Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · May 2013
Review Historical ArticleBickerstaff brainstem encephalitis and Fisher syndrome: anti-GQ1b antibody syndrome.
In the 1950s, Bickerstaff and Fisher independently described cases with a unique presentation of ophthalmoplegia and ataxia. The neurological features were typically preceded by an antecedent infection and the majority of patients made a spontaneous recovery. In the cases with Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis, there was associated altered consciousness and in some, hyperreflexia, in support of a central pathology whereas in Fisher syndrome, patients were areflexic in keeping with a peripheral aetiology. ⋯ These include acute ophthalmoparesis and acute ataxic neuropathy, which represent the less extensive spectrum of the disease whereas pharyngeal-cervical-brachial weakness and Fisher syndrome overlap with Guillain-Barré syndrome represent the more extensive end of the spectrum. The conditions can be referred to as the 'anti-GQ1b antibody syndrome'. In this review, we look back at the historical descriptions and describe how our understanding of Fisher syndrome and Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis has evolved from their initial descriptions more than half a century ago.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · May 2013
Comparative StudyHigh-sensitivity troponin assay improves prediction of cardiovascular risk in patients with cerebral ischaemia.
Clinical scores are recommended for predicting cardiovascular risk in patients with cerebral ischaemia to inform secondary prevention. Blood biomarkers may improve prediction beyond clinical scores. ⋯ hsTropT predicts vascular events and all-cause mortality in patients with acute cerebral ischaemia and improves prediction beyond established clinical scores.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · May 2013
Multicenter StudyThe European iNPH Multicentre Study on the predictive values of resistance to CSF outflow and the CSF Tap Test in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.
The objective was to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the CSF Tap Test (CSF TT) and resistance to CSF outflow (Rout) for the outcome of shunting in a sample of patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH). ⋯ Rout and the results of the CSF TT did not correlate with outcome after 12 months. Rout and CSF TT can be used for selecting patients for shunt surgery but not for excluding patients from treatment.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · May 2013
The NINDS-Canadian stroke network vascular cognitive impairment neuropsychology protocols in Chinese.
Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) affects up to half of stroke survivors and predicts poor outcomes. Valid and reliable assessement for VCI is lacking, especially for the Chinese population. In 2005, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and Canadian Stroke Network (NINDS-CSN) Harmonisation workshop proposed a set of three neuropsychology protocols for VCI evaluation. This paper is to introduce the protocol design and to report the psychometric properties of the Chinese NINDS-CSN VCI protocols. ⋯ The Chinese NINDS-CSN VCI protocols are valid and reliable for cognitive assessment in Chinese patients with mild stroke.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · May 2013
Volume-dependent effect of perihaematomal oedema on outcome for spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhages.
It is still unknown whether subsequent perihaematomal oedema (PHE) formation further increases the odds of an unfavourable outcome. ⋯ Our findings suggest that the effect of absolute PHE volume on functional outcome following ICH is dependent on haematoma size, with only patients with smaller haemorrhages exhibiting poorer outcome with worse PHE. Further studies are needed to define the precise role of PHE in driving outcome following ICH.