Meningeosis neoplastica is a diffuse metastatic spread of tumor cells in the subarachnoid space. Although first recognized in 1870, systematic investigations regarding cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) constituents in this condition are scarce.Routine CSF samples analyzed from 2001 to 2012 at the Laboratory of Clinical Neurochemistry, University of Göttingen, were re-evaluated. Patients, whose CSF contained malignant cells were included in this study.Patients (n = 132, age 59.1 ± 29.1, 58% women) were identified, whose CSF contained malignant cells. The most frequent primary tumor was breast cancer (32.6%), followed by lung cancer (25.0%) and hematologic malignancies (21.2%). The most frequent clinical symptoms were affections of cranial nerves (41.7%), psychiatric abmormalities (32.6%) and radicular lesions of the lower extremities (20.5%). CSF cell counts ranged from 0 to 4692 cells/μl (median 4 cells/μl) and were elevated in 50%. The CSF-to-serum albumin ratio was abnormal in 69.4%. It ranged from 1.8 to 330 x 10-3 (median 17.5 x 10-3). Total CSF protein ranged from 166 to 15,840 mg/l (median 1012 mg/l). CSF lactate was elevated (>2.4 mmol/l) in 65.2% [3.6 mmol/l (1.3/15.6 mmol/l); median (minimum/maximum)]. In 50% of all patients CSF lactate was ≥3.5 mmol/l. The CSF cell counts correlated significantly with the CSF lactate levels and the CSF protein contents. In 56 of 118 CSF samples (47.5%) ferritin was elevated, and in 25 of 65 carcinoma patients (38.5%) an intrathecal production of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was detected. Granulocytes were found in 52.7% of the CSF samples. The percentages of granulocytes and lymphocytes were higher in samples with an elevated cell count.In approximately 50% of CSF samples with meningeosis neoplastica the CSF cell count is not elevated. Diagnosis may be missed when only CSF samples with elevated cell counts are subjected to cytological analysis. CSF lactate and protein and the CSF-to-serum albumin ratio are frequently increased in meningeosis neoplastica. The differential diagnosis between meningeosis neoplastica and central nervous infections, in particular tuberculous or fungal meningitis, can be difficult.
C-Bank's business is lending money. Our success depends on our ability to determine how much money should be loaned to whom and under what terms. Our success, particularly over periods of loose money, also depends on our ability to build and maintain closer relationships with customers than our competitors do. Those relationships depend on the quality of our service, including the speed with which we can respond to loan requests and the general value of our counsel as financiers. All of this requires extensive financial analysis, sometimes under heavy time pressure. It is, therefore, not surprising at all that we would use the computer to permit faster and more comprehensive quantitative analysis.
Abstract Background In the 19th century, neurosyphilis was the most frequent cause of dementia in Western Europe. Now dementia caused by syphilis has become rare in Germany. We studied whether routine testing of patients with cognitive abnormalities or neuropathy for antibodies against Treponema pallidum has therapeutic consequences in geriatric patients. Methods A Treponema pallidum electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (TP-ECLIA) is routinely performed in all in-patients treated at our institution with cognitve decline or neuropathy and no or insufficient previous diagnostic workup. Patients with a positive TP-ECLIA treated from October 2015 to January 2022 (76 months) were retrospectively evaluated. In cases of positive TP-ECLIA, further specific laboratory investigations were performed to assess whether antibiotic therapy was indicated. Results In 42 of 4116 patients (1.0%), TP-ECLIA detected antibodies directed against Treponema in serum. Specifity of these antibodies was ensured by immunoblot in 22 patients (11 × positiv, 11 × borderline values). Treponema-specific IgM was detectable in the serum of one patient, in 3 patients the Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) test, a modified Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test (VDRL), in serum was positiv. CSF analysis was performed in 10 patients. One patient had CSF pleocytosis. In 2 other patients, the Treponema-specific IgG antibody index was elevated. 5 patients received antibiotic therapy (4 × ceftriaxone 2 g/d i.v., 1 × doxycycline 300 mg/d p.o.). Conclusion In approx. 1‰ of patients with previously undiagnosed or not sufficiently diagnosed cognitive decline or neuropathy, the diagnostic workup for active syphilis resulted in a course of antibiotic treatment.
Abstract Admissions to hospital have declined markedly during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Australia. This may be due to patients not presenting with acute illness or managing their chronic illness at home. We reviewed a cohort admitted to the Acute Medical Unit of the Royal Melbourne Hospital during and before the pandemic and found admissions were more acutely unwell and more comorbid. This may lead to worse outcomes for those not presenting, as well as those presenting late. We recommend a public health campaign to encourage Australians to present to hospital if unwell.
