Neuro Flashcards
Why do chest CT myasthenia gravis
Associated with thymic hyperplasia and tumours- common in elderly men
Management bells palsy
Oral corticosteroids and anti-virals
Option for surgical decompression
Typical presentation of myasthenia gravis
Muscle weakness that easily tires and improves on exercise Ptosis Diplopia Dysphagia SOB Flattened smile Dysarthria
What can cause bells palsy
Post viral infection
Unknown generally
What is a myasthenic snarl
Smile looks like a snarl with drooping side of mouth
Symptoms of bells palsy
Unilateral facial droop normally either eye or face
Isolated incident
Recent viral infection
No other symtoms
Define myasthenia gravis
An uncommon autoimmune condition where antibodies produced against ach receptors on post synaptic membrane of skeletal muscle. Associated with easy fatiguing
What are risk factors for myasthenia gravis
Reduced potassium Pregnancy Women OCBA Elderly men Certain drugs Other automimmune conditions
How long does it take blood to appear in CSF post SAH
A few hours, only reliably after 12
Investigations for bells palsy
Lyme disease test
In cases where complete paralysis of nerve evoked EMG and electroneuronography indicated
What is result of EMG in myasthenia gravis
Decremental muscle response over time
Extra symptom of horners
Retraction of eyeball into socket
What is xanthochromia
Yellow tinge to CSF indicatie of RBC breakdown in CS from a subarach bleed
Signs on examination of myasthenia gravis
Ptosis
Extraocular issues
Counting to 50 voice tires
Myasthenic snarl
Risk factors bells palsy
Age 15-45 Nasal flu vaccine Usual Htn T2DM etc Cold climate Hispanic
Differential for bells palsy
Lyme disease
What triad of symptoms for horners syndrome
Miosis- constriction of pupil
Ptosis- droopy upper eyelid
Anhidrosis- no sweat production on one side of face
What happens if Horners syndrome presents before age of 2
If the onset of Horner syndrome is before two years of age, the colored portions of the eyes (irises) may be different colors (heterochromia iridis). In most cases, the iris of the affected side lacks color (hypopigmentation).
What is bells palsy
Acute unilateral peripheral facial nerve palsy in patients for whom physical examination and history are otherwise unremarkable
Diagnosis for bells palsy
Clinical diagnosis based on absence of any other symptoms and examination signs
Triad of symptoms for horners syndrome
Miosis
Ptosis
Anhidrosis
Define horners syndrome
Damage to sympathetic supply of one side of face
Tests for myasthenia gravis
Anti ACh-R antibodies MUSK antibodies- muscle specific tyrosine kinase Tensilon EMG Chest CT
Order of muscles affected in myasthenia gravis
Extraocular
Bulbar
Face
Neck
What things do you want to rule out in rapid onset headaches
Sub arach
Meningitis
Encephalitis
What can cause rapid onset headaches
Sub arach
Meningitis
Encephalitis
Post coital headache
Presentation of sub arach bleed
Sudden onset Worst headache ever Often occipital Focal signs Decreasing consciousness Stiff neck
Presentation of meningitis
Stiff neck
Photophobia
Fever
Purpuric rash
Main investigation for meningitis
LP
Presentation of encephalitis
Fever
Strange behaviour
Fits
Reduced consciouness
Urgent investigations for encephalitis
Head CT
LP
Causes of subacute/gradual onset headaches
Venous sinus thrombosis Sinusitis Intracranial headache Tropical illness GCA
Sign on examination of VST
Papilloedema
Where is pain in sinusitis
Over frontal or maxillary sinuses
How is pain described in sinusitis
Dull and constant ache
When is pain worse in sinusitis
When bending over or pressure on sinuses
Examples of tropical illnesses causing subacute headache
Malaria
Flu like illness
Typhus
When is headache worst in intracranial hypertension
When standing up
How are tension headaches described
Tight band around head
Are tension headaches pulsatile
No
Do tension headaches localise
No bilateral
What can accompany tension headaches
Scalp tenderness
Would you think malignancy with recurrent headache
No
What can cause recurrent headaches
Cluster headaches
Migraines
Recurrent meningitis
Trigeminal neuralgia
Causes of recurrent mengingitis
HSV
Access to subarach space like skull fracture
What do chronic and progressive headaches indicate
Raised ICP
When are raised ICP headaches worse
Bending forward
Coughing
Walking
Lying down
Signs of ICP headaches
Vomiting Papilloedema Seizures Odd behaviour Focalising signs
Things to ask about that precipitate headaches
Sex Trauma Drugs on Foods Analgesia
What signs indicate sub or epidural bleed
Drowsiness
Lucid signs
When to consider idiopathic intracranial hypertension
When imaging rules out SOL in ICP headache
What does pain when chewing suggest
Giant cell artheritis
What are signs of giant cell arthritis
Palpable pulseless temporal arteries
Jaw claudication tenderness
Subacute headache
Visual difficulties
Where to palpate temporal arteries
They run up side of head in front of head and then branches over forehead
Why are temporal arteries pulseless in GCA
Temporal arteritis which thickens the arteries
Features of head trauma headache
Localised but can be widespread
Can be resistant to analgesia
Extra things to ask about in headache history
Drugs- analgesia rebound
Social- recent stress?
