Unveiling the role of subjective cognitive complaints in predicting cognitive impairment in Parkinson´s Disease- A longitudinal study with 4 year of follow up.

BACKGROUND: Emerging data associated subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) with a heightened risk of future cognitive decline in Parkinson´s Disease (PD). OBJECTIVE: To determine whether SCC may predict the development of cognitive impairment in PD patients at baseline. METHODS: Over 4 years, major aspects of motor and non-motor symptoms were assessed. SCC were evaluated by non-motor symptoms scale domain-5 (NMSS5). The predictor value of SCC in cognitive change was assessed with univariate linear regression analyses, with NMSS5 at baseline as predictor. Change in cognition (ΔMoCA) was calculated by subtracting Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) scores at baseline from scores obtained at reassessment and employed as the outcome. We replicated these analyses by employing alterations in MoCA subdomains as outcomes. RESULTS: 134 patients were evaluated at baseline, of those 73 PD patients were reassessed four years later. In our study, SCC didn´t act as a predictor for future cognitive decline. However, baseline NMSS5 was associated significantly with variation in attention, naming, and orientation domains. CONCLUSION: Our findings did not support that SCC in PD patients acts as a predictor of global cognitive decline. However, our findings enhance comprehension of how SCC correlates with performance in distinct cognitive areas, thereby providing better guidance for patients on their current complaints.

Are we missing an opportunity? Prehospital delay in patients with acute ischemic stroke and known atrial fibrillation.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The follow-up of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) presents an opportunity to alert patients and their families on how to recognize and act in the event of stroke. Our aim was to compare stroke recognition-to-door time and prehospital stroke code activation in patients with known AF (KAF) and AF detected after stroke (AFDAS). METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients receiving acute recanalization treatment for acute ischemic stroke between January 2016 and August 2022, with AF as a potential stroke cause. Patients were divided into KAF and AFDAS, and stroke recognition-to-door time and prehospital stroke code activation were compared. In the KAF subgroup, we assessed whether the use of preadmission anticoagulation was associated with the studied prehospital parameters. RESULTS: We included 438 patients, 290 female (66.2%), mean age 79.3±9.4 years. In total, 238 patients had KAF (54.3%) and 200 (45.7%) had AFDAS. Of those with KAF, 114 (48.1%) were pretreated with anticoagulation. Patients with KAF and AFDAS had no differences in stroke recognition-to-door time (74.0 [55.0-101.0] vs. 78.0 [60.0-112.0] min; p=0.097) or prehospital stroke code activation [148 (64.6%) vs. 128 (65.3%); p=0.965]. In the KAF subgroup, preadmission anticoagulation did not influence stroke recognition-to-door time or mode of hospital admission. CONCLUSION: Stroke recognition-to-door time and prehospital stroke code activation were similar between patients with known or newly diagnosed AF. Preadmission anticoagulation treatment also did not affect the studied parameters. Our findings highlight a missed opportunity to promote stroke knowledge in patients followed due to AF.

The role of neurohospitalism in a specialized cardiovascular hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery are among the specialties that most commonly require neurology inpatient consultations. We aimed to study the neurology referrals by the cardiovascular-specialized hospital included in our tertiary hospital center. METHODS: Retrospective study of consecutive patients referred for neurology inpatient consultation between 01/01/2020 and 31/12/2022. We analyzed referrals, patients' characteristics, and the approach taken. A detailed subanalysis was performed for patients diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). RESULTS: 143 patients were observed [mean age 67.3 years, 46 (32.2%) females]. Most frequent referral reasons were suspected AIS deficits (39.2%), altered mental status (19.6%), suspected seizures (13.3%), and neuroprognostication (11.9%). Mean referral-to-consult time was 2.7 days, and 117 (81.8%) consults were in-person. Additional investigation, treatment changes, and outpatient clinic referral were proposed, respectively in 79.7%, 60.1%, and 19.6% of patients. Most common diagnoses were AIS (45.5%), hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (18.9%) and delirium (7.0%). Regarding patients with AIS (n=62), most common stroke causes were post-cardiac procedure (44.6%), infective endocarditis (18.5%), aortic dissection (10.8%), acute myocardial infarction (10.8%) and anticoagulant withdrawal in patients with atrial fibrillation (6.2%). 34 AIS patients were diagnosed less than 24-hours since last seen well, of which four (6.2%) were treated (three with thrombolysis and one with mechanical thrombectomy). CONCLUSION: AIS is the most common reason for referral in our cardiovascular hospital. Our results highlight the importance of the availability of a neurologist/neurohospitalist with stroke expertise for consultation of inpatients admitted in a specialized cardiovascular hospital.

Sleep seasonality in alpha-synucleinopathies: A comparative study with non-neurological sleep disorder patients.

