Neuropathies related to hepatitis E virus infection: A prospective, matched case-control study.

Background: Acute hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection has recently emerged as a potential trigger for acute dysimmune neuropathies, but prospective controlled studies are lacking.

Aims: To compare the frequency of concomitant acute HEV infection in patients with neuralgic amyotrophy (NA), Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), and Bell's palsy with a matched control population.

Methods: Swiss multicenter, prospective, observational, matched case-control study over 3 years (September 2019-October 2022).

Evaluation of frequency, severity, and independent risk factors for recurrence of disease activity after fingolimod discontinuation in a large real-world cohort of patients with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Clinical and radiological signs of recurring disease activity (RDA) have been described in patients with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) after discontinuation of fingolimod (FGL).

Objective: To describe frequency, severity and potential risk factors for RDA after FGL discontinuation in a large real-world cohort of pwMS.

Methods: Post-FGL RDA was defined as evidence of clinical and/or radiological activity within 6 months after FGL discontinuation.

Intrathecal IgM Synthesis Is Associated with Spinal Cord Manifestation and Neuronal Injury in Early MS.

Objective: Intrathecal Immunoglobulin M synthesis (IgM ) and spinal MRI lesions are both strong independent predictors of higher disease activity and severity in multiple sclerosis (MS). We investigated whether IgM is associated with spinal cord manifestation and higher neuroaxonal damage in early MS.

Methods: In 122 patients with a first demyelinating event associations between (1) spinal versus (vs) non-spinal clinical syndrome (2) spinal vs cerebral T2-weighted (T2w) and (3) contrast-enhancing (CE) lesion counts with IgG (vs IgG ) or IgM (vs IgM ) were investigated by logistic regression adjusted for age and sex, respectively.

Exercise and Neuropathy: Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Peripheral neuropathies are a prevalent, heterogeneous group of diseases of the peripheral nervous system. Symptoms are often debilitating, difficult to treat, and usually become chronic. Not only do they diminish patients' quality of life, but they can also affect medical therapy and lead to complications.

Acute Polyradiculomyelitis With Spinal Cord Gray Matter Lesions: A Report of Two Cases.

Inflammatory polyradiculomyelitis belongs to a rare group of immune-mediated diseases affecting both the central and peripheral nervous system. We aimed to describe an unusual presentation of acute polyradiculomyelitis with marked spinal cord lesions restricted to the gray matter. Thorough examination of two case reports including clinical, MRI, serologic, electrophysiologic and CSF examinations as well as short-term follow-up.

Hepatitis E virus infections in patients with MS on oral disease-modifying treatment.

Objective: To test whether patients with MS on disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) are at a higher risk of acute or chronic hepatitis E virus (HEV) infections or extrahepatic manifestations, we monitored approximately 1,100 persons with MS (pwMS) during 3 years for HEV infection.

Methods: This is an observational case series study. All pwMS were followed in our MS center between January 2016 and December 2018 with at least annual standardized clinical and laboratory assessments.

A case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy under dimethyl fumarate treatment without severe lymphopenia or immunosenescence.

Background: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is the main safety concern for dimethyl fumarate (DMF) treatment in persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). Risk stratification under DMF is currently based on age above 50 years and prolonged lymphopenia below 500 cells/μL.

Objective: To report a case of PML under DMF without severe lymphopenia or immunosenescence.

Individually tailored whole-body vibration training to reduce symptoms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: study protocol of a randomised controlled trial-VANISH.

Introduction: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a prevalent and clinically meaningful side effect of cancer treatment. CIPN is induced by neurotoxic agents, causing severe sensory and/or motor deficits, resulting in disability and poor recovery, reducing patients' quality of life and limiting medical therapy. To date, effective treatment options are lacking.

A case of concomitant psoriasis and multiple sclerosis: Secukinumab and rituximab exert dichotomous effects in two autoimmune conditions.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) and psoriasis vulgaris (PV) are two disorders with autoimmune pathophysiology and a supposed altered T helper (T) cell response.

Objective: To report a case of concomitant relapsing remitting MS and PV treated with different immunomodulatory medications, particularly secukinumab and rituximab.

Methods: Case report.

Nerve Ultrasound Predicts Treatment Response in Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy-a Prospective Follow-Up.

As reliable biomarkers of disease activity are lacking, monitoring of therapeutic response in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) remains a challenge. We sought to determine whether nerve ultrasound and electrophysiology scoring could close this gap. In CIDP patients (fulfilling EFNS/PNS criteria), we performed high-resolution nerve ultrasound to determine ultrasound pattern sum scores (UPSS) and predominant echotexture nerve conduction study scores (NCSS) as well as Medical Research Council sum scores (MRCSS) and inflammatory neuropathy cause and treatment disability scores (INCAT) at baseline and after 12 months of standard treatment.

