Handbook of clinical neurology
-
Neuropathies related to diabetes mellitus can affect 60-70% of patients with diabetes. These can include peripheral polyneuropathies, mononeuropathies, and autonomic neuropathies. ⋯ Besides control of the above listed risk factors, we do not have effective medications to treat the pathophysiologic mechanisms of diabetic neuropathies. Treatment is limited to ameliorating pain and correcting the end organ consequences of the neuropathic processes.
-
Small fiber neuropathy represents a significant component of diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN) which has to date been ignored in most recommendations for the diagnosis of DSPN. Small fibers predominate in the peripheral nerve, serve crucial and highly clinically relevant functions such as pain, and regulate microvascular blood flow, mediating the mechanisms underlying foot ulceration. ⋯ Because small fiber damage precedes large fiber damage, diagnostic tests for DSPN show good sensitivity but moderate specificity, because the gold standard which is used to define DSPN is large fiber-weighted. Hence new diagnostic algorithms for DSPN should acknowledge this emerging data and incorporate small fiber evaluation as a key measure in the diagnosis of DSPN, especially early neuropathy.
-
As there are, to date, few curative treatment options for many neurologic diseases, end of life (EOL) care is an important aspect of the treatment of neurologic patients. In the EOL phase, treatment should be aimed at relieving symptoms, maintaining quality of life, and facilitating a peaceful and dignified way of dying. Common signs and symptoms in the EOL phase of neurologic patients are raised intracranial pressure, seizures, confusion, cognitive deficits, and impaired motor function. ⋯ The main goal of EOL decision making is the prevention and relief of suffering, even if this might hasten death. Especially in advanced stages of many neurologic diseases, confusion, cognitive deficits, communication deficits, and decreasing levels of consciousness may impair the competence of patients to participate in EOL decision making. Given that patient autonomy is increasingly essential, advance care planning (ACP) at an early stage of the disease should be considered.
-
Patients with hemophilia and other congenital bleeding disorders are at risk for development of central nervous system (CNS) hemorrhage and can present with acute or chronic neurologic symptoms. These disorders are generally caused by qualitative or quantitative deficiency of components of hemostasis such as coagulation proteins, von Willebrand factor, or platelets. ⋯ Since hemophilia is the most common bleeding disorder encountered in clinical practice, more emphasis is placed on management of hemophilia. Additionally, neurologic manifestations related to the bleeding diathesis in patients with hemophilia are elaborated.
-
This chapter outlines: (1) the reasons why epidemiologic surveys and randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) of diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) are difficult and expensive, and often poorly done, (2) primary and secondary neuropathy end points, (3) single versus composite neuropathic end points, (4) adequate reference values from study of population representative cohorts, and (5) the issue of clinical proficiency.