Intracranial arterial stenosis in young adults:risk factors,diagnosis and treatment

Intracranial artery stenosis(ICAS)in youth is an under-explored condition.ICAS is one of the leading causes of stroke in young people worldwide and confers a higher risk of stroke recurrence,leading to a poor prognosis for individuals and a great burden to society.The etiology and risk factors of ICAS in youth differ from those of older patients,thus resulting in a difference in the progression and prognosis of the disease.Even though the diagnosis of ICAS is lumen-based,it is sometimes difficult to identify in young patients based on imaging alone.Notably,novel vessel wall imaging techniques play an important role in determining the cause of stenosis and screening patients at high risk of recurrence.Moreover,pharmacologic regimens and risk factor control goals for ICAS in young adults are largely consistent with those in older patients.Thus,considering the poor prognosis,there is an urgent need for high-quality studies in the young ICAS population to analyze the high-quality observational data collected.

Early antiplatelet therapy used for acute ischemic stroke and intracranial hemorrhage

In this editorial we comment on the article published by Zhang et al in the recent issue of World Journal of Clinical Cases.We evaluate their claims on the benefit of use of Aspirin in the early management of patients with ischemic stroke.We also comment on their contention of using aspirin in the early management of patients with intracranial hemorrhage,a practice not seen in modern medicine.Large clinical trials such as the International Stroke Trial and the Chinese Acute Stroke Trial have shown the benefit of Aspirin use within 48 h of patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke.The findings were corroborated in the open-label trial performed by Zhang et al in a smaller sample group of 25 patients where they showed improvement in functional scores at 90 days without an increase in adverse events.As such,this intervention is also recommended by the American Heart Association stroke guidelines from 2021.With regard to Intracranial hemorrhage,traditional practice has been to discontinue or avoid antiplatelet therapy in these patient groups.However,no studies have been done to evaluate this management strategy that is more borne out of the mechanism behind Aspirin’s effect on the coagulation pathway.Zhang et al evaluate the benefits of Aspirin on patients with low-volume intracranial hemorrhage,i.e.,less than 30 mL on computed tomo-graphy imaging,and show no increase in mortality.The caveat of this finding is that all outcomes were pooled into one group for results,and the number of patients was low.While more studies with larger patient groups are required,the data from Zhang et al suggests that patients with small-volume intracranial hemorrhages may benefit from Aspirin administration in the acute phase of management.

Piezo1 as a potential player in intracranial hemorrhage:From perspectives on biomechanics and hematoma metabolism

Intracranial hemorrhage(ICH)causes numerous neurological deficits and deaths worldwide each year,leaving a significant health burden on the public.The pathophysiology of ICH is complicated and involves both primary and secondary injuries.Hematoma,as the primary pathology of ICH,undergoes metabolism and triggers biochemical and biomechanical alterations in the brain,leading to the secondary injury.Past endeavors mainly aimed at biochemical-initiated mechanisms for causing secondary injury,which have made limited progress in recent years,although ICH itself is also highly biomechanics-related.The discovery of the mechanically-activated cation channel Piezo1 provides a new avenue to further explore the mechanisms underlying the secondary injury.The current article reviews the structure and gating mechanisms of Piezo1,its roles in the physiology/pathophysiology of neurons,astrocytes,microglia,and bone-marrow-derived macrophages,and especially its roles in erythrocytic turnover and iron metabolism,revealing a potential interplay between the biomechanics and biochemistry of hematoma in ICH.Collectively,these advances provide deeper insights into the secondary injury of ICH and lay the foundations for future research.

Knowledge domain and emerging trends in the rupture risk of intracranial aneurysms research from 2004 to 2023

