Acta Ophthalmologica 100 years-Overview of selected articles during Acta Ophthalmologica history

We selected and discussed 10 articles in Acta Ophthalmologica since 1923 that changed clinical ophthalmology and treatment protocols, or provided novel findings and perspectives. We are aware that the selection of articles may be debatable and we invite readers to suggest other significant Acta articles. For historians, the article archive of Acta Ophthalmologica is located in Copenhagen.

Prevalence of pre-eclampsia in 265 patients with an intracranial aneurysm, 393 female relatives versus a control cohort: A case-control study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

There is emerging evidence on the connection between pre-eclampsia and saccular intracranial aneurysms (sIAs). Our aim was to study the prevalence of pre-eclampsia in sIA patients, their female relatives, and matched controls, and to examine familial sIA disease and familial pre-eclampsia in sIA patients' families.

METHODS

We included all female sIA patients in the Kuopio Intracranial Aneurysm Patient and Family Database from 1995 to 2018. First, we identified the sIA patients, their female relatives, and matched population controls with the first birth in 1987 or later and studied the prevalence of pre-eclampsia. Second, all female sIA patients and all female relatives were analyzed for familial sIA disease and familial pre-eclampsia. Using the Finnish nationwide health registries, we obtained data on drug purchases, hospital diagnoses, and causes of death.

RESULTS

In total, 265 sIA patients, 57 daughters, 167 sisters, 169 nieces, and 546 matched controls had the first birth in 1987 or later. Among them, 29 (11%) sIA patients, 5 (9%) daughters, 10 (6%) sisters, 10 (6%) nieces, and 32 (6%) controls had pre-eclampsia. Of all the 1895 female sIA patients and 12,141 female relatives, 68 sIA patients and 375 relatives had pre-eclampsia, including 32 families with familial pre-eclampsia.

CONCLUSIONS

Pre-eclampsia was significantly more common in the sIA patients than in their matched controls. Familial sIA disease and familial pre-eclampsia co-occurred in seven families. Further studies of the mechanisms by which pre-eclampsia could affect the walls of brain arteries and increase the rupture risk in sIA disease are indicated.

Acute evacuation of 54 intracerebral hematomas (aICH) during the microsurgical clipping of a ruptured middle cerebral artery bifurcation aneurysm-illustration of the individual clinical courses and outcomes with a serial brain CT/MRI panel until 12 months

PURPOSE

In aneurysmal intracerebral hemorrhage (aICH), our review showed the lack of the patient's individual (i) timeline panels and (ii) serial brain CT/MRI slice panels through the aICH evacuation and neurointensive care until the final brain tissue outcome.

METHODS

Our retrospective cohort consists of 54 consecutive aICH patients from a defined population who acutely underwent the clipping of a middle cerebral artery bifurcation saccular aneurysm (Mbif sIA) with the aICH evacuation at Kuopio University Hospital (KUH) from 2010 to 2019. We constructed the patient's individual timeline panels since the emergency call and serial brain CT/MRI slice panels through the aICH evacuation and neurointensive care until the final brain tissue outcome. The patients were indicated by numbers (1.-54.) in the pseudonymized panels, tables, results, and discussion.

RESULTS

The aICH volumes on KUH admission (median 46 cm3) plotted against the time from the emergency call to the evacuation (median 8 hours) associated significantly with the rebleeds (n=25) and the deaths (n=12). The serial CT/MRI slice panels illustrated the aICHs, intraventricular hemorrhages (aIVHs), residuals after the aICH evacuations, perihematomal edema (PHE), delayed cerebral injury (DCI), and in the 42 survivors, the clinical outcome (mRS) and the brain tissue outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Regarding aICH evacuations, serial brain CT/MRI panels present more information than words, figures, and graphs. Re-bleeds associated with larger aICH volumes and worse outcomes. Swift logistics until the sIA occlusion with aICH evacuation is required, also in duty hours and weekends. Intraoperative CT is needed to illustrate the degree of aICH evacuation. PHE may evoke uncontrollable intracranial pressure (ICP) in spite of the acute aICH volume reduction.

Should individual timeline and serial CT/MRI panels of all patients be presented in acute brain insult cohorts? A pilot study of 45 patients with decompressive craniectomy after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

PURPOSE

Our review of acute brain insult articles indicated that the patients' individual (i) timeline panels with the defined time points since the emergency call and (ii) serial brain CT/MRI slice panels through the neurointensive care until death or final brain tissue outcome at 12 months or later are not presented.

METHODS

We retrospectively constructed such panels for the 45 aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) patients with a secondary decompressive craniectomy (DC) after the acute admission to neurointensive care at Kuopio University Hospital (KUH) from a defined population from 2005 to 2018. The patients were indicated by numbers (1.-45.) in the pseudonymized panels, tables, results, and discussion. The timelines contained up to ten defined time points on a logarithmic time axis until death ([Formula: see text]; 56%) or 3 years ([Formula: see text]; 44%). The brain CT/MRI panels contained a representative slice from the following time points: SAH diagnosis, after aneurysm closure, after DC, at about 12 months (20 survivors).

RESULTS

The timelines indicated re-bleeds and allowed to compare the times elapsed between any two time points, in terms of workflow swiftness. The serial CT/MRI slices illustrated the presence and course of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), perihematomal edema, intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), hydrocephalus, delayed brain injury, and, in the 20 (44%) survivors, the brain tissue outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

The pseudonymized timeline panels and serial brain imaging panels, indicating the patients by numbers, allowed the presentation and comparison of individual clinical courses. An obvious application would be the quality control in acute or elective medicine for timely and equal access to clinical care.

Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) in Brain Tumor Surgery - Evidence of Machine Learning-Based Performance

BACKGROUND

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) has the potential to enhance surgical tissue detection and diagnostics. Definite utilization of intraoperative HSI guidance demands validated machine learning and public datasets that currently do not exist. Moreover, current imaging conventions are dispersed, and evidence-based paradigms for neurosurgical HSI have not been declared.

METHODS

We presented the rationale and a detailed clinical paradigm for establishing microneurosurgical HSI guidance. In addition, a systematic literature review was conducted to summarize the current indications and performance of neurosurgical HSI systems, with an emphasis on machine learning-based methods.

RESULTS

The published data comprised a few case series or case reports aiming to classify tissues during glioma operations. For a multi-tissue classification problem, the highest overall accuracy of 80% was obtained using deep learning. Our HSI system was capable of intraoperative data acquisition and visualization with minimal disturbance to glioma surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

In a limited number of publications, neurosurgical HSI has demonstrated unique capabilities in contrast to the established imaging techniques. Multidisciplinary work is required to establish communicable HSI standards and clinical impact. Our HSI paradigm endorses systematic intraoperative HSI data collection, which aims to facilitate the related standards, medical device regulations, and value-based medical imaging systems.

Detection improvement of gliomas in hyperspectral imaging of protoporphyrin IX fluorescence - in vitro comparison of visual identification and machine thresholds

BACKGROUND

5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) - precursor of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) - is utilized in fluorescence guided surgery (FGS) of high-grade gliomas. PpIX is used to identify traces of glioma during resection. Visual inspection of the fluorescence seems inaccurate in comparison to optic techniques such as hyperspectral imaging (HSI).

AIM

To characterize the limits of PpIX fluorescence detection of (i) visual evaluation and (ii) HSI analysis and to (iii) develop a classification system for visible and non-visible PpIX fluorescence.

METHODS

Samples with increasing concentrations (C) of PpIX and non-fluorescent controls were evaluated using a surgical microscope under blue light illumination. Similar samples were imaged with a HSI system tuned to PpIX fluorescence peak wavelength (635 nm) and control (RGB) channels. Samples' intensities were defined, leading to 96 analysed pixels after batching.

RESULTS

Three expert neurosurgeons assessed the PpIX samples (n = 16) and controls (n = 8) with unanimous decisions (ICC = 0.704), resulting in 63% recognition rate, 48% sensitivity, 92% specificity, 92% positive predictive value (PPV) and 47% negative predictive value (NPV). HSI image analysis, comparing mean relative values, resulted in 96%, 100%, 86%, 94%, 100%, respectively. Minimum PpIX concentration detection for experts was 0.6-1.8 μmol/l and HSI's 0.03-0.15 μmol/l.

