Chronic post-hypoxic myoclonus, also known as Lance-Adams syndrome (LAS), is a rare complication of successful cardiopulmanry resuscitation often accompanied by action myoclonus and cerebellar ataxia. It is seen in patients who have undergone a cardiorespiratory arrest, regained consciousness afterwards, and then developed myoclonus days or weeks after the event. Worldwide, 122 cases have been reported in the literature so far, including 1 case of Chinese. Here we report 2 Chinese LAS patients with detailed neuroimagings. Cranial single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) of patient 1, a 52-year-old woman, showed a mild hypoperfusion in her left temporal lobe, whereas patient 2, a 54-year-old woman, manifested a mild bilateral decrease of glucose metabolism in the frontal lobes and a mild to moderate decrease of the N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) peak in the bilateral hippocampi by cranial [(18)F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomographic (PET) scan and cranial magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), respectively. We also review the literature on the neuroimaging, pathogenesis, and treatment of LAS.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; adverse effects ; Cerebellar Ataxia ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Middle Aged ; Myoclonus ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Syndrome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical and imaging characteristics of acute hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HIBI) due to perinatal sentinel events in neonates.

METHODSForty-six neonates with acute HIBI who were admitted between January 2004 and May 2013, and who had a history of major cardiopulmonary resuscitation, were enrolled in the study. They were classified into full-term and preterm infants to analyze the clinical and imaging characteristics.

RESULTSAmong full-term infants, the incidence rates of white matter injury, cortical injury, basal ganglia /thalamic injury, and brain stem injury were 95%, 90%, 75%, and 65%, respectively; among preterm infants, the incidence rates of white matter injury, cortical injury, basal ganglia/thalamic injury, and brain stem injury were 73%, 23%, 19%, and 15%, respectively. Compared with full-term infants, preterm infants had a significantly lower incidence of gray matter injury in the cortex, basal ganglia/thalamus, and brain stem (P<0.05). About 46% of all subjects had multiple organ dysfunction. The 20 full-term infants with HIBI had typical clinical manifestations; 19 (95%) of them had moderate or severe neonatal encephalopathy, with mixed lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and moderate or severe basal ganglia/thalamic injury was found in 68% of these patients. Multiple organ dysfunction, various abnormal neurological manifestations, and arterial blood pH less than 7.1 were closely related to moderate or severe brain injury.

CONCLUSIONSWhite matter injury is the most common type of HIBI. Gray matter injury can be found in preterm infants, but the incidence is lower than that in full-term infants. Moderate or severe neonatal encephalopathy is mainly manifested as basal ganglia/thalamic injury on MRI. Evaluation of multiple organ dysfunction and abnormal neurological manifestations and early blood gas analysis are very important for the diagnosis of neonatal HIBI.

Acute Disease ; Brain ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; diagnosis ; etiology ; pathology ; Infant, Newborn ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male

OBJECTIVETo understand the clinical characteristics of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in full-term infants and to explore the value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the early prediction of HIE prognosis.

METHODSThe medical data, including histories, clinical manifestations, MRI findings and follow-up outcomes, of 348 full-term infants with HIE between January 2001 and December 2005 were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTSHIE patients (348 cases) accounted for 8.25% of in-patients (4220 cases) over the five years. The etiology of HIE mainly attributed to birth asphyxia (76.2%), consisting of mild asphyxia (59.2%) and severe asphyxia (40.8%). A poor outcome was confirmed in 10.1% of these patients, including 27.3% in severe HIE, 10.0% in moderate HIE and 1.5% in mild HIE cases. All of patients whose MRI showed diffusion intraparenchymal hemorrhages and cerebral infarctions had poor outcomes. Fourteen (87.5%) out of the 16 cases with basal ganglia and thalamic or internal capsule injury and 9 (81.8%) out of the 11 cases with cytotoxic brain edema diagnosed by diffusion weighted imaging had poor outcomes.

CONCLUSIONSHIE is one of common diseases in newborn infants. The etiology of neonatal HIE mainly attributed to birth asphyxia, mild asphyxia accounting for a greater proportion. MRI findings can be helpful for the early prediction of HIE prognosis.

