IntroductionThe subventricular zone (SVZ) in the brain is associated with gliomagenesis and resistance to treatment in glioblastoma. In this study, we investigate the prognostic role and biological characteristics of subventricular zone (SVZ) involvement in glioblastoma.MethodsWe analyzed T1-weighted, gadolinium-enhanced MR images of a retrospective cohort of 647 primary glioblastoma patients diagnosed between 2005–2013, and performed a multivariable Cox regression analysis to adjust the prognostic effect of SVZ involvement for clinical patient- and tumor-related factors. Protein expression patterns of a.o. markers of neural stem cellness (CD133 and GFAP-δ) and (epithelial-) mesenchymal transition (NF-κB, C/EBP-β and STAT3) were determined with immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays containing 220 of the tumors. Molecular classification and mRNA expression-based gene set enrichment analyses, miRNA expression and SNP copy number analyses were performed on fresh frozen tissue obtained from 76 tumors. Confirmatory analyses were performed on glioblastoma TCGA/TCIA data.ResultsInvolvement of the SVZ was a significant adverse prognostic factor in glioblastoma, independent of age, KPS, surgery type and postoperative treatment. Tumor volume and postoperative complications did not explain this prognostic effect. SVZ contact was associated with increased nuclear expression of the (epithelial-) mesenchymal transition markers C/EBP-β and phospho-STAT3. SVZ contact was not associated with molecular subtype, distinct gene expression patterns, or markers of stem cellness. Our main findings were confirmed in a cohort of 229 TCGA/TCIA glioblastomas.ConclusionIn conclusion, involvement of the SVZ is an independent prognostic factor in glioblastoma, and associates with increased expression of key markers of (epithelial-) mesenchymal transformation, but does not correlate with stem cellness, molecular subtype, or specific (mi)RNA expression patterns.

A transorbital penetrating intracranial injury is a rare and severe traumatic brain injury. Patients with this type of injury may present dramatically, but often the injury is subtle and therefore easily overlooked and not recognized in the first place. We present the case of a 45-year-old female admitted to the emergency department after she fell with her bike and the bicycle brake handle penetrated her left eye. A computerized tomography of the cerebrum showed a fracture of the superior orbital roof with multiple bone fragments extending into the brain near the circle of Willis. A pneumocephalus and traumatic frontobasal, intraventricular and subdural hemorrhage was seen. The patient deteriorated suddenly and was transferred to a neurosurgical center where she underwent an emergency craniotomy with evacuation of the intracerebral hematoma and an intraventricular drain was placed. After surgery, the patient’s condition deteriorated, and total compression of the brain stem occurred, upon which the patient was declared brain dead. Our case report shows that the Glasgow Coma Scale score at admission is not always a good predictor of the severity of the injury. Even when there is minimal suspicion of a penetrating intracranial injury, a computerized tomography should be performed immediately, independent of the patient’s Glasgow Coma Scale score. A direct transfer to a specialized neurosurgical center is recommended because this injury often results in death due to fatal complications such as intracerebral hemorrhage, pneumocephalus and brain stem injury.

BackgroundChoosing Wisely aims to reduce low-value care to improve quality and lower costs. In the Netherlands, this campaign offers three recommendations for internal medicine applicable in emergency departments (EDs): (1) do not place an indwelling urinary catheter in non-critically ill patients who can void; (2) do not order plain abdominal radiographs in patients with acute abdominal pain; and (3) discuss whether treatment limitations are needed. This quality improvement project aims to increase the implementation of the recommendations by patient information leaflets.MethodsIn a prospective before–after study, we collected data every other week during baseline and intervention periods (both 7 months) in two university medical centres. The primary outcomes were the adherence rates to the recommendations.Results805 patients visited the EDs for internal medicine, of whom 391 (48.6%) were hospitalised. Only 153 (19%) patients received the information leaflet. We found no change in implementation rates of the recommendations after the introduction of the patient information leaflet. In the baseline period, 28 patients received a urinary catheter, of whom 5 (17.9%) had no appropriate indication, compared with 4 (25.0%) of 16 patients in the intervention period (p=0.572). Unnecessary abdominal X-ray occurred once in the baseline period and not in the intervention period. Treatment limitations were not reported in 13 (6.5%) of 200 hospitalised patients in the baseline period, and in 17 (8.9%) of 191 patients in the intervention period (p=0.373).ConclusionsPatient information leaflets did not increase the implementation of Choosing Wisely recommendations, which can be due to a high baseline rate and a poor dissemination of leaflets. Our ED seems not to be a practicable setting for dissemination of leaflets, since staff engagement was not possible due to high workload and shortage of qualified nursing staff in the Netherlands.