Botulinum toxin treatment in neurological practice: how much does it really cost? A prospective cost-effectiveness study.

Botulinum toxin (BTA) is a safe and effective therapeutic tool for many neurological conditions but few studies have investigated its real cost in neurological practice. We evaluated the daily cost of botulinum toxin type A (BTA) treatment through a cost effectiveness analysis alongside a prospective study of BTA injections at a French University Hospital over a 2-year follow-up period. The data of 3,108 BTA injections performed in 870 adult patients presenting with dystonia, facial hemispasm, or spasticity were entered in the database. Patients were questioned at each visit about the subjective effectiveness of the previous injection. The daily cost of BTA treatment was calculated as the ratio of each session's cost (including all additional costs) to the duration of subjective efficacy. The subjective rating of efficacy duration was 17.3 ± 7.7 weeks for facial hemispasm, 15.4 ± 7.7 for blepharospasm, 14.3 ± 6.7 for cervical dystonia, 14.5 ± 7.8 and 14.1 ± 7.4 weeks for upper and lower limb spasticity, respectively. The daily cost of BTA injections was 0.57 ± 0.20 for facial hemispasm, 0.95 ± 0.30 for blepharospasm, 2.85 ± 0.86 for cervical dystonia, 3.38 ± 1.49 and 3.62 ± 1.81 for upper and lower limb spasticity, respectively. When associated costs were considered, the daily cost of BTA injections was clearly increased (45-93%) in limb spasticity or rigidity but remained only modestly increased (15-37%) in other indications. These results obtained in a large cohort of patients show that BTA treatment has a low daily cost for a long-lasting effect, with a daily cost/benefit ratio that greatly depends on the indications.

Axonal sensory motor neuropathy in copper-deficient Wilson's disease.

Copper deficiency may cause myeloneuropathy or progressive limb weakness. By contrast, Wilson's disease (WD) is characterized by progressive copper accumulation with hepatic and neurological impairment and requires life-long treatment with zinc and/or chelator agents. We report a WD patient who developed axonal sensory motor neuropathy in the context of copper deficiency due to his treatment with zinc and chelators. Exhaustive testing for other etiologies was negative. After treatment adjustment, only mild clinical improvement was noted during long-term follow-up. Muscle Nerve 40: 294-296, 2009.

Sensory loss in multifocal motor neuropathy: a clinical and electrophysiological study.

Some patients fulfilling the criteria for the diagnosis of multifocal motor neuropathy with conduction block (MMN-CB) at the onset of disease may subsequently develop a sensory loss associated with electrophysiological sensory abnormalities. The latter could represent an overlap between MMN-CB and multifocal acquired demyelinating sensory and motor (MADSAM) neuropathy. The objective was to specify the features of MMN-CB with sensory loss (MMN-CB-Se). Five patients in a series of 11 consecutive patients who fulfilled the criteria of the American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine for MMN-CB at the first examination and were treated periodically with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) developed sensory loss in the course of the disease. In these five patients we compared the clinical, laboratory, and electrophysiological features found after the development of sensory loss with those at the first examination. The mean time to appearance of objective sensory signs was 7.2 years. In three of the five patients the sensory loss was preceded by intermittent paresthesias in the same nerve territories as the motor involvement. The most frequent electrophysiological abnormality was amplitude reduction of sensory nerve action potentials. There were no bilateral or symmetrical clinical and electrophysiological sensory abnormalities. Anti-GM1 IgM antibodies were positive in four patients. MMN-CB-Se could be an overlap between MMN-CB and MADSAM. It shares the distribution of the sensory disorders encountered in MADSAM, but it is closer to MMN-CB on clinical and therapeutic levels. Study of more patients would be useful to classify this subgroup more accurately.

[Drug induced neuropathies]. / Neuropathies d'origine médicamenteuse.

The search for a peripheral neuropathy must be systematic when a toxic medicament for the peripheral nervous system is prescribed as well as the search for a drug induced neuropathy is part of the screening of any peripheral neuropathy, but for numerous drugs, the imputability is not strictly demonstrated. A drug induced neuropathy must be differentiated from a neuropathy related to the disease for which the drug was prescribed. It is the case in the course of some cancers and or AIDS. Moreover, the intake of a neurotoxic drug can aggravate a pre-existing neuropathy. Electrophysiological study is important to confirm the neuropathy, to specify the type, more often axonal, and the severity, and also to detect infraclinical signs of neuropathy before the beginning of the treatment. Many of these drug induced neuropathies are reproducible in animals, that is useful to try to diminish the neurotoxicity in human beings. Antineoplastic chemotherapies and antibiotics are most often implicated in drug induced neuropathies.

