A Proposal for Neurography Referral in Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Based on Clinical Symptoms and Demographic Variables of 797 Patients.

The clinical manifestation of median nerve entrapment at the carpal tunnel level is known as carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Electroneurography (ENG) is considered the gold standard in CTS evaluation. We conducted a retrospective study and analyzed some clinical and demographic variables, relating them to the degree of neuropathy using ENG, to better understand the role of ENG in this very common disease. We studied 816 patients referred to our service for neurographic evaluation. Their symptoms were classified as compatible with CTS (cCTS) (n = 646) and atypical for CTS (aCTS) (n = 170). A blind ENG was performed on 797 patients. Patient characteristics were coded as variables and analyzed to study whether they could predict neuropathy severity (sensory and motor involvement or grade ≥ 3 in our classification). We found a correlation between typical symptomatology, age over 50 years, male gender, positivity of Phalen's maneuver and Tinel's sign, and a neuropathy grade ≥ 3. We also found a correlation with CTS in the contralateral hand if the other hand showed neuropathy, despite the lack of symptoms in this hand. We propose a practical algorithm for ENG referral based on clinical symptoms, demographic factors, and neurophysiological variables.

Cómo estimar la composición corporal en la enfermedad de Huntington. Estudio transversal y observacional con bioimpedancia de múltiples frecuencias / How to estimate body composition in Huntington’s disease. A cross-sectional, observational study using multiple frequencies bioimpedance

Introducción La enfermedad de Huntington (EH) es un trastorno raro neurodegenerativo. La información fiable del estado nutricional, especialmente de la composición corporal, es crítica en clínica y en investigación. La facilidad de aplicación y portabilidad del análisis de la bioimpedancia de múltiples frecuencias (mfBIA) la convierten en una herramienta atractiva para medirla, pero se desconoce su precisión en la EH. Objetivo Evaluar la precisión del mfBIA frente a la absorciometría dual de rayos X (DEXA) en la EH. Pacientes y métodos Estudio transversal, observacional y unicéntrico. La EH se midió con la subescala motora de la escala unificada de valoración de la EH y con la capacidad funcional total. La composición corporal se valoró según la masa libre de grasa (MLG), la masa grasa (MG), el índice de masa libre de grasa (IMLG) y el índice de masa grasa (IMG). Se utilizó el coeficiente de correlación intraclase con intervalos de confianza al 95% y estimaciones de sesgo mediante gráficos de Bland-Altman. Resultados Se incluyó a 16 pacientes, siete hombres y nueve mujeres, con edad media de 58,5 (32-68) años, capacidad funcional total de 10 (3-13) y escala unificada de valoración de la EH de 31 (7-85). La fiabilidad era alta entre el mfBIA y la DEXA para el IMLG en hombres, 0,88 (intervalo de confianza al 95%: 0,17-0,98), y mujeres, 0,9 (intervalo de confianza al 95%: 0,61-0,98); y para el IMG en hombres, 0,97 (intervalo de confianza al 95%: 0,83-0,99), y mujeres, 0,91 (intervalo de confianza al 95%: 0,68-0,98). El mfBIA sobreestimó ligeramente la MLG, la MG, el IMG y el IMLG en los hombres, pero subestimó el IMLG en las mujeres. Conclusiones El mfBIA es un método fácil de usar, seguro, no invasivo y preciso para medir la composición corporal y el estado nutricional en pacientes con EH leve-moderada. (AU)

INTRODUCTION Huntington´s disease (HD) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder. Reliable information about nutritional status, especially body composition from individuals with HD is critical for clinical care and research. The ease of application and portability of multiple frequencies bioelectrical impedance analysis (mfBIA) make it an attractive tool for measuring body composition, but its accuracy in HD is unknown. AIM To evaluate the accuracy of mfBIA vs. Dual X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in HD. PATIENTS AND METHODS Cross-sectional, observational, and single-center study. HD severity was measured using motor subscale of the unified Huntington´s disease rating scale (m-UHDRS) and the total functional capacity (TFC). Body composition was measured in terms of fat-free mass (FFM), fat mass (FM), fat-free mass index (FFMI), and fat mass index (FMI). Using Bland-Altman plots, we analyzed reliability between DEXA and mfBIA using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and bias estimates for all. RESULTS We included 16 patients with HD, 7 men, and 9 women, median age of 58.5 (32;68) years, TFC: 10 (3;13), and m-UHDRS: 31 (7;85). The reliability between mfBIA and DEXA were high for FFMI in men: 0.88 (95% CI 0.17-0.98), and women: 0.90 (95% CI 0.61- 0.98); for FMI, men: 0.97 (95% CI 0.83-0.99), and women: 0.91 (95% CI 0.68-0.98). Compared to DEXA, mfBIA slightly overestimated FFM, FM, FMI and FFMI in men and underestimated FFMI in women. CONCLUSIONS mfBIA is an easy-to-use, safe, non-invasive, accurate method for measuring body composition and nutritional status in patients with mild-moderate HD. (AU)