BACKGROUND Intracranial aneurysms(IAs)pose significant health risks,attributable to their potential for sudden rupture,which can result in severe outcomes such as stroke and death.Despite extensive research,the variability of aneurysm behavior,with some remaining stable for years while others rupture unexpectedly,remains poorly understood.AIM To employ bibliometric analysis to map the research landscape concerning risk factors associated with IAs rupture.METHODS A systematic literature review of publications from 2004 to 2023 was conducted,analyzing 3804 documents from the Web of Science Core Collection database,with a focus on full-text articles and reviews in English.The analysis encompassed citation and co-citation networks,keyword bursts,and temporal trends to delineate the evolution of research themes and collaboration patterns.Advanced software tools,CiteSpace and VOSviewer,were utilized for comprehensive data visualization and trend analysis.RESULTS Analysis uncovered a total of 3804 publications on IA rupture risk factors between 2006 and 2023.Research interest surged after 2013,peaking in 2023.The United States led with 28.97%of publications,garnering 37706 citations.Notable United States-China collaborations were observed.Capital Medical University produced 184 publications,while Utrecht University boasted a citation average of 69.62 per publication.“World Neurosurgery”published the most papers,contrasting with“Stroke”,the most cited journal.The PHASES score from“Lancet Neurology”emerged as a vital rupture risk prediction tool.Early research favored endovascular therapy,transitioning to magnetic resonance imaging and flow diverters.CONCLUSION This study assesses global IA research trends and highlights crucial gaps,guiding future investigations to improve preventive and therapeutic approaches.

Intracranial hypertension as the primary symptom of malignant melanoma:A case report

BACKGROUND The etiological diagnosis of intracranial hypertension is quite complicated but important in clinical practice.Some common causes are craniocerebral injury,intracranial space-occupying lesion,subarachnoid hemorrhage,and hydrocephalus.When a patient presents with intracranial hypertension,the common causes are to be considered first so that other causes would be dismissed.With the morbidity lower than 9%,neuromelanin is very rare.Common symp-toms include nerve damage symptoms,epilepsy,psychiatric symptoms,and cognitive disorders.CASE SUMMARY We present a patient with melanoma which manifested with isolated intracranial hypertension without any other neurological signs.A 22-year-old male had repeated nausea and vomiting for 2 mo with Babinski sign(+)on both sides,nuchal rigidity,and subarachnoid hemorrhage.He had been diagnosed with melanoma and was given surgery and whole-brain radiation.Ultimately,the patient died 2 mo later.CONCLUSION Malignant melanoma should be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis of intracranial hypertension.

Drug-coated balloon angioplasty for the treatment of intracranial arterial stenosis in a young stroke patient:A case report

BACKGROUND Intracranial arterial narrowing is a significant factor leading to brief episodes of reduced blood flow to the brain,known as transient ischemic attacks,or fullblown strokes.While atherosclerosis is commonly associated with intracranial arterial narrowing,it is frequently of a non-atherosclerotic nature in younger patients.CASE SUMMARY Here,we present the case of a young stroke patient with narrowing of the middle cerebral artery(MCA),characterized as non-atherosclerotic lesions,who experienced an ischemic stroke despite receiving standard drug therapy.The patient underwent digital subtraction angiography(DSA)to assess the entire network of blood vessels in the brain,revealing significant narrowing(approximately 80%)in the M1 segment of the right MCA.Subsequently,the patient underwent Drug-Coated Balloon Angioplasty to treat the stenosis in the right MCA's M1 segment.Follow-up DSA confirmed the resolution of stenosis in this segment.Although the remaining branches showed satisfactory blood flow,the vessel wall exhibited irregularities.A review of DSA conducted six months later showed no evident stenosis in the right MCA,with a smooth vessel wall.CONCLUSION The use of drug-coated balloon angioplasty demonstrated favorable outcomes in repairing and reshaping the blood vessel wall in young patients.Therefore,it may be considered a promising treatment option for similar cases.

Investigating the relationship between intracranial atherosclerotic plaque remodelling and diabetes using high-resolution vessel wall imaging