Neurotropic viruses are suspected to play a role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases of the CNS such as the association between the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and multiple sclerosis (MS). A group of autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is linked to antibodies against neuronal cell surface proteins. Because CNS infection with the herpes simplex virus can trigger anti-NMDA receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis, a similar mechanism for EBV and other neurotropic viruses could be postulated. To investigate for previous viral infections of the CNS, intrathecally produced virus-specific antibody synthesis was determined in patients with AE.Antibody-specific indices (AIs) against EBV and measles, rubella, varicella zoster, herpes simplex virus, and cytomegalovirus were determined in 27 patients having AE (anti-NMDAR encephalitis, n = 21, and LGI1 encephalitis, n = 6) and in 2 control groups comprising of 30 patients with MS and 21 patients with noninflammatory CNS diseases (NIND), which were sex and age matched.An intrathecal synthesis of antibodies against EBV was found in 5/27 (19%) patients with AE and 2/30 (7%) of the patients with MS. All these patients had also at least 1 additional elevated virus-specific AI. In contrast, in none of the patients with NIND, an elevated virus-specific AI was detected.Intrathecally produced antibodies against EBV can be found in patients with AE and MS but only together with antibodies against different neurotropic viruses. Evidence of these antibodies is the result of a polyspecific immune response similar yet distinct from MS response rather than an elapsed infection of the CNS.
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), caused by infection with John Cunningham polyoma virus (JCPyV) in immune-compromised patients, is a serious demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. This disease often leads to major neurological impairments and consecutive disability. No effective treatment for PML has been found as yet. As JCPyV-PCR of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may be negative in some cases, a reliable diagnosis might prove to be difficult as well. So far, two case reports suggested CSF-tau to be a promising biomarker for PML. Our study included 10 patients with assured diagnosis of PML and varying underlying diseases. In all but one the CSF-tau concentration was normal. Our results indicate that CSF-tau is not an appropriate biomarker for PML.
Acute exacerbation of COPD is a major cause of hospitalisation in Denmark. Most of the patients require supplemental oxygen in the acute phase and some patients continue oxygen therapy at home after discharge. In this paper we discuss the physiological mechanisms of respiratory failure seen in acute exacerbations of COPD. The principles for oxygen therapy in the acute phase are described and recommendations for oxygen therapy are suggested.
Vascular factors increase the risks of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) and they contribute to AD pathology. Since amyloid beta (Ab) deposits can be observed in both diseases, there is an overlap which impedes a clear discrimination and difficult clinical diagnosis. In the present study, we compared cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) profiles of neurodegenerative and inflammatory biomarkers in a patient cohort of controls (n=50), AD (n=65) and vascular dementia (VaD) (n=31) cases. Main results were validated in a second cohort composed of AD (n=26), rapidly progressive AD (rpAD) (n=15), VaD (n=21) and cognitively unimpaired patients with vascular encephalopathy (VE) (n=25) cases. In the study cohort significant differences were detected in tau, p-tau and Ab1-42 (Ab42) levels between AD and VaD patients, but not for the neuron-specific enolase (NSE), S100B protein, 14-3-3 and YKL-40. Differential tau, p-tau and Ab42 levels between AD and VaD were confirmed in the validation cohort, which additionally showed no differences between AD and rpAD, nor between VaD and VE. The evaluation of the biomarker accuracy in discrimination between AD and VaD patients revealed that the best diagnostic accuracy could be obtained when tau, p-tau and Ab42 were combined in form of Ab42/p-tau (AUC 0.84- 0.90, sensitivity 77-81%, specificity 80-93%) and (tau x p-tau)/Ab42 ratio (AUC 0.83-0.87, sensitivity 73-81%, specificity 78-87%). Altogether, our studies provided neurodegenerative biomarker profiles in two cohorts of AD and VaD patients favoring the combination of CSF biomarker to differentiate between diseases.
'/%3e%3c/defs%3e%3cpath fill='%23012169' d='M0 0h10080v5040H0z'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='.6' d='m0 0 6 3m0-3L0 3' clip-path='url(%23b)' transform='scale(840)'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23e4002b' stroke-width='.4' d='m0 0 6 3m0-3L0 3' clip-path='url(%23c)' transform='scale(840)'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='840' d='M2520 0v2520M0 1260h5040'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23e4002b' stroke-width='504' d='M2520 0v2520M0 1260h5040'/%3e%3cg fill='%23fff'%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23d' x='2520' y='3780'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='7560' y='4200'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='6300' y='2205'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='7560' y='840'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='8680' y='1869'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23e' x='8064' y='2730'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