How to do headache history
SOCRATES Drugs Stress How often When in day
What are cluster headaches
Attack of severe pain localised to the unilateral orbital, supra-orbital, and/or temporal areas; lasts from 15 minutes to 3 hours
RIsk factors for cluster headaches
Male
Smoker
Drinker
Head injury
What can precipitate a cluster headache
Alcohol
How long do cluster headache episodes last
15-180mins
How often do people get cluster headaches a day
once or twice a day- can get nocturnally
How long do clusters of cluster headaches last
4-12wks
How long is there between clusters
month- 2 years
How to differentiate between clusters and migraines
Migraines feel nauseous and dizzy
Cluster get hyperactivity of parasympathetic nervous system and feel agitated
Are cluster headaches unilateral or bilateral
Unilateral
Associated signs of cluster headaches
Miosis Ptosis Bloodshot eyes Lacrimation Rhinorrhoea Facial flushing
Laboratory finding in GCA
Raised ESR
Investigations for cluster headache
CT/MRI to rule out other neuro problems
ESR to rule out GCA
Pituitary function
3 cardinal features of cluster headaches
Ipsilateral cranial autonomic neuropathy
Trigeminal distribution of pain
Circadian pattern to pain
Signs of hypertension on examinations
CXR enlarged heart
Papilloedema
Nephropathy
3 classical migraine presentations
An aura for 15-30mins then followed by an unilateral throbbing headache
Isolated aura without headache
Episodic headaches without aura
What can be in prodrome for migraines
Yawning
Cravings
Mood changes
Sleep changes
What types of auras can you get with migraines
Visual
Motor
Somatosensory
Speech
What can symptoms be in visual auras
Jumbling of lines, dots and zigzags
Distorting and melting of surroundings- chaotic vision
Hemianopia
What symptoms tend to accompany episodic headaches
Nausea
Photophobia
Acronym for migraine triggers
CHOCOLATE
Chocolate triggers for migraines
Chocolate Hangovers Orgasm Cheese and caffeine Oral contraceptives Lie ins Alcohol Travel Exercise
How are migraines diagnosed
Clinically
If no aura is present how are migraines diagnosed
Episodic headches of 4-72 hours with nausea or photophobia
Then 2 of
- pulsatile
- unilateral
- impairs or worsened by routine activity
How does trigemial neuralgia present
Sudden stabbing pain in trigeminal areas that can be brief and recurrent
Worse when doing anything that involves moving theit mouth
Can get numbness
Triggers for trigeminal neuralgia
Shaving
Chewing
Cleaning teeth
Washing
Define trigeminal neuralgia
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a facial pain syndrome in the distribution of ≥1 divisions of the trigeminal nerve without any other neurological deficit.