INTRODUCTION: It is unknown if seasonal variation in daylight affects sleep in patients with alpha-synucleinopathies. Our objectives were to assess month of the year related changes in polysomnography (PSG) data in patients with Parkinson 's disease (PD), Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) and isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD). METHODS: We collected PSG data from 64 PD, 30 LBD and 24 iRBD patients attending a sleep laboratory in Lisbon, Portugal, during 10 years. Each was classified according to the month of the year PSG was performed and compared with a control patient with sleep disorder, but no evidence of other neurological disorder, matched for sex, age group and PSG month. The influence of month in PSG data was assessed with mixed linear regression analysis. RESULTS: In alpha-synucleinopathies, month showed significant interaction with N2 stage time and percentage (increase from December to April) and N3 time (peak in May). REM sleep percentage increased significantly from Spring to middle Summer. In the control group, there were significant interactions regarding Total Sleep Time and Sleep Efficiency (drop during wintertime), N2 time and REM % (increase in April and May) and Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) (peak in June). There were significant associations between the term group*month and sleep efficiency and AHI, with larger monthly variation in the control group. CONCLUSION: Seasonality had a larger impact in stage architecture in alpha-synucleinopathies, and in total sleep time, sleep efficiency and the severity of OSA in the control group. Different sleep dysfunction mechanisms could explain differences in seasonal variation.

Parkinson's disease patients' perspective on telephone visits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Telemedicine is a promising modality to provide specialized care in periods when attendance is challenged, as recently observed during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We aimed to evaluate the satisfaction with telemedicine visits in a group of Parkinson´s disease (PD) patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to identify demographic or clinical factors associated with higher telemedicine satisfaction. Retrospective cohort study of PD patients who attended telemedicine visits at Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Ocidental, from March 1, 2020 until March 31, 2021. An eleven-question telephone survey was used to assess satisfaction with telemedicine visits. Patients' answers were dichotomized into "satisfied" or "not satisfied" to study the factors associated with satisfaction with telemedicine. Mann-Whitney U for continuous variables and chi-square tests for categorical variables were performed to compare data between the two groups. Linear regression was used to study the factors associated with being satisfied with telemedicine. A total of 111 patients (87%) accepted to participate in this survey. The majority (n = 74.67%) reported being satisfied with telemedicine visits. Patients preferred a combination of in-person and telemedicine visits (n = 43.39%). Male gender (p < 0.001) and employed patients (p < 0.001) were associated with higher satisfaction. In the linear regression, therapeutic changes deemed clear (p < 0.014) and considering the absence of neurological examination non-detrimental (p < 0.001) were associated with a higher degree of satisfaction with telemedicine. Most patients are satisfied with telemedicine visits, even in urgent implementation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, telemedicine does not pose a hurdle to a paradigm shift away from conventional in-person appointments.

Safety and Outcome of Revascularization Treatment in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke and COVID-19: The Global COVID-19 Stroke Registry.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: COVID-19-related inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and coagulopathy may increase the bleeding risk and lower the efficacy of revascularization treatments in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). We aimed to evaluate the safety and outcomes of revascularization treatments in patients with AIS and COVID-19. METHODS: This was a retrospective multicenter cohort study of consecutive patients with AIS receiving intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and/or endovascular treatment (EVT) between March 2020 and June 2021 tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. With a doubly robust model combining propensity score weighting and multivariate regression, we studied the association of COVID-19 with intracranial bleeding complications and clinical outcomes. Subgroup analyses were performed according to treatment groups (IVT-only and EVT). RESULTS: Of a total of 15,128 included patients from 105 centers, 853 (5.6%) were diagnosed with COVID-19; of those, 5,848 (38.7%) patients received IVT-only and 9,280 (61.3%) EVT (with or without IVT). Patients with COVID-19 had a higher rate of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) (adjusted OR 1.53; 95% CI 1.16-2.01), symptomatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SSAH) (OR 1.80; 95% CI 1.20-2.69), SICH and/or SSAH combined (OR 1.56; 95% CI 1.23-1.99), 24-hour mortality (OR 2.47; 95% CI 1.58-3.86), and 3-month mortality (OR 1.88; 95% CI 1.52-2.33). Patients with COVID-19 also had an unfavorable shift in the distribution of the modified Rankin score at 3 months (OR 1.42; 95% CI 1.26-1.60). DISCUSSION: Patients with AIS and COVID-19 showed higher rates of intracranial bleeding complications and worse clinical outcomes after revascularization treatments than contemporaneous non-COVID-19 patients receiving treatment. Current available data do not allow direct conclusions to be drawn on the effectiveness of revascularization treatments in patients with COVID-19 or to establish different treatment recommendations in this subgroup of patients with ischemic stroke. Our findings can be taken into consideration for treatment decisions, patient monitoring, and establishing prognosis. TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION: The study was registered under ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04895462.

