Prevalence of Spasticity and Below-Level Neuropathic Pain Related to Spinal Cord Injury Level and Damage to the Lower Spinal Segments.

Objective: To evaluate spasticity and below-level spinal cord injury neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury in patients with, or without, damage to the lumbar spinal cord and roots.

Design/patients: Chart review of 269 patients with spinal cord injury from segments C1 to T11.

Methods: Patients were interviewed concerning leg spasticity and below-level spinal cord injury neuropathic pain in the lower trunk and legs.

Short-term prediction of secondary progression in a sliding window: A test of a predicting algorithm in a validation cohort.

Introduction: The Multiple Sclerosis Prediction Score (MSPS, www.msprediction.com) estimates, for any month during the course of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), the individual risk of transition to secondary progression (SP) during the following year.

Benefits of resistance exercise in lean women with fibromyalgia: involvement of IGF-1 and leptin.

Background: Chronic pain and fatigue improves by exercise in fibromyalgia (FM) but underlying mechanisms are not known. Obesity is increased among FM patients and associates with higher levels of pain. Symptom improvement after aerobic exercise is affected by body mass index (BMI) in FM.

Health status and psychological distress among in-hospital cardiac arrest survivors in relation to gender.

Aim: To describe health status and psychological distress among in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) survivors in relation to gender.

Methods: This national register study consists of data from follow-up registration of IHCA survivors 3-6 months post cardiac arrest (CA) in Sweden. A questionnaire was sent to the survivors, including measurements of health status (EQ-5D-5L) and psychological distress (HADS).

Hereditary diffuse leukoencephalopathy with spheroids - a volumetric and radiological comparison with multiple sclerosis patients and healthy controls.

Background And Purpose: Hereditary diffuse leukoencephalopathy with spheroids (HDLS) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) gene mutations, resulting in demyelination and axonal degeneration with spheroids. The clinical expression is variable, including behavioral changes, cognitive impairment, motor symptoms and parkinsonism. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reveals white matter (WM) changes and atrophy.

Upper Respiratory Infections and MRI Activity in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis.

Background: Although clinical reports have suggested a relationship between systemic infections and multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses, MRI evidence supporting an association is conflicting. Here we evaluated the temporal relationship between upper respiratory infections (URIs) and MRI activity in relapsing-remitting (RR) MS.

Methods: We combined individual data on URI with data on active lesions in pre-scheduled MRI examinations performed every 4 weeks for 28 weeks in 69 patients.

Improved survival after non-traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage with structured care pathways and modern intensive care.

Objective: Patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) often require multidisciplinary management and their treatment is difficult to standardize. The aim was to describe baseline characteristics, care pathways and discharge status in an unselected group of patients with first ever non-traumatic SAH, and to examine whether their care pathways and outcomes vary.

Methods: Patients admitted with first ever non-traumatic SAH to a neurosurgical unit (NSU) in Sweden during a period of 18 months in 2009-2010 were included.

Continuous prediction of secondary progression in the individual course of multiple sclerosis.

Background: Prediction of the course of multiple sclerosis (MS) was traditionally based on features close to onset.

Objective: To evaluate predictors of the individual risk of secondary progression (SP) identified at any time during relapsing-remitting MS.

Methods: We analysed a database comprising an untreated MS incidence cohort (n=306) with five decades of follow-up.

Conclusion: National incidence and risk factor assessments may become a basis for the evaluation of prevention trials – prospects from the Third Nordic MS Symposium.

This symposium started with an overview of recent incidence and prevalence data from the Scandinavian national registers and continued with a critical analysis of several alleged risk factors for MS. These risk factors are constantly changing and therefore might explain current incidence changes. In addition, they may be the subject of preventive measures.

Daily life consequences, cognitive impairment, and fatigue after transient ischemic attack.

Objectives: Studies suggest that fatigue and cognitive impairment may be present after transient ischemic attack (TIA), but little is known about consequences in daily life. The main aim was to longitudinally explore the presence of fatigue, cognitive impairment, and consequences in daily life including communication after clinically diagnosed TIA at 1 and 9 months after the event.

Material And Methods: A consecutive sample of 46 patients (23 women, 69 ± 12.

The outcome spectrum of multiple sclerosis: disability, mortality, and a cluster of predictors from onset.

Interest in the long-term natural history of multiple sclerosis (MS) is being revived, as disability endpoints become increasingly important with the advent of highly efficacious long range but potentially harmful drugs. MS had an increasingly benign course, probably due to better assessment and changing diagnostic criteria. Incidence cohorts reduce inclusion bias, capturing both extreme benign and severe cases.

Cognitive function in survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest after target temperature management at 33°C versus 36°C.

Background: Target temperature management is recommended as a neuroprotective strategy after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Potential effects of different target temperatures on cognitive impairment commonly described in survivors have not been investigated sufficiently. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate whether a target temperature of 33°C compared with 36°C was favorable for cognitive function; the secondary aim was to describe cognitive impairment in cardiac arrest survivors in general.

Five-year incidence of Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy and association with in vitro proliferation of lens epithelial cells from individual specimens: a case control study.

