Relationship between coronavirus disease 2019 and Parkinson’s disease

New literature shows that COVID-19 has negative effects on patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). COVID-19 is known to produce neurological manifestations and infects the central nervous system. Similarly, the virus also causes neuromuscular complications and involves the peripheral nervous system. Studies show PD patients with a severe COVID-19 infection have a higher mortality rate, worsening in symptoms, and require an increase in drug dosage. These studies suggest that COVID-19 may lead to a more rapid onset of PD, or may increase the risk of developing PD. Furthermore, researchers observed that Motor and nonmotor symptoms significantly worsened in PD patients with COVID compared to PD patients.

Neuromuscular Complications of Targeted Anticancer Agents: Can Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Induce Myasthenia Gravis? Getting Answers From a Case Report up to a Systematic Review

More than 40 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have received hematological or oncological indications over the past 20 years, following the approval of imatinib, and many others are currently being tested in clinical and preclinical level. Beyond their common toxicities, no certain agent from this large class of molecularly targeted therapies was strongly associated with “off-target” impairment of neuromuscular transmission, and although myasthenia gravis (MG) is a well-characterized autoimmune disorder, only few sporadic events proven by serologically detected causative autoantibodies and/or by positive electrophysiological tests are reported in the literature. Herein, we present the first case of anti-MUSK (+) MG in a woman with metastatic BRAF-mutant melanoma after long-term treatment with dabrafenib (BRAF inhibitor) and trametinib (MEK inhibitor). Triggered by this report, a systematic literature review was conducted, summarizing all other cancer cases that developed MG, after exposure to any type of targeted agent and regardless of the underlying malignancy. All available data on the clinical diagnosis, the potential of administered TKIs to induce a seropositive myasthenic syndrome, the immune and non-immune-mediated pathogenesis of postsynaptic damage, and the challenging management of this neuromuscular toxicity were collected and discussed. In the presented case, MG was confirmed by both autoantibodies and nerve-conduction tests, while its reactivation after TKIs rechallenge supports a more than coincidental association. The following review identified 12 cancer cases with TKI-related MG in six case reports and one case series. In most of them, the myasthenia diagnosis was challenging, since the clinical symptomatology of fatigable weakness was not corroborating with consistent laboratory and electrophysiological findings. In fact, anti-AchR titers were positive in five and anti-MuSK only in the abovementioned individual. The symptomatology corresponded to TKI discontinuation and standard treatment with pyridostigmine and prednisolone; intravenous immunoglobulin was added only in three, and two required mechanical ventilation. In an era where TKIs will be prescribed more frequently for various malignancies, even in combinations with immune-checkpoint inhibitors, this report synthesizes their risk for neuromuscular complications and increases the clinicians’ awareness in order to extend the on-treatment and overall survival of TKI-treated cancer patients.

The rate of in-patient medical admissions post-bariatric surgery for medical complications during COVID-19 pandemic

Background: A rising number of bariatric surgeries (BS) are associated with a rise in medical complications including protein malnutrition and neuromuscular complications (NM). Although BS were minimized during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of admissions due to complications continued to increase. Proper outpatient follow-up was negatively affected during the pandemic. We aim to address the rising rate of post-BS admissions during COVID-19 pandemic compared to the previous six years' admissions with a similar diagnosis. Methods: This is a retrospective observational study of 33 patients admitted with malnutrition and/or NM complications post-BS at Hamad General Hospital, Qatar, from 1st Jan 2014–30th Aug 2020. Patients’ data were retrieved from the electronic medical records and bariatric patients’ database. Malnutrition was evaluated using serum albumin, total protein, minerals, and vitamins. Nerve conduction study/electromyography confirmed NM complications. Risk factors addressed were interval between BS and admission, gastrointestinal symptoms, total weight loss (TWL %), excess weight loss (EWL %), and irregular multivitamins intake. Results: The study included 21 patients, admitted from 1st Jan 2014-31th Dec 2019, compared to 12 patients during the period 1st Jan-30th August 2020. The patients’ mean age was 26.90 ± 9.81 years, and females were 18 (59%). The mean pre-operative weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), post-operative weight, BMI were: 123.48 kg, 44.37 kg/m2 and 84.61 kg – 30.67 kg/m2, respectively. The mean weight loss, EWL% and TWL% was 38.04 kg, 73.26%, and 30.57%, respectively. The time interval between BS and admission was 7.18 ± 8.99 months. Seventeen patients (51.5%) had malnutrition, while 16 (58.5%) had NM complications, 87.9% were off multivitamins, and 66% had gastrointestinal symptoms. All patients showed minerals and vitamins deficiencies, especially for vitamin D (81.8%) and potassium (30.3%). Conclusion: Despite a reduction in the number of BS during the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in the rate of hospital admissions with medical complications after BS was observed.

ASYMPTOMATIC TRANSIENT SA-NODE CONDUCTION BLOCK IN A PATIENT WITH ACUTE RISPERIDONE+TRIHEXYPHENYDYL TABLET POISONING

BACKGROUND: a case report of 17year old male with acute risperidone + trihexyphenidyl poisoning with transient sinoatrial block without any CNS or neuromuscular complications. CONCLUSION: Risperidone does possess cardiotoxicity as of cardiac conduction abnormalities mainly affecting SA 1 and AV nodes rather than prolongation of QT interval without causing hypotension or myocardial injury . Such a nonlethal conduction aberrancy was observed at a dose of 75mg risperidone was only transient and reversed physiologically without any additional treatment. Further protection from extrapyramidal symptoms was offered by combined drug trihexyphenidyl at cost of sedation.

Concurrent Myotonic Dystrophy and Inflammatory Myopathy in a Patient with HIV/AIDS

Neuromuscular complications are common in patients with HIV/AIDS at any stage of the disease process. Myopathies can be secondary to antiretroviral therapy, HIV myositis itself, or other etiologies. Here, we present the case of a middle-aged male with HIV who presented with myalgias and was diagnosed with myotonic dystrophy and HIV-associated polymyositis after extensive workup including clinical history and physical exam, laboratory markers, electromyogram, and muscle biopsy. This case illustrates the importance of a comprehensive workup for myopathy in HIV/AIDS and the possibility of multiple concurrent conditions.