Browse Neurology Articles by Topic

Report from the International Stroke Conference 2015

Major announcements at the International Stroke Conference 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee, included reports on three trials that compared endovascular clot retrieval for acute ischemic stroke, compared to medical treatment with intravenous thrombolytics alone.

Multicenter Quality Improvement Project Resulted in a 23% Reduction in Medical Errors

SYNOPSIS: Implementation of a quality improvement project focused on handoffs reduced medical errors by 23% and preventable adverse events by 30%.

Benefits of NIV in COPD Supported in Routine Clinical Practice

SYNOPSIS: In a large cohort study, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease managed with noninvasive ventilation had lower inpatient mortality, shorter length of stay, and lower costs compared to those managed with invasive ventilation.

Transient Ischemic Attacks: A Missed Opportunity

SYNOPSIS: Patients with transient ischemic attacks were not given evidence-based secondary prevention for stroke at discharge from the hospital as often compared to patients with stroke, thus creating a missed opportunity to decrease the incidence of future stroke and cardiovascular disease.

Predictors of Refractory Status Epilepticus

In a combined derivation and validation study, three independent risk factors for refractory status epilepticus were identified — acute symptomatic cause for seizures, stupor or coma, and a low serum albumin < 35 g/L.

How Common Are Neuromuscular Disorders?

Synopsis: Although many specific neuromuscular disorders are rare, in aggregate, these all add up to a large number, roughly twice as common as multiple sclerosis, and about the same prevalence as Parkinson’s disease.

Does Your Patient Have a Central Venous Catheter?

Central venous catheters (CVCs) are essential to providing optimal care to many hospitalized patients.

Neuroimaging Differences in Dyslexics: Chicken or Egg?

Neuroanatomical differences in primary sensory cortices may distinguish dyslexic individuals from non-dyslexic individuals, providing a potential biomarker for identifying adults who may be predisposed to developing atypical neurodegenerative disease.

Take Me Out of the Ball Game: Acute Management and Long-term Consequences of Concussion in Childhood

The developing brain of a child may be particularly susceptible to injury from mild traumatic brain injury, such as a concussion. Recommending a longer period of strict rest after a concussion does not provide additional benefit when compared to consensus guidelines for care after a concussion in children and adolescents. However, in retired former NFL players, exposure to tackle football prior to age 12 is associated with executive dysfunction, memory impairment, and lower estimated verbal IQ later in life.

Internal Medicine [ALERT]

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) gave a level B recommendation in support of annual low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) to screen for lung cancer in appropriate risk groups. The USPSTF decision was largely based on the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST), a mega-trial (n = 53,454) in the United States that randomized subjects to annual LDCT or chest X-ray. The primary endpoint of the study was lung cancer mortality, and all-cause mortality was a secondary endpoint. Inclusion criteria included at least a 30-pack/year history of smoking (if stopped within 15 years), ability and willingness to complete follow-up for abnormal findings, and absence of problematic comorbidities that might otherwise compromise long-term survival.