Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2019 Apr 17. Epub 2019 Apr 17.

MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK

Objectives: Hereditary sensory neuropathy type 1 (HSN1) is a rare, slowly progressive neuropathy causing profound sensory deficits and often severe motor loss. L-serine supplementation is a possible candidate therapy but the lack of responsive outcome measures is a barrier for undertaking clinical trials in HSN1. We performed a 12-month natural history study to characterise the phenotype of HSN1 and to identify responsive outcome measures. Read More

Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2019 Apr 16. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Department of Thoracic Oncology and Respiratory Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Centre, Komagome Hospital, Honkomagome 3-18-22, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-0021, Japan.

Background: Few studies have investigated the clinical efficacy of third- and later-line of chemotherapy after standard chemotherapy for previously treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We prospectively evaluated the efficacy and safety of nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) following standard chemotherapies for previously treated advanced NSCLC.

Methods: The eligible patients having adequate organ functions with performance status 0-2 were enrolled after completing standard chemotherapy. Read More

Ann Thorac Surg 2019 Apr 11. Epub 2019 Apr 11.

Division of Chest Surgery, Department of Surgery, Toho University School of Medicine, 6-11-1 Omori-nishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo, 143-8541, Japan. Electronic address:

A 33-year-old female presented with a right cervical mass. Contrast computed tomography showed a multilocular tumor with a clear border and heterogeneous contents including fat and calcification. The tumor was located adjacent to the vagus and recurrent nerves. Read More

Quant Imaging Med Surg 2019 Feb;9(2):273-282

Department of Ultrasound, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.

Background: To evaluate the value of shear wave elastography (SWE) in the detection of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) of the median and tibial nerves.

Methods: The study included 40 DPN patients, 40 diabetic mellitus (DM) patients without DPN, and 40 healthy subjects. High-resolution ultrasonography (US) and SWE were performed on the median nerve (MN) and tibial nerve (TN), and cross-sectional area (CSA) and nerve stiffness were measured. Read More

Hand (N Y) 2019 Apr 8:1558944719837674. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

1 Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA.

Background: Clenched fist syndrome is a rare disorder, often attributed to a conversion disorder without anatomic basis. Here, we review the literature surrounding clenched fist syndrome and challenge the assumption it is always psychiatric in origin, via description of a case of clenched fist syndrome responsive to surgical nerve decompression.

Methods: An unusual case of clenched fist syndrome is reviewed and discussed. Read More

Lancet Oncol 2019 Apr 1. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

Cancer Research UK Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. Electronic address:

Background: Biologically distinct subtypes of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma can be identified using gene-expression analysis to determine their cell of origin, corresponding to germinal centre or activated B cell. We aimed to investigate whether adding bortezomib to standard therapy could improve outcomes in patients with these subtypes.

Methods: In a randomised evaluation of molecular guided therapy for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with bortezomib (REMoDL-B), an open-label, adaptive, randomised controlled, phase 3 superiority trial, participants were recruited from 107 cancer centres in the UK (n=94) and Switzerland (n=13). Read More

Br J Cancer 2019 Apr 4. Epub 2019 Apr 4.

Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.

Background: Sorafenib remains one major first-line therapeutic options for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC), with modest efficacy. We investigated the addition of gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (GEMOX) to sorafenib in aHCC patients.

Methods: Our multicentre phase II trial randomised aHCC first-line patients to sorafenib (400 mg BID) or sorafenib-GEMOX every 2 weeks (1000 mg/m gemcitabine; 100 mg/m oxaliplatin). Read More

J Clin Oncol 2019 Apr 2:JCO1900066. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

1 Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA.

Purpose: The Adjuvant Paclitaxel and Trastuzumab trial was designed to address treatment of patients with small human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer. The primary analysis of the Adjuvant Paclitaxel and Trastuzumab trial demonstrated a 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) of 98.7%. Read More

J Clin Oncol 2019 Apr 2:JCO1801994. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

14 Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY.

