Methotrexate-induced Acute Myelopathy in a Teenager With High-risk Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is one of the most frequent malignancies in childhood whose long-term survival has increased up to 80% thanks to modern therapy enhancements. Nevertheless, methotrexate (MTX) remains a mainstay of ALL therapy, but also represents one of the major causes of neurotoxicity in patients with ALL. MTX-induced toxicity occurs in about 9% of patients treated for ALL. It usually affects deep white matter region leading to leukoencephalopathy, which has varying clinical manifestations ranging from acute neurologic disturbances to seizures or chronic permanent encephalopathy. Here we describe a 13-year-old girl affected with ALL who developed lower limbs hypesthesia and static ataxia due to transverse myelopathy after intrathec administration of MTX therapy. A high-dose corticotherapy combined to vitamin supplementation and rehabilitation was tested. Neurological evolution was characterized by slow and partial recovery.

Validity and Responsiveness of the Revised Nottingham Sensation Assessment for Outcome Evaluation in Stroke Rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE: This study establishes the concurrent validity, predictive validity, and responsiveness of the Revised Nottingham Sensation Assessment (rNSA) during rehabilitation for people with stroke. METHOD: The study recruited 147 patients with stroke. The main assessment used was the rNSA, and outcome measures were the Fugl-Meyer Assessment sensory subscale (FMA-S) and motor subscale (FMA-M) and the Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living (NEADL) scale. RESULTS: Correlation coefficients were good to excellent between the rNSA and the FMA-S. The rNSA proprioception measure was a predictor for the FMA-S. The rNSA stereognosis and tactile-pinprick measures for the proximal upper limb were predictors for the FMA-M and the NEADL scale, respectively. Responsiveness was moderate to large for three subscales of the rNSA (standardized response mean = .51-.83). CONCLUSION: This study may support the concurrent validity, predictive validity, and responsiveness of the rNSA for people with stroke.

Comfortably numb? Experiences of people with stroke and lower limb sensation deficits: impact and solutions.

PURPOSE: To explore personal experiences of loss of foot sensation following stroke in order to inform the focus of clinical assessments and development of a vibrotactile insole. METHODS: Qualitative design with an interpretive phenomenological approach to data collection and analysis. Eight community dwelling adults with stroke (>6 months) and sensory impairment in the feet participated. Data was collected via conversational style interviews which were transcribed and analyzed using a thematic framework. Themes were verified with co-researchers and a lay advisory group. RESULTS: Data formed four themes: Sensory deficits are prevalent and constant, but individual and variable; Sensory deficits have a direct impact on balance, gait, mobility and falls; Sensory deficits have consequences for peoples' lives; Footwear is the link between function, the environment and identity. They embraced the concept of discrete vibrotactile insoles, their potential benefits and demonstrated a willingness to try it. CONCLUSIONS: Sensory deficit contributes to effects upon physical function, mobility and activity. Clinical outcome measures need to capture the emotional, psychological and social impacts of sensory deficit. Participants demonstrated a resilience and resourcefulness through adaption in daily living and self-management of footwear. The participants focus on footwear provides the opportunity to develop discrete and non-burdensome vibrotactile insoles for this patient group.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONSensory deficits are wide ranging and varied and are not distinct from motor deficits though contribute to the overall effect on physical function, mobility and activity.The physical effects impact on participants' lives emotionally, psychologically and socially. Measurement of outcomes need to capture specific activities that are valued by patients.The participants have revealed resilience and resourcefulness to create a "new normal" for their lives through adaption and self-management with a focus being on footwear as a solution.The participants have revealed the need for insole interventions to be discreet and non-burdensome, welcoming insole technology and contributing to the design and features of such insoles.

The tactile experience paired with vagus nerve stimulation determines the degree of sensory recovery after chronic nerve damage.