BACKGROUND Intracranial atherosclerosis,a leading cause of stroke,involves arterial plaque formation.This study explores the link between plaque remodelling patterns and diabetes using high-resolution vessel wall imaging(HR-VWI).AIM To investigate the factors of intracranial atherosclerotic remodelling patterns and the relationship between intracranial atherosclerotic remodelling and diabetes mellitus using HR-VWI.METHODS Ninety-four patients diagnosed with middle cerebral artery or basilar artery INTRODUCTION Intracranial atherosclerotic disease is one of the main causes of ischaemic stroke in the world,accounting for approx-imately 10%of transient ischaemic attacks and 30%-50%of ischaemic strokes[1].It is the most common factor among Asian people[2].The adaptive changes in the structure and function of blood vessels that can adapt to changes in the internal and external environment are called vascular remodelling,which is a common and important pathological mechanism in atherosclerotic diseases,and the remodelling mode of atherosclerotic plaques is closely related to the occurrence of stroke.Positive remodelling(PR)is an outwards compensatory remodelling where the arterial wall grows outwards in an attempt to maintain a constant lumen diameter.For a long time,it was believed that the degree of stenosis can accurately reflect the risk of ischaemic stroke[3-5].Previous studies have revealed that lesions without significant luminal stenosis can also lead to acute events[6,7],as summarized in a recent meta-analysis study in which approximately 50%of acute/subacute ischaemic events were due to this type of lesion[6].Research[8,9]has pointed out that the PR of plaques is more dangerous and more likely to cause acute ischaemic stroke.Previous studies[10-13]have found that there are specific vascular remodelling phenomena in the coronary and carotid arteries of diabetic patients.However,due to the deep location and small lumen of intracranial arteries and limitations of imaging techniques,the relationship between intracranial arterial remodelling and diabetes is still unclear.In recent years,with the development of magnetic resonance technology and the emergence of high-resolution(HR)vascular wall imaging,a clear and multidimensional display of the intracranial vascular wall has been achieved.Therefore,in this study,HR wall imaging(HR-VWI)was used to display the remodelling characteristics of bilateral middle cerebral arteries and basilar arteries and to explore the factors of intracranial vascular remodelling and its relationship with diabetes.

Relationship between intracranial pressure and neurocognitive function among older adults after radical resection of rectal cancer

BACKGROUND Older patients are prone to postoperative cognitive decline after laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery,which may be associated with increased intraoperative intracranial pressure(ICP).This study investigated the correlation between intra-operative ICP changes,as indicated by measurements of the optic nerve sheath diameter(ONSD)using ultrasonography,and subsequent cognitive function to provide better patient care.AIM To evaluate changes in ICP and associated postoperative neurocognition in older adults after laparoscopic radical resection for rectal cancer.METHODS We included 140 patients who visited the Mianyang Central Hospital for malig-nant rectal tumors,measured their ONSDs before surgery and 30 and 60 minutes after the Trendelenburg position during surgery,and evaluated the patients’cog-nitive function 1 day before surgery and 1,4,and 7 days after surgery.The Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)and confusion assessment method(CAM)scores of the patients with different ONSDs were compared at different times after surgery.RESULTS In patients with an ONSD greater than 5.00 mm(group A1),the MMSE scores at 1 day and 4 days after surgery were significantly lower than those of patients with an ONSD less than or equal to 4.00 mm(group A2)(P<0.05).The CAM scores of group A1 were significantly higher than those of group A2(P<0.05).The MMSE scores of group A1 on days 1 and 4 after surgery were significantly lower than those 1 day before and 7 days after surgery(P<0.05),while the CAM scores 1 day and 4 days after surgery were significantly higher than those 1 day before and 7 days after surgery.CONCLUSION Decline in cognitive function among older adults after the procedure may be related to intracranial hypertension during surgery.

Acquired factor XIII deficiency presenting with multiple intracranial hemorrhages and right hip hematoma:A case report

BACKGROUND Factor XIII(FXIII)deficiency is a rare yet profound coagulopathy.FXIII plays a pivotal role in hemostasis,and deficiencies in this factor can precipitate unchecked or spontaneous hemorrhaging.Immunological assays for detecting FXIII inhibitors are indispensable for diagnosing acquired FXIII deficiency;however,the availability of suitable testing facilities is limited,resulting in prolonged turnaround times for these assays.CASE SUMMARY In this case study,a 53-year-old male devoid of significant medical history presented with recurrent intracranial hemorrhages and a hematoma in the right hip.Subsequent genetic analysis revealed a homozygous mutation in the ACE gene,confirming the diagnosis of acquired FXIII deficiency.CONCLUSION This case underscores the significance of considering acquired deficiencies in clotting factors when evaluating patients with unexplained bleeding episodes.

