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Feng JJ, deJong JL, Douglas EA, Fisher-Hubbard AO, Prahlow JA. Lethal Complications of Meningiomas: A Case Series. Acad Forensic Pathol 2024; 14:3-9. [PMID: 38505637 PMCID: PMC10947708 DOI: 10.1177/19253621241228625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Background Meningiomas are the most prevalent type of primary intracranial tumor in adults, comprising nearly one-third of all intracranial tumors. They are typically benign, slow-growing, and asymptomatic but may cause neurological symptoms as they expand due to mass effect. Classification is determined by World Health Organization (WHO) grades 1 to 3 following pathological examination corresponding to benign, atypical, and anaplastic (malignant), respectively, reflecting their rate of growth and risk of recurrence. The vast majority are WHO grade 1 and their slow growth permits timely presentation for elective resection; however, meningiomas in vulnerable locations and coexisting morbidities can result in sudden death. Objectives We present a series of four adult patients with meningiomas which resulted in death, including a case of fatal seizure, midline hemorrhagic meningioma, postresection meningitis, and compression of the cerebellum. Research design Retrospective review of the authors' cases was conducted. Available pathology, medical, and autopsy records including gross images were reviewed in each case. The inclusion criteria were adult patients (>18 years old) and that the cause of death had to include meningioma. Subjects The four patients included a 61-year-old male, an 84-year-old female, a 62-year-old male, and a 37-year-old female. Measures Qualitative; autopsy reports describing cause of death and pathology report findings including gross and microscopic analysis. Conclusions Meningiomas are often benign in nature but can rarely result in death. Size and location of the tumor and risk factors are contributory. Autopsy examination can be instrumental in identifying the cause and mechanism of deaths associated with meningiomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey J. Feng
- Jeffrey J. Feng, MS, Western Michigan University Stryker MD School of Medicine, 300 Portage Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49007,
| | | | | | | | - Joseph A. Prahlow
- Jeffrey J. Feng, MS, Western Michigan University Stryker MD School of Medicine, 300 Portage Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49007,
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Ballesteros-Sayas C, Muñoz-Montero A, Giorgi S, Cardenal-Muñoz E, Turón-Viñas E, Pallardó F, Aibar JÁ. Non-pharmacological therapeutic needs in people with Dravet syndrome. Epilepsy Behav 2024; 150:109553. [PMID: 38035538 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Dravet syndrome (DS) is a genetic rare disease, which is usually caused by a mutation in the SCN1A gene. DS is characterised by a drug-resistant epilepsy and by cognitive and behavioural disturbances. Thus, DS patients require both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments. However, there is a paucity of studies on non-pharmacological therapies and their potential benefits. The main aim of this study was to describe the non-pharmacological therapy modalities received by DS patients and their socio-economic impact on the family. Thus, we designed an online survey addressed to caregivers of DS patients. Our results indicated that up to 91.9% of the surveyed patients required non-pharmacological therapies, which were mainly directed to treat cognitive, sensory and motor impairments. In many cases, the economic costs of these therapies were borne entirely by the families. Nevertheless, patients required a deployment of resources not only at a health care level, but also at an educational level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Ballesteros-Sayas
- Early Infant Care Center, Hospital San Rafael, C/ San Juan de Dios, 19, 18001 Granada, Spain.
| | | | - Simona Giorgi
- Dravet Syndrome Foundation Spain, C/ Toledo, 46, 1º, 28005 Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Eulalia Turón-Viñas
- Child Neurology Unit, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, C/ Sant Quintí 89, 08001 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Federico Pallardó
- University of Valencia, Cellular and Organ Physiopathology of Oxidative Stress Research Group (INCLIVA), Av/ Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain.
| | - José Ángel Aibar
- Dravet Syndrome Foundation Spain, C/ Toledo, 46, 1º, 28005 Madrid, Spain.