The Role of Magnetic Transcranial Stimulation in the Diagnosis and Post-Surgical Follow-Up of Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) consists of spinal cord damage due to its compression through the cervical spine. The leading cause is degenerative. The diagnosis is clinical, and the therapeutic approach is usually surgical. Confirmation of the diagnostic suspicion is done by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); however, this test lacks functional information of the spinal cord, the abnormality of which may precede involvement in neuroimaging. Neurophysiological examination using somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) allows for an evaluation of spinal cord function, and provides information in the diagnostic process. Its role in the post-surgical follow-up of patients undergoing decompressive surgery is being studied. We present a retrospective study of 24 patients with DCM and surgical decompression who underwent neurophysiological tests (TMS and SSEP) before, 6, and 12 months after surgery. The result of the TMS and the SSEP in the post-operative follow-up did not correlate with the clinical outcome, either subjective or measured by clinical scales at six months. We only found post-surgical improvement of central conduction times (CMCTs) in patients with severe pre-surgical motor impairment on TMS. In patients with normal pre-surgical CMCT, we found a transient worsening with return to baseline at the one-year follow-up. Most patients presented pre-surgical increased P40 latency at diagnosis. CMCT and SSEP were more related to clinical outcomes one year after the surgical procedure and were very useful in diagnosing.

Long-Term V-EEG in Epilepsy: Chronological Distribution of Recorded Events Focused on the Differential Diagnosis of Epileptic Seizures and Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures.

Differential diagnosis in epilepsy is sometimes challenging. Video-electroencephalography (V-EEG) is an essential tool in the diagnosis and management of epilepsy. The prolonged duration of V-EEG recording increases the diagnostic yield of a conventional V-EEG. The right length of monitoring for different indications is still to be established. We present a retrospective descriptive study with a sample of 50 patients with long-term V-EEG monitoring, with a mean age of 36.1 years, monitored from 2013 to 2019 at the Burgos University Hospital. The mean monitoring time was 3.6 days. Events were obtained in 76% of the patients, corresponding to epileptic seizures (ES) in 57.9% of them, with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) in 39.5%, and with episodes of both pathologies in 2.6% of the patients. We found that the first event was highly representative, and it correlated with the rest of the events that would be recorded. Moreover, 92% of the first PNES had been captured at the end of the second day, and 89% of the first ES by the end of the third day. V-EEG for differential diagnosis between ES and PNES can be performed in hospitals without specialized epilepsy surgery units. For this indication, the duration of long-term V-EEG can be adjusted individually depending on the nature of the first event.

Morphological Description of Frontal EEG Interictal and Ictal Discharges in an Adult Cohort of 175 Patients.

Clinical and electroencephalogram (EEG) features in frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) vary considerably among patients, making the diagnosis a challenge. The objective of this study was to describe interictal and ictal EEG activity, identifying variables that could help to differentiate and diagnose frontal lobe epilepsy cases. A prospective cross-sectional study from patients with frontal interictal epileptiform discharges (IED) referred to the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital (Barcelona, Spain) after a clinical event compatible with epileptic seizures was designed. The interictal and ictal activity were analyzed to provide a detailed EEG description of the cases, using different statistical analyses. The morphological seizure pattern at the ictal onset remained globally unchanged over time in seizures arising from the frontal lobe for each patient. Isolated sharp waves were the most frequent waveforms in the expression of IED. Frontal lobe seizures are frequently short and sometimes appear grouped in clusters within the same recording. Often the ictal expression of the electrical activity in frontal lobe seizure is subtle and challenging to interpret. A description of the main findings is summarized to identify seizures arising from the frontal lobe and avoid false negatives findings in EEG interpretations.

Electroconvulsive Therapy in Super Refractory Status Epilepticus: Case Series with a Defined Protocol.

Super-refractory status epilepticus (SRSE) represents a neurological emergency that is characterized by a lack of response to the third line of antiepileptic treatment, including intravenous general anesthetics. It is a medical challenge with high morbidity and mortality. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been recommended as a nonpharmacologic option of treatment after other alternatives are unsuccessful. Its effect on the cessation of SRSE has been minimally investigated. The objective of this article is to analyze the effect of ECT on SRSE. For this purpose, a multidisciplinary team created a protocol based on clinical guidelines similar to those described previously by Ray et al. (2017). ECT was applied to six patients with SRSE after the failure of antiepileptic treatment and pharmacologic coma.The objective of each ECT session was to elicit a motor seizure for at least 20 s. SRSE was resolved in all patients after several days of treatment, including ECT as a therapy, without relevant adverse effects. Thus, ECT is an effective and feasible option in the treatment of SRSE, and its place in the algorithm in treatment should be studied due to the uncommon adverse effects and the noninvasive character of the therapy.

