Spontaneous Carotid Artery Dissection in Two Siblings with Osteogenesis imperfecta

Effect of Possible Osteoporosis on Parenchymal-Type Hemorrhagic Transformation in Patients with Cardioembolic Stroke

Background: hemorrhagic transformation (HT) is a frequent complication of ischemic stroke, and parenchymal hematoma (PH)-type HT has been shown to correlate with symptomatic deterioration. Because both bone and vascular smooth muscle cells are composed of type 1 collagen, we hypothesized that the integrity of blood vessels around the infarction area might be more damaged in osteoporotic conditions after a cardioembolic stroke. Methods: we measured frontal skull Hounsfield unit (HU) values on brain CT images from cardioembolic stroke patients. We conducted a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis in a large sample registry to identify the optimal HU threshold for predicting osteopenia and osteoporosis. Hazard ratios were estimated using a Cox regression analysis to identify whether osteoporotic conditions were an independent predictor of PH-type HT in patients with cardioembolic stroke. Results: altogether, 600 consecutive patients (>18 years old) with cardioembolic stroke were enrolled over a 12-year period at our hospital. The infarction volume and hypothetical osteoporosis were independent predictive factors for PH-type HT development in patients with cardioembolic stroke. In the male group, hypothetical osteoporosis was an independent predictor for PH-type HT development after cardioembolic stroke (hazard ratio, 4.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.40–12.10; p = 0.010). Conclusions: our study suggests an association between possible osteoporosis and the development of PH-type HT in patients with cardioembolic stroke. Our findings could help to predict PH-type HT by providing a convenient method for measuring the HU value using brain CT images.

Spontaneous extracranial arterial dissections in a case of patient with osteogenesis imperfecta

Background: Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), also known as brittle bone disease, is an inherited disease characterized by increased bone brittleness and decreased bone mass. OI patients may also be associated with exoskeleton manifestations such as hearing loss, articular ligament laxity, and heart valve lesions. Reports of internal carotid and cerebral artery dissection related to OI patients are very rare. We present the first case of acute cerebral infarction caused by the progressive stripping of the carotid artery dissection Chinese patient with Osteogenesis imperfecta.Case: A 48-year-old Chinese male who had no prior medical history or bad habits was to admitted the hospital due to leftside temporal headache, paroxysmal right limb weakness, and prolonged blurred vision experienced for a week. After a series of tests were performed to exclude superficial temporal arteritis, the patient was diagnosed with transient ischemic attack and was given aspirin, clopidogrel and atorvastatin without further headache and blurred vision. However, he was again admitted to the emergency department the following day due to right limb weakness for 7 h that was considered acute cerebral infarction caused by left carotid artery dissection.Conclusion: The findings in this case support that internal carotid and cerebral artery dissection may be one of the complications of Osteogenesis imperfecta.

Clinical manifestations of osteogenesis imperfecta in adulthood: An integrative review of quantitative studies and case reports

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare genetic disorder of the bones caused by a mutation in Type I collagen genes. As adults with OI are aging, medical concerns secondary to OI may arise. This integrative review sought to review, appraise, and synthesize the clinical manifestations faced by adults with OI. Four electronic bibliographic databases were searched. Published quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies, as well as case reports from 2000 to March 2019, addressing a clinical manifestation in adulthood, were reviewed. Eligible studies and case reports were subsequently appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool and Case Report Checklist, respectively. Twenty quantitative studies and 88 case reports were included for review regardless of the varying methodological quality score. These studies collectively included 2,510 adults with different OI types. Several clinical manifestations were studied, and included: hearing loss, cardiac diseases, pregnancy complications, cerebrovascular manifestations, musculoskeletal manifestations, respiratory manifestations, vision impairment, and other clinical manifestations. Increased awareness may optimize prevention, treatment, and follow-up. Opportunities to enhance the methodological quality of research including better design and methodology, multisite collaborations, and larger and diverse sampling will optimize the generalizability and transferability of findings.