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Argo A, Puntarello M, Malta G, Buscemi R, Scalzo G, Triolo V, Albano GD, Zerbo S. The analysis of SUDEP forensic autopsies leading to preventable events. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1231515. [PMID: 37456625 PMCID: PMC10346851 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1231515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The diagnosis of unexpected death by excluding non-natural causes, particularly in subjects with epilepsy, is a topic of interest and it is difficult to identify in the forensic field. Health professionals sometimes are faced with cases of sudden death, generally in young adults with a long history of epilepsy that require, for judicial purposes, an explanation in terms of cause and means to determine the death. SUDEP is an entity diagnosed by the exclusion of other causes that may have led to death, and then for forensic purposes, it requires particular attention and knowledge, and there is difficulty in identifying it. Our contribution aims to illustrate the scientific community pathological findings, medical history, and circumstantial evidence of four cases of sudden death in epileptic subjects. Method We illustrated four cases of judicial autopsies from the Institute of Forensic Medicine of Palermo, Italy; the purpose was to exclude the criminal intervention in determining the death as non-natural. The study of victims' medical history, the toxicological investigations, and the autopsy findings analyzed both from macroscopic and microscopic aspects have made it possible to highlight some findings that can be traced back to SUDEP despite the small sample of subjects studied. Results These presented findings of four SUDEP cases could help forensic pathologists in recognizing this entity, by highlighting its characteristics, and allowing for a pathological classification, also in relation to the use of drugs for epilepsy treatment and circumstances of death. Discussion To obtain a definite diagnosis of SUDEP, a complex investigation process is required in a multidisciplinary approach. Considering the literature review with criticism, it could allow health professionals to select the characteristics of epileptic patients at risk of sudden death. Processing human behaviors, molecular and histopathological findings of the autopsies, but also the physiological, and pathological human body system functions thanks to Artificial Intelligence, could be the key to explaining SUDEP mechanisms and the future results to prevent it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonina Argo
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Section of Legal Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Puntarello
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Section of Legal Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Ginevra Malta
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Section of Legal Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Roberto Buscemi
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Section of Legal Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giovanni Scalzo
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Section of Legal Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Davide Albano
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Section of Legal Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Stefania Zerbo
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Section of Legal Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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Handan Günsay R, Çıkrıkçı Işık G, Yıldırım M, Gökçek Ö, Korucu O, Çevik Y. Evaluation of postictal optic nerve sheath diameter at epileptic patients. Epilepsy Behav 2023; 144:109264. [PMID: 37247582 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION During a seizure, metabolic rate and, consequently, cerebral blood flow increase to provide the required maintenance energy. It is thought that this causes an increase in intracranial pressure, but there is no comprehensive research on this subject. In this study, we aimed to measure and follow optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) in patients who applied to the emergency department (ED) after generalized tonic-clonic (GTC) seizures and to gain information about intracranial pressure changes in epilepsy patients in the postictal period. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a prospective observational study. Patients already diagnosed with epilepsy who applied to the ED within one hour after GTC seizures were included. The ONSD of the patients was measured by the same radiologist three times in both eyes using ultrasonography at the time of admission and the fourth hour of follow-up. The seizure characteristics and measurements of the patients were recorded, and the changes in ONSD over time and correlations between seizure characteristics and ONSD were examined. RESULTS Sixty-six patients were included in the study. Thirty-four (51.5%) of the patients had seizures with auras. For both eyes, the first-hour ONSD values of the patients [right: 5.90 (5.73-6.16) mm, left: 5.86 (5.73-6.13) mm] were significantly higher than the fourth-hour ONSD values [right: 5.26 (5.19-5.40) mm, left: 5.28 (5.16-5.36) mm)] (p < 0.001 for both eyes). Additionally, the first- and fourth-hour ONSD values of patients with seizures with auras were significantly higher than those with seizures without auras (p < 0.001 for each condition). There was no correlation between other variables related to seizure type and ONSD. CONCLUSION This study showed that after GTC seizures in epilepsy patients, ONSD increases in the first hour postictal and decreases over time. Another important result is that the increase in ONSD values in seizures with auras is significantly higher than in seizures without auras.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabia Handan Günsay
