Incidence and clinical characteristics of adverse neurological events and stroke-like syndrome associated with immune stress-related response after COVID-19 vaccination in 2021 from Thailand.

OBJECTIVES: AEFIs (adverse events following immunizations), especially ISRR ( immune stress related response) which can cause stroke-like symptoms may affect the vaccine roll-out campaign to prevent the coronavirus 2019 outbreak. METHODS: This study aimed to describe the incidence and clinical characteristics of neurological AEFIs and stroke-like symptoms associated with ISRR after COVID-19 vaccination. Characteristics of ISRR were compared to minor ischemic stroke patients during the same period of the study. During March to September 2021, we retrospectively collected data of participants aged ≥ 18 years who received COVID-19 vaccine and developed AEFIs from Thammasat university vaccination center (TUVC). Data of neurological AEFIs patients and minor ischemic stroke patients were collected from hospital electronic medical record system. RESULTS: COVID-19 vaccine were administered at TUVC for 245,799 doses. AEFIs were reported in 129,652 instances (52.6%). ChADOx-1 nCoV-19 viral vector vaccine has the most frequent occurrence of AEFIs (58.0%), and neurological AEFIs (12.6%). 83% of neurological AEFI was headache. Most were mild and did not need medical attention. Of 119 patients who received COVID-19 vaccine from anywhere with neurological AEFIs and presented to TUH, ISRR was diagnosed in 107 patients (89.9%) and all patients who has follow-up data (30.8%) showed clinical improvement. In comparison with minor ischemic stroke (116 patients), ISRR patients had significantly less ataxia, facial weakness, weakness of arm/leg and speech disturbances (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The incidence of neurological AEFIs after COVID-19 vaccination was higher among recipients of ChAdOx-1 nCoV-19 vaccine (12.6%) than inactivated vaccine (6.2%) and mRNA vaccine (7.5%). However, most neurological AEFIs were ISRR, had mild severity and resolved within 30 days. Stroke-like symptoms occurred less frequently than patients with minor ischemic stroke.

The differences in clinical characteristics and natural history between essential tremor and essential tremor plus.

The diverse clinical manifestation of essential tremor (ET) has led to the question whether the different phenotypes may affect the clinical outcome and progression. This study aimed to estimate the clinical characteristics and natural history of ET and ET-plus. A total of 221 patients with ET were included, 117 (52.9%) reclassified as ET and 104 (47.1%) as ET-plus. Patients with ET-plus were significantly older in age at onset (P < 0.001); had a higher frequency of cranial tremors (P < 0.001), neurological comorbidities (P < 0.001) and psychiatric comorbidities (P = 0.025); more tremor progression (P < 0.001); and poorer response to medical treatment (P < 0.001) compared to ET patients. Regression analysis revealed that late-onset tremor (OR 11.02, 95% CI 2.79-43.53), neurological comorbidities (OR 3.38, 95% CI 1.56-7.31), psychiatric comorbidities (OR 4.29, 95% CI 1.48-12.44), cranial tremors (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.02-4.30), and poor response to medical treatment (OR 3.67, 95% CI 1.87-7.19) were associated with ET-plus diagnosis. ET and ET-plus differ in the age of onset, tremor distribution, comorbidities, treatment response rate, and progression. Identifying the ET phenotypes may increase the clinical value in therapeutic strategies and clinical research in the future.

Validation of the Thai Version of the Movement Disorder Society-Sponsored Revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to validate the Thai translation of the Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS). METHODS: The English version was translated into Thai and then back-translated into English. The translated version underwent 2 rounds of cognitive pretesting to assess the ease of comprehension, ease of use and comfort with the scale. Then, it underwent large clinimetric testing. RESULTS: The Thai version was validated in 354 PD patients. The comparative fit index (CFI) for all four parts of the Thai version of the MDS-UPDRS was 0.93 or greater. Exploratory factor analysis identified isolated item differences in factor structure between the Thai and English versions. CONCLUSION: The overall factor structure of the Thai version was consistent with that of the English version based on the high CFIs (all CFI ≥ 0.90). Hence, it can be designated the official Thai version of the MDS-UPDRS.