Arteriopathy of Unknown Etiology: Pathologic, Radiologic, and Cytogenetic Investigations

Patient: Male, 38

Final Diagnosis: Arteriopathy of unknown etiology

Symptoms: Left groin pain

Medication: —

Clinical Procedure: —

Specialty: Neurology

Progressive Bilateral Vertebral Artery Dissection in a Case of Osteogenesis Imperfecta

A 32-year-old woman with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) was admitted to the hospital because of a right-sided occipital headache and facial paresthesia. She was diagnosed with lateral medullary syndrome due to right vertebral artery (VA) dissection. She was treated conservatively without antithrombotic therapy. She developed subarachnoid hemorrhage because of contralateral VA dissection 18 days later. This clinical course may reflect the underlying weakness of the vessel wall in OI. In patients with OI, occlusion of a unilateral VA could cause dissection and subsequent rupture of the contralateral VA. Early surgical treatment for lesions of the VA is required in such cases.

Multiple Spontaneous Intracranial-Extracranial Arterial Dissections in a Patient with Osteogenesis Imperfecta

A 40-year-old male with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) was admitted to the hospital with an acute right monoparesis. Diffusion-weighted MRI showed infarction in the territory of the left anterior cerebral artery (ACA) and in the left posterior cerebral artery (PCA). In his vascular imaging, occlusion of the left vertebral artery (VA) starting from V2 segment was consistent with dissection and pseudoaneurysm in the right ACA. We presented this case because of the presence of spontaneous and simultaneous occurrence of both intracranial and extracranial arterial dissections in OI.

Spontaneous internal carotid artery rupture during neck dissection in osteogenesis imperfecta patient

OBJECTIVE

Several connective tissue disorders are associated with vascular wall abnormalities, including spontaneous dissection of the cervical arteries. Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a hereditary disorder, with rare neurovascular complications, which potentially lead to life-threatening events.

METHODS

We presented a case of spontaneous internal carotid artery (ICA) rupture that occurred in a 52-year-old-woman, suffering from OI type I, and who underwent a bilateral modified radical neck dissection (mRND) plus total thyroidectomy for a T4aN1b thyroid cancer. During mRND, an ICA's spontaneous rupture occurred.

RESULTS

Histopathologic report suggested a structural defect of the arterial wall without cancer infiltration. The patient did not experience any neurologic complications.

DISCUSSION

Head and neck surgeons have to be aware about early clinical recognition of possible cervical vascular abnormalities, in patients with connective tissue disorders, potentially responsible for dramatic vascular rupture during cervical surgical procedures.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage secondary to a ruptured middle cerebral aneurysm in a patient with osteogenesis imperfecta: a case report

Background

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a heterogeneous group of inherited disorders that occur owing to the abnormalities in type 1 collagen, and is characterized by increased bone fragility and other extraskeletal manifestations. We report the case of a patient who was diagnosed with OI following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) secondary to a ruptured saccular intracranial aneurysm (IA).

Case Presentation

A 37-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of sudden headache and vomiting. She was diagnosed with SAH (World Federation of Neurosurgical Society grade 2) owing to an aneurysm of the middle cerebral artery. She then underwent surgical clipping of the aneurysm successfully. She had blue sclerae, a history of several fractures of the extremities, and a family history of bone fragility and blue sclerae in her son. According to these findings, she was diagnosed with OI type 1. We performed genetic analysis for a single nucleotide G/C polymorphism (SNP) of exon 28 of the gene encoding for alpha-2 polypeptide of collagen 1, which is a potential risk factor for IA. However, this SNP was not detected in this patient or in five normal control subjects. Other genetic analyses did not reveal any mutations of the COL1A1 or COL1A2 gene. The cerebrovascular system is less frequently involved in OI. OI is associated with increased vascular weakness owing to collagen deficiency in and around the blood vessels. SAH secondary to a ruptured IA with OI has been reported in only six cases.

Conclusion

The patient followed a good clinical course after surgery. It remains controversial whether IAs are caused by OI or IAs are coincidentally complicated with OI.

