Journal of the neurological sciences
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We sought to evaluate the potential enhanced fibrinolytic and antiplatelet activity of dabigatran etexilate (DE) due to decreased thrombin levels in patients with stroke or transient ischemic attack and non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). ⋯ Our findings indicate that DE might affect platelet function and fibrinolysis and highlight the potential role of ETP as an alternative option in DE monitoring. The intensity and clinical relevance of DE antiplatelet and fibrinolytic effects require further investigation.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of clinical, electrophysiological, sonographic and MRI features in CIDP.
We investigated the applicability of nerve ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). ⋯ Nerve ultrasound and MRI findings show the same morphological fascicle alterations in peripheral nerves in correlation to ODSS. Nerve ultrasound as an affordable tool, easy and quick to perform, could replace MRI in daily routine for monitoring peripheral nerve morphology.
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Depression and pain may sometimes be related conditions. Occasionally, depression may be associated with physical symptoms, such as back pain and headache. Moreover, depression may impair the subjective response to pain and is likely to influence the pain feeling. Conversely, chronic pain may represent an emotional condition as well as physical sensation, and can influence both the mood and behaviour. ⋯ These results suggest the abnormal processing of pain stimuli in depressive disorders.
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Observational Study
Critical illness polyneuropathy and myopathy in a rural area in Vietnam.
Critical illness polyneuropathy, myopathy and polyneuromyopathy, grouped under the term CIP/CIM, share several risk factors and are associated with debilitating outcomes. ⋯ The study revealed that the diagnosis of CIP/CIM was associated with significantly poorer outcomes in comparison to controls.
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Although adoption of new clinical criteria for dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) leads to an increase in the proportion of patients diagnosed with probable DLB, the sensitivity of clinical diagnostic criteria of DLB is low, and there are no generally accepted clinical or imaging biomarkers to distinguish DLB from other types of dementia. In this study, we investigated whether neurocirculatory abnormalities and cardiac sympathetic denervation differed in controls and patients with subjective memory impairment (SMI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and DLB. We also assessed whether spontaneous features of Parkinsonism might be related to the neurocirculatory abnormalities and cardiac sympathetic denervation found in DLB. ⋯ Our results suggest that MIBG scintigraphy and autonomic function tests may be useful for distinguishing between DLB and AD in clinical practice. Myocardial postganglionic sympathetic denervation and autonomic dysfunctions are present in patients with DLB regardless of spontaneous Parkinsonism.