Investigations for trigeminal neuralgia
Oral X-ray- check if problem is from dental cause
MRI- rule out any other pathologies impinging upon trigeminal nerve
Trigeminal reflexes- ask to clench teeth and open mouth against resistance- may deviate to side if muscle weak
Causes of trigeminal neuralgia
Any compression on trigeminal nerve
Demylenation- extremely common in MS
Tumours in brain stem or infarcts
Main investigations in acute stroke treatment
CXR
ECG
Head CT
When are carotid dopplers done in suspected strokes
Not acutely
In TIAs
When has recovered from a stroke nearly
Anterior circulatory stroke
Why do you get aspiration pneumonias post stroke
Lack of gag relfex causing aspiration of salvic and gastric contents
Why do you check ESR post TIA
Vasculitis can cause TIAs
What test must always be done in case of suspected symptomatic carotid stenosis
Carotid doppler
What tests can be done to further evaluate carotid stenosis
CT/MRI angiography- convential angiography very rarely used now due to risk of stroke
Investigations for TIAs
Carotid doppler
CT/MRI angiography
Echo
Why are echos done for TIAs
To look for valvular disease, atrial tumours which can all cause TIAs
Check for LVF as sign of end organ failure secondary to hypertension
Who do we do carotid endartectomy on
Patients who are fit and have had a TIA or recovered from a stroke well in the past 6 months
What is cut off level of stenosis for endartectomy
Has to be over 70% stenosed
Can you get absence of bruits in severe stenosis
Yes
Management principles for TIAs
Lifestyle
Hypertension management
Prophylactic anti-platelet agent such as aspirin, clopidogrel
Are reflexes normal in myasthenia gravis
Yes
What is the tensilon test
Used in suspected myasthenia gravis. A short acting acetylcholinesterase inhibitor is given aswell as saline, in positive myasthenia cases weakness temporarily subsides within a minute
What is danger of tensilon test
Can set off a myasthenic crisis
What can happen in myasthenic crisis
Arrythmia
Breathing difficulty- can get apnoea
What endocrine organ is associated with myasthenia gravis
Thyroid
What can precipitate myasthenic crises
Opiates
some antibiotics
β-blockers
Tensilon test
What is amaurosis fugax
Sudden onset blindness that can resolve
What artery does GCA tend to affect
Branches of external carotid
Important thing to ask about in GCA
Pain and aches in muscles
What is name given to constant aches and pains in various muscles
Polymyalgia rheumatica
Investigations for GCA
ESR and CRP
FBC
Temporal artery biopsy
Temporal artery US
Presentation of MS
Attacks of monosymptomatic episodes which can include visual, bladder, cognitive and sensory problems
Common symptoms of MS
Bladder- incontinence, urine retention
Sexual- ED
Sensory- tingling and numbness
Cognitive- amnesia, reduced executive functioning
Cerebellum- ataxia, intention tremor, scanning speech
Eye- diplopia, optic neuritis, hemianopia
GI- swallowing and constipation
What can trigger symptoms of MS
Heat
Exercise
What is scanning speech
Sentences spoken by syllable and with varying tones
What is optic neuritis
When optic nerve gets inflammed by any inflammation causing condition such as MS, sarcoid and lyme disease
What is ataxia
Inability to coordinate bodys movements
Symptoms of optic neuritis
Blurry vision
Painful to move eyes
Loss of colour seen
What is thunderclap headache
Very sudden onset headache that reaches max intensity within 10-15 mins
Presentation of sub arach
Thunderclap headache Drowsiness Confusion Nausea Neck stiffness Fever
What must always do if reduced GCS in ED
Medical emergency so urgent investigations
Investigations for subarach ED in order
CT
LP- LOOK FOR XANTHACHROMIA
Most common causes of subarach
Berry aneurysms
AV Malformations
Hypertensive haemorrhages
Trauma
Rarer causes of subarach
Infection
Anticoagulants
Tumours
Vasculopathy
Investigation for SAH when confirmed
Angiogram
Where do SAH tend to affect
Circle of willis most commonly anterior and posterior communicating arteries
Treatment plan for SAH
Neurosurgery
Investigations for MS
MRI
CSF electrophoresis
