World Neurosurg
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Primary hypothyroidism can cause both hyperprolactinemia and pituitary hyperplasia. The degree of hyperprolactinemia is generally modest, and rarely do prolactin concentrations exceed 100 ng/mL (4.34 nmol/L). This combination of hyperprolactinemia and pituitary gland enlargement might raise suspicion for a prolactinoma or a nonfunctioning adenoma limiting the ability of hypothalamic dopamine to inhibit prolactin production, the so-called "stalk effect." ⋯ Primary hypothyroidism can cause hyperprolactinemia, and prolonged disease may lead to pituitary hyperplasia. However, a marked elevation of prolactin should raise suspicion to investigate additional etiologies for hyperprolactinemia. Our case exemplifies a dual etiology for hyperprolactinemia and pituitary hyperplasia caused by both hypothyroidism and macroprolactin. This knowledge is invaluable for clinicians to avoid unnecessary management with dopamine agonists and/or surgery. This patient's prolactin was 323 ng/mL (14.06 nmol/L). Before our case, the highest prolactin in a hypothyroid patient reported in the literature was 253 ng/mL (11.0 nmol/L).
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To determine the incidence and risk factors of carotid stenosis progression in patients with asymptomatic moderate carotid artery stenosis (CAS). ⋯ The incidence of carotid stenosis progression in asymptomatic moderate CAS was high even in popular use of aspirin and statin. Although development of INS was not associated with carotid stenosis progression, it was a risk factor of long-term morbidity and survival.
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To investigate effects of atorvastatin on conservative and surgical treatment of patients with chronic subdural hematoma. ⋯ Atorvastatin has preliminarily been proved to be safe and effective for chronic subdural hematomas in both conservative and surgical patients and can provide a drug treatment strategy for neurosurgeons.
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We investigated the complication rates of balloon-assisted coil embolization of ruptured and unruptured cerebral aneurysms dependent on their morphologic characteristics in angiography. ⋯ The risk of periprocedural complications in balloon-assisted coil embolization of ruptured and unruptured cerebral aneurysms is linked to the morphologic presentation of the aneurysm; the complication rate was significantly higher in bifurcation aneurysms.
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Observational Study
Relationship between successful extracranial-intracranial bypass surgeries and ischemic white matter hyperintensities.
Few studies have described regression of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs); however, no studies have described their recurrence or fluctuation. Thus, we aimed to study the course of WMHs on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance image (MRI) after extracranial-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass surgery and its correlation with the clinical outcome. ⋯ This study might be considered the first step to find a relationship between successful EC-IC bypass surgeries and the course of ischemic WMHs. It could also open the door for further studies to make more solid conclusions.