CONCLUSIONS

PpIX concentrations of low-grade gliomas, and those reported on glioblastoma infiltration zones, are below experts' detection threshold. HSI analysis exceeds the performance of expert's visual inspection nearly by 20-fold. Hybrid FGS-HSI systems should be investigated in parallel to long-term outcomes. Described methods are applicable as a standard for calibration, testing and development of subvisual FGS techniques.

Risk factor management matters more than pharmaceutical cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition in the prevention of de novo intracranial aneurysms

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Pathophysiological studies of saccular intracranial aneurysm (sIA) disease have shown that inflammation plays a crucial role in sIA development. Pharmaceutical inhibition of COX-2-PGE2-NF-κB signaling (COX-2, cyclooxygenase-2; PGE2, prostaglandin E2; NF-κB, nuclear factor κB) has been shown in animal models to inhibit sIA formation and progression suggesting that use of medication inhibiting COX-2 could reduce intracranial aneurysm formation also in patients.

METHODS

The impact of COX-2 inhibition on de novo sIA formation was studied in two cohorts: in a previously described angiographically followed cohort of 1419 sIA patients and in a cohort of 117 sIA patients treated with stenting or stent-assisted embolization. Patients were identified from our population-based Kuopio Intracranial Aneurysm Database. Data on the use of anti-inflammatory medications and hospital diagnoses were obtained from national registries. Risk factors were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

De novo sIA patients were younger and more often smokers. Use of COX-2 selective inhibitors or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs did not significantly reduce de novo sIA formation, but the percentage of patients with de novo sIA formation was smaller in patients with prescribed regular acetylsalicylic acid medication (1.1% vs. 3.6%). In the multivariate analysis, however, neither acetylsalicylic acid use nor other type of pharmaceutical inhibition of COX-2 reduced the formation of de novo sIAs. The risk was mostly affected by age, smoking history and irregular usage of antihypertensive medication regardless of used COX-2 inhibition level.

CONCLUSION

For the prevention of de novo sIA formation, risk factor management with focus on cessation of smoking and treating hypertension adequately seems more important than pharmaceutical COX-2 inhibition.

Use of antihypertensive medication and formation of de novo intracranial aneurysms

BACKGROUND

Hypertension is a risk factor for subarachnoid hemorrhage and is also considered a risk factor for saccular intracranial aneurysm (sIA) formation. However, there is little direct evidence that antihypertensive medication would reduce sIA formation.

METHODS

We studied the impact of antihypertensive medication on de novo sIA formation in an angiographically followed cohort of 1419 patients. Patients were identified from our population-based Kuopio Intracranial Aneurysm Database, and data of the purchases of antihypertensive medication was obtained from a national registry. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to investigate the risk factors.

RESULTS

Of the 966 sIA patients that were prescribed with antihypertensive medication, 841 patients used the medication regularly, 20 of them had de novo sIA. 125 patients used the medication irregularly and 12 of them developed de novo sIAs. 453 patients didn't use antihypertensive medication even though 27 of them had diagnosis of hypertension, and 10 of them developed de novo sIAs. In the multivariate analysis antihypertensive medication didn't significantly reduce de novo sIA formation (HR 1.60, 95% Cl 0.84-3.06). Age at primary diagnosis (HR 0.95, 95% Cl 0.93-0.98) and smoking history (HR 5.53, 95% Cl 2.77-11.05) were significant risk factors for de novo sIA formation. Also, irregular usage of antihypertensive medication was a significant risk factor (HR 3.84, 95% Cl 1.59-9.29) for de novo sIA formation.

CONCLUSIONS

Antihypertensive agents were not associated with a reduction of de novo sIA formation, but irregular use of antihypertensive agents was associated with an increased risk of de novo sIA formation.

Sex Difference and Rupture Rate of Intracranial Aneurysms: An Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

Background and Purpose:

In previous studies, women had a higher risk of rupture of intracranial aneurysms than men, but female sex was not an independent risk factor. This may be explained by a higher prevalence of patient- or aneurysm-related risk factors for rupture in women than in men or by insufficient power of previous studies. We assessed sex differences in rupture rate taking into account other patient- and aneurysm-related risk factors for aneurysmal rupture.

Methods:

We searched Embase and Pubmed for articles published until December 1, 2020. Cohorts with available individual patient data were included in our meta-analysis. We compared rupture rates of women versus men using a Cox proportional hazard regression model adjusted for the PHASES score (Population, Hypertension, Age, Size of Aneurysm, Earlier Subarachnoid Hemorrhage From Another Aneurysm, Site of Aneurysm), smoking, and a positive family history of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Results:

We pooled individual patient data from 9 cohorts totaling 9940 patients (6555 women, 66%) with 12 193 unruptured intracranial aneurysms, and 24 357 person-years follow-up. Rupture occurred in 163 women (rupture rate 1.04%/person-years [95% CI, 0.89–1.21]) and 63 men (rupture rate 0.74%/person-years [95% CI, 0.58–0.94]). Women were older (61.9 versus 59.5 years), were less often smokers (20% versus 44%), more often had internal carotid artery aneurysms (24% versus 17%), and larger sized aneurysms (≥7 mm, 24% versus 23%) than men. The unadjusted women-to-men hazard ratio was 1.43 (95% CI, 1.07–1.93) and the adjusted women/men ratio was 1.39 (95% CI, 1.02–1.90).

Conclusions:

Women have a higher risk of aneurysmal rupture than men and this sex difference is not explained by differences in patient- and aneurysm-related risk factors for aneurysmal rupture. Future studies should focus on the factors explaining the higher risk of aneurysmal rupture in women.

Neuropathological findings in possible normal pressure hydro-cephalus: A post-mortem study of 29 cases with lifelines

Aims: There are very few detailed post-mortem studies on idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) and there is a lack of proper neuropathological criteria for iNPH. This study aims to update the knowledge on the neuropathology of iNPH and to develop the neuropathological diagnostic criteria of iNPH. Methods: We evaluated the clinical lifelines and post-mortem findings of 29 patients with possible NPH. Pre-mortem cortical brain biopsies were taken from all patients during an intracranial pressure measurement or a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt surgery. Results: The mean age at the time of the biopsy was 70±8 SD years and 74±7 SD years at the time of death. At the time of death, 11/29 patients (38%) displayed normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 9/29 (31%) moderate dementia and 9/29 (31%) severe dementia. Two of the demented patients had only scarce neuropathological findings indicating a probable hydrocephalic origin for the dementia. Amyloid-β (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylated τ (HPτ) in the biopsies predicted the neurodegenerative diseases so that there were 4 Aβ positive/low Alzheimer's disease neuropathological change (ADNC) cases, 4 Aβ positive/intermediate ADNC cases, 1 Aβ positive case with both low ADNC and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), 1 HPτ/PSP and primary age-related tauopathy (PART) case, 1 Aβ/HPτ and low ADNC/synucleinopathy case and 1 case with Aβ/HPτ and high ADNC. The most common cause of death was due to cardiovascular diseases (10/29, 34%), followed by cerebrovascular diseases or subdural hematoma (SDH) (8/29, 28%). Three patients died of a postoperative intracerebral hematoma (ICH). Vascular lesions were common (19/29, 65%). Conclusions: We update the suggested neuropathological diagnostic criteria of iNPH, which emphasize the rigorous exclusion of all other known possible neuropathological causes of dementia. Despite the first 2 probable cases reported here, the issue of "hydrocephalic dementia" as an independent entity still requires further confirmation. Extensive sampling (with fresh frozen tissue including meninges) with age-matched neurologically healthy controls is highly encouraged.

Difference in Rupture Risk Between Familial and Sporadic Intracranial Aneurysms: An Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

We combined individual patient data (IPD) from prospective cohorts of patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) to assess to what extent patients with familial UIA have a higher rupture risk than those with sporadic UIA.

METHODS

For this IPD meta-analysis, we performed an Embase and PubMed search for studies published up to December 1, 2020. We included studies that (1) had a prospective study design; (2) included 50 or more patients with UIA; (3) studied the natural course of UIA and risk factors for aneurysm rupture including family history for aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage and UIA; and (4) had aneurysm rupture as an outcome. Cohorts with available IPD were included. All studies included patients with newly diagnosed UIA visiting one of the study centers. The primary outcome was aneurysmal rupture. Patients with polycystic kidney disease and moyamoya disease were excluded. We compared rupture rates of familial vs sporadic UIA using a Cox proportional hazard regression model adjusted for PHASES score and smoking. We performed 2 analyses: (1) only studies defining first-degree relatives as parents, children, and siblings and (2) all studies, including those in which first-degree relatives are defined as only parents and children, but not siblings.