Etiology of Dementia in Thai Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Molecular imaging has been developed and validated in Thai patients, comprising a portion of patients in the dementia registry. This should provide a more accurate diagnosis of the etiology of dementia, which was the focus of this study. METHODS: This was a multicenter dementia study. The baseline characteristics, main presenting symptoms, and results of investigations and cognitive tests of the patients were electronically collected in the registry. Functional imaging and/or molecular imaging were performed in patients with an equivocal diagnosis of the causes of dementia, especially in atypical dementia or young onset dementia (YOD). RESULTS: There were 454 patients in the study. The mean age of the patients was 78 years, with 60% female. Functional imaging and/or molecular imaging were performed in 57 patients (57/454 patients, 13%). The most common cause of dementia was Alzheimer's disease (AD; 50%), followed by vascular dementia (VAD; 24%), dementia with Lewy bodies (6%), Parkinson's disease dementia (6%), frontotemporal dementia (FTD; 2.6%), progressive supranuclear palsy (2%), multiple system atrophy (0.8%), and corticobasal syndrome (0.4%). YOD accounted for 17% (77/454 patients), with a mean age of 58 years. The causes of YOD were early onset amnestic AD (44%), VAD (16%), behavioral variant FTD (8%), posterior cortical atrophy (6.5%), and logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia (5.2%). CONCLUSION: AD was the most common cause of dementia in Thai patients and the distribution of other types of dementia and main presenting symptoms were similar to previous reports in Western patients; however, the proportion of YOD was higher.

Helicobacter pylori eradication improves motor fluctuations in advanced Parkinson's disease patients: A prospective cohort study (HP-PD trial).

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori (HP) is a bacterium associated with many gastrointestinal (GI) diseases and has shown a high prevalence in Parkinson's disease (PD). As HP-associated GI dysfunction could affect L-dopa (levodopa) absorption, HP eradication might improve the clinical response and decrease motor fluctuations. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted on the clinical symptoms of PD patients with motor fluctuations. The 13C-urea breath test was used to diagnose a current HP infection. All patients with HP infection received a 2-week regimen of triple therapy. The changes in the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) motor score, L-dopa onset time, wearing-off symptoms, mean daily on-off time, GI symptom scores, and quality of life score were measured at baseline and at a 6-week follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 163 PD patients were assessed, of whom 40 were enrolled. Fifty-five percent of the enrolled patients (22/40) had a current HP infection, whereas HP eradication was identified in 17 of 22 (77.3%) patients who received eradication therapy. Patients with HP eradication showed a significant decrease in daily 'off' time (4.0 vs. 4.7 h, p = 0.040) and an increase in daily 'on' time (11.8 vs. 10.9 h, p = 0.009). Total wearing-off score (4.4 vs. 6.0, p = 0.001) and the GI symptom score (8.1 vs. 12.8, p = 0.007) were significantly improved. There was no significant improvement in L-dopa onset time, UPDRS motor score, or quality of life score. CONCLUSIONS: HP eradication leads to significant clinical improvement in the symptoms of PD. Eradication of HP not only increases the total daily 'on' time but also decreases wearing-off symptoms and improves GI symptoms.

The Six-item Clock-Drawing Scoring System: a rapid screening for cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment, characterised by predominant executive dysfunction and visuospatial deficit, is frequently observed in Parkinson's disease (PD) and may lead to mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) and dementia (PD-D). The clock-drawing test (CDT) is a rapid cognitive evaluation that is appropriate for screening frontoparietal lobe dysfunction. This study aimed to evaluate the screening performance of the Six-item Clock-Drawing Scoring System (6-CDSS) in detecting cognitive impairment in PD patients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of free-drawn clocks from 136 PD patients was performed. The presence of cognitive impairment and dementia was documented by neurologists according to the standard diagnostic criteria. Diagnostic performance and the optimal screening cut-off scores for cognitive impairment and dementia using the 6-CDSS were determined. RESULTS: One hundred and thirteen patients were documented as having PD with cognitive impairment (PD-CI). Of those, 39 were diagnosed as probable PD-D and 74 with PD-MCI. The optimal screening cut-off scores for PD-CI were 4/5 and 1/2 for probable PD-D. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.88 and 0.91, respectively. Multiple regression analysis revealed that low education levels, poor activity of daily living, and older age were associated with low 6-CDSS scores. CONCLUSIONS: CDT scoring using the 6-CDSS is a reliable system to screen cognitive impairment in PD and may serve as a simple screening tool for PD-D in clinical practice.

