Association of candidate genetic variants and circulating levels of ApoE/ApoJ with common neuroimaging features of cerebral amyloid angiopathy

Introduction

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) in brain vessels and is a main cause of lobar intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in the elderly. CAA is associated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers of small vessel disease (SVD). Since Aβ is also accumulated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the brain parenchyma, we aimed to study if several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) previously associated with AD were also associated with CAA pathology. Furthermore, we also studied the influence of APOE and CLU genetic variants in apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and clusterin/apolipoprotein J (ApoJ) circulating levels and their distribution among lipoproteins.

Methods

The study was carried out in a multicentric cohort of 126 patients with lobar ICH and clinical suspicion of CAA.

Results

We observed several SNPs associated with CAA neuroimaging MRI markers [cortical superficial siderosis (cSS), enlarged perivascular spaces in the centrum semiovale (CSO-EPVS), lobar cerebral microbleeds (CMB), white matter hyperintensities (WMH), corticosubcortical atrophy and CAA-SVD burden score]. Concretely, ABCA7 (rs3764650), CLU (rs9331896 and rs933188), EPHA1 (rs11767557), and TREML2 (rs3747742) were significantly associated with a CAA-SVD burden score. Regarding circulating levels of apolipoproteins, protective AD SNPs of CLU [rs11136000 (T) and rs9331896 (C)] were significantly associated with higher HDL ApoJ content in the lobar ICH cohort. APOEε2 carriers presented higher plasma and LDL-associated ApoE levels whereas APOEε4 carriers presented lower plasma ApoE levels. Additionally, we observed that lower circulating ApoJ and ApoE levels were significantly associated with CAA-related MRI markers. More specifically, lower LDL-associated ApoJ and plasma and HDL-associated ApoE levels were significantly associated with CSO-EPVS, lower ApoJ content in HDL with brain atrophy and lower ApoE content in LDL with the extent of cSS.

Discussion

This study reinforces the relevance of lipid metabolism in CAA and cerebrovascular functionality. We propose that ApoJ and ApoE distribution among lipoproteins may be associated with pathological features related to CAA with higher ApoE and ApoJ levels in HDL possibly enhancing atheroprotective, antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory responses in cerebral β-amyloidosis.

Risk of New-Diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation After Transient Ischemic Attack

Background

Transient ischemic attack (TIA) provides a unique opportunity to optimize secondary preventive treatments to avoid subsequent ischemic stroke (SIS). Although atrial fibrillation (AF) is the leading cause of cardioembolism in IS and anticoagulation prevents stroke recurrence (SR), limited data exists about the risk of new-diagnosed AF (NDAF) after TIA and the consequences of the diagnostic delay. The aim of our study was to determine this risk in a cohort of TIA patients with long-term follow-up.

Methods

We carried out a prospective cohort study of 723 consecutive TIA patients from January 2006 to June 2010. Median follow-up was 6.5 (5.0–9.6) years. In a subgroup of 204 (28.2%) consecutive patients, a panel of biomarkers was assessed during the first 24 h of the onset of symptoms. Multivariate analyses were performed to find out the associated factors of NDAF. Kaplan-Meier analysis was also performed to analyzed risk of SIS.

Results

NDAF was indentified in 116 (16.0%) patients: 42 (36.2%) during admission, 18 (15.5%) within first year, 29 (25%) between one and five years and 27 (23.3%) beyond 5 years. NDAF was associated with sex (female) [hazard ratio (HR) 1.61 (95% CI, 1.07- 2.41)], age [[HR 1.05 (95% CI, 1.03–1.07)], previous ischemic heart disease (IHD) [HR 1.84, (95% CI 1.15–2.97)] and cortical DWI pattern [HR 2.81 (95% CI, 1.87–4.21)]. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, NT-proBNP ≥ 218.2 pg/ml (log-rank test P < 0.001) was associated with significant risk of NDAF during the first 5 years of follow-up. Patients with NDAF after admission and before 5 years of follow-up had the highest risk of SIS (P = 0.002).

Conclusion

The risk of NDAF after TIA is clinically relevant. We identified clinical and neuroimaging factors of NDAF. In addition, NT-proBNP was related to NDAF. Our results can be used to evaluate the benefit of long-term cardiac monitoring in selected patients.

