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BACKGROUND Brugada syndrome is characterized by specific electrocardiographic changes predisposing individuals to ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Cases of coexisting Brugada syndrome and ischemic stroke are seldom documented, and an underlying pathophysiological link is yet unknown. This article presents a case in which a patient exhibited both Brugada syndrome patterns and an ischemic stroke, prompting a comprehensive literature review to explore the potential association between Brugada syndrome and ischemic stroke. CASE REPORT A 49-year-old man, previously healthy, was admitted to the hospital after being discovered unconscious at his workplace. Physical exam showed low oxygen saturation, fever, and abnormal neurological findings. Head computed tomography revealed a significant posterior circulation ischemic stroke. An electrocardiogram revealed Brugada syndrome type II initially, progressing to type III pattern. Despite efforts, the patient's condition rapidly deteriorated, leading to death within 24 hours. As far as we're aware, Brugada patterns following a posterior circulation ischemic stroke have only been documented in 1 other instance, in which the patient was also diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. CONCLUSIONS Both our literature review and the presented case indicate that Brugada patterns may coexist with and even be associated with ischemic stroke. More extensive research is required to shed light on this potential association. The question of whether Brugada syndrome is a precursor to or a result of ischemic stroke remains unanswered. We propose that patients with ischemic stroke should undergo an evaluation for electrocardiographic signs indicative of Brugada syndrome, particularly if no clear causes, like cardioembolism, are evident.

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BACKGROUND: Global access to acute stroke treatment is variable worldwide, with notable gaps in low and middle-income countries (LMIC), especially in rural areas. Ensuring a standardized method for pinpointing the existing regional coverage and proposing potential sites for new stroke centers is essential to change this scenario. AIMS: To create and apply computational strategies (CSs) to determine optimal locations for new acute stroke centers (ASCs), with a pilot application in nine Latin American regions/countries. METHODS: Hospitals treating acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and meeting the minimum infrastructure requirements per structured protocols were categorized as ASCs. Hospitals with emergency departments, noncontrast computed tomography (NCCT) scanners, and 24/7 laboratories were identified as potential acute stroke centers (PASCs). Hospital geolocation data were collected and mapped using the OpenStreetMap data set. A 45-min drive radius was considered the ideal coverage area for each hospital based on the drive speeds from the OpenRouteService database. Population data, including demographic density, were obtained from the Kontur Population data sets. The proposed CS assessed the population covered by ASCs and proposed new ASCs or artificial points (APs) settled in densely populated areas to achieve a target population coverage (TPC) of 95%. RESULTS: The observed coverage in the region presented significant disparities, ranging from 0% in the Bahamas to 73.92% in Trinidad and Tobago. No country/region reached the 95% TPC using only its current ASCs or PASCs, leading to the proposal of APs. For example, in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, the introduction of 132 new centers was suggested. Furthermore, it was observed that most ASCs were in major urban hubs or university hospitals, leaving rural areas largely underserved. CONCLUSIONS: The MAPSTROKE project has the potential to provide a systematic approach to identify areas with limited access to stroke centers and propose solutions for increasing access to AIS treatment. DATA ACCESS STATEMENT: Data used for this publication are available from the authors upon reasonable request.

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BACKGROUND: Neurological complications occur between 50 and 70% of patients with heart transplantation, including cerebrovascular events, infections, seizures, encephalopathy, and neurotoxicity due to pharmacological immunosuppression. Mortality associated with cerebrovascular complications is 7.5% in the first 30 days and up to 5.3% after the first month and up to the first year after transplantation. Case Reports. Three heart-transplanted patients (2 men and 1 woman) treated with tacrolimus were identified. They presented with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome on days 5, 6, and 58 posttransplantation, respectively. In these reported cases, no sequelae were observed at 6 months follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome as a neurological complication in patients with HT occurred early after the procedure. Early diagnosis and treatment might reduce the risk of serious complications and mortality.

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INTRODUCTION: Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is commonly used as treatment of certain autoimmune neurological diseases (ANDs), and its main objective is the removal of pathogenic autoantibodies. Our aim was to describe the clinical profile and the experience with the usage of TPE in patients with ANDs at our institution. METHODS: This is an observational retrospective study, including medical records of patients with diagnosis of ANDs who received TPE, between 2011 and 2018. Characteristics of TPE, such as number of cycles, type of replacement solution, and adverse effects, were evaluated. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was applied to measure the clinical response after the therapy. RESULTS: 187 patients were included with the following diagnoses: myasthenia gravis (MG), n = 70 (37%); Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), n = 53 (28.3%), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), n = 35 (18.7%); chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), n = 23 (12.2%); and autoimmune encephalitis (AE), n = 6 (3.2%). The most used types of replacement solution were albumin (n = 131, 70%) and succinylated gelatin (n = 45, 24%). All patients received a median of five cycles (IQR 5-5). Hypotension and hydroelectrolytic disorders were the main complications. After TPE, 99 patients (52.9%) showed improvement in the mRS scores and a statistical significance (p < 0.05) was seen between the admission score and after TPE for every diagnosis except for CIDP. CONCLUSION: TPE has an adequate safety profile, and improvement in functionality in treated patients reflects its effectiveness.

