Lancet neurology
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Oral doxycycline versus intravenous ceftriaxone for European Lyme neuroborreliosis: a multicentre, non-inferiority, double-blind, randomised trial.
Use of intravenous penicillin and ceftriaxone to treat Lyme neuroborreliosis is well documented, although oral doxycycline could be a cost-effective alternative. We aimed to compare the efficacy of oral doxycycline with intravenous ceftriaxone for the treatment of Lyme neuroborreliosis. ⋯ Oral doxycycline is as efficient as intravenous ceftriaxone for the treatment of European adults with Lyme neuroborreliosis.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Incident dementia and blood pressure lowering in the Hypertension in the Very Elderly Trial cognitive function assessment (HYVET-COG): a double-blind, placebo controlled trial.
Observational epidemiological studies have shown a positive association between hypertension and risk of incident dementia; however, the effects of antihypertensive therapy on cognitive function in controlled trials have been conflicting, and meta-analyses of the trials have not provided clear evidence of whether antihypertensive treatment reduces dementia incidence. The Hypertension in the Very Elderly trial (HYVET) was designed to assess the risks and benefits of treatment of hypertension in elderly patients and included an assessment of cognitive function. ⋯ Antihypertensive treatment in elderly patients does not statistically reduce incidence of dementia. This negative finding might have been due to the short follow-up, owing to the early termination of the trial, or the modest effect of treatment. Nevertheless, the HYVET findings, when included in a meta-analysis, might support antihypertensive treatment to reduce incident dementia.
-
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major health and socioeconomic problem that affects all societies. In recent years, patterns of injury have been changing, with more injuries, particularly contusions, occurring in older patients. Blast injuries have been identified as a novel entity with specific characteristics. ⋯ Clinical management has become much more structured and evidence based since the publication of guidelines covering many aspects of care. In this Review, we summarise new developments and current knowledge and controversies, focusing on moderate and severe TBI in adults. Suggestions are provided for the way forward, with an emphasis on epidemiological monitoring, trauma organisation, and approaches to management.
-
Diffusion-based tractography enables the graphical reconstruction of the white matter pathways in the brain and spinal cord of living humans. This technique has many potential clinical applications, including the investigation of stroke, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, neurodegenerative diseases, and spinal cord disorders, and it enables hypotheses to be tested that could not previously be considered in living humans. This Review will outline the limitations of tractography, describe its current clinical applications in the most common neurological diseases, and highlight future opportunities.