Lancet neurology
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Patients who have had a stroke are susceptible to many complications. These individuals commonly have comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, or other ailments that increase the risks of systemic medical complications during stroke recovery. However, several complications can arise as a direct consequence of the brain injury itself, from the ensuing disabilities or immobility, or from stroke-related treatments. ⋯ Cardiac complications, pneumonias, venous thromboembolism, fever, pain, dysphagia, incontinence, and depression are particularly common after a stroke and usually require specific interventions for their prevention and treatment. However, there are few data to guide the management of these complications. Systematic investigations are therefore needed to further study the effects of medical complications on stroke recovery and to improve interventions for the prevention and treatment of these events.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Assessment of brain tissue injury after moderate hypothermia in neonates with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy: a nested substudy of a randomised controlled trial.
Moderate hypothermia in neonates with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy might improve survival and neurological outcomes at up to 18 months of age, although complete neurological assessment at this age is difficult. To ascertain more precisely the effect of therapeutic hypothermia on neonatal cerebral injury, we assessed cerebral lesions on MRI scans of infants who participated in the Total Body Hypothermia for Neonatal Encephalopathy (TOBY) trial. ⋯ UK Medical Research Council; UK Department of Health.
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In most patients with adult-onset progressive ataxia, the condition manifests without an obvious familial background. The classification and correct diagnosis of such patients remain a challenge, because almost the entire spectrum of non-genetic and genetic causes of ataxia has to be considered. A wide range of potential causes of acquired ataxia exist, including chronic alcohol use, various other toxic agents, immune-mediated inflammation, vitamin deficiency, chronic leptomeningeal deposition of iron leading to superficial siderosis, and chronic CNS infection. ⋯ Finally, patients might have a sporadic degenerative disease, such as multiple system atrophy of cerebellar type or sporadic adult-onset ataxia of unknown aetiology. The definition of clinical criteria and delineation of characteristic MRI features have greatly facilitated the early and correct recognition of sporadic ataxias. In addition, specific serological and genetic markers are available that allow a definite diagnosis in many cases.