Latin American Initiative for Lifestyle Intervention to Prevent Cognitive Decline (LatAm-FINGERS): Study design and harmonization.

INTRODUCTION: Latin American Initiative for Lifestyle Intervention to Prevent Cognitive Decline (LatAm-FINGERS) is the first non-pharmacological multicenter randomized clinical trial (RCT) to prevent cognitive impairment in Latin America (LA). Our aim is to present the study design and discuss the strategies used for multicultural harmonization. METHODS: This 1-year RCT (working on a 1-year extension) investigates the feasibility of a multi-domain lifestyle intervention in LA and the efficacy of the intervention, primarily on cognitive function. An external harmonization process was carried out to follow the FINGER model, and an internal harmonization was performed to ensure this study was feasible and comparable across the 12 participating LA countries. RESULTS: Currently, 1549 participants have been screened, and 815 randomized. Participants are ethnically diverse (56% are Nestizo) and have high cardiovascular risk (39% have metabolic syndrome). DISCUSSION: LatAm-FINGERS overcame a significant challenge to combine the region's diversity into a multi-domain risk reduction intervention feasible across LA while preserving the original FINGER design.

Working Group Recommendations for the Practice of Teleneuropsychology in Latin America.

OBJECTIVE: Teleneuropsychology (teleNP) could potentially expand access to services for patients who are confined, have limited personal access to healthcare, or live in remote areas. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased the use of teleNP for cognitive assessments. The main objective of these recommendations is to identify which procedures can be potentially best adapted to the practice of teleNP in Latin America, and thereby facilitate professional decision-making in the region. METHOD: Steps taken to develop these recommendations included (1) formation of an international working group with representatives from 12 Latin American countries; (2) assessment of rationale, scope, and objectives; (3) formulation of clinical questions; (4) evidence search and selection; (5) evaluation of existing evidence and summary; and (6) formulation of recommendations. Levels of evidence were graded following the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine system. Databases examined included PubMed, WHO-IRIS, WHO and PAHO-IRIS, Índice Bibliográfico Español en Ciencias de la Salud (IBCS), and LILACS. RESULTS: Working group members reviewed 18,400 titles and 422 abstracts and identified 19 articles meeting the criteria for level of evidence, categorization, and elaboration of recommendations. The vast majority of the literature included teleNP tests in the English language. The working group proposed a series of recommendations that can be potentially best adapted to the practice of teleNP in Latin America. CONCLUSIONS: There is currently sufficient evidence to support the use of videoconferencing technology for remote neuropsychological assessments. These recommendations will likely contribute to the advancement of teleNP research and practice in the region.

Latin American consensus on guidelines for chronic migraine treatment.

Chronic migraine is a condition with significant prevalence all around the world and high socioeconomic impact, and its handling has been challenging neurologists. Developments for understanding its mechanisms and associated conditions, as well as that of new therapies, have been quick and important, a fact which has motivated the Latin American and Brazilian Headache Societies to prepare the present consensus. The treatment of chronic migraine should always be preceded by a careful diagnosis review; the detection of possible worsening factors and associated conditions; the stratification of seriousness/impossibility to treat; and monitoring establishment, with a pain diary. The present consensus deals with pharmacological and nonpharmacological forms of treatment to be used in chronic migraine.

Latin American consensus on guidelines for chronic migraine treatment / Consenso latino-americano para as diretrizes de tratamento da migranea cronica

Chronic migraine is a condition with significant prevalence all around the world and high socioeconomic impact, and its handling has been challenging neurologists. Developments for understanding its mechanisms and associated conditions, as well as that of new therapies, have been quick and important, a fact which has motivated the Latin American and Brazilian Headache Societies to prepare the present consensus. The treatment of chronic migraine should always be preceded by a careful diagnosis review; the detection of possible worsening factors and associated conditions; the stratification of seriousness/impossibility to treat; and monitoring establishment, with a pain diary. The present consensus deals with pharmacological and nonpharmacological forms of treatment to be used in chronic migraine.

A migrânea crônica é uma condição com prevalência significativa ao redor do mundo e alto impacto socioeconômico, sendo que seu manuseio tem desafiado os neurologistas. Os avanços na compreensão de seus mecanismos e das condições a ela associadas, bem como nas novas terapêuticas, têm sido rápidos e importantes, fato que motivou as Sociedades Latino-americana e Brasileira de Cefaleia a elaborarem o presente consenso. O tratamento da migrânea crônica deve ser sempre precedido por uma revisão cuidadosa do diagnóstico, pela detecção de possíveis fatores de piora e das condições associadas, pela estratificação de gravidade/impossibilidade de se tratar e pelo monitoramento com um diário da dor. Este consenso apresenta abordagens farmacológicas e não-farmacológicas para tratar a migrânea crônica.

Paraparesia espástica tropical: a propósito de un caso clínico / Tropical spastic paraparesis: report of a case

Se presenta el caso clínico de una paciente con diagnóstico inicial de hipotiroidismo, cuadro que ameritó internación, compensado adecuadamente con levotiroxina. A pesar de existir buena respuesta al tratamiento instaurado, persiste la presencia de sintomatología de compromiso neurológico por lo que se solicita evaluación por dicha especialidad; se encuentran datos sugestivos de un cuadro de paraparesia espástica tropical, enfermedad producida por el HTVLI. El diagnóstico es confirmado mediante examenes de laboratorio. Es tratada con pentoxifilina y vitamina C con respuesta clínica inicial buena, pero posteriormente presenta exacerbación de las manifestaciones neurológicas, como sucede habitualmente en esta patología. nuestro país se encuentra en una regíon endemica de la infección mencionada, y sin embargo el diagnóstico es mas bien esporádico. Se discute en este artículo la epidemiología, las dificultades diagnósticas que planteo este caso en particular y las posibilidades terapéuticas de esta enfermedad neurológica.

We present the case of a female patient who initially was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, and adequately compensated with levotiroxin . In spite of the otherwise successfultreatment, neurological symptoms persisted. The neurological examination showed datasuggestive of tropical spastic paraparesis,a disease caused by HTVL-1.The diagnosis was confirmed by laboratory tests. The patient was treated with pentoxifiline and vitamin C, initially with a good clinical response. Later on, however, exacerbation of the neurological symptoms resulted, as usually happens in this disease. In our country, tropical spastic paraparesis is endemic but only sporadically diagnosed. We review the most relevant aspects of epidemiology, the diagnostic difficulty in this case, and the therapeutic options for this neurological disease.