ABSTRACT Objective: Vitamin D has taken center stage in research and treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). The objective of the present study was to assess the serum vitamin D levels of a large population of patients with MS and controls living in a restricted tropical area. Methods: Data from 535 patients with MS and 350 control subjects were obtained from 14 cities around the Tropic of Capricorn. Results: The...
Summary Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a bone disorder that can lead to skull base deformities such as basilar invagination, which can cause compression of cranial nerves, including the trigeminal nerve. Trigeminal neuralgia in such cases remains a challenge, given distorted anatomy and deformities. We present an alternative option, consisting in cannulation of the foramen ovale and classical percutaneous trea...
Fingolimod is a new and efficient treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). The drug administration requires special attention to the first dose, since cardiovascular adverse events can be observed during the initial six hours of fingolimod ingestion. The present study consisted of a review of cardiovascular data on 180 patients with MS receiving the first dose of fingolimod. The rate of bradycardia in these patie...
OBJETIVO: Descrever os resultados das avaliações audiológica e eletrofisiológica da audição em pacientes portadores de ataxia espinocerebelar (AEC). MÉTODOS: Foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo de corte transversal no qual se avaliou 43 pacientes portadores de AEC submetidos aos seguintes procedimentos: anamnese e avaliações otorrinolaringológica, audiológica, imitanciométrica e do potencial evocado auditivo ...
Objective To assess the prevalence and the profile of adverse events (AE) of natalizumab in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods Data collection from neurologists attending to patients with MS at specialized units in Brazil. Results Data from 103 patients attending the infusion centers of 16 MS units in 9 Brazilian states were included in the study. The total number of infusions was 1,042. Seventy-nin...
ObjectiveTo investigate the relevance of the clinical finding of bulging eyes (BE) in a large Brazilian cohort of spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA), to assess its importance in clinical differential diagnosis among SCA.MethodsThree hundred sixty-nine patients from 168 Brazilian families with SCA were assessed with neurological examination and molecular genetic testing. BE was characterized by the presence of eyelid...
Objective To assess whether the month of birth in different latitudes of South America might influence the presence or severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life. Methods Neurologists in four South American countries working at MS units collected data on their patients' month of birth, gender, age, and disease progression. Results Analysis of data from 1207 MS patients and 1207 control subjects did not s...
Objective Natalizumab is a new and efficient treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). The risk of developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) during the use of this drug has created the need for better comprehension of JC virus (JCV) infection. The objective of the present study was to assess the prevalence of JCV-DNA in Brazilian patients using natalizumab. Method Qualitative detection of the JCV...
Multiple sclerosis (MS) starting in childhood and adolescence poses a challenge for diagnosis and management of the disease. The aim of the present study was to assess the characteristics of early onset MS in Brazilian patients. Methods Retrospective data collection from specialized MS units. Results From 20 MS units in 11 Brazilian states, 117 cases of MS starting before the age of 18 years were collected. The...
Abstract Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) comprise a heterogeneous group of complex neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by the presence of progressive cerebellar ataxia, associated or otherwise with ophthalmoplegia, pyramidal signs, extrapyramidal features, pigmentary retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy, cognitive dysfunction and dementia. Objective: To verify the presence of cognitive dysfunction among the ...