Archives of neurology
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Archives of neurology · Jul 2008
Comparative StudyPredictors of extubation failure in myasthenic crisis.
The ideal timing for extubation of patients with myasthenic crisis (MC) and the factors that influence extubation outcome are not well established. ⋯ Extubation failure is relatively common in patients with MC. Atelectasis is the strongest predictor of this complication.
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Archives of neurology · Jul 2008
Comparative StudyAquaporin-4 antibodies in neuromyelitis optica and longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis.
There is increasing recognition of antibody-mediated immunotherapy-responsive neurologic diseases and a need for appropriate immunoassays. ⋯ Aquaporin-4 is a major antigen in neuromyelitis optica, and antibodies can be detected in more than 75% of patients. Further studies on larger samples will show whether this novel FIPA is suitable for clinical use. The IgG1 antibodies bind to AQP4 on the cell surface and can initiate complement deposition. These approaches will be useful for investigation of other antibody-mediated diseases.
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Archives of neurology · Jun 2008
Comparative StudyEffects of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the contralesional primary motor cortex on movement kinematics and neural activity in subcortical stroke.
Following the concept of interhemispheric competition, downregulation of the contralesional primary motor cortex (M1) may improve the dexterity of the affected hand after stroke. ⋯ The functional magnetic resonance imaging data suggest that rTMS of the contralesional M1 may normalize neural activation within the cortical motor network after subcortical stroke. Identifying patients suitable for rTMS intervention based on individual patterns of cortical activation may help to implement rTMS in motor rehabilitation after stroke.
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Archives of neurology · Jun 2008
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudySerum urate as a predictor of clinical and radiographic progression in Parkinson disease.
To determine whether concentration of serum urate, a purine metabolite and potent antioxidant that has been linked to a reduced risk of Parkinson disease (PD), predicts prognosis in PD. ⋯ These findings identify serum urate as the first molecular factor directly linked to the progression of typical PD and suggest that targeting urate or its determinants could be an effective disease-modifying therapy in PD. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00040404.
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Archives of neurology · Jun 2008
Case ReportsAn elderly patient with Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis and transient episodes of brainstem dysfunction.
Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis (BBE) is a rare inflammatory, demyelinating disease that generally has a good prognosis. ⋯ Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis is a potentially reversible syndrome that needs early diagnosis (facilitated by magnetic resonance imaging) and prompt aggressive and supportive treatment. Frequent episodes of transient brainstem dysfunction occurred in our patient during recovery, possibly due to ephaptic transmission.