AIM: The purpose of this study was to develop a revised version of the Brief Bedside Dysphagia Screening Test for determining penetration/aspiration risk in patients prone to dysphagia. The priority was to achieve high sensitivity and negative predictive value. METHODS: The study screeners conducted bedside assessment of the swallowing function in 157 patients with a neurological (mainly stroke) or an ear, nose, and throat diagnosis (mainly head and neck cancer). The results were compared with a gold standard, flexible endoscopic examination of swallowing. RESULTS: For the neurological subgroup (N = 106), eight statistically significant bedside assessment items were combined into the Brief Bedside Dysphagia Screening Test-Revised (BBDST-R). Cut-off score 1 produced the highest sensitivity (95.5%; 95% confidence interval CI [CI]: 84.9-98.7%) and negative predictive value (88.9%; 95% CI 67.2-96.9%). CONCLUSION: The BBDST-R is suitable for dysphagia screening in departments caring for patients with neurological conditions. and P. Mandysová, E. Ehler, J. Škvrňáková, M. Černý, I. Bártová, A. Pellant
INTRODUCTION: The splenium of the corpus callosum has a specific structure of blood supply with a tendency towards blood-brain barrier breakdown, intramyelinic edema, and damage due to hypoxia or toxins. Signs and symptoms of reversible syndrome of the splenium of the corpus callosum typically include disorientation, confusion, impaired consciousness, and epileptic seizures. CASE REPORT: A previously healthy 32-year-old man suffered from weakness, headache, and fever. Subsequently, he developed apathy, ataxia, and inability to walk, and therefore was admitted to the hospital. Cerebrospinal fluid showed protein elevation (0.9 g/l) and pleocytosis (232/1 ul). A brain MRI showed hyperintense lesions in the middle of the corpus callosum. The patient was treated with antibiotics, and subsequently, in combination with steroids. Two months later, the hyperintense lesions in the splenium and the basal ganglia had disappeared. Almost seven months since his hospitalization in the Department of Neurology, the patient has returned to his previous employment. He now does not exhibit any mental changes, an optic edema and urological problems have improved. In addition, he is now actively engaged in sports. CONCLUSION: We have described a case of a 32-year-old man with confusion, ataxia, and inability to stand and walk. The man developed a febrile meningeal syndrome and a hyperintense lesion of the splenium, which lasted for two months. Neurological changes, optic nerve edema, and urinary retention have resolved over the course of seven months. We think that the prolonged but transient lesion of the splenium may have been caused by encephalitis of viral origin. and A. Meleková, L. Andrlová, P. Král, L. Ungermann, E. Ehler
Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is a rare disorder characterized by muscle stiffness and painful spasms. Misdiagnosis may occur due to the fact that the clinical picture of SPS is often atypical. The main pathophysiologic mechanism underlying the development of SPS is insufficient inhibition at the cortical and spinal levels. There is good evidence for a primary autoimmune etiology. A 61-year-old man was admitted to a neurological department due to muscle hypertonia with episodic attacks of painful spasms predominantly affecting axial muscles. The symptoms developed shortly after tickborne meningoencephalitis. Electromyography (EMG) revealed signs of continuous motor unit activity. Antibodies against glutamate decarboxylase (anti-GAD) were highly elevated. We present a case of a man who developed clinically severe anti-GAD positive SPS, provoked by tick-borne encephalitis. After therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) a rapid, temporary improvement of the clinical and neurophysiological findings was noted. Only after being placed on long-term immunosuppression did the patient achieve stable recovery. This case supports the importance of EMG findings and demonstrates the effect of TPE as well as the need for chronic immunosuppression in severe cases of SPS., Edvard Ehler, Jan Latta, Petra Mandysová, Jana Havlasová, Milan Mrklovský, and Literatura 22
Na 3 kazuistikách je demonstrován současný pohled na diagnostiku a léčbu trombózy esovitého splavu. Trombóza vzniká na infekčním nebo neinfekčním podkladě. Příčinou infekční trombózy je akutní mastoiditida, častá u dětí obvykle spojená s hyperkoagulačním stavem nebo dlouhodobý chronický středoušní zánět s cholesteatomem, především u dospělých s poruchou imunity nebo diabetes mellitus. Neinfekční trombóza vzniká především na podkladě poruchy koagulace a postihuje zvláště mladé ženy, kuřačky, gravidní nebo ženy užívající hormonální antikoncepci. Léčba zánětlivých otogenních trombóz esovitého splavu je založena na podávání antibiotik a chirurgické sanaci spánkové kosti; podání antikoagulační léčby a chirurgické vybavení trombu není jednoznačné. Naopak antikoagulační terapie je klíčová u neinfekčních trombóz splavu. U všech nemocných s trombózou splavu je třeba cíleně pátrat po přítomnosti vrozeného či získaného trombofilního stavu., Three case studies demonstrate current views on the diagnosing and treatment of thrombosis of the sigmoid sinus. The factors causing thrombosis are of infectious and non-infectious nature. The cause of infectious thrombosis is acute mastoiditis which is frequent in children and is usually linked with a state of hypercoagulation, or a long-term chronic middle ear inflammation with cholesteatoma, especially in adult patients with an immune system disorder or diabetes mellitus. Non-infectious thrombosis primarily develops as a result of disturbed coagulation and prevailingly affects young women, female smokers, pregnant women or women taking hormonal contraception. The treatment of inflammatory otogenous thrombosis of sigmoid sinus is based on the administration of antibiotics and surgical sanitation of the temporal bone; administration of anticoagulation medication and surgical treatment of the thrombus is still an issue. On the other hand, anticoagulation therapy is a key element in non-infectious sigmoid sinus thromboses. Targeted detection of inborn or acquired thrombophilic state is necessary in all patients with sigmoid sinus thrombosis., Viktor Chrobok, Arnošt Pellant, Edvard Ehler, and Lit. 18