Clinical neurology and neurosurgery
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Clin Neurol Neurosurg · Apr 2005
Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical TrialPaced visual serial addition test in multiple sclerosis.
The paced auditory serial addition test (PASAT), a subtest of the multiple sclerosis functional composite score (MSFC), is increasingly used in the evaluation of cognitive function in multiple sclerosis (MS). While patient acceptance for the PASAT is low, its visual version, the paced visual serial addition test (PVSAT), is perceived to be better tolerated. The aim of this study was to investigate the interchangeability of PVSAT and PASAT in the evaluation of cognitive function in MS. ⋯ PASAT-3 correlated highly with both PVSAT-3 and PVSAT-2. MSFC-v scores calculated with PVSAT-2 and PVSAT-3 values correlated highly with MSFC scores calculated with PASAT-3 results. The results suggest that the PVSAT can be used as an alternative for the PASAT in the MSFC.
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Candida meningitis, a previously rare occurrence, has been increasing in prevalence and often is a result of complications of neurosurgery. We describe the case of a 49-year-old man who presented with headache, vertigo, intermittent blurred vision, and multiple episodes of nausea and vomiting. Computed tomography (CT) showed a left cerebellar hemorrhage with obliteration of the fourth ventricle causing hydrocephalus. ⋯ He then presented with increased vertigo and ataxia. Cerebrospinal fluid cultures grew C. tropicalis, which again showed susceptibility to fluconazole with a MIC of 1 microg/mL, identical to that in the previous infection. However, a second course of fluconazole failed to control the infection despite adequate cerebrospinal fluid levels.