Two-year neurodevelopmental outcome in extremely preterm-born children: The Austrian Preterm Outcome Study Group.

Aim: The current study determined the neurodevelopmental outcome of extremely preterm infants at 2 years of age.

Methods: All live-born infants 23-27 weeks of gestation born between 2011 and 2020 in Austria were included in a prospective registry. Neurodevelopmental outcome at 2 years of corrected age was assessed using Bayley Scales of Infant Development for both motor and cognitive scores, along with a neurological examination and an assessment of neurosensory function.

Emotion Recognition in Multiple System Atrophy: An Exploratory Eye-Tracking Study.

Objective: Emotional processing is a core feature of social interactions and has been well studied in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD), albeit with contradictory.

Results: . However, these studies excluded patients with atypical parkinsonism, such as multiple system atrophy (MSA).

Cardiovascular health profiles in adolescents being born term or preterm-results from the EVA-Tyrol study.

Background And Aims: Preterm birth has been linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease from childhood into adolescence and early adulthood. In this study, we aimed to investigate differences in CV health profiles between former term- and preterm-born infants in a cohort of Tyrolean adolescents.

Methods: The Early Vascular Aging (EVA)-Tyrol study is a population-based non-randomized controlled trial, which prospectively enrolled 14- to 19-year-old adolescents in North Tyrol, Austria and South Tyrol, Italy between 2015 and 2018.

Prophylactic low-dose paracetamol for ductal closure and neurodevelopmental outcome in very preterm infants.

Aim: To investigate the direct effect of prophylactic low-dose paracetamol administration for ductal closure on neurodevelopmental outcome in very preterm infants who did not receive ibuprofen or surgical ligation for treatment of a patent ductus arteriosus.

Methods: Infants < 32 gestational weeks born 10/2014-12/2018 received prophylactic paracetamol (paracetamol group, n = 216); infants born 02/2011-09/2014 did not receive prophylactic paracetamol (control group, n = 129). Psychomotor (PDI) and mental (MDI) outcome were assessed using Bayley Scales of Infant Development at 12 and 24 months corrected age.

Physiotherapy improves motor function in patients with the Parkinson variant of multiple system atrophy: A prospective trial.

Background And Objectives: Gait impairment and reduced mobility are disabling symptoms of multiple system atrophy. While physiotherapy is increasingly recognized as a valuable supplement to pharmacotherapy for patients with Parkinson's disease, data on the efficacy of physiotherapy for multiple system atrophy are lacking. This study aimed to explore the feasibility of two consecutive exercise-based interventions in patients with multiple system atrophy.

Autonomic function testing in Friedreich's ataxia.

Background: Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is an inherited movement disorder which manifests with progressive gait instability, sensory loss and cardiomyopathy. Peripheral neuropathy is an established feature of FRDA. At neuropathological examination, a depletion of large, myelinated axons is evident, but also unmyelinated fibers are affected which may result in a variety of sensory and autonomic signs and symptoms.

Autonomic function testing in spinocerebellar ataxia type 2.

Purpose: To assess whether autonomic failure belongs to the clinical spectrum of spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2), an autosomal dominant genetic disorder showing progressive cerebellar and brainstem dysfunction.

Methods: We evaluated cardiovascular autonomic function in 8 patients with SCA2 and 16 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Other autonomic domains were examined through standardized questionnaires and by testing the skin sympathetic reflex.

Supine hypertension in Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy.

Objective: Supine hypertension (SH) is a feature of cardiovascular autonomic failure that often accompanies orthostatic hypotension and may represent a negative prognostic factor in parkinsonian syndromes. Here we investigated the frequency rate as well as the clinical and tilt test correlates of SH in Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA).

Methods: 197 PD (33 demented) and 78 MSA (24 MSA-Cerebellar, 54 MSA-Parkinsonian) patients who had undergone a tilt test examination were retrospectively included.

Clinical Heterogeneity in Cerebral Hemiatrophy Syndromes.

Background: Cerebral hemiatrophy syndromes can present with variable neurological symptoms. In childhood epilepsy, mental retardation and neuropsychiatric disorders are common while in adults movement disorders, such as highly asymmetric parkinsonism or hemidystonia as well as neuropsychiatric problems have been reported.

Methods: Here, we present three adult patients with features that expand the clinical spectrum and give an overview of the most common clinical signs associated with this rare condition.

Hypoxia triggers high-altitude headache with migraine features: A prospective trial.

Background: Given the high prevalence and clinical impact of high-altitude headache (HAH), a better understanding of risk factors and headache characteristics may give new insights into the understanding of hypoxia being a trigger for HAH or even migraine attacks.

