Background: Temporal artery biopsy (TAB) is useful in assisting with giant cell arteritis (GCA) diagnosis but lacks sensitivity. The aim of our study was to assess the diagnostic impact of TAB histology in patients with suspected GCA on hospital admission.
Methods: A prospectively maintained database was queried for all TABs performed between 1-1-2000 until 31-12-2017 at the University Hospital of Ioannina. Thus, inclusion criteria were made on the grounds of every patient that underwent a TAB during the above-mentioned period, regardless of demographic, clinical and laboratory data.
Results: Two hundred forty-five TABs were included (149 females and 96 males), with a mean age of 64.5 (±3.5) years. The mean symptoms duration until admission to the hospital was 8.6 (±1.3) weeks and all had elevated acute phase reactants on admission. The reasons of admission were fever of unknown origin (FUO) in 114 (46.5%) patients, symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) in 84 (34.3%), new headache in 33 (13.5%), anemia of chronic disease (ACD) in 8 (3.32%) and eye disturbances in 6 (2.5%) patients. Positive results were found in 49 (20%) TABs. More specifically, in 14% of patients with FUO, 21% in those with PMR, while in patients with a new headache the percentage was 27%. Finally, 5 out of 6 (83.3%) of patients with ocular symptoms and only one (12.5%) of those suffering from ACD. Visual manifestations and FUO are correlated with a positive TAB.
Conclusion: It seems that TAB is useful in assisting with GCA diagnosis, but lacks sensitivity.
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6440612 | PMC |
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0210845 | PLOS |
Medicine (Baltimore)
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Department of Neurology, Haiyan People's Hospital Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China.
This study aimed to evaluate changes in cerebral blood flow and perioperative outcomes in patients with unilateral symptomatic carotid artery stenosis before and after carotid artery stenting (CAS), providing insights to guide surgical decision-making. Ninety-six patients with moderate to severe unilateral symptomatic carotid artery stenosis (>50%) admitted to the Neurology Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University from June 2023 to April 2024 were included. All patients underwent CAS and magnetic resonance imaging, including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and 3D quasi-continuous arterial spin-labeled perfusion imaging, within 3 days preoperatively and on the third postoperative day.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Neurosurg Case Lessons
January 2025
Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Irvine, Orange, California.
Background: Intravascular injection of liquid adhesive hemostats is a rare but serious complication that can result in cerebral thromboembolism.
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Rev Port Cardiol
January 2025
Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Serviço de Cardiologia, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Coimbra, Portugal.
Introduction And Objectives: Rotational atherectomy (RA) is widely used for the management of calcified coronary stenoses. However, there is limited data on its use, trends, and outcomes. We sought to report our twelve-year experience with RA and explore the trends and outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with this device.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm Fam Physician
January 2025
Western University Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, Ontario, Canada.
Vision loss affects more than 7 million Americans and impacts quality of life, independence, social functioning, and overall health. Common and dangerous conditions causing sudden vision loss include acute angle-closure glaucoma, retinal detachment, retinal artery occlusion, giant cell arteritis, and optic neuritis. Acute angle-closure glaucoma features ocular pain, headache, and nausea; treatment includes pilocarpine eye drops, oral or intravenous acetazolamide, and intravenous mannitol.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeuroradiology
January 2025
Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
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