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OBJECTIVE: We report a case of biopsy-proven giant cell arteritis after an initial presentation of area postrema syndrome. METHODS: A 65-year-old man was evaluated using MRI, temporal artery biopsy, and ultrasound. RESULTS: The patient presented with refractory nausea, vomiting, and hiccups that caused weight loss without any other neurologic or clinical symptoms. His MRI scan 15 days later revealed a hyperintense sign on the area postrema with no abnormal diffusion or contrast enhancement, compatible with isolated area postrema syndrome. An extensive workup for inflammation and other etiologies including neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disorder, and multiple sclerosis (MS) showed negative results. The patient responded to treatment with methylprednisolone. Two months after the initial clinical manifestation, the patient developed fatigue, headache, and scalp tenderness. He was diagnosed with giant cell arteritis after ultrasonography and biopsy were performed. He responded well to oral glucocorticoids and had only 1 relapse during tapering. He has not had arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy or any new episodes of area postrema syndrome. DISCUSSION: This case demonstrates the importance of expanding the differential diagnosis in patients with area postrema syndrome and no other signs of NMOSD.

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Plasma exchange (PLEX) is a therapeutic apheresis modality in which the plasma is separated from inflammatory factors such as circulating autoreactive immunoglobulins, the complement system, and cytokines, and its therapeutic effect is based on the removal of these mediators of pathological processes. Plasma exchange is well established for various neurological disorders, and it is applied successfully in central nervous system inflammatory demyelinating diseases (CNS-IDD). It mainly modulates the humoral immune system; thus, it has a greater theoretical effect in diseases with prominent humoral mechanisms, such as neuromyelitis optica (NMO). However, it also has a proven therapeutic effect in multiple sclerosis (MS) attacks. Several studies have suggested that patients with severe attacks of CNS-IDD have poor response to steroid therapy but show clinical improvement after the PLEX treatment. Currently, PLEX is generally established only as a rescue therapy for steroid unresponsive relapses. However, there are still research gaps in the literature regarding plasma volume, number of sessions, and how early the apheresis treatment needs to started. Thus, in the present article, we summarize the clinical studies and meta-analyses, especially about MS and NMO, outlining clinical data regarding the experience with therapeutic PLEX in severe attacks of CNS-IDD, the clinical improvement rates, the prognostic factors of a favorable response, and highlighting the likely role of the early apheresis treatment. Further, we have gathered this evidence and suggested a protocol for the treatment of CNS-IDD with PLEX in the routine clinical practice.

Plasmaférese (PLEX) é um procedimento em que o plasma é separado de fatores inflamatórios como imunoglobulinas autorreativas circulantes, sistema complemento e citocinas, e seu efeito terapêutico se baseia na remoção desses mediadores de processos patológicos. A PLEX está bem estabelecida no tratamento de diversos distúrbios neurológicos, e é utilizada com sucesso em surtos de doenças desmielinizantes inflamatórias do sistema nervoso central (CNS-IDD). A PLEX modula principalmente o sistema imunológico humoral; assim, tem efeito teórico maior em doenças com mecanismos patológicos humorais proeminentes, como a neuromielite óptica (NMO). No entanto tem também efeito terapêutico comprovado em surtos de esclerose múltipla (EM). Estudos sugerem que a corticoterapia é pouco eficaz em pacientes com surtos graves de CNS-IDD, e que estes apresentam melhora clínica após o tratamento com PLEX. Atualmente, a PLEX está geralmente estabelecida apenas como terapia de resgate para surtos não responsivos a corticosteroides. No entanto, há lacunas na literatura sobre a quantidade de troca de volume plasmático, o número de sessões, e o tempo de início da aférese terapêutica. Dessa forma, resumimos neste artigo estudos clínicos e metanálises, especialmente sobre EM e NMO, e delineamos os dados clínicos sobre a experiência com o uso de PLEX em surtos graves de CNS-IDD, as taxas de melhora clínica, os fatores prognósticos para uma resposta favorável, e destacamos o provável papel do tratamento precoce nestes casos. Em um segundo momento, reunimos essas evidências em uma sugestão de protocolo de tratamento de CNS-IDD com PLEX na prática clínica rotineira.

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Abstract Plasma exchange (PLEX) is a therapeutic apheresis modality in which the plasma is separated from inflammatory factors such as circulating autoreactive immunoglobulins, the complement system, and cytokines, and its therapeutic effect is based on the removal of these mediators of pathological processes. Plasma exchange is well established for various neurological disorders, and it is applied successfully in central nervous system inflammatory demyelinating diseases (CNS-IDD). It mainly modulates the humoral immune system; thus, it has a greater theoretical effect in diseases with prominent humoral mechanisms, such as neuromyelitis optica (NMO). However, it also has a proven therapeutic effect in multiple sclerosis (MS) attacks. Several studies have suggested that patients with severe attacks of CNS-IDD have poor response to steroid therapy but show clinical improvement after the PLEX treatment. Currently, PLEX is generally established only as a rescue therapy for steroid unresponsive relapses. However, there are still research gaps in the literature regarding plasma volume, number of sessions, and how early the apheresis treatment needs to started. Thus, in the present article, we summarize the clinical studies and meta-analyses, especially about MS and NMO, outlining clinical data regarding the experience with therapeutic PLEX in severe attacks of CNS-IDD, the clinical improvement rates, the prognostic factors of a favorable response, and highlighting the likely role of the early apheresis treatment. Further, we have gathered this evidence and suggested a protocol for the treatment of CNS-IDD with PLEX in the routine clinical practice.