Strategies to tackle RAS-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer

The RAS oncogene is among the most commonly mutated in cancer. RAS mutations are identified in about half of patients diagnosed with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), conferring poor prognosis and lack of response to anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibodies. In the last decades, several investigational attempts failed in directly targeting RAS mutations, thus RAS was historically regarded as 'undruggable'. Recently, novel specific KRASG12C inhibitors showed promising results in different solid tumors, including mCRC, renewing interest in this biomarker as a target. In this review, we discuss different strategies of RAS targeting in mCRC, according to literature data in both clinical and preclinical settings. We recognized five main strategies focusing on those more promising: direct RAS targeting, targeting the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, harnessing RAS through immunotherapy combinations, RAS targeting through metabolic pathways, and finally other miscellaneous approaches. Direct KRASG12C inhibition is emerging as the most promising strategy in mCRC as well as in other solid malignancies. However, despite good disease control rates, tumor response and duration of response are still limited in mCRC. At this regard, combinational approaches with anti-epidermal growth factor receptor drugs or checkpoint inhibitors have been proposed to enhance treatment efficacy, based on encouraging results achieved in preclinical studies. Besides, concomitant therapies increasing metabolic stress are currently under evaluation and expected to also provide remarkable results in RAS codon mutations apart from KRASG12C. In conclusion, based on hereby reported efforts of translational research, RAS mutations should no longer be regarded as 'undruggable' and future avenues are now opening for translation in the clinic in mCRC.

Sex-Related Differences in Clinical Features, Neuroimaging, and Long-Term Prognosis After Transient Ischemic Attack

Differences in sex in the incidence, presentation, and outcome of events after ischemic stroke have been studied in depth. In contrast, only limited data are available after transient ischemic attack (TIA). We aim to assess sex-related differences in the presentation, cause, neuroimaging features, and predictors of long-term prognosis in patients with TIA.

REMOTE Ischemic Perconditioning Among Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients in Catalonia: REMOTE-CAT PROJECT

Rationale: Remote ischemic perconditioning during cerebral ischemia (RIPerC) refers to the application of brief episodes of transient limb ischemia commonly to a limb, it represents a new safe, simple and low-cost paradigm in neuroprotection.

Aim and/or Hypothesis: To evaluate the effects of RIPerC on acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients, applied in the ambulance, to improve functional outcomes compared with standard of care.

Sample Size Estimates: A sample size of 286 patients in each arm achieves 80% power to detect treatment differences of 14% in the outcome, using a two-sided binomial test at significance level of 0.05, assuming that 40% of the control patients will experience good outcome and an initial misdiagnosis rate of 29%.

Methods and Design: We aim to conduct a multicentre study of pre-hospital RIPerC application in AIS patients. A total of 572 adult patients diagnosed of suspected clinical stroke within 8 h of symptom onset and clinical deficit >0 according to prehospital rapid arterial occlusion evaluation (RACE) scale score will be randomized, in blocks of size 4, to RIPerC or sham. Patients will be stratified by RACE score scale. RIPerC will be started in the ambulance before hospital admission and continued in the hospital if necessary. It will consist of five cycles of electronic tourniquet inflation and deflation (5 min each). The cuff pressure for RIPerC will be 200 mmHg during inflation. Sham will only simulate vibration of the device.

Study Outcome(s): The primary outcome will be the difference in the proportion of patients with good outcomes as defined by a mRS score of 2 or less at 90 days. Secondary outcomes to be monitored will include early neurological improvement rate, treatment related serious adverse event rates, size of the infarct volume, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, metabolomic and lipidomic response to RIPerC and Neuropsychological evaluation at 90 days.

Discussion: Neuroprotective therapies could not only increase the benefits of available reperfusion therapies among AIS patients but also provide an option for patients who are not candidates for these treatments. REMOTE-CAT will investigate the clinical benefit of RIC as a new neuroprotective strategy in AIS.

Clinical Trial Registration:www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT03375762.

Induced neuroprotection by remote ischemic perconditioning as a new paradigm in ischemic stroke at the acute phase, a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Remote ischemic conditioning during cerebral ischemia (remote ischemic perconditioning, RIPerC) refers to the application of several cycles of brief ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) commonly to a limb, and it represents a new paradigm in neuroprotection with multiple mechanisms of action in ischemic stroke (IS) patients during acute phase. Some clinical trials just finished, and a few others are still ongoing; gather the current knowledge and pull it down to influence the present and future studies was the goal of this paper.