RESULTS

We pooled IPD from 8 cohorts with a low and moderate risk of bias. First-degree relatives were defined as parents, siblings, and children in 6 cohorts (29% Dutch, 55% Finnish, 15% Japanese), totaling 2,297 patients (17% familial, 399 patients) with 3,089 UIAs and 7,301 person-years follow-up. Rupture occurred in 10 familial cases (rupture rate: 0.89%/person-year; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.45-1.59) and 41 sporadic cases (0.66%/person-year; 95% CI 0.48-0.89); adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for familial cases 2.56 (95% CI 1.18-5.56). After adding the 2 cohorts excluding siblings as first-degree relatives, resulting in 9,511 patients, the adjusted HR was 1.44 (95% CI 0.86-2.40).

DISCUSSION

The risk of rupture of UIA is 2.5 times higher, with a range from a 1.2 to 5 times higher risk, in familial than in sporadic UIA. When assessing the risk of rupture in UIA, family history should be taken into account.

Shunt performance in 349 patients with hydrocephalus after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

Background

Shunt-dependent hydrocephalus after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a common sequelae leading to poorer neurological outcomes and predisposing to various complications.

Methods

A total of 2191 consecutive patients with aSAH were acutely admitted to the Neurointensive Care at the Kuopio University Hospital between 1990 and 2018 from a defined population. A total of 349 (16%) aSAH patients received a ventriculoperitoneal shunt, 101 with an adjustable valve (2012–2018), 232 with a fixed pressure valve (1990–2011), and 16 a valveless shunt (2010–2013). Clinical timelines were reconstructed from the hospital records and nationwide registries until death (n = 120) or June 2019.

Results

Comparing the adjustable valves vs. the fixed pressure valves vs. the valveless shunts, intraventricular hemorrhage was present in 61%, 44% and 100%, respectively. The median times to the shunt were 7 days vs. 38 days vs. 10 days. The rates of the first revision were 25% vs. 32% vs. 69%. The causes included infection in 11% vs. 7% vs. 25% and overdrainage in 1% vs. 4% vs. 31%. The valveless shunt was the only independent risk factor (HR 2.9) for revision. After the first revision, more revisions were required in 48% vs. 52% vs. 45%.

Conclusions

The protocol to shunt evolved over time to favor earlier shunt. In post-aSAH hydrocephalus, adjustable valve shunts, without anti-siphon device, can be installed at an early phase after aSAH, in spite of intraventricular blood, with a modest risk (25%) of revision. Valveless shunts are not recommendable due to high risk of revisions.

Pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders in patients with intracranial aneurysms: A case-control study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to define the prevalence of pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension (HT), chronic HT, and gestational diabetes during pregnancy in a defined population of patients with saccular intracranial aneurysms (sIAs).

METHODS

We included all patients with sIA, first admitted to the Neurosurgery Department of Kuopio University Hospital from its defined catchment population between 1990 and 2015, who had given birth for the first time in 1990 or later. The patients' medical records were reviewed, and clinical data were linked with prescription drug usage, hospital diagnoses and causes of death, obtained from nationwide registries. The prevalences of pre-eclampsia, other hypertensive disorders and gestational diabetes in patients were compared with a matched control population (n = 324). In addition, the characteristics of sIA disease in patients with pre-eclampsia were compared to those of sIA patients without pre-eclampsia.

RESULTS

A total of 169 patients with sIA fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Of these, 22 (13%) had pre-eclampsia and 32 (19%) had other hypertensive disorders during pregnancy. In 324 matched controls who had given birth, the prevalence of pre-eclampsia was 5% (n = 15) and other hypertensive disorders were diagnosed in 10% (n = 34). There was no significant difference in prevalence of gestational diabetes (12% vs. 11%). Patients with sIA with pre-eclampsia more frequently had irregularly shaped aneurysms (p = 0·003).

CONCLUSIONS

Pre-eclampsia was significantly more frequent in patients with sIA than in their population controls. Irregularly shaped aneurysms were more frequent in sIA patients with pre-eclampsia. Further studies are required to determine whether history of pre-eclampsia may indicate an elevated risk for sIA formation or rupture.

The CERAD Neuropsychological Battery in Patients with Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus Compared with Normal Population and Patients with Mild Alzheimer's Disease

BACKGROUND

The usefulness of CERAD Neuropsychological Battery for describing the cognitive impairment in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the cognitive profile of patients with iNPH to patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) and age-matched cognitively healthy individuals by using the CERAD-NB.

METHODS

We studied CERAD-NB subtest results, including the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), between 199 patients with probable iNPH, 236 patients with mild AD, and 309 people with normal cognition, using age, education, and gender adjusted multivariate linear regression model. In addition, the effects of AD-related brain pathology detected in frontal cortical brain biopsies in iNPH patients' cognitive profiles were examined.

RESULTS

The iNPH patients performed worse than cognitively healthy people in all CERAD-NB subtests. Despite similar performances in the MMSE, AD patients outperformed iNPH patients in Verbal Fluency (p = 0.016) and Clock Drawing (p < 0.001) tests. However, iNPH patients outperformed AD patients in the Boston Naming Test and Word List Recall and Recognition (p < 0.001). AD-related pathology in brain biopsies did not correlate with the CERAD-NB results.

CONCLUSION

At the time of the iNPH diagnosis, cognitive performances differed from cognitively healthy people in all CERAD-NB subtests. When the iNPH and AD patients' results were compared, the iNPH patients performed worse in Verbal Fluency and Clock Drawing tests while the AD group had more pronounced episodic memory dysfunctions. This study demonstrates significant differences in the CERAD-NB subtests between cognitive profiles of iNPH and AD patients. These differences are not captured by the MMSE alone.

5-Year health-related quality of life outcome in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus

BACKGROUND

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is severely impaired in persons with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH). The HRQoL improves in a number of patients after the placement of a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt, but long-term follow-up of HRQoL is rare.

METHODS

Extended follow-up (60 months) of a prospective cohort study involving 189 patients with iNPH who underwent shunt surgery. Preoperative variables were used to predict favorable HRQoL outcome (improvement or non-deterioration) measured by the 15D instrument 5 years after shunting.

RESULTS

Out of the 189 initially enrolled study participants, 88 had completed 5-year HRQoL follow-up (46%), 64 had died (34%), and 37 (20%) failed to complete the HRQoL follow-up but were alive at the end of the study. After initial post-operative HRQoL improvement, HRQoL deteriorated so that 37/88 participants (42%) had a favorable HRQoL outcome 5 years after shunting. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis indicated that younger age (adjusted OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.77-0.95; p < 0.005), lower body mass index (adjusted OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.77-0.98; p < 0.05) and better Mini-Mental State Examination performance (adjusted OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.01-1.32; p < 0.05) before surgery predicted favorable 5-year outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

This extended follow-up showed that the self-evaluated HRQoL outcome is associated with iNPH patients' pre-operative cognitive status, overweight and age. The post-operative deterioration may reflect the natural progression of iNPH, but also derive from aging and comorbidities. It indicates a need for long-term follow-up.

Genome-wide association study of intracranial aneurysms identifies 17 risk loci and genetic overlap with clinical risk factors

Rupture of an intracranial aneurysm leads to subarachnoid hemorrhage, a severe type of stroke. To discover new risk loci and the genetic architecture of intracranial aneurysms, we performed a cross-ancestry, genome-wide association study in 10,754 cases and 306,882 controls of European and East Asian ancestry. We discovered 17 risk loci, 11 of which are new. We reveal a polygenic architecture and explain over half of the disease heritability. We show a high genetic correlation between ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms. We also find a suggestive role for endothelial cells by using gene mapping and heritability enrichment. Drug-target enrichment shows pleiotropy between intracranial aneurysms and antiepileptic and sex hormone drugs, providing insights into intracranial aneurysm pathophysiology. Finally, genetic risks for smoking and high blood pressure, the two main clinical risk factors, play important roles in intracranial aneurysm risk, and drive most of the genetic correlation between intracranial aneurysms and other cerebrovascular traits.