Neurologic manifestations of inherited disorders of connective tissue

Inherited disorders of connective tissue are single gene disorders affecting structure or function of the connective tissue. Neurological manifestations are classic and potentially severe complications of many such disorders. The most common neurological manifestations are cerebrovascular. Ischemic stroke is a classic complication of vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (type IV), homocystinuria, and arterial tortuosity syndrome, and may occasionally be seen in Marfan syndrome and pseudoxanthoma elasticum with distinct underlying mechanisms for each disease. Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome can also lead to cervical artery dissection (with or without ischemic stroke), carotid-cavernous fistula, intracranial dissections and aneurysms potentially causing subarachnoid or intracerebral hemorrhage, and arterial rupture. Other neurological manifestations include nerve root compression and intracranial hypotension due to dural ectasia in Marfan and Loeys-Dietz syndrome, spinal cord compression in osteogenesis imperfecta, and mucopolysaccharidosis type I and VI, carpal tunnel syndrome in mucopolysaccharidosis type I, II, and VI. Impaired mental development can be observed in homocystinuria, mucopolysaccharidosis type II, and the severe form of mucopolysaccharidosis type I. For the neurologist, being aware of these complications and of the diagnostic criteria for inherited connective tissue disorders is important since neurological complications can be the first manifestation of the disease and because caution may be warranted for the management of these patients.

Cervical carotid artery dissection: current review of diagnosis and treatment

Carotid artery dissection is a cause of stroke, especially in young and middle-aged patients. A dissection occurs when there is an intimal tear or rupture of the vasa vasorum, leading to an intramural hematoma, which is thought to result from trauma or can occur spontaneously, and is likely multifactorial, involving environmental and intrinsic factors. The clinical diagnosis of carotid artery dissection can be challenging, with common presentations including pain, partial Horner syndrome, cranial nerve palsies, or cerebral ischemia. With the use of noninvasive imaging, including magnetic resonance and computed tomography angiography, the diagnosis of carotid dissection has increased in frequency. Treatment options include thrombolysis, antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapy, endovascular or surgical interventions. The choice of appropriate therapy remains controversial as most carotid dissections heal on their own and there are no randomized trials to compare treatment options.

Osteogenesis imperfecta, multiple intra-abdominal arterial dissections and a ruptured dissecting-type intracranial aneurysm

We describe an adult patient with a ruptured dissecting-type superior cerebellar artery aneurysm and known osteogenesis imperfecta. He was successfully treated with coil embolization and intentional parent vessel sacrifice. During his hospital admission, he also suffered from abdominal distension. An incidental note was made of multiple intra-abdominal arterial dissections. These were managed conservatively. We review the rare association of osteogenesis imperfecta and intracranial aneurysms, as well as discuss management implications.

The etiology of cervical artery dissection

The etiology of cervical artery dissection (CAD) is unclear, although a number of risk factors have been reported to be associated with the condition. On rare occasions, patients experience CAD after cervical spine manipulation, making knowledge about the cervical arteries, the predisposing factors, and the pathogenesis of the condition of interest to chiropractors. This commentary reports on the relevant anatomy of the cervical arteries, developmental features of CAD, epidemiology of the condition, and mechanisms of dissection. The analysis of CAD risk factors is confusing, however, because many people are exposed to mechanical events and known pathophysiological associations without ever experiencing dissection. No cause-and-effect relationship has been established between cervical spine manipulation and CAD, but it seems that cervical manipulation may be capable of triggering dissection in a susceptible patient or contributing to the evolution of an already existing CAD. Despite the many risk factors that have been proposed as possible causes of CAD, it is still unknown which of them actually predispose patients to CAD after cervical spine manipulation.

Hereditary connective tissue diseases in young adult stroke: a comprehensive synthesis

Though the genetic background of ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke is often polygenetic or multifactorial, it can in some cases result from a monogenic disease, particularly in young adults. Besides arteriopathies and metabolic disorders, several connective tissue diseases can present with stroke. While some of these diseases have been recognized for decades as causes of stroke, such as the vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, others only recently came to attention as being involved in stroke pathogenesis, such as those related to Type IV collagen. This paper discusses each of these connective tissue disorders and their relation with stroke briefly, emphasizing the main clinical features which can lead to their diagnosis.

[Bilateral spontaneous carotid artery dissection in osteogenesis imperfecta (type I)]

We report on a 36-year-old patient with an acute cerebral infarction due to a spontaneous dissection of both internal carotid arteries in conjunction with type I osteogenesis imperfecta. Spontaneous dissections of cerebral arteries (DCA) represent a common cause of cerebral infarctions in younger patients. Our case shows that a hereditary connective tissue disorder should be considered in all patients with "spontaneous" DCA. The identification of an - initially unknown - hereditary connective tissue disorder may con-tribute to primary and secondary prophylaxis of cerebral ischemia.