Purpose: Alliance/CALGB 50303 (NCT00118209), an intergroup, phase III study, compared dose-adjusted etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and rituximab (DA-EPOCH-R) with standard rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) as frontline therapy for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Patients And Methods: Patients received six cycles of DA-EPOCH-R or R-CHOP. The primary objective was progression-free survival (PFS); secondary clinical objectives included response rate, overall survival (OS), and safety. Read More

Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2019 Apr 2;4:CD010528. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

School of Health Sciences, Ulster University, Jordanstown campus, Shore Road, Newtownabbey, County Antrim, UK, BT37 0QB.

Background: Neuropathic pain is a consequence of damage to the central nervous system (CNS), for example, cerebrovascular accident, multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury, or peripheral nervous system (PNS), for example, painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN), postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), or surgery. Evidence suggests that people suffering from neuropathic pain are likely to seek alternative modes of pain relief such as herbal medicinal products due to adverse events brought about by current pharmacological agents used to treat neuropathic pain. This review includes studies in which participants were treated with herbal medicinal products (topically or ingested) who had experienced neuropathic pain for at least three months. Read More

Hong Kong Physiother J 2018 Dec 2;38(2):91-114. Epub 2018 Jul 2.

Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy of the upper limb. Treatment options include physiotherapy, splinting, steroid injections or surgery.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of surgical versus conservative treatment for CTS for symptom and functional improvement and improvement of neurophysiological parameters. Read More

Diabetes Res Clin Pract 2019 Mar 25;151:1-10. Epub 2019 Mar 25.

Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Phoenix, AZ, United States.

Aims: To assess peripheral neuropathy (PN) using graded Semmes Weinstein monofilaments (SWMs) and determine factors associated with PN among adult volunteers with and without diabetes.

Methods: Adult volunteers were assessed for distal sensory PN using three graded SWMs. Four PN levels were defined: 0 (no PN; felt all three filaments), 1 (subclinical PN; insensate to 1-g filament), 2 (insensate to 10-g), or 3 (insensate to 75-g). Read More

Clin Breast Cancer 2019 Feb 27. Epub 2019 Feb 27.

Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.

Introduction: The primary objective of this study was to assess the safety and tolerability of combination pertuzumab, subcutaneous trastuzumab (Herceptin), and investigator's choice of taxane chemotherapy in previously untreated patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Efficacy was a secondary objective.

Patients And Methods: This study was an open-label, non-randomized study of patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive metastatic breast cancer who had no previous systemic non-hormonal anti-cancer therapy for metastatic disease. Read More

Pan Afr Med J 2018 20;31:39. Epub 2018 Sep 20.

Traumatologie-Orthopédie Aile 4, CHU Ibn Rochd, Casablanca, Maroc.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the the most common reasons for consultation in hand surgery with an annual incidence of 300 per 100 000 inhabitants and, in France, of 80 000 surgical interventions. In most cases, carpal tunnel syndrome is idiopathic occurring without a recognizable cause. However, beyond these forms, the merging of several mechanisms can explain the cause-and-effect relationship of this pathology . Read More

J Neurophysiol 2019 Mar 27. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust.

Length-dependent peripheral neuropathy typically involves the insidious onset of sensory loss in the lower limbs before later progressing proximally. Recent evidence proposes HCN channels as dysfunctional in rodent models of peripheral neuropathy and differential expression of HCN channels in the lower limbs was hypothesised as a pathophysiological mechanism accounting for the pattern of symptomatology. We studied six healthy participants using motor axon excitability including strong and long (-70% & -100% TEh) hyperpolarising currents to preferably study HCN channel function from the median and tibial nerves from high(40%) and low (20%) threshold. Read More

Oncologist 2019 Mar 26. Epub 2019 Mar 26.

Office of Hematology and Oncology Products, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.

In November 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved brentuximab vedotin (BV) for the treatment of adult patients with previously untreated systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma or other CD30-expressing peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL), including angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma and PTCL not otherwise specified, in combination with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone (CHP). Read More

J Fr Ophtalmol 2019 Apr 23;42(4):361-367. Epub 2019 Mar 23.

