at least a family member/friend who had stroke (44.1 vs. 34.3%; p < 0.022). Conclusion We report that among 56.9% of the participants who were aware of stroke most could not name more than four risk factors or three warning signs of stroke. Only 14.6% of those aware of stroke knew appropriate response to stroke.