Identification of alemtuzumab-suitable multiple sclerosis patients in Slovakia and sequencing of post-alemtuzumab immunomodulatory treatment.

Background: Alemtuzumab (ALEM) is a humanised monoclonal antibody that depletes circulating lymphocytes by selectively targeting CD52, which is expressed in high levels on T- and B-lymphocytes. This depletion is followed by lymphocyte repopulation and a cytokine expression shift towards a lesser inflammatory profile, both of which may contribute to prolonged efficacy. National recommendations for enrolling and treating multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with ALEM have been established.

Annual Plasma Neurofilament Dynamics Is a Sensitive Biomarker of Disease Activity in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

: Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a sensitive biomarker of neuroaxonal damage. This study aimed to assess the relationship between the annual change in plasma NfL (pNfL) and disease activity in the past year, as defined by the concept no evidence of disease activity (NEDA) in a cohort of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Levels of pNfL (SIMOA) were examined in 141 MS patients and analyzed in relationship to the NEDA-3 status (absence of relapse, disability worsening, and MRI activity) and NEDA-4 (NEDA-3 extended by brain volume loss ≤ 0.

Importance of Retesting for the Final Diagnosis of Post-Stroke Cognitive Impairment.

Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) has been defined as all problems in cognitive function that occur following a stroke. Studies published thus far on the prevalence of PSCI and post-stroke dementia (PSD) have shown conflicting estimates. The aim of this study was screening for cognitive impairment (CogI) in patients with an ischaemic stroke and finding the relationship between CogI (and its changes) and cardiovascular risk factors and imaging procedures-CT/MRI.

Did the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak affect the quality of acute stroke care? (Data from across the country).

Introduction: The aim of our study was to determine whether the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic affected the quality of acute care of stroke.

Methods: Data from the stroke register at the National Health Information Centre were analysed. Clinical data from two time periods (the first wave: March-April 2020; the second wave: October-November 2020) were compared using an independent sample -test and the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney two sample rank-sum test.

Associations of optical coherence tomography with disability and brain MRI volumetry in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Aim Of The Study: To investigate in a cross-sectional study the correlations of optical coherence tomography (OCT) with clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.

Material And Methods: OCT parameters include the peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (pRNFL) and ganglion cell complex (GCC). Brain magnetic resonance volumetry (T2- and T1- lesions volume, whole brain volume and grey matter volume) was evaluated using the Icobrain program.

Associations between neurofilament light chain levels, disease activity and brain atrophy in progressive multiple sclerosis.

Background: Neurofilament light chain is a promising biomarker of disease activity and treatment response in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). Its role in progressive MS is less clear.

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between plasma neurofilament light chain (pNfL) and disease activity as defined by the concept NEDA-3 (No Evident Disease Activity), and brain volumetry, in a cohort of patients with the progressive disease form (PMS).

Neurofilament Light Chain Levels Are Associated with Disease Activity Determined by No Evident Disease Activity in Multiple Sclerosis Patients.

Introduction: There is a need for blood biomarkers of disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between plasma neurofilament light chain (pNfL) and disease activity as defined by the concept three-domain no evident disease activity (NEDA-3).

Methods: Levels of pNfL (SIMOA) were examined in 159 MS patients and analyzed in relationship to NEDA-3 status (absence of relapse, disability score worsening, and brain magnetic resonance activity) during the last 12 months.

The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on acute stroke care in Slovakia: Data from across the country.

Background And Purpose: A few studies using data from regional databases have recently pointed to a decreased number of patients with stroke. The aim of the present study was to describe country-level data (the number of patients with stroke, the proportion of patients with acute stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA), the proportion of patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis [IVT] or mechanical thrombectomy [MT], the door-to-needle times [DNT], and the onset-to-needle time [ONT]) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovakia.

Methods: The study examined data from the stroke register at the National Health Information Centre.

Cognitive Event-Related Potentials-The P300 Wave Is a Prognostic Factor of Long-Term Disability Progression in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis.

Purpose: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disorder with a variable course. The aim of our study was to find out whether cognitive event-related potentials are prognostic for patient disability at the 15-year follow-up.

Methods: In the observed cohort of patients with MS, we examined the event-related potentials at baseline (2003).

Narcolepsy in Slovakia - Epidemiology, clinical and polysomnographic features, comorbid diagnoses: a case-control study.