Predicting Development of Alzheimer's Disease in Patients with Shunted Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

BACKGROUND

Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) patients often develop Alzheimer's disease (AD) related brain pathology. Disease State Index (DSI) is a method to combine data from various sources for differential diagnosis and progression of neurodegenerative disorders.

OBJECTIVE

To apply DSI to predict clinical AD in shunted iNPH-patients in a defined population.

METHODS

335 shunted iNPH-patients (median 74 years) were followed until death (n = 185) or 6/2015 (n = 150). DSI model (including symptom profile, onset age of NPH symptoms, atrophy of medial temporal lobe in CT/MRI, cortical brain biopsy finding, and APOE genotype) was applied. Performance of DSI model was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 70 (21%) patients developed clinical AD during median follow-up of 5.3 years. DSI-model predicted clinical AD with moderate effectiveness (AUC = 0.75). Significant factors were cortical biopsy (0.69), clinical symptoms (0.66), and medial temporal lobe atrophy (0.66).

CONCLUSION

We found increased occurrence of clinical AD in previously shunted iNPH patients as compared with general population. DSI supported the prediction of AD. Cortical biopsy during shunt insertion seems indicated for earlier diagnosis of comorbid AD.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type Q in cerebrospinal fluid reflects ependymal cell dysfunction and is a potential biomarker for adult chronic hydrocephalus

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type Q (PTPRQ) was extracted from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with probable idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) by proteome analysis. We aimed to assess the feasibility of using CSF PTPRQ concentrations for the additional diagnostic criterion of iNPH in Japanese and Finnish populations.

METHODS

We compared PTPRQ concentrations among patients with probable iNPH and neurologically healthy individuals (normal control [NC] group), patients with normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) of acquired and congenital/developmental aetiologies, patients with Alzheimer's disease and patients with Parkinson's disease in a Japanese analysis cohort. A corresponding iNPH group and NC group in a Finnish cohort was used for validation. Patients in the Finnish cohort who underwent biopsy were classified into two groups based on amyloid and/or tau deposition. We measured PTPRQ expression levels in autopsied brain specimens of iNPH patients and the NC group.

RESULTS

Cerebrospinal fluid PTPRQ concentrations in the patients with NPH of idiopathic, acquired and congenital/developmental aetiologies were significantly higher than those in the NC group and those with Parkinson's disease, but iNPH showed no significant differences when compared with those in the Alzheimer's disease group. For the patients with iNPH, the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve was 0.860 in the Japanese iNPH and 0.849 in the Finnish iNPH cohorts. Immunostaining and in situ hybridization revealed PTPRQ expression in the ependymal cells and choroid plexus. It is highly possible that the elevated PTPRQ levels in the CSF are related to ependymal dysfunction from ventricular expansion.

CONCLUSIONS

Cerebrospinal fluid PTPRQ levels indicated the validity of this assay for auxiliary diagnosis of adult chronic hydrocephalus.

Diabetes is associated with familial idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus: a case-control comparison with family members

BACKGROUND

The pathophysiological basis of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is still unclear. Previous studies have shown a familial aggregation and a potential heritability when it comes to iNPH. Our aim was to conduct a novel case-controlled comparison between familial iNPH (fNPH) patients and their elderly relatives, involving multiple different families.

METHODS

Questionnaires and phone interviews were used for collecting the data and categorising the iNPH patients into the familial (fNPH) and the sporadic groups. Identical questionnaires were sent to the relatives of the potential fNPH patients. Venous blood samples were collected for genetic studies. The disease histories of the probable fNPH patients (n = 60) were compared with their ≥ 60-year-old relatives with no iNPH (n = 49). A modified Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was used to measure the overall disease burden. Fisher's exact test (two-tailed), the Mann-Whitney U test (two-tailed) and a multivariate binary logistic regression analysis were used to perform the statistical analyses.

RESULTS

Diabetes (32% vs. 14%, p = 0.043), arterial hypertension (65.0% vs. 43%, p = 0.033), cardiac insufficiency (16% vs. 2%, p = 0.020) and depressive symptoms (32% vs. 8%, p = 0.004) were overrepresented among the probable fNPH patients compared to their non-iNPH relatives. In the age-adjusted multivariate logistic regression analysis, diabetes remained independently associated with fNPH (OR = 3.8, 95% CI 1.1-12.9, p = 0.030).

CONCLUSIONS

Diabetes is associated with fNPH and a possible risk factor for fNPH. Diabetes could contribute to the pathogenesis of iNPH/fNPH, which motivates to further prospective and gene-environmental studies to decipher the disease modelling of iNPH/fNPH.

Lack of impact of polycystic kidney disease on the outcome of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a matched case-control study

OBJECTIVE

The authors set out to study whether autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), an established risk factor for intracranial aneurysms (IAs), affects the acute course and long-term outcome of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH).

METHODS

The outcomes of 32 ADPKD patients with aSAH between 1980 and 2015 (median age 43 years; 50% women) were compared with 160 matched (age, sex, and year of aSAH) non-ADPKD aSAH patients in the prospectively collected Kuopio Intracranial Aneurysm Patient and Family Database.

RESULTS

At 12 months, 75% of the aSAH patients with ADPKD versus 71% of the matched-control aSAH patients without ADPKD had good outcomes (Glasgow Outcome Scale score 4 or 5). There was no significant difference in condition at admission. Hypertension had been diagnosed before aSAH in 69% of the ADPKD patients versus 27% of controls (p < 0.001). Multiple IAs were present in 44% of patients in the ADPKD group versus 25% in the control group (p = 0.03). The most common sites of ruptured IAs were the anterior communicating artery (47% vs 29%, p = 0.05) and the middle cerebral artery bifurcation (28% vs 31%), and the median size was 6.0 mm versus 8.0 mm (p = 0.02). During the median follow-up of 11 years, a second aSAH occurred in 3 of 29 (10%) ADPKD patients and in 4 of 131 (3%) controls (p = 0.11). A fatal second aSAH due to a confirmed de novo aneurysm occurred in 2 (6%) of the ADPKD patients but in none of the controls (p = 0.027).

CONCLUSIONS

The outcomes of ADPKD patients with aSAH did not differ significantly from those of matched non-ADPKD aSAH patients. ADPKD patients had an increased risk of second aSAH from a de novo aneurysm, warranting long-term angiographic follow-up.

Prevalence of Schizophrenia in Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

BACKGROUND

Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a progressive and potentially treatable neurodegenerative disease affecting elderly people, characterized by gait impairment and ventricular enlargement in brain imaging. Similar findings are seen in some patients with schizophrenia (SCZ).

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of SCZ among patients suffering from probable or possible iNPH and the specific effects of comorbid SCZ on the outcome of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting.

METHODS

All medical records of the 521 iNPH patients in the NPH registry were retrospectively analyzed from 1991 until 2017. The prevalence of comorbidity of SCZ was determined and compared to that of general aged (≥65 yr) population in Finland.

RESULTS

We identified a total of 16 (3.1%) iNPH patients suffering from comorbid SCZ. The prevalence of SCZ among the iNPH patients was significantly higher compared to the general population (3.1% vs 0.9%, P < .001). All iNPH patients with comorbid SCZ were CSF shunted and 12 (75%) had a clinically verified shunt response 3 to 12 mo after the procedure. The CSF shunt response rate did not differ between patients with and without comorbid SCZ.

CONCLUSION

SCZ seems to occur 3 times more frequently among iNPH patients compared to the general aged population in Finland. The outcome of the treatment was not affected by comorbid SCZ and therefore iNPH patients suffering from comorbid SCZ should not be left untreated. These results merit validation in other populations. In addition, further research towards the potential connection between these chronic conditions is warranted.

Co-prevalence of extracranial carotid aneurysms differs between European intracranial aneurysm cohorts

Background and purpose

Previously, we showed that co-prevalence of extracranial carotid artery aneurysms (ECAAs) in patients with intracranial aneurysms (IAs) was 2% in a Dutch cohort. In order to obtain more precise estimates and discover potential predictors of ECAA co-prevalence in the European population, we retrospectively compared differences and similarities of our Dutch cohort with a Finnish cohort using protocolled imaging of the cerebrovascular tree.

Methods

IA patients within the prospective database of the Kuopio University Hospital were eligible for this study (n = 1,118). Image analysis and hospital chart review were conducted.

