Lancet neurology
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Use of brain diffusion tensor imaging for the prediction of long-term neurological outcomes in patients after cardiac arrest: a multicentre, international, prospective, observational, cohort study.
Prediction of neurological outcome after cardiac arrest is a major challenge. The aim of this study was to assess whether quantitative whole-brain white matter fractional anisotropy (WWM-FA) measured by diffusion tensor imaging between day 7 and day 28 after cardiac arrest can predict long-term neurological outcome. ⋯ French Ministry of Health, French National Agency for Research, Italian Ministry of Health, and Regione Lombardia.
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Fungal infections of the CNS are challenging to treat and their optimal management requires knowledge of their epidemiology, host characteristics, diagnostic criteria, and therapeutic options. Aspergillus and Cryptococcus species predominate among fungal infections of the CNS. Most of these fungi are ubiquitous, but some have restricted geographical distribution. ⋯ The infecting fungi can be grouped into moulds, yeasts, and dimorphic fungi. Substantial progress has been made with new diagnostic approaches and the introduction of novel antifungal drugs, but fungal infections of the CNS are frequently lethal because of diagnostic delays, impaired drug penetration, resistance to antifungal treatments, and inadequate restoration of immune function. To improve outcomes, future research should advance diagnostic methods (eg, molecular detection and fungus identification), develop antifungal compounds with enhanced CNS-directed efficacy, and further investigate crucial host defence mechanisms.