Brain ; pathology ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; diagnosis ; etiology ; pathology ; Infant, Newborn ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Adult ; Brain Ischemia/diagnosis/*etiology ; Cerebral Angiography ; Fatal Outcome ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperventilation/complications ; Moyamoya Disease/*complications/diagnosis/therapy ; Risk Factors ; Stroke/diagnosis/*etiology ; Thyroid Crisis/*complications/diagnosis/therapy

OBJECTIVECerebral infarction (CI) is one of severe diseases of central nervous system in neonates, and some infants with CI could have poor prognosis in the long term. This study aimed to analyze the clinical data and prognosis of all neonatal cases with cerebral infarction in recent years and to help future clinical work.

METHODTotally 58 neonatal cases with CI admitted to NICU of the hospital from January 1999 to December 2010 were included in this study. We analyzed all clinical data and prognosis by retrospective analysis.

RESULTSFifty-two term babies and six preterm babies were included. There were altogether 51 cases with asphyxia and 7 with hemorrhagic cerebral infarction. Perinatal hypoxia-ischemia was the most common high-risk factor and it accounted for 46.6%. Seizure was the most frequent initial symptom and the most common clinical manifestation (accounted for 77.6%), and it was followed by intermittent cyanosis, apnea and lethargy. Cerebral CT scan and magnetic resonance imaging were major methods to help to make the diagnosis and they also had close relation with prognosis. Diffusion weighted imaging was very helpful to diagnose infarction in early stage. Left middle cerebral artery was the most common artery to be involved. Supportive therapy and symptomatic treatment were the main methods in the acute stage of neonatal cerebral infarction. Those babies with poor prognosis mostly had large infarction involving cerebral hemisphere, thalamus and basal ganglia.

CONCLUSIONSNeonatal cerebral infarction was a severe brain injury affecting long tern nervous system prognosis. Perinatal hypoxia was the most common high-risk factor and seizure was the most frequent initial symptom. Diffusion weighted imaging was valuable to diagnose infarction in early stage. Most of infants with poor prognosis had large infarction involving hemisphere, thalamus and basal ganglia. Early diagnosis with brain imaging would be helpful for rehabilitation therapy and improving prognosis.

Brain ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Cerebral Infarction ; diagnosis ; etiology ; pathology ; therapy ; Cerebral Palsy ; etiology ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; complications ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Prognosis ; Radiography ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Seizures ; etiology ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color

To evaluate the efficacy of magnetic resonance imaging in brainstem stroke, we studied 21 cases of clinically definite brainstem ischemic stroke with brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and conventional computed tomography (CT). MRI demonstrated brainstem lesions in 79% of the cases (16.5 out of 21), while CT revealed 33% (7 out of 21) when cases with suspicious lesions counted as 0.5. Although MRI was done a few days later than CT in most cases, MRI was superior to CT in detecting the number and the size of ischemic lesions, with clear delineation of anatomy and visualization of the status of the blood flow in the vertebral-basilar artery. Disappearance of the flow signal void in the basilar artery can be an important clue in diagnosing occlusion or thrombus of the basilar artery. By delineating the extent and the location of the infarction, MRI findings allowed an interpretation of whether the ischemic vessel is a small basilar branch or a large vessel vertebral or basilar artery.
Adult ; Aged ; Brain Ischemia/complications/*diagnosis/radiography ; Brain Stem/blood supply/*pathology/radiography ; Cerebral Infarction/etiology/pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

We measured the ankle-brachial index (ABI) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and ABI in 97 ischemic stroke patients and 93 control subjects to investigate the relationship between baPWV, ABI and risk factors of ischemic stroke. The stroke patients were grouped according to the results of MRA and Carotid artery color Doppler ultrasound. The correlation of baPWV and ABI to the arteriosclerosis was discussed. There was a significant difference in the patients with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, baPWV and ABI between ischemic stroke patients and control subjects. baPWV was the most sensitive risk factor for ischemic stroke. ABI and diabetes mellitus were the relatively sensitive risk factors for ischemic stroke. baPWV were found to have a positive correlation with common carotid arteriosclerosis (gamma=0.215, P=0.048), while ABI had a negative correlation with intracranial arteriosclerosis (gamma=-0.237, P<0.05). BaPWV and ABI may closely relate to severity of ischemic stroke. Simple measurements of baPWV and ABI in patients could be a useful tool for evaluating the risk of ischemic stroke.
Aged ; Ankle ; blood supply ; Ankle Brachial Index ; Arteriosclerosis ; physiopathology ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Brachial Artery ; physiopathology ; Brain ; blood supply ; pathology ; Brain Ischemia ; complications ; Carotid Arteries ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulsatile Flow ; Pulse ; Risk Factors ; Stroke ; diagnosis ; etiology ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the value of urinary S100B protein and lactate/creatinine ratio determination in early identification of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

