Neurology
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Coccidioides species are the most common etiologic agents of chronic meningitis in regions endemic for coccidioidomycosis. Occasionally, even short-term travel to endemic regions results in the acquisition of meningeal disease, so awareness of this complication of coccidioidomycosis is important even in nonendemic areas. The prognosis depends on the early recognition and treatment of the disease, so it is important to be familiar with the varied clinical manifestations, risk factors associated with meningeal involvement, diagnostic challenges, and therapeutic modalities. ⋯ Coccidioidal meningitis remains a diagnostic challenge, but the diagnosis can usually be made successfully when coccidioidal serum and CSF antibodies and cultures are combined with appropriate imaging studies.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Controlled Clinical Trial
A reassessment of the plateauing relationship between T2 lesion load and disability in MS.
A recent cross-sectional study has shown a plateauing relationship between T2 lesion volume (T2LV) and disability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). In this analysis, which also included longitudinal observations, we investigated whether such a relationship is a consequence of the decreased frequency of "inflammatory" events occurring in more disabled patients, rather than reflecting their disability status. ⋯ We showed that the plateauing relationship between T2 lesion volume and disability in multiple sclerosis is not always present and is likely due to the reduced frequency of "inflammatory" events in the most common form of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
International study on the psychometric attributes of the non-motor symptoms scale in Parkinson disease.
Nonmotor symptoms (NMS) have a great impact on patients with Parkinson disease (PD). The Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS) is an instrument specifically designed for the comprehensive assessment of NMS in patients with PD. NMSS psychometric properties have been tested in this study. ⋯ The Non-Motor Symptoms Scale is an acceptable, reproducible, valid, and precise assessment instrument for nonmotor symptoms in Parkinson disease.