Neurology Alert – September 1, 2008
September 1, 2008
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Musicians' Hand Dystonia
This case review of 960 patients details the clinical features of musicians' hand dystonia, a potentially disabling focal task-specific dystonia often beginning at peak-career. Cases were predominantly male, with onset typically in the fourth decade and most commonly affecting the third digit or contiguous fingers on the ulnar side. -
Pallidal Stimulation in Primary Dystonia Patients
A patient with primary, medically refractory dystonia, without a fixed skeletal deformity is a good candidate for pallidal deep brain stimulation. Shorter disease duration predicts a good outcome, but age of dystonia onset, severity of the disease, DYT1 status, and phasic/tonic predominance do not provide predictive value. -
Transient Global Amnesia Attacks Are Not TIAs
Patients with transient global amnesia (TGA), with or without DWI+ (positive diffusion weighted images) on MRI, do not have an increase in any vascular risk factors compared to healthy age and sex matched controls. -
Do White Matter Brain Lesions Indicate Cardiac Shunt in a Migraineur?
While about one-half of patients with migraine with aura have a patent foramen ovale, their right-to-left cardiac shunt does not increase the risk of white matter lesions on MRI scan of the brain. -
A Headache: Is it My Usual Migraine or Could it Be a Stroke?
Patients with a history of migraine headaches are likely to have a headache in association with an acute ischemic stroke. The headaches are migraine-like and often occur with brainstem infarcts. -
Treatment Success in Pompe Disease
Enzyme replacement therapy appears safe and effective for this rare genetic muscle disease. -
Imatinib for Acute Ischemic Stroke
Blockage of the harmful effects of tissue plasminogen activator by imatinib (Gleevec) might improve ischemic stroke outcomes. -
Pharmacology Watch
Guidelines for prediabetes from The American College of Endocrinology; statins for the prevention of dementia? Possible help for women suffering from sexual side effects while on antidepressants; government incentives for electronic prescribing; FDA Actions. -
Clinical Briefs in Primary Care supplement