Real-world experience of ocrelizumab in multiple sclerosis in a Spanish population.

OBJECTIVE: Pivotal trial have shown that patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) receiving ocrelizumab had better outcomes. However, data on ocrelizumab in clinical practice are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the preliminary safety profile and effectiveness of ocrelizumab treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) in a real-world clinical setting. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study including consecutive patients from nine public hospitals in south-eastern Spain who received ocrelizumab after it was approved. RESULTS: A total of 228 MS patients were included (144 with relapsing-remitting MS [RRMS], 25 secondary progressive MS [SPMS], and 59 primary progressive MS [PPMS]). Median follow-up period was 12 months (range, 1-32). No evidence of disease activity (NEDA) status at year 1 was achieved in 91.2% of the relapsing MS (RMS) population, while disability progression was detected in 37.5% of the PPMS patients (median follow-up period, 19 months). The most common adverse events reported were infusion-related reactions and infections, with the most common infections being urinary tract infections followed by upper respiratory infections and COVID-19. INTERPRETATION: The preliminary results in our real-world setting show that ocrelizumab presented excellent results in suppressing disease activity with a favorable and consistent safety profile.

Diagnostic accuracy of the Eurotest for dementia: a naturalistic, multicenter phase II study.

BACKGROUND: Available screening tests for dementia are of limited usefulness because they are influenced by the patient's culture and educational level. The Eurotest, an instrument based on the knowledge and handling of money, was designed to overcome these limitations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the Eurotest in identifying dementia in customary clinical practice. METHODS: A cross-sectional, multi-center, naturalistic phase II study was conducted. The Eurotest was administered to consecutive patients, older than 60 years, in general neurology clinics. The patients' condition was classified as dementia or no dementia according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. We calculated sensitivity (Sn), specificity (Sp) and area under the ROC curves (aROC) with 95% confidence intervals. The influence of social and educational factors on scores was evaluated with multiple linear regression analysis, and the influence of these factors on diagnostic accuracy was evaluated with logistic regression. RESULTS: Sixteen neurologists recruited a total of 516 participants: 101 with dementia, 380 without dementia, and 35 who were excluded. Of the 481 participants who took the Eurotest, 38.7% were totally or functionally illiterate and 45.5% had received no formal education. Mean time needed to administer the test was 8.2+/-2.0 minutes. The best cut-off point was 20/21, with Sn = 0.91 (0.84-0.96), Sp = 0.82 (0.77-0.85), and aROC = 0.93 (0.91-0.95). Neither the scores on the Eurotest nor its diagnostic accuracy were influenced by social or educational factors. CONCLUSION: This naturalistic and pragmatic study shows that the Eurotest is a rapid, simple and useful screening instrument, which is free from educational influences, and has appropriate internal and external validity.

Response to immunotherapy in CLIPPERS: clinical, MRI, and MRS follow-up.

Chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids (CLIPPERS) is a recently defined inflammatory central nervous system disorder responsive to steroids with characteristic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features. We report a 69-year-old man presenting with gait ataxia with the characteristic MRI features of CLIPPERS and describe the clinical, MRI, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) follow-up after treatment with glucocorticosteroids. Brain and spine MRI showed punctate enhancement peppering the brainstem, cerebellar peduncles, and upper cervical cord. In MRS, the ratio of N-acetyl aspartate to creatine (NAA/Cr) was significantly decreased in the pons and both thalami. An extensive evaluation found no alternative diagnoses. Treatment with steroids led to rapid clinical improvement. Repeat MRI and MRS showed complete resolution of gadolinium-enhancing lesions and recovery of NAA/Cr levels in the pons and thalami. After 1 month of tapering oral steroids, weekly oral methotrexate was started and the patient has remained stable for the past 6 months.

[Aetiological analysis of 425 patients referred to an outpatient neurology service due to tremor or Parkinsonism]. / Análisis etiológico de 425 pacientes remitidos a una consulta extrahospitalaria de neurología por temblor o parkinsonismo.

INTRODUCTION: Movement disorders are a common reason for visits to outpatient neurology departments. This study has two objectives. The first is to analyse the diagnoses of patients referred to the neurology service due to tremor or Parkinsonism. The second aim is to analyse whether such patients are referred from primary care correctly or incorrectly. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study examines patients referred from primary care to the neurology service in a medical specialty centre because of tremor or Parkinsonism. The final diagnoses established by the neurologist were analysed and patient referral was also analysed using a set of previously agreed criteria. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 425 consecutive patients who were referred from primary care due to tremor (n = 294) or Parkinsonism (n = 131). The most common diagnoses were Parkinson's disease (n = 211; 50%), essential tremor (n = 157; 37%) and pharmacological Parkinsonism (n = 23; 5%). Referral was considered to be incorrect in 39 patients and correct in 388 cases (91%). The causes of incorrect referrals were: pharmacological Parkinsonism (n = 23), anxiety that was not treated in primary care (n = 12) and hypothyroidism that went undiagnosed in primary care (n = 4). CONCLUSIONS: Parkinson's disease, essential tremor and pharmacological Parkinsonism are the most frequent diagnoses in patients who are referred from primary care because of tremor and Parkinsonism. Referral to a neurology service is correct in most cases, but there is still room for improvement.