Purpose: Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a controversial concept not much explored on colorectal cancer patients. Materials and Methods: We identified 11 prospective studies: eight studies on 696 colorectal cancer patients who received chemotherapy and three studies on 346 rectal cancer patients who received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) of neuropsychological test results and the cognitive quality-of-life scale were calculated using random effect models. A meta-regression was conducted to investigate the association between mean study population age and effect sizes. Results: The association between chemotherapy and cognitive impairment was not clear in colorectal cancer patients (SMD, 0.003; 95% confidence interval, ‒0.080 to 0.086). However, a meta-regression showed that older patients are more vulnerable to CRCI than younger patients (β=‒0.016, p < 0.001). Conclusion Chemotherapy has an overall positive negligible effect size on the cognitive function of colorectal patients. Age is a significant moderator of CRCI.

Behcet's disease (BD) is characterized by recurrent oro-genital ulcers, skin lesions, and intraocular inflammation, but can also affect various internal organs. Vascular BD usually presents with luminal stenosis, thrombosis, or aneurysm formation in aorta and peripheral arteries. However, intracranial artery involvement has been uncommonly reported in patients with BD and BD cases with lenticulostriate artery aneurysm have been rarely described in the English-language literature. We hereby reported the first case of a Korean BD patient presenting with a ruptured lenticulostriate artery aneurysm, who received medical treatment, and reviewed the literature on reported cases of BD with intracranial aneurysms.
Aneurysm* ; Aorta ; Arteries* ; Basal Ganglia Cerebrovascular Disease ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Phenobarbital ; Rupture* ; Skin Ulcer ; Thrombosis

Purpose: Glyphosate herbicide (GH) is a widely used herbicide and has been associated with significant mortality as poisoned cases increases. One of the reasons for high toxicity is thought to be toxic effect of its ingredient with glyphosate. This study was designed to determine differences in the clinical course with the salt-type contained in GH. Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted at a single hospital between January 2013 and December 2017. We enrolled GH-poisoned patients visited the emergency department. According to salt-type, patients were divided into 4 groups: isopropylamine (IPA), ammonium (Am), potassium (Po), and mixed salts (Mi) groups. The demographics, laboratory variables, complications, and their mortality were analyzed to determine clinical differences associated with each salt-type. Addtionally, we subdivided patients into survivor and non-survivor groups for investigating predictive factors for the mortality. Results: Total of 348 GH-poisoned patients were divided as follows: IPA 248, Am 41, Po 10, and Mi 49 patients. There was no difference in demographic or underlying disease history, but systolic blood pressure (SBP) was low in Po group. The ratio of intentional ingestion was higher in Po and Mi groups. Metabolic acidosis and relatively high lactate level were presented in Po group.As the primary outcome, the mortality rates were as follows: IPA, 26 (10.5%); Am, 2 (4.9%); Po, 1 (10%); and Mi, 1 (2%). There was no statistically significant difference in the mortality and the incidence of complications. Additionally, age, low SBP, low pH, corrected QT (QTc) prolongation, and respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation were analyzed as independent predictors for mortality in a regression analysis. Conclusion There was no statistical difference in their complications and the mortality across the GH-salt groups in this study.

Metronidazole is a widely used antibiotic for the treatment of anaerobic bacterial infections. Metronidazole-induced encephalopathy (MIEP) is a rare but potentially reversible disease. The mechanism of MIEP remains unclear, and differences in the neurotoxic effects of oral versus intravenous (IV) metronidazole administration have not yet been determined. We report the case of a Crohn's disease (CD) patient who experienced encephalopathy immediately after a single IV dose of metronidazole following long-term exposure to the oral form of the drug. The 64-year-old man with intractable CD experienced a sudden change in mental status, aphasia, and muscle weakness after IV administration of metronidazole. He had previously taken metronidazole orally for 13 years and received intermittent IV metronidazole treatments for CD exacerbation. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed high-intensity signals in the bilateral medial thalamus and the midbrain and pontine tegmentum on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images. After discontinuation of metronidazole, the high-intensity brain MRI signals resolved and the patient's mental status dramatically improved; however, the patient exhibited mild cognitive dysfunction 2 months after the onset of encephalopathy.
Aphasia ; Bacterial Infections ; Brain ; Brain Diseases* ; Brain Diseases, Metabolic ; Crohn Disease* ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mesencephalon ; Metronidazole ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Weakness ; Pontine Tegmentum ; Thalamus