METHODSThe levels of urinary S100B protein and urinary lactate/creatinine ratio were detected in 58 full-term newborn infants with HIE on the first, second and third day after birth. The severity of clinical manifestations, including the degree of encephalopathy, was assessed within 7 days after birth. Twenty five normal neonates were enrolled into the control groups.

RESULTS(1) The urinary S100B level of HIE neonates was significantly higher in samples collected throughout the monitoring period than those of the normal control groups (all P < 0.001). The urinary lactate/creatinine ratio of the HIE neonates was also significantly higher than that of normal control groups within the first day (P < 0.001). (2) A significantly positive correlation was found between the level of urinary S100B protein within three days and the urinary lactate/creatinine ratio within the first day and between the level of urinary S100B protein within three days and clinical degree (P < 0.05). (3) When S100B concentration was 0.47 microg/L and urinary lactate/creatinine ratio was 0.55, the sensitivity and specificity of detecting the third day urinary S100B alone, were respectively 90.4%, 91.9%. Detecting it associated with the first day urinary lactate/creatinine ratio could increase the sensitivity and specificity (respectively 98.8% and 97.4%) for predicting development of HIE.

CONCLUSIONOn the basis of clinical manifestations of asphyxic neonatals, detecting the level of urinary S100B within three days and the first day urinary lactate/creatinine ratio may be of important value in early diagnosis and grading of HIE.

Apgar Score ; Asphyxia Neonatorum ; complications ; Creatinine ; urine ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; diagnosis ; etiology ; urine ; Infant, Newborn ; Lactic Acid ; urine ; Male ; Nerve Growth Factors ; urine ; S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit ; S100 Proteins ; urine ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: Cerebral ischemic lesions are frequently observed after carotid artery stenting (CAS), and anti-platelet agents are used to prevent stent thrombosis and peri-procedural complications. However, despite the premedication, cerebral ischemic lesions are observed, suggesting that they may rather be related to anti-platelet resistance. We, therefore, investigated the effects of anti-platelet resistance on the development of cerebral ischemic lesions after CAS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients who received CAS and selected patients for whom brain MRI was performed within 24 hours after CAS and for whom anti-platelet resistance was checked. Anti-platelet resistance was examined by the VerifyNow system. We analyzed the correlation between anti-platelet resistance and cerebral ischemic lesions detected on follow-up MRI. RESULTS: Among 76 patients, 45 (59.2%) developed new ischemic lesions after CAS. Twelve (15.8%) patients showed aspirin resistance and 50 (65.8%) patients showed clopidogrel resistance. Patients with a new ischemic lesion demonstrated a significantly greater frequency of clopidogrel resistance than those who had no new ischemic lesion (82.2% versus 41.9%, p=0.001). The frequency of aspirin resistance was not significantly different between the groups of patients with and without new ischemic lesions (20.0% versus 9.7%, p=0.340). In multivariate analysis, clopidogrel resistance was a significant risk factor for post-procedural cerebral ischemia. CONCLUSION: Anti-platelet resistance can be used to predict new ischemic lesions after CAS. Anti-platelet resistance should be evaluated in all patients prior to CAS to prevent ischemic complications related to CAS.
Aged ; Aspirin/*therapeutic use ; Brain Ischemia/diagnosis/*etiology ; Carotid Arteries/*surgery ; *Drug Resistance ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors/*therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents/*adverse effects

Asphyxia Neonatorum ; complications ; Biomarkers ; urine ; Dinoprost ; analogs & derivatives ; urine ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; diagnosis ; etiology ; urine ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Severity of Illness Index ; Time Factors