Frontiers in neurology
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Frontiers in neurology · Jan 2020
ReviewImaging Biomarkers for Neurodegeneration in Presymptomatic Familial Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration.
Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by behavioral changes, language abnormality, as well as executive function deficits and motor impairment. In about 30-50% of FTLD patients, an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance was found with major mutations in the MAPT, GRN, and the C9orf72 repeat expansion. These mutations could lead to neurodegenerative pathology years before clinical symptoms onset. ⋯ Promising imaging biomarkers for presymptomatic familial FTLD have been identified and assessed for specificity and sensitivity for accurate prediction of symptom onset and tracking disease progression during the presymptomatic stage when clinical measures are not useful. Furthermore, identifying imaging biomarkers for the presymptomatic stage is important for the design of disease-modifying trials. We review the recent progress in imaging biomarkers of the presymptomatic phase of familial FTLD and discuss the imaging techniques and analysis methods, with a focus on the potential implication of these imaging techniques and their utility in specific mutation types.
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Frontiers in neurology · Jan 2020
Neurological Complications and Noninvasive Multimodal Neuromonitoring in Critically Ill Mechanically Ventilated COVID-19 Patients.
Purpose: The incidence and the clinical presentation of neurological manifestations of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) remain unclear. No data regarding the use of neuromonitoring tools in this group of patients are available. Methods: This is a retrospective study of prospectively collected data. ⋯ Patients with increased intracranial pressure measured by ONSD (19% of the overall population) had longer ICU stay. Conclusions: Neurological complications are common in critically ill patients with COVID-19 receiving invasive mechanical ventilation and are associated with prolonged ICU length of stay. Multimodal noninvasive neuromonitoring systems are useful tools for the early detection of variations in cerebrovascular parameters in COVID-19.
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Frontiers in neurology · Jan 2020
Case ReportsCOVID-19 and Guillain-Barré Syndrome: A Case Report and Review of Literature.
During the recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in Northern Italy, we observed a 57-year-old man developing acute motor-sensory axonal neuropathy, a variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), 12 days after severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Similarly to other bacterial and viral infections, dysregulation of the immune system due to post-infectious mechanisms, such as the molecular mimicry, could lead to an indirect damage of the peripheral nervous system related to SARS-CoV-2. ⋯ Therefore, we performed a review of the 29 articles so far published, describing 33 GBS cases and five MFS cases associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. We recommend awareness of this rare, but treatable, neurological syndrome, which may also determine a sudden and otherwise unexplained respiratory deterioration in COVID-19 patients.
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Frontiers in neurology · Jan 2020
An Italian Neurology Outpatient Clinic Facing SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: Data From 2,167 Patients.
Objective: Neurological sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection have already been reported, but there is insufficient data about the impact of the pandemic on the management of the patients with chronic neurological diseases. We aim to analyze the effect of COVID-19 pandemic and social restriction rules on these fragile patients. Methods: Patients with chronic neurologic diseases routinely followed at the outpatient clinic of Gemelli University Hospital, Rome, were assessed for symptoms suggestive of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the pandemic period, consequences of social restrictions, and neurological disease features, concomitant medical conditions, current medical and disease-specific treatments. ⋯ One hundred fifty-eight individuals (7%) needed urgent neurological care, deferred due to the pandemic; 641 patients (30%) suspended hospital treatments, physiotherapy or other support interventions; 405 individuals (19%) reported a subjective worsening of neurological symptoms. Conclusions: In our population, the presence of neurological chronic diseases did not increase the prevalence of COVID-19 infection. Nevertheless, the burden of neurological disorders has been worsened by the lockdown.
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Frontiers in neurology · Jan 2020
Incorporating Remote Electrical Neuromodulation (REN) Into Usual Care Reduces Acute Migraine Medication Use: An Open-Label Extension Study.
Background: A recent randomized controlled study showed that 66.7% (66/99) and 37.4% (37/99) of people undergoing remote electrical neuromodulation (REN), a novel non-pharmacological migraine treatment, achieve pain relief and pain freedom, respectively, at 2 h post-treatment. The participants who completed the 6-weeks double-blind phase of this study were offered to participate in an open-label extension (OLE) with an active REN device. Objective: This study investigated the clinical use of REN, focusing on its potential in reducing the use of acute migraine medications. ⋯ Conclusions: REN may reduce the use of acute migraine medications. Thus, incorporating REN into usual care may reduce the risk for medication overuse headache (MOH). Future studies should evaluate whether REN reduces the use of acute migraine medications in a population at risk for MOH.