scholarly journals The Impact of Selected Cytokines in the Follow-Up of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

2015 ◽  
pp. S283-S290 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. SOSVOROVA ◽  
M. MOHAPL ◽  
J. VCELAK ◽  
M. HILL ◽  
J. VITKU ◽  
...  

Cytokines are widely known mediators of inflammation accompanying many neurodegenerative disorders including normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). NPH is caused by impaired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) reabsorption and treated by surgical shunt insertion. The diagnostics is still complicated and the shunt effect is not durable; after several years, dementia may develop. In the clinical practice, biomarkers support the diagnostics as well as the further time course of many neurodegenerative diseases. Until recently, no reliable biomarker for NPH was evaluated. The attempt of this review was to make a survey concerning cytokines as possible NPH markers. Among all reviewed cytokines, the most promising are CSF IL-10 and IL-33, enabling to follow-up the disease progression and monitoring the effectiveness of the shunt insertion.

2015 ◽  
pp. S227-S236 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. SOSVOROVA ◽  
M. MOHAPL ◽  
M. HILL ◽  
L. STARKA ◽  
M. BICIKOVA ◽  
...  

Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is one of a few treatable conditions of cognitive decline affecting predominately elderly people. Treatment, commonly based on the ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion, leads to a partial or complete correction of patient's state, although its effect does not unfortunately always last. The aim of our study was to observe the changes of homocysteine and selected steroids and neurosteroids and follow-up the patients with respect to the duration of the NPH-related dementia improvement. The cerebrospinal fluid and plasma levels of cortisol, cortisone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), 7α-hydroxy-DHEA, 7β-hydroxy-DHEA, 7-oxo-DHEA, 16α-hydroxy-DHEA (all LC-MS/MS), DHEA-sulphate (DHEAS) (radioimmunoassay) and homocysteine (gas chromatography) were determined in NPH-diagnosed subjects before, during and 6, 12 and 24 months after shunt insertion. The cognitive functions ameliorated after shunt insertion and remain improved within 2 years. Changes in cerebrospinal fluid DHEAS, DHEA and its ratio, cortisone/cortisol and 16α-hydroxy-DHEA and plasma DHEAS, 7β-hydroxy-DHEA, cortisone/cortisol and homocysteine were found. Mentioned changes may contribute to the clarification of NPH pathogenesis. Altered neurosteroids levels are possible indicators to be utilized in the follow-up of NPH subjects. Moreover, plasma homocysteine may serve as an early indicator of NPH-related dementia.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 327-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Babar Kahlon ◽  
Johan Sjunnesson ◽  
Stig Rehncrona

Abstract OBJECTIVE To evaluate the outcome of patients with suspected normal pressure hydrocephalus at 6 months and 5 years after shunt surgery. METHODS Seventy-five patients (mean age, 72.5 6 9 yr), with normal pressure hydrocephalus symptoms were included. Fifty-four patients with positive lumbar infusion and/or cerebrospinal fluid tap tests received a cerebrospinal fluid shunt, whereas 21 patients with negative test results did not undergo operation. Walk, reaction time, memory, and identical forms tests were used as baseline (before surgery) tests and were repeated at short- (6.1 6 4.6 mo) and long-term (5.5 6 1.4 yr) follow-up evaluations. Activities of daily life functions were assessed using the Barthel index. RESULTS At the 6-month follow-up examination, 83% of the operated patients improved in gait, 65% improved in reaction time, 46% improved in memory, and 31% improved in identical forms tests; 96% found themselves subjectively improved. Because of unrelated mortality (37%) and declining general health from comorbidity, only 27 patients were available for the 5-year follow-up evaluation. Twenty-three of these patients had been treated with a shunt and had a remaining improvement in close to 40% in gait and reaction time, whereas fewer than 10% had an improvement in cognitive tests. Fifty-six percent reported subjective improvement compared with preoperative findings. More patients (64%) improved if younger than 75 years; for patients older than 75 years, only 11% of the patients improved. The Barthel index was higher (P < 0.05) in improved patients. CONCLUSION Patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus benefit from shunt surgery for at least 5 years. High mortality rate, comorbidity, and old age hamper good long-term outcome and emphasize the importance of patient selection.


2007 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 149-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priyanka Chaudhry ◽  
Siddharth Kharkar ◽  
Jennifer Heidler-Gary ◽  
Argye E. Hillis ◽  
Melissa Newhart ◽  
...  

