Background:Low rates of thrombolysis for ischemic stroke in India and other developing countries have been attributed to delays in presentation to the hospital.Materials and Methods:A prospective study was carried out during a 12-month period ending December 2012 in the department of Neurology, Malabar Institute of Medical Sciences, Kerala, India, to look for the factors contributing to delay in hospital arrival of patients with acute stroke. Patients and or their relatives were interviewed within 48 hours of admission using a structured questionnaire.Results:A total of 264 patients attending the emergency department were included. There were 170 men and 94 women. The mean age was 61.5 ± 12.4 years. A total of 67 (25%) patients presented within 4 hours of stroke onset. Factors associated with early arrival (multivariate logistic regression analysis) were distance 15 km or less from hospital (P 0.03, odds ratio (OR) 2.7), directly reaching the stroke department (P < 0.001, OR 9.7), history of coronary artery disease (P 0.001, OR 3.84), higher educational status (P 0.001, OR 3.7), and presence of hemiplegia (P 0.001, OR 5.5).Conclusions:We found a considerable delay in the early arrival of patients to our stroke department. Health promotion strategies to improve community awareness of early symptoms of stroke, education of local physicians about the importance of early referrals to the stroke centers, and wider availability and use of ambulance services are promising methods to help expedite presentation to hospital post stroke and thereby improve the management of stroke in India.

SIADH is a common and important electrolyte disorder encountered in GBS. It has significant association with severity of GBS and is an indicator of poor prognosis. It can be symptomatic even though the majority of patients are asymptomatic.

Scrub typhus is a rickettsial disease caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, one of the most common infectious diseases in the Asia-Pacific region. It has been reported from northern, eastern, and southern India, and its presence has been documented in at least 11 Indian states. However, scrub typhus meningoencephalitis has not been well documented in Kerala. We report two cases of scrub typhus meningoencephalitis from northern Kerala. The diagnosis was made based on the clinical pictures, presence of eschar, and a positive Weil–Felix test with a titer of > 1:320. The first patient succumbed to illness due to respiratory failure and the second patient improved well.

Primary tuberculous osteomyelitis of the sternum is a rare clinical entity. Sternal tuberculosis can result from direct extension of the disease from hilar lymph nodes, hematogenous or lymphatic dissemination from other sites, and following BCG vaccination in children. An unusual case of primary tuberculous osteomyelitis of the sternum that presented with a swelling and pain over the manubrium sterni is reported. Diagnosis was confirmed by demonstration of epithelioid granulomas and acid-fast bacilli and a positive M. tuberculosis culture from the aspirate taken from the sternal swelling. Extensive diagnostic work-up did not reveal any other focus of tuberculosis in this case. The patient was successfully managed with anti-tubercular treatment.

Hyperemesis gravidarum-induced Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) is an underestimated condition. The purpose of this study is to improve its awareness and early diagnosis. We report five cases of WE secondary to hyperemesis gravidarum. Classic triad of encephalopathy, ataxia, and ocular signs was seen in four out of five patients. Two unusual features noted in this series were papilledema in one patient and severe sensory-motor peripheral neuropathy in one patient. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was abnormal in all the five patients, and high signal in medial thalamus and surrounding the aqueduct was the most common abnormality (5/5). Involvement of caudate nucleus was seen in two patients with severe psychosis, and two patients had bilateral cerebellar peduncle involvement. Median time delay between onset of neurological symptoms and diagnosis was 7 days. All patients improved with thiamine, but minor sequelae were seen in four patients at 12 months follow-up. One patient had a fetal demise. Hyperemesis gravidarum-induced WE is a common cause of maternal morbidity. Typical MRI findings of symmetric medial thalamic and periaqueductal signal changes may permit a specific diagnosis. A delay in diagnosis, therefore treatment, leads to worse prognosis.