Sleep stability in isolated rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, Parkinson's disease, and dementia with Lewy bodies.

BACKGROUND: Non-REM sleep symptoms remain poorly understood in alpha-synucleinopathies. AIMS: The aims of the study were to compare sleep stability and transitions, arousals, and sleep cycle structure between isolated rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (iRBD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sleep transition and stability measures were assessed in one-night video-polysomnography records. Transition measures were the number of shifts between Wake and REM, Wake and NREM, and REM and NREM. Stability measures were the number of passages within the same sleep stage. We assessed arousals, the number/duration of sleep cycles (defined as a sequence of any NREM stage to REM), and the duration of N3 and REM sleep in each cycle. These variables were compared between two sets of groups (PD vs. DLB vs. iRBD and RDB+ vs. RBD-). RESULTS: We assessed 54 PD, 24 DLB, and 21 iRBD patients (54 RBD+, 22 RBD-). There were no significant differences regarding sleep stability measures. Arousal indices in N1 and N2 stages were significantly higher in PD compared with iRBD. 24% of the sample did not have any sleep cycle. PD had significantly fewer cycles than iRBD. Differences became non-significant when adjusting for medication. There was no effect of group or time of night in REM or N3 duration. There were no significant differences between RBD+ and RBD-. DISCUSSION: There were no significant differences in stability/transition measures. Arousals and disturbance in sleep cycling were higher in PD, but the difference was no longer significant after adjusting for medication. CONCLUSION: Different alpha-synucleinopathies have a similar degree of non-REM sleep instability, but medication could worsen symptoms in PD.

Clinical pattern and response to treatment of primary stabbing headache: Retrospective case series study from a Portuguese tertiary hospital.

OBJECTIVES: This retrospective case series study aimed to investigate the demographic and clinical patterns of primary stabbing headache (PSH). In addition, we tried to identify subgroups of treatment responses in a neurology outpatient consultation at a Portuguese tertiary hospital. METHODS: Clinical records were retrospectively reviewed and patients meeting the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition, criteria for PSH were identified from January 2014 to December 2020. We collected data regarding demographic characteristics, clinical features of the headache, primary headache comorbidities, and information about treatment-related do PSH. RESULTS: Of 1857 patients, 32 (1.7%; mean [SD] age of onset 56 [3.5] years) had the final diagnosis of PSH. Regarding headache characteristics, 20 patients (62.5%) reported episodes of stabbing in fixed locations and 12 (37.5%) in multiple areas; the duration of each attack was between ≤5 s (seven [21.9%]), 5-60 s (20 [62.5%]), and ≥60 s (five [15.6%]). In all, 18 patients (56.3%) had an episodic course (vs. six of 32 [18.8%] an acute course and eight of 32 [25%] a chronic course). In all, 17 patients started medical treatment (53.1%), with total or partial improvement in 10 (58.8%) of them. It was found that patients with pain in fixed locations had a better response to treatment when compared to patients with multiple locations, in a statistically significant way (eight of 11 vs. two of six, p = 0.023). CONCLUSION: In our sample, the mean age of onset of PSH was >50 years and there was a wide range of PSH duration. The duration of each attack (>5 s), the pain in fixed locations, non-daily episodes of the pain in each attack, and the intermittent course of headache were the most prevalent clinical features. Finally, patients with stabbing in localized areas had a better response to treatment.

Objective sleep data as predictors of cognitive decline in dementia with Lewy Bodies and Parkinson's disease.

INTRODUCTION: Parkinson's disease (PD) and Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) prognosis depends on cognitive function evolution. Sleep disorders, as objectivated by polysomnography (PSG), are intimately connected with PD and DLB pathophysiology, but have seldomly been used to predict cognitive decline. METHODS: 20 DLB and 49 PD patients underwent one-night in-lab video-PSG. Sleep variables were defined, including REM sleep motor events, Tonic and phasic REM sleep muscular tone and RBD diagnosis. Cognitive state (assessed with the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) was collected from case files for 6 months intervals, for a maximum period of 3.5 years or until death/drop-out.). The relation between PSG data at baseline and variation of GDS scores over time was tested with mixed linear regression analysis. RESULTS: GDS scores were higher in DLB, than in PD. We confirmed significant cognitive decline in both disorders, but no significant differences in progression between them. There were no significant interactions between PSG data and GDS variation for the entire group and DLB separately. In PD patients, there was a significant interaction between RBD diagnosis and tonic excessive muscular tone and GDS increase. CONCLUSION: Our data suggests that PSG data can be useful in predicting cognitive decline in PD but not in DLB patients. In PD patients, an RBD diagnosis is predictive of cognitive deterioration, confirming the notion that this non-motor symptom relates to a malignant sub-type. Tonic excessive muscular activity, but not other RBD features, had predictive value in this group, pointing to a specific relation with the disease pathophysiology.