Neurology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Cooling for Acute Ischemic Brain Damage (COOL AID): a feasibility trial of endovascular cooling.
To report results of a randomized pilot clinical feasibility trial of endovascular cooling in patients with ischemic stroke. ⋯ Induced moderate hypothermia is feasible using an endovascular cooling device in most patients with acute ischemic stroke. Further studies are needed to determine if hypothermia improves outcome.
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Multicenter Study
Development and initial validation of a screening tool for Parkinson disease surgical candidates.
As there is currently no standardized assessment tool for evaluating Parkinson disease (PD) patients for deep brain stimulation (DBS), the authors developed the Florida Surgical Questionnaire for Parkinson Disease (FLASQ-PD). Part I of the study was a retrospective analysis of 174 patients presenting for a surgical screening. Part II was a multicenter study to assess the correlation of FLASQ-PD scores. The results of this study suggest that the FLASQ-PD may be a useful triage tool for screening PD patients for DBS surgery.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Risk factors for postherpetic neuralgia in patients with herpes zoster.
To identify risk factors for postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) using a validated definition of this chronic neuropathic pain syndrome, to determine combinations of risk factors that identify patients with a high risk of developing PHN, and to examine the characteristics of patients with subacute herpetic neuralgia, that is, pain that persists beyond the acute phase of herpes zoster but that resolves before PHN can be diagnosed. ⋯ The independent contributions to the prediction of PHN made by older age, female sex, presence of a prodrome, greater rash severity, and greater acute pain severity suggest that these risk factors reflect different mechanisms that each contribute to the development of PHN. Subacute herpetic neuralgia that does not progress to PHN may reflect peripheral tissue damage and inflammation caused by a particularly severe or widespread rash.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Efficacy of pergolide in treatment of restless legs syndrome: the PEARLS Study.
To evaluate the short- and long-term safety and efficacy of pergolide therapy for restless legs syndrome (RLS) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial (Pergolide European Australian RLS [PEARLS] study). ⋯ Pergolide substantially improves periodic limb movement measures and subjective sleep disturbance associated with restless legs syndrome. Low-dose pergolide was well tolerated and maintained its efficacy in the long term.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Unilateral pallidotomy versus bilateral subthalamic nucleus stimulation in PD: a randomized trial.
To compare the efficacy of unilateral pallidotomy and bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) stimulation in patients with advanced Parkinson disease (PD) in a randomized, observer-blind, multicenter trial. ⋯ Bilateral STN stimulation is more effective than unilateral pallidotomy in reducing parkinsonian symptoms in patients with advanced PD.