The Almirall European Headache Awards 2009.

The Almirall European Headache Awards (AEHA) were organized in conjunction with the European Headache Federation. The awards were held in 2009, aiming to share clinical experience and best practice in headache-related disease management. 56 unusual and challenging cases of headache from 5 European countries (Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain) were judged by a Scientific Committee including expert representatives from participating countries, acting as reviewers. Three cases were selected from each country. The 15 resulting cases were presented to the Scientific Committee in Madrid, Spain in November 2009 and awards were given to the top 5 presentations. This article presents details of these cases, including the award winning entries. They have been categorized into four main groups: (a) headaches in rare syndromes; (b) secondary headaches to infectious/autoimmune causes or post-trauma/mass occupation; (c) headache in unresolved cases; and (d) other relevant cases. First prize was awarded to a case involving a 55-year-old male with familial thrombocytopenia and a unilateral neuralgiform headache secondary to trigeminal vascular contact, and which was successfully treated with carbamazepine. Conclusions from the meeting include: rare syndromes do occur and require appropriate treatment to improve outcomes; concomitant diseases may impair adequate diagnosis and should be investigated; physicians should be cautious and treat possible serious underlying disease, whilst accurately clarifying the correct diagnosis; neurological examination and complementary tests may be required; consideration should be given to possible rare medication events; and some cases may remain without a clear cause or diagnosis and symptoms should be treated whilst investigations continue.

Trastornos urinarios, disfunción sexual e hipersexualidad en la enfermedad de Parkinson / Urinary disorders, sexual dysfunction and hypersexuality in Parkinson’s disease

Introducción. A medida que la enfermedad de Parkinson progresa, sus manifestaciones no motoras se van haciendo cada vez más evidentes, hasta el punto de que, en fases avanzadas, llegan a dominar el cuadro clínico. El abanico de síntomas no motores de la enfermedad de Parkinson es muy amplio. Las alteraciones de la función urinaria y de la función sexual (entendida como capacidad para llevar a cabo la función sexual) pueden enmarcarse dentro de los trastornos disautonómicos. La hipersexualidad se englobaría en el grupo de trastornos del control de impulsos. Desarrollo. Se revisa la epidemiología, fenomenología y tratamiento de los trastornos urinarios, la disfunción sexual y la hipersexualidad como síntomas no motores de la enfermedad de Parkinson. Conclusiones. Los trastornos urinarios son el síntoma no motor más frecuente en la enfermedad de Parkinson. Se presentan, habitualmente, como nicturia, urgencia y aumento de la frecuencia miccional (polaquiuria). El tratamiento de elección son los anticolinérgicos. La disfunción sexual es una queja frecuente en el enfermo parkinsoniano. Su etiología es multifactorial y resulta más frecuente en el varón que en la mujer. En el hombre se manifiesta principalmente como incapacidad para la erección, eyaculación precoz o pérdida de la capacidad para eyacular, mientras que en la mujer predomina la disminución de la libido, la disminución del arousal y la dificultad para alcanzar el orgasmo. La hipersexualidad afecta sobre todo a varones jóvenes y se ha relacionado con el uso de agonistas dopaminérgicos (AU)

Introduction. As Parkinson’s disease progresses, its non-motor manifestations become increasingly more apparent tothe point where, in advances phases of the disease, they are the most important clinical symptoms. A very wide range of non-motor symptoms can appear in Parkinson’s disease. Impairment of the urinary function and the sexual function (understood as the capacity to carry out sexual activity) can be seen as belonging to the dysautonomic disorders. Hypersexuality would be included within the group of impulse control disorders. Development. This study reviews the epidemiology, phenomenology and treatment of urinary disorders, sexual dysfunction and hypersexuality as non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Conclusions. Urinary disorders are the most frequent non-motor symptom in Parkinson’s disease. They usually present as nocturia, urgency and increased mictional frequency (pollakiuria). Preferred treatment is with anticholinergic agents. Sexual dysfunction is a frequent complaint in patients with Parkinson. It has a multifactorial aetiology and is more frequent in males than in females. In males it manifests mainly as incapacity to achieve an erection, premature ejaculation or loss of the capacity to ejaculate, whereas in females the predominant signs are decreased libido, lowered arousal and difficulty in reaching an orgasm. Hypersexuality affects young males above all and has been related to the use of dopamine agonists (AU)