Findings of MS investigations
MRI- white sclerotic plaques
CSF electrophoresis- oligoclonal bands
CSF feature of Guillain Barre syndrome
High protein
Normal cell and glucose
What does headache that affects sleeping indicative of
Raised ICP
What is fluctuating consciousness indicative of
Subdural haematomas
What must be considered in elderly patients with neuro symptoms
Frail so susceptible to falls- consider bleeds
How are subdural haematomas classified
Based on onset of symptoms
Acute- up to 72 hours
Subacute- 72hours- 20 days
Chronic- over 20 days
How to diagnose subdural bleed
Crescent or sickle shaped bleed
What is complication of GBS
Respiratory muscle weakness leading to T2 muscle RF
What is GBS
Acute demyelinating polyneuropathy that often occurs after an infection
Presentation of GBS
Muscle weakness in legs that ascends with bilateral symptoms Ascending bilateral parasthesia Speech difficulties CN palsys Autonomic dysfunction Recent infection Respiratory difficulty
Management of GBS priority
Must monitor FVC
Presentation of anterior cerebral artery stroke
Behavioural changes
Weakness of contralateral leg > arm
Mild sensory deficit
Presentation of MCA stroke
Contralateral hemiparesis of face > arm > leg
Aphasia
Hemisensory deficits
Loss of contralateral half of visual field
Presentation of PCA stroke
Loss of contralateral half of visual field
Sensory deficit
Visual agnosia
Prosopagnosia
Which artery supplies subcortical structures like basal ganglia
MCA
What are major features of Lewy body dementia (DLB)
Resting tremor
Fluctuating confusion
Hallucinations
What form of dementia presesnts with parkinsonism
DLB
Features of parkinsonism
resting tremor
postural instability
bradykinesia
rigidity
Alzheimers typical symptoms
anterograde amnesia
confusion
changes in personality and mood
difficulty planning
Anterograde amnesia
Inability to form new memories
What does frontotemporal dementia with
Change in personality or behaviour
What is depresssive pseudodemntia
Dementia like symptoms caused by an underlying depression
What in SBA text suggests depressive pseudodementia
Recent bereavement or trauma
With GBS what happens to reflexes
Reduced as LMN
What are alternative non neurological diagnoses for tingling
Hyperventilation
Hypocalcaemia
What does inability to lie flat in GBS suggest
T2 RF
Signs of autonomic dysfunction in GBS
Palpitations
BP fluctuations
Constipation
Incontinence
How to differentiate between migraine and raised ICP when headache worsened on coughing and exertion
For raised ICP they are precipitated by it
What does headache worse when standing up suggest
Low ICP
What does headache worse when lying down suggest
High ICP
What are common transient visual obscurations seen secondary to increased ICP
Black dots appearing in vision in both eyes
What can provoke visual obscurations secondary to raised ICP
Bending down or straining
What is amaurosis fugax
Transient visual loss that normally only occurs in one eye
Which eyes does optic neuritis normally affect
Monocular however can be both sequentially or simultaneously
What are visual signs in migraines
Normally positive signs such as zig zags
Evolves over a few minutes
What does optic disc swelling indicate
Papilloedema
What are early signs of optic disc swelling
Enlarged blind spots
Peripheral constriction of visual fields
What are advanced signs of optic disc swelling
Loss of central vision and visual acuity
Pathologies in optic chiasm produce
Bitemporal hemianopia
Pathologies posterior to optic chiasm produce
Hemianopia
Pathologies in optic nerve produce
Monocular visual loss
Risk factors for idiopathic intracranial hypertension
Raised BMI
Female
Tetracycline
Cardinal features of parkinsons
Unilateral upper limb tremor
Increased tone in all limbs and trunk
When is tremor worse in parkinsons
Not being used
Anxious
What is drug treatment for parkinsons
Levodopa with dopa decarboxylase inhibitor such as benserazide and carbidopa
What are some causes of parkinsonism
Vascular
Psycotic drugs
Depressive states
Which nerve is affected in Ptosis
3
Damage to which parts of the nervous system can cause ptosis?
