[Clinical pathways for the care of multiple sclerosis patients].

Introduction: clinical pathways are standard health care methods to coordinate clinical work, reduce inter-clinician variability, improve patient care and increase staff and patient satisfaction. The aim of this study is to develop a clinical pathway capable of organising and developing standard procedures for diagnosis, treatment and care in patients with multiple sclerosis and to coordinate all medical specialists involved in this disease.

Methods: a multidisciplinary unit for the care of MS patients was developed.

[A neurophysiological study of the alterations to the central and peripheral nervous systems in Friedreich's ataxia].

Introduction: Friedreich's ataxia (FA) is the most common type of early-onset hereditary ataxia, starting during childhood and adolescence. Both the central and peripheral nervous systems are compromised. AIM.

[Mitochondrial respiratory chain diseases. Evaluation and variability in 52 patients].

Introduction: Clinical, electrophysiological, genetic and biochemical deficiencies variability were evaluated in 52 patients diagnosed of mitochondrial respiratory chain diseases (MRCD).

Patients And Methods: 26 men and 26 women, aged 19 to 79 years, were tested by clinical examination, electrophysiological techniques, muscle biopsy and genetic and biochemical studies.

Results: The patients were classified into seven phenotypes: myopathy, chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia, progressive ophthalmoplegia plus ataxia, Kearns-Sayre syndrome, mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke episodes (MELAS), myoclonic encephalopathy with ragged-red fibers (MERRF), and encephalopathies.