The POSE-2 Procedure for People with Obesity: A Safe and Effective Treatment Option.

Purpose: Besides lifestyle interventions, medication, and surgery, endoscopic options are becoming part of the current treatment landscape for people with obesity. With the POSE (Primary Obesity Surgery Endoscopic) procedure, endoluminal folds are created in the stomach with full-thickness sutures. Recently, the modified version, POSE-2, was introduced in clinical practice.

Impact of a Health Coach-Led, Text-Based Digital Behavior Change Intervention on Weight Loss and Psychological Well-Being in Patients Receiving a Procedureless Intragastric Balloon Program: Prospective Single-Arm Study.

Background: Digital health interventions show promise for weight management. However, few text-based behavior change interventions have been designed to support patients receiving intragastric balloons, and none have simultaneously evaluated weight loss, psychological well-being, and behavior change despite the crucial interplay of these factors in weight management.

Objective: This study aims to assess whether a health coach-led, asynchronous, text-based digital behavior change coaching intervention (DBCCI) delivered to participants receiving an intragastric balloon and its aftercare program was feasible and acceptable to participants and supported improved outcomes, including weight loss, psychological well-being, and lifestyle behavior change conducive to weight loss maintenance.

The Swallowable Intragastric Balloon Combined with Lifestyle Coaching: Short-Term Results of a Safe and Effective Weight Loss Treatment for People Living with Overweight and Obesity.

Background: Some patients with overweight or obesity are not eligible for surgery according to international guidelines or do not wish a surgical intervention. For these patients, different treatment options are being explored. In this study, we examined the effectiveness of the swallowable intragastric balloon (IB) combined with lifestyle coaching, in patients living with overweight and obesity.

Higher Preoperative Weight loss Is Associated with Greater Weight Loss up to 12 Months After Bariatric Surgery.

Background: Prior research suggested presurgical weight loss is associated with greater total weight loss, resulting in a more effective bariatric intervention. We aimed to assess whether preoperative weight loss is a predictor for total weight loss, and which patient factors are associated with successful weight loss.

Methods: All patients (N = 773) that underwent primary bariatric surgery between June 2017 and August 2019 were included in this single-center retrospective study.

The Benefits of Banded over Non-banded Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass in Patients with Morbid Obesity: a Multi-center Study.

Background: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) has proven to be an effective treatment for obesity with excellent long-term results, even though weight regain can occur. A method to improve the results of RYGB and minimize chance of weight regain is banded RYGB. Better sustained weight loss is also related to higher remission of comorbidities.

Microstructural white matter changes preceding white matter hyperintensities in migraine.

Objective: We used magnetization transfer imaging to assess white matter tissue integrity in migraine, to explore whether white matter microstructure was more diffusely affected beyond visible white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), and to explore whether focal invisible microstructural changes precede visible focal WMHs in migraineurs.

Methods: We included 137 migraineurs (79 with aura, 58 without aura) and 74 controls from the Cerebral Abnormalities in Migraine, an Epidemiological Risk Analysis (CAMERA) study, a longitudinal population-based study on structural brain lesions in migraine patients, who were scanned at baseline and at a 9-year follow-up. To assess microstructural brain tissue integrity, baseline magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) values were calculated for whole brain white matter.

Volumetric brain changes in migraineurs from the general population.

Objective: To assess volumetric brain changes in migraineurs from the general population compared with controls.

Methods: Structural brain changes in migraineurs from the general population-based MRI Cerebral Abnormalities in Migraine, an Epidemiologic Risk Analysis (CAMERA)-2 observational cohort study were assessed by state-of-the-art voxel-based morphometry. T1-weighted MRIs of 84 migraineurs (52 with aura, 32 without aura) and 35 headache-free controls were evaluated.

Migraine and vascular disease biomarkers: A population-based case-control study.

Background The underpinnings of the migraine-stroke association remain uncertain, but endothelial activation is a potential mechanism. We evaluated the association of migraine and vascular disease biomarkers in a community-based population. Methods Participants (300 women, 117 men) were recruited as a part of the Dutch CAMERA 1 (Cerebral Abnormalities in Migraine, an Epidemiologic Risk Analysis) study.

Iron in deep brain nuclei in migraine? CAMERA follow-up MRI findings.

Introduction In the CAMERA population-based MRI study, migraineurs below the age of 50 had decreased T2-values indicative of increased iron deposition in several deep brain nuclei. Longer migraine history was associated with lower T2-values, suggesting an association between migraine attacks and iron accumulation. In the present nine-year follow-up study of the CAMERA cohort we re-measured the T2-values in deep brain nuclei to assess the evolution over time.

Cerebellar function and ischemic brain lesions in migraine patients from the general population.

