Brazilian Consensus for the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis: Brazilian Academy of Neurology and Brazilian Committee on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis.

The expanding therapeutic arsenal in multiple sclerosis (MS) has allowed for more effective and personalized treatment, but the choice and management of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) is becoming increasingly complex. In this context, experts from the Brazilian Committee on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis and the Neuroimmunology Scientific Department of the Brazilian Academy of Neurology have convened to establish this Brazilian Consensus for the Treatment of MS, based on their understanding that neurologists should be able to prescribe MS DMTs according to what is better for each patient, based on up-to-date evidence and practice. We herein propose practical recommendations for the treatment of MS, with the main focus on the choice and management of DMTs, as well as present a review of the scientific rationale supporting therapeutic strategies in MS.

Normative values of the Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests in a Brazilian population sample: discrete and regression-based norms.

Objective Cognitive dysfunction is common in multiple sclerosis. The Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests (BRB-N) was developed to assess cognitive functions most-frequently impaired in multiple sclerosis. However, normative values are lacking in Brazil.

Relationship between Expanded Disability Status Scale scores and the presence of temporomandibular disorders in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) and to investigate whether an association exists between the presence of TMD symptoms and the degree of MS-related disability.

Materials And Methods: In all, 120 individuals were evaluated: 60 patients with a diagnosis of relapsing-remitting MS and 60 age- and sex-matched controls without neurological impairments. A questionnaire recommended by the European Academy of Craniomandibular Disorders for the assessment of TMD symptoms was administered.

Superficial siderosis of the central nervous system is a rare and possibly underdiagnosed disorder.

Methods: Series of cases collected from Brazilian centers.

Results: We studied 13 cases of patients presenting with progressive histories of neurological dysfunction caused by SS-CNS. The most frequent clinical findings in these patients were progressive gait ataxia, hearing loss, hyperreflexia and cognitive dysfunction.

Safety of switching from natalizumab straight into fingolimod in a group of JCV-positive patients with multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To assess safety of the switch between natalizumab and fingolimod without a washout period.

Methods: Prospective data on 25 JCV positive patients who underwent this medication switch were collected and analyzed.

Results: After a median period of nine months from the medication switch, there were no safety issues to report.

Real-life experience with fampridine (Fampyra®) for patients with multiple sclerosis and gait disorders.

Background: Fampridine is a broad-spectrum voltage-dependent potassium channel blocker that enhances synaptic transmission. The drug has been shown to be able to ameliorate conduction in demyelinated axons, thereby leading to improved gait in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Objective: To assess the "real-life" efficacy and safety of fampridine prescribed for gait disorders in MS.

No evidence of disease activity in multiple sclerosis patients.

Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease that affects 2.5 million people in the world. NEDA (No evidence of disease Activity) -4 is a new concept related to absence of disease activity in the context of MS.

Dengue fever in patients with multiple sclerosis taking fingolimod or natalizumab.

Dengue fever is the most prevalent mosquito-borne viral illness in humans. There may be different clinical manifestations of the disease, from mild symptoms to hemorrhagic forms of dengue fever and even neurological complications of this viral infection. Blood cells are usually affected, and thrombocytopenia is the hallmark of the disease.

Alternatives for reducing relapse rate when switching from natalizumab to fingolimod in multiple sclerosis.

Natalizumab is a therapeutic option for treating multiple sclerosis (MS) and is particularly efficacious for patients with highly active disease. A long washout period has been recommended between withdrawal of natalizumab and start of fingolimod (another option for treating MS). This long washout period has been associated with a significant increase in MS activity.

The Influence of Fear of Falling on Orthostatic Postural Control: A Systematic Review.

Posture is a complex sensory-motor behavior that can be influenced by the fear of falling (FoF) during environmental changes. The aim of this paper is to investigate the influence of FoF on orthostatic postural control in healthy individuals by a systematic review. Thirteen articles were selected.

Motor Imagery and Its Effect on Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: An Integrative Review.

