Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Sep 2001
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialOutcome of unilateral pallidotomy in advanced Parkinson's disease: cohort study of 32 patients.
In a randomised trial to study the efficacy of unilateral pallidotomy in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease, patients having pallidotomy within 1 month after randomisation were compared with patients having pallidotomy 6 months after the primary outcome assessment. Of the 37 patients enrolled 32 had a unilateral pallidotomy. The follow up study of these patients is presented to report (1) clinical outcome; (2) adverse effects; (3) cognitive and behavioural effects; (4) relation between lesion location and outcome; and (5) preoperative patient characteristics predictive for good outcome. ⋯ The positive effects of unilateral pallidotomy are stable up to 1 year after surgery. Patients taking less than 1000 LEU per day were most likely to improve.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Sep 2001
Clinical TrialCombination of cyclophosphamide and interferon-beta halts progression in patients with rapidly transitional multiple sclerosis.
The effects of combined treatment with cyclophosphamide (CTX) and interferon-beta (IFN-beta) are described in selected patients with "rapidly transitional" multiple sclerosis. This form of multiple sclerosis is extremely active with very frequent and severe attacks which produce a dramatic increase on the expanded disability status scale (EDSS). ⋯ This particular group of patients benefited by combining cyclophosphamide and IFN-beta. The possibility is considered of carrying out further studies to test the efficacy of the association between the two drugs for patients who are not responsive to IFN-beta or other active disease modifying therapies.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Sep 2001
The SF-36 in multiple sclerosis: why basic assumptions must be tested.
To evaluate, in people with multiple sclerosis, two psychometric assumptions that must be satisfied for valid use of the medical outcomes study 36-item short form health survey (SF-36): the data are of high quality and, it is legitimate to generate scores for eight scales and two summary measures using the standard algorithms. ⋯ When using the SF-36 as a health measure in multiple sclerosis summary scores should be reported with caution.