Service d'ophtalmologie, centre hospitalier universitaire Yalgago Ouédraogo, 03 BP7022, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Introduction: Ocular damage is one of the numerous complications of diabetes. Proliferative diabetic retinopathy can result in blindness. The purpose of our work was to study the aspects of diabetic retinopathy on fundus examination in diabetic patients in Bobo-Dioulasso in a hospital environment. Read More

Hand (N Y) 2019 Mar 24:1558944719831387. Epub 2019 Mar 24.

1 Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.

Background: The objective of the study was to evaluate and compare the clinical outcomes of in situ decompression with subcutaneous and submuscular transpositions for surgical management of advanced (McGowan stage III) cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS).

Methods: A retrospective review of patients in our institution undergoing primary surgery for CuTS from February 1989 to May 2009 was performed. Patients with advanced CuTS with a minimum of 12 months of follow-up without any previous bony or soft tissue procedures around the elbow were included. Read More

Diabet Med 2019 Mar 21. Epub 2019 Mar 21.

Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Aims: To investigate changes in corneal nerve morphology in Type 2 diabetes and to establish relationships between in vivo corneal confocal microscopy and markers of peripheral nerve structure and function.

Participants And Methods: We recruited 57 participants with Type 2 diabetes and 26 healthy controls of similar age and sex distribution. We also recruited a disease control group of 54 participants with Type 1 diabetes. Read More

Insights Imaging 2019 Mar 20;10(1):37. Epub 2019 Mar 20.

Department of Orthopaedics, SMS Medical College, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.

The ulnar nerve is a branch of the C8 and T1 nerve roots and arises from the medial cord of the brachial plexus. It supplies the intrinsic muscles of the hand and assists the median nerve in functioning of the flexors. Also known as the musician's nerve, it is the second most common nerve involved in compressive neuropathy following the median nerve. Read More

N Engl J Med 2019 Mar;380(12):e15

From St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Brighton, MA (C.S.D.); Tufts University School of Medicine (C.S.D.), Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (C.C.S.), and Harvard Medical School (C.C.S.) - all in Boston; and St. Mary's Medical Center, San Francisco (W.K.W.).

Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2019 03 20;3:CD012836. Epub 2019 Mar 20.

Tropical and Infectious Diseases Unit, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool, UK.

Background: Linezolid was recently re-classified as a Group A drug by the World Health Organization (WHO) for treatment of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB), suggesting that it should be included in the regimen for all patients unless contraindicated. Linezolid use carries a considerable risk of toxicity, with the optimal dose and duration remaining unclear. Current guidelines are mainly based on evidence from observational non-comparative studies. Read More

Eur J Neurol 2019 Mar 18. Epub 2019 Mar 18.

Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Background: Conduction block is a pathognomonic feature of immune-mediated neuropathies. The aim of this study was to advance understanding of pathophysiology and conduction block in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) and multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN).

Methods: A multimodal approach was used, incorporating clinical phenotyping, neurophysiology, immunohistochemistry and structural assessments. Read More

Can J Diabetes 2019 Jan 11. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Vali-Asr Hospital, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address:

Objectives: Novel biomarkers of diabetic peripheral neuropathy provide potentially useful information for early identification and treatment of diabetic neuropathy, ultimately serving to reduce the burden of disease. This study was designed to investigate the potential associations of serum S100B and S100P (calcium-modulated proteins) with the presence and classification of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: In a case-cohort setting, the data of 44 participants diagnosed with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, 44 control participants with type 2 diabetes but free of peripheral neuropathy and 87 healthy control individuals were collected and analyzed. Read More

Skeletal Radiol 2019 Mar 13. Epub 2019 Mar 13.

Department of Orthopedics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.

