Reference values for nerve conduction studies of the peroneal, tibial, and sural nerve derived from a large population-based cohort: Associations with demographic and anthropometric characteristics-The Maastricht study.

Introduction/aims: Nerve conduction studies (NCSs) are widely used to support the clinical diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders. The aims of this study were to obtain reference values for peroneal, tibial, and sural NCSs and to examine the associations with demographic and anthropometric factors.

Methods: In 5099 participants (aged 40-79 years) without type 2 diabetes of The Maastricht Study, NCSs of peroneal, tibial, and sural nerves were performed.

Association between Antiplatelet Therapy and Changes in Intraplaque Hemorrhage in Patients with Mild to Moderate Symptomatic Carotid Stenosis: A Longitudinal MRI Study.

Introduction: Carotid atherosclerotic intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) predicts stroke. Patients with a history of stroke are treated with antiplatelet agents to prevent secondary cardiovascular events. A positive association between previous antiplatelet use and IPH was reported in a cross-sectional analysis.

Quantification of carotid plaque composition with a multi-contrast atherosclerosis characterization (MATCH) MRI sequence.

Background And Purpose: Carotid atherosclerotic plaques with a large lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC), intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH), and a thin or ruptured fibrous cap are associated with increased stroke risk. Multi-sequence MRI can be used to quantify carotid atherosclerotic plaque composition. Yet, its clinical implementation is hampered by long scan times and image misregistration.

Detectable Bias between Vascular Ultrasound Echo-Tracking Systems: Relevance Depends on Application.

The Esaote MyLab70 ultrasound system has been extensively used to evaluate arterial properties. Since it is reaching end-of-service-life, ongoing studies are forced to seek an alternative, with some opting for the Esaote MyLabOne. Biases might exist between the two systems, which, if uncorrected, could potentially lead to the misinterpretation of results.

Carotid Plaque Characteristics Predict Recurrent Ischemic Stroke and TIA: The PARISK (Plaque At RISK) Study.

Background: Patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis are at high risk for recurrent stroke. The decision for carotid endarterectomy currently mainly relies on degree of stenosis (cutoff value >50% or 70%). Nevertheless, also, patients with mild-to-moderate stenosis still have a considerable recurrent stroke risk.

AMAZONE: prevention of persistent pain after breast cancer treatment by online cognitive behavioral therapy-study protocol of a randomized controlled multicenter trial.

Background: Surviving breast cancer does not necessarily mean complete recovery to a premorbid state of health. Among the multiple psychological and somatic symptoms that reduce the quality of life of breast cancer survivors, persistent pain after breast cancer treatment (PPBCT) with a prevalence of 15-65% is probably the most invalidating. Once chronic, PPBCT is difficult to treat and requires an individualized multidisciplinary approach.

Neuromonitoring during descending aorta procedures.

Thoraco-abdominal aneurysm (TAA) repair carries a significant risk of spinal cord infarction. The latter results from irreversible changes in the spinal cord arterial network, e.g.

The cross-sectional area of the vagus nerve is not reduced in Parkinson's disease patients.

Background: Recent studies have revealed the importance of the gut brain axis in the development of Parkinson's disease (PD). It has also been suggested that the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the vagus nerve can be used in the diagnosis of PD. Here, we hypothesize that the CSA of the vagus nerve is decreased in PD patients compared to control participants.

Single M-Line Is as Reliable as Multiple M-Line Ultrasound for Carotid Artery Screening.

Carotid artery properties can be evaluated with high accuracy and reproducibility using multiple M-line ultrasound. However, the cost of multiple M-line-based imaging modalities and the extensive operator expertise requirements hamper the large-scale application for arterial properties assessment, particularly in resource-constrained settings. This study is aimed to assess the performance of a single M-line approach as an affordable and easy-to-use alternative to multiple M-line imaging for screening purposes.

Optic nerve sheath diameter assessment by neurosonology: A review of methodologic discrepancies.

Background And Purpose: Reported cutoff values of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) for the diagnosis of elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) are inconsistent. This hampers ONSD as a possible noninvasive bedside monitoring tool for ICP. Because the influence of methodological differences on variations in cutoff values is unknown, we performed a narrative review to identify discrepancies in ONSD assessment methodologies and to investigate their effect on reported ONSD values.

Effects of Combined Vitamin K2 and Vitamin D3 Supplementation on Na[F]F PET/MRI in Patients with Carotid Artery Disease: The INTRICATE Rationale and Trial Design.

INTRICATE is a prospective double-blind placebo-controlled feasibility study, assessing the influence of combined vitamin K2 and vitamin D3 supplementation on micro-calcification in carotid artery disease as imaged by hybrid Sodium [F]Fluoride (Na[F]F) positron emission tomography (PET)/ magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Arterial calcification is an actively regulated process and results from the imbalance between calcification promoting and inhibiting factors. Considering the recent advancements in medical imaging, ultrasound (US), PET/MRI, and computed tomography (CT) can be used for the selection and stratification of patients with atherosclerosis.

An Automated Algorithm for Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter Assessment from B-mode Ultrasound Images.

