Cerebral arterial stiffness is linked to white matter hyperintensities and perivascular spaces in older adults - A 4D flow MRI study.

White matter hyperintensities (WMH), perivascular spaces (PVS) and lacunes are common MRI features of small vessel disease (SVD). However, no shared underlying pathological mechanism has been identified. We investigated whether SVD burden, in terms of WMH, PVS and lacune status, was related to changes in the cerebral arterial wall by applying global cerebral pulse wave velocity (gcPWV) measurements, a newly described marker of cerebral vascular stiffness. In a population-based cohort of 190 individuals, 66-85 years old, SVD features were estimated from T1-weighted and FLAIR images while gcPWV was estimated from 4D flow MRI data. Additionally, the gcPWV's stability to variations in field-of-view was analyzed. The gcPWV was 10.82 (3.94) m/s and displayed a significant correlation to WMH and white matter PVS volume (r = 0.29, p < 0.001; r = 0.21, p = 0.004 respectively from nonparametric tests) that persisted after adjusting for age, blood pressure variables, body mass index, ApoB/A1 ratio, smoking as well as cerebral pulsatility index, a previously suggested early marker of SVD. The gcPWV displayed satisfactory stability to field-of-view variations. Our results suggest that SVD is accompanied by changes in the cerebral arterial wall that can be captured by considering the velocity of the pulse wave transmission through the cerebral arterial network.

Cerebral Microbleeds-Long-Term Outcome After Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunting in Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are common in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH) and have been suggested as radiological markers of a brain prone to bleeding. The presence of CMBs might be relevant when selecting patients for shunt surgery. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether CMBs increases long-term risk of hemorrhagic complications and mortality or affects outcomes after cerebrospinal fluid shunt surgery in a cohort of patients with INPH. METHODS: One hundred and forty nine shunted patients with INPH (mean age, 73 years) were investigated with MRI (T2* or susceptibility-weighted imaging sequences) preoperatively. CMBs were scored with the Microbleed Anatomic Rating Scale. Patients were observed for a mean of 6.5 years (range 2 weeks to 13 years) after surgery. Hemorrhagic events and death were noted. Improvement in gait was evaluated 3 to 6 months after surgery. RESULTS: At baseline, 74 patients (50%) had CMBs. During follow-up, 7 patients (5%) suffered a hemorrhagic stroke and 43 (29%) suffered a subdural hematoma/hygroma with a median time from surgery of 30.2 months (IQR 50). Overall, having CMBs was not associated with suffering a subdural hematoma/hygroma or hemorrhagic stroke during follow-up with 1 exception that an extensive degree of CMBs (≥50 CMB) was more common in patients suffering a hemorrhagic stroke ( P = .03). CMBs were associated with increased mortality ( P = .02, Kaplan-Meier, log-rank test). The presence of CMBs did not affect gait outcome ( P = .28). CONCLUSION: CMBs were associated with hemorrhagic stroke and mortality. CMBs do not seem to reduce the possibility of gait improvement after shunt surgery or contribute to the risk of hemorrhagic complications regarding subdural hematoma or hygroma.

