Median Nerve Somatosensory Evoked Potential in HTLV-I Associated Myelopathy.

INTRODUCTION: HTLV-I Associated Myelopathy/Tropical Spastic Paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a progressive Myelopathy that mainly involves the corticospinal tract. Despite pronounced involvement of the lower limbs, patients also have abnormalities in their upper limbs. So, we studied somatosensory-evoked potentials (SSEPs) of the median nerve in HAM/TSP patients to determine the extent of the involvement of the pathway of the central nervous system, especially the cervical spinal cord. METHODS: In this cross sectional study, 48 patients with HAM/TSP who were referred to Qaem Hospital in Mashhad from October 2010 to October 2011 were evaluated for various indices, including SSEPs of the median nerve for N9, N11, N13, and N20 waveforms and also N11-13 and N13-20 Inter Peak Latency (IPL), severity of disease (based on Osama criteria), disease duration (less or more than 2 years), age, and gender. SPSS software was used for data analysis. The t-test was used for quantitative data, and the chi-squared test was used for the qualitative variables. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients (70.2%) were females. The mean age was 45.6 ± 14.2 years. About SSEPs indices of the median nerve, N9 and N11 were normal in all patients, but N13 (50%), N20 (16.7%), IPL11-13 (58.3%), and IPL13-20 (22.9%) were abnormal. No significant relationships were found between age, gender, disease duration, and SSEPs indices (p > 0.05), but IPL11-13 and IPL13-20 had significant relationships with disease disability (p = 0.017 and p = 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: Despite the lack of obvious complaints of upper limbs, SSEPs indices of the median nerve from the cervical spinal cord to the cortex were abnormal, which indicated extension of the lesion from the thoracic spinal cord up to the cervical spinal cord and thalamocortical pathways. Also, abnormalities in the cervical spinal cord had a direct correlation with the severity of disability in patients with HAM/TSP.

Evaluating the Role of Corticosteroid Pulse Therapy in Patients With Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Receiving Mitoxantrone: A Double Blind Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a central nervous system disorder with periods of recurrence and recovery. Mitoxantrone has been approved for secondary progressive MS (SPMS) treatment but data lacks the role of corticosteroid pulse therapy in SPMS. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the role of corticosteroid pulse therapy in patients with SPMS receiving mitoxantrone. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A double blind randomized controlled clinical trial was performed on 71 patients with SPMS referred to Shahid Sadoughi Hospital (Yazd, Iran) for receiving mitoxantrone in two groups. The first group (35 patients) received 20 mg mitoxantrone plus 500 mg methylprednisolone monthly for six months. The second group (36 patients) received the same dosage of mitoxantrone plus 100 CC of 5% dextrose water monthly for six months. Expanded disability status scale (EDSS), MRI plaques in both groups before and after the treatment completion and six months after the end of trial were compared together. RESULTS: 28 men and 43 women enrolled in the study. MRI plaques number reduced in groups significantly (2.29 vs. 2.17) without significant difference between the groups (P = 0.782). Six months after trial completion, plaques number increased in groups without significantly difference (0.72 vs. 0.77, P = 0.611). The mean value of EDSS showed significant reduction at the end of treatment in groups (0.79 and 0.53) without significant difference between the groups (P = 0.953). Six months after trial completion, EDSS increased in groups without significant difference (0.35 vs. 0.43, P = 0.624). CONCLUSIONS: Corticosteroid pulse therapy in SPMS was effective in inflammatory process, but could not postpone or decline the neurodegenerative process and besides the imposing side effects could not result in significant improvement in EDSS and MRI plaques number in long term.

Evaluation of efficacy of intra-nasal lidocaine for headache relief in patients refer to emergency department.

