Neurology
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To evaluate the effect of intensive care unit continuous EEG (cEEG) monitoring on inpatient mortality, hospital charges, and length of stay. ⋯ cEEG is favorably associated with inpatient survival in mechanically ventilated patients, without adding significant charges to the hospital stay.
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To investigate whether the presence of cerebral microbleeds, which present as focal lesions on imaging, is associated with a diffuse loss of white matter microstructural integrity in the brain. ⋯ Presence of microbleeds relates to poorer microstructural integrity of brain white matter, even after adjusting for cardiovascular risk and other markers of cerebral small-vessel disease. Our data suggest that microbleeds reflect diffuse brain pathology, even when only a single microbleed is present.
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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease causing motor neuron loss and weakness. Worldwide prevalence is 4-6/100,000. Incidence is 1.5-2.7/100,000 per year and may be increasing. ⋯ A major roadblock for comparison across populations is the lack of epidemiologic data about ALS from many underdeveloped regions. In these regions, ALS is often undertreated due to health care disparities. This article discusses challenges for ALS research in South America (SA) and examines the ALS scientific record to explore the interactions and synergies of research, clinical care, and patient advocacy in underdeveloped regions.