Whole exome sequencing identifies risk variants associated with intracranial epidermoid cyst deterioration:A case report

BACKGROUND Intracranial epidermoid cyst(IEC)transformation to malignant squamous cell carcinoma(SCC)is extremely rare,and its etiology is yet unknown.Currently,SCC is treated by performing surgery,followed by a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.It is crucial to identify efficient and trustworthy therapeutic targets for SCC to improve its diagnosis,prognosis,and treatment.CASE SUMMARY In this study,we report the case of a 47-year-old female patient with SCC,which progressed from IEC in the left internal capsule region.The patient was sought treatment at our hospital for severe diplopic vision,accompanied with speech disorder and memory loss.Based on the clinical and postoperative pathology,this patient was finally diagnosed with SCC.To identify disease-causing variants,whole exome sequencing(WES)was performed on the proband.WES revealed two pathogenic missense mutations on Gap junction protein beta 2(GJB2)(c.257C>T)and Toll-like receptor 2(TLR2)(c.1039A>G),respectively.CONCLUSION This study provided the first clinical evidence for demonstrating the role of GJB2 and TLR2 in IEC development and treatment.We further confirmed WES as a robust and reliable technique for underlying rare and complex disease-related genetic factor identification.

Current Epidemiology of Intracranial Metastases in Two University Teaching Reference Hospitals of the Town of Yaounde, Cameroon: Analysis of 35 Cases Recorded in the Neurosurgery Departments

Background: The incidence of intracranial metastases (ICMET) has been steadily rising, and its frequency with respect to primary brain tumours is relatively high. Objective: The objectives of this study were to elucidate the current epidemiology and describe the clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic features of ICMET in Yaounde. Method and findings: A descriptive cross-sectional study was done in the neurosurgery departments of the General and Central Hospitals of Yaounde during the period from January 2016 to December 2022. We included all medical booklets of patients admitted for a tumoral intracranial expansive process with our target population being patients with histological evidence of ICMET, and did a retrospective inclusion of data using a pre-established technical form aimed at collecting sociodemographic data, clinical data, paraclinical data, and the treatment procedures. Analysis was done using the SPSS statistical software. A total of 614 cases of intracranial tumors were included among whom 35 presented histological evidence of ICMET. This gives a frequency of 5.7%. The sex ratio was 0.94, the mean age was 55.68 +/- 14.4 years, extremes 28 and 86 years and the age range 50 - 59 was affected in 28.57% of cases. The clinical presentation included signs of raised intracranial pressure (headache, blurred vision, vomiting) in 26 cases (74.3%), motor deficit 48.6%, seizures 17.1%. The mode of onset was metachronous in 71.4% and synchronous in 28.6%. The imaging techniques were cerebral CT scan in 82.9%, cerebral MRI in 40%, TAP scan in 22.9%. The metastatic lesions were supratentorial in 94.3% and single in 62.9%. The primary cancers found were breast cancer (31.4%), lung cancer (25.7%), prostate cancer (17.1%), thyroid cancer (5.7%), colon cancer (2.9%), and melanoma (2.9%). The therapeutic modalities were total resection (68.6%), radiotherapy (37.1%). Conclusion: Intracranial metastases are relatively frequent. There is a female sex predominance and the age group 50 - 59 years is the most affected. Brain metastases mostly occur in patients with a history of known primary tumor. The clinical signs mainly include signs of raised intracranial pressure, motor deficit, seizures and mental confusion. Cerebral CT Scan is the main imaging technique used. Most of the lesions are single and supratentorially located. The primary cancers most represented include breast cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer. Surgery is the main treatment procedure. The adjuvant treatment (radiotherapy, chemotherapy) was limited.

Safety and Effectiveness of Stent-Assisted Coil Embolization for Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysm

Background: It has been conclusively established that intracranial aneurysms measuring a diameter below 7 mm pose a minimal risk of rupture. Conversely, those exhibiting irregular morphology or featuring the presence of a sac necessitate a more stringent and rigorous management approach. Objective: The primary aim of this study is to delve into the morphological features of ruptured aneurysms situated in distinct regions of the brain. Furthermore, we endeavor to assess the degree of safety and efficacy associated with stent-assisted embolization as a treatment modality for these ruptured aneurysms. Methods: This retrospective study encompassed a cohort of 467 patients who presented with intracranial ruptured aneurysms and were diagnosed through a combination of computed tomography (CT) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) at Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University, spanning from January 2009 to December 2019. The following clinical parameters were meticulously recorded: aneurysm height, width, neck measurements, immediate Raymond grade assessments, and any perioperative complications experienced. Results: Within the study population, the average dimensions of ruptured aneurysms were found to be 4.26 ± 2.10 mm (width), 4.86 ± 2.38 mm (height), and 4.04 ± 1.87 mm (neck). Categorically, the most prevalent types of aneurysms were 170 cases of anterior communicating artery aneurysms (accounting for 36.4%), followed by 161 cases of posterior communicating artery aneurysms (34.5%), 56 cases of middle cerebral artery aneurysms (12.0%), 13 cases of anterior cerebral artery aneurysms (2.8%), 45 cases of paraclinoid aneurysms (9.6%), 6 cases of superior pituitary artery aneurysms (1.3%), 7 cases of anterior choroidal artery aneurysms (1.5%), and 9 cases of vertebrobasilar artery aneurysms (2.0%). Notably, 18 patients (3.9%) presented with ruptured aneurysms coexisting with ascus. Regarding treatment approaches, 228 cases (48.8%) underwent stent-assisted embolization, 234 cases (50.1%) received coils embolization, and 5 cases (1.1%) were treated with the dual-catheter technique. Immediately post-treatment, 422 patients (90.4%) attained a Raymond Class I status, with a procedure-related complication rate of 0.9%. Importantly, no statistically significant differences were observed in the incidence of perioperative complications across the three distinct treatment groups (P = 0.505). Conclusion: The outcomes of this study affirm the safety and efficacy of stent-assisted embolization as a treatment modality for ruptured aneurysms.

CT and MRI Findings of Intracranial Cavernous Hemangioma Malformation

Objective:To investigate the computed tomography(CT)and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)features of cavernous hemangioma malformation(CHM)to enhance diagnostic accuracy.Methods:The CT and MRI findings and clinical information of 23 patients with CHM were retrospectively analyzed.Results:CT examinations were conducted in 7 cases,while MRI was utilized in 23 cases.Additionally,SWI was employed in 5 cases and enhanced imaging techniques were applied in 14 cases.Among the observed lesions,20 cases presented with a singular lesion,whereas 3 cases exhibited multiple lesions.The lesions were located in 8 frontal lobes,6 cerebellums,2 brainstems,6 temporal lobes,1 basal ganglia,3 parieto-occipital lobes,and 2 thalamus regions.The nodules appeared as quasi-circular lesions with clear or well-defined boundaries.They presented as isodense lesions on CT scans,with one lesion showing peritumoral edema.On MRI,T1-weighted imaging(T1WI)demonstrated isointense signals,while T2-weighted imaging(T2WI)showed isointense and hyperintense signals.Additionally,10 lesions exhibited a low signal ring on T2WI.Diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI)revealed nodular or isointense low signals,while susceptibility-weighted imaging(SWI)displayed enlarged areas of low signal.Fourteen lesions underwent contrast-enhanced scanning,with 2 lesions showing no obvious enhancement,1 lesion demonstrating mild to moderate enhancement,and 11 lesions exhibiting significant enhancement.Notably,6 of these enhanced lesions were surrounded by small blood vessels.Conclusion:Cavernous hemangioma malformation is more commonly found in individual cases.CT alone lacks specificity,making it prone to misdiagnosis.A more comprehensive evaluation of cavernous hemangioma malformation can be achieved through a combination of MRI,DWI,SWI,and enhanced examination,providing valuable references for clinical assessment.

Analysis of the Effect of the Comprehensive Nursing Model on Patients with Moyamoya Disease Undergoing Intracranial and Extracranial Revascularization Surgery

Objective:To explore the effect of a comprehensive nursing model on patients with Moyamoya disease who underwent intracranial and extracranial revascularization surgery.Methods:110 cases were divided into control and observation groups with 55 cases each.The control group received routine perioperative care,and the observation group received perioperative care along with comprehensive nursing care.The two groups’disease cognition levels,anxiety,symptoms,daily living ability scores,and postoperative complication rates were compared.Results:The anxiety score and total postoperative complications of the observation group upon discharge were lower than that of the control group,and the disease cognition level and daily living ability upon discharge were higher than that of the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Applying the comprehensive nursing model in conjunction with perioperative care for patients undergoing surgery can effectively improve their anxiety,strengthen activities of daily living,and reduce the risk of postoperative complications.

