Defining the course of tumefactive multiple sclerosis: A large retrospective multicentre study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Tumefactive multiple sclerosis (TuMS) (i.e., MS onset presenting with tumefactive demyelinating lesions [TDLs]) is a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. We performed a multicentre retrospective study to describe the clinical characteristics and the prognostic factors of TuMS. METHODS: One hundred two TuMS patients were included in this retrospective study. Demographic, clinical, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), laboratory data and treatment choices were collected. RESULTS: TuMS was found to affect women more than men (female:male: 2.4), with a young adulthood onset (median age: 29.5 years, range: 11-68 years, interquartile range [IQR]: 38 years). At onset, 52% of TuMS patients presented with the involvement of more than one functional system and 24.5% of them with multiple TDLs. TDLs most frequently presented with an infiltrative MRI pattern (38.7%). Cerebrospinal fluid immunoglobulin G oligoclonal bands were often demonstrated (76.6%). In 25.3% of the cases, more than one acute-phase treatment was administered, and almost one-half of the patients (46.6%) were treated with high-efficacy treatments. After a median follow-up of 2.3 years (range: 0.1-10.7 years, IQR: 3.4 years), the median Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score was 1.5 (range: 0-7, IQR: 2). Independent risk factors for reaching an EDSS score ≥3 were a higher age at onset (odds ratio [OR]: 1.08, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-1.14, p < 0.01), a higher number of TDLs (OR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.02-2.74, p < 0.05) and the presence of infiltrative TDLs (OR: 3.34, 95% CI: 1.18-9.5, p < 0.001) at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: The management of TuMS might be challenging because of its peculiar characteristics. Large prospective studies could help to define the clinical characteristics and the best treatment algorithms for people with TuMS.

Distribution and Temporal Trends From 1993 to 2015 of Ischemic Stroke Subtypes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Preventive strategies, together with demographic and socioeconomic changes, might have modified the worldwide distribution of ischemic stroke (IS) subtypes. We investigated those changes by means of a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: We evaluated all population- and hospital-based studies reporting the distribution of IS etiologic subtypes according to the TOAST criteria (Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment). Studies were identified by searching articles indexed on PubMed and Scopus from January 1, 1993, to June 30, 2017. Two independent investigators extracted data and checked them for accuracy. Proportions of each etiologic subtype were pooled according to a random effect meta-analytic model weighted by study size; temporal trends were assessed using a mixed-effect meta-regression model. RESULTS: Sixty-five studies including patients from 1993 to 2015 were finally included. Overall, ISs were attributed to cardioembolism (22%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 20-23); large artery atherosclerosis (23%; 95% CI, 21-25); small artery occlusion (22%; 95% CI, 21-24); other determined cause (3%; 95% CI, 3-3); and undetermined cause (26%; 95% CI, 24-28). Cardioembolism was the leading IS etiologic subtype in whites (28%; 95% CI, 26-29) and large artery atherosclerosis in Asians (33%; 95% CI, 31-36). Meta-regression showed an increasing temporal trend for cardioembolism in whites (2.4% annually, P=0.008) and large artery atherosclerosis in Asians (5.7% annually, P<0.001), and a decrease for small artery occlusion in whites (-4.7% annually, P=0.001); there was considerable heterogeneity across all the analyses. CONCLUSIONS: According to our systematic review and meta-analysis, cardioembolism in whites and large artery atherosclerosis in Asians are the leading causes of IS. The heterogeneous distribution of etiologic subtypes of IS may depend on the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the different populations. More extensive protocols should be adopted to reduce the persistently relevant proportion of undetermined cause IS.

Multiple sclerosis--new treatment modalities.