METHODS

A systematic review of published research papers and/or registered clinical trials since 2000 was performed.

RESULTS

Nineteen studies were identified and only four studies were completed. All of them have demonstrated that RIPerC is safe, feasible and well tolerated in IS patients. However, a high heterogeneity of clinical trial characteristics was observed: five (26.3%) randomized clinical trials (RCTs) included only thrombolytic-treated patients, three (15.8%) RCTs only thrombectomy-treated patients, and five (26.3%) RCTs required radiological confirmation of IS. Temporal inclusion criteria vary from 4 h to 48 h. Most of the clinical trials used 4 cycles of RIPerC in the upper non-affected limb. Interestingly, only three (16.7%) RCTs applied RIPerC during the transportation in the ambulance. Neuroimaging outputs were the main endpoints when endovascular therapy was applied; functional outcome is also the main endpoint in large-medium size studies.

CONCLUSIONS

This review summarizes the completed and ongoing clinical trials on RIPerC in IS patients, where RIPerC has been used alone or in combination with recanalization therapies. Ongoing clinical trials will provide new information on the best RIPerC intervention strategy and potentially improve the functional outcome of IS patients; definition of new RIPerC strategies would ideally aim at enhancing tissue preservation, promoting neurological recovery, and stratify patients to improve treatment feasibility.

The DNA damage response pathway as a land of therapeutic opportunities for colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents a major cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Although significant progress has been made by molecular and immune therapeutic approaches, prognosis of advanced stage disease is still dismal. Alterations in the DNA damage response (DDR) pathways are emerging as novel targets for treatment across different cancer types. However, even though preclinical studies have shown the potential exploitation of DDR alterations in CRC, systematic and comprehensive testing is lagging and clinical development is based on analogies with other solid tumors according to a tissue-agnostic paradigm. Recently, functional evidence from patient-derived xenografts and organoids have suggested that maintenance with PARP inhibitors might represent a therapeutic opportunity in CRC patients previously responsive to platinum-based treatment.

DESIGN AND RESULTS

In this review, we highlight the most promising preclinical data and systematically summarize published clinical trials in which DDR inhibitors have been used for CRC and provide evidence that disappointing results have been mainly due to a lack of clinical and molecular selection.

CONCLUSIONS

Future preclinical and translational research will help in better understanding the role of DDR alterations in CRC and pave the way to novel strategies that might have a transformative impact on treatment by identifying new therapeutic options including tailored use of standard chemotherapy.

Percutaneous ablation techniques for renal cell carcinoma: current status and future trends

Percutaneous ablation is an increasingly applied technique for the treatment of localized renal tumors, especially for elderly or co-morbid patients, where co-morbidities increase the risk of traditional nephrectomy. Ablative techniques are technically suited for the treatment of tumors generally not exceeding 4 cm, which has been set as general consensus cutoff and is described as the upper threshold of T1a kidney tumors. This threshold cutoff is being challenged, but with still limited evidence. Percutaneous ablation techniques for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) include radiofrequency ablation, cryoablation, laser or microwave ablation; the main advantage of all these techniques over surgery is less invasiveness, lower complication rates and better patient tolerability. Currently, international guidelines recommend percutaneous ablation either as intervention for frail patients or as a first line tool, provided that the tumor can be radically ablated. The purpose of this article is to describe the basic concepts of percutaneous ablation in the treatment of RCC. Controversies concerning techniques and products and the need for patient-centered tailored approaches during selection among the different techniques available will be discussed.

Abstract WP101: Remote Ischemic Perconditioning Among Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients in Catalonia: Remote-Cat Project

Rationale: Remote ischemic perconditioning (RIPerC), consisting of brief episodes of transient limb ischemia, represents a new paradigm in neuroprotection with interesting results in ischemic heart disease patients.

Aim: We aim to conduct a multicentre study of pre-hospital RIPerC application in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients.Sample size estimates: To detect a treatment difference of 14% in the outcome, 286 patients will be included for 5% significance and 80% power.