Studies of the cognitive outcome after shunt insertion for treatment of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus have reported widely mixed results. We prospectively studied performance of 60 patients with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus on a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests before and after shunt surgery to determine which cognitive functions improve with shunt insertion. We also administered a subset of cognitive tests before and after temporary controlled drainage of cerebrospinal fluid to determine if change on this brief subset of tests after drainage could predict which patients would show cognitive improvement three to six months after shunt insertion. There was a significant improvement in learning, retention, and delayed recall of verbal memory three to six months after surgery (using paired t-tests). The majority (74%) of patients showed significant improvement (by at least one standard deviation) on at least one of the memory tests. Absence of improvement on verbal memory after temporary drainage of cerebrospinal fluid had a high negative predictive value for improvement on memory tests at 3–6 months after surgery (96%;p= 0.0005). Also, the magnitude of improvement from Baseline to Post-Drainage on few specific tests of learning and recall significantly predicted the magnitude of improvement after shunt surgery on the same tests (r2= 0.32–0.58;p= 0.04–0.001). Results indicate that testing before and after temporary drainage may be useful in predicting which patients are less likely to improve in memory with shunting.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanna Israelsson ◽  
Anders Eklund ◽  
Jan Malm

Abstract BACKGROUND The short- and long-term impact of cerebrospinal fluid shunting on quality of life (QoL) in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH) is poorly understood. OBJECTIVE To investigate QoL in shunted INPH patients compared to the population and to investigate which factors influence QoL in INPH. METHODS INPH patients consecutively shunted in Sweden during 2008-2010 were scrutinized. Population-based controls were age- and sex-matched to the patients. Included participants were the following: 176 INPH patients and 368 controls. QoL was assessed using the EuroQol 5-dimension 5-level (EQ5D5L) instrument, which measures overall QoL and health status in 5 dimensions. Independency (accommodation and/or need for in-home care) and comorbidities were assessed. Patients were followed up 6-45 mo after surgery (mean follow-up time: 21 mo). RESULTS Shunting improved QoL (P < .001) and health status in all dimensions (P < .005). Shunted INPH patients had lower QoL than controls (P < .001). The patients’ health status in mobility, self-care, daily activities, and anxiety/depression was worse than the controls both before and after surgery (P < .001). The main predictors of low QoL in INPH were symptoms of depression (P < .001) and severity of gait disturbance (P = .001). Fewer INPH patients than controls lived independently (45% vs 85%, P < .001). Time after shunting had no influence on QoL. CONCLUSION QoL remains improved in shunted INPH patients at a mean follow-up time of 21 mo, but the patients do not reach the same QoL as the population. Symptoms of depression and severity of gait disturbance are the strongest predictors of low QoL in INPH.


2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 490-494
Author(s):  
Tsukasa Kawase ◽  
Kyosuke Miyatani ◽  
Riki Tanaka ◽  
Yasuhiro Yamada ◽  
Shamim Ul Haq Siddiqui ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective: A retrospective study was conducted to access the long-term prognosis of inserting the Ventriculoatrial (VA) shunt in the elderly for the idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH). Material and Methods: Retrospective data is collected from April 2004 to August 2015, and 1065 patients were selected. Patients who underwent surgical examination or surgery in suspected iNPH were included. Tap test is done in all cases and found to be effective for 968 cases and 656 VA shunts for 614 cases. Out of 614 cases there are 440 cases in which patient age were over 75 years. Of these 440 cases only 141 cases were able to observe 03 years or more after the surgery, 37 deaths and 05 cases with survival and unknown prognosis were found among them. So we analyzed this group mainly in 99 cases that the prognosis after 03 years was known. We access the outcome of VA shunt by the modified Rankin scale (mRS), iNPH grading scale (iNPHGS) and complications in the operative 656 cases and in 03 years follow up of 141 patients. Results: Of 141, there are 78 males and 63 females. Age at the time of VA shunt insertion was 81.5±4.1 years and age at final follow-up was 85.2±4.4 years. The proportion of patients who achieved a favorable outcome by complications was 97.9% in 03 years follow-up period and 87.7% in which follow-up is less than 03 years. At the time of VA shunt insertion out of 141, 57 patients lies between 75-79 years, 57 between 80-84, 24 between 85 to 89, and only 03 were found to be 90 years or more. At the time of final follow-up at 03 years, 15 patients lies between 75 to 79 years, 56 between 80 to 84 years, 57 between 85 to 89 years and 23 patents were found to be 90 years or greater. 70 cases or almost 50% exceeded 85 years. At the time of VA shunt 1, 11, 39, 51, 36, 3, 0 patients were in 0 to 6 modified Rankin Scale Score respectively and at 03 years follow-up 8, 19, 32, 29, 9, 2, 37 were in 0 to 6 mRS respectively. Comparison of the study is done with SIPHONI study on VP shunt and LP shunt. Conclusion: Patients suspected of having idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus were treated by VA shunt and found no significant difference in serious adverse effects. This study shows that VA shunt is an effective choice for iNPH in the late elderly population, but it needs more randomized control trial to establish its efficacy.