Background And Purpose: The optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) is a promising surrogate marker for the detection of raised intracranial pressure (ICP). However, inconsistencies in manual ONSD assessment are thought to affect ONSD and the corresponding ONSD cutoff values for the diagnosis of elevated ICP, hereby hampering the full potential of ONSD. In this study, we developed an image intensity-invariant algorithm to automatically estimate ONSD from B-mode ultrasound images at multiple depths.

Development of imaging-based risk scores for prediction of intracranial haemorrhage and ischaemic stroke in patients taking antithrombotic therapy after ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack: a pooled analysis of individual patient data from cohort studies.

Background: Balancing the risks of recurrent ischaemic stroke and intracranial haemorrhage is important for patients treated with antithrombotic therapy after ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack. However, existing predictive models offer insufficient performance, particularly for assessing the risk of intracranial haemorrhage. We aimed to develop new risk scores incorporating clinical variables and cerebral microbleeds, an MRI biomarker of intracranial haemorrhage and ischaemic stroke risk.

Associations of cells from both innate and adaptive immunity with lower nerve conduction velocity: the Maastricht Study.

Introduction: Distal sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN) is common in people with diabetes but is also found in pre-diabetes. Peripheral nerve myelin damage, which can be assessed by reduced nerve conduction velocity (NCV), is an essential feature of DSPN. Emerging evidence indicates that the development of DSPN may involve the activation of the immune system.

Cardiometabolic risk factors as determinants of peripheral nerve function: the Maastricht Study.

Aims/hypothesis: We aimed to examine associations of cardiometabolic risk factors, and (pre)diabetes, with (sensorimotor) peripheral nerve function.

Methods: In 2401 adults (aged 40-75 years) we previously determined fasting glucose, HbA, triacylglycerol, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, inflammation, waist circumference, blood pressure, smoking, glucose metabolism status (by OGTT) and medication use. Using nerve conduction tests, we measured compound muscle action potential, sensory nerve action potential amplitudes and nerve conduction velocities (NCVs) of the peroneal, tibial and sural nerves.

Neurophysiological and paraspinal oximetry monitoring to detect spinal cord ischemia in patients during and after descending aortic repair: An international multicenter explorative study.

Background: During descending aortic repair, critically decreased blood flow to the myelum can result in ischemic spinal cord injury and transient or permanent paraplegia. Assessment of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) has been shown to be a valuable tool which allows to detect spinal cord ischemia (SCI) intraoperatively within a therapeutic window suitable to prevent progression to paraparesis or paraplegia. MEP monitoring is not feasible during postoperative care in the awakening patient.

Assessment of Neurone-Specific Enolase, Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein and S100 B as Spinal Cord Ischemia Biomarkers in Patients Undergoing Open and Endovascular Complex Aortic Surgery: A Single-Center Experience.

Background: Despite all efforts, spinal cord ischemia (SCI) is a relevant and feared complication after open and endovascular thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair. Besides the established correlation of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) and SCI, the usage of biomarkers for early detection of SCI intraoperatively and postoperatively after TAAA surgery is scarcely described in literature.

Methods: The methods include retrospective assessment of 33 patients (48.

The Role of One-Dimensional Model-Generated Inter-Subject Variations in Systemic Properties on Wall Shear Stress Indices of Intracranial Aneurysms.

Variations in systemic properties of the arterial tree, such as aging-induced vessel stiffness, can alter the shape of pressure and flow waveforms. As a consequence, the hemodynamics around a cerebral aneurysm change, and therefore, also the corresponding in- and outlet boundary conditions (BCs) used for three-dimensional (3D) calculations of hemodynamic indices. In this study, we investigate the effects of variations in systemic properties on wall shear stress (WSS) indices of a cerebral aneurysm.

Symptomatic Carotid Plaques Demonstrate Less Leaky Plaque Microvasculature Compared With the Contralateral Side: A Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.

Background Rupture of a vulnerable carotid atherosclerotic plaque is an important underlying cause of ischemic stroke. Increased leaky plaque microvasculature may contribute to plaque vulnerability. These immature microvessels may facilitate entrance of inflammatory cells into the plaque.

Microvasculature and intraplaque hemorrhage in atherosclerotic carotid lesions: a cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging study.

Background: The presence of intraplaque haemorrhage (IPH) has been related to plaque rupture, is associated with plaque progression, and predicts cerebrovascular events. However, the mechanisms leading to IPH are not fully understood. The dominant view is that IPH is caused by leakage of erythrocytes from immature microvessels.

No Association between Thrombin Generation and Intra-Plaque Haemorrhage in Symptomatic Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaques: The Plaque at RISK (PARISK) Study.

Background:  Carotid atherosclerosis is an important cause of stroke. Intra-plaque haemorrhage (IPH) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) increases stroke risk. Development of IPH is only partly understood.

Recovery of lost motor evoked potentials in open thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair using intercostal artery bypass.

Ischemia of the spinal cord remains a disastrous complication in thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) surgery. We report a case of open type I TAAA repair during which no motor evoked potentials were detectable for >1 hour after aortic cross-clamping. The creation of three intercostal artery bypasses restored spinal cord perfusion.