Interobserver reliability of computed tomography angiography in the assessment of ruptured intracranial aneurysm and impact on patient management

BACKGROUND Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage is an emergency that can lead to a high mortality rate and many severe complications.It is critical to make a rapid radiological evaluation of ruptured intracranial aneurysms(RIAs)to determine the appropriate surgical treatment.AIM To assess the reliability of computed tomography angiography(CTA)in assessing different features of ruptured intracranial aneurysm and its impact on patient management.METHODS The final cohort of this study consisted of 146 patients with RIAs(75 male and 71 female)who underwent cerebral CTA.Their age ranged from 25 to 80,and the mean age±SD was 57±8.95 years.Two readers were asked to assess different features related to the aneurysm and perianeurysmal environment.Inter-observer agreement was measured using kappa statistics.Imaging data extracted from non-contrast computed tomography and CTA were considered to categorize the study population into two groups according to the recommended therapeutic approach.RESULTS The inter-observer agreement of both reviewers was excellent for the detection of aneurysms(K=0.95,P=0.001),aneurysm location(K=0.98,P=0.001),and(K=0.98,P=0.001),morphology(K=0.92,P=0.001)and margins(K=0.95,P=0.001).There was an excellent interobserver agreement for the measurement of aneurysm size(K=0.89,P=0.001),neck(K=0.85,P=0.001),and dome-to-neck ratio(K=0.98,P=0.001).There was an excellent inter-observer agreement for the detection of other aneurysm-related features such as thrombosis(K=0.82,P=0.001),calcification(K=1.0,P=0.001),bony landmark(K=0.89,P=0.001)and branch incorporation(K=0.91,P=0.001)as well as perianeurysmal findings including vasospasm(K=0.91,P=0.001),perianeurysmal cyst(K=1.0,P=0.001)and associated vascular lesions(K=0.83,P=0.001).Based on imaging features,87 patients were recommended to have endovascular treatment,while surgery was recommended in 59 patients.71.2%of the study population underwent the recommended therapy.CONCLUSION CTA is a reproducible promising diagnostic imaging modality for detecting and characterizing cerebral aneurysms.

Epidural Blood Patches Performed with Miethke Sensor Reservoir for Continuous Intracranial Pressure Monitoring

An epidural blood patch (EBP) is a procedure performed by injecting autologous blood into a patient’s epidural space, usually at the site of a suspected CSF leak. It is typically performed in patients with characteristic postural headaches due to low intracranial pressure. We report a case of a young female with an implanted Miethke Sensor Reservoir, which was used for continuous intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring during a two-level epidural blood patch. ICP increased only with thoracic injection, suggesting thoracic EBP may have greater efficacy than lumbar EBP in treating SIH and PDPH when the site of CSF leak is unknown.

Factors influencing the surveillance of re-emerging intracranial infections in elective neurosurgical patients:A single-center retrospective study

BACKGROUND At present,many studies have reported the risk factors for postoperative intracranial reinfection,including age,sex,time to surgery,duration of postoperative catheterization,emergency procedures,type of disease and cerebrospinal fluid leakage,but the academic community has not reached a unified conclusion.AIM To find factors influencing the surveillance of re-emerging intracranial infections in elective neurosurgical patients.METHODS Ninety-four patients who underwent elective craniotomy from January 1,2015 to December 31,2022 in the Department of Neurosurgery,First Hospital of Jilin University,were included in this study.Of those,45 patients were enrolled in the infection group,and 49 were enrolled in the control group.The clinical data of the patients were collected and divided into three categories,including preoperative baseline conditions,intraoperative characteristics and postoperative infection prevention.The data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 software.RESULTS There were 23 males and 22 females in the infection group with a mean age of 52.8±15.1 years and 17 males and 32 females in the control group with a mean age of 48.9±15.2 years.The univariate analysis showed that the infection group had higher systolic blood pressures and postoperative temperatures,fewer patients who underwent a supratentorial craniotomy,more patients with a history of hypertension and higher initial postoperative white blood cell counts than the control group,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).The multifactorial logistic regression analysis showed that a history of hypertension and a high postoperative body temperature were independent risk factors for postoperative infection in neurosurgical patients.CONCLUSION The results obtained in this study indicated that a history of hypertension and a high postoperative body temperature were independent risk factors for postoperative neurological symptoms.