Objective The objective of this article is to obtain detailed quantitative assessment of cerebellar function and structure in unselected migraine patients and controls from the general population. Methods A total of 282 clinically well-defined participants (migraine with aura n = 111; migraine without aura n = 89; non-migraine controls n = 82; age range 43-72; 72% female) from a population-based study were subjected to a range of sensitive and validated cerebellar tests that cover functions of all main parts of the cerebellar cortex, including cerebrocerebellum, spinocerebellum, and vestibulocerebellum. In addition, all participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain to screen for cerebellar lesions.

Systemic right-to-left shunts, ischemic brain lesions, and persistent migraine activity.

Objective: To assess whether migraine in the general population is associated with increased risk of systemic right-to-left shunts (RLS) and whether RLS are associated with increased prevalence of brain infarcts and persistent recurrence of migraine attacks at older age.

Methods: Brain MRI and transcranial Doppler with air contrast in 166 unselected migraineurs (mean age ± SD 56 ± 7.7 years; 70% women; n = 96 migraine with aura) and 69 controls (mean age ± SD 55 ± 7.

Structural brain changes in migraine.

Context: A previous cross-sectional study showed an association of migraine with a higher prevalence of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-measured ischemic lesions in the brain.

Objective: To determine whether women or men with migraine (with and without aura) have a higher incidence of brain lesions 9 years after initial MRI, whether migraine frequency was associated with progression of brain lesions, and whether progression of brain lesions was associated with cognitive decline.

Design, Setting, And Participants: In a follow-up of the 2000 Cerebral Abnormalities in Migraine, an Epidemiological Risk Analysis cohort, a prospective population-based observational study of Dutch participants with migraine and an age- and sex-matched control group, 203 of the 295 baseline participants in the migraine group and 83 of 140 in the control group underwent MRI scan in 2009 to identify progression of MRI-measured brain lesions.

Right-to-left shunts and micro-embolization in migraine.

Purpose Of Review: The present review covers the latest studies on right-to-left shunts (RLSs) in migraine patients and different types of emboli capable of triggering migraine.

Recent Findings: Although three recent studies found no increased RLS prevalence in migraine with aura patients, there remains ample evidence that the prevalence of RLS is increased in migraine with aura. Introduced emboli in the carotid artery of mice have been shown to cause cortical spreading depression, which has been considered the pathophysiological mechanism of migraine aura.

Diastolic carotid artery wall shear stress is associated with cerebral infarcts and periventricular white matter lesions.

Background And Purpose: Low wall shear stress (WSS) is an early marker in the development of vascular lesions. The present study aims to assess the relationship between diastolic and systolic WSS in the internal carotid artery and periventricular (PWML), deep white matter lesions, and cerebral infarcts (CI).

Methods: Early, mid, and late diastolic and peak systolic WSS were derived from shear rate obtained by gradient echo phase contrast magnetic resonance sequences multiplied by individually modeled viscosity.

The impact of a migraine attack and its after-effects on perceptual organization, attention, and working memory.

Introduction: Many migraine patients report cognitive complaints during the first hours or days following a migraine attack. The aim of this study was to assess whether and which cognitive (perceptual, attentional, or memory) processes are impaired during the first 48 hours after a migraine attack.

Methods: Three different cognitive tasks (global-local task, the attentional network task, and N-back task) were administered to 16 migraine patients (13 migraine without aura; mean age 58 years, 15 female) and 18 controls (59 years, 15 female), matched on age, gender, and educational level.

Diastolic wall shear stress in the internal carotid artery is associated with different cardiovascular risk factors than systolic wall shear stress.

Background And Purpose: Wall shear stress (WSS) is the frictional force exerted by the circulating blood on the endothelium. Low systolic WSS is identified as an atherosclerotic risk factor. Recently, also the importance of diastolic WSS has been described.

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy: diagnostic value of conventional MR imaging pulse sequences in term-born neonates.

Purpose: To retrospectively compare different magnetic resonance (MR) imaging techniques and pulse sequences for the depiction of brain injury in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

Materials And Methods: The institutional review board approved this retrospective study and waived informed consent. Term-born neonates underwent MR imaging within 10 days after birth because of perinatal asphyxia.

Reproducibility of wall shear stress assessment with the paraboloid method in the internal carotid artery with velocity encoded MRI in healthy young individuals.

Purpose: To verify whether wall shear stress (WSS) can be assessed in a reproducible manner using automatic model-based segmentation of phase-contrast MR images by determination of flow volume and maximum flow velocity (Vmax) in cross-sections of these vessels.

Materials And Methods: The approach is based on fitting a 3D paraboloid to the actual velocity profiles and on determining Vmax. WSS was measured in the internal carotid arteries of two groups of healthy young volunteers.

Pravastatin decreases wall shear stress and blood velocity in the internal carotid artery without affecting flow volume: results from the PROSPER MRI study.

Background And Purpose: Despite speculations, it is unknown whether statins affect wall shear stress (WSS). Therefore, the effect of pravastatin on WSS was investigated.

Methods: In 355 elderly individuals participating in the PROSPER study (follow up after 3 years), the effect of 40 mg pravastatin on WSS was assessed in the internal carotid artery using magnetic resonance imaging.