Brazilian consensus recommendations on the diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune encephalitis in the adult and pediatric populations.

Background:  Autoimmune encephalitis (AIE) is a group of inflammatory diseases characterized by the presence of antibodies against neuronal and glial antigens, leading to subacute psychiatric symptoms, memory complaints, and movement disorders. The patients are predominantly young, and delays in treatment are associated with worse prognosis.

Objective:  With the support of the Brazilian Academy of Neurology (Academia Brasileira de Neurologia, ABN) and the Brazilian Society of Child Neurology (Sociedade Brasileira de Neurologia Infantil, SBNI), a consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of AIE in Brazil was developed using the Delphi method.

What General Neurologists Should Know about Autoinflammatory Syndromes?

Autoinflammatory disorders encompass a wide range of conditions with systemic and neurological symptoms, which can be acquired or inherited. These diseases are characterized by an abnormal response of the innate immune system, leading to an excessive inflammatory reaction. On the other hand, autoimmune diseases result from dysregulation of the adaptive immune response.

Immunosuppressors and immunomodulators in Neurology - Part I: a guide for management of patients underimmunotherapy.

For patients with autoimmune diseases, the risks and benefits of immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory treatment are a matter of continual concern. Knowledge of the follow-up routine for each drug is crucial, in order to attain better outcomes and avoid new disease activity or occurrence of adverse effects. To achieve control of autoimmune diseases, immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory drugs act on different pathways of the immune response.

Serum BDNF and cognitive dysfunction in SLE: findings from a cohort of 111 patients.

Objective: The association between brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) is controversial in the literature. Cognitive dysfunction (CD) is a common, underdiagnosed NPSLE manifestation, but its pathophysiology is unknown. Thus, we investigate serum BDNF as a potential biomarker of CD in a cohort of SLE patients.

Clinical and Epidemiological Characterization of Neurological Consults: When a Neurological Evaluation Is Requested.

Background And Objectives: Medical consultation by a specialist physician consists of an evaluation to review diagnosis and management of patients with some neurological conditions referred from other specialty wards. This mode of care delivery has gained relevance in the field of neurology and adequate training on it is valuable, allowing neurologists to provide state-of-the-art management to patients with neurological manifestations. The present study aimed to characterize neurology consults and to discuss the roles of the neurologist within a hospital setting.

A clinical approach to hypertrophic pachymeningitis.

Importance: Hypertrophic pachymeningitis (HP) is a non-usual manifestation of rheumatologic, infectious, and neoplastic diseases. Etiological diagnosis is a challenge, but when made promptly it creates a window of opportunity for treatment, with the possibility of a total reversal of symptoms.

Observations: HP is an inflammatory process of the dura mater that can occur as a manifestation of sarcoidosis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, and IgG4-related disease.

Reversible Acute Parkinsonism and Unusual Neuroimaging Findings in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/23301619/homepage/mdc312943-sup-v001.

Everolimus for cardiac rhabdomyomas in children with tuberous sclerosis. The ORACLE study protocol (everOlimus for caRdiac rhAbdomyomas in tuberous sCLErosis): a randomised, multicentre, placebo-controlled, double-blind phase II trial.

Introduction: Tuberous sclerosis complex is a rare genetic disorder leading to the growth of hamartomas in multiple organs, including cardiac rhabdomyomas. Children with symptomatic cardiac rhabdomyoma require frequent admissions to intensive care units, have major complications, namely, arrhythmias, cardiac outflow tract obstruction and heart failure, affecting the quality of life and taking on high healthcare cost. Currently, there is no standard pharmacological treatment for this condition, and the management includes a conservative approach and supportive care.

Autoimmune encephalitis: a review of diagnosis and treatment.

Autoimmune encephalitis (AIE) is one of the most common causes of noninfectious encephalitis. It can be triggered by tumors, infections, or it may be cryptogenic. The neurological manifestations can be either acute or subacute and usually develop within six weeks.

Giant cell arteritis: a multicenter observational study in Brazil.

Objective: To describe demographic features, disease manifestations and therapy in patients with giant cell arteritis from referral centers in Brazil.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed on 45 giant cell arteritis patients from three university hospitals in Brazil. Diagnoses were based on the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for giant cell arteritis or temporal artery biopsy findings.

Effects of sildenafil on autonomic nervous function during sleep in obstructive sleep apnea.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of sildenafil on the autonomic nervous system in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea.

Methods: Thirteen male patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea (mean age 43+/-10 years with a mean body mass index of 26.7+/-1.