Neurology 2 Flashcards
Define encephalitis
Encephalitis is defined as inflammation of the brain parenchyma associated with neurological dysfunction such as altered state of consciousness, seizures, personality changes, cranial nerve palsies, speech problems, and motor and sensory deficits
Describe epidemiology of encephalitis
- 2500 cases occur in England a year
- Globally 7 per 100000 per year diagnosed
- Highest incidence in those under 1 and over 65
Describe aetiology of encephalitis
- Cause only found in 50% cases
- Viruses are the main cause, herpesvirus most common (or st. louis)
- Arboviruses main cause worldwide
- Most common bacteria Neisseria meningitides
- Fungal cryptococcus
- Parasitic toxoplasma gondii
List risk factors of encephalitis
- Age <1 or >65 years
- Immunodeficiency
- Post-infection
- Blood/body fluid exposure
- Organ transplantation
- Animal or insect bites
- Location
- Season
- Swimming or diving in warm freshwater or nasal/sinus irrigation
- Vaccination
- Occupation
- Hunting/trekking in woods
- Spelunking (cave-exploring)
- Death in animals
- Cancer
List symptoms of encephalitis
- Acute onset febrile illness with behavioural, cognitive and psychiatric manifestations
- Viral prodrome
- Altered mental state
- Focal neurological deficit
- Meningismus (headache, photophobia, neck stiffness)
- Optic neuritis
- Movement disorder
- Cough
- GI infection
- Seizures
- Biphasic illness
- Autonomic and hypothalamic disturbances
- Myocarditis/pericarditis
- Arthritis
- Retinitis
List signs of encephalitis
- Fever
- Rash
- Parotiditis
- Lymphadenopathy
- Optic neuritis
- Acute flaccid paralysis
- Movement disorder
- GI infection
- Biphasic illness
- Autonomic and hypothalamic disturbances
- Myocarditis/pericarditis
- Jaundice
- Parkinsonism
List investigations of encephalitis
- FBC
- Peripheral blood smear
- Serum electrolytes (hyponatraemia rickettsial infections)
- Liver function tests
- Blood cultures
- Throat swab
- Nasopharyngeal aspirate
- Sputum culture
- Chest radiography
- CT brain
- MRI brain
- Electroencephalogram (EEG - background slowing)
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis
- CSF culture
- CSF serology
- CSF polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
Define TIA
- An ischaemic (usually embolic) neurological event lasting less than 24 hours
- Without treatment more than 1 in 12 will have a stroke within a week
Describe epidemiology of TIA
- In england each year 2000 people have a first episode of TIA
- Age adjusted annual incidence rate 190 per 100000
Describe aetiology of TIA
- In situ thrombosis of an intracranial artery or artery to artery embolism of thrombus as a result of stenosis or unstable atherosclerotic plaque
- Cardioembolic events
- Small vessel occlusion
- Occlusion due to hypercoagulability, dissection, vasculitis, vasospasm or sickle cell occlusive disease
List risk factors for TIA
- Cardiovascular disease (eg. AF, valvular heart disease, carotid stenosis, congestive heart failure, hypertension)
- Diabetes mellitus
- Hyperlipidaemia
- Other significant illnesses such as a hypercoagulable state or vasculitis (e.g., temporal arteritis)
- Cigarette smoking
- Alcohol-use disorder.
List symptoms and signs of TIA
- Sudden onset and brief duration of symptoms
- Unilateral weakness or paralysis
- Dysphasia
- Ataxia, vertigo or loss of balance
- Sudden transient loss of vision in one eye (amaurosis fugax)
- Homonymous hemianopia
- Diplopia
List investigations for TIA
- Blood glucose
- FBC + platelet
- PT, INR, partial thromboplastin time
- Fasting lipid profile
- Serum electrolytes
- ECG
- CT
- Carotid doppler/echocardiogram
Describe management of TIA
- Control risk factors (lower BP cautiously, statin, stop smoking
- Antiplatelet drugs (aspirin 300mg for 2 wees then clopidogrel 75mg daily)
- Anticoagulant for AF
- Carotid endartorectomy within 2 weeks if 70-99% stenosis
Describe ABCD2 score
- Used in TIA
- Calculates risk of stroke after tia, determines whether emergency referral is needed
- Age over 60
- BP > 140/90
- Clinical features (unilateral weakness 2 points, speech disturbance 1 point)
- Duration of symptoms (over 1 hour 2 points, 10-59mins 1 point)
- Diabetes
If over 4 must be assessed by a specialist within 24 hours
List complications of TIA
- Stroke
- MI
Describe prognosis of TIA
- 8% admitted for TIA have a stroke during hospitalisation
- 10% presenting to A&E have a stroke within 3 months
- Due to underlying disease, 5% of patients will be dead after 6 months
List contraindications for thromolysis
- Recent intracranial haemorhage
- Neoplasm
- Significant head injury in last 3 months
- Recent cranial or spinal surgery
- Severe hypertension
- Pregnancy
- Bleeding disorder
- Recent lumbar puncture
- On warfarin or DOAC
Describe aetiology of migraine
- Inflammation of the trigeminal nerve
- Changes the way the brain rocesses stimuli
Describe aetiology of meningitis
Babies
- E coli (late neonatal)
- Group B strep (long labor)
Children
- H influenzae
- Strep pneumoniae
Teens
- Neisseria meningitidis (gram negative diplococci)
Elderly
- Strep pyogenes (gram positive cocci)
- Listeria monocytogenes (cheese/unpasturised milk/ alcoholics)
Define extradural haematoma
A collection of blood in the potential space between the dura and bone
Describe aetiology of extradural haematoma
- Traumatic skull fracture, especially at pterion damaging middle meningeal artery
- Any tear in venous sinus
- Alcohol and other intoxication increases incidence
Describe epidemiology of extradural haematoma
- Young
- Most common in 20-30 yearold males
- 1 in 1000000 people anually
List symptosm of extradural haemorrhage
- Acute headache following a lucid interval
- Usually initial LOC then lucid for hours to days
- Increasingly severe headace
- Decreasing GCS, symptoms of raised ICP (vomiting, confusion, seizures, paresis)
List signs of extradural haemorrhage
- Low GCS
- Hemiparesis
- Brisk reflexes
- Upgoing plantar
- Ipsilateral pupil dilates, coma, bilateral limb weakness, deep and impaired breathing in brainstem compression
Describe investigations for extradural haemorrhage
- Urgent non-contrast CT head (lemon/lens shape)
- MRI
Define wenickes encephalopathy
Neurological emergency resulting from thiamine deficiency with varied neurocognitive manifestations (mental status, fait, oculomotor)
Describe epidemiology of wenickes encephalopathy
- 0.8-2.8% post mortem
- Higher prevelence in pateints witha history of alcohol dependence and aids, and bone marrow transplant
- Prevalence higher in males
Describe aetiology of wenickes encephalopathy
- Thiamine defienciency leading to periaqueductal punctate haemorrhage
- Reduced intake
- Relative defieicny due to increased demand
- Malabsorption from GI
List risk factors for wernickes encephalopathy
- Alcohol dependence
- AIDS
- Cancer and treatment with chemotherapeutic agents
- Malnutrition
- History of gastrointestinal surgery
- Genetics
- Bone marrow transplantation
- Infants who have been fed formula milk deficient in thiamine
- Male sex
List signs and symptoms of wernickes encephalopathy
Classical triad
- Confusion (irritability, delerium, psychosis, coma)
- Ataxia
- Opthalmoplagia (nystagmus, lateral rectus or conjugate nerve palsies)
- Can develop to korsakoff - long term Wernickes (memory loss)