Ischaemic Lumbosacral Plexopathy following an Acute Thrombosed Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Mimicking Stroke: A Case Report

Neuropathy is a disease affecting the nerves that can be caused by infectious, ischaemic, or autoimmune disease. Aortic thrombosis may develop neurologic symptoms; however, when unilateral paraplegia is the first main symptom, it could be misinterpreted as a neuropathy. An 82-year-old man with a history of intracranial haemorrhage complained of motor weakness in the right lower extremity. Magnetic resonance imaging did not show any evidence of cerebral infarction or haemorrhage. A subsequent computed tomography angiogram confirmed the diagnosis of an acutely thrombosed abdominal aortic aneurysm and revealed thrombosed common, internal and external iliac arteries bilaterally including the left femoral artery. Aortobifemoral bypass surgery with open thrombectomy was performed. The patient recovered successfully despite a tendency for bleeding due to the use of anticoagulants. In conclusion, this is a rare case with the initial predominant presentation being painless unilateral paraplegia mimicking stroke. (Hong Kong j.emerg. med. 2016;23:52-56)

First report of carp oedema virus infection of koi (Cyprinus carpio haematopterus) in the Republic of Korea

Twenty-five koi (Cyprinus carpio haematopterus) bought from a wholesale fish market in Korea, showed lethargic behaviour and 100% mortality within 20 days. Carp oedema virus (CEV) was detected by PCR in all 25 koi. Results of detailed histopathological and clinical examinations of 17 koi indicated loss of body balance, severe infiltration of inflammatory cells into the inter-lamellar spaces of the gills and vacuolization and inclusion bodies in gill epithelial cells. Sequence analysis of PCR products of these koi showed up to 99% identity to the previously reported sequences, suggesting that the observed mass mortality resulted from koi sleepy disease (KSD) due to CEV infection. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first report of KSD in the Republic of Korea. Partial sequences of 4a protein from the virus indicated that the present CEV detected in koi from Korea is more closely related to that from the UK and Poland than from Japan. The present findings indicate that the prevalence and spread of KSD must be closely monitored in both European and Asian countries to avoid potential economic losses to the global koi industry.

Widespread cortical thinning in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Studies on cortical involvement and its relationship with cognitive function in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) remain scarce. The objective of this study was to compare cortical thickness on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) between patients with NMOSD and multiple sclerosis (MS) and to investigate its relationship with clinical features and cognitive function.

METHODS

This observational clinical imaging study of 91 patients with NMOSD, 52 patients with MS and 44 healthy controls was conducted from 1 December 2013 to 30 April 2015 at the institutional referral center. Three tesla MRI of the brain and neuropsychological tests were performed. Cortical thickness was measured using three-dimensional surface-based analysis.

RESULTS

Both sets of patients exhibited cortical thinning throughout the entire brain cortex. Patients with MS showed a significantly greater reduction in cortical thickness over broad regions of the bilateral frontal and parieto-temporal cortices and the left precuneus compared to those with NMOSD. Memory functions in patients with MS were correlated with broad regional cortical thinning, whereas no significant associations were observed between cortical thickness and cognitive function in patients with NMOSD.

CONCLUSIONS

Widespread cortical thinning was observed in patients with NMOSD and MS, but the extent of cortical thinning was greater in patients with MS. The more severe cortical atrophy may contribute to memory impairment in patients with MS but not in those with NMOSD. These results provide in vivo evidence that the severity and clinical relevance of cortical thinning differ between NMOSD and MS.

Clinicopathologic and prognostic significance of c-MYC copy number gain in lung adenocarcinomas

BACKGROUND

c-MYC copy number gain (c-MYC gain) has been associated with aggressive behaviour in several cancers. However, the role of c-MYC gain has not yet been determined in lung adenocarcinomas classified by genetic alterations in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), KRAS, and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) genes. We investigated the clinicopathologic and prognostic significance of c-MYC gain for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) according to EGFR, KRAS, and ALK gene status and stages in lung adenocarcinomas.

METHODS

In 255 adenocarcinomas resected in Seoul National University Bundang Hospital from 2003 to 2009, fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) with c-MYC probe and centromeric enumeration probe 8 (CEP8) was analysed using tissue microarray containing single representative core per each case. EGFR (codon 18 to 21) and KRAS (codon 12, 13, and 61) mutations were analysed by polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing method from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections. ALK rearrangement was determined by FISH method. c-MYC gain was defined as >2 copies per nucleus, chromosome 8 gain as ⩾3 copies per nucleus, and gain of c-MYC:CEP8 ratio (hereafter, c-MYC amplification) as ⩾2.

RESULTS

We observed c-MYC gain in 20% (51 out of 255), chromosome 8 gain in 5.5% (14 out of 255), c-MYC amplification in 2.4% (6 out of 255), EGFR mutation in 49.4% (118 out of 239), KRAS mutation in 5.7% (7 out of 123), and ALK rearrangement in 4.9% (10 out of 205) of lung adenocarcinomas. c-MYC gain was observed in 19% (22 out of 118) of patients with lung adenocarcinomas with an EGFR mutation, but not in any patients with a KRAS mutation, or an ALK rearrangement. c-MYC gain (but not chromosome 8 gain or c-MYC amplification) was an independent poor-prognostic factor in the full cohort of lung adenocarcinoma (P=0.022, hazard ratio (HR)=1.71, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.08-2.69 for DFS; P=0.032, HR=2.04, 95% CI, 1.06-3.91 for OS), as well as in stage I subgroup (P=0.023, HR=4.70, 95% CI, 1.24-17.78 for DFS; P=0.031, HR=4.65, 95% CI, 1.15-18.81 for OS), and in EGFR-mutant subgroup (P=0.022; HR=2.14; 95% CI, 1.11-4.10 for DFS).

CONCLUSIONS

c-MYC gain (but not chromosome 8 gain or c-MYC amplification) was an independent poor-prognostic factor for DFS and OS in lung adenocarcinomas, both in full cohort and stage I cancer, and possibly for DFS in EGFR-mutant adenocarcinomas. Additional studies are required to determine if patients with lung adenocarcinoma with c-MYC gain are candidates for additional first-line treatment to mitigate their increased risk for disease progression and death.

Rhabdomyolysis associated with initiation of febuxostat therapy for hyperuricaemia in a patient with chronic kidney disease

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

Febuxostat is now recommended as the first-line pharmacological urate-lowering therapy for gout in the American College of Rheumatology guidelines. There is no case of rhabdomyolysis associated with febuxostat among reported side effects of the drug. Our objective is to report on a case of rhabdomyolysis associated with initiation of febuxostat in a patient with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

CASE SUMMARY

A 73-year-old male patient visited our emergency room due to progressive weakness in both lower extremities starting 3 days earlier. Ten days before presentation, his primary physician had changed his prescription from allopurinol to febuxostat (80 mg) because of poor control of uric acid levels. There was tenderness in both thighs. Initial creatinine kinase (CK) was 7652 U/L (0-170 U/L), and a bone scan using (99m) Tc-HDP revealed strong uptake in soft tissues in both thighs and buttocks. Electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) showed abnormal spontaneous activities (ASA), suggesting myopathy, not nerve damage. On day 7 of admission, after conservative management and febuxostat withdrawal, he could walk on the ward. He is being followed in our clinic as an outpatient with no sequelae.

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

This report is first case of rhabdomyolysis associated with initiation of febuxostat. Febuxostat should be withdrawn when rhabdomyolysis is confirmed.