Annals of neurology
-
Annals of neurology · Sep 2008
Randomized Controlled TrialBotulinum toxin type A induces direct analgesic effects in chronic neuropathic pain.
Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) has been reported to have analgesic effects independent of its action on muscle tone, possibly by acting on neurogenic inflammation. Such a mechanism may be involved in peripheral neuropathic pain. ⋯ These results indicate for the first time that BTX-A may induce direct analgesic effects in patients with chronic neuropathic pain independent of its effects on muscle tone and suggest novel indications for BTX-A in analgesia.
-
Annals of neurology · Feb 2007
Randomized Controlled TrialCongenital nystagmus: randomized, controlled, double-masked trial of memantine/gabapentin.
Nystagmus consists of involuntary to and fro movements of the eyes. Although studies have shown that memantine and gabapentin can reduce acquired nystagmus, no drug treatment has been systematically investigated in congenital nystagmus. ⋯ Our findings show that pharmacological agents such as memantine and gabapentin can improve visual acuity, reduce nystagmus intensity, and improve foveation in congenital nystagmus.
-
Annals of neurology · Nov 2006
Randomized Controlled TrialEffects of intraoperative hypothermia on neuropsychological outcomes after intracranial aneurysm surgery.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage and surgical obliteration of ruptured intracranial aneurysms are frequently associated with neurological and neuropsychological abnormalities. We reported that intraoperative cooling did not improve neurological outcome in good-grade surgical subarachnoid hemorrhage patients, as assessed by the Glasgow Outcome Scale score or other neurological and functional measures (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Rankin Disability Scale, Barthel Activities of Daily Living). We now report the results of neuropsychological testing in these patients. ⋯ This is the largest prospective evaluation of neuropsychological function after subarachnoid hemorrhage to date. Testing was completed in a high fraction of patients, demonstrating the feasibility of such testing in a large trial. However, the frequent inability to complete testing in poor-outcome patients suggests that testing may be best used to refine outcome assessments in good-grade patients. Many patients showed impairment on at least one test, with global impairment present in 17 to 20% of patients (18-21% of survivors). This was true even among the patients with the best preoperative condition (WFNS = 1). There was no difference in the incidence of impairment between hypothermic and normothermic groups.
-
Annals of neurology · Jan 2004
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialThe effect of spinal cord stimulation in patients with chronic reflex sympathetic dystrophy: two years' follow-up of the randomized controlled trial.
Chronic reflex sympathetic dystrophy is a painful, disabling disorder for which no treatment with proven effect is available. We performed a randomized trial in a 2 to 1 ratio of patients, in which 36 patients were treated with spinal cord stimulation and physical therapy (SCS+PT), and 18 patients received solely PT. Twenty-four SCS+PT patients were given a permanent spinal cord stimulation system after successful test stimulation; the remaining 12 patients received no permanent system. ⋯ There was no clinically important improvement of functional status. Health-related quality of life improved only in the group receiving spinal cord stimulation. After careful selection and successful test stimulation, spinal cord stimulation results in a long-term pain reduction and health-related quality of life improvement in chronic reflex sympathetic dystrophy.
-
Annals of neurology · May 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialRandomized trial of pallidotomy versus medical therapy for Parkinson's disease.
Thirty-six patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) were randomized to either medical therapy (N = 18) or unilateral GPi pallidotomy (N = 18). The primary outcome variable was the change in total Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) score at 6 months. Secondary outcome variables included subscores and individual parkinsonian symptoms as determined from the UPDRS. ⋯ A total of twenty patients have been followed for 2 years to assess the effect of time on clinical outcome. These patients have shown sustained improvement in the total UPDRS (p < 0.0001), "off" motor (p < 0.0001) and complications of therapy subscores (p < 0.0001). Sustained improvement was also seen for tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, percent on time and drug-induced dyskinesias.