Methods: A total of 572 adult patients diagnosed of suspected clinical stroke within 8 hours of symptom onset and clinical deficit >0 according to prehospital RACE scale will be randomized, in blocks of size 4, to RIC or sham. Patients will be stratified by RACE score scale. RIC will be started in the ambulance before hospital admission. RIPerC will consist of five cycles of electronic tourniquet inflation and deflation (5 min each). Study outcomes: The primary outcome will be the difference in clinical benefit measured by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score <3 at 90 days. Secondary outcomes to be monitored will include early neurological improvement rate, treatment related serious adverse event rates, size of the infarct volume, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, and metabolomic and lipidomic response to RIPerC.

Discussion: Neuroprotective therapies could not only increase the benefits of available reperfusion therapies among AIS patients but also provide an option for patients who are not candidates for these treatments. REMOTE-CAT will investigate the clinical benefit of RIC as a new neuroprotective strategy in AIS. Clinicaltrials.gov number: NCT03375762. Status: Active

Increased incidence of colon cancer among individuals younger than 50 years: A 17 years analysis from the cancer registry of the municipality of Milan, Italy

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) overall incidence has been decreasing in the last decade. However, there is evidence of an increasing frequency of early-onset CRC in young individuals in several countries. The aim of this study is to evaluate the trends of CRC occurrence over 17 years in the municipality of Milan, Italy, focusing on early-onset CRC.

POPULATION AND METHODS

This retrospective study was performed using the Cancer Registry of the municipality of Milan, including all cases of CRC diagnosed 1999-2015. Incidence rates were stratified by age and anatomic subsite, and trends over time were measured using the estimated annual percentage change. Age-period-cohort modelling was used to disentangle the different effects.

RESULTS

18,783 cases of CRC were included. CRC incidence rates among individuals aged 50-60 years declined annually by 3% both in colon and in rectal cancer. Conversely, in adults younger than 50 years, overall CRC occurrence increased annually by 0.7%, with a diverging trend for colon (+2.6%) and rectal (-5.3%) cancer. Among individuals aged 60 years and older, CRC incidence rates increased by 1.0% annually up to 2007, and decrease thereafter by 4% per year, both for colon and rectal cancer. Age-period-cohort models showed a reduction of CRC risk for the cohorts born up to 1979, followed by an increase in younger cohorts. In contrast, rectal cancer among women showed a systematic risk decrease for all birth cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

The study highlights increasing incidence of colon cancer in younger subjects and a decrease in incidence rates for rectal cancer in females.

Neutron reflectometry with the Multi-Blade 10B-based detector

The Multi-Blade is a boron-10-based gaseous detector developed for neutron reflectometry instruments at the European Spallation Source in Sweden. The main challenges for neutron reflectometry detectors are the instantaneous counting rate and spatial resolution. The Multi-Blade has been tested on the CRISP reflectometer at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source in the UK. A campaign of scientific measurements has been performed to study the Multi-Blade response in real instrumental conditions. The results of these tests are discussed in this paper.

Outcomes and Risk Factors for Complications of Laser Ablation for Thyroid Nodules: A Multicenter Study on 1531 Patients

BACKGROUND

Image-guided laser ablation therapy (LAT) of benign thyroid nodules demonstrated favorable results in randomized trials with fixed modalities of treatment. The aim of this retrospective multicenter study was to assess the effectiveness, tolerability, and complications of LAT in a large consecutive series of patients from centers using this technique in their routine clinical activity.

PATIENTS

Clinical records of 1534 consecutive laser-treated nodules in 1531 patients from eight Italian thyroid referral centers were assessed. Inclusion criteria were as follows: solid or mixed nodules with fluid component up to 40%; benign cytological findings; and normal thyroid function.

METHODS

LAT was performed with a fixed-power protocol, whereas the number of applicators and illumination times were different according to target size. From one to three illuminations with pullback technique and with a total energy delivery based on the nodule volume were performed during the same session. Patients were evaluated during LAT, within 30 days, and 12 months after the procedure.

RESULTS

Total number of treatments was 1837; 1280 (83%) of nodules had a single LAT session. Mean nodule volume decreased from 27 ± 24 mL at baseline to 8 ± 8 mL 12 months after treatment (P < .001). Mean nodule volume reduction was 72% ± 11% (range 48%-96%). This figure was significantly greater in mixed nodules (79% ± 7%; range 70%-92%) because they were drained immediately before laser illumination. Symptoms improved from 49% to 10% of cases (P < .001) and evidence of cosmetic signs from 86% to 8% of cases (P < .001). Seventeen complications (0.9%) were registered. Eight patients (0.5%) experienced transitory voice changes that completely resolved at the ear-nose-throat examination within 2-84 days. Nine minor complications (0.5%) were reported. No changes in thyroid function or autoimmunity were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Real practice confirmed LAT as a clinically effective, reproducible, and rapid outpatient procedure. Treatments were well tolerated and risk of major complications was very low.