Results

In total, 458 patients with complete carotid imaging conform protocol were analyzed. Twenty-four ECAAs in 21 patients were identified (4.6%, 95% CI 2.9–6.9), a higher co-prevalence than in the Dutch cohort (1.9%; 95% CI 1.0–3.3), prevalence odds ratio (POR) 2.45 (95% CI 1.19–5.03). In the Finnish cohort, 25% of all ECAAs were located around the carotid bifurcation, others in the internal carotid artery distally from the bifurcation. Independent predictors for ECAA co-prevalence were origin of country (POR 2.41, 95% CI 1.15–5.06) and male gender (POR 2.25, 95% CI 1.09–4.64).

Conclusion

The co-prevalence of ECAA in IA patients was twice as high in the Finnish compared to the Dutch IA cohort, with origin of country and male gender as independent predictors. Twenty-five percent of ECAAs would be missed, if the carotid bifurcation was not imaged. Therefore, we propose to always include imaging of the carotid bifurcation as the gold standard technique to identify ECAA in IA patients.

Facial nerve function and hearing after microsurgical removal of sporadic vestibular schwannomas in a population-based cohort

BACKGROUND

Vestibular schwannoma (VS) is a benign tumor originating from the vestibulocochlear nerve. The optimal treatment strategy is debated, since surgery may result in iatrogenic facial nerve injury. We report the results of VS surgery in a population-based unselected cohort in a center with access to Cyber Knife (CK) radiosurgery.

METHODS

We reviewed 117 consecutive operations and found 95 patients who had their primary operation due to vestibular schwannoma between 2001 and 2017. Facial nerve function was evaluated with the House-Brackmann (HB) scale and hearing with the EU classification.

RESULTS

The population consisted of 37 males and 58 females with a median age of 54 years (range 19-79). One year after surgery 67% of patients had a good outcome (HB 1-2). The rate of good outcome was 90% if no facial nerve damage was observed during intraoperative monitoring, the size of the tumor was under 30 mm and no hydrocephalus was present. During the study period, the treatment strategy changed from total to near-total resection after the introduction of CK radiosurgery, which could be used as a second-line treatment in case of residual tumor regrowth. This resulted in an improvement of outcomes (0% HB 5-6) despite the larger tumor sizes (25 ± 14 mm vs. 31 ± 9 mm, p < 0.05). Hearing preservation rates did not increase.

CONCLUSIONS

Near-total resection and subsequent CK radiosurgery in case of residual tumor regrowth during follow-up seems to provide a good outcome of facial nerve function even in large VSs.

Prevalence of C9ORF72 Expansion in a Large Series of Patients with Idiopathic Normal-Pressure Hydrocephalus

BACKGROUND/AIMS

The C9ORF72 expansion is known to cause frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We aim to identify the prevalence of the C9ORF72 expansion in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH).

METHODS

We analysed the C9ORF72 expansion in a large cohort of patients with possible iNPH (n = 487) and cognitively intact elderly controls (n = 432; age > 65 years).

RESULTS

While the C9ORF72 expansion was detected in 1.6% (n = 8/487) of cases with possible iNPH, no control subject was found to carry the mutation. The mean age at onset of symptoms of C9ORF72 expansion carriers was 59 years (range: 52-67 years), 11 years less than non-carriers (p = 0.0002). The most frequent initial/main symptom pertained to gait difficulties. Despite identified mutation, only 3 of the patients fulfilled the criteria for the FTLD-ALS spectrum. Clinically significant shunt response was detected in 6 out of 7 shunted C9ORF72 expansion carriers.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study cohort identifying the underlying C9ORF72 expansion in patients with iNPH providing evidence for the potential comorbidity between iNPH and the FTLD-ALS spectrum. Analysis of the C9ORF72 expansion should be considered for patients with probable iNPH presenting with frontal atrophy and personality changes or other severe psychiatric symptoms.

Concordance in Aneurysm Size at Time of Rupture in Familial Intracranial Aneurysms

Background and Purpose- Intracranial aneurysm (IA) size and location are important determinants of aneurysm rupture risk. In familial IAs there is concordance of location; however, if such concordance exists for size is unknown. We analyzed the concordance of aneurysm size at time of rupture in familial IAs. Methods- In pairs of affected relatives with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, the ratio between the largest and the smallest aneurysm size at time of rupture was calculated. We also compared the proportion of families in which both IAs ruptured at a size < or ≥7 mm with the proportion of families in which one IA ruptured at <7 mm and another ≥7 mm. We calculated the repeatability with corresponding 95% CI for aneurysm size at time of rupture. Results- About 130 patients from 64 families were included. Of the 68 affected pairs 18 (26%) had a ratio ≤1.2, 38 (57%) had a ratio >1.2, and 12 (17%) had a ratio ≥3. We found no difference between the proportion of families (n=31; 49%) who both had IA at time of rupture <7 mm (n=20; 31%) or both ≥7 mm (n=11; 18%) and the proportion of those families with one patient with an IA <7 mm and another with an IA ≥7 mm (n=33; 51%; P=0.86). Overall, the repeatability in aneurysm size at rupture within familial IAs was 0.10 (95% CI, 0-0.35). Conclusions- There is no good concordance in aneurysm size at rupture within familial IAs. These data suggest that size of a ruptured IA in a family member should not significantly impact on the management of a familial unruptured IA in a relative.

External Validation of the ELAPSS Score for Prediction of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysm Growth Risk

Background and Purpose

Prediction of intracranial aneurysm growth risk can assist physicians in planning of follow-up imaging of conservatively managed unruptured intracranial aneurysms. We therefore aimed to externally validate the ELAPSS (Earlier subarachnoid hemorrhage, aneurysm Location, Age, Population, aneurysm Size and Shape) score for prediction of the risk of unruptured intracranial aneurysm growth.

Methods

From 11 international cohorts of patients ≥18 years with ≥1 unruptured intracranial aneurysm and ≥6 months of radiological follow-up, we collected data on the predictors of the ELAPSS score, and calculated 3- and 5-year absolute growth risks according to the score. Model performance was assessed in terms of calibration (predicted versus observed risk) and discrimination (c-statistic).

Results

We included 1,072 patients with a total of 1,452 aneurysms. During 4,268 aneurysm-years of follow-up, 199 (14%) aneurysms enlarged. Calibration was comparable to that of the development cohort with the overall observed risks within the range of the expected risks. The c-statistic was 0.69 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64 to 0.73) at 3 years, compared to 0.72 (95% CI, 0.68 to 0.76) in the development cohort. At 5 years, the c-statistic was 0.68 (95% CI, 0.64 to 0.72), compared to 0.72 (95% CI, 0.68 to 0.75) in the development cohort.

Conclusions

The ELAPSS score showed accurate calibration for 3- and 5-year risks of aneurysm growth and modest discrimination in our external validation cohort. This indicates that the score is externally valid and could assist patients and physicians in predicting growth of unruptured intracranial aneurysms and plan follow-up imaging accordingly.

Impact of Young Age on the Presentation of Saccular Intracranial Aneurysms: Population-Based Analysis of 4082 Patients

BACKGROUND

Formation and rupture of saccular intracranial aneurysms (sIAs) may have different pathobiologies in patients with younger age at first diagnosis of sIA disease.

OBJECTIVE

To study the phenotype of sIA disease and formation of new (de novo) sIAs in patients below 40 yr.

METHODS

A population-based cohort study was conducted in 613 young (<40 yr) sIA patients with first diagnosis between 1980 and 2014 and total angiographic follow-up of 3768 yr.

RESULTS

Of the 613 sIA patients <40 yr, 508 had aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (sIA-SAH) and 105 unruptured sIA(s) at first sIA diagnosis. Hypertension was 2 times less common among <40 than >40-yr-old patients (unruptured and ruptured). Smoking was very prevalent in <40-yr-old patients (33% in SAH, 68% unruptured). SAH patients <40 yr more often had family history of sIA, and lower PHASES scores (age omitted, P < .001). Ruptured sIAs were small (<7 mm) in 33% of 39 to 30 yr patients, in 44% of 29 to 20 yr patients, and 57% of <19 yr patients. Their shape was irregular in 90%, 94%, and 95%, respectively. Smoking history (hazard ratio [HR] 2.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2-7.0), family history for sIAs (HR 3.1, 95% CI 1.3-7.7), and age at presentation (HR .91 per year, 95% CI .85-.98) were risk factors for de novo sIA formation, diagnosed in 4% even after 20 yr (median 11.8 yr).

