Design and rationale of dabigatran's stroke prevention in real life in Turkey (D-SPIRIT).

OBJECTIVE: The D-SPIRIT registry is designed to investigate the safety and efficacy of dabigatran etexilate in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) and to collect data on outcomes in clinical practice. METHODS: The D-SPIRIT is a national, prospective, observational, post-marketing registry involving patients with NVAF who have been taking dabigatran etexilate therapy for stroke prevention for a minimum of 6 months prior to enrollment. The registry will collect and analyze data from routine care, enrolling up to 600 patients in 9 centers. Patients will be followed up for 2 years to evaluate effectiveness and safety. A sample size of 600 subjects is proposed based on the following assumptions; Two-sided significance level of 0.05 (1-sided significance level of 0.025), ischemic stroke incidence rate of 0.768%-1.111%, hemorrhagic stroke incidence rate of 0.109%-0.130%, transient ischemic attack incidence rate of 0.722%-0.623%, therapy discontinuation incidence rate of 40% at day 730, and duration of enrollment period of 12 months with non-uniformed enrollment rate. Ethics approval was given by Dokuz Eylül University Ethics Committee of Clinical Research (2014/54) and approved by the Turkish Ministry of Health. CONCLUSION: Potential results of D-SPIRIT registry will add data from clinical practice to those from the RE-LY trial to expand knowledge of dabigatran etexilate treatment in patients with NVAF.

Diagnostic value of "dysphagia limit" for neurogenic dysphagia: 17 years of experience in 1278 adults.

OBJECTIVE: Neurogenic dysphagia (ND) is a prevalent condition that accounts for significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. Screening and follow-up are critical for early diagnosis and management which can mitigate its complications and be cost-saving. The aims of this study are to provide a comprehensive investigation of the dysphagia limit (DL) in a large diverse cohort and to provide a longitudinal assessment of dysphagia in a subset of subjects. METHODS: We developed a quantitative and noninvasive method for objective assessment of dysphagia by using laryngeal sensor and submental electromyography. DL is the volume at which second or more swallows become necessary to swallow the whole amount of bolus. This study represents 17 years experience with the DL approach in assessing ND in a cohort of 1278 adult subjects consisting of 292 healthy controls, 784 patients with dysphagia, and 202 patients without dysphagia. A total of 192 of all patients were also reevaluated longitudinally over a period of 1-19 months. RESULTS: DL has 92% sensitivity, 91% specificity, 94% positive predictive value, and 88% negative predictive value with an accuracy of 0.92. Patients with ALS, stroke, and movement disorders have the highest sensitivity (85-97%) and positive predictive value (90-99%). The clinical severity of dysphagia has significant negative correlation with DL (r=-0.67, p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: We propose the DL as a reliable, quick, noninvasive, quantitative test to detect and follow both clinical and subclinical dysphagia and it can be performed in an EMG laboratory. SIGNIFICANCE: Our study provides specific quantitative features of DL test that can be readily utilized by the neurologic community and nominates DL as an objective and robust method to evaluate dysphagia in a wide range of neurologic conditions.

Diagnostic value of lumbar root stimulation at the early stage of Guillain-Barré syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate diagnostic value of electrical lumbar root stimulation (RS) at the laminar level in the early stage of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). METHODS: Fifteen patients (30 sides) and nine controls (17 sides) were included in the study. Conventional nerve conduction studies, needle electromyography, F responses and electrical lumbar RS were obtained from both groups. The needle electrical stimulation was performed at the L2-3 intervertebral level. Vastus lateralis, tibialis anterior and soleus muscles were investigated bilaterally and simultaneously in the first and fourth weeks. RESULTS: In all patients, the amplitudes elicited by lumbar RS were significantly attenuated while the conventional electrophysiological findings were normal and/or not diagnostic in 6 of 15 patients (40%) within the first week. Motor latencies by the lumbar RS were prolonged in the patients, compared to the controls, but the results were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: M-responses elicited by lumbar RS appear to be helpful in disclosing proximal conduction abnormalities of GBS early in the course. SIGNIFICANCE: Lumbar RS seems to be a useful method in making the diagnosis of GBS early and there is no considerable side effect of this particular method.