Combination of gene expression and genome copy number alteration has a prognostic value for breast cancer

Specific genome copy number alterations, such as deletions and amplifications are an important factor in tumor development and progression, and are also associated with changes in gene expression. By combining analyses of gene expression and genome copy number we identified genes as candidate biomarkers of BC which were validated as prognostic factors of the disease progression. These results suggest that the proposed combined approach may become a valuable method for BC prognosis.

PET/CT-guided percutaneous liver mass biopsies and ablations: targeting accuracy of a single 20 s breath-hold PET acquisition

AIM

To determine whether a single 20 s breath-hold positron-emission tomography (PET) acquisition obtained during combined PET/computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous liver biopsy or ablation procedures has the potential to target 2-[(18)F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG)-avid liver masses as accurately as up to 180 s breath-hold PET acquisitions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study included 10 adult patients with 13 liver masses who underwent FDG PET/CT-guided percutaneous biopsies (n = 5) or ablations (n = 5). PET was acquired as nine sequential 20 s, monitored, same-level breath-hold frames and CT was acquired in one monitored breath-hold. Twenty, 40, 60, and 180 s PET datasets were reconstructed. Two blinded readers marked tumour centres on randomized PET and CT datasets. Three-dimensional spatial localization differences between PET datasets and either 180 s PET or CT were analysed using multiple regression analyses. Statistical tests were two-sided and p < 0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

Targeting differences between 20 s PET and 180 s PET ranged from 0.7-20.3 mm (mean 5.3 ± 4.4 mm; median 4.3) and were not statistically different from 40 or 60 s PET (p = 0.74 and 0.91, respectively). Targeting differences between 20 s PET and CT ranged from 1.4-36 mm (mean 9.6 ± 7.1 mm; median 8.2 mm) and were not statistically different from 40, 60, or 180 s PET (p = 0.84, 0.77, and 0.35, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Single 20 s breath-hold PET acquisitions from PET/CT-guided percutaneous liver procedures have the potential to target FDG-avid liver masses with equivalent accuracy to 180 s summed, breath-hold PET acquisitions and may facilitate strategies that improve image registration and shorten procedure times.

Virtual navigator automatic registration technology in abdominal application

Real-time Ultrasound (US) image fusion with a pre-acquired second imaging dataset - Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and/or CT/PET - has become widely used in recent years for both diagnosis and image-guided interventional procedures. Liver and kidneys are the main focused anatomical districts, related to abdominal application. There are still nowadays some drawbacks, regarding the adoption of the fusion imaging technique in everyday practice especially regarding its ease of use and the time needed in order to obtain a precise real-time fusion between US and the second imaging modality. The present work is a preliminary study on the feasibility and practical use of an Automatic registration algorithm for CT-US real-time fusion imaging. Data obtained by tests performed on a Doppler phantom, for the assessment of the precision of the registration procedure and in-vivo Automatic registration tests, are presented.

Tips and tricks for a correct "endo approach"

The world is facing an epidemic of diabetes, consequently in the next years critical limb ischemia due to diabetic artery disease will become a major issue for vascular and endovascular operators. Revascularization is a key therapy in these patients because reestablishing an adequate blood supply to the wound is essential for healing avoiding a major amputation. In this paper, we summarize our experience in endovascular treatment of diabetic critical limb ischemia, focusing of the main technical challenges in treating below-the-knee vessels. We describe the following topics: 1) targets of the revascularization therapy: "complete" versus "partial" revascularization and the concept of wound related artery. Every procedure must be tailored on technically realistic strategies and on the general patient status; 2) the antegrade femoral access using both, the X-ray and the ultrasound guided techniques; 3) the chronic total occlusions crossing strategy proposing a step-by-step approach: endoluminal, subintimal, retrograde approaches. Particular attention has been given to the different retrograde approaches: pedal-plantar loop technique, trans-collateral approaches and the different types of retrograde puncture. For each step we provide a complete description of the technical details and of the suitable devices. Eventually we in brief describe: 3) acute result optimization and 4) prevention of restenosis.

