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Therapeutic Specialities
Nephrology
Clinical Neuroscience
NOVEMBER 20, 2015
[A rare complication of a rare disease; stroke due to relapsing polychondritis]
[Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is an episodic and progressive inflammatory disease of cartilaginous structures. Its diagnosis is based primarily on clinical features such as laboratory parameters, biopsy. Neurological complications occur in 3% of the cases and are classified as an important cause of death. The cranial nerve disorders are most common but hemiplegia, ataxia, myelitis, polyneuritis, seizures, confusion, hallucination and headache can also happen. The aetiology of central nervous system involvement is still unknown. Moreover stroke has rarely reported in these patients. The diagnosis of stroke is challenging because of its rarity among these patients. Perhaps vasculitis is the common underlying mechanism. Also meningitis and encephalitis can occur during the course of RP. A 44 year-old woman was admitted with uncontemplated left hemiparesis, redness, swelling, and tenderness of the metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints of the right hand and the cartilaginous portion. White blood cell count, C-reactive protein and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate were elevated. Vasculitis biomarkers were normal in our patient. Carotid and vertebral artery doppler ultrasonography, cranial and cervical MR Angiography were normal. Echocardiography showed a mild mitral valve prolapse and regurgitation. Our patient had the history of auricular polychondritis but she had not been diagnosed. Hemiparesis was her first neurological manifestation that led her to doctors for diagnosis. Our patient fulfilled the criteria of RP so no biopsy was needed. She was treated with oral prednisolone (80 mg/day) and aspirin (300 mg/day) and now she is on 10 mg prednisolone and 150 mg azathioprine. Two months later her physical and neurological symptoms returned to normal.]
Clinical Neuroscience
MARCH 30, 2016
Cerebral amyloid angiopathy related inflammation: is susceptibility weighted imaging the clue for diagnosis?
Background - Cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation (CAA-ri) is characterized by various neurological symptoms such as gradually developing confusion, progressive cognitive decline, seizure or headaches; T2 hyperintensities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); and neuropathological evidence of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) and associated vascular or perivascular inflammation. Although histological confirmation is necessary for accurate diagnosis, in case of typical clinical features and neuroimaging, the diagnosis can be established without biopsy. Case summary - We present the case of a 57-year-old man with a history of hypertension who presented to the emer¬gency department 3-week history of progressive headache and a gradually developing altered mental status. On examination, he was found to have left sided weakness and decreased pscyhomotility. Routine clinical work-up (lab investigations, CT, cerebrospinal fluid analysis) did not show obvious diagnosis, so we performed an MRI. It raised the suspicion of CAA-ri which diagnosis was verified by neuroradiological evaluation. High dose steroid treatment was initiated. The patient rapidly responded to treatment, his focal neurological signs resolved. Control MRI after 1.5 months showed multiple haemorrhagic laesions in the field of previous inflammation which posteriorly supported the previous supposed work-diagnosis. Conclusions - Although histopathology is the gold standard for the diagnosis of cerebral amyloid angiopathy, the typical clinical presentation, good response to steroids and accurate neuroradiological criteria make biopsy unnecessary to diagnose CAA-ri.
Hypertension and nephrology
APRIL 24, 2020
[Polycystic kidney]
[The most common monogenic nephropathy is a congenital, cystic, bulky process in the kidney that leads to a gradual deterioration in renal function. Renal failure is often associated with cystic liver or pancreatic lesions, cerebral artery aneurysm, or mitral prolapse.]
Hypertension and nephrology
APRIL 24, 2020
[Possibilities and limitations. Dietary difficulties of chronic renal failure in childhood]
[In chronic kidney disease (CKD), the role of the kidney in assuring homeostasis is gradually deteriorating. Besides fluid, electrolyte and hormonal disturbances, detoxification and control of blood pressure is insufficient without external help. In children, in addition to achieving equilibrium it is also essential to ensure optimal physical and cognitive/psychological development. Adequate calorie intake is a major determinant of growth during infancy. Among the therapeutic options it is essential to ensure a proper diet. In addition to reflecting the special needs of renal failure in its composition, it must be palatable for the child. Children with kidney disease should have a normal energy diet. Protein intake should not be reduced from the baseline recommendation, but lower phosphorus and high bioavailability should be preferred. A low sodium and potassium diet is recommended for a significant proportion of patients and is based on dietary advice. Further, diet planning may be problematic if the child has special dietary requirements and is in need of nasogastric tube feeding. Because diet planning is a complex task, it is difficult to achieve optimal protein supply and mineral restriction along with high energy intake. In such cases, enteral nutrition with special formulas/ drinks developed for pediatric nutrition may provide a solution.]