A 9-year-old boy sustained an ulnohumeral dislocation with a medial epicondyle fracture and experienced incomplete post-traumatic median nerve palsy in addition to post-traumatic stiffness following closed reduction and cast immobilization. When his motor palsy and stiffness did not improve, MRI and ultrasound were obtained, which demonstrated entrapment of the median nerve in an osseous tunnel at the fracture site, compatible with type 2 median nerve entrapment. Subsequently, the patient underwent surgery to mobilize the medial epicondyle and free the median nerve, resulting in improved range of motion, near complete restoration of motor function, and complete restoration of sensory function in the median nerve distribution within 6 months of surgery. Read More

J Pediatr Urol 2019 Feb 5. Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Department of Paediatric Urology, Leeds Children's Hospital, Leeds, LS1 3EX, UK; Jack Birch Unit, Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK. Electronic address:

Introduction: Urothelial cells harvested from benign diseased bladders have a compromised capacity to propagate or differentiate in vitro, potentially limiting their application in autologous tissue engineering approaches. The causative pathways behind this altered phenotype are unknown. The hypothesis is that hypoxic damage to the urothelium occurs as a bystander to chronic or recurrent episodes of infection and inflammation. Read More

Isr J Health Policy Res 2019 Mar 11;8(1):30. Epub 2019 Mar 11.

Department of Maternal and Child Health, Public Health Services, Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel.

Background: The Israeli Newborn Hearing Screening Program (NHSP) began operating nationally in January 2010. The program includes the Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) test for all newborns and Automated Auditory Brainstem Response (A-ABR) test for failed OAE and infants at risk for auditory neuropathy spectrum disorders. NHSP targets are diagnosis of hearing impairment by age three months and initiation of habilitation by six months. Read More

J Vasc Surg 2019 Mar 6. Epub 2019 Mar 6.

Center for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Mo; Section of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Mo. Electronic address:

Objective: To assess the results of physical therapy management and surgical treatment in a prospective observational cohort of patients with neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (NTOS) using patient-reported outcomes measures.

Methods: Of 183 new patient referrals from July 1 to December 31, 2015, 150 (82%) met the established clinical diagnostic criteria for NTOS. All patients underwent an initial 6-week physical therapy trial. Read More

Addiction 2019 Mar 9. Epub 2019 Mar 9.

Addiction Sciences Division, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3131 Harvey Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.

Background And Aims: Screening for substance use disorder (SUD) in general medical settings may be particularly important in patients with comorbid health conditions exacerbated by SUD. This study evaluated whether SUD is associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)-complications in patients with co-occurring T2DM and hypertension.

Design: Analysis of a limited data set obtained through IBM Watson Health Explorys, a platform integrating data from electronic health records. Read More

Invest New Drugs 2019 Mar 8. Epub 2019 Mar 8.

Department of Breast Surgery, Saitama Red Cross Hospital, Saitama, Japan.

Purpose To examine the efficacy and safety of triple therapy with eribulin, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) who never received any prior therapy in the first-line metastatic/advanced setting. Methods Eribulin 1.4 mg/m (days 1 and 8), trastuzumab 8 mg/kg over 90 min and 6 mg/kg over 30 min, and pertuzumab 840 mg/body over 60 min and 420 mg/body over 30 min were administered intravenously in 21-day cycles. Read More

Muscle Nerve 2019 Mar 7. Epub 2019 Mar 7.

Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Introduction: Polyneuropathy with immunoglobulin M monoclonal gammopathy (IgM-PNP) is associated with the presence of IgM antibodies against nerve constituents such as myelin associated glycoprotein (MAG) and gangliosides.

Methods: To test whether B-cell-stimulating cytokines are increased in IgM-PNP, we measured serum concentrations of 11 cytokines in 81 patients with IgM-PNP and 113 controls.

Results: Median interleukin (IL)-6 concentrations were higher in patients with IgM-PNP, and median IL-10 concentrations were higher in the subgroup with anti-MAG IgM antibodies. Read More

Endokrynol Pol 2019 Mar 7. Epub 2019 Mar 7.