Loss of sensory function is a common consequence of neurological injury. Recent clinical and preclinical evidence indicates vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) paired with tactile rehabilitation, consisting of delivery of a variety of mechanical stimuli to the hyposensitive skin surface, yields substantial and long-lasting recovery of somatosensory function after median and ulnar nerve transection and repair. Here, we tested the hypothesis that a specific component of the tactile rehabilitation paired with VNS is necessary for recovery of somatosensory function. In a second experiment in a separate cohort, we investigated whether VNS paired with tactile rehabilitation could improve skilled forelimb motor function. Elements of the study design, including planned sample size, assessments, and statistical comparisons, were preregistered prior to beginning data collection (https://osf.io/3tm8u/). Animals received a peripheral nerve injury (PNI) causing chronic sensory loss. Eight weeks after injury, animals were given a VNS implant followed by six weeks of tactile rehabilitation sessions consisting of repeated application of one of two distinct mechanical stimuli, a filament or a paintbrush, to the previously denervated forepaw. VNS paired with either filament indentation or brushing of the paw significantly improved recovery of forelimb withdrawal thresholds after PNI compared to tactile rehabilitation without VNS. The effect size was twice as large when VNS was paired with brushing compared to VNS paired with point indentation. An independent replication in a second cohort confirmed that VNS paired with brush restored forelimb withdrawal thresholds to normal. These rats displayed significant improvements in performance on a skilled forelimb task compared to rats that did not receive VNS. These findings support the utility of pairing VNS with tactile rehabilitation to improve recovery of somatosensory and motor function after neurological injury. Additionally, this study demonstrates that the sensory characteristics of the rehabilitation paired with VNS determine the degree of recovery.

Butler's neuromobilizations combined with proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation are effective in reducing of upper limb sensory in late-stage stroke subjects: a three-group randomized trial.

QUESTION: Are Butler's neuromobilizations combined with proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation and traditional post-stroke therapy more effective in reducing affected upper extremity sensory deficits in late-stage stroke subjects than proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation combined with traditional therapy or traditional therapy alone? DESIGN: Pretest-posttest three-group randomized clinical experimental design. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 96 late-stage stroke subjects were randomly assigned to three groups. INTERVENTION: The therapeutic programme in the control group was based on traditional post-stroke methods. The second group (experimental 1) received in addition individual therapy based on the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation method. The third group (experimental 2) received a combination: traditional therapeutic programme plus individual proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation exercises plus neuromobilization of the affected upper extremity. All groups received 18 training sessions lasting about 45 minutes each. OUTCOME MEASURES: Assessment of the two-point discriminatory sense (distance between the tips of the compass when the subject indicated two-point sensation), stereognosia (identification up to 10 objects by touch) and thermaesthesia (using hot and cold cylinders on dermatomes C6-C8) were performed. RESULTS: Analysis of change scores showed that two-point discriminatory sense for experimental group 2 was significantly better than that in the two other groups (P<0.001). Similar results were registered for thermaesthesia (experimental 2 versus experimental 1 P<0.01; experimental 2 versus control P<0.001). For stereognosia the only significant difference was found between experimental group 2 and the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: In our subjects, application of Butler's neuromobilizations combined with proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation showed greater effectiveness in reducing sensory deficits than proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation or traditional therapy alone.

Design and evaluation of vibratory shoe on balance control for elderly subjects: technical note.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Aging often results in a decline in somatosensory function, and such changes are associated with diminished motor performance. Input noise can enhance sensory and motor function through a mechanism known as stochastic resonance (SR). This paper describes the development and testing of a new vibrating shoe to possibly assist the elderly patients in controlling their balance and decreasing their falling risks. TECHNIQUE: The new vibrating shoe was evaluated to ascertain its ability to generate appropriate random and nonlinear vibrations. The vibratory shoe performance in two young subjects with decreased foot sensation and two elderly subjects in different static and dynamic balance situations was also evaluated. The postural control, expressed by the stability index (SI), was significantly affected by SR in the older subjects. DISCUSSION: The vibrating motors could be recommended as a suitable solution for dynamic balance situations. Moreover, the new vibrating shoe could improve the age-related balance impairments in elderly subjects with balance deficiencies and others with impaired foot sensations. Implications for rehabilitations Older adults exhibited decreased postural stability. Noise signal improves sensation and proprioception in older people. New shoe with vibrating motors can operate in different dynamic situations.

