European neurology
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The impact of poststroke seizures on the neurological deficits related to ischemic stroke is not well known. It has been reported that following poststroke epilepsy, transient or long-lasting worsening of the poststroke sequelae may develop, but the underlying mechanism of deficit worsening has not been systematically studied by magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging (MRI-DWI). ⋯ Poststroke seizures may affect poststroke sequelae transiently, which we see more often, but some seizure types may prolong the duration of deficits. Multiple DWI changes and LLW following recurrent and longer poststroke seizures were strongly associated, and this may be due to the effect of seizures causing additional metabolical changes.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Effect of cilostazol in acute lacunar infarction based on pulsatility index of transcranial Doppler (ECLIPse): a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
This study is intended to evaluate the propensities of cilostazol to reduce the pulsatility index (PI) in patients with acute lacunar infarction using the serial transcranial Doppler (TCD) examinations. ⋯ Cilostazol further decreased TCD PIs at 90 days from baseline compared to placebo in acute lacunar infarction. This result may be related to pleiotropic effects, such as vasodilation, beyond its antiplatelet activity.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Efficacy of local lidocaine application on anxiety and depression and its curative effect on patients with chronic tension-type headache.
Tension-type headache (TTH) is a primary headache disorder. In this study, the efficacy of local lidocaine application on anxiety and depression and its curative effect in patients with chronic TTH was investigated. ⋯ Our findings suggest that local lidocaine administration can be an effective method in the treatment of chronic TTH.
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Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is highly successful in treating Parkinson's disease (PD), dystonia, and essential tremor (ET). Until recently implantable neurostimulators were nonrechargeable, battery-driven devices, with a lifetime of about 3-5 years. This relatively short duration causes problems for patients (e.g. programming and device-use limitations, unpredictable expiration, surgeries to replace depleted batteries). Additionally, these batteries (relatively large with considerable weight) may cause discomfort. To overcome these issues, the first rechargeable DBS device was introduced: smaller, lighter and intended to function for 9 years. ⋯ Dystonia patients (generally high-energy consumption, severe problems at the DBS device end-of-life) are good, reliable candidates for a rechargeable DBS system. In PD, younger patients, without signs of dementia and good technical understanding, might have highest benefit.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
painDETECT questionnaire and lumbar epidural steroid injection for chronic radiculopathy.
The painDETECT questionnaire (PD-Q) is a fast and uncomplicated way to ascertain the percentage of neuropathic pain in 'total pain' and is designed to detect neuropathic pain components in back pain. The purpose of this randomized, prospective study is to compare, with the assessment of the PD-Q, the efficacy of interlaminar (IL) and transforaminal (TF) steroid injections in patients with unilateral chronic lumbar radicular pain. ⋯ Steroids are efficient; besides alleviating the overall pain, they also reduce the neuropathic component in chronic lumbar radicular pain, whether it is distributed epidurally by the IL or TF approach.