Percutaneous laser ablation of metastatic lymph nodes in the neck from papillary thyroid carcinoma: preliminary results

CONTEXT

Percutaneous laser ablation (PLA) may be useful in treating patients with metachronous metastatic lymph nodes in the neck.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to assess PLA as a treatment of difficult-to-treat metachronous cervical lymph node metastases from papillary thyroid carcinoma.

DESIGN AND SETTING

We conducted a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data at a public hospital.

PATIENTS

Fifteen patients with previous resection of papillary thyroid carcinoma with elevated serum levels of thyroglobulin (Tg) or anti-Tg antibodies (TgAbs) and 24 metachronous nodal metastases treated between September 2010 and April 2012 were followed with [¹⁸F]fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS).

INTERVENTION

Intervention was PLA.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Technique feasibility and technical success were evaluated. Tg/TgAb serum levels and ¹⁸FDG-PET/CT, and CEUS appearance were assessed at 6 and 12 months and compared with baseline. Complications were recorded.

RESULTS

PLA was always feasible, and technical success was achieved in all patients. At 6 months, local control was achieved in 11 of 15 patients (73%), with 6 (40%) having serum Tg/TgAb normalized (P = .017 vs baseline). Whereas 20 of 24 (83%) nodes were negative at ¹⁸FDG-PET/CT and CEUS (P < .001 vs baseline), 4 were ¹⁸FDG-PET/CT-positive (3 also CEUS-positive). At the 12-month follow-up, local control was achieved in 10 of 14 patients (71.4%). Sixteen of 20 nodes (80%) were negative at ¹⁸FDG-PET/CT and CEUS (P < .001 vs baseline), 4 were ¹⁸FDG-PET/CT-positive (2 also CEUS-positive). Four of 10 (40%) patients had normalization of serum Tg/TgAb (P = .098 vs baseline). No major complications occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

PLA is potentially feasible, safe, and effective for the treatment of metachronous cervical nodal metastases from papillary thyroid carcinoma. This procedure may reduce or delay a large number of highly invasive repeat neck dissections.

Long term evolution of patients treated in a TIA unit

BACKGROUND

Transient ischemic attacks (TIA) entail a high risk of stroke recurrence, which depends on the etiology. New organizational models have been created, but there is not much information about the long-term evolution of patients managed according to these premises. Our aim is to refer the follow-up of patients attended according to our model of TIA Unit.

METHODS

TIA Unit is located in the Emergency Department and staffed by vascular neurologists. Patients admitted during the Neurology night shift stayed in such Unit <48h with complete etiological study. Preventive treatment is instituted in patients discharged to a high resolution Neurology consult, in order to review in <2 weeks and subsequent follow-up.

RESULTS

During a year 161 patients were attended, being admitted to the hospital 8.6%. A total of 1470 hospital days were avoided. Recurrence at 90 days was of 0.6%. Mean follow-up was 18.14 ± 8.02 months (0-34), total recurrence 6.2% (70% cardioembolic strokes). There were no complications derived from treatment. Cardiological events were recorded in 10.6%, neoplastic in 5%, cognitive impairment in 11%. There were 3 deaths unrelated nor to the stroke or its treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

This model allows an early diagnosis and treatment of TIA, preventing recurrences of stroke in a long term. It detects atherothrombotic strokes, most of them admitted to the hospital, and it shows a greater difficulty for detecting all cardioembolic strokes. TIA Unit appeared to be safe in using anticoagulation therapy, as the follow-up shows. It shows the same quality of management than hospital admission, with a significant saving in hospital stays.

Diagnostic distribution of 100 unilateral, side-locked headaches consulting a specialized clinic

OBJECTIVES

We analyzed the diagnoses of patients consulting due to strictly unilateral headaches.

METHODS

We prospectively collected data from 100 consecutive patients. Diagnosis followed the ICHD-II criteria.

RESULTS

They accounted for 18.9% of the 528 patients seen in the study period. They were more frequent in males (58%). Age ranged from 19 to 81 years. Diagnostic distribution was: cluster headache (38 cases), a variety of secondary headaches (14 cases), migraine (11 cases), cervicogenic headaches (9 cases), hemicrania continua (8 cases), nummular headache (6 cases), psychiatric headache (5 cases), paroxysmal hemicranias (4 cases), short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks syndrome (3 cases), stabbing headache (1 case), and hypnic headache (1 case). Mean ages at onset fell between 47 and 58 years for several diagnoses (cervicogenic, nummular, psychiatric, hemicrania continua and paroxysmal hemicrania headaches), and were 22 years for migraine, 32 for cluster and in general older than 55 years for secondary headaches.