Efficacy and Safety of Rituximab for New-Onset Generalized Myasthenia Gravis: The RINOMAX Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Rituximab is a third-line option for refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (MG) based on empirical evidence, but its effect in new-onset disease is unknown. Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of rituximab compared with placebo as an add-on to standard of care for MG. Design, Setting, and Participants: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study took place throughout 48 weeks at 7 regional clinics in Sweden. Key inclusion criteria were age older than 18 years, onset of generalized symptoms within 12 months or less, and a Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis (QMG) score of 6 or more. Patients were screened from October 20, 2016, to March 2, 2020. Key exclusion criteria included pure ocular MG, suspected thymoma, previous thymectomy, and prior noncorticosteroid immunosuppressants or high doses of corticosteroids. Interventions: Participants were randomized 1:1 without stratification to a single intravenous infusion of 500 mg of rituximab or matching placebo. Main Outcomes and Measures: Minimal disease manifestations at 16 weeks defined as a QMG score of 4 or less with prednisolone, 10 mg or less daily, and no rescue treatment. Results: Of 87 potentially eligible patients, 25 were randomized to rituximab (mean [SD] age, 67.4 [13.4] years; 7 [28%] female) and 22 to placebo (mean [SD] age, 58 [18.6] years; 7 [32%] female). Compared with placebo, a greater proportion with rituximab met the primary end point; 71% (17 of 24) in the rituximab group vs 29% (6 of 21) in the placebo group (Fisher exact test P = .007; probability ratio, 2.48 [95% CI, 1.20-5.11]). Secondary end points, comparing changes in Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living and Myasthenia Gravis Quality of Life at 16 weeks with QMG at 24 weeks did not differ between groups with censoring for rescue treatment (per-protocol analysis) but were in favor of active treatment when rescue treatment was taken into account by worst rank imputation (post hoc analysis). Rescue treatments were also more frequent in the placebo arm (rituximab: 1 [4%]; placebo, 8 [36%]). One patient in the placebo arm had a myocardial infarction with cardiac arrest and 1 patient in the active arm experienced a fatal cardiac event. Conclusions and Relevance: A single dose of 500 mg of rituximab was associated with greater probability of minimal MG manifestations and reduced need of rescue medications compared with placebo. Further studies are needed to address long-term benefit-risk balance with this treatment. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02950155.

Diffusion tensor imaging and correlations to Parkinson rating scales.

The contribution of various brain areas to the overall progression of Parkinson's disease remains to be determined. In this study, we apply MRI diffusion tensor imaging to investigate how alterations in diffusion relate to phenotype and symptoms measured by clinical rating scales. Sixty-four patients were investigated at baseline and three follow-ups (1, 3 and 5 years). Thirty-six patients remained in the last follow-up. Regions of interests included frontal white matter, basal ganglia, thalamus, and cerebellum. Scoring on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) I, II, III, Hoehn and Yahr (HY) scale and the Schwab and England scale (SE) was determined. Mean, radial, and axial diffusion and fractional anisotropy were modeled with phenotype and clinical scales in a multivariate/univariate analysis correcting for other covariates. Significance was set at 0.05 Bonferroni corrected. All rating scales except UPDRS III significantly correlated to the diffusion measures, as did clinical phenotype. Specifically, putamen, globus pallidus, and thalamus demonstrated higher diffusion with worsening scores. Diffusion in thalamus was higher in the tremor dominant phenotype than in postural imbalance and gait disturbance. Decline in overall functionality (UPDRS II and SE scale), including mental status (UPDRS I) and stage of the disease (HY scale), in Parkinson's disease is related to altered diffusion in the lentiform nucleus and thalamus. Motor function is not mirrored in diffusion changes, possibly due to medication. Tremor dominant PD patients show diffusion alterations in the thalamus, but the significance of this for tremor generation remains to be determined.

Three-day CSF drainage barely reduces ventricular size in normal pressure hydrocephalus.

OBJECTIVE: External lumbar drainage (ELD) of CSF is a test to determine the suitability of a shunt for patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), but its effect on ventricular volume is not known. This study investigates the effect of 3-day ELD of 500 mL on ventricular size and clinical features in patients with idiopathic NPH. METHODS: Fifteen patients were investigated in a 1.5-T MRI scanner before and after ELD. Ventricular volume was measured manually. Clinical features involved motor and cognitive functions, testing primarily gait and attention. Reduction in ventricular volume was correlated to total drain volume and clinical parameters. Statistical tests were nonparametric, and p < 0.05 was required for significance. RESULTS: Drain volume was 415 mL (median 470 mL, range 160-510 mL). Ventricular size was reduced in all patients, averaging 3.7 mL (SD 2.2 mL, p < 0.001), which corresponded to a 4.2% contraction. The ratio of volume contraction to drain volume was only 0.9%. Seven patients improved in gait and 6 in attention. Ventricular reduction and total drain volume correlated neither with improvement nor with each other. The 7 patients with the largest drain volumes (close to 500 mL), had ventricular changes varying from 1.3 to 7.5 mL. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical improvement occurs in patients with NPH after ELD despite unaltered ventricles, suggesting that ventricular size is of little relevance for postshunt improvement or determining shunt function. The clinical effect provided by ELD, mimicking shunting, is probably related to the recurring CSF extractions rather than to the cumulative effect of the drainage on ventricular volume.