CONCLUSION

Smoking and family history are risk factors for sIA formation and aneurysmal SAH at young age. Young aneurysmal SAH patients had lower PHASES scores and often rupture from a small sIA, suggesting need for more aggressive management.

Association of Intracranial Aneurysms With Aortic Aneurysms in 125 Patients With Fusiform and 4253 Patients With Saccular Intracranial Aneurysms and Their Family Members and Population Controls

Background

Varying degrees of co‐occurrence of intracranial aneurysms (IA) and aortic aneurysms (AA) have been reported. We sought to compare the risk for AA in fusiform intracranial aneurysms (fIA) and saccular intracranial aneurysms (sIA) disease and evaluate possible genetic connection between the fIA disease and AAs. Additionally, the characteristics and aneurysms of the fIA and sIA patients were compared.

Methods and Results

The Kuopio Intracranial Aneurysm Database includes all 4253 sIA and 125 fIA patients from its Eastern Finnish catchment population, and 13 009 matched population controls and 18 455 first‐degree relatives to the IA patients were identified, and the Finnish national registers were used to identify the individuals with AA. A total of 33 fIA patients were studied using an exomic gene panel of 37 genes associated with AAs. Seventeen (14.4%) fIA patients and 48 (1.2%) sIA patients had a diagnosis of AA. Both fIA and sIA patients had AAs significantly more often than their controls (1.2% and 0.5%) or relatives (0.9% and 0.3%). In a competing risks Cox regression model, the presence of fIA was the strongest risk factor for AA (subdistribution hazard ratio 7.6, 95% CI 3.9–14.9, P<0.0005). One likely pathogenic variant in COL5A2 and 3 variants of unknown significance were identified in MYH11,COL11A1, and FBN1 in 4 fIA patients.

Conclusions

The prevalence of AAs is increased slightly in sIA patients and significantly in fIA patients. fIA patients are older and have more comorbid diseases than sIA patients but this alone does not explain their clinically significant AA risk.

The Kuopio idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus protocol: initial outcome of 175 patients

BACKGROUND

The Kuopio University Hospital (KUH) idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting protocol is described together with the initial outcomes of 175 patients with probable iNPH treated according to this protocol from a defined population. Our secondary aim was to display the variety of differential diagnoses referred to the KUH iNPH outpatient clinic from 2010 until 2017.

METHODS

Patients were divided into four groups according to the prognostic tests: tap test (positive or negative) and infusion test (positive or negative). The short-term outcome was compared between groups. The 3-month outcome following shunt surgery was assessed by measuring gait speed improvement, using a 12-point iNPH grading scale (iNPHGS) and the 15D instrument.

RESULTS

From 341 patients suspected of iNPH, 88 patients were excluded from further research mostly due to deviation from the protocol's gait assessment guidelines. Hence 253 patients with suspected iNPH were included in the study, 177/253 (70%) of whom were treated with a CSF shunt. A favorable clinical outcome following surgery was observed in 79-93% of patients depending on the prognostic group. A moderate association (Cramer's V = 0.32) was found between the gait speed improvement rate and the prognostic group (X², p = 0.003). Patients with a positive tap test had the highest gait speed improvement rate (75%). In addition, an improvement in walking speed was observed in 4/11 patients who had both a negative tap test and a negative infusion test. Other outcome measures did not differ between the prognostic groups. Conditions other than iNPH were found in 25% of the patients referred to iNPH outpatient clinic, with the most prevalent being Alzheimer's disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results emphasize the importance of a systematic diagnostic and prognostic workup especially in cases with an atypical presentation of iNPH. Additional diagnostic testing may be required, but should not delay adequate care. Active surgical treatment is recommended in patients with a high clinical probability of iNPH. Other neurological conditions contributed to most of the non iNPH diagnoses.

Antipsychotic Use Among 1144 Patients After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose—

At acute phase and neurointensive care, patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) may become agitated or delirious. We found no previous studies on psychotic disorders or antipsychotic drug (APD) use by long-term aSAH survivors. We defined the APD use and its risk factors among 12-month survivors of aSAH in an Eastern Finnish population–based cohort with long-term follow-up.

Methods—

We analyzed APD use in 1144 consecutive patients with aSAH alive at 12 months of the Kuopio intracranial aneurysm patient and family database and their age, sex, and birth municipality matched controls (3:1; n=3432) from 1995 to 2013 and median follow-up of 9 years. Using the Finish nationwide health registries, we obtained drug purchase and hospital discharge data.

Results—

In total, 140 (12%) of the 1144 patients started APD use first time after aSAH (index date), in contrast to 145 (4%) of the 3432 matched population controls. The cumulative rate of starting APD was 6% at 1 year and 9% at 5 years, in contrast to 1% and 2% in the controls, respectively. The rates at 1 and 5 years were only 1% and 2% in the 489 patients with a good condition (modified Rankin Scale score, 0 or 1 at 12 months; no shunt, intracerebral hemorrhage, or intraventricular hemorrhage). Instead, the highest rate of APD use, 23% at 5 years was among the 192 patients shunted for hydrocephalus after aSAH. Eighty-eight (63%) of the 140 aSAH patients with APD use had also concomitant antidepressant or antiepileptic drug use.

Conclusions—

The 12-month survivors of aSAH were significantly more likely to be started on APD after aSAH than their matched population controls. These patients often used antidepressant and antiepileptic drugs concomitantly. The use of APDs strongly correlated with signs of brain injury after aSAH, with low use if no signs of significant brain injury were present.

S-[18F]THK-5117-PET and [11C]PIB-PET Imaging in Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus in Relation to Confirmed Amyloid-β Plaques and Tau in Brain Biopsies

BACKGROUND

Detection of pathological tau aggregates could facilitate clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and monitor drug effects in clinical trials. S-[18F]THK-5117 could be a potential tracer to detect pathological tau deposits in brain. However, no previous study have correlated S-[18F]THK-5117 uptake in PET with brain biopsy verified tau pathology in vivo.

OBJECTIVE

Here we aim to evaluate the association between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) AD biomarkers, S-[18F]THK-5117, and [11C]PIB PET against tau and amyloid lesions in brain biopsy.

METHODS

Fourteen patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) with previous shunt surgery including right frontal cortical brain biopsy and CSF Aβ1 - 42, total tau, and P-tau181 measures, underwent brain MRI, [11C]PIB PET, and S-[18F]THK-5117 PET imaging.

RESULTS

Seven patients had amyloid-β (Aβ, 4G8) plaques, two both Aβ and phosphorylated tau (Pτ, AT8) and one only Pτ in biopsy. As expected, increased brain biopsy Aβ was well associated with higher [11C]PIB uptake in PET. However, S-[18F]THK-5117 uptake did not show any statistically significant correlation with either brain biopsy Pτ or CSF P-tau181 or total tau.

CONCLUSIONS

S-[18F]THK-5117 lacked clear association with neuropathologically verified tau pathology in brain biopsy probably, at least partially, due to off-target binding. Further studies with larger samples of patients with different tau tracers are urgently needed. The detection of simultaneous Aβ and tau pathology in iNPH is important since that may indicate poorer and especially shorter response for CSF shunt surgery compared with no pathology.

Outcome After Clipping and Coiling for Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Clinical Practice in Europe, USA, and Australia

BACKGROUND

Within randomized clinical trials (RCTs), coiling of the ruptured aneurysm to prevent rebleeding results in better outcomes than clipping in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH).

OBJECTIVE

To study the association of coiling and clipping with outcome after aSAH in daily clinical practice.

METHODS

In this controlled, nonrandomized study, we compared outcomes after endovascular coiling and neurosurgical clipping of ruptured intracranial aneurysms in an administrative dataset of 7658 aSAH patients (22 tertiary care hospitals from Europe, USA, Australia; 2007-2013). Because the results contradicted those of the randomized trials, findings were further explored in a large clinical dataset from 2 European centers (2006-2016) of 1501 patients.