Effect of facial sensory re-training on sensory thresholds.

Nearly 100% of patients experience trauma to the trigeminal nerve during orthognathic surgery, impairing sensation and sensory function on the face. In a recent randomized clinical trial, people who performed sensory re-training exercises reported less difficulty related to residual numbness and decreased lip sensitivity than those who performed standard opening exercises only. We hypothesized that re-training reduces the impaired performance on neurosensory tests of tactile function that is commonly observed post-surgically. We analyzed thresholds for contact detection, two-point discrimination, and two-point perception, obtained during the clinical trial before and at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery, to assess tactile detection and discriminative sensitivities, and subjective interpretation of tactile stimulation, respectively. Post-surgery, the retrained persons exhibited less impairment, on average, than non-retrained persons only in two-point perception (P < 0.025), suggesting that retrained persons experienced or interpreted the tactile stimuli differently than did non-retrained persons.

The effects of heel-elevated total contact insole on rearfoot pressure reduction in heel injury patients who had neurosensory impairment after receiving reconstructive flap operations.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of a custom-molded heel-elevated total contact insole (TCI) on rearfoot pressure reduction and heel cushion for patients with heel-reconstruction. METHODS: Eleven patients with unilateral heel-reconstruction were recruited in this study. Maximal force and plantar pressures (peak pressure and pressure-time integral) at three different areas (heel Midfoot and forefoot) were measured under 3 randomized conditions (shoe-only flat insole and heel- elevated TCI) after wearing a heel-elevated TCI for 3 months. Ulceration inspection and pain intensity were evaluated before and 3 months after wearing a heel-elevated TCI Results: Pain intensity was decreased and walking velocity was improved in all patients (p<0.01), and ulcerations were completely healed in all of the five patients who had heel ulcers 3 months after wearing heel-elevated TCIs. Compared to shoe-only condition, the heel-elevated TCI was effectively reduced maximal force and plantar pressures in heel area (p<0.01) while part of the body weight was shifted from heel to midfoot and forefoot. Plantar pressures in heel area were more effectively reduced in the heel-elevated TCI than in the flat insole (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings suggested that heel-elevated TCI provided more effective heel pressure reduction and shock absorption, and resulted in improvement of clinical symptoms.

Use of early tactile stimulation in rehabilitation of digital nerve injuries.

OBJECTIVE: Digital nerves are the most frequently injured peripheral nerve. To improve the recovery of functional sensibility of digital nerve injuries, a prospective randomized controlled study was conducted to see the effect of using early tactile stimulation in rehabilitation of digital nerve injuries. METHOD: Two specific tactile stimulators were made and prescribed for patients with digital nerve-injury. Twenty-four participants with 32 digital nerve injuries received the prescribed tactile stimulators (experimental group), and another 25 participants with 33 digital nerve injuries received only routine conventional therapy (control group). RESULTS: A significant difference (p < .05) was seen in the experimental group, although there were some variations between the different classes of associated injuries, with least benefit observed in the combined nerve, tendon, and bone injury class. CONCLUSION: Use of early tactile stimulation as described in this study can be considered an effective way to improve both quality and quantity of recovery of functional sensibility in digital nerve injuries without combined nerve, tendon, and bone injuries.

Sensory re-education after nerve repair: aspects of timing.

The recovery of functional sensibility after nerve transection and repair is often disappointing. Here we address the timing of sensory re-education that aims at re-learning and modulating the changed sensory code from the hand after such an injury. Such training utilises the capacity for cortical functional re-modelling which characterises the young as well as the adult brain. Sensory re-education is traditionally not introduced until there is reinnervation in the hand, and such a late onset of training may be one explanatory factor for the poor functional results after nerve repair. Since functional reorganisation changes of the cortex occurring after changes in peripheral input are very fast processes, we suggest that this specific intervention should be introduced very early in the rehabilitation phase--already in the initial phase after nerve repair when no axons have yet arrived to the asensible hand. The goal is to avoid, minimise and modulate the central functional re-organisation which follows the de-afferentiation associated with nerve injury and repair. This early intervention can be done with the use of artificial sensibility the first post-operative day. According to this technique, based on sense substitution and utilising the multimodal capacity of the brain, miniature microphones on the fingertips of the asensible hand pick up the friction sound generated by active touch. The vibro-tactile signals are stereophonically transposed to vibro-acoustic signals, thereby providing an alternate feed-back which hypothetically helps to maintain or re-establish the cortical hand map.