Hypertension and nephrology
APRIL 24, 2020
[Cardiovascular risk assessment in chronic kidney disease, significance of left ventricular myocardial mass index]
[Introduction: Earlier studies have shown that cardiovascular (CV) mortality and morbidity in chronic kidney disease (CKD) often exceed their average population, and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an independent risk factor for CV disease. However, in CKD, the relationship between LVH, arterial stiffness (AS) and renal function has not yet been fully elucidated. Little data is available on their prognostic role. Aims of our study a) cross-sectional examination of the relationship between left ventricular mass index (LVMI), arterial vascular stiffness, and renal function, b) in our follow-up study, clarification of the LVMI, the prognostic role of AS in patients with CKD, IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Methods: In our cross-sectional study, 79 IgAN patients were examined in our clinic. The myocardial mass index (LVMI) was determined using an estimation formula after echocardiographic measurements. Arterial stiffness was measured using a photoplethizmography technique (PulseTrace) and characterized by the stiffness index (SI). The MDRD formula was used to estimate renal function (GFR) (eGFR, ml/min/1.73 m2). In the prognostic study the primary combined endpoint was total mortality, the most important CV events (stroke, myocardial infarction or cardiovascular interventions such as revascularization) and end stage renal disease. Secondary endpoints were CV and renal endpoints separately. Results: Of the 79 patients included in our cross-sectional study, 50 were men, with an average age of 46 ± 11 years. The mean value of LVMI was 106.66 ± 22.98 g/m2. Patients were divided into groups of 115 g/m2 for males considered to be abnormal and 95 g/m2 for women. LVMI is closely correlated with SI and inversely with eGFR (corr. coeff: 0.358; p <0.05 or -0.526; p <0.001). In case of LVH, SI was significantly higher in both sexes (p = 0.005 in males, p = 0.04 in females). In case of higher LVMI, renal function was significantly lower (p = 0.002 in males, p = 0.01 in females). Metabolic syndrome occurred in several cases in both sexes with LVH, but the difference was only significant in male patients (males 6 vs. 10, p = 0.008; females 2 vs. 4, p = 0.29). In our follow-up study, the presence of LVH in men significantly reduced survival in both primary and secondary endpoints, whereas in women there was no significant difference. Conclusion: In IgAN decreasing of renal function is closely related to left ventricular hypertrophy and vascular stiffness, as well as a close relationship was found between LVMI and AS. Reduced renal function is associated with an increase in LVMI and an increase in AS, which may result in a worse prognosis for both CV and renal outcomes. The underlying role of all these can be assumed to be a common vascular and myocardial pathological remodeling.]
Clinical Neuroscience
MARCH 30, 2020
Cyanocobalamin and cholecalciferol synergistically improve functional and histopathological nerve healing in experimental rat model
Introduction - Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a frequent problem among young adults. Hopefully, regeneration can occur in PNI unlike central nervous system. If nerve cut is complete, gold standard treatment is surgery, but incomplete cuts have been tried to be treated by medicines. The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare clinical and histopathological outcomes of independent treatment of each of Vitamin B12 (B12) and Vitamin D3 (D3) and their combination on sciatic nerve injury in an experimental rat model. Materials and methods - Experimental animal study was performed after the approval of BEH Ethics Committee No. 2015/10. 32 rats were grouped into four (n=8) according to treatment procedures, such as Group 1 (controls with no treatment), Group 2 (intraperitoneal 1 mg/kg/day B12), Group 3 (oral 3500 IU/kg/week D3), Group 4 (intraperitoneal 1 mg/kg/day B12+ oral 3500 IU/kg/week D3). Sciatic Functional Index (SFI) and histopathological analysis were performed. Results - SFIs of Group 2, 3, 4 were statistically significantly higher than controls. Group 2 and 3 were statistically not different, however Group 4 was statistically significantly higher than others according to SFI. Axonal degeneration (AD) in all treatment groups were statistically significantly lower than in Group 1. AD in Group 4 was significantly lower than in Group 2 and 3; there was no significant difference between Group 2 and 3. There was no significant difference between Group 1,2 and 3 in Axonolysis (A). But A of Group 4 was significantly very much lower than all others. Oedema- inflammation (OE-I) in all treatment groups were significantly lower than in Group 1; there was no significant difference between Group 2 and group 4. OE-I in Group 2 and 4 were significantly lower than in Group 3. There were no significant differences between Group 1, 2 and 3 in damage level scores; score of Group 4 was significantly lower than of Group 1. Conclusions - B12 and D3 were found effective with no statistically significant difference. But combined use of B12 and D3 improve nerve healing synergistically. We recommend combined use of B12 and D3 after PNI as soon as possible.
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Clinical Neuroscience
Alexithymia is associated with cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson’s disease
08. JUN