Ultrasound and MRI of nerves for monitoring disease activity and treatment effects in chronic dysimmune neuropathies - Current concepts and future directions.

New imaging modalities like high-resolution-ultrasound (HRUS) and MR-Neurography (MRN) are increasingly used for the evaluation of the peripheral nervous system. The increasing knowledge on morphological changes observed in different neuropathies has led to a better understanding of underlying pathophysiological processes. The diagnosis of acquired chronic dysimmune neuropathies (CDN) like chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), Lewis-Sumner Syndrome (LSS) or multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) can be challenging.

Adherence to fingolimod in multiple sclerosis: an investigator-initiated, prospective, observational, single-center cohort study.

Objectives: Adherence to multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment is essential to optimize the likelihood of full treatment effect. This prospective, observational, single-center cohort study investigated adherence to fingolimod over the 2 years following treatment initiation. Two facets of adherence - implementation and persistence - were examined and compared between new and experienced users of disease-modifying treatments (DMTs).

Ultrasound assessment of peripheral nerve pathology in neurofibromatosis type 1 and 2.

Objective: The neurofibromatoses (NF) type 1 and 2 are hereditary tumor predisposition syndromes caused by germline mutations in the NF1 and NF2 tumor suppressor genes. In NF1 and 2, peripheral nerve tumors occur regularly. For further characterizing nerve ultrasound was performed in patients with NF1 and 2.

Ultrasonographic reference values for peripheral nerves and nerve roots in the normal population of children and adolescents: study protocol for an observational-prospective trial.

Background: High-resolution ultrasonography is a new and promising technique to evaluate peripheral and spinal nerves. Its validity as a diagnostic tool in neurological diseases has been demonstrated in adults. Up to now no reference values have been published in children and adolescents although this technique would be ideal in this population as it is fast and non-invasive.

Listeria rhombencephalitis mimicking a demyelinating event in an immunocompetent young patient.

Background: Listeriosis caused by listeria monocytogenes (LM) is a potentially lethal foodborne infection of the central nervous system (CNS) and the third most common cause of bacterial meningitis. Foods most commonly implicated are soft cheeses, raw or ready-to-eat meat and pre-processed foods. The incubation time is between 11 and 70 days.

Ultrasound pattern sum score, homogeneity score and regional nerve enlargement index for differentiation of demyelinating inflammatory and hereditary neuropathies.

Objective: To investigate the use of nerve ultrasound in the differentiation between Charcot-Marie Tooth hereditary neuropathy (CMT1) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathies (CIDP), multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) and multifocal acquired demyelinating sensory and motor neuropathies (MADSAM).

Methods: Ultrasound/electrophysiology of predefined nerves was performed in CMT1a/b, immunoneuropathies, and healthy controls. Ultrasound pattern sum score (UPSS, sum of the amount of 12 predefined measurement points), homogeneity score (HS) and regional nerve enlargement index (RNEI) in ulnar, median, and tibial nerve were used for evaluation of morphology.

Promising Oral Compounds for the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis: A Glance into the Future.

Recently, there have been major advances in the development of disease-modifying treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS) and new promising treatment compounds are on the horizon. The available drugs mainly target inflammatory components of MS; hence, there is an urgent need for new treatment approaches that focus on the neurodegenerative aspects of the disease. Innovative study designs and biomarkers such as neurofilament light chain and brain atrophy measurement could help to identify neuroprotective treatments for the progressive phase of MS.

Natalizumab-induced POU2AF1/Spi-B upregulation: A possible route for PML development.

Objectives: To assess messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of POU2AF1 and Spi-B and their potential regulatory microRNAs (miRNAs) in natalizumab-treated patients with multiple sclerosis and in therapy-associated progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML).

Methods: Expression of POU2AF1/Spi-B was analyzed by using real-time reverse transcription PCR assays on isolated B/CD8(+) T lymphocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from cohorts of untreated and natalizumab-treated patients with and without PML. Longitudinal expression analysis was performed on CD4(+), CD8(+) T and B cells from 14 patients who interrupted natalizumab therapy for 8 weeks.

Ultrasound aspects in therapy-naive CIDP compared to long-term treated CIDP.

To investigate the use of nerve ultrasound (NUS) along with the European Federation of Neurological Societies (EFNS) guidelines and clinical scores in untreated, recently diagnosed chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) vs. long-lasting treated CIDP. NUS and nerve conduction studies (NCS) of predefined nerves/cervical roots were performed in CIDP on diagnostic onset and "chronic-CIDP" (diagnosis and therapy >6 months), compared to controls.