Background: The aims of this study were to determine the 5-year incidence of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) requiring Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy in a representative mixed cohort of cataract patients, to determine risk factors for PCO and to investigate possible association with growth of human lens epithelial cells (HLEC) in vitro.

Methods: Pieces of the anterior lens capsule and adhering HLEC were obtained at cataract surgery and cultured individually. After one and two weeks respectively, cultured cells were stained with carboxy-fluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFDA SE), after which image processing software was used to determine the area of the confluent cell layer.

Targeting Epstein-Barr virus infection as an intervention against multiple sclerosis.

We here review contemporary data on genetic and environmental risk factors, particularly Epstein-Barr virus infection, for multiple sclerosis. There is an important immunogenetic etiological factor for multiple sclerosis. However, a general assumption is that immune defense genes are activated by the environment, basically by infections.

Elevated antibody reactivity to measles virus NCORE protein among patients with multiple sclerosis and their healthy siblings with intrathecal oligoclonal immunoglobulin G production.

Background: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their healthy siblings with the MS oligoclonal bands (OCB) trait, (a hyperimmune condition in form of two or more CSF enriched OCBs) harbor in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum elevated immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers against measles crude whole-cell antigen. The underlying mechanism resulting in the increased IgG antibody reactivity to measles remains unclear. The response may represent specific IgG reactivity to measles antigens or unspecific auto-antibodies targeting cellular components in the crude whole virus antigens commonly used in detection assays.

In vitro growth of lens epithelial cells from cataract patients - association with possible risk factors for posterior capsule opacification.

Aim: Inter-individual differences in intrinsic proliferative capacity of lens epithelial cells may have importance for the risk of developing posterior capsule opacification (PCO) after cataract surgery. The purpose of the present study was to determine growth of human lens epithelial cells (HLEC) in culture and investigate possible associations with clinical characteristics of the donors, such as age, sex, pseudoexfoliation, uveitis and diabetes.

Methods: Pieces of lens capsule and adhering lens epithelial cells were obtained through capsulorhexis at cataract surgery.

Surgical repositioning of intraocular lenses after late dislocation: complications, effect on intraocular pressure, and visual outcomes.

Purpose: To study outcomes after surgery for late intraocular lens (IOL) dislocation and, more specifically, to evaluate different surgical techniques to find predictors of worse visual outcomes, describe postoperative complications, and analyze the effect on intraocular pressure (IOP).

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.

Design: Prospective observational cohort study.

Clinically isolated syndromes with no further disease activity suggestive of multiple sclerosis at the age of population life expectancy.

The proportion of patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) reported to convert to clinically definite multiple sclerosis varied between 30 and 75%. We studied the lifetime probability of remaining in the "CIS only" condition. The study was based on the longitudinally followed Gothenburg 1950-1964 incidence cohort (n = 306).

Walking performance and muscle strength in the later stage poststroke: a nonlinear relationship.

Objectives: To evaluate the relation between muscle strength in the lower extremities and walking performance (speed and distance) in subjects in the later stage poststroke and to compare this with normative data.

Design: A cross-sectional observational study.

Setting: University hospital department.

The diagnosis and treatment of limbic encephalitis.

The term limbic encephalitis (LE) was first introduced in 1968. While this disease was initially considered rare and is often fatal with very few treatment options, several reports published in the last decade provide a better description of this condition as well as possible causes and some cases of successful treatment. The clinical manifestation of LE is primarily defined by the subacute onset of short-term memory loss, seizures, confusion and psychiatric symptoms suggesting the involvement of the limbic system.

Episodes of exercise-induced dark urine and myalgia in LGMD 2I.

Background: Mutations in the fukutin-related protein gene FKRP (MIM *606596) cause a form of congenital muscular dystrophy (MDC1C) and also limb girdle muscular dystrophy type 2I (LGMD2I). Exercise-induced myoglobinuria, frequently occurring in metabolic myopathies, has been described in Becker muscular dystrophy and in a few cases of LGMD.

Objectives: To describe that episodes with myoglobinuria, often associated with exercise-induced myalgia, may be common and a presenting symptom in patients with LGMD2I.

Altered spontaneous synaptic inhibition in an animal model of cerebral heterotopias.

We have investigated spontaneous synaptic transmission in hippocampal nodular heterotopias in rats exposed to methylazoxymethanol (MAM) in utero. Pregnant Wistar rats were injected with MAM at E16. Acute hippocampal slices were prepared from the rat pups P14 to P40.

Late dislocation of in-the-bag and out-of-the bag intraocular lenses: ocular and surgical characteristics and time to lens repositioning.

Purpose: To characterize patients with late intraocular lens (IOL) dislocation to evaluate possible risk factors, determine the time between cataract surgery and IOL repositioning, describe the surgical management, and estimate the incidence.

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.

Design: Case series.

Walking speed and distance in different environments of subjects in the later stage post-stroke.

The purpose of this study is to assess short- and long-distance walking performance in indoor and outdoor environments of slow and fast walkers' subjects living in the community in the later stage post-stroke. Thirty-six subjects with at least 6 months post-stroke were included and divided into two groups based on their walking speed in the clinical setting. Thirty-meter walk tests (30 mWT) at self-selected and maximum speeds were assessed in three environments: (1) clinical setting; (2) basement setting; and (3) outdoor setting.