[Mathematical modeling and taxonomic evaluation of the indices and degree of rehabilitation in 2 types of the treatment of patients with sequelae of spinal cord injuries]. / Matematicheskoe modelirovanie i taksonomicheskaia otsenka indeksa i stepeni reabilitatsii pri dvukh vidakh lecheniia bol'nykh travmaticheskoi bolezn'iu spinnogo mozga.

The authors characterize spinal cord traumatic disease (SCTD) and methods of the taxonomic evaluation of the index (IR) and degree of rehabilitation (DR), which allow the control over the efficacy of the treatment of patients suffering from SCTD. The IR and DR of two treatment types are compared in two groups of patients with SCTD (n-153, 47 controls). The method suggested makes it possible to accurately control the IR and DR of each patient with SCTD as well as to use the findings obtained for elaborating the program of rehabilitation of patients with SCTD and for computer-based analysis.

NTOS symptoms and mobility: a case study on neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome involving massage therapy.

Neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (NTOS) is a neuromuscular condition affecting brachial plexus functionality. NTOS is characterized by paresthesia, pain, muscle fatigue, and restricted mobility in the upper extremity. This study quantified massage therapy's possible contribution to treatment of NTOS. A 24-year-old female with NTOS received eight treatments over 35 days. Treatment included myofascial release, trigger point therapy, cross fiber friction, muscle stripping, and gentle passive stretching. Abduction and lateral rotation at the glenohumeral (GH joint) assessments measured range of motion (ROM). A resisted muscle test evaluated upper extremity strength. The client rated symptoms daily via a visual analog scale (VAS). Findings showed improvement in ROM at the GH joint. VAS ratings revealed a reduction in muscle weakness, pain, numbness, and 'paresthesia'. Results suggest massage may be useful as part of a broad approach to managing NTOS symptoms and improving mobility.

Evolución de la recuperación de la sensibilidad posterior a osteotomía sagital de rama mandibular bilateral / Evolution of sensory recovery following mandibular bilateral sagittal split osteotomy

Introducción. La osteotomía sagital de rama mandibular bilateral es uno de los procedimientos quirúrgicos más comunes durante la cirugía ortognática. Con relación a ello se han descrito múltiples reportes que indican cambios a nivel neurosensitivo en el nervio alveolar inferior. Los rangos posquirúrgicos de parestesia han sido descritos entre un 12,5 y el 100%. El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar el porcentaje de recuperación sensitiva del territorio inervado por el nervio alveolar inferior después de una osteotomía sagital de rama mandibular bilateral durante el primer año postoperatorio. Método. Se incluyó a 32 pacientes con dismorfosis dentofacial de clase II y III; el procedimiento quirúrgico debía involucrar osteotomía sagital de rama mandibular bilateral. Se realizó seguimiento a 1, 3, 6, 9 meses y al primer año postoperatorio. La evaluación incluyó el uso de monofilamentos de tipo von Frey en un área de mentón cuadriculada estandarizada en cada paciente, un cuestionario y una escala de hipoestesia. El umbral para significación estadística fue una p < 0,05. Los resultados se presentan con relación al área estudiada, género, clase esqueletal y técnica quirúrgica. Resultados. La recuperación neurosensitiva del nervio alveolar inferior alcanzó un 74% total al 1.er año postoperatorio. El promedio de recuperación de la sensibilidad en las 8 zonas de la cuadrícula de la región mentoniana fue de un 65%. Conclusiones. Los sujetos estudiados alcanzaron una recuperación de la sensibilidad clasificada como hipoestesia moderada al primer año postoperatorio. El género femenino alcanzó mayores valores de recuperación (83 vs. 69%) y en un menor tiempo que el género masculino. Destacamos el uso de 3 métodos de evaluación que nos permiten comparar lo objetivo y subjetivo, obteniendo resultados concordantes entre sí (AU)

