Archives of neurology
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Archives of neurology · Sep 2009
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyDeterminants of the timing of symptomatic treatment in early Parkinson disease: The National Institutes of Health Exploratory Trials in Parkinson Disease (NET-PD) Experience.
To assess the predictive value of baseline measures of impairment, disability, and quality of life for the timing of initiation of symptomatic treatment in early Parkinson disease (PD). ⋯ In early PD, greater impairment and disability and higher level of education are independently associated with an earlier need for symptomatic treatment.
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Archives of neurology · Sep 2009
Strokes after cardiac surgery and relationship to carotid stenosis.
To critically examine the role of significant carotid stenosis in the pathogenesis of postoperative stroke following cardiac operations. ⋯ There is no direct causal relationship between significant carotid stenosis and postoperative stroke in patients undergoing cardiac operations. Combining carotid and cardiac procedures is neither necessary nor effective in reducing postoperative stroke in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis.
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Archives of neurology · Aug 2009
Neuromyelitis optica IgG serostatus in fulminant central nervous system inflammatory demyelinating disease.
The aquaporin-4-specific serum autoantibody neuromyelitis optica (NMO) IgG is a validated biomarker distinguishing NMO spectrum disorders from multiple sclerosis (MS). Because fulminant attacks are more common in NMO spectrum disorders than in MS, some investigators suggest that NMO IgG may be a marker of destructive demyelination rather than a disease-specific biomarker. To our knowledge, this study is the first to compare NMO IgG serostatus among patients with fulminant central nervous system inflammatory demyelinating disease (CNS IDD). ⋯ Neuromyelitis optica IgG is a specific biomarker for NMO spectrum disorders and is not simply a marker of destructive CNS IDD.
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Archives of neurology · Aug 2009
Genome-wide scan of 500,000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms among responders and nonresponders to interferon beta therapy in multiple sclerosis.
Interferon beta is 1 of 2 first-line treatments for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). However, not all patients respond to interferon beta therapy, and to date there is a lack of surrogate markers that reliably correlate with responsiveness to interferon beta therapy in MS. ⋯ This study supports an underlying polygenic response to interferon beta treatment in MS and highlights the importance of the glutamatergic system in patient response to interferon beta therapy.
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Archives of neurology · Aug 2009
Case ReportsAtypical progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy associated with an unusual JC polyomavirus mutation.
To report the clinical and radiologic features in a patient with myelofibrosis who developed atypical progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. ⋯ Leukopenia may render patients effectively immunosuppressed. The differential diagnosis should include progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy even in patients with atypical clinical and radiologic features.