Axonal degeneration with unusual lesions of the myelin in an occupational neuropathy.

A 35-year-old man had prolonged occupational exposure to lead carboxylate, triethylbenzene, xylene, and dichloromethane, when he developed a subacute predominantly sensory neuropathy. Ultrastructural examination of a peripheral nerve biopsy showed axonal degeneration and unusual lesions of the myelin, with Schwann cell sequestration of vesicular and lamellar debris. Biochemical analysis of lead in a frozen peripheral nerve specimen revealed no significant difference between the propositus and a control. The authors were unable to find any similar peripheral nerve lesions in the literature dealing with neurotoxic chemicals. Any of the several organic solvents could have equally caused the neuropathy and may have been potentialized by the other chemicals.

Combined nerve and muscle biopsy in the diagnosis of vasculitic neuropathy. A 16-year retrospective study of 202 cases.

We reviewed 202 biopsies performed on patients with suspected vasculitic neuropathy, of which 24 Churg-Strauss cases are studied separately. Specimens from the superficial peroneal nerve and peroneus brevis muscle were taken simultaneously by one incision. Without taking into account constitutional signs, systemic involvement was present in 131 patients, whereas the remaining 47 corresponded to non-systemic patients with lesions limited to peripheral nervous system and adjoining muscles. Diagnosis of panarteritis nodosa or microscopic polyangiitis, according to the size of involved vessels, was attested by an infiltration of vessel walls by inflammatory cells associated with fibrinoid necrosis or sclerosis. Microvasculitis was diagnosed when inflammatory infiltration concerned small vessels with few or no smooth-muscle fibers and without any necrosis. Microvasculitis was present in 11 of 46 non-systemic cases, and this predominance is statistically significant. Isolated perivascular cell infiltrates in the epineurium were considered not significant but allowed the diagnosis of 'probable vasculitis' if associated with at least one of the following features: regenerating small vessels, endoneurial purpura, asymmetric nerve fiber loss, and/or asymmetric acute axonal degeneration. Necrotizing vasculitis was visible in 60 cases: in nerve (16 cases), in muscle (19 cases), and both (25 cases). Microvasculitis was present in 25 cases: in nerve (19 cases), muscle (four cases), or both (two cases). Moreover, granulomatous vasculitis was found in the nerve of one non-systemic patient presenting also sarcoid granulomas in muscle. There were 24 'probable vasculitis' and 68 negative cases. Muscle biopsy improved the yield of definite vasculitis by 27%.

Neuro-muscular biopsy in Churg-Strauss syndrome: 24 cases.

Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a distinctive clinical entity in which systemic vasculitis, associated with eosinophilia, occurs almost exclusively in individuals with adult-onset asthma. The major complications of the condition result from damage to the lungs, heart, and peripheral nerves. Necrotizing vasculitis with eosinophils in the cellular infiltrate, vascular or perivascular infiltration by eosinophils in absence of vessel wall necrosis, extra-vascular eosinophil infiltrates, and vascular or extra-vascular granuloma are histopathological features supportive of CSS. As the peripheral nerve disease often dominates the clinical picture, the peripheral nerve biopsy may be decisive in establishing the diagnosis. In this retrospective study of neuro-muscular biopsies in 24 CSS cases, the authors give an extensive description of neuropathological lesions associated with this disorder. Fifteen patients (62.5%) exhibited eosinophils either in extra-vascular infiltrates or in vessel walls, and 6 of them (25%) had an associated necrotizing vasculitis. Granulomas were found in only 3 cases (12.5%). The clinical diagnosis of CSS was supported in 15 out of the 24 patients (62.5%), in the nerve in 2 cases (8.3%), in the muscle in 8 cases (33.3%), and in both nerve and muscle in 5 others (20.8%).

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A: clinicopathological correlations in 24 patients.