CN3
Midbrain
Cervical spine
How to differentiate causes of ptosis
Looking at pupil changes
Horners- constricted
NMJ- normal
Cranial nerve palsy- dilated
Name of tumour that causes horners syndrome
Pancoast
Features of pancoast tumours
Horners
Cough
Weight loss
Wasting of hands in muscle
Sign on examination of neuromuscular weakness causing SOB
Raised diaphragm
Is the brain sensitive to pain
No it is insensate so all pain felt is by other tissues in skull such as dura, vessels and nerves
Purpose of headache assessment
Diagnose headache subtype
Determine cause by excluding secondary cause
Explain diagnosis and rational for treatment
Optimise treatment
Important examinations to always be done with headache
Full neuro exam Fundoscopy Meningism Systemic examns Temperature BP
Differentiation between secondary and primary headache
Secondary has known causative disorder whereas primary has no causative disorder
Examples of primary headache
Cluster headache
Tension headache
Migraine
Examples of secondary headaches
Infection Vascular Trauma ENT causes Metabolic ICP Drug withdrawal Headache psychiatric disorder
3 headache classifications
Primary
Secondary
Cranial neuralgia
Examples of metabolic causes of headache
Hyoglycaemia
Hypercalcaemia
Drugs that can cause rebound headaches
ETOH
Opiods
Anti-depressants
Tramadol
Headache red flags age
Middle aged to elderly
Headache red flags type of onset
Abrupt and severe
Headache red flags site
Temporal- increasing severity
Headache red flags pattern
Alteration in frequency or severity
Headache red flags systemic signs
Abnormal examination
Fever
Weight loss
Headache red flags neurological signs
LOC
Meningism
Confusion
Focal signs
Headache red flags triggers
Posture
Valsalvar
Coughing
Exertion
Headache red flags secondary RFx
Systemic disease Cancer HIV 3rd trimester pregnancy Trauma recently
What is SAH commonly mistaken for
Migraine
What proportion of SAH present with only headache
1/3
How does CT sensitivity for SAH change over time
Over time becomes harder and harder to detect
Investigations for SAH
CT within 4 hours ideally
LP after 12 hours to be sure its xanthochromia
When is xanthochromia reliable after onset of headache
12 hours-2 weeks
What is name of test used to determine if xanthochromia present
Spectrophotometry
Causes of thunderclap headaches
Any stroke Venous thrombosis Cervical artery dissection Meningitis Vasculitis Pituitary Apoplexy SIH Hypertensive crisis
What is SIH
Spontaneous intracranial HTN
Important thing to remember with imaging in thunderclap headache
Many of the causes will have normal appearances
Important thing when doing vertigo or dizziness headache
Ask patient to tell you what they mean
Dont put words in their mouth
Description of vertigo
You feel like the world is moving arounf you and you are moving too in the world
Description of pre-syncope
Light headness and visual changes
What is a nystagmus
Eye twitching that gives impression of world moving
Areas of brain associated with vertigo
Cerebellum
Brain stem
Common peripheral causes of vertigo
BPPV
Meniers
Vestibular neuritis
Test for BPPV
Dix Hallpike manoeuvre
Problem with Dix Hallpike test
Must be done by someone trained in it
How to differentiate between papilloedema and papillitis
Papillitis will be associated with pain when moving eyes
Important history qs for diplopia
Onset Character- what plane? Dutation Associated Sx Triggers/alleviated
Difference between surgical and medical third nerve palsy in terms of cause
Medical- ischaemia of nerve
Surgical- pressure on nerve
Difference between surgical and medical third nerve palsy in terms of presentation
In surgical you see mydriasis before down and out palsy as parasympathic supply on outside of nerve bundle which will be seen first however in ischaemia it affects centre of bundle first so there is muscle problem before mydriasis
What do you see in third nerve palsy
Mydriasis
Down and out eye
Ptosis
Investigations for third nerve palsy
Must do brain angiogram to see for aneurysms ischaemia etc
Difference in whats affected between horners and third nerve palsy
CN III is Para
Horners is symp
How to diagnose MG
Nerve conduction studies
Tensilon
AChR and MUSK ABs
CXR then CT
Tx for MG
ACh inhibitors Immunosuppression Plasmapharesis IVIG Potential thymectomy
How does MG present
Diplopia
Ptosis
Dysphagia
Hyophonia
O/E seen in MG
Fatiguability so for example if see when ask to look up struggle to maintain it
How to determine if someone has binocular diplopia
Resolved by covering one eye
What causes physiologically binocular diplopia
Misalignment between ocular signals
When is EEG only really useful
If having a seizure or they just did
What is a seizure