CONCLUSIONS

Strictly unilateral headaches account for almost 20% of headaches in subjects attending a headache clinic. Trigeminal-autonomic cephalgias in general (52%) and cluster headache in particular (38%) are the most frequent diagnoses, but secondary headaches account for 1 of 5 cases. Age at onset can be of help in their presumptive diagnosis.

Fusiform aneurysms of the vertebral artery: a hidden cause of exertional headache?

BACKGROUND

There is only one reported case of recurrent coital headache related to an unruptured saccular aneurysm of the carotid artery.

CASE REPORTS

We report on two cases of isolated recurrent coital/exertional headaches ipsilateral to unruptured fusiform aneurysms of the vertebral artery diagnosed by CT angiography. While one case is being managed conservatively, a vertebral stent has been set in the other.

CONCLUSIONS

CT angiography with full visualisation of intracranial and upper cervical arteries could be used as a screening diagnostic procedure in these cases. Together with saccular aneurysms, fusiform aneurysms should be added to the IHS classification as aetiology for exertional recurrent headaches.

Massive pulmonary thromboembolism after intravenous stroke thrombolysis

The authors present a 76-year-old female with high blood pressure and hypercholesterolaemia as cerebrovascular risk factors, who received intravenous thrombolysis for an ischaemic stroke with a progressive neurological improvement. She was asymptomatic at 48 h and she was transferred to the neurology department where antithrombotic treatment was initiated. She began to sit the following day when she suffered a massive pulmonary embolism (PE). Cardiological study showed patent foramen oval persistence and the presence of an atrial septa aneurysm, and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. The delay of the onset of the antithrombotic treatment could have been determinant for the massive PE. Thromboembolic complications may be seen after intravenous thrombolysis for ischaemic stroke. An accurate treatment is needed in order to avoid potentially threatening complications such as massive PE.

Different expression of fibrinopeptide A and related fragments in serum of type 1 diabetic patients with nephropathy

Type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, IDDM) is an autoimmune disease affecting about 0.12% of the world's population. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major long-term complication of both types of diabetes and retains a high human, social and economic cost. Thus, the identification of markers for the early detection of DN represents a relevant target of diabetic research. The present work is a pilot study focused on proteomic analysis of serum of controls (n=9), IDDM patients (n=10) and DN patients (n=4) by the ClinProt profiling technology based on mass spectrometry. This approach allowed to identify a pattern of peptides able to differentiate the studied populations with sensitivity and specificity close to 100%. Variance of the results allowed to estimate the sample size needed to keep the expected False Discovery Rate low. Moreover, three peptides differentially expressed in the serum of patients as compared to controls were identified by LC-ESI MS/MS as the whole fibrinopeptide A peptide and two of its fragments, respectively. The two fragments were under-expressed in diabetic patients, while Fibrinopeptide A was over-expressed, suggesting that anomalous turnover of Fibrinopeptide A could be involved in the pathogenesis of DN.

Network integration of data and analysis of oncology interest

The Human Genome Project has deeply transformed biology and the field has since then expanded to the management, processing, analysis and visualization of large quantities of data from genomics, proteomics, medicinal chemistry and drug screening. This huge amount of data and the heterogeneity of software tools that are used implies the adoption on a very large scale of new, flexible tools that can enable researchers to integrate data and analysis on the network. ICT technology standards and tools, like Web Services and related languages, and workflow management systems, can support the creation and deployment of such systems. While a number of Web Services are appearing and personal workflow management systems are also being more and more offered to researchers, a reference portal enabling the vast majority of unskilled researchers to take profit from these new technologies is still lacking. In this paper, we introduce the rationale for the creation of such a portal and present the architecture and some preliminary results for the development of a portal for the enactment of workflows of interest in oncology.

GeneSyn: a tool for detecting conserved gene order across genomes

GeneSyn is a software tool that allows automatic detection of conserved gene order from annotated genomes.

AVAILABILITY

Available free of charge for Unix/Linux/Cygwin platforms at ftp://159.149.110.11/pub/GeneSyn_1.0/

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

ftp://159.149.110.11/pub/GeneSyn_1.0/