Katedra i Klinika Chorób Metabolicznych, Collegium Medicum Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego w Krakowie, Poland.

Introduction: Long-term poor metabolic control promotes the occurrence of microvascular complications, such cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy and atherogenic hyperlipidaemia, which translates into increased mortality in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM).

Aims: To assess the prevalence of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in patients with T1DM in relation to treatment method (continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) versus multiple daily injections using pens (MDI)) and lipid control.

Material And Methods: The study group comprised 93 adults (60 women, 33 men), median age 31, with T1DM being treated in a local clinical centre in 2011-2015. Read More

Nat Commun 2019 03 4;10(1):1030. Epub 2019 Mar 4.

Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, and Musculoskeletal Science, University of Oxford, Botnar Research Centre, Windmill Road, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common and disabling condition of the hand caused by entrapment of the median nerve at the level of the wrist. It is the commonest entrapment neuropathy, with estimates of prevalence ranging between 5-10%. Here, we undertake a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of an entrapment neuropathy, using 12,312 CTS cases and 389,344 controls identified in UK Biobank. Read More

Neurosurgery 2019 Mar 4. Epub 2019 Mar 4.

Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.

Background: Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a rare, non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Up to 50% of patients develop central nervous system involvement, and a subset of these patients can present with isolated tumor-like masses.

Objective: To describe the skull base manifestations of ECD with an emphasis on aspects most pertinent to surgeons who may be referred such patients for primary evaluation. Read More

BMC Endocr Disord 2019 Mar 1;19(1):27. Epub 2019 Mar 1.

Faculty of Medicine and Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Background: Diabetes-related lower limb amputations (LLA) are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Although the incidence has decreased over the past two decades in most High-Income Countries, the situation in Low-Middle Income Countries (LMIC), especially those in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is not clear. We have determined the incidence and determinants of diabetes-related LLA in Ghana. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Mar;98(9):e14758

Departments of Medical Oncology.

Treatment options for patients with relapsed/refractory small cell lung cancer (R/R SCLC) are limited, and the efficacy of salvage therapies for heavily treated patients should be assessed. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of paclitaxel (PTX) in R/R SCLC patients.A single-institute retrospective chart review was conducted. Read More

Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2019 Feb;77(2):96-100

Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Centro de Estudos em Paramiloidose Antônio Rodrigues de Mello.

Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) is characterized by the deposit of mutant or wild-type transthyretin that forms amyloid fibrils, which are extracellularly deposited within tissues and organs. Clinical manifestations of familial amyloid polyneuropathy vary according to the mutation, age at onset and geographical location. This study aimed to describe baseline disease characteristics of Brazilian patients with transthyretin familial amyloid polyneuropathy (ATTR-FAP) enrolled in the Transthyretin Amyloidosis Outcome Survey (THAOS). Read More

Thorac Cancer 2019 Apr 27;10(4):1001-1004. Epub 2019 Feb 27.

Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA.

Paraneoplastic neurological autoimmunity is often associated with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), a highly malignant neuroendocrine tumor. Paraneoplastic autoimmunity often correlates with longer survival. We describe the paraneoplastic neurological manifestations of patients with SCLC with and without SCLC-predictive autoantibodies and the correlation between autoimmunity and survival. Read More

Hand (N Y) 2019 Feb 27:1558944719831338. Epub 2019 Feb 27.

1 MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA.

Background: Several anatomical variations of the median nerve recurrent motor branch have been described. No previous reports have described the anatomical variation of the ulnar nerve with respect to transverse carpal ligament. In this article, we present a patient with symptomatic compression of the ulnar nerve found to occur outside the Guyon canal due to a transligamentous course through the distal transverse carpal ligament. Read More

Radiology 2019 May 26;291(2):521-528. Epub 2019 Feb 26.