RESULTS

In the administrative dataset, the crude 14-d case-fatality rate was 6.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.6%-7.2%) after clipping and 8.2% (95% CI 7.4%-9.1%) after coiling. After adjustment for age, sex, and comorbidity/severity, the odds ratio (OR) for 14-d case-fatality after coiling compared to clipping was 1.32 (95% CI 1.10-1.58). In the clinical dataset crude 14-d case fatality rate was 5.7% (95% CI 4.2%-7.8%) for clipping and 9.0% (95% CI 7.3%-11.2%) for coiling. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, the OR for 14-d case-fatality after coiling compared to clipping was 1.7 (95% CI 1.1-2.7), for 90-d case-fatality 1.28 (95% CI 0.91-1.82) and for 90-d poor functional outcome 0.78 (95% CI 0.6-1.01).

CONCLUSION

In clinical practice, coiling after aSAH is associated with higher 14-d case-fatality than clipping and nonsuperior outcomes at 90 d. Both options need to be considered in aSAH patients. Further studies should address the reasons for the discrepancy between current data and those from the RCTs.

Copy number loss in SFMBT1 is common among Finnish and Norwegian patients with iNPH

Objective

To evaluate the role of the copy number loss in SFMBT1 in a Caucasian population.

Methods

Five hundred sixty-seven Finnish and 377 Norwegian patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) were genotyped and compared with 508 Finnish elderly, neurologically healthy controls. The copy number loss in intron 2 of SFMBT1 was determined using quantitative PCR.

Results

The copy number loss in intron 2 of SFMBT1 was detected in 10% of Finnish (odds ratio [OR] = 1.9, p = 0.0078) and in 21% of Norwegian (OR = 4.7, p < 0.0001) patients with iNPH compared with 5.4% in Finnish controls. No copy number gains in SFMBT1 were detected in patients with iNPH or healthy controls. The carrier status did not provide any prognostic value for the effect of shunt surgery in either population. Moreover, no difference was detected in the prevalence of hypertension or T2DM between SFMBT1 copy number loss carriers and noncarriers.

Conclusions

This is the largest and the first multinational study reporting the increased prevalence of the copy number loss in intron 2 of SFMBT1 among patients with iNPH, providing further evidence of its role in iNPH. The pathogenic role still remains unclear, requiring further study.

Saccular Intracranial Aneurysms in Children When Both Parents Are Sporadic or Familial Carriers of Saccular Intracranial Aneurysms

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

To study the penetrance of saccular intracranial aneurysm (IA) disease in children when both parents carry the disease.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The Kuopio IA Patient and Family Database includes all 4,411 IA patients admitted to the Kuopio University Hospital from its defined Eastern Finnish catchment population since 1980. We fused IA database with hospital diagnoses for IA patients and their 46,021 relatives from a national registry to identify couples concordant for IA disease. Penetrance of IA disease and hypertension were studied in these families.

RESULTS

A total of 3,659 IA patients had 1 or more children. In total, 18 couples concordant for the IA disease with a total of 48 children, all born healthy, were identified. Hypertension was diagnosed in 23 (64%) of the 36 parents, and 7 of the 12 sporadic-sporadic couples were concordant for hypertension. Six sporadic-sporadic couples were concordant for subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). None of the 24 children to the 12 sporadic-sporadic couples had been diagnosed with SAH or IA disease. Instead, 11 (46%) of the 24 children to the 6 familial-sporadic couples had a diagnosed with SAH or IA disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Couples concordant for IA disease are uncommon but not exceedingly rare. Biparental sporadic exposure does not seem to increase the risk of a clinically diagnosed IA disease or SAH in the offspring. IAs were common in the children with biparental sporadic-familial exposure.

Alzheimer's Disease-Related Polymorphisms in Shunt-Responsive Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

BACKGROUND

Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a late onset, surgically treated progressive brain disease caused by impaired cerebrospinal fluid dynamics and subsequent ventriculomegaly. Comorbid Alzheimer's disease (AD) seems to be frequent in iNPH.

OBJECTIVE

We aim to evaluate the role of AD-related polymorphisms in iNPH.

METHODS

Overall 188 shunt-operated iNPH patients and 688 controls without diagnosed neurodegenerative disease were included into analysis. Twenty-three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs FRMD4A [rs7081208_A, rs2446581_A, rs17314229_T], CR1, BIN, CD2AP, CLU, MS4A6A, MS4A4E, PICALM, ABCA7, CD33, INPP5D, HLA_DRB5, EPHA1, PTK2B, CELF1, SORL1, FERMT2, SLC24A, DSG2, CASS4, and NME8) adjusted to APOE were analyzed between groups by using binary logistic regression analysis. Neuroradiological characteristics and AD-related changes in the right frontal cortical brain biopsies were available for further analysis.

RESULTS

Logistic regression analysis adjusted to age, gender, and other SNPs indicated allelic variation of NME8 between iNPH patients and non-demented controls (p = 0.014). The allelic variation of NME8 was not related to the neuropathological changes in the brain biopsies of iNPH patients. However, periventricular white matter changes (p = 0.017) were more frequent in the iNPH patients with the AA-genotype, an identified risk factor of AD.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings increase the evidence that iNPH is characterized by genetic and pathophysiological mechanisms independent from AD. Considering that NME8 plays a role in the ciliary function and displays SNP-related diversity in white matter changes, the mechanisms of NME8 in iNPH and other neurodegenerative processes are worth further study.

Aneurysm Size is the Strongest Risk Factor for Intracranial Aneurysm Growth in the Eastern Finnish Population

BACKGROUND

Saccular intracranial aneurysm (sIA) growth during follow-up is associated with high risk for subsequent rupture. Finnish patients have been suggested to have higher risk for subarachnoid hemorrhage, but follow-up studies of sIA growth in the Finnish population are scarce.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the strongest risk factors for sIA growth in Eastern Finnish population by studying 205 patients with 350 unruptured sIAs with angiographic follow-up imaging.

METHODS

In this population-based cohort study, we included unruptured sIA patients from the Kuopio University Hospital Intracranial Aneurysm Patient and Family database with at least 6 mo of angiographic follow-up after the diagnosis of sIAs. Angiograms were re-evaluated to detect aneurysms with growth of at least 1.0 mm. Cox regression analysis with patient- and aneurysm-related risk factors was used to calculate hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals for growth. In addition, we tested the diagnostic value of previously introduced PHASES score for the prediction of sIA growth in Eastern Finnish population.

RESULTS

Of the 350 unruptured aneurysms, 36 (10.3%) showed growth during median follow-up of 1.7 yr and total follow-up of 790 yr. In the multivariate Cox regression analysis, sIA size and location in the middle cerebral artery were significant risk factors for sIA growth. In receiver operator characteristic curves, both PHASES score and sIA size had relatively low areas under the curve.

CONCLUSION

Our study indicates that aneurysm size is the strongest risk factor for aneurysm growth in Eastern Finnish population. Further studies are required to identify new risk factors for aneurysm growth.

Incidence, Comorbidities, and Mortality in Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

OBJECT

To investigate the incidence, comorbidities, mortality, and causes of death in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH).

METHODS

A cohort of 536 patients with possible NPH from a defined population with a median follow-up time of 5.1 years, (range 0.04-19.9 years) was included in the study. Patients were evaluated by brain imaging and intraventricular pressure monitoring, with a brain biopsy specimen immunostained against amyloid-β and hyperphosphorylated τ. Hospital records were reviewed for vascular diseases and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Death certificates and yearly population of the catchment area were obtained from national registries.

RESULTS

A total of 283 patients had a clinical diagnosis of iNPH, leading to a median annual incidence of 1.58 iNPH patients per 100,000 inhabitants (range, 0.8-4.5). Alzeimer disease-related brain biopsy findings were less frequent in iNPH patients than in non-iNPH patients (P < 0.05). An overrepresentation of hypertension (52% vs. 33%, P < 0.001) and T2DM (23% vs. 13%, P = 0.002) was noted in iNPH patients. Age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.04/year, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-1.06, P < 0.001) and T2DM (HR 1.63, 95% CI 1.23-2.16, P < 0.001) increased the risk of death in the iNPH patients and in the total population. iNPH was associated with decreased risk of death (HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.50-0.78, P < 0.001). The most frequent causes of death were cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. Dementia as a cause of death was more common in non-iNPH patients (27% vs. 10%, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Hypertension and T2DM are common in iNPH and the latter causes excess mortality in the affected patients.

Abstract WMP25: Outcome After Clipping and Coiling for Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage in Clinical Practice in Europe, USA and Australia

Background: RCTs have demonstrated better outcomes for coiling compared to clipping in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH). After these trials, the proportion of patients with coiled aneurysms has steadily increased, as have the numbers of physicians and hospitals providing the treatment. We studied whether coiling is also associated with a better outcome than clipping after aSAH in daily clinical practice.

