Journal of the neurological sciences
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Malignant gliomas are common primary brain tumors with dismal prognosis. The blood-brain barrier and unacceptable systemic toxicity limit the employment of chemotherapeutic agents. BCNU-impregnated biodegradable polymers (Gliadel®) have been demonstrated to prolong the survival of patients with malignant gliomas. Until now, no biodegradable drug delivery system has been commercially available in China. In the present study, we evaluated the safety of implants with high-dose BCNU in Chinese patients with recurrent malignant gliomas. ⋯ The high-dose BCNU-loaded PLGA implants were safe for Chinese patients with recurrent malignant gliomas and further investigation for efficacy is warranted.
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Antisecretory factor (AF) and derivates thereof counteract brain edema and inflammation, and normalize ICP dynamics. The aim of the present study was to assess whether AF normalized the abnormal ICP waves, indicative of impaired intracranial compliance, seen in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) and idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). The hypothesis was that brain swelling contributes to the abnormal ICP waves. ⋯ The lack of effect of Salovum® on ICP wave indices and ICP in iNPH and IIH may provide indirect evidence that brain swelling does not play a crucial role in the ICP wave indices or ICP of these conditions.
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We investigated the King-Devick (K-D) test of rapid number naming as a visual performance measure in a cohort of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). ⋯ The K-D test, a <2 minute bedside test of rapid number naming, is associated with visual dysfunction, neurologic impairment, and reduced vision-specific QOL in patients with MS. Scores reflect work disability as well as structural changes as measured by OCT imaging. History of ON and abnormal binocular acuities were associated with worse K-D scores, suggesting that abnormalities detected by K-D may go along with afferent dysfunction in MS patients. A brief test that requires saccadic eye movements, K-D should be considered for future MS trials as a rapid visual performance measure.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
An open labeled randomized controlled trial of pregabalin versus amitriptyline in chronic low backache.
There is no head on comparison of amitriptyline (AMT) and pregabalin (PG) in relieving pain and disability in chronic low backache (CLBA). This randomized controlled trial reports the efficacy and safety of AMT and PG in CLBA. ⋯ AMT and PG are effective in CLBA but AMT reduced pain and disability significantly compared to PG.
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Letter Case Reports
New IDH1 I113T mutation associated with BRAF V600E mutation: new driver of gliomagenesis?
IDH mutations and BRAF mutations are classically mutually exclusive and usually associated with infiltrative or circumscribed gliomas and glioneuronal tumors respectively. ⋯ We report a new IDH1 mutation associated with BRAF mutation in a very unusual glial tumor.