European journal of neurology : the official journal of the European Federation of Neurological Societies
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Valproate versus diazepam for generalized convulsive status epilepticus: a pilot study.
Evidence-based data to guide the management of status epilepticus (SE) after failure of primary treatment are still scarce and the alternate needs to be found when phenytoin (PHT) is not available or contraindicated. Comparison of intravenous (IV) valproate (VPA) and diazepam (DZP) infusion has not been conducted in adults with SE. This prospective randomized controlled trial is thus designed to evaluate the relative efficacy and safety of IV VPA and continuous DZP infusion as second-line anticonvulsants. ⋯ Both IV VPA and continuous DZP infusion are effective second-line anticonvulsants for GCSE. IV VPA was well tolerated and free of respiratory depression and hypotension, which may develop in the DZP group. Outcome parameters were not significantly different between groups.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Immunosuppressive treatment in refractory chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. A nationwide retrospective analysis.
There are other options open to patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) who are non-responders to conventional treatment, including immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory agents (IA). The aim of this study was to assess whether the use of IA is able to increase the number of responders. ⋯ One-fourth of patients, refractory to conventional treatment, showed an improvement in their disability with IA. Methotrexate had the lowest SE; cyclosporine was associated with severe SE and often led to drug discontinuation.
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Up to now, there are few systematic studies in a sufficient number of patients with lesions involving the insular cortex (IC) examining whether damage of the IC is directly related to dysarthria. Thus, this is the first study applying modern voxel-lesion behaviour mapping (VLBM) aimed to examine whether the IC is involved in dysarthria - and if so - which part of the IC is involved. ⋯ Owing to the known extensive spectrum of cortical and subcortical somatosensory and motor connections, it seems that the IC might be one region involved in the generation of speech motor execution.