2011 ◽  
Vol 68 (suppl_2) ◽  
pp. ons245-ons249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed K. Toma ◽  
Andrew Tarnaris ◽  
Neil D. Kitchen ◽  
Laurence D. Watkins

Abstract Background: Overdrainage is a common complication associated with shunt insertion in normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) patients. Using adjustable valves with antigravity devices has been shown to reduce its incidence. The optimal starting setting of an adjustable shunt valve in NPH is debatable. Objective: To audit our single-center practice of setting adjustable valves. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of clinical records of all NPH patients treated in our unit between 2006 and 2009 by the insertion of shunts with a proGAV valve, recording demographic and clinical data, shunt complications, and revision rates. Radiological reports of postoperative follow-up computed tomography scans of the brain were reviewed for detected subdural hematomas. Results: A proGAV adjustable valve was inserted in 50 probable NPH patients between July 2006 and November 2009. Mean ± SD age was 76 ± 7 years. Mean follow-up was 15 months. The initial shunt setting was 6 ± 3 cm H2O, and the final setting was 4.9 ± 1.9 cm H2O. Nineteen patients required 24 readjustment procedures (readjustment rate, 38%; readjustment number, 0.48 times per patient). One patient (2%) developed delayed bilateral subdural hematoma after readjustment of his shunt valve setting as an outpatient. Conclusion: Starting with a low opening pressure setting on a proGAV adjustable shunt valve does not increase the chances of overdrainage complications and reduces the need for repeated readjustments.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (10) ◽  
pp. 1041-1057 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Zhang ◽  
Zahid Hussain ◽  
Zhuanqin Ren

Background:Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is a critical brain disorder in which excess Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) is accumulated in the brain’s ventricles causing damage or disruption of the brain tissues. Amongst various signs and symptoms, difficulty in walking, slurred speech, impaired decision making and critical thinking, and loss of bladder and bowl control are considered the hallmark features of NPH.Objective:The current review was aimed to present a comprehensive overview and critical appraisal of majorly employed neuroimaging techniques for rational diagnosis and effective monitoring of the effectiveness of the employed therapeutic intervention for NPH. Moreover, a critical overview of recent developments and utilization of pharmacological agents for the treatment of hydrocephalus has also been appraised.Results:Considering the complications associated with the shunt-based surgical operations, consistent monitoring of shunting via neuroimaging techniques hold greater clinical significance. Despite having extensive applicability of MRI and CT scan, these conventional neuroimaging techniques are associated with misdiagnosis or several health risks to patients. Recent advances in MRI (i.e., Sagittal-MRI, coronal-MRI, Time-SLIP (time-spatial-labeling-inversion-pulse), PC-MRI and diffusion-tensor-imaging (DTI)) have shown promising applicability in the diagnosis of NPH. Having associated with several adverse effects with surgical interventions, non-invasive approaches (pharmacological agents) have earned greater interest of scientists, medical professional, and healthcare providers. Amongst pharmacological agents, diuretics, isosorbide, osmotic agents, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, glucocorticoids, NSAIDs, digoxin, and gold-198 have been employed for the management of NPH and prevention of secondary sensory/intellectual complications.Conclusion:Employment of rational diagnostic tool and therapeutic modalities avoids misleading diagnosis and sophisticated management of hydrocephalus by efficient reduction of Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) production, reduction of fibrotic and inflammatory cascades secondary to meningitis and hemorrhage, and protection of brain from further deterioration.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 702-708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Grossetete ◽  
Jeremy Phelps ◽  
Leopold Arko ◽  
Howard Yonas ◽  
Gary A. Rosenberg

Abstract OBJECTIVE Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes an increase in matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which are associated with neuroinflammation, blood-brain barrier disruption, hemorrhage, and cell death. We hypothesized that patients with TBI have an increase in MMPs in ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma. METHODS Patients with TBI and a ventricular catheter were entered into the study. Samples of CSF and plasma were collected at the time of catheter placement and at 24 and 72 hours after admission. Seven TBI patients were entered into the study, with 6 having complete data for analysis. Only patients who had a known time of insult that fell within a 6-hour window from initial insult to ventriculostomy were accepted into the study. Control CSF came from ventricular fluid in patients undergoing shunt placement for normal pressure hydrocephalus. Both MMP-2 and MMP-9 were measured with gelatin zymography and MMP-3 with Western immunoblot. RESULTS We found a significant elevation in the levels of the latent form of MMP-9 (92-kD) in the CSF obtained at the time of arrival (P &lt; 0.05). Elevated levels of MMP-2 were detected in plasma at 72 hours, but not in the CSF. Using albumin from both CSF and blood, we calculated the MMP-9 index, which was significantly increased in the CSF, indicating endogenous MMP production. Western immunoblot showed elevated levels of MMP-3 in CSF at all times measured, whereas MMP-3 was not detected in the CSF of normal pressure hydrocephalus. CONCLUSION We show that MMPs are increased in the CSF of TBI patients. Although the number of patients was small, the results were robust and clearly demonstrated increases in MMP-3 and MMP-9 in ventricular CSF in TBI patients compared with controls. Although these preliminary results will need to be replicated, we propose that MMPs may be important in blood-brain barrier opening and hemorrhage secondary to brain injury in patients.


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