Introduction. Bilateral sagittal split osteotomy is one of the most common surgical procedures performed during orthognathic surgery. Postoperative reports have described neurosensory changes related to the inferior alveolar nerve. Paresthesia has been described in relation to its damage ranging between 12.5 and 100%. The aim of this study was to determine the percentage of sensitive recovery in the compromised area after bilateral sagital split osteotomy during the first postoperative year. Method. The study included 32 patients with class II and class III dentofacial deformity. Surgical procedure must include bilateral sagittal split osteotomy. Follow-up was performed at 1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th postoperative months. The evaluated area was determined by a novel technique that consists in dividing the chin in squares of 8 equal parts. Sensorial recovery was tested using calibrated von Frey monofilaments. Results are displayed in relation to the studied area, gender, skeletal class and surgical technique. Statistical significance was accepted with a P<.05. Results. In this study, the inferior alveolar nerve reached 74% recovery rate after the first postoperative year. The average sensitivity recovery, over the chin region, in the eight-grid zone was 65%. Conclusion. Studied subjects reached a sensitivity recuperation that could be classified as mild hypoesthesia after the first year since surgery. The female population reached higher recovery values (83 vs. 69%) than the male population. They also seem to recover in less time than males. Importantly, we have observed that the use of these 3 methods of evaluation allow us to compare the objective and subjective characteristics of the population with similar results (AU)

Which on-field signs/symptoms predict protracted recovery from sport-related concussion among high school football players?

BACKGROUND: There has been increasing attention and understanding of sport-related concussions. Recent studies show that neurocognitive testing and symptom clusters may predict protracted recovery in concussed athletes. On-field signs and symptoms have not been examined empirically as possible predictors of protracted recovery. PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to determine which on-field signs and symptoms were predictive of a protracted (≥21 days) versus rapid (≤7 days) recovery after a sports-related concussion. On-field signs and symptoms included confusion, loss of consciousness, posttraumatic amnesia, retrograde amnesia, imbalance, dizziness, visual problems, personality changes, fatigue, sensitivity to light/noise, numbness, and vomiting. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study (prognosis); Level of evidence, 2. METHODS: The sample included 107 male high school football athletes who completed computerized neurocognitive testing within an average 2.4 days after injury, and who were followed until returned to play as determined by neuropsychologists using international clinical concussion management guidelines. Athletes were then grouped into rapid (≤7 days, n = 62) or protracted (≥21 days, n = 36) recovery time groups. The presence of on-field signs and symptoms was determined at the time of injury by trained sports medicine professionals (i.e., ATC [certified athletic trainer], team physician). A series of odds ratios with χ(2) analyses and subsequent logistic regression were used to determine which on-field signs and symptoms were associated with an increased risk for a protracted recovery. RESULTS: Dizziness at the time of injury was associated with a 6.34 odds ratio (95% confidence interval = 1.34-29.91, χ(2) = 5.44, P = .02) of a protracted recovery from concussion. Surprisingly, the remaining on-field signs and symptoms were not associated with an increased risk of protracted recovery in the current study. CONCLUSION: Assessment of on-field dizziness may help identify high school athletes at risk for a protracted recovery. Such information will improve prognostic information and allow clinicians to manage and treat concussion more effectively in these at-risk athletes.

[Post-herpetic segmental hypoesthesia-paresis with fast recovery]. / Paresia-hipoestesia segmentaria postherpetica con recuperacion rapida.

TITLE: Paresia-hipoestesia segmentaria postherpetica con recuperacion rapida.

Sensory retraining after orthognathic surgery: effect on patients' perception of altered sensation.