From the Department of Interventional Radiology, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, University Hospital of Strasbourg, 1 Place de l'Hôpital, BP 426, 67091 Strasbourg, France (P.A., R.L.C., J.C., G.K., J.G., A.G.); Clinical Investigation Center INSERM 1414, University Hospital of Rennes and University of Rennes, Rennes, France (C.R.); Division of Robotics and Department of Interventional Radiology, ICube, University of Strasbourg and Nouvel Hopital Civil, Strasbourg, France (P.R.); and Department of Radiology and Imaging, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong (J.B.C.).

Background Percutaneous cryoablation has been shown to be effective in the management of painful bone tumors. However, knowledge of the complication rate and risk factors for complication is currently lacking. Purpose To report the complication rate and associated risk factors for bone tumor cryoablation. Read More

Front Neurosci 2019 11;13:51. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL, United States.

Physical exercise is an essential adjunct to the management of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Therapeutic interventions that improve blood flow to peripheral nerves, such as exercise, may slow the progression of neuropathy in the diabetic patient. This randomized clinical trial was conducted to determine whether a structured program of aerobic, isokinetic strength, or the combination of aerobic-isokinetic strength exercise intervention alters peripheral nerve function in glycemic-controlled diabetic patients with advanced length-dependent distal symmetric polyneuropathy. Read More

Breast 2019 Jan 28;45:7-14. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Pierre Fabre Médicament, 45 Place Abel Gance, 92654, Boulogne-Billancourt, France. Electronic address:

Background: Single-agent paclitaxel and vinorelbine are recommended treatments for advanced breast cancer (ABC) non-responsive to hormone therapy and without visceral crisis. This phase II trial compared first-line oral vinorelbine versus weekly paclitaxel for ABC.

Methods: Eligible female patients had measurable locally recurrent/metastatic estrogen receptor-positive HER2-negative breast cancer and had received prior endocrine therapy (any setting) but no chemotherapy for ABC. Read More

Ann Oncol 2019 Feb 23. Epub 2019 Feb 23.

Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Middlesex, UK.

Background: Pertuzumab combined with trastuzumab and docetaxel is the standard first-line therapy for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, based on results from the phase III CLEOPATRA trial. PERUSE was designed to assess the safety and efficacy of investigator-selected taxane with pertuzumab and trastuzumab in this setting.

Patients And Methods: In the ongoing multicentre single-arm phase IIIb PERUSE study, patients with inoperable HER2-positive advanced breast cancer (locally recurrent/metastatic) (LR/MBC) and no prior systemic therapy for LR/MBC (except endocrine therapy) received docetaxel, paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel with trastuzumab (8 mg/kg loading dose, then 6 mg/kg every 3 weeks [q3w]) and pertuzumab (840 mg loading dose, then 420 mg q3w) until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Read More

Clin Orthop Relat Res 2019 Jan;477(1):104-113

C. C. Wyles, M. Hevesi, R. T. Trousdale, M. W. Pagnano, T. M. Mabry Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA E. R. Trousdale, H. M. Gazelka Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA D. S. Ubl, E. B. Habermann Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery Surgical Outcomes Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.

Background: Opioid prescription management is challenging for orthopaedic surgeons, and we lack evidence-based guidelines for responsible opioid prescribing. Our institution recently developed opioid prescription guidelines for patients undergoing several common orthopaedic procedures including TKA and THA in an effort to reduce and standardize prescribing patterns.

Questions/purposes: (1) How do opioid prescriptions at discharge and 30-day refill rates change in opioid-naïve patients undergoing primary TKA and THA before and after implementation of a novel prescribing guideline strategy? (2) What patient, surgical, and in-hospital factors influence opioid prescription quantity and refill rate?

Methods: New institutional guidelines for patients undergoing TKA and THA recommend a maximum postoperative prescription of 400 oral morphine equivalents (OME), comparable to 50 tablets of 5 mg oxycodone or 80 tablets of 50 mg tramadol. Read More

Am J Clin Oncol 2019 Apr;42(4):375-381

University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY.

Background: Eribulin mesylate, a synthetic analog of halichondrin B, is a novel tubulin-binding agent that inhibits cancer cell proliferation at low