Persistent Hemichorea as a Preceding Symptom of Cerebral Infarction Due to Middle Cerebral Artery Stenosis

Hemichorea in patients with temporal lobe infarcts: Two case reports

BACKGROUND

Hemichorea and other hyperkinetic movement disorders are uncommon presentations of stroke and are usually secondary to deep infarctions affecting the basal ganglia and thalamus. Therefore, temporal ischemic lesions causing hemichorea are rare. We report the cases of two patients with acute ischemic temporal lobe infarct strokes that presented as hemichorea.

CASE SUMMARY

Patient 1: An 82-year-old woman presented with a 1-mo history of involuntary movement of the left extremity, which was consistent with hemichorea. Her diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) revealed an acute ischemic stroke that predominantly affected the right temporal cortex, and magnetic resonance angiography of the head showed significant stenosis of the right middle cerebral artery (MCA). Treatment with 2.5 mg of olanzapine per day was initiated. When she was discharged from the hospital, her symptoms appeared to have improved compared with those previously observed. Twenty-seven days after the first admission, she was readmitted due to acute ischemic stroke. Computed tomography perfusion showed marked hypoperfusion in the right MCA territory. An emergency transfemoral cerebral angiogram was performed and showed severe stenosis in the M1 segment of the right MCA. After percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was successfully performed, abnormal movements or other neurologic problems did not occur. Patient 2: A 76-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for a 7-d history of right-upper-sided involuntary movements. DWI showed an acute patchy ischemic stroke in the left temporal lobe without basal ganglia involvement. Subsequent diffusion tensor imaging confirmed fewer white matter fiber tracts on the left side than on the opposite side. Treatment with 2.5 mg of olanzapine per day improved his condition, and he was discharged.

CONCLUSION

When acute hemichorea suddenly appears, temporal cortical ischemic stroke should be considered a possible diagnosis. In addition, hemichorea may be a sign of impending cerebral infarction with MCA stenosis.

Cerebral infarction in centrum semiovale presenting with hemichorea: a case report and literature review

Hemichorea caused by cerebral infarction in the centrum semiovale is a rare condition that can often be misdiagnosed. In this case report, we present a rare case of a 66-year-old man who experienced involuntary movement in his left limbs due to acute cerebral infarction in the centrum semiovale. The patient did not have any obvious inducements for the hemichorea. In this case, the treatment approach followed the guidelines for treating acute cerebral infarction, combined with the use of dopamine receptor blockers. The involuntary movements gradually improved and completely remitted after 5 days of treatment, with no relapse within the following 6 months. To summarize, this case report highlights the rare occurrence of hemichorea caused by cerebral infarction in the centrum semiovale. Prompt recognition and appropriate treatment are essential to prevent misdiagnosis and ensure optimal management of the condition.

Efficacy and Safety of Electroacupuncture in the Treatment of Cerebral Infarction: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Purpose

The goal of this study was to see if electroacupuncture was effective and safe in the management of cerebral infarction. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were used to conduct a comprehensive literature survey.

Methods

Basic features of 7 studies were identified using the searching strategy. The investigation was found in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, with the most recent search being in March 2022. "Electroacupuncture," "cerebral infarction," and their permutations were among the MeSH terms and free words used. As literature, two reviewers independently used a standardized form to gather pertinent data from qualifying research.

Results

157 literatures were identified and evaluated. Electroacupuncture improved the BI score in individuals with cerebral infarction (mean difference = 0.10, 95 percent CI: 0.00-0.20, p = 0.04). Electroacupuncture enhanced BI score in individuals with cerebral infarction (mean difference = 0.10, 95 percent CI: 0.00-0.20, p = 0.04). The effects of electroacupuncture increased Fugl-Meyer index in patients with cerebral infarction (mean difference = 25.92, 95% CI: 25.28-26.56, p < 0.00001). Electroacupuncture effects decreased CSS in patients with cerebral infarction in the experiment group (mean difference = -2.10, 95% CI: -2.53--1.67, p < 0.0001). Electroacupuncture also reduced CSS individuals with cerebral infarction in the control group; however, there was no statistically significant (risk difference = 0.06, 95 percent CI: 0.02-0.13, p = 0.12).

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that electroacupuncture helped decreased CSS in patients with cerebral infarction.