Objectives: Patients with epilepsy have a high risk of accidents and injuries, resulting in minimized physical activity and social withdrawal. Therefore, we surveyed the prevalence and the types of injuries that patients with epilepsy may endure, and the factors that may increase the risk of injuries. Methods:In this cohort study, adult and pediatric patients diagnosed with epilepsy (age ≥ 7 years) and a close family member (parents/guardian) attending the outpatient epilepsy clinics at King Fahd Medical City (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) were interviewed by neurologists. They reviewed the patients' medical records and administered a structured questionnaire to identify and compare several variables, including injury frequency versus seizure type and seizure frequency, number of antiseizure medications used, medication compliance, and work and social limitations.Results: Out of 200 patients, 86 (43%) sustained injuries during an attack of their habitual seizures. Almost half of this group showed a tendency for recurrent injuries. The most common traumas were soft tissue injury (36.5%), head injury (32%), dental injury (8.5%), burns (7%), dislocation (7%), fractures (6.5%), and submersion (2%). Two-thirds of the patients had their injury at home. 64% of patients who had seizures for more than 10 years sustained multiple injuries (P = .003). Injury frequency was higher among patients with daily or monthly seizures (P = .03). 76% of patients who suffered injuries more than twice had generalised tonic-clonic seizures, and genetic generalised epilepsy was encountered more in injured patients (P = .02). Also, patients on polytherapy were more likely than those on monotherapy to have an injury (P = .003).Significance: Two-fifths of the patients reported seizure-related injuries. The most common were soft-tissue injuries and head traumas, while homes were the most frequent site. In addition, longer epilepsy duration, generalized tonicclonic seizures, and polytherapy were associated with a higher prevalence of injuries. Therefore, injury prevention strategies should be developed for PWE, especially for those at higher risk.
Frequently the cause of raised intracranial pressure remains unresolved and rarely is related to spinal tumours, moreover less to spinal medulloblastoma without primary brain focus. An 18-year-old woman had a 3-month history of headache and impaired vision. Neurological examination revealed bilateral sixth cranial nerve palsies with bilateral papilloedema of grade III. No focal brain or spine lesion was found on imaging. Consecutive lumbar punctures showed high opening pressure and subsequent increasing protein level. Meningeal biopsy was negative. At one point, she developed an increasing headache, vomiting and back pain. Spine MRI showed diffuse nodular leptomeningeal enhancement with the largest nodule at T6–T7. Malignant cells were detected in cerebrospinal fluid. She underwent laminectomy with excisional biopsy, and pathology showed medulloblastoma WHO grade IV. She was treated with chemotherapy and craniospinal irradiation and made a good recovery.
Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL) is a well-defined cytotoxic lymphoma strongly associated with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection, commonly affecting the nasopharynx and upper aerodigestive tract. Primary central nervous system (CNS) involvement is rare, and only 17 cases were previously reported in the literature. Here, we report the case of a 44-year-old male admitted with a 3-month history of personality changes and progressive right leg weakness. Brain magnetic resonance imaging studies (MRIs) revealed multiple rim-enhancing brain lesions bilaterally. An extensive clinical and laboratory workup was unrevealing, and 2 brain biopsies were initially considered inconclusive. Pertinently, no systemic lymphoproliferative disorder was identified. The patient initially experienced remarkable clinical improvement with dexamethasone, pulse methylprednisolone, and rituximab therapy. However, he eventually had rapid clinical deterioration, was found to have increased brain lesions, and died nearly 6 months after the initial presentation. During this time, the second brain biopsy was found to show involvement by T-cell lymphoma of NK-cell lineage, which was EBV negative. No post-mortem examination was done to identify any systemic lymphoma. This case serves to expand the spectrum of lymphomas involving the CNS.
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