Methods: In this prospective trial, we simulated high altitude (4500 m) by controlled normobaric hypoxia (FiO2 = 12.6%) to investigate acute mountain sickness (AMS) and headache characteristics.

Sex and age effects on cardiovascular autonomic function in healthy adults.

Purpose: To determine the effects of sex and age on cardiovascular autonomic parameters in healthy adults as assessed by Finapres (finger arterial pressure) method and prolonged head-up tilt (HUT).

Methods: We enrolled 81 healthy volunteers (41 females, 40 males, 18-74 years) for extensive cardiovascular autonomic function testing including blood pressure (BP) recordings, electrocardiography, and impedance cardiography at rest, under 60° HUT for 45 min, active standing for 5 min, Valsalva maneuver, and deep breathing (DB). Mean values and orthostatic changes, i.

Breast-feeding Duration: Early Weaning-Do We Sufficiently Consider the Risk Factors?

Objectives: Breast-feeding is the recommended form of nutrition for the first 6 months. This target is unmet, however, in most industrialized regions. We evaluated aspects of breast-feeding in a cohort of mother-baby dyads.

Cause-specific mortality in adult epilepsy patients from Tyrol, Austria: hospital-based study.

Epilepsy is a devastating condition with a considerable increase in mortality compared to the general population. Few studies have focused on cause-specific mortality which we analyse in detail in over 4,000 well-characterized epilepsy patients. The cohort comprised of epilepsy patients ≥ 18, treated between 1970 and 2009 at the epilepsy clinic of Innsbruck Medical University, Austria, and living in the province of Tyrol, Austria.

Higher brain extracellular potassium is associated with brain metabolic distress and poor outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Introduction: Elevated brain potassium levels ([K+]) are associated with neuronal damage in experimental models. The role of brain extracellular [K+] in patients with poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and its association with hemorrhage load, metabolic dysfunction and outcome has not been studied so far.

Methods: Cerebral microdialysis (CMD) samples from 28 poor grade aSAH patients were analyzed for CMD [K+] for 12 consecutive days after ictus, and time-matched to brain metabolic and hemodynamic parameters as well as corresponding plasma [K+].

Detecting nocturnal hypertension in Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy: proposal of a decision-support algorithm.

A pathological nocturnal blood pressure (BP) profile, either non-dipping or reverse dipping, occurs in more than 50% of subjects diagnosed with multiple system atrophy (MSA) or Parkinson's disease (PD). This may play a negative prognostic role in α-synucleinopathies, but, being mostly asymptomatic, remains largely underdiagnosed. In this proof-of-concept study, we aimed at developing a decision-support algorithm to predict pathological nocturnal BP profiles during a standard tilt-table examination in PD and MSA.

Spasticity treatment with onabotulinumtoxin A: data from a prospective German real-life patient registry.

This study aimed at providing real-life baseline, injection and outcome data for the treatment of various forms of spasticity with onabotulinumtoxin A in Germany. Prospective data were collected in an open multicenter patient registry from 2005 until 2010, encompassing the experience of ten specialized German centers in the treatment of spasticity using onabotulinumtoxin A in 508 patients with a total of 2005 treatment sessions. Disease entities comprised spasticity following stroke (both ischemic and hemorrhagic), traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and anoxia.

Cause-specific mortality among patients with epilepsy: results from a 30-year cohort study.

Purpose: Death rates of patients with epilepsy are two to three times higher than expected. The aim of our study was to further delineate the causes and the patterns of premature death in patients with epilepsy.

Methods: We included all patients who were prospectively enrolled between 1970 and 1999 in our epilepsy outpatient clinical database.

Presentation, diagnosis, and management of multiple system atrophy in Europe: final analysis of the European multiple system atrophy registry.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a Parkinson's Disease (PD)-like α-synucleinopathy clinically characterized by dysautonomia, parkinsonism, cerebellar ataxia, and pyramidal signs in any combination. We aimed to determine whether the clinical presentation of MSA as well as diagnostic and therapeutic strategies differ across Europe and Israel. In 19 European MSA Study Group centres all consecutive patients with a clinical diagnosis of MSA were recruited from 2001 to 2005.

Broad sharp waves-an underrecognized EEG pattern in patients with epileptic seizures.

: Broad sharp waves (BSWs) are a rarely recognized EEG pattern, defined as focal or lateralized high voltage, biphasic, sharply contoured 0.5 to 1/sec waves distinguished from background activities by exceeding their voltage for at least two times. The aim of the study was to determine EEG criteria, frequency, and clinical significance of BSWs.