Actigraphic assessment of periodic leg movements in patients with restless legs syndrome.

The diagnosis of restless legs syndrome (RLS) relies upon diagnostic criteria which are based on history only, and dopaminergic treatment is not normally the first choice of treatment for all patients. It would be worthwhile to identify patients non-responsive to dopaminergic treatment beforehand, because they may suffer from a restless legs-like syndrome and may require alternative treatment. We included retrospectively 24 adult patients fulfilling the four essential criteria for restless legs and 12 age-matched healthy controls.

Excessive Daytime sleepiness in idiopathic restless legs syndrome: characteristics and evolution under dopaminergic treatment.

Background/aims: Whereas insomnia is frequent in restless legs syndrome (RLS), little is known about daytime sleepiness. We studied a series of 27 consecutive patients with idiopathic RLS in order to identify the characteristics and evolution of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) under dopaminergic treatment.

Methods: Patients were assessed by clinical examination, questionnaires and video-polysomnography (PSG).

Non-convulsive status epilepticus causing focal neurological deficits in CADASIL.

Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is a hereditary small vessel disease caused by mutations of the Notch3 gene. Clinical manifestations include migraine with or without aura, psychiatric disorders, recurrent ischaemic strokes and cognitive decline. Brain MRI shows confluent hyperintense signal alterations involving characteristically the anterior part of the temporal lobes and widespread areas of the deep and periventricular white matter.

Non-convulsive status epilepticus causing focal neurological deficits in CADASIL.

Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is a hereditary small vessel disease caused by mutations of the Notch3 gene. Clinical manifestations include migraine with or without aura, psychiatric disorders, recurrent ischaemic strokes and cognitive decline. Brain MRI shows confluent hyperintense signal alterations involving characteristically the anterior part of the temporal lobes and widespread areas of the deep and periventricular white matter.

Effects of continuous positive airway pressure on quality of life in patients with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea: data from a randomized controlled trial.

Study Objectives: Previous studies have shown that CPAP has a substantial impact on daytime symptoms and quality of life (QOL). It remains unclear which outcome measures best identify real CPAP effects and carry independent information.

Methods: One hundred-two men with moderate-severe obstructive sleep apnea were randomized to either "real" or "sham" CPAP for one month.

Evolution of neurological, neuropsychological and sleep-wake disturbances after paramedian thalamic stroke.

Background And Purpose: The clinical features and natural course of paramedian thalamic stroke is poorly known. The aim of this study was to characterize the evolution of neurological, neuropsychological, and sleep-wake deficits after paramedian thalamic stroke.

Methods: Forty-six consecutive patients, aged 48.

Central periodic breathing during sleep in acute ischemic stroke.

Background And Purpose: It has been suggested that central periodic breathing during sleep (CPBS) may develop in unilateral supratentorial stroke without cardiopulmonary disease and disturbed consciousness. Not many data existed about such patients.

Methods: Of 31 patients with first-ever stroke, we report 3 patients with CPBS in the absence of cardiopulmonary and vigilance disturbances.

Facial pain: clinical differential diagnosis.

Differential diagnosis of pain in the face as the presenting complaint can be difficult. We propose an approach based on history and neurological examination, which allows a working diagnosis to be made at the bedside, including aetiological hypotheses, leading to a choice of investigations. Neuralgias are characterised by stabs of short lasting, lancinating pain, and, although neuralgias are often primary, imaging may be needed to exclude symptomatic forms.

Blood pressure evolution after acute ischemic stroke in patients with and without sleep apnea.

Background And Purpose: Sleep apnea (SA) is an independent risk factor for arterial hypertension and is present in 50% to 70% of patients with ischemic stroke. The effects of SA on blood pressure (BP) and stroke outcome in the acute stroke phase are essentially unknown.

Methods: We studied 41 consecutive patients admitted within 96 hours after stroke onset.