Can J Neurol Sci
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Multicenter Study
Long-Term Outcomes in the Management of Painful Diabetic Neuropathy.
Painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) is a frequent complication of diabetes mellitus. Current treatment recommendations are based on short-term trials, generally of ≤3 months' duration. Limited data are available on the long-term outcomes of this chronic disease. The objective of this study was to determine the long-term clinical effectiveness of the management of chronic PDN at tertiary pain centres. ⋯ Almost one-third of patients being managed for PDN in a tertiary care setting achieve meaningful improvements in pain and function in the long term. Polypharmacy including analgesic antidepressants and anticonvulsants were the mainstays of effective symptom management.
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Multicenter Study
Nutrition with Gastrostomy Feeding Tubes for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Canada.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressing degenerative motor neuron disease that results in significant muscle weakness. Defects in energy metabolism and difficulties in swallowing eventually lead to a reduction in body mass. Weight loss exacerbates symptoms and serves as an independent negative prognostic factor. Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is often inserted in patients with ALS to either supplement or replace oral feeding. However, the criteria for PEG placement and timing of insertion are important clinical decisions that have not been fully studied. Given the absence of guiding evidence, the aim of this project was to better understand how Canadian ALS clinics make decisions regarding gastrostomy feeding. ⋯ Practices generally reflect international published recommendations but vary on the emphasis of specific criteria. Further research is required to determine the optimal timing and criteria to place gastrostomy feeding tubes in the ALS population.
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Chronic migraine is a significant cause of disability world-wide and occipital region stimulation (OS) has been proposed to treat it. While participating in an industry-sponsored pilot trial of OS, we aimed to collect data regarding our surgical complications and long term usage of OS in our chronic migraine patients. ⋯ Complication rates with OS are higher than those seen with other stimulation techniques, despite identical hardware and similar surgery. The location of migraine pain did predict outcome, and suggests that only those with primarily occipital region headache are candidates for this therapy.
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Non-convulsive seizures have been reported to be common in neurocritical care patients. Many jurisdictions do not have sufficient resources to enable routine continuous electroencephalography (cEEG) and instead use primarily intermittent EEG, for which the diagnostic yield remains uncertain. Determining risk factors for epileptiform activity and seizures could help identify patients who might particularly benefit from EEG monitoring. ⋯ Approximately 7-8 neurocritical care patients must undergo intermittent EEG monitoring in order to diagnose one with PEDs or seizures. The predictors we identified could potentially help guide use of resources. Repeated intermittent studies, or cEEG, should be considered in patients with multiple risk factors, or when interictal discharges are identified on an initial EEG. It remains unclear whether aggressive prevention and treatment of electrographic seizures improves neurologic outcomes.
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Patients with chronic migraine and medication overuse are significant consumers of health care resources. ⋯ Botulinum toxin type A prophylactic therapy markedly decreased costs related to acute headache medication use in patients with chronic migraine and triptan overuse.