The motor imagery (MI) has been proposed as a treatment in the complex regional pain syndrome type 1 (CRPS-1), since it seems to promote a brain reorganization effect on sensory-motor areas of pain perception. The aim of this paper is to investigate, through an integrative critical review, the influence of MI on the CRPS-1, correlating their evidence to clinical practice. Research in PEDro, Medline, Bireme and Google Scholar databases was conducted.

Cerebrum-cervical arterial dissection in adults during sports and recreation.

Unlabelled: Dissection of cervical arteries constitutes a medical emergency. Although relatively rarely, activities classified as sports and recreation may be a cause of arterial dissection independently of neck or head trauma. The purpose of the present paper was to present a series of cases of cerebrum-cervical arterial dissection in individuals during or soon after the practice of these sports activities.

Increased multiple sclerosis relapses related to lower prevalence of pain.

Objective: The study aims to investigate the presence of pain amongst multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.

Method: One hundred MS patients responded to questionnaires evaluating neuropathic and nociceptive pain, depression and anxiety. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U, Chi-Square and two-tailed Fisher's exact tests and multivariate logistic regression.

The real-life experience with cardiovascular complications in the first dose of fingolimod for multiple sclerosis.

Fingolimod is a new and efficient treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). The drug administration requires special attention to the first dose, since cardiovascular adverse events can be observed during the initial six hours of fingolimod ingestion. The present study consisted of a review of cardiovascular data on 180 patients with MS receiving the first dose of fingolimod.

How do we manage and treat a patient with multiple sclerosis at risk of tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis continues to be a serious health problem worldwide. The disease continues to be underdiagnosed and not properly treated. In conditions that affect the immune system, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), latent tuberculosis may thrive and reactivate during the use of immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive drugs.

Brazilian Guidelines for transcranial doppler in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease.

Background: Sickle cell disease is the most common monogenic hereditary disease in Brazil. Although strokes are one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in these patients, the use of transcranial Doppler to identify children at risk is not universally used.

Objective: To develop Brazilian guidelines for the use of transcranial Doppler in sickle cell disease children and adolescents, so that related health policies can be expanded, and thus contribute to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Outpatient evaluation of vision and ocular motricity in 123 children with cerebral palsy.

Purpose: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) may present varied ophthalmological problems. Paradoxically, however, investigation of visual function and possible related disorders is not routinely conducted in this population during medical consultations.

Method: This paper proposes a simple, practical guide for assessing vision and ocular motricity in children with CP.

[Possible etiologies of West syndrome: evaluation of 95 patients].

Objective: To describe the etiologies of West syndrome (WS) among children followed in a rehabilitation center.

Method: Retrospective study with emphasis in the following items: gender, age at the diagnosis of WS and its etiology. The etiologies were divided into three categories: symptomatic, cryptogenic and idiopathic.

Postmeningitis headache: case report.

We report a case of a 18-year-old female patient that developed a migraine-like headache following an acute meningococcal meningitis. She had no previous history of recurrent headaches. The pain was intense, pulsatile and throbbing, typically unilateral, without aura.

Merosin-positive congenital muscular dystrophy: neuroimaging findings.

Congenital muscle dystrophy (CMD) is a heterogeneous group of autosomal recessive myopathies. It is known that CMD may affect the central nervous system (CNS). Some authors have shown that merosin-negative CMD patients may have encephalic metabolic disturbances.

Hypomyelination with atrophy of the basal ganglia and cerebellum: case report.

Hypomyelination with atrophy of the basal ganglia and cerebellum (H-ABC) is a rare disease that has been recently described. It must be remembered as a possible etiology of leukoencephalopathies in children. We describe a typical case of H-ABC in a 11-month-old boy.

[Episodic tension-type headache: clinical evaluation of 50 patients].

A case series study of 50 consecutive patients with episodic tension type headache (ETTH) was conducted. Clinical aspects, family history and impact on work activities were studied. The casuistry was made up of 40 women and 10 men.