Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · May 2010
Validation of the Stroke Specific Quality of Life scale in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage.
Disease specific quality of life measures have been validated for patients with ischaemic stroke and intracerebral haemorrhage, but not for patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). The aim of this study was to validate the Stroke Specific Quality of Life (SS-QoL) scale for patients with SAH. ⋯ The SS-QoL is a valid measure to assess quality of life in patients after aneurysmal SAH. Using physical and psychosocial SS-QoL summary scores simplifies the use of this measure without concealing differences in outcomes on different quality of life domains.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · May 2010
Aetiological differences in neuroanatomy of the vegetative state: insights from diffusion tensor imaging and functional implications.
An improved in vivo understanding of variations in neuropathology in the vegetative state (VS) may aid diagnosis, improve prognostication and help refine the selection of patients for particular treatment regimes. The authors have used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to characterise the extent and location of white matter loss in VS secondary to traumatic brain injury (TBI) and ischaemic-hypoxic injury. ⋯ DTI may help to characterise differences in patients in VS. These findings may have implications for response to therapies, and should be taken into account in trials of interventions aimed at arousal in VS.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · May 2010
Facial nerve motor-evoked potential monitoring during microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm.
To determine whether monitoring facial nerve motor-evoked potentials (FNMEPs) elicited by transcranial electrical stimulation during microvascular decompression (MVD) for hemifacial spasm (HFS) is useful for predicting postoperative outcome. ⋯ The FNMEP amplitude from the orbicularis oculi muscle decreased after MVD in HFS patients whose symptoms were resolved postoperatively, thus suggesting normalisation of facial nerve excitability. FNMEP monitoring during MVD surgery as well as LSR monitoring could predict postoperative outcome in HFS patients.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · May 2010
Characteristic features of unruptured intracranial aneurysms: predictive risk factors for aneurysm rupture.
The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors predisposing to aneurysm rupture and to provide a reliable estimation for likelihood of rupture in unruptured intracranial aneurysms. ⋯ There are differences between the clinical and intrinsic characteristics of patients with unruptured and ruptured intracranial aneurysm. It will be helpful to make rational decisions regarding the optimal therapeutic strategy for unruptured intracranial aneurysm.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Apr 2010
Survival in progressive supranuclear palsy and frontotemporal dementia.
To compare survival and to identify prognostic predictors for progressive supranuclear palsy and frontotemporal dementia. ⋯ Survival of PSP patients is shorter than that of FTD patients, and probably reflects a more aggressive disease process in PSP. Independent predictors of shorter survival in PSP were male gender, older onset-age and higher PSP rating scale score, whereas in FTD a positive family history and higher onset-age were predictors for worse prognosis.