Establishing apomorphine treatment in Thailand: understanding the challenges and opportunities of Parkinson's disease management in developing countries.

INTRODUCTION: The increasing global burden of Parkinson's disease (PD) poses a particular challenge for developing countries, such as Thailand, when delivering care to a geographically diverse populace with limited resources, often compounded by a lack of expertise in the use of certain PD medications, such as device-aided therapies (DAT). AREAS COVERED: A panel of local, regional, and international PD experts convened to review the unmet needs of PD in Thailand and share insights into effective delivery of DAT, focusing on experience with apomorphine infusion. Despite its proven efficacy and safety, implementation of apomorphine infusion as a new option was not straightforward. This has prompted a range of health-care professional and patient-focused initiatives, led by the Chulalongkorn Center of Excellence for Parkinson's Disease and Related Disorders in Bangkok, to help establish a more coordinated approach to PD management throughout the country and ensure patients have access to suitable treatments. EXPERT OPINION: Overcoming the challenges of education, proficiency, resource capacity and standard of care for PD patients in developing countries requires a coordinated effort both nationally and beyond. The best practices identified in Thailand following the introduction of apomorphine infusion might be helpful for other countries when implementing similar programs.

Restless Legs Syndrome in Pregnant Thai Women: Prevalence, Predictive Factors, and Natural Course.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common sleep-related neurological disorder that affects the quality of sleep. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence, predictive factors, and natural course of RLS, and its effect on sleep quality in pregnant Thai women. METHODS: A cross-sectional study that included 214 pregnant women was performed. RLS was diagnosed according to the revised criteria of the International RLS Study Group (IRLSSG). General demographic and antenatal-care data were reviewed. Scores on the Thai versions of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the IRLSSG Rating Scale were determined. RESULTS: RLS was diagnosed in 24 of the pregnant women (11.2%): 4.2%, 25.0%, and 70.8% in the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that a hemoglobin level (Hb) less than 11 g/dL [odds ratio (OR)=3.21, 95% CI=1.27-8.13] and a history of RLS (OR=16.62, 95% CI=1.52-181.32) were associated with RLS during pregnancy. Subjects with RLS significantly had higher Thai-ESS scores (p<0.01). All subjects with RLS had severe symptoms that subsided within 1 week after delivery. No immediate labor complication was associated with RLS. CONCLUSIONS: Our study has confirmed a high prevalence of RLS and its impacts on sleep in pregnant women. An Hb of less than 11 g/dL and a history of RLS are predictive factors for RLS developing during pregnancy. Pregnancy-related RLS has a benign course and usually disappears within 1 week after delivery.

A comparative crossover study on the treatment of hemifacial spasm and blepharospasm: preseptal and pretarsal botulinum toxin injection techniques.

Hemifacial spasm (HFS) and benign essential blepharospasm (BEB) are chronic and disabling abnormal craniofacial movements that produce involuntary eyelid twitching and closure. The efficacy and safety of botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) injections have been accepted and widely used for the treatment of HFS and BEB. However, different injection sites may influence the effectiveness, doses, and side effects. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy, patient satisfaction, and complications of low-dose BoNT-A injections between injection at the preseptal (PS) and the pretarsal (PT) portion of the orbicularis oculi muscle. A total of 40 patients, 31 patients with HFS and 9 patients with BEB, participated in this study. Each patient received both PS and PT BoNT-A injections in a crossover design study. Latency to response, duration of improvement, the Jankovic Rating Scale (JRS), self-response scale, patient satisfaction scale, and complications were compared. Low-dose injections of BoNT-A at the PT portion produced a significantly higher response rate in terms of latency to response, duration of improvement, JRS, self-response scale, and patient satisfaction scale than the PS injections. Major side effects including ptosis and droopy eyelid were observed only after the PS injections. These findings confirmed that low-dose injections of BoNT-A at the PT portion provide more efficacy, patient satisfaction, and fewer complications than the PS injections for the treatment of involuntary eyelid twitching and closure in patients with HFS and BEB.

Natural course and predictors of severe disability and death in Thai patients with dementia.