We examined nerve biopsies from 24 patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A) and proven 17p11.2-12 duplication. There were seven males and 17 females with a mean age of 27.85 +/- 18.95 years at the time of nerve biopsy. A family history consistent with dominant inheritance was present in 17 patients. Clinical features were classical in 16 patients and were atypical in the other eight: one had calf hypertrophy; two had Roussy-Levy syndrome; one had had a subacute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy 11 years earlier and presented a relapse on the form of a chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy; one had carpal tunnel syndrome; one had a recent painful neuropathy in both legs; and two had chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. Onion bulb formations (OMFs) were present in every case and most of them were characteristic, whereas burnt-out or cluster-associated OMFs were less common. Depletion of myelinated fibers was severe in 20 cases (169-2927/mm2) and varied from 5187 to 3725/mm2 in three children (4-9 years old). In addition, features of macrophage-associated demyelination were observed in the last four atypical cases. Known for more than 20 years, inflammatory demyelination superimposed in the course of CMT1A has been reported in a few cases in the past few years, mainly concerning asymptomatic or atypical patients. Such an association deserves to be better known because corticotherapy improves weakness in most of these patients.

Peripheral nerve biopsy study in 19 cases with 17p11.2 deletion.

In most cases of hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsy (HNPP) the diagnosis is now assessed by molecular detection of 17p11.2 deletion. However, the family history may be missing and the clinical presentation is not always informative. In such cases, a peripheral nerve biopsy showing the characteristic focal myelin sheath thickening ("tomaculae") may be helpful. We present a retrospective study of peripheral nerve biopsies performed in 19 patients suffering from either a mononeuropathy or a generalized sensory-motor polyneuropathy, and for whom the finding of tomaculae led to a search for 17p11.2 deletion, which was confirmed secondarily. Tomaculae and other coexisting neuropathological lesions such as uncompacted myelin, "onion bulb" formations, and axonal degeneration are described and discussed in the view of previously reported data. It appears that demyelinating lesions with tomaculae are strongly suggestive of HNPP but are not specific as they may be observed in other conditions. Moreover, these features may be overlooked if axonal degeneration is marked.

Amyloid neuropathy: a retrospective study of 35 peripheral nerve biopsies.

We performed a retrospective study of 35 peripheral nerve biopsies (PNBs) with amyloid deposits in the endoneurium. In every case, nerve lesions were studied on paraffin-embedded fragments (PEFs) and by ultrastructural examination (USE). In addition, muscle fragments were taken and embedded in paraffin. Immunohistochemistry was performed with anti-transthyretin (TTR) serum on 19 nerve and 15 muscle PEFs. Direct immunofluorescence with anti-light-chain sera was performed on frozen nerve fragments in 19 cases. Endoneurial amyloid deposits were easily identified on routine PEF in 26 cases, after Congo red or thioflavine staining in three, and by USE in six. A dramatic myelinated fiber loss was evidenced in 34 cases (77-2970 per mm2), and features of axonal degeneration were present in every case. Segmental demyelination was observed in 10 cases. A mutation in the TTR gene was present in 14 cases, with Met30 mutation in 10 and Ala49 in four members of the same family. Amyloid deposits were strongly marked by the anti-TTR serum in 11 other cases, twice in the endoneurium, five around muscle fibers, and four in both locations. In eight patients, light-chain positivity was evidenced in endoneurial deposits, lambda in six and kappa in two. Two other patients with monoclonal gammopathy did not present any light-chain fixation. In 17 cases, amyloidosis was disclosed by PNB and 13 had a TTR pathology; eight of them, over 65 years old, correspond to a late-onset form of familial amyloid polyneuropathy which is an underdiagnosed condition.

A prospective evaluation of phrenic nerve conduction in multifocal motor neuropathy and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate electrophysiologically phrenic nerve involvement in multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). The response latencies following phrenic nerve stimulation were increased in 11 of 14 (80%) patients in the CIDP group but in only 1 of 14 (8%) patients in the MMN group. The mean diaphragmatic compound muscle action potential (CMAP) was significantly lower in amplitude in the CIDP group compared to the MMN group and to a control group of 8 subjects (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences between the MMN and control groups. Only the reduction in CMAP amplitude correlated with the presence of restrictive lung function. Phrenic nerve conduction measurement should be performed more systematically, especially in CIDP and, when diaphragmatic CMAPs are reduced in amplitude, pulmonary function tests should be performed to look for a restrictive lung syndrome.

Inflammatory demyelination in a patient with CMT1A.