Diagnostic value of cauda equina motor conduction time in lumbar spinal stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a chronic degenerative disease with pain in the back, buttocks and legs aggrevated by walking and relieved after rest without associated vascular disease of lower extremities observed in patients between 50 and 60 years. Several studies, using different methods indicated an association between slowing or blocking of root-nerve conduction and LSS. None of the previous research had applied the more conceivable methods such as recording the cauda equina potentials from the lumbar level or stimulating the spinal roots within the canal using either leg nerves or muscles. In this study, electrical lumbar laminar stimulation was used to demonstrate prolongation of cauda equina motor conduction time in lumbar spinal stenosis. METHODS: Twenty-one LSS patients and age matched 15 normal control subjects were included in the study. Lumbar laminar electrical stimulation from L1 and L5 vertebra levels were applied by needle electrodes. Compound muscle action potential (CMAP) from gastrocnemius muscles were recorded bilaterally. Latency difference of CMAPs obtained from L1 and L5 spine levels were accepted as the cauda equina motor conduction time (CEMCT). RESULTS: CEMCT was significantly longer in patient group when compared to normal controls. Mean latency difference was 3.59 ± 1.07 msec on the right side, 3.49 ± 1.07 msec on the left side in LSS group, it was 1.45 ± 0.65 msec on the right side, 1.35 ± 0.68 msec on the left side on normal control group (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The prolongation of CEMCT was statistically and individually significant in patient group. This may indicate that lower lumbosacral motor roots were locally and chronically compressed due to lumbar spinal stenosis. Lumbar spinal stenosis may have induced local demyelination at the cauda equina level. SIGNIFICANCE: Since the prolongation of CEMCT was found only in patients with LSS, the method of laminar stimulation can be chosen for patients with uncertain diagnosis of LSS.

Cremaster muscle motor unit action potentials.

OBJECTIVE: Motor unit action potentials (MUAPs) of human striated cremaster muscle (CM) have not been analysed previously, so we examined the MUAPs of the CM, to learn more about the physiology of this unusual striated muscle that works mostly without voluntary control. METHODS: MUAPs of human CM were investigated in 31 normal subjects. MUAPs were elicited by either a voluntarily contraction effort or mostly by the reflex response to the tactile stimulation of the inner thigh. Concentric needle study of jitter was also performed in 10 normal subjects. RESULTS: The total number of MUAPs was 289. Approximately 40% of all MUAPs were classified as simple MUAPs (mean duration 4.7 ± 1.7 ms), and the remainder were polyphasic potentials (mean duration 10.1 ± 3.9 ms). In jitter study, only 29 potential pairs were obtained. There was an increase in jitter value and intermittent blocking. The mean jitter value was 81.9 ± 56.8 µs. The MUAPs longer than 20 ms sometimes grouped as a single long potential or as different subgroups with time intervals between them. CONCLUSION: The EMG results were similar to those obtained from patients with chronic neurogenic disorders despite the fact that the CMs studied were clinically and functionally normal in our healthy male subjects. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings suggest that the CM is an "embryogenic" striated muscle with polyneural innervation both at the muscle fibre and/or at the spinal cord level in adult males. Thus the CM has a weak cortical control but mostly excited by the cutaneous inputs.

Isolated hand palsy due to cortical infarction: localization of the motor hand area.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cortical presentation of the hand area according to MRI images of the infarcted area in patients who have predominantly hand weakness. BACKGROUND: "Pseudoperipheral palsy" is an old term employed to describe a rare clinical picture consisting of predominant weakness of the hand in association with cerebral infarction. Because the organization of the cortical efferent area of the hand has not been fully defined, this phenomenon merits attention. Recent advances in functional imaging have stimulated renewed interest in the cortical mapping of various body parts, particularly that of the hand. METHODS: The patients who had isolated hand palsy due to cerebral infarction underwent clinical examination and cerebral MRI investigation to locate the exact lesion site. RESULTS: Eight patients (6 men, 2 women) aged 55 to 80 years (mean 69 years) were included in this study. All had at least one risk factor for cerebrovascular disease. All our 8 patients presented with hand palsy and lesions were detected in the contralateral precentral gyrus in all cases. The lesions were located in the middle to lower portion of the anterior wall of the central sulcus just posterior to the intersection of the superior frontal and precentral sulci. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that the hand area in the cerebral motor cortex is located in the middle to lower portion of the anterior wall of the central sulcus, that is, in Brodmann area 4. We present our 8 patients showing isolated hand palsy due to a discrete cortical infarction on MRI to expand the knowledge about cortical localization of the hand area.

Interaction of botulinum toxin type A with local anesthetic agents: an experimental study with rabbits.