PURPOSE: The primary research hypothesis was that the magnitude and duration of the perceived burden from altered sensation reported by patients after bilateral sagittal split osteotomy and trauma to the third division of the trigeminal nerve are decreased when facial sensory retraining exercises are performed in conjunction with standard opening exercises as compared with standard opening exercises alone. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 186 subjects were enrolled in a multicenter, double-blind, 2 parallel group-stratified block randomized clinical trial. Oral and facial pain, unusual sensations, numbness, and loss of sensitivity were scored from "no problem" to "serious problem" before surgery and 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after surgery. A proportional odds model for the ordered multinomial response was used to compare the responses of the 2 exercise groups. RESULTS: The 2 exercise groups did not differ significantly at any postsurgical time in terms of perceived problem level from intraoral of facial pain. The difference between the 2 groups at each visit was not statistically significant for unusual sensations, although the trend was for the sensory retraining group to have a higher likelihood of reporting fewer problems. By 6 months, the likelihood of a subject reporting lower problem or interference level related to numbness or decreased lip sensitivity was significantly higher in the sensory-retraining group, approximately twice that of the opening exercise-only group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the premise that a simple noninvasive exercise program initiated shortly after orthognathic surgery can lessen the objectionable impression of negative altered sensations.

"EMG disease" with bulbar muscle involvement: a case report.

We report the first case of diffuse abnormal insertional activity with bulbar muscle involvement. Electromyography performed 5 months earlier reported multilevel radiculopathy. A repeat electromyography study revealed short trains of positive waves without fibrillation potentials, diffusely present in all tested muscles. Positive waves were also found in the bulbar innervated muscles; these included the trapezius, frontalis, and the orbicularis oculi. This entity is important to recognize because confusion with neuromuscular syndromes can occur.

Meralgia paresthetica secondary to limb length discrepancy: case report.

Meralgia paresthetica consists of pain and dysthesia in the lateral thigh caused by entrapment of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (L2-L3) underneath the inguinal ligament. Abdominal distension, tight clothing, and hip hyperextension are all described causes of this condition. To our knowledge this has never been attributed to a limb length discrepancy. We present a 51-year-old man with a long-standing history of right sided meralgia paresthetica. History and physical and radiological examination were unrewarding except that his left leg was shorter than the right by 2 cm. Nerve conduction studies of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve on the left had a normal latency and amplitude but were absent on the right. To prove the hpothesis that the limb length discrepancy was responsible for the condition, a single subject study was performed. The presence or absence of pain and dysesthesia in the right thigh was the observed behavior. Intervention consisted of wearing a 1.5-cm lift in the left or right shoe for 2 weeks each with an intervening 2-week lift-free period. Pain was recorded on a numeric scale and numbness as being present or absent. There was continuing pain without and with the lift in the right shoe but no pain or numbness with the lift in left shoe. It was concluded that the limb length discrepancy was responsible for the meralgia paresthetica. Pertinent literature and possible pathomechanics are discussed.

Modulation of neglect hemianesthesia by transcutaneous electrical stimulation.

The effects of transcutaneous electrical stimulation on deficits of tactile perception contralateral to a hemispheric lesion were investigated in 10 right brain-damaged patients and in four left brain-damaged patients. The somatosensory deficit recovered, transiently and in part, after stimulation of the side of the neck contralateral to the side of the lesion, in all 10 patients with lesions in the right hemisphere, both with (six cases) and without (four cases) left visuo-spatial hemineglect, and in one left brain-damaged patient with right hemineglect. In three left brain-damaged patients without hemineglect, the treatment had no detectable effects. In one right brain-damaged patient, the stimulation of the side of the neck ipsilateral to the side of the lesion temporarily worsened the somatosensory deficit. These effects of transcutaneous electrical stimulation are similar to those of vestibular stimulation. The suggestion is made that these treatments modulate, through afferent sensory pathways, higher-order spatial representations of the body, which are pathologically distorted toward the side of the lesion. The modulatory effect is direction-specific: the defective internal representation of the contralesional side may be either partly restored, improving the disorder of tactile perception, or further impoverished, worsening the deficit. The possible neural basis of this modulation is discussed.