Neurology
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To estimate the 1-year prevalences of migraine and tension-type headache (TTH), and identify their principal risk factors, in the general population of the Republic of Georgia. ⋯ While the prevalences of migraine and tension-type headache are comparable with those in Europe and the United States, a remarkably high percentage of the population of Georgia have headache on >/=15 days/month. This study demonstrates the importance of socioeconomic factors in a developing country and unmasks the unmet needs of people with headache disorders.
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Brain microbleeds on gradient-recalled echo (GRE) T2*-weighted MRI may be a useful biomarker for bleeding-prone small vessel diseases, with potential relevance for diagnosis, prognosis (especially for antithrombotic-related bleeding risk), and understanding mechanisms of symptoms, including cognitive impairment. To address these questions, it is necessary to reliably measure their presence and distribution in the brain. We designed and systematically validated the Microbleed Anatomical Rating Scale (MARS). We measured intrarater and interrater agreement for presence, number, and anatomical distribution of microbleeds using MARS across different MRI sequences and levels of observer experience. ⋯ The Microbleed Anatomical Rating Scale has good intrarater and interrater reliability for the presence of definite microbleeds in all brain locations when applied to different MRI sequences and levels of observer experience.
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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.