Long-term ventilation of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: experiences at the Neuromuscular Centre Ulm.

The various measures used to treat the symptoms of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), i.e. medication with steroids, early operation on contractures and spine deformities as well as cardiac diagnostics and therapy, should always be accompanied by careful monitoring of the patient's respiratory status.

[Cerebrospinal fluid filtration as experimental therapy in therapy refractory psychoses in Borna disease virus seropositive patients. Therapeutic effects, findings].

According to previous investigations, mild Borna disease virus encephalitis may underlie a subgroup of affective or schizophrenic type psychoses. And virus-induced immune pathology may underlie even a larger subgroup of psychoses. We treated BDV seropositive patients suffering from therapy resistant schizophrenic or affective spectrum psychoses by cerebrospinal fluid filtration (CSFF) in an experimental add-on treatment.

[CSF Filtration as Experimental Therapy in Therapyresistant Psychoses in Borna Disease Virus-Seropositive Patients].

According to previous investigations, mild Borna disease virus encephalitis may underlie a subgroup of affective or schizophrenic type psychoses. And virus-induced immune pathology may underlie even a larger subgroup of psychoses. We treated BDV seropositive patients suffering from therapy resistant schizophrenic or affective spectrum psychoses by cerebrospinal fluid filtration (CSFF) in an experimental add-on treatment.

Longitudinal effects of noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Objective: To evaluate the duration of benefit on symptoms, quality of life, and survival derived from the use of noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation by patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Design: In this prospective, cohort study, 30 of 36 consecutively referred symptomatic patients tolerated nightly noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation and undertook pulmonary function testing and 12 symptom and quality-of-life instruments concerning sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, physical fatigue, mental fatigue, and depression that were administered during a 10-mo period.

Results: With treatment, there was a significant improvement in the majority of patients in sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, physical fatigue, and depression; however, significant improvements lasted for up to 10 mo only in sleep quality.