- University of Health Sciences Ankara Atatürk Sanatoryum Training and Research Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Gülşah Çıkrıkçı Işık
- University of Health Sciences Ankara Atatürk Sanatoryum Training and Research Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Meral Yıldırım
- Ankara Atatürk Sanatoryum Training and Research Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Özcan Gökçek
- University of Health Sciences Ankara Atatürk Sanatoryum Training and Research Hospital, Department of Radiology, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Osman Korucu
- University of Health Sciences Ankara Atatürk Sanatoryum Training and Research Hospital, Department of Neurology, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Yunsur Çevik
- University of Health Sciences Ankara Atatürk Sanatoryum Training and Research Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
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Yılmaz F, Sonmez BM, Kavalci C, Arslan ED, Caliskan G, Beydilli I. Efficacy of bedside optic nerve sheath diameter measurement in differentiating provoked seizure from unprovoked seizure in the emergency department. Ann Saudi Med 2023; 43:42-49. [PMID: 36739503 PMCID: PMC9899342 DOI: 10.5144/0256-4947.2023.42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emergency departments (EDs) are typically the first medical contact for seizure patients, and early diagnosis and treatment is primarily the responsibility of emergency physicians. OBJECTIVES Demonstrate the efficacy of bedside ocular ultrasonography for optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measurement in differentiating provoked seizure from unprovoked seizure in the ED. DESIGN Prospective observational study SETTINGS: Tertiary care hospital PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients presenting to the ED with seizure were divided into two groups according to medical history, physical examination, laboratory results, cranial computed tomography findings and electroencephalography results. Patients with seizures that did not have a specific cause (unprovoked) were compared with patients who had seizures caused by underlying pathology (provoked). The measurement of the ONSD was taken at the bedside within 30 minutes of arrival. The study compared the ONSD values, age, sex, type of seizure, and Glasgow Coma Score between the two groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Efficacy of ONSD to distinguish between provoked and unprovoked seizures. SAMPLE SIZE 210 patients RESULTS: One hundred and fourteen (54.3%) patients were in the provoked seizure group and 96 (45.7%) were in the unprovoked seizure group. The ONSD measurements were significantly higher in the provoked seizure group compared with the unprovoked seizure group (median 6.1 mm vs. 5.2 mm, P<.001). The cut-off value of ONSD higher than 5.61 was significantly associated with the prediction of the provoked seizure (P<.001). The area under the curve value was 0.882 (95% CI: 0.830-0.922) with a sensitivity of 86.5 and specificity of 78.9%. CONCLUSIONS Bedside ONSD measurement by means of ocular ultrasound is an effective method for differentiating provoked seizure from unprovoked seizure. LIMITATIONS Statistical significance of age on ONSD and exclusion of pediatric patients. CONFLICT OF INTEREST None.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fevzi Yılmaz
- From the Department of Emergency Medicine, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkiye
| | - Bedriye Muge Sonmez
- From the Department of Emergency Medicine, Ankara Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Ankara, Turkiye
| | - Cemil Kavalci
- From the Department of Emergency Medicine, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkiye
| | - Engin Deniz Arslan
- From the Department of Emergency Medicine, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkiye
| | - Gulsum Caliskan
- From the Department of Emergency Medicine, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkiye
| | - Inan Beydilli
- From the Department of Emergency Medicine, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkiye
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Pan Z, Zhong Q, Wang C, Wang J, Chen X, Li X, Zhang X, Zhang Y. Association Between Partial Pressure of Carbon Dioxide and Immediate Seizures in Patients With Primary Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Propensity-Matched Analysis. Front Neurol 2022; 13:865207. [PMID: 35528742 PMCID: PMC9069159 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.865207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To explore the value of partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) levels in arterial blood for predicting immediate seizures (ISs) in patients with primary intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Methods Demographic information and clinical data from patients with primary ICH were prospectively collected, including arterial blood gas analysis. Immediate seizures (ISs) were determined as seizures in the first 24 h after admission. