The rate of brain volume loss (BVL) from neurodegeneration and axonal loss is estimated to be two-fold higher in MS patients compared to age-matched healthy controls, and is an important determinant of cognitive dysfunction, according to the results of a new meta-analysis. Read More
Neurology
Aggressive BP lowering not advised in older patients with dementia, MCI
July 20, 2016Aggressive treatment to reach blood pressure targets may have adverse effects on cognitive function in patients with dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), according to the results of a recent study (Mossello et al. JAMA Intern Med 2015;175:578-585). Read More
Opioid use increasing in elderly patients with dementia
July 13, 2016A decade ago, the FDA issued a black-box warning about the increased mortality risk associated with atypical antipsychotics used to treat dementia-related psychosis; the warning was extended in 2008 to include typical antipsychotics (www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm124830.htm). Read More
RBC distribution width useful in differential diagnosis of stroke
June 15, 2016Calculating the red cell distribution width (RDW) may be useful in differentiating neurological and cerebrovascular disease, according to the results of a recent series of papers. Read More
Relevance of assessing body weight in MS patients
June 8, 2016A number of studies have indicated that adolescent obesity is a risk factor for the development of MS, most notably in patients with the HLA-DRB1*15 genotype (Hedstrom et al. Mult Scler 2015; epublished September 11, 2015; Hedstrom et al. Neurology 2014;82:865-872). The relationship between obesity and clinical course once MS has been diagnosed is less clear. A recent study found that obesity (body-mass index >30 kg/m2) did not appear to be associated with increased severity (relapse rate), or disability (EDSS score), nor was obesity linked to the presence of oligoclonal bands (Coban et al. Obes Res Clin Pract 2015;9:533-535).
A study of older MS patients (mean age 55.8 years) with significant disability (mean EDSS 5.5) found that obese and non-obese subjects were comparable with respect to EDSS score and number of steroid courses received (Pinhas-Hamiel et al. Eur J Neurol 2015;22:1275-1279). Read More