Resumo Plasmaférese (PLEX) é um procedimento em que o plasma é separado de fatores inflamatórios como imunoglobulinas autorreativas circulantes, sistema complemento e citocinas, e seu efeito terapêutico se baseia na remoção desses mediadores de processos patológicos. A PLEX está bem estabelecida no tratamento de diversos distúrbios neurológicos, e é utilizada com sucesso em surtos de doenças desmielinizantes inflamatórias do sistema nervoso central (CNS-IDD). A PLEX modula principalmente o sistema imunológico humoral; assim, tem efeito teórico maior em doenças com mecanismos patológicos humorais proeminentes, como a neuromielite óptica (NMO). No entanto tem também efeito terapêutico comprovado em surtos de esclerose múltipla (EM). Estudos sugerem que a corticoterapia é pouco eficaz em pacientes com surtos graves de CNS-IDD, e que estes apresentam melhora clínica após o tratamento com PLEX. Atualmente, a PLEX está geralmente estabelecida apenas como terapia de resgate para surtos não responsivos a corticosteroides. No entanto, há lacunas na literatura sobre a quantidade de troca de volume plasmático, o número de sessões, e o tempo de início da aférese terapêutica. Dessa forma, resumimos neste artigo estudos clínicos e metanálises, especialmente sobre EM e NMO, e delineamos os dados clínicos sobre a experiência com o uso de PLEX em surtos graves de CNS-IDD, as taxas de melhora clínica, os fatores prognósticos para uma resposta favorável, e destacamos o provável papel do tratamento precoce nestes casos. Em um segundo momento, reunimos essas evidências em uma sugestão de protocolo de tratamento de CNS-IDD com PLEX na prática clínica rotineira.

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Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii, an intracellular protozoan that is often associated with immunocompromised patients and is rare in immunocompetent. A 60-year-old man was admitted with a history of 2 days of headache and right-sided weakness. There was no history of fever, surgeries, or any other comorbid illness. Cerebrospinal fluid showed just mild pleocytosis with 15 cells/mm3, predominantly lymphomononuclear. MRI showed Peripheral enhancing lesion with central diffusion restriction and perivascular enhancing lesion with restricted diffusion with vasogenic edema and leptomeningeal enhancement in the white matter. Viral serologies, tumor markers, protein electrophoresis were normal. The patient was submitted to brain biopsy, revealing necrotic brain parenchyma with predominantly acute inflammation, with diffuse encephalitis pattern, and cysts with bradyzoites (cystozoites) of Toxoplasma gondii in the brain parenchyma. The central nervous system infection by Toxoplasma gondii can present as meningoencephalitis during primary infection in an immunocompetent, although it is rare. Central nervous system lymphoma is the main differential diagnosis of neurotoxoplasmosis by imaging, especially in our case.

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Abstract Objectives: To assess the effect of maternal breast milk supplementation on the development of exclusively breast-fed very low birth weight preterm infants at 12 months of corrected age. Methods: A randomized clinical trial with 53 infants followed-up after discharge from the neonatal unit until a corrected gestational age of 12 months. Newborns in the intervention group were breastfed exclusively with maternal milk and received 2 g of a multinutrient supplement (Pré-Nan®, Nestlé, Vevey, Switzerland) added to expressed breast milk twice a day until a corrected age of 4–6 months. The control group was exclusively breastfed without supplementation. After monthly follow-up, developmental assessment was performed using the Bayley III Scale. Results: There was no statistically significant difference on the Bayley III Scale between the intervention and control groups in any of the assessed domains: motor, cognitive, and communication. However, scores in the three domains were always higher in the group that received the supplement. There were a similar number of cases of developmental delay in both groups: seven (28%) in the group that received the supplement and nine (33.3%) in the group that was exclusively breastfed. Conclusions: The results failed to show an association between post-discharge multinutrient supplementation and development in the assessed infants.

Resumo Objetivos: Avaliar o efeito da suplementação do aleitamento materno exclusivo com aditivo multicomponente no desenvolvimento de lactentes nascidos pré-termo de muito baixo peso aos 12 meses de idade gestacional corrigida. Método: Ensaio clínico randomizado com 53 lactentes, acompanhados da alta hospitalar na Unidade Neonatal até o 12° mês de idade gestacional corrigida. Aqueles alocados no grupo intervenção permaneciam em aleitamento materno exclusivo e recebiam dois gramas de suplemento multicomponente em pó (Pré-Nan®, Nestlé, Vevey, Suíça), adicionados ao leite ordenhado duas vezes ao dia, por quatro a seis meses de idade gestacional corrigida. O grupo controle permanecia em aleitamento materno exclusivo sem suplementação. Após acompanhamento mensal, foi feita avaliação do desenvolvimento por meio da Escala de Bayley III. Resultados: Na comparação do desenvolvimento pela Escala de Bayley III entre os grupos intervenção e controle, não houve diferença estatística significativa nos domínios estudados: motor, cognitivo e linguagem. Porém, os valores dos escores foram sempre maiores no grupo intervenção do que no grupo controle nos três domínios. O atraso de desenvolvimento se distribuiu de forma similar nos grupos: sete casos (28%) no grupo intervenção e nove (33,3%) no grupo controle. Conclusões: Os resultados não mostraram associação entre suplementação multicomponente pós-alta e desenvolvimento dos lactentes analisados pela Escala de Bayley III.

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