Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jan 2015
Multicenter StudyA multicentre prospective study of Guillain-Barré syndrome in Japan: a focus on the incidence of subtypes.
Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is classified into the two major subtypes; acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP) and acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN). Previous studies have suggested that AIDP is predominant and AMAN is rare in Western countries, whereas AMAN is not always uncommon in East Asia. We aimed to clarify the incidence of the subtypes of GBS in Japan. ⋯ The frequency of GBS patients with the electrodiagnosis of AMAN by single nerve conduction studies is approximately 20% in Japan, and the AMAN pattern is closely associated with anti-GM1 antibodies. The incidence of FS appears to be much higher in Japan than in Western countries.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jan 2015
Observational StudySodium intake is associated with increased disease activity in multiple sclerosis.
Recently, salt has been shown to modulate the differentiation of human and mouse Th17 cells and mice that were fed a high-sodium diet were described to develop more aggressive courses of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. However, the role of sodium intake in multiple sclerosis (MS) has not been addressed. We aimed to investigate the relationship between salt consumption and clinical and radiological disease activity in MS. ⋯ Our results suggest that a higher sodium intake is associated with increased clinical and radiological disease activity in patients with MS.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jan 2015
Modelling the natural history of primary progressive multiple sclerosis.
A minority of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have primary progressive disease (PPMS). Treatment options are currently limited, but as prospects for interventional studies become more realistic, understanding contemporary outcome data will be key to successful trial design. ⋯ Disability progression in PPMS is variable and influenced by age at onset. Although progression is more rapid, age-related disability milestones are identical to relapsing-onset disease. These data offer a contemporary paradigm for clinical trial design in progressive MS.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jan 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialFish oil (n-3 fatty acids) in drug resistant epilepsy: a randomised placebo-controlled crossover study.
n-3 fatty acids inhibit neuronal excitability and reduce seizures in animal models. High-dose fish oil has been explored in two randomised trials in drug resistant epilepsy with negative results. We performed a phase II randomised controlled crossover trial of low-dose and high-dose fish oil in participants with drug resistant epilepsy to explore whether low-dose or high-dose fish oil reduces seizures or improves cardiovascular health. ⋯ In this phase II randomised crossover trial, low-dose fish oil was effective in reducing seizures compared with placebo. The magnitude of improvement is similar to that of recent antiepileptic drug trials in drug resistant epilepsy (DRE). The results indicate that low-dose fish oil may reduce seizures and improve the health of people with epilepsy. These findings justify a large multicentre randomised trial of low-dose fish oil (n-3 fatty acids <1080 mg/day) in drug resistant epilepsy.