More than half of patients with dementia lived in countries with low and middle incomes. However, there have been few studies on the natural course of disease in these countries. The purpose of this study was to study the natural course and the predictive factors of advanced stage and death in Thai patients with dementia. Patients with dementia who were treated in neurologic and psychiatric clinic from September 2004 to February 2016, were included. Data about natural course of diseases, behavioral and psychological symptoms in dementia (BPSD) and complications were studied. 207 patients were included. Mean age was 77years old. Mean Thai Mental State Examination (TMSE) was 17.5. Alzheimer's disease was the most common cause of dementia (55%). With the mean follow-up of 39months (range from 2 to 126months), 64% of the patients had BPSD. Sixty-two patients (30%) had complications required admission. Seven patients died. Fifty-four patients (29%) ended in the advanced stage of dementia. Mean duration from diagnosis to the advanced stage was 49months. Complications that required admission usually occurred in moderate to severe dementia and were strongly associated with the advanced stage or death (OR 6.1, 95%CI 2.57-14.49, p-value<0.0001). Alzheimer's disease was the most common cause of dementia in the study. Most demented patients presented in moderate severity of dementia. Mean duration from diagnosis to the advanced stage of dementia was approximate 4-5years. Complications required admissions related to the progression to advanced stage or death.

Impact of Cognitive Loading on Postural Control in Parkinson's Disease With Freezing of Gait.

Objective:To assess standing balance in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with and without freezing of gait (FOG) during cognitive loading. Method:A balance assessment with cognitive loading, reading (RE) and counting backward (CB), was performed by the Nintendo Wii Fit in 60 PD patients (Hoehn and Yahr stages 1-3) at Thammasat University Hospital, Thailand. The participants were grouped into FOG and non-FOG according to the Freezing of Gait-Questionnaire (FOG-Q) scores. The center of pressure (CoP) in terms of path length (PL), sway area (SA), root mean square (RMS), medio-lateral (ML), and antero-posterior (AP) were analyzed. Results:Significant increases of PL were observed in both groups of PD patients during cognitive loading (p < .001). Meanwhile, the increased differences of PL during cognitive loading in PD-FOG were larger than in PD-non-FOG. The ML displacement during counting backward was significantly increased in PD-FOG (p = .012). Conclusion:Cognitive loading influenced standing balance and postural sway of PD patients. The effects were more prominent in PD-FOG. These findings represent the interactions between cognitive function, postural control, and FOG in PD.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Thailand: A Case Series and Review of the Literature.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is an incurable and inevitably fatal neurodegenerative disorder. Although CJD has a worldwide distribution, there are no official statistics on CJD in Thailand. A diagnosis of CJD is suspected when a patient develops rapidly progressive dementia with myoclonus. However, CJD may be mistaken for a variety of illnesses because its initial presentation frequently consists of non-specific symptoms. Here, we examined cases of sporadic CJD (sCJD) from Thammasat University Hospital (a tertiary care hospital in Thailand) between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2014. Three cases of probable and possible sCJD were collected. All cases presented with rapidly progressive cognitive dysfunction accompanied by spontaneous myoclonus. Classical electroencehalography changes and typical abnormal MRI features were observed. All of the cases died within a period of 8 months. None of the patients underwent brain biopsy. Our findings raise questions about the prevalence of CJD in Thailand, which needs further study.

Association between serum uric acid and motor subtypes of Parkinson's disease.

The aim of this study was to evaluate serum uric acid (UA) levels and serum uric acid/creatinine ratios (UA/Cr) in patients with non-tremor dominant (NTD) Parkinson's disease (PD) compared to tremor dominant (TD) PD and healthy controls (HC). UA is believed to have a protective effect on the central nervous system against oxidative damage and neuronal cell death which could impact on progression and motor subtypes of PD. Serum UA levels and UA/Cr were determined in 100 PD patients and 100 age and sex matched HC. Subtypes of PD were classified into TD and NTD. Patients with PD showed statistically significantly lower serum UA (p=0.007) and serum UA/Cr ratios (p<0.001) than HC. Patients with NTD PD had statistically significantly lower serum UA (p<0.001) and serum UA/Cr (p=0.001) than in patients with TD PD. Patients with mild PD severity also had significantly higher serum UA (p=0.015) and serum UA/Cr (p=0.004) than patients with moderate to severe disease. Our study suggests that UA has a pathogenic role in the clinical subtype of PD. Serum UA levels together with serum UA/Cr are potentially useful biomarkers to indicate risk, severity and motor subtype of PD.

