AIM OF STUDY: To determine whether a high dose of levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG), expressed as levodopa equivalent daily dose (LE daily dose), is a risk factor for acute polyneuropathy in patients treated with LCIG. CLINICAL RATIONALE FOR STUDY: Treatment with LCIG is an effective device-assisted therapy in the advanced stages of Parkinson's Disease (PD). Polyneuropathy is a well-known complication of PD treatment. Patients treated with oral levodopa usually suffer from sub-clinical or mild chronic sensory polyneuropathy. However, severe acute polyneuropathy occurs in patients treated with LCIG, which is causally related to the treatment and leads to its immediate discontinuation. The etiology is not yet clear, but some patients with acute polyneuropathy have been given high doses of LCIG. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective multicentre study of patients treated with LCIG was performed. Patients with acute polyneuropathy were subjected to a detailed analysis including statistical processing. RESULTS: Of 183 patients treated with LCIG in seven centres, six patients (five females, median age 63 years) developed acute polyneuropathy with LCIG discontinuation. The median (interquartile range) initial and final LE daily dose in patients with and without acute polyneuropathy was 3,015 (2,695-3,184) and 1,898 (1,484-2,167) mg, respectively. The final LE daily dose of 2,605 mg cut-off had 83% sensitivity and 93% specificity for the prediction of acute polyneuropathy. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The risk of acute polyneuropathy in LCIG-treated patients was associated with a daily LE dose of greater than 2,605 mg or with more than a 62% increase in the daily LE dose during LCIG treatment.
- MeSH
- Antiparkinson Agents * adverse effects administration & dosage MeSH
- Drug Combinations * MeSH
- Gels * MeSH
- Carbidopa * administration & dosage adverse effects MeSH
- Levodopa * administration & dosage adverse effects MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Parkinson Disease * drug therapy MeSH
- Polyneuropathies * chemically induced drug therapy MeSH
- Retrospective Studies MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Check Tag
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Multicenter Study MeSH
INTRODUCTION: One of the most debilitating problems encountered by people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is the loss of balance and coordination. Our study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness of one year of Tai-chi exercise in patients with MS using both subjective and objective methods, including posturography. METHODS: This was a single-group longitudinal one-year study performed from the 1st of January 2019 to the 1st of January 2020. The primary outcomes of interest were the Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest) and static posturography measures as objective methods to detect subtle changes associated with postural control/balance impairment. Secondary outcomes were measures of depression, anxiety, cognitive performance, and quality of life. All objective and subjective parameters were assessed four times: at baseline, and after three, six and 12 months of regular Tai-chi training. The difference was calculated as a subtraction of baseline values from every timepoint value for each measurement. If the normality test was passed, parametric one-sample t-test was used, if failed, Wilcoxon signed ranks test was used to test the difference between the baseline and each timepoint. Alpha was set to 0.017 using Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Out of 25 patients with MS enrolled, 15 women with MS (mean age 44.27 years) were included for statistical analyses after completing the 12-month program. After 12 months, significant improvements were found in all objective balance and gait tests: Mini-BESTest (p<0.001), static posturography measures (total area of the centre of foot pressure - TA; p = 0.015), 25 Feet Walk Test (25FWT; p = 0.001), anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory - BAI; p = 0.005) and cognition tests (Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test - PASAT; p = 0.003). Measures of depression (Beck Depression Inventory - BDI; p = 0.071), cognition (Symbol Digit Modalities Test - SDMT; p = 0.079), and health-related quality of life (European Quality of Life 5-Dimensions Questionnaire - EQ-5D-5L; p = 0.095) showed a trend of improvement but were not significant, which could be the result of a small sample and increased bias due the type II error. CONCLUSION: According to these preliminary results, this study indicates the possible beneficial effects of long-term Tai-chi training on patients with MS. Although these findings need to be confirmed by further studies with a larger sample of participants of both genders and require more rigorous randomized controlled trials (RCT) design, our findings support the recommendation of regular and long-term Tai-chi exercise in patients with MS. GOV IDENTIFIER (RETROSPECTIVELY REGISTERED): NCT05474209.
- MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Cognition MeSH
- Quality of Life MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Postural Balance MeSH
- Prospective Studies MeSH
- Multiple Sclerosis * complications therapy MeSH
- Tai Ji * MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
INTRODUCTION: Bradykinesia is an essential diagnostic criterion for Parkinson's disease (PD) but is frequently observed in many non-parkinsonian movement disorders, complicating differential diagnosis, particularly in disorders featuring tremors. The presence of bradykinetic features in the subset of dystonic tremors (DT), either "pure" dystonic tremors or tremors associated with dystonia, remains currently unexplored. The aim of the current study was to evaluate upper limb bradykinesia in DT patients, comparing them with healthy controls (HC) and patients with PD by observing repetitive finger tapping (FT). METHODS: The protocol consisted of two main parts. Initially, the kinematic recording of repetitive FT was performed using optical hand tracking system (Leap Motion Controller). The values of amplitude, amplitude decrement, frequency, frequency decrement, speed, acceleration and number of halts of FT were calculated. Subsequently, three independent movement disorder specialists from different movement disorders centres, blinded to the diagnosis, rated the presence of FT bradykinesia based on video recordings. RESULTS: Thirty-six subjects participated in the study (12 DT, 12 HC and 12 early-stage PD). Kinematic analysis revealed no significant difference in the selected parameters of FT bradykinesia between DT patients and HC. In comparisons between DT and PD patients, PD patients exhibited bigger amplitude decrement and slower FT performance. In the blinded clinical assessment, bradykinesia was rated, on average, as being present in 41.6% of DT patients, 27.7% of HC, and 91.7% of PD patients. While overall inter-rater agreement was moderate, weak agreement was noted within the DT group. DISCUSSION: Clinical ratings indicated signs of bradykinesia in almost half of DT patients. The objective kinematic analysis confirmed comparable parameters between DT and HC individuals, with more pronounced abnormalities in PD across various kinematic parameters. Interpretation of bradykinesia signs in tremor patients with DT should be approached cautiously and objective motion analysis might complement the diagnostic process and serve as a decision support system in the choice of clinical entities.
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Publication type
- Meeting Abstract MeSH
Tayova-Sachsova choroba je raritné autozomálne recesívne podmienené ochorenie zapríčinené deficitom enzýmu β-hexozaminidázy A (HexA). Dochádza k akumulácii GM2 gangliozidov v lyzozómoch neurónov, čo potenciuje ich toxický účinok a navodzuje tak postupnú neurodegeneráciu. Presný mechanizmus spustenia zániku neurónov je stále neznámy. Pre zachovanú reziduálnu aktivitu enzýmu HexA má adultná forma ochorenia zvyčajne miernejší priebeh ako infantilná forma. Klinický obraz je nešpecifický, preto je ochorenie výrazne poddiagnostikované. V našej videokazuistike prezentujeme prípad 49-ročného pacienta s geneticky potvrdenou adultnou formou Tayovej-Sachsovej choroby.
Tay-Sachs disease is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by β-hexosaminidase A (HexA) enzyme deficiency. There is accumulation of GM2 gangliosides in neuronal lysosomes, which potentiates their toxic effect, thus inducing gradual neurodegeneration. The exact mechanism triggering neuronal death is still unknown. Due to the preserved residual HexA enzyme activity, the adult form of the disease tends to have a milder course than the infantile form. The clinical presentation is non-specific; hence, the disease is significantly underdiagnosed. Our video case report presents a 49-year-old patient with a genetically confirmed diagnosis of adult Tay-Sachs disease.
- MeSH
- Cerebellar Ataxia MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Tay-Sachs Disease * diagnosis therapy MeSH
- Check Tag
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Publication type
- Case Reports MeSH
- Publication type
- Meeting Abstract MeSH
- Publication type
- Meeting Abstract MeSH
- Publication type
- Meeting Abstract MeSH
- Publication type
- Meeting Abstract MeSH