Injection of botulinum toxin is a painful procedure, limiting the number of patients treated. This study was designed to establish whether infiltration of local anesthetics plays a role in the effectiveness of botulinum toxin. For the study, 24 New Zealand white rabbits were divided into three groups. In all three groups, local anesthetics (prilocaine, lidocaine, lidocaine, and epinephrine) were injected into the right anterior auricular muscle before a 2.5-U injection of botox A. The contralateral anterior auricular muscle of all the rabbits was injected with the same dose of the toxin to serve as a control. Photographic documentation was recorded; electromyographic study was performed; and results were statistically analyzed. The results show that local anesthetics do not play a role in the efficacy of botulinum toxin. Thus, the use of infiltrative local anesthetics before botulinum toxin injection is a safe method for achieving a less painful procedure for the patient.

Preswallowing dystonia.

A patient is described with some dystonic features related to the preswallowing period of oropharyngeal swallowing in the muscles of deglutition sequentially. This case may be called a "preswallowing dystonia."

Corticonuclear innervation to facial muscles in normal controls and in patients with central facial paresis.

Recently it has been proposed that corticobulbar innervation of the lower facial muscles is bilateral, that is from both right and left sides of the motor cortex. The objectives of this study were, i) to evaluate the corticonuclear descending fibers to the perioral muscles and, ii) to determine how central facial palsy (CFP) occurs and often recovers rapidly following a stroke. Eighteen healthy volunteers and 28 patients with a previous history of a stroke and CFP (mean ages: 51 and 61 years) were investigated by TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) with a figure of eight coil. Intracranial facial nerve and cortical motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were recorded from the perioral muscles. The periorbital MEPs were also studied. The absence of MEPs in both perioral muscles with TMS of the affected hemisphere was the most obvious abnormality. Also, central conduction time was significantly prolonged in the remaining patients. The mean amplitude of the affected hemisphere MEPs was diminished. The amplitudes of the unaffected hemisphere MEPs recorded from the intact side were enhanced especially in the first week following the stroke. During TMS, only the blink reflexes were elicited from the periorbital muscles due to stimulus spreading to trigeminal afferent nerve fibers. It is concluded that perioral muscles are innervated by the corticobulbar tract bilaterally. CFP caused by a stroke is generally incomplete and mild because of the ipsilateral cortical and multiple innervations out of the infarction area, and recovers fast through cortical reorganisation.

Strokes in the subinsular territory: clinical, topographical, and etiological patterns.

The authors studied 11 patients with subinsular stroke (subIS) located in a deep border zone between lenticulostriate arteries and small insular cortical penetrating branches of the middle cerebral artery. The typical clinical features of subIS were motor deficits (11 patients), sensory disturbances (6 patients), transcortical motor aphasia and hypophonia (2 patients), and transient dysphagia at stroke onset (5 patients). Large artery disease and cardioembolic mechanisms may give rise to subIS by hemodynamic mechanisms.

Spectrum of medial medullary infarction: clinical and magnetic resonance imaging findings.

Among 4200 consecutive patients admitted to three hospitals with acute ischemic stroke, we found only 11 patients in whom magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) had proved that they had medial medullary infarction (MMI). In our centers, patients with MMI were less than 1% of those with vertebrobasilar stroke. The infarcts documented by MRI were unilateral in 10 patients and bilateral in one. On clinico-topographical analysis there were four clinical patterns: (1) Classical Dejerine's syndrome was the most frequent, consisting of contralateral hemiparesis, lemniscal sensory loss and ipsilateral lingual palsy in 7 of the eleven patients. (2) Pure hemiparesis was present in 2 patients; (3) Sensorimotor stroke was present in 1 patient with contralateral hemiparesis, hypesthesia and mild decrease in pain sensation without lingual palsy; (4) Bilateral MMI syndrome in 1 patient, accompanied by tetraparesis, bilateral loss of deep sensation, dysphagia, dysphonia and anarthria. Presumed causes of MMI were intrinsic branch penetrator artery disease with concomitant vertebral artery stenosis in 6 of the 11 patients, vertebral artery occlusion in 2, dolichoectatic vertebrobasilar arteries in 2, a source of cardiac embolism in 1. Prognosis at 3 months was favorable in 8 patients, but the patient with bilateral MMI syndrome had persisting motor deficit causing limitation of daily activities, and 2 died from systemic causes. The classical triad of acute MMI facilitates the diagnosis, although the recognition of this syndrome in patients with incomplete manifestations can be difficult and occurs more frequently than commonly thought. Moreover, vertebral artery atherosclerosis and branch atheromatous disease of the penetrating arteries are the main causes of medullary infarction.