Neuroimaging: current role in detecting pre-motor Parkinson's disease.

Convergent evidence suggests a pre-motor period in Parkinson's disease (PD) during which typical motor symptoms have not yet developed although dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra have started to degenerate. Advances in different neuroimaging techniques have allowed the detection of functional and structural changes in early PD. This review summarizes the state of the art knowledge concerning structural neuroimaging techniques including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and transcranial B-mode-Doppler-sonography (TCS) as well as functional neuroimaging techniques using radiotracer imaging (RTI) with different radioligands in detecting pre-motor PD.

Prevalence and risk factors of Parkinson's disease in retired Thai traditional boxers.

Boxing is often believed to be a frequent cause for parkinsonism caused by chronic repetitive head injury, with Muhammad Ali frequently cited as an example. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD) in retired Thai traditional boxers. Two standardized screening questionnaires were sent to all registered Thai traditional boxers. Subjects who screened positive for parkinsonism were invited for clinical examinations by two independent neurologists. Among 704 boxers (70%) who completed the questionnaires, 8 boxers (1.14%) had parkinsonism: 5 with PD, 1 with progressive supranuclear palsy and 2 with vascular parkinsonism. Boxers with PD were found to have an older mean age than those without PD (P = 0.003). The analysis of probable risk factors disclosed an association between the number of professional bouts (>100 times) and PD (P = 0.01). The crude prevalence of PD in Thai boxers was 0.71% (95% CI: 0.09-1.33), with a significant increase with age. The prevalence rate of PD in those aged 50 and above was 0.17% (95% CI: 0.15-0.20), age-adjusted to the USA 1970 census, which is comparable to that of the general populations. The analysis determined that the number of professional bouts is a risk factor among these boxers, supporting the notion that repetitive head trauma may pose an additional risk to certain individuals who are already susceptible to PD.

Miller-Fisher syndrome at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Miller-Fisher syndrome (MFS), a variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a self-limiting demyelinating disease of the peripheral nervous system. Clinical spectrum, natural history, prognosis, and pathogenesis of MFS are not fully documented. OBJECTIVE: Probe the clinical features of MFS in a tertiary center in Thailand and compare its pattern with other Asian countries. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The clinical recordings were searched from databases at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (KCMH) between 2002 and 2007. Keywords were "Miller-Fisher syndrome" and "Guillain-Barré syndrome". Cases with MFS were recruited The data regarding clinical features, course, treatments, and investigations were reviewed. Comparisons with other large Asian series were demonstrated. RESULTS: Six patients (male:female; 3:3) with MFS were analyzed The incident rate is 7.7% that of GBS. The median age was 54.3 years (range 28 to 73 years). MFS frequently started with diplopia followed by ophthalmoplegia and ataxia. Other clinical symptoms included limb dysesthesia and weakness, dysphagia, dysarthria, and diffuse headache. Spontaneous recovery occurred in three patients while two patients received plasmapheresis and one received intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Six months after neurological deficits, all patients were almost free of symptoms and had returned to their normal activities. CONCLUSION: The incidence, clinical features, and prognosis of MFS in KCMH were comparable with the previous studies in other Asian countries. High percentage of limb dysesthesia and optic neuropathy were detected in the present series. Headache was also common among Thai MFS. Immuno-pathogenesis of MFS is well documented but immunomodulatory therapy should be considered only in some cases.

Optic neuritis in a patient with Miller-Fisher syndrome.

Miller-Fisher syndrome (MFS) is considered a variant of Guillain-Barrd syndrome (GBS). The syndrome is characterized by acute onset of gait ataxia, ophthalmoplegia, and areflexia. Conventionally, MFS has been considered exclusively a disease of the peripheral nervous system. However there are occasional reports of central nervous system involvement. Here, a 62 year-old woman who presented with classical features of MFS and progressive bilateral dyschromatopsia and reported visual impairment. Normal MRI of the brain and CSF albumino-cytologic dissociation were observed. CSF oligoclonal IgG pattern indicated a passive transfer of oligoclonal IgG from a systemic inflammatory response. Nerve conduction studies showed slow motor conduction velocity in her extremities. The optic fundi were normal. Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) revealed bilateral optic neuropathy. Marked spontaneous improvement of her syndrome was documented within six weeks. Optic neuritis may be a central nervous system feature that should be recognized as part of the MFS.