We report a case of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), with identified PMP22 gene duplication (CMT type 1A), and with evidence of an inflammatory demyelinating process superimposed on the course of the chronic genetic disease. Macrophage-associated demyelination was observed on the peripheral nerve biopsy. This observation supports some experimental data from the literature and shows that there may be a genetic susceptibility to inflammatory demyelinating processes in certain CMT kindreds.

Crow-Fukase (POEMS) syndrome: a study of peripheral nerve biopsy in five new cases.

The pathogenesis of Crow-Fukase (POEMS) syndrome is not well known, and in some cases, a definite diagnosis is difficult to establish. Nerve fibers have been studied in about 120 peripheral nerve biopsies (PNBs), and a mixture of axonal and demyelinating lesions were found in most of them. We report five new cases of Crow-Fukase (POEMS) syndrome with ultrastructural examination of their PNBs. In every case, there were features of axonal degeneration and primary demyelination. Interestingly, uncompacted myelin lamellae (UMLs) were present in every case at a percentage of 1-7. The association of UML and Crow-Fukase (POEMS) syndrome was described 20 years ago but was only reported in a few studies and found in 31 of 41 cases. In fact, this association is very significant because apart from Crow-Fukase (POEMS) syndrome, UMLs can only be found with such a frequency in rare cases of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1B. UML was also reported in acute and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathies but at a much lower percentage. Moreover, in our five cases, UML was frequently associated with a decrease in the number of intra-axonal filaments, and this finding raises the problem of relationships between myelin formation and neurofilaments. So far, glomeruloid hemangiomas present in the dermis of some patients are considered as the only specific criteria of Crow-Fukase (POEMS) syndrome, but we think UML can also be regarded as highly suggestive of this entity on condition that a thorough ultrastructural examination of a PNB is performed.

[Amyloid neuropathies. Histopathological study of peripheral nerve biopsy in 18 cases]. / Les neuropathies amyloïdes. Etude histopathologique de nerf périphérique dans 18 cas.

OBJECTIVES: A retrospective study of nerve and muscle biopsies since 1983, with probable amyloidosis, has been performed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen nerve and muscle biopsies, out of 29, were selected. RESULTS: Endoneurial amyloid deposits were visible on routine sections in 11 cases, revealed by ultrastructural study in 4 cases and by Congo red and/or thioflavine stains in 3 others. Amyloid deposits were marked by anti-transthyretin (TTR) serum in 13 patients, within endoneurium in 11 cases, and only around muscle fibers in 2 others. A mutation in the TTR gene, usually Val30Met, was evidenced in 8 cases and could not be assayed in the 5 others. An immunoglobulin light chain was revealed in amyloid deposits by direct immunofluorescence in the 5 other patients, of whom 4 had multiple myeloma and the fifth a lambda light chain Bence-Jones proteinuria. CONCLUSION: Nerve biopsy revealed amyloidosis in 10 patients: 5 of them had a mutation in TTR gene, without any family history.

Uncompacted myelin lamellae in peripheral nerve biopsy.

Since 1979, the authors have studied 49 peripheral nerve biopsies presenting uncompacted myelin lamellae (UML). Based on the ultrastructural pattern of UML they propose a 3-category classification. The first category includes cases displaying regular UML, which was observed in 43 cases; it was more frequent in 9 cases with polyneuropathy organomegaly endocrinopathy m-protein skin changes (POEMS) syndrome as well as in 1 case of Charcot-Marie-Tooth 1B with a novel point mutation in the P0 gene. The second category consists of cases showing irregular UML, observed in 4 cases with IgM monoclonal gammopathy and anti-myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) activity. This group included 1 benign case and 3 B-cell malignant lymphomas. The third category is complex UML, which was present in 2 unrelated patients with an Arg 98 His missense mutation in the P0 protein gene. Irregular and complex UML are respectively related to MAG and P0, which play a crucial role in myelin lamellae compaction and adhesion.

Freezing of shoulder flexion impeding boule throwing: a form of task-specific focal dystonia in petanque players.

During a period of intensive practice, 2 petanque players developed freezing of shoulder flexion impeding boule throwing. This movement disorder was consistent with the diagnosis of task-specific focal dystonia. Polymyography showed that freezing was associated with bursts of low amplitude. In the absence of motor or sensory deficits, a motor apraxia could be considered.