BACKGROUND: Headache is a common complaint for emergency visits. Common drugs used in relief of headache are opioids and their agonists and antagonists, ergot alkaloids, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Lack of appropriate medications or serious side effects of available drugs, motivated us to perform the study for evaluating the efficacy of intranasal lidocaine on different types of headache. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A double-blind, randomized clinical trial (RCT) was performed among 90 adult patients with acute headache in Shahid Rahnemoon Emergency Center of Yazd city of Iran (45 patients in lidocaine group and 45 patients in placebo group). Patients with history of epilepsy, allergy to lidocaine, signs of skull base fracture, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) < 15, patients younger than 14 years and patients who had received any medication in previous 2 h were excluded. After checking vital signs and taking the demographic data, one puff of 10% lidocaine or normal saline (placebo) was sprayed into each nostril. Patients' headache severity measured by visual analog scale (VAS) before drug administration and at 1, 5, 15, and 30 min after intervention. Data were analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17 and statistical tests including t-test, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), Fisher's exact test, and Mann-Whitney test were performed. Descriptive variables were expressed by mean ± standard deviation (SD) and quantitative variables reported by frequency and percentages. P-values less than 0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: 57.8% of patients were female. The mean age of patients was 35.32 years. According to sex and age, there was no significant difference between groups (P-values were 0.83 and 0.21; respectively). The mean base pain score was 6.97 in lidocaine group and 6.42 in placebo group which was not significantly different (P-value = 0.198). After intervention, the mean scores were significantly lower in lidocaine group than placebo group in all mentioned times (P-value < 0.001). The primary and secondary headaches had no significant difference in mean pain relief score in lidocaine group (P = 0.602). CONCLUSION: Intranasal lidocaine is an efficient method for pain reduction in patients with headache. Regarding easy administration and little side effects, we recommend this method in patients referred to emergency department (ED) with headache.

Delayed polyneuropathy in farm sprayers due to chronic low dose pesticide exposure.

BACKGROUND: The use of organophosphates (OPs) in developing countries is rising in large quantities and non-secure methods. This problem not only causes acute poisoning but also may lead to chronic diseases such as polyneuropathy. In Iran, 60% of pesticides are organophosphate compounds that may lead to delayed polyneuropathy. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the current study was to evaluate delayed polyneuropathy in farm sprayers due to chronic low dose pesticide exposure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In our cross-sectional study, non-randomized sampling method was performed and 100 farm sprayers (cases) and 100 hospital personnel (controls) after precise systemic and neurological examination were recruited to this study from June 2011 to august 2011. The nerve conduction studies were performed and these indices were recorded: Compound Muscle Action Potential (CMAP), amplitude and Distal Latency (DL) and Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV) of common peroneal nerve, Peak Latency (PL) and amplitude of Sensory Nerve Action Potential (SNAP) and Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV) of sural and radial sensory nerves. RESULTS: Among 100 cases, 55 farm sprayers complained of non-neurological problems including: ophthalmologic, dermatologic and pulmonary complications. The ophthalmologic complaints (44%) were the most. The mean peroneal CMAP amplitude and NCV, sural PL, radial SNAP amplitude, PL and NCV in the case group were significantly different compared to control group. Mean exposure time to OPs in farm sprayers without neurological problem (40%) was 11.81 ± 5.84 years but in farm sprayers with neurological problems (60%) was 15.70 ± 9.08 years, which represents the effect of OPs exposure duration on neurologic problems. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic low dose pesticide exposure could lead to delayed peripheral neuropathy as well as systemic (skin, eyes and lungs) complications. In farm sprayers electrodiagnostic indices were significantly abnormal as compared to control group. The normal indices did not rule out neurologic involvement and it seems that measurement of these indices at the beginning of the farm sprayers employment and intermittently during their work is helpful for detecting delayed polyneuropathy.

Comparison between Intravenous Sodium Valproate and Subcutaneous Sumatriptan for Treatment of Acute Migraine Attacks; Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Sodium valproate (SV) has been approved for migraine prophylaxis and its intravenous form is used to treat acute migraine attacks. We compared the efficacy and safety of intravenous SV and subcutaneous Sumatriptan in managing acute migraine attacks. METHODS: This double-blind randomized clinical trial divided 90 patients into two groups: one group received 400 mg of intravenous SV and the second group received 6 mg of subcutaneous Sumatriptan. Headache severity before treatment and half an hour, one hour, and two hours after treatment was measured based on the VNRS in the groups. Associated symptoms, i.e., photophobia, phonophobia, nausea, and vomiting, were assayed on admission and 2 hours after treatment. Side effects of the drugs were checked 2 hours after injection. Obtained data from the groups were compared. RESULTS: In both groups, pain decrement at the mentioned time points was significant (P<0.001), but had no significant difference (P>0.05), indicating the similar effect of both drugs on pain improvement. In the SV group, photophobia, phonophobia, nausea, and vomiting were improved significantly, while in the Sumatriptan group, only photophobia and vomiting were decreased significantly, indicating the advantage of SV in improving the associated symptoms. Nausea, vomiting, facial paresthesia, and hypotension were more significantly frequent in the Sumatriptan group than in the SV group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Intravenous SV (400 mg) was as effective as subcutaneous Sumatriptan in the treatment of acute migraine attacks, but with more improvement in associated symptoms and with fewer side effects. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: IRCT201108025943N4.