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Hostens A, Wiels W, Cypers G. Rippling muscles as a diagnostic clue to thymoma. Pract Neurol 2024; 24:244-245. [PMID: 38195583 DOI: 10.1136/pn-2023-004018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Arne Hostens
- Neurology, Onze Lieve Vrouwziekenhuis, Aalst, Belgium
- Neurology, University Hospital Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Wietse Wiels
- Neurology, Onze Lieve Vrouwziekenhuis, Aalst, Belgium
| | - Gert Cypers
- Neurology, Onze Lieve Vrouwziekenhuis, Aalst, Belgium
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2
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Quattrocchi S, Bonan L, Cirillo L, Avoni P, Di Stasi V, Rizzo G, Liguori R, Vacchiano V. Bibrachial amyotrophy as a rare manifestation of intraspinal fluid collection: a case report and systematic review. Neurol Sci 2024; 45:2279-2288. [PMID: 37968433 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-023-07170-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Intraspinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection has been reported as a rare cause of lower motor neuron (LMN) disorder. We report a case of bibrachial diplegia associated with intraspinal CSF collection and perform a systematic literature review. PATIENT AND METHODS A 52-year-old man developed a bibrachial amyotrophy over 6 years, confirmed by the presence of cervical subacute neurogenic changes at electromyography (EMG). Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed cerebral siderosis, while spine MRI showed a ventral longitudinal intraspinal fluid collection (VLISFC) from C2 to L2. No CSF leakage was localized at myelography; a conservative treatment was chosen. We searched for all published cases until 30th April 2023 and extrapolated data of 44 patients reported in 27 publications. RESULTS We observed a male predominance, a younger disease onset compared to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and a quite long disease duration, highlighting a slow disease progression. LMN signs were more frequently bilateral, mostly involving C5-C6 myotomes. Around 61% of patients presented additional symptoms, but only three referred to a history of headache. Accordingly, CSF opening pressure was mostly normal. Spinal MRI revealed the presence of VLISFC and in some cases myelomalacia. EMG patterns displayed both chronic and subacute neurogenic change in the cervical region. The disease course mainly depended on the treatment choice, which was mostly represented by a surgical approach when a specific dural defect was detected by imaging. CONCLUSION Bibrachial diplegia due to VLISFC can be a treatable cause of focal amyotrophy and presents some clinical and radiological "red flags" which cannot be missed by a clinical neurologist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Quattrocchi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Luigi Bonan
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Luigi Cirillo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, UOC Clinica Neurologica, Bologna, Italy
| | - Patrizia Avoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, UOC Clinica Neurologica, Bologna, Italy
| | - Vitantonio Di Stasi
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, UOC Clinica Neurologica, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Rizzo
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, UOC Clinica Neurologica, Bologna, Italy
| | - Rocco Liguori
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, UOC Clinica Neurologica, Bologna, Italy
| | - Veria Vacchiano
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, UOC Clinica Neurologica, Bologna, Italy.
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Hahn C, Budhram A, Alikhani K, AlOhaly N, Beecher G, Blevins G, Brooks J, Carruthers R, Comtois J, Cowan J, de Robles P, Hébert J, Kapadia RK, Lapointe S, Mackie A, Mason W, McLane B, Muccilli A, Poliakov I, Smyth P, Williams KG, Uy C, McCombe JA. Canadian Consensus Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Autoimmune Encephalitis in Adults. Can J Neurol Sci 2024:1-21. [PMID: 38312020 DOI: 10.1017/cjn.2024.16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Autoimmune encephalitis is increasingly recognized as a neurologic cause of acute mental status changes with similar prevalence to infectious encephalitis. Despite rising awareness, approaches to diagnosis remain inconsistent and evidence for optimal treatment is limited. The following Canadian guidelines represent a consensus and evidence (where available) based approach to both the diagnosis and treatment of adult patients with autoimmune encephalitis. The guidelines were developed using a modified RAND process and included input from specialists in autoimmune neurology, neuropsychiatry and infectious diseases. These guidelines are targeted at front line clinicians and were created to provide a pragmatic and practical approach to managing such patients in the acute setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Hahn
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Adrian Budhram
- Clinical Neurological Sciences, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Western University, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada
| | - Katayoun Alikhani
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Nasser AlOhaly
- Division of Neurology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Grayson Beecher
- Division of Neurology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Gregg Blevins
- Division of Neurology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - John Brooks
- Division of Neurology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Robert Carruthers
- Division of Neurology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jacynthe Comtois
- Neurosciences, Universite de Montreal Faculte de Medecine, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Juthaporn Cowan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Paula de Robles
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Oncology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Julien Hébert
- Division of Neurology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ronak K Kapadia
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Sarah Lapointe
- Neurosciences, Universite de Montreal Faculte de Medecine, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Aaron Mackie
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Warren Mason
- Division of Neurology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Brienne McLane
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | | | - Ilia Poliakov
- Division of Neurology, University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Penelope Smyth
- Division of Neurology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | | | - Christopher Uy
- Division of Neurology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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4
