Neurology
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Botulinum toxin for diabetic neuropathic pain: a randomized double-blind crossover trial.
Diabetic neuropathy is a common complication in diabetes, with patients typically experiencing diverse sensory symptoms including dysesthesias in the feet and usually accompanied by sleep disturbance. There is still no comprehensive understanding of the underlying biologic processes responsible for diabetic neuropathic pain. Thus, the current symptomatic therapy remains unsatisfactory. Recent experimental evidence suggests that botulinum toxin type A (BoNT/A) may not only inhibit the release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junctions, but also modulate afferent sensory fiber firing, thereby relieving neuropathic pain. ⋯ This pilot study found that botulinum toxin type A significantly reduced diabetic neuropathic pain and transiently improved sleep quality. Further large-scaled study is warranted.
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Cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome (CHS) following carotid artery stenting (CAS) or carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is rare but often fatal once intracranial hemorrhage has occurred. In particular, CHS occurs significantly earlier after CAS than after CEA. Thus a monitoring method for early detection of CHS is required. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) provides a noninvasive monitoring technique for assessing regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2). This study evaluated the usefulness of transcranial NIRS during CAS for prediction of CHS. ⋯ Periprocedural increases in regional cerebral oxygen saturation measured by near- infrared spectroscopy can be an excellent predictor of cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome after carotid artery stenting.
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The cause of hyperintense magnetic resonance changes and reduced apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in specific brain regions of patients with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is unknown. Our aim was to determine the neuropathologic correlates of antemortem water ADC and normalized T2-weighted changes in patients with CJD. ⋯ Antemortem reductions in ADC values, typically found in patients with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), are correlated with spongiform changes seen at autopsy. This could be clearly established in the striatum and thalamus of our patients with CJD where the extent of spongiform change was not significantly correlated with gliosis or neuronal loss.
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Idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a potential preclinical marker for the development of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson disease (PD) and Lewy body dementia. However, the long-term risk of developing neurodegeneration in patients with idiopathic RBD has not been established. Obtaining an accurate picture of this risk is essential for counseling patients and for development of potential neuroprotective therapies. ⋯ Although we have found a slightly lower risk than other reports, the risk of developing neurodegenerative disease in idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder is substantial, with the majority of patients developing Parkinson disease and Lewy body dementia.