Successful treatment of invasive liver abscess syndrome caused by Klebsiella variicola with intracranial infection and septic shock:A case report

BACKGROUND Klebsiella variicola(K.variicola)is a member of the Klebsiella genus and is often misidentied as Klebsiella pneumoniae.In this report,we present a rare case of invasive liver abscess caused by K.variicola.CASE SUMMARY We report a rare case of liver abscess due to K.variicola.A 57-year-old female patient presented with back pain for a month.She developed a high-grade fever associated with chills,and went into a coma and developed shock.The clinical examinations and tests after admission confirmed a diagnosis of primary liver abscess caused by K.variicola complicated by intracranial infection and septic shock.The patient successfully recovered following early percutaneous drainage of the abscess,prompt appropriate antibiotic administration,and timely open surgical drainage.CONCLUSION This is a case of successful treatment of invasive liver abscess syndrome caused by K.variicola,which has rarely been reported.The findings of this report point to the need for further study of this disease.

Bedside ultrasonography of optic nerve sheath diameter for detection of raised intracranial pressure in nontraumatic neurocritically ill patients

BACKGROUND Delay in treatment of raised intracranial pressure(ICP)leads to poor clinical outcomes.Optic nerve sheath diameter(ONSD)by ultrasonography(US-ONSD)has shown good accuracy in traumatic brain injury and neurosurgical patients to diagnose raised ICP.However,there is a dearth of data in neuro-medical intensive care unit(ICU)where the spectrum of disease is different.AIM To validate the diagnostic accuracy of ONSD in non-traumatic neuro-critically ill patients.METHODS We prospectively enrolled 114 patients who had clinically suspected raised ICP due to non-traumatic causes admitted in neuro-medical ICU.US-ONSD was performed according to ALARA principles.A cut-off more than 5.7 mm was taken as significantly raised.Raised ONSD was corelated with raised ICP on radiological imaging.Clinical history,general and systemic examination findings,SOFA and APACHE 2 score and patient outcomes were recorded.RESULTS There was significant association between raised ONSD and raised ICP on imaging(P<0.001).The sensitivity,specificity,positive and negative predictive value at this cut-off was 77.55%,89.06%,84.44% and 83.82% respectively.The positive and negative likelihood ratio was 7.09 and 0.25.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves was 0.844.Using Youden’s index the best cut off value for ONSD was 5.75 mm.Raised ONSD was associated with lower age(P=0.007),poorer Glasgow Coma Scale(P=0.009)and greater need for surgical intervention(P=0.006)whereas no statistically significant association was found between raised ONSD and SOFA score,APACHE II score or ICU mortality.Our limitations were that it was a single centre study and we did not perform serial measurements or ONSD pre-and post-treatment or procedures for raised ICP.CONCLUSION ONSD can be used as a screening a test to detect raised ICP in a medical ICU and as a trigger to initiate further management of raised ICP.ONSD can be beneficial in ruling out a diagnosis in a low-prevalence population and rule in a diagnosis in a high-prevalence population.

Association of bone turnover biomarkers with severe intracranial and extracranial artery stenosis in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

BACKGROUND Intracranial and extracranial artery stenosis is associated with cerebral infarction.Vascular calcification and atherosclerosis are the main causes of stenosis and major risk factors for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Bone turnover biomarkers(BTMs)are associated with vascular calcification,atherosclerosis,glucose,and lipid metabolism.AIM To investigate the association of circulating BTM levels with severe intracranial and extracranial artery stenosis in patients with T2DM.METHODS For this cross-sectional study including 257 T2DM patients,levels of the BTMs serum osteocalcin(OC),C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen(CTX),and procollagen type I N-peptide were measured by electrical chemiluminescent immunoassay,and artery stenosis was assessed by color Doppler and transcranial Doppler.Patients were grouped according to the existence and location(intracranial vs.extracranial)of artery stenosis.Correlations between BTM levels,previous stroke,stenosis location,and glucose and lipid metabolism were analyzed.RESULTS T2DM patients with severe artery stenosis had a higher frequency of previous stroke and levels of all three tested BTMs(all P<0.05)than patients without.Some differences in OC and CTX levels were observed according to the location of artery stenosis.Significant associations were also observed between BTM levels and some glucose and lipid homeostasis parameters.On multivariate logistic regression analysis,all BTMs were significant predictors of artery stenosis in T2DM patients with and without adjustment for confounding factors(all P<0.001),and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated the ability of BTM levels to predict artery stenosis in T2DM patients.CONCLUSION BTM levels were found to be independent risk factors for severe intracranial and extracranial artery stenosis and were differentially associated with glucose and lipid metabolism in patients with T2DM.Therefore,BTMs may be promising biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for artery stenosis.