Cervical artery dissection: pathology, epidemiology and management

BACKGROUND

Cervical artery dissection is often treated with anticoagulants to prevent ischemic stroke. The risk-benefit ratio of anticoagulation versus antiplatelet therapy is unclear.

OBJECTIVES

To provide an educational review of current data on the disease to explain the rationale for the treatment options and to explore the results of management studies in order to determine if anticoagulation is justified.

METHODS

We searched the databases MEDLINE and EMBASE as well as bibliographies for information on anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents in cervical, i.e. carotid and/or vertebral artery, dissection.

RESULTS

There are no randomized controlled trials on the treatment. One systematic review from 2003 identified 20 case series or cohort studies. We identified 9 additional studies with a total of 1,033 patients. Of those, 731 received anticoagulation sometimes followed by platelet inhibition vs. 282 patients treated with antiplatelet agents alone. The rate of ischemic stroke was 2.3% vs. 6.9% and bleeding complications were reported in 0.7% vs. 0%.

CONCLUSION

It cannot be excluded that there is a net benefit from anticoagulant therapy in cervical dissection, but the studies are flawed by considerable bias. Very ill patients at a high risk of ischemic stroke may have been given aspirin due to fear of hemorrhagic complications. A randomized controlled trial is planned and will be crucial to resolve this issue.

Internal carotid artery dissection: an unusual cause of postpartum headache

We report a case of postpartum headache caused by internal carotid artery dissection in a 36-year-old woman following uneventful epidural analgesia for spontaneous labor and vaginal delivery. Cervicocerebral arterial dissection requires rapid diagnosis and anticoagulation to prevent thrombus formation and to avoid secondary cerebral thromboembolism. Fortunately, our patient suffered ischemic symptoms, but no permanent neurologic deficit. Anesthesiologists should consider carotid artery dissection in the differential diagnosis of postpartum headache.

Myocardial ultrasound tissue characterization in patients with chronic renal failure

The objective of this study was to detect ultrastructural changes in myocardium related to collagen content by ultrasound tissue characterization in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and in uncomplicated hypertensive control subjects. In 25 hemodialysis (HD) patients, in 25 patients with moderate to severe chronic renal failure (CRF), and in 10 patients with essential hypertension (EH) and normal renal function matched for age, BP, and left ventricular mass index, left ventricular anatomy and function were evaluated by conventional echocardiography, and integrated backscatter signal (IBS) was analyzed by acoustic densitometry. IBS mean reflectivity increased from 48% in patients with EH to 56% in patients with CRF to 62% in HD patients (ANOVA P < 0.01). IBS mean cyclic variation was progressively increased from 4.35 +/- 1.2 dB in HD patients to 5.27 +/- 0.90 in patients with CRF to 6.50 +/- 1.6 dB in patients with EH (ANOVA P < 0.01). At multivariate analysis, IBS mean reflectivity was positively related to age and serum creatinine (beta 0.351, P = 0.036; and beta = 0.408, P = 0.016, respectively). IBS mean cyclic variation was inversely related to age and serum creatinine (beta = -0.274, P = 0.025; and beta = -0.262, P = 0.025, respectively) and positively related to left ventricular midwall fractional shortening and transmitral E/A ratio (beta = 0.269, P < 0.05; and beta = 0.314, P < 0.001, respectively). The data support the hypothesis that interstitial collagen deposition may appear early in the course of CKD and suggest that acoustic densitometry may represent a useful tool for the assessment of myocardial tissue changes in patients with CKD.

Familial Cervical Artery Dissections

Background and Purpose— Genetic risk factors are thought to play a role in the etiology of spontaneous cervical artery dissections (CAD). However, familial CAD is extremely rare. In this study we analyzed patients with familial CAD and asked the question whether familial CAD has particular features.

Methods— Seven families with 15 CAD patients were recruited. All patients were carefully investigated by a neurologist, a neuroradiologist, and a dermatologist for clinical characteristics. From 11 patients a skin biopsy was performed to study the morphology of the connective tissue and to analyze the coding sequences of COL3A1, COL5A1, COL5A2, and part of COL1A1.