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess the association of PaCO2 levels with ISs. Propensity-score matching (PSM) analyses were adopted to reduce the baseline difference between ISs and non-ISs groups. Results A total of 596 patients with primary ICH were initially screened in this clinical study, 368 of whom fulfilled all the inclusion criteria [mean age, (60.46 ±12.78) years; 57.9% female patients]. ISs occurred in 30 of the 368 (8.15%) patients with primary ICH of this cohort. Patients with ISs had significantly lower PaCO2 levels [34.35(32.38–37.53) vs. 39.45(35.90–43.43), mmHg, p < 0.001] and were younger than those without ISs [(54.57±12.15 vs. 60.99 ±12.72) years, p = 0.008]. Multivariate analysis showed that lower initial PaCO2 (≤37.2 mmHg) level was a significant independent predictor of ISs [odds ratios (OR) 0.141, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.057–0.351, p < 0.001], as well as younger age (OR 0.961, 95% CI 0.928–0.995, p = 0.023) and hematoma expansion (OR 0.340, 95% CI 0.134–0.863, p = 0.023). Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis demonstrated that the optimal cutoff value of PaCO2 level for predicting ISs was 37.20 mmHg in patients with primary ICH (the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.760 with a corresponding sensitivity of 76.67% and specificity of 67.46%, 95%CI = 0.713–0.802, p < 0.001). After PSM, the matched ISs group had significantly lower PaCO2 levels compared with the matched non-ISs group [34.45(32.43–38.18) vs. 41.75(35.85–43.98) mmHg, p < 0.05] in the univariate analysis. The lower initial PaCO2 level was still independent of ISs following primary ICH. Conclusions The lower initial PaCO2 level was associated with an increased risk of ISs in patients with primary ICH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiming Pan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Dehua County Hospital, Quanzhou, China
| | - Qiuli Zhong
- Department of Internal Medicine, Dehua County Hospital, Quanzhou, China
| | - Chaoying Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Dehua County Hospital, Quanzhou, China
| | - Jianqun Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Dehua County Hospital, Quanzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Dehua County Hospital, Quanzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Dehua County Hospital, Quanzhou, China
| | - Xintong Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yuebei People's Hospital, Shaoguan, China
| | - Yibin Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Dehua County Hospital, Quanzhou, China.,Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
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Cabral MD, Patel DR, Greydanus DE, Deleon J, Hudson E, Darweesh S. Medical perspectives on pediatric sports medicine–Selective topics. Dis Mon 2022; 68:101327. [DOI: 10.1016/j.disamonth.2022.101327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Dibué M, Spoor JKH, Dremmen M, von Saß CF, Hänggi D, Steiger HJ, Ryvlin P, Kamp MA. Sudden death in epilepsy: There is room for intracranial pressure. Brain Behav 2020; 10:e01838. [PMID: 32949224 PMCID: PMC7667321 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sudden unexpected death in patients with epilepsy (SUDEP) remains a poorly understood entity, and it is unclear whether the same pathomechanisms underlie all sudden deaths occurring in patients with epilepsy. One aspect not included in current models of SUDEP is the role of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) which can be observed immediately upon seizure activity in neurosurgical practice. METHODS We conducted a systematic review of the occurrence of edema in patients with epilepsy reported to have died of sudden death who underwent brain autopsy or postmortem brain imaging and discuss how increased ICP may contribute to clinical features of SUDEP. RESULTS 19 eligible studies comprising a total of 623 patients were identified. Edema-mostly mild or moderate-was reported in 17% of cases and 74% of studies. 1% (n = 6) of the overall cases were clearly identified as having Dravet syndrome or an SCN1A mutation. In these patients, edema was found in 4 (67%) of cases. CONCLUSION Edema is regularly found in patients with epilepsy classified to have died from SUDEP. We argue that seizures preceding SUDEP may in certain cases elicit acute edema which may represent an additional contributing factor in the cascade of events leading to sudden death of patients with epilepsy. Furthermore, we hypothesize that mild edema may especially progress to severe edema in patients with sodium channel mutations which may represent an important mechanism to investigate in the context of understanding the significantly elevated risk of SUDEP in patients with SCN1A mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxine Dibué
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jochem K H Spoor
- Department of Neurosurgery, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marjolein Dremmen
- Department of Radiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Daniel Hänggi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Hans-Jakob Steiger
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Philippe Ryvlin
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Vaudois and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Marcel A Kamp
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
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