Ever since the introduction of the first disease modifying therapies, the concept of multiple sclerosis treatment algorithms developed ceaselessly. The increasing number of available drugs is paralleled by impelling issue of ensuring the most appropriate treatment to the right patient at the right time. The purpose of this review is to describe novel agents recently approved for multiple sclerosis treatment, namely teriflunomide, alemtuzumab and dimethylfumarate, focusing on mechanism of action, efficacy data in experimental setting, safety and tolerability. The place in therapy of newer treatment implies careful balancing of risk-benefit profile as well as accurate patient selection. Hence the widening of therapeutic arsenal provides greater opportunity for personalized therapy but also entails a complex trade-off between efficacy, tolerability, safety and eventually patient preference.

Is size an essential criterion to define tumefactive plaque? MR features and clinical correlation in multiple sclerosis.

Tumefactive multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. It has recently been described as a rare subtype of multiple sclerosis (MS) characterised by the appearance of solitary or multiple space-occupying lesions associated with imaging characteristics mimicking neoplasm. Atypical features include plaque size >2 cm with mass effect, oedema, and/or ring enhancement on magnetic resonance (MR) images.This study is a retrospective review designed to evaluate the prevalence of tumefactive plaques in a selected population of 440 MS patients referred to our MS centre in Southern Italy between 2005 and 2014. We analysed the radiographic features of lesions ranging in size from 0.5 to 2 cm to establish whether smaller plaques with MR characteristics similar to tumefactive plaques present different symptoms, disease evolution and prognosis. We also aimed to ascertain if MR features suggestive of biological aggressiveness could be useful prognostic criteria for a correct diagnosis of the disease and subsequent treatment. Our data suggest that lesions 0.5-2 cm and >2 cm have similar MR features and clinical evolution.

Fingolimod Treatment in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Patients: A Prospective Observational Multicenter Postmarketing Study.

Objective. The aim of this prospective observational multicenter postmarketing study was to evaluate fingolimod efficacy in a real world clinical setting. Methods. One hundred forty-two subjects with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) were enrolled in three multiple sclerosis centers throughout Central and Southern Italy between January 2011 and September 2013. After enrollment, regular visits and EDSS assessment were scheduled every 3 months, and MRI scan was obtained every 12 months. Patients were followed up from 1 to 33 months (mean 14.95 ± 9.15 months). The main efficacy endpoints included the proportion of patients free from clinical relapses, from disability progression, from magnetic resonance imaging activity, and from any disease activity. Results. Out of 142 patients enrolled in the study, 88.1% were free from clinical relapse and 69.0% were free from disability progression; 68.5% of patients remained free from new or newly enlarging T2 lesions and 81.7% of patients were free from gadolinium enhancing lesions. Overall the proportion of patients free from any disease activity was 41.9%. Conclusions. Our data in a real world cohort are consistent with previous findings that yield convincing evidence for the efficacy of fingolimod in patients with RRMS.

Updates on Somatoform Disorders (SFMD) in Parkinson's Disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies and discussion of phenomenology.

Somatoform Disorders (SFMD) were recently described in Parkinson Disease (PD) and Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB). The present paper updates the observations in our cohort of patients and further details clinical phenomenology. Of 3178 patients consecutively referred to our Institutions from 1999, 1572 subjects had neurodegenerative diseases and 1718 psychiatric disorders. After 2-9 years of follow up, 488 patients were labelled as PD, 415 as Alzheimer Disease, 162 as DLB, 48 as Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, 48 as Multiple System Atrophy and 49 as Fronto-Temporal Dementia. The frequency of SFMD (DSM-IV-TR criteria) was determined in each diagnostic category by direct observation of SFMD symptoms, psychiatric interviews, SCL 90Rss, collection of previous general practitioners and hospital charts. The frequency of SFMD was considerably higher in DLB (29 patients, 18%) and PD (37 patients, 7.5%) than in any other group (0-2%). The frequency of SFMD in psychiatric patients was 2%. SFMD in PD and DLB were characterised by motor and non-motor patterns and were often accompanied by catatonic signs consisting of posturing stereotypies and negativism (55%). SFMD symptoms preceded PD motor signs by 6 months-5 years in 92% of the 29 DLB and 37 PD patients and in 70% SFMD were recurrent at follow-up. In 93% of these patients, hypochondria was a preceding or concomitant background.