Results— The mean age of the patients (n=15, 9 women) at their first dissection was 36.2 years (median age 32 years, range 18 to 59). Two patients had bilateral CAD. One patient had a right and a left internal carotid artery dissection in successive weeks, another patient had 5 dissections over a period of 8 years. A high intrafamilial correlation was found between the affected vessels (ie, the carotid and the vertebral arteries) and between ages at the first dissection. In 1 patient we found clear and reproducible ultrastructural abnormalities in the skin biopsy, but the second patient from the family was not studied, because he died as a result of CAD before this study. The dermal connective tissue aberrations in the examined patient were similar to mild findings in patients with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS type IV), but might be iatrogenic and related to long-term corticosteroid inhalation therapy. All other analyzed patients showed normal connective tissue morphology. In patients from 6 families we analyzed the whole coding sequence of COL3A1, COL5A1, and COL5A2, and from part of COL1A1. A missense mutation in the COL3A1 gene (leading to a G157S substitution in type III procollagen) was detected in both patients from 1e family. Two patients from another family carried a rare nonsynonymous coding polymorphism in COL5A1 (D192N); 1 of them carried also a rare variant in COL5A2 (T12337).

Conclusions— Familial CAD patients are young and probably are at high risk for recurrent or multiple CAD. Ultrastructural alterations of the dermal connective tissue might not be an important risk factor for familial CAD. However, the finding of a COL3A1 mutation revealed the presence of an inherited connective tissue disorder in 1 family.

Left ventricular function and calcium phosphate plasma levels in uraemic patients

BACKGROUND. Recent investigations have focused on the pathogenetic role of disturbances of calcium phosphate metabolism in causing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in haemodialysis patients. The aim of the present study was to assess left ventricular function and its relationship to phosphate and calcium plasma levels in stable uraemic patients on haemodialysis treatment.

METHODS

Twenty uraemic patients (mean age 51+/-13 years) on maintenance haemodialysis and free from overt cardiac dysfunction, and 20 healthy volunteers underwent standard echocardiography, tissue Doppler-derived early (E(m)) and late (A(m)) diastolic velocities, tissue characterization with cyclic variations of integrated backscatter (CV-IBS), and serum biochemistry.

RESULTS

With respect to tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), uraemic patients showed a lower E(m) peak, a higher A(m) peak, and a reduced E(m)/A(m) ratio of both interventricular septum and lateral wall (0.01>P<0.001) than controls. CV-IBS of both septum and posterior wall was significantly smaller in uraemic patients than in the control subjects (P<0.001). Moreover, the E(m)/A(m) ratio of septum and lateral wall were negatively related to serum phosphorus and to calcium phosphate product (P<0.001 for all). Accordingly, an inverse relationship was also found between CV-IBS of septum and lateral wall and calcium phosphate product and phosphorus (P<0.05 for all).

CONCLUSIONS

These results showed early cardiac impairment of diastolic myocardial function evaluated by TDI and IBS analysis, and a close relationship between these changes and the calcium-phosphate plasma levels. These findings are well in keeping with the important role of hyperphosphataemia as a risk factor for cardiovascular damage, and justify the effort for optimal control of calcium phosphate metabolism in uraemic patients.

Carotid and vertebral artery dissection syndromes

Cervicocerebral arterial dissections (CAD) are an important cause of strokes in younger patients accounting for nearly 20% of strokes in patients under the age of 45 years. Extracranial internal carotid artery dissections comprise 70%-80% and extracranial vertebral dissections account for about 15% of all CAD. Aetiopathogenesis of CAD is incompletely understood, though trauma, respiratory infections, and underlying arteriopathy are considered important. A typical picture of local pain, headache, and ipsilateral Horner's syndrome followed after several hours by cerebral or retinal ischaemia is rare. Doppler ultrasound, MRI/MRA, and CT angiography are useful non-invasive diagnostic tests. The treatment of extracranial CAD is mainly medical using anticoagulants or antiplatelet agents although controlled studies to show their effectiveness are lacking. The prognosis of extracranial CAD is generally much better than that of the intracranial CAD. Recurrences are rare in CAD.