Objective: An increase in the incidence of narcolepsy after the pandemic influenza with the H1N1 vaccination in 2009 resulted in an interest in narcolepsy epidemiology. The aim of the study was to examine the incidence and prevalence rates of narcolepsy and to describe the associated characteristics in Slovakia.

Methods: Epidemiology data were calculated for each year from 2000 to 2017 based on records found in specialized centres.

The insomnia phenotype in genetic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease based on the E200K mutation.

The aim of the presented study was to reveal the frequency of insomnia spells in E200K genetic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (gCJD) patients. Clinical records of 22 subjects diagnosed with E200K gCJD were retrospectively reviewed. The patients w/wo insomnia (n = 4, 18%/n = 18, 82%) did not differ in age, sex and the duration of the symptomatic phase.

Identification of new phosphorylation sites of CD23 in B-cells of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) is the most common lymphoproliferative disorder in adults. Patients with B-CLL strongly express the CD23 - C type of lectin (low affinity IgE receptor, Fc epsilon RII), which is linked to B cell activation and proliferation. Phosphorylation in lymphocytes is tightly associated with regulation of protein activities, functional regulation and cell signaling, and may thus affect initiation and/or progression of the disease.

Management of multiple sclerosis: the role of coping self-efficacy and self-esteem.

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) engage in various coping behaviours in order to manage their disease. The aim of this study is to find out if the self-esteem of patients is associated with coping strategies - problem-focused (e.g.

Poor sleep quality in patients with multiple sclerosis: gender differences.

Objectives: Most of the psychological and physical factors associated with poor sleep quality in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have a different prevalence in women and men, but whether or not these factors contribute differently to sleep quality in women and men with MS remains unclear. The aim of this study was to identify possible gender differences in factors related to poor sleep quality in MS patients.

Material And Methods: We collected data from 153 patients with MS.

Do coping strategies mediate the association between Type D personality and quality of life among people with multiple sclerosis?

The aim of this study is to explore whether different coping strategies are able to mediate the association between Type D personality and quality of life. We collected information from 156 consecutive patients (response rate: 72.9%; 75.

Is Poor Sleep Quality Associated With Greater Disability in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis?

Poor sleep is a serious burden for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study is to assess whether the association between sleep quality and disability in MS patients is direct or mediated by depression, pain, and fatigue. We collected data from 152 patients with MS who filled out the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory and one item of the Short Form-36 regarding pain.

Self-esteem, social participation, and quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis.

The aim of this study is to explore whether self-esteem and social participation are associated with the physical and mental quality of life (Physical Component Summary, Mental Component Summary) and whether self-esteem can mediate the association between these variables. We collected information from 118 consecutive multiple sclerosis patients. Age, gender, disease duration, disability status, and participation were significant predictors of Physical Component Summary, explaining 55.

The mediating effect of coping on the association between fatigue and quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Fatigue, as one of the most frequent symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), has various adverse effects on the physical and mental health-related quality of life (PCS, MCS) of patients. The aim of this study was to explore whether coping mediates the relationship between fatigue and PCS and MCS. We collected data from 154 consecutive MS patients (76.

Factors associated with poor sleep quality in patients with multiple sclerosis differ by disease duration.

Background: Sleep disturbance is a common symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS) and knowledge about factors that contribute to poor sleep quality is scarce.

Objective: The aim was to explore the differences in the prevalence and determinants of poor sleep quality in a sample of patients with MS with disease duration ≤ 5 years and >5 years.

Methods: We collected data from 152 consecutive patients with MS; 66 patients (78% women, averaged 37.

Social participation and health-related quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Social participation is an integral part of everyday life in society; however, evidence about its association with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is lacking.

Objective: The aim of this study is to explore whether social participation is associated with the Physical Component Summary of HRQoL (PCS) and Mental Component Summary of HRQoL (MCS) in people with MS, controlled for age, gender, disease severity and disease duration.

Methods: The sample consisted of 116 consecutive people with MS (response rate: 75.

Health-related quality of life in multiple sclerosis patients with bladder, bowel and sexual dysfunction.

Purpose: Bladder, bowel and sexual dysfunction are often overlooked symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and can be associated with lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim is to explore the association of bladder, bowel and sexual dysfunction with HRQoL in MS patients stratified by disease duration (≤5 and >5 years) and controlled for clinical and sociodemographic variables.

Methods: The study comprised 223 MS patients (mean age 38.