Incobotulinum Toxin-A in Professional Musicians with Focal Task-Specific Dystonia: A Double Blind, Placebo Controlled, Cross-Over Study.

Background: Musician's focal task-specific dystonia is a complex disorder of fine motor control, with incomplete understanding of its etiology. There have been relatively few trials of botulinum toxin in upper limb task-specific dystonia, and prior studies have yielded variable results, leading to skepticism regarding the utility of this approach in elite performers.

Methods: We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, cross-over study of incobotulinum toxin-A in 21 professional musicians with focal upper extremity task-specific dystonia affecting performance on their instrument, using a novel paradigm of initial injections followed by booster injections at two- and four-week intervals.

Changes in Anticholinergic Burden in Parkinson's Disease After Deep Brain Stimulation.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of deep brain stimulation (DBS) on anticholinergic burden in Parkinson's disease (PD) and the association of anticholinergic burden with cognition.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective chart review in patients with PD who underwent bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) or globus pallidus internus (GPi) DBS from 2010 to 2020 reviewed medications with anticholinergic burden at baseline, six months, and one year (N = 216) after surgery. The cumulative anticholinergic burden at each visit was calculated using the Anticholinergic Risk Scale (ARS).

Identifying the therapeutic zone in globus pallidus deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease.

Objective: The globus pallidus internus (GPI) has been demonstrated to be an effective surgical target for deep brain stimulation (DBS) treatment in patients with medication-refractory Parkinson's disease (PD). The ability of neurosurgeons to define the area of greatest therapeutic benefit within the globus pallidus (GP) may improve clinical outcomes in these patients. The objective of this study was to determine the best DBS therapeutic implantation site within the GP for effective treatment in PD patients.

Comorbid Pain Syndromes in HIV-Associated Peripheral Neuropathy.

Objective: Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a common complication of HIV. There is increasing awareness that some forms of PN, particularly small-fiber neuropathies, can be associated with chronic widespread pain syndromes. Given the high prevalence of both PN and chronic pain in HIV, we sought to determine whether patients with a diagnosis of HIV-PN were more likely to experience other chronic pain syndromes.

Chronic pain disorders in HIV primary care: clinical characteristics and association with healthcare utilization.

Chronic pain is common in HIV, but incompletely characterized, including its underlying etiologies, its effect on healthcare utilization, and the characteristics of affected patients in the HIV primary care setting. These data are needed to design and justify appropriate clinic-based pain management services. Using a clinical data warehouse, we analyzed one year of data from 638 patients receiving standard-of-care antiretroviral therapy in a large primary care HIV clinic, located in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City.