Paroxysmal motor, sensory or autonomic event caused by abnormal, excessive and synchronous electrical discharges
What makes a seizure status elipticus
Last over 5 minutes, a seizure will normally last less than 5
Whats a convulsion
Motor seizure
What is epilepsy
Chronic disease of brain predisposing you to recurrent unprovoked seizures
What is normal criteria for epilepsy
- 2 or more unprovoked seizures 24 hours apart
OR - 1 seizure with strong likelihood of another
First classification of seizures
General vs focal
Difference between general and focal seizures
General affects both hemispheres simultaneously and focal arises from one specific area in one hemisphere or a whole lobe
How are genrealised seizures classified
Motor or non motor
What is common in all general seizures
LOC
What is classification of motor seizures
Tonic Clonic Tonic-clonic Atonic Myoclonic
What happens in tonic seizure
Stiffening of muscles
What happens in clonic seizures
Twitching of muscles
What happens in tonic clonic seizure
Stiffening of muscles with twitching
Common other Sx of tonic-clonic seizures
Involuntary scream or cry Uprolling of eye Respiration secretions deposited in oropharynx so scream Tongue biting Incontinence
What happens after a seizure
Patient can be very confused and conciousness impaired- post ictal phase
What is name given to phase after seizure where sleepy
Post-ictal phase
NOTE- if unwitnessed can be only sign of seizure
What happens in atonic seizure
Sudden loss of tone so collapse
What happens in myoclonic seizure
Sudden rapid contractions of muscles often when waking up
Other name for non-motor seizures
Absence seizures
Who are absence seizures common in
Children and teenagers
What happens in absence seizure
Sudden loss of consciouness where no change in postural muscle tone
What can absence seizures be confused with
ADHD as teachers think they are just staring into space
How are focal seizures classified
Simple partial
Complex partial
Difference between simple and complex partial seizures
Simple doesnt impair consciousness
What are complex partial seizures followed by
Post ictal phase
What can focal seizures be
Motor, sensory or autonomic
What can often precede focal seizure
Auras
Common Sx of auras seizures
Chewing Lipsmacking Eyeblinking Weird smells Feelings of fear or deja vu Rising sensations in abdo
What seizure can precede the other
Focal can have secondary general ones
Common symptoms of focal seizures
Unilateral shaking
Turning head to one side
What is todds paresis
After a focal seizure you can have a focal weakness on a side of the body
Pnemonic for causes of seizures
VITMAINS
Causes of seizure
Vascular Infectious Trauma and toxins Autoimmune Metabolic Idiopathic- epilepsy Neoplasm Psycogenic seizures
Common toxins causing seizure
Cocaine OD
Ampthetamine OD
Alcohol withdrawal
Which medications can cause seizures
Isoniazid- TB
Bupropion
Infectious causes of neurological pathology
Menigitis
Encephalopathy
Abcess
Autoimmune causes of seizure
SLE
Vasculitis
Metabolic causes of seizures
Hyponatraemia Hypocalcaemia Glycaemic Hyperthyroid Thiamine deficiency
Why should seizures be considered in females
Pre-eclampsia
DDx of seizure
TIA
Migraine
Syncope
Vertigo
When diagnosing seizure what would procede syncope
Light headedness
Sweating
Who has psycogenic seizures
History of trauma or abuse
What differentiates psycogenic seizures
Retained awareness
Plevic thrusting
What differentiates TIA from seizure
TIA lasts a long time with Sx of stroke
What makes you think vertigo over seizure
Position they were in
Lasts minutes to days
When taking seizure history what is first thing must consider
First time?
If not first then epilepsy so check if medication adequate
Workup for first time seizure
FBC Electrolytes LFT Glucose Tox screen Pregnancy test ECG for syncope DDx Head CT LP if infection
Imporant 2 questions to ask when doing a neuro history
Where is the pathology?
What is the type of problem?
Possibilities for location of neuro problem
Brain Spinal chord Nerve root Peripheral nerve NMJ
What are possibilities for causes of neuro problems
Vascular Infection Inflammation Toxic Tumour
What will make you think of a brain pathology
Contralateral loss
Hypertonia
Hyperreflexia
What will make you think of a spinal chord pathology
Bilateral sensory or motor loss
Sensory loss up to a certain point
What will make you think of radiculopathy
Loss of sensation in a dermatome
Loss of power in all movements supplied by one nerve
What will make you think of a mononeuropathy
Sensory or motor loss in specific distribution of one nerve
What will make you think of a polyneuropathy causing sensory loss
Glove and stocking distribution
Cerebellar signs