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RESUMEN La artritis reumatoide es la enfermedad autoinmune sistémica más prevalente del mundo. Suele manifestarse como una inflamación poliarticular crónica simétrica que afecta las articulaciones de pequeño y mediano tamaño, siendo las metacarpofalángicas, interfalángicas proximales y el carpo, las más afectadas. Usualmente afecta la articulación atlanto-axoidea de forma tardía en el trascurso de la enfermedad. Presentamos el caso de un paciente de 80 años que comienza con mielopatía compresiva cervical por la presencia de pannus en la articulación atlanto-axoidea.

A B S T R A C T Rheumatoid arthritis is the most prevalent systemic autoimmune disease in the world. It usually manifests as a symmetrical chronic polyarticular inflammation that affects the small and medium size, with the metacarpophalangeal joint, proximal interphalangeal, and the carpus being the most affected. There is atlanto-axoid joint involvement late in the course of the disease. The case is presented of an 80 year-old patient that debuted with cervical compression myelopathy due to the presence of pannus in the atlanto-axoid joint.

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BACKGROUND Retinoid-induced myositis is a rare condition encountered in clinical practice. Its occurrence implies a diagnostic challenge due to the multiple causes associated with myopathic syndromes. The most common clinical presentation is generalized affection. Focal myositis is even less frequent and easily misdiagnosed as muscular disease of other etiology. CASE REPORT We describe a case of 45-year-old male with a history of nephrolithiasis and rosacea diagnosed by dermatology, who was management with isotretinoin 1 mg/kg per day in 2 doses with clinical improvement. Later, he presents muscle pain in the upper limbs with marked functional limitation associated by choluria, without muscular pains in other location; he had no history of using another medication. At his physical examination, vital signs were normal, with edema and pain in the bilateral bicipital region associated with limitation for flexion-extension of shoulders and elbows and high levels of creatine phosphokinase (CPK). He was transferred to the intensive care unit where he received fluid therapy because of the high risk of deterioration of renal function, very high CPK levels, and a history of obstructive uropathy. One year after this hospitalization, the cutaneous symptoms worsened and the patient voluntarily restarted isotretinoin and 5 months later he presented again with the same symptoms of the first episode. CONCLUSIONS Drug-induced myositis should be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis of myopathic syndromes. Retinoids have the potential to cause varying degrees of myositis and their rapid identification could prevent major complications.

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RESUMEN OBJETIVO: Este artículo describe las características clínicas, indicaciones y desenlaces de mortalidad, eventos adversos e independencia funcional en pacientes con ataque cerebrovascular isquémico, ACVi, sometidos a trombectomía mecánica con stent Solitaire, TMSS. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo, de corte trasversal llevado a cabo entre abril de 2013 y abril de 2016. RESULTADOS: Durante el periodo de tiempo evaluado, se sometieron un total de 10 pacientes a TMSS. La edad media de los pacientes fue 62 años. Todos los pacientes tenían una buena clase funcional previa al ACVi, definida como una escala modificada de Rankin de 0 a 2. Al momento de la consulta, la escala de Rankin modificada fue 4. Los pacientes se sometieron a estrategia reperfusión combinada que consta de trombolisis intravenosa más trombectomía mecánica. Sin embargo, un 40 % de los pacientes tenía contraindicación para trombolisis. La mortalidad fue de 20 %, al igual que el sangrado cerebral que se presentó en 20 % de los pacientes y el Rankin modificado mejoró a lo largo del seguimiento en el 70 % de los pacientes, con un total de 50 % de pacientes que lograron independencia funcional significativa. CONCLUSIÓN: Parece haber impacto importante en la independencia funcional de pacientes sometidos a estrategia combinada de reperfusión cerebral con el uso de stents recuperadores, sin diferencia en la seguridad y mortalidad comparado con la estrategia estándar.

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: This paper describes the clinical features, treatment indications, mortality and severity of global disability in the follow up outcomes in isquemic cerebrovascular stroke patients submitted to mechanical thrombectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted from April 2013 to April 2016. RESULTS: During the study period, ten patients underwent mechanical thrombectomy. Mean age was 62, median modified Rankin Scale Score at acceptance was 4. Initially, all patients had a combined reperfusion approach, unless there were contraindications. Intravenous thrombolysis was contraindicated in 40% of patients. Mortality Trombectomía mecánica en pacientes con ataque cerebrovascular isquémico: serie de casos en un centro de referencia colombiano rate was 20% as well as intraparenchimal hemorrhage. Modified Rankin Scale improved during follow up in 70% of patients. Of these, functional independence was achieved by 50% of patients. CONCLUSION: it seems to be a functional independence impact on patients submitted to mechanical thrombectomy. There is not difference in safety and mortality outcomes.

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