A Guide for the Differential Diagnosis of Multiple System Atrophy in Clinical Practice.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a sporadic and progressive neurodegenerative disorder with a complex differential diagnosis. A range of disorders- also of nondegenerative etiology- can mimic MSA, expanding its differential diagnosis. Both misdiagnosis and diagnostic delays are relatively common in clinical practice.

Neuroimaging cerebrovascular biomarkers in Parkinson's disease.

Background And Purpose: The cardiovascular risk in Parkinson's disease (PD) remains uncertain and controversial. Some studies suggest PD patients present an increased risk of cerebrovascular disease. We aimed to study the prevalence of neuroimaging cerebrovascular biomarkers in PD patients compared to controls, using an accurate and complete magnetic resonance (MR) imaging evaluation.

Validation of quantitative gait analysis systems for Parkinson's disease for use in supervised and unsupervised environments.

Background: Gait impairments are among the most common and impactful symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). Recent technological advances aim to quantify these impairments using low-cost wearable systems for use in either supervised clinical consultations or long-term unsupervised monitoring of gait in ecological environments. However, very few of these wearable systems have been validated comparatively to a criterion of established validity.

Feasibility of a Mobile-Based System for Unsupervised Monitoring in Parkinson's Disease.

Mobile health (mHealth) has emerged as a potential solution to providing valuable ecological information about the severity and burden of Parkinson's disease (PD) symptoms in real-life conditions. : The objective of our study was to explore the feasibility and usability of an mHealth system for continuous and objective real-life measures of patients' health and functional mobility, in unsupervised settings. : Patients with a clinical diagnosis of PD, who were able to walk unassisted, and had an Android smartphone were included.

Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk markers in Parkinson's disease: Results from a case-control study.

Background: The relationship between Parkinson's disease (PD) and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease is not yet well established. Recent data suggest an increased risk of myocardial infarction and stroke in PD patients. Therefore, we designed a study to assess surrogate markers of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk in PD.

Clinical Utility of Opicapone in the Management of Parkinson's Disease: A Short Review on Emerging Data and Place in Therapy.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, and levodopa (L-dopa) remains the most efficacious drug treatment for PD and a gold-standard for symptom control. Nonetheless, a significant majority of PD patients develop motor fluctuations over their disease course, with a significant impact on quality-of-life, meaning control of such complications translates into a fundamental clinical need. Catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) inhibitors (COMT-i) are used as first-line adjuvant therapy to L-dopa for end-of-dose (EoD) motor fluctuations, since they increase L-dopa availability in the brain by inhibiting its peripheral metabolism.

Challenges and Perspectives in the Management of Late-Stage Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder, with a continuously increasing prevalence. With improved clinical and therapeutic management of PD, more patients reach later stages of the disease, meaning they may face new clinical problems that were not commonly approached. This gave way to the description of a new PD stage, late-stage PD (LSPD), which is clinically discernible from the advanced-stage one.

Intravenous Thrombolysis for Acute Ischemic Stroke After Recent Myocardial Infarction: Case Series and Systematic Review.

Background and Purpose- The safety of IV r-tPA (intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) treatment after recent myocardial infarction (MI) is still a matter of debate. We studied the safety of delivering IV r-tPA to AIS patients with a MI within the preceding 3 months. Methods- Retrospective review of consecutive AIS admitted to 2 tertiary university hospitals' and systematic literature review for AIS patients with history of MI in the previous 3 months.

Red Ear: Syndrome or Symptom?

Red ear syndrome (RES) is a rare disorder characterized by attacks of unilateral ear pain during which the ear becomes red. Episodes can occur spontaneously, or be triggered, in most cases, by rubbing or touching the ear. Both duration and frequency are variable.