Ataxia Coordination Dysdiadochokinesia Intention tremor Speech slurred and scanning
Way to remember cerebellar signs
DANISH
Causes of infectious peripheral neuropathy
HIV
Causes of metabolic peripheral neuropathy
Diabetes
B12 deficiency
Uaraemia
Hypothyroidism
Causes of toxic peripheral neuropathy
Alcohol
Drugs
Causes of malignant peripheral neuropathy
Paraneoplastic
Peripheral neuropathy with macrocytic anaemia
B12 deficiency
Peripheral neuropathy with raised GGT
and MCV
Alcohol
Peripheral neuropathy with high TSH
Hypothyroidism
Peripheral neuropathy with elevated urea
Uraemia
Peripheral neuropathy with chronic infection/ inflammation or myeloma
Amyloidosis
How can myelomas cause peripheral neuropathies
Producing many Ig
Inflammatory causes of peripheral neuropathy
Vasculitis
CTD
Inflammatory demyelinating neuropathy
Hereditary cause of peripheral neuropathy
Hereditary motor sensory neuropathy
Fundoscopy finding MS
Papillitis
Presentation of papillitis
Blurred vision
Pain on eye movement
What is paraparesis
Partial weakness of legs
Causes of vascular spastic paraparesis
Blockage of anterior spinal arteries
Causes of infective paraparesis
HIV
Tuberculoma
Metabolic cause of spastic paraparesis
B12 deficiency
Inflammatory cause of spastic paraparesis
Transverse myelitis
What is meralgia parasthetica
Compression of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve
Presentaion of meralgia parasthetica
Pain on anterolateal thigh
Parasthesia there too
Common radiculopathy example
Sciatica
What is sciatica
Compression of lumbosacral nerve
Presentation of sciatica
Pain in buttock that radiates down the leg below the knee
What can cause nerve root compressions
Disc herniation
Spinal canal stenosis
Treatment of meralgia parasthetica originally
Reassuring the pt
Advising to avoid tight garments
Lose weight
Tx of meralgia parasthetica if worsens
Carbamezapine
Triad of parkinsons
Tremor
Rigidity
Bradykinesia
Lewy body dementia Sx
Parkinsons
Dementia
Hallucinations
What would cause confusion after moving to a new house
CO poisoning
Ddx confusion
Degenerative Hypoglycaemia Vascular- bleeds Infection- pneumonia Inflammatory Malignancy Metabolic- drugs, LFTs, UandEs,
Metabolic causes confusion
Encephalopathy Hypocalcaemia Hygolycaemia Hyponatraemia Vitamin defiecencies Endocrinopathies
AMTS
DOB Age Time Year Place Address Who am I Prime minister Second WW Count back from 20
Signs of meningitis
Fever
Menigism
Kernigs sign
What is kernigs sign
Flex knee and hip to 90 degrees from trunk and try to straighten leg
What is GCA associated with extra skull
Polymyalgia rheumatica
Shoulder girdle pain
Stiffness around trunk
What is polymyalgia rheumaica
Pain in stiffness in muscles around the trunk so shoulders hips etc
What must do immediately with GCA
Steroids
ESR check
Biopsy
Immediate management of someone who had stroke over 4.5 hours ago
Aspirin 300mg
Swallow screen
Maintain hydration and oxygenation etc
Treatment for TIA
Aspirin
ECG, Echo
Doppler
Long term TIA management
RF management
What dont you do in TIA tx
Treat BP acutely unless severe
Management of GBS
Cardiac monitor
FVC checked
IVIG
Simple criteria for collpase
Glucose
Cardiac- arryhtmia, outflow obstruction, postural hypotension, vasovagal
Seizure
What can cause brain abcess in frontal lobe
Sinusitis compication
Things to rule out after nasal trauma
Skull fracture can lead to blood behind ear and under
eyes
Septal haematoma
What can be complication of EBV in nose
Cancer especially in south east asians
Things to look out for inspection of neck examination
Voice changes
Scars
Lumps
Systemic signs such as exopthalmos or chachexia
What to do in palpation of examination of neck
Lymph nodes
Feel thyroid- get them to swallow water looking for movements of lumps. Also stick tongue out
Feel neck lumps if present and exmaine them
How to examine a neck lump
3s - site, size, skin
3c- colour, contour, consistency
3t- tenderness, temperature, transillumination
2f- fluuctuance, fixed
Pulsatile? Expansile? Auscultation for bruits
How does lymphadenopathy feel in infective causes
Firm Tender Mobile Warm Red
How does lymphadenopathy feel in invasive causes
Firm
Non-tender
Tethered
Investigations for invasive lymphadenopathy
FBC, ESR, CRP
Virology, Mantoux
CXR and other imaging
Fine needle aspiration
What bacteria normally invade ascites
Gram neg
What condition are antimitochondrial abs elevated in
Primary billiary cirrhosis
On biospy what are steatosis and mallorys hyaline indicative of
Alcoholic steatosis
Some causes of travellers diarrorhoea
Giardia
Amoebiasis
How does crohns appear on CT
Thickened bowel
Management of crohns
Steroids
Enteral feeding
Blood indicators of UC
CRP
Albumin
What happens to albumin in UC flare ups
Down