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Spagni G, Modoni A, Primiano G, Luigetti M, Sun B, Falso S, Monte G, Distefano M, Granata G, Evoli A, Damato V, Iorio R. Clinical, neurophysiological and serological clues for the diagnosis of neuromyotonia and distinction from cramp-fasciculation syndrome. Neuromuscul Disord 2023; 33:636-642. [PMID: 37422355 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2023.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Neuromyotonia and cramp-fasciculation syndrome diagnosis currently relies on neurophysiological examination. In this study we investigated the clinical features and neural antibody profile of patients with neuromyotonia and cramp-fasciculation syndrome to assess the diagnostic value of serological testing. Available sera from adult patients with electromyography-defined neuromyotonia and cramp-fasciculation syndrome were tested for neural antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence on mouse brain sections and live cell-based assays. Forty patients were included, 14 with neuromyotonia and 26 with cramp-fasciculation syndrome. Neural antibodies were detected in 10/10 neuromyotonia sera, most commonly against contactin-associated protein 2 (7/10, 70%), and in 1/20 (5%) cramp-fasciculation syndrome sera. Clinical myokymia, hyperhidrosis, and paresthesia or neuropathic pain were more common in neuromyotonia and mostly associated with contactin-associated protein 2 antibodies. Central nervous system involvement was present in 4/14 (29%) neuromyotonia patients. A tumor was detected in 13/14 (93%) neuromyotonia patients (thymoma, 13), and in 4/26 (15%) with cramp-fasciculation syndrome (thymoma, 1; other neoplasms, 3). Twenty-one/27 (78%) patients achieved a significant improvement or complete remission. Our findings highlight clinical, neurophysiological and serological clues that can be useful in the diagnosis of neuromyotonia and cramp-fasciculation syndrome. Antibody testing is valuable for neuromyotonia diagnosis, while its usefulness in cramp-fasciculation syndrome confirmation is limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregorio Spagni
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Modoni
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Organi di Senso e Torace, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Guido Primiano
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Organi di Senso e Torace, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Luigetti
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Organi di Senso e Torace, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Bo Sun
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, UK
| | - Silvia Falso
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Organi di Senso e Torace, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriele Monte
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; Neuroscience Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
| | - Marisa Distefano
- UOC Neurologia e UTN, Ospedale Belcolle, Strada Sammartinese, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Granata
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Organi di Senso e Torace, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Amelia Evoli
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Organi di Senso e Torace, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
| | - Valentina Damato
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; Department of Neurosciences, Drugs and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Raffaele Iorio
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Organi di Senso e Torace, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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Bailey G, Trivedi JR. An Unusual Presentation of Dermatomyositis With Muscle Hypertrophy. Cureus 2023; 15:e41005. [PMID: 37519595 PMCID: PMC10371830 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.41005] [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] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Peripheral nerve hyperexcitability is a rare disorder characterized by spontaneous motor unit activity. Although peripheral nerve hyperexcitability is seen in multiple immune-mediated neurological conditions, an association with dermatomyositis has rarely been reported. We present a 65-year-old woman with serological and muscle biopsy features of dermatomyositis who also developed marked muscle hypertrophy, stiffness, and delayed relaxation along with electrodiagnostic features of peripheral nerve hyperexcitability such as that seen in Isaacs syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Bailey
- Neurology, University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, USA
| | - Jaya R Trivedi
- Neurology, University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, USA
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Dijkstra JN, Boon E, Kruijt N, Brusse E, Ramdas S, Jungbluth H, van Engelen BGM, Walters J, Voermans NC. Muscle cramps and contractures: causes and treatment. Pract Neurol 2023; 23:23-34. [PMID: 36522175 DOI: 10.1136/pn-2022-003574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Muscle cramps are painful, sudden, involuntary muscle contractions that are generally self-limiting. They are often part of the spectrum of normal human physiology and can be associated with a wide range of acquired and inherited causes. Cramps are only infrequently due to progressive systemic or neuromuscular diseases. Contractures can mimic cramps and are defined as shortenings of the muscle resulting in an inability of the muscle to relax normally, and are generally myogenic. General practitioners and neurologists frequently encounter patients with muscle cramps but more rarely those with contractures. The main questions for clinicians are: (1) Is this a muscle cramp, a contracture or a mimic? (2) Are the cramps exercise induced, idiopathic or symptomatic? (3) What is/are the presumed cause(s) of symptomatic muscle cramps or contractures? (4) What should be the diagnostic approach? and (5) How should we advise and treat patients with muscle cramps or contractures? We consider these questions and present a practical approach to muscle cramps and contractures, including their causes, pathophysiology and treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jildou N Dijkstra
- Department of Neurology, Radboud Universiteit, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Eline Boon
- Department of Neurology, Radboud Universiteit, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nick Kruijt
- Department of Neurology, Radboud Universiteit, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Esther Brusse
- Department of Neurology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sithara Ramdas
- MDUK Neuromuscular Centre, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Department of Paediatric Neurology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Heinz Jungbluth
- Paediatric Neurology, Neuromuscular Service, Evelina's Children Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK.,Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Muscle Signalling Section, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine (FoLSM), King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Jon Walters
- Department of Neurology, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, UK
| | - Nicol C Voermans
- Department of Neurology, Radboud Universiteit, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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