Methods: In Dr Foster Global Comparators, an administrative dataset from 22 tertiary care hospitals from Europe, the USA, and Australia, we retrieved data from 7658 aSAH patients discharged in 2007-2013 in whom the aneurysm had been occluded by clipping (n=3510) or coiling (n=4148). We calculated crude case-fatality rates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) at 14 days, and used multiple logistic regression to adjust for age, sex and differences in comorbidity/disease severity. Because the results from the administrative dataset contradicted those of the RCTs, we further explored our findings in a large clinical dataset (n=1501) consisting of prospectively collected consecutive aSAH patients treated 2006-2015 with clipping or coiling in two large European centres allowing additional adjustment for clinical condition on admission, aneurysm size and location.

Results: In the administrative dataset the overall crude case-fatality rate at 14 days was 6·4% (95%CI 5·6 - 7·2%) after clipping and 8·2% (95%CI 7·4-9·1%) after coiling. After adjustment for age, sex and comorbidity/severity, the odds ratio (OR) for case-fatality within 14 days after coiling compared to clipping was 1·32 (95%CI 1·10-1·58). In the clinical dataset crude 14-day fatality rate was 5·7% (95%CI 4·2-7·8%) for clipping and 9·0% (95%CI 7·3-11·2%) for coiling. In multivariable logistic regression analysis the OR for case-fatality within 14 days for coiling compared to clipping was 1·7 (95%CI 1·1-2·7), for case-fatality within 90 days 1·28 (95%CI 0·91-1·82) and for poor functional outcome at 90 days 0·78 (95%CI 0·6-1·01).

Conclusion: In current clinical practice, outside the setting of a clinical trial, coiling after aSAH is associated with higher 14-day case-fatality and not with the substantial benefit on functional outcome as observed within the trials.

Polycystic kidney disease among 4,436 intracranial aneurysm patients from a defined population

OBJECTIVE

To define the association of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) with the characteristics of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and unruptured intracranial aneurysm (IA) disease.

METHODS

We fused data from the Kuopio Intracranial Aneurysm database (n = 4,436 IA patients) and Finnish nationwide registries into a population-based series of 53 IA patients with ADPKD to compare the aneurysm- and patient-specific characteristics of IA disease in ADPKD and in the general IA population, and to identify risks for de novo IA formation.

RESULTS

In total, there were 33 patients with ADPKD with aSAH and 20 patients with ADPKD with unruptured IAs. The median size of ruptured IAs in ADPKD was significantly smaller than in the general population (6.00 vs 8.00 mm) and the proportion of small ruptured IAs was significantly higher (31% vs 18%). Median age at aSAH was 42.8 years, 10 years younger than in the general IA population. Multiple IAs were present in 45% of patients with ADPKD compared to 28% in the general IA population. Cumulative risk of de novo IA formation was 1.3% per patient-year (vs 0.2% in the general IA population). Hazard for de novo aneurysm formation was significantly elevated in patients with ADPKD (Cox regression hazard ratio 7.7, 95% confidence interval 2.8-20; p < 0.0005).

CONCLUSIONS

Subarachnoid hemorrhage occurs at younger age and from smaller IAs in patients with ADPKD and risk for de novo IAs is higher than in the general Eastern Finnish population. ADPKD should be considered as an indicator for long-term angiographic follow-up in patients with diagnosed IAs.

Why Does the Health-Related Quality of Life in Idiopathic Normal-Pressure Hydrocephalus Fail to Improve Despite the Favorable Clinical Outcome?

OBJECTIVE

Occasionally, a favorable clinical disease-specific outcome does not reflect into improved generic health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) at 1 year after the installation of a cerebrospinal fluid shunt. Our aim was to identify factors causing this discrepancy.

METHODS

The 1-year HRQoL outcomes of 141 patients with iNPH were evaluated with the generic 15D instrument, in which the minimum clinically important change/difference on the 0-1 scale has been estimated to be ±0.015. A 12-point iNPH grading scale (iNPHGS) was used as a clinical disease-specific outcome measure, in which a 1-point decrease is considered to be clinically important. We identified 29 (21%) patients with iNPH from our prospective study whose HRQoL deteriorated or remained the same despite of a favorable iNPHGS outcome. We analyzed this discrepancy using patients' clinical variables and characteristics.

RESULTS

Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis indicated that a greater (worse) iNPHGS score at baseline (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-2.3; P < 0.001), comorbid chronic pulmonary disease (40% vs. 20%; adjusted OR 17.8; 95% CI 3.6-89.9; P < 0.001), and any comorbid nonmetastatic tumor (62% vs. 17%; adjusted OR 11.5; 95% CI 1.5-85.3; P = 0.017) predicted discrepancy between iNPHGS and 15D outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Frail patients suffering from certain pre-existing comorbidities may not experience improvement in generic HRQoL despite of a favorable clinical disease-specific response. Acknowledging the comorbidity burden of the patient may help clinicians and the patients to understand the conflict between patient-reported and clinical outcomes.

Immunohistochemical Characterization and Sensitivity to Human Adenovirus Serotypes 3, 5, and 11p of New Cell Lines Derived from Human Diffuse Grade II to IV Gliomas

BACKGROUND

Oncolytic adenoviruses show promise in targeting gliomas because they do not replicate in normal brain cells. However, clinical responses occur only in a subset of patients. One explanation could be the heterogenic expression level of virus receptors. Another contributing factor could be variable activity of tumor antiviral defenses in different glioma subtypes.

METHODS

We established a collection of primary low-passage cell lines from different glioma subtypes (3 glioblastomas, 3 oligoastrocytomas, and 2 oligodendrogliomas) and assessed them for receptor expression and sensitivity to human adenovirus (HAd) serotypes 3, 5, and 11p. To gauge the impact of antiviral defenses, we also compared the infectivity of the oncolytic adenoviruses in interferon (IFN)-pretreated cells with IFN-sensitive Semliki Forest virus (SFV).

RESULTS

Immunostaining revealed generally low expression of HAd5 receptor CAR in both primary tumors and derived cell lines. HAd11p receptor CD46 levels were maintained at moderate levels in both primary tumor samples and derived cell lines. HAd3 receptor DSG-2 was reduced in the cell lines compared to the tumors. Yet, at equal multiplicities of infection, the oncolytic potency of HAd5 in vitro in tumor-derived cells was comparable to HAd11p, whereas HAd3 lysed fewer cells than either of the other two HAd serotypes in 72 hours. IFN blocked replication of SFV, while HAds were rather unaffected.

CONCLUSIONS

Adenovirus receptor levels on glioma-derived cell lines did not correlate with infection efficacy and may not be a relevant indicator of clinical oncolytic potency. Adenovirus receptor analysis should be preferentially performed on biopsies obtained perioperatively.

Epilepsy-associated long-term mortality after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

Objective:

To elucidate the epilepsy-associated causes of death and subsequent excess long-term mortality among 12-month survivors of subarachnoid hemorrhage from saccular intracranial aneurysm (SIA-SAH).

Methods:

The Kuopio SIA Database (kuopioneurosurgery.fi) includes all SIA-SAH patients admitted to the Kuopio University Hospital from its defined catchment population in Eastern Finland. The study cohort consists of 779 patients, admitted from 1995 to 2007, who were alive at 12 months after SIA-SAH. Their use of reimbursable antiepileptic drugs and the causes of death (ICD-10) were fused from the Finnish national registries from 1994 to 2014.

Results:

The 779 12-month survivors were followed up until death (n = 197) or December 31, 2014, a median of 12.0 years after SIA-SAH. Epilepsy had been diagnosed in 121 (15%) patients after SIA-SAH, and 34/121 (28%) had died at the end of follow-up, with epilepsy as the immediate cause of death in 7/34 (21%). In the 779 patients alive at 12 months after SIA-SAH, epilepsy was an independent risk factor for mortality (hazard ratio 1.8, 95% confidence interval 1.1–3.0).

Conclusions:

Comorbid epilepsy in 12-month survivors of SIA-SAH is associated with increased risk of death in long-term follow-up. Survivors of SIA-SAH require long-term dedicated follow-up, including identification and effective treatment of comorbid epilepsy to prevent avoidable deaths.