No abstract

Background and Purpose: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV2) infection induces a prothrombotic state frequently associated with arterial ischemic strokes. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is also reported with corona virus disease-19 (COVID-19) but a large cohort study is lacking. Our aim was to study the characteristics, treatment response, and outcomes of CVST occurring in association with COVID-19 (COVID-CVST) and the causal relationship with COVID-19. Methods: Data of 34 patients admitted in COVID facility and suffering from CVST and SARS-COV2 infection was studied with respect to their clinic-radiological and lab features, predisposing factors, treatment, and outcome. Observations and Results: 15 patients with CVST were detected positive for COVID but remained asymptomatic for the same. 14 patients had CVST along with symptoms of COVID, whereas 5 had CVST after recovery from COVID, at an average of 18 days after COVID-19. 4 patients were on aspirin as prophylaxis against thrombo-embolic events. The number of males exceeded females (22:12), conventional risk factors were seen in only 8 patients (postpartum state-3, alcohol abuse-2 and anemia-3), whereas the majority (26/34) showed none of them. The mean serum homocysteine level was normal and antiphospholipid antibody was tested normal in the assessed subjects. D-dimer and C reactive protein were elevated in all. 4 symptomatic patients who suffered from severe pneumonia died because of systemic complications. Conclusion: COVID-19 predisposes to CVST and the outcome is related to the severity of COVID pneumonia. CVST related to COVID occurs during or after a few weeks of COVID pneumonia and can also be seen in asymptomatic SARS-COV2 infection. COVID-19 can occur independently or in association with traditional thrombotic risk factors which increase the risk and severity of CVST in COVID. If recognized early, CVST associated with COVID can usually be treated effectively to achieve a very good outcome.

Takayasu arteritis is an uncommon inflammatory disease of vessels that preferentially affects the aorta and its major branches. It can be a potential cause of stroke in young adults. Current study included 7 patients aged between 18 to 48 years. Each patient had varying presentations of stroke with Takayasu’s arteritis along with other neurological symptoms. Four of the 7 patients presented with ischemic strokes, one with hemorrhagic stroke, one with TIAs and one with syncopal attacks. All the patients had elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rates. Five of the seven patients were treated with steroids and methotrexate. Two were treated with azathioprine and steroids. Antiplatelets were given for those patients who had strokes and TIAs. Our cases demonstrate that Takayasu arteritis can present with varying presentations including stroke. Thus, it is important to consider Takayasu’s arteritis as an unusual etiology of stroke especially in young adults.

Hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy with proximal predominance (HMSN-P) is a rare degenerative disorder inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion. This disease was described first in Japanese descendants from Okinawa and Shiga prefectures in mainland Honshu in 1997. The disease is characterized by adult onset of proximal weakness and atrophy, muscle cramps, fasciculations, areflexia, high incidence of elevated creatine kinase, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus, resembling Kennedy disease, though the mode of inheritance is autosomal dominant, rather than X linked. We examined a 56-year-old male patient with clinical features suggestive of HMSN-P and positive family history in an autosomal dominant fashion. Clinical, electrophysiological, and genetic factors were also reviewed. The appearance of HMSN-P in India and elsewhere calls for clinicians in nonendemic regions to be familiar with this rare disorder, which has typically been geographically confined.