Objective: To explore the clinical features and prognosis in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TA) combining neurological symptoms. Methods: We retrospectively studied 274 TA patients combining neurological symptoms who admitted to our hospital from 2002-01 to 2013-10 for their clinical and imaging features with prognosis. Results: The ratio of male to female was 1:4.3 and the mean age of disease onset was at (28.2±11.2) years. The most common neurological symptom was dizziness (214/274 cases, 78.1%), most frequent type was type III TA (112 cases, 40.9%), most common affected artery was left subclavian artery (147 cases, 53.6%), and there were 77 cases (28.1%) with (3-4) branches of the aortic arch involvement. For stroke conditions, ischemic stroke was more frequently observed in patients with steno-occlusive lesions in subclavian artery and common carotid artery, while hemorrhagic stroke was more frequently found in patients with steno-occlusive lesions in descending aorta, abdominal aorta and/or renal artery. Heart failure was the most common cause of death, it was also the most common cardiovascular event in surviving cohorts. Conclusion: TA patients could have many neurological symptoms, which were related to the number and site of artery involvement.

Objective:To study the correlation between spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea and increased intracranial pressure.Methods:Clinical data of patients with spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea treated in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of the Provincial Hospital of Shandong First Medical University from January 2019 to December 2023 and their epidemiology, clinical symptoms and signs, preoperative cerebrospinal fluid pressure, imaging data, leakage site, repair method and the presence or absebce of increased intracranial pressure were analysed. SPSS 23.0 software was used for statistical analysis.Results:Of the 57 patients with cerebrospinal fluid nasolacrimal leakage, 84.2%(48/57) were females and 15.8%(9/57) were males; 80.7%(46/57) were between 40 and 60 years old; and overweight and obese patients accounted for 75.4%(43/57). Of 57 patients, 35 patients received cranial MRI+magnetic resonance venography, and among them, 12(34.3%) patients were clinically with headache symptoms; the incidences of empty pterygoid and venous sinus stenosis were 40.0%(14/35) and 51.4%(18/35), respectively; and 33 patients underwent preoperative lumbar puncture examination, of whom 25(75.8%) patients had the increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure and 1 patient had idiopathic intracranial hypertension. All 57 patients underwent dural repair of the skull base, the postoperative follow-up period ranged from 3 to 60 months, and the success rate of surgery was 94.7%. The success rate was 100% in female patients and 33.3%(3/9) in male patients, including one with surgical failure receiving reoperation and two with postoperative recurrence in other areas of the skull base, with significant difference in the success rate of surgery between males and females (χ 2=16.890, P<0.001). Conclusions:Most patients with spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea have the increased cerebrospinal fluid pressures, but very few fulfil the diagnosis of idiopathic intracranial hypertension. The success rate of surgical repair alone is high, but some recurrences still exist, especially in male patients.

Objectives:The present study evaluated the impact of ablation pain during pulmonary vein isolation(PVI)on catheter-tissue contact at different regions. Methods:Forty consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation(AF)referred to Central China Fuwai Hospital for catheter radiofrequency ablation from February to May 2023 were enrolled.The pulmonary veins on each side were divided into 8 regions.The catheter-tissue contact force(CF)and the number of ablation contact stability(>50%catheter attach time CF≥10 g)of each ablation lesion were analyzed.Pain scores during the ablation were assessed using the Faces Pain Scale-Revised and the maximum score was taken for each ablation region.Based on the pain scores,in each region,20 cases with higher pain scores were categorized into the pain group and 20 cases with lower pain scores were categorized into the normal group.The CF characteristics of each region and the relationship with ablation induced pain were analyzed. Results:A total of 3 832 lesions were recorded in 40 patients with AF,with a mean CF of(12.2±7.8)g.Among them,the CF in the pain group was significantly lower than that in the normal group([11.1±5.1]g vs.[13.4±4.8]g,P<0.05).The top region of the right pulmonary vein was the region with the largest CF(16.5±5.8)g,and the upper part of the left anterior wall(at the ridge between the left atrial appendage)was the region with the smallest CF(7.5±3.7)g.At the bottom of right pulmonary vein,right lower posterior wall,left pulmonary vein,and left posterior wall,as well as the middle region of left posterior wall,and upper region of left posterior wall,the CF was significantly smaller in the pain group than that in the normal group(all P<0.05).Of the 3 832 lesions,2 193(57.2%)were stable lesions,and the proportion of stable lesions in the pain group was significantly lower than that in the normal group(55.2%vs.59.5%,P<0.05).In the right pulmonary vein bottom,right lower posterior wall,left lower anterior wall,left pulmonary vein bottom,and left lower posterior wall,the proportion of stable lesions was significantly lower in the pain group than in the normal group(all P<0.05).In addition,the ratio of stable lesions in left pulmonary vein regions was lower than in the right(54.2%vs.60.5%,P<0.05).In the upper part of the left anterior wall(at the ridge between the left atrial appendage),only 88(39.3%)of the 224 lesions in 40 patients were stable lesions. Conclusions:Pain during ablation significantly affects the stability of the catheter to tissue.Monitoring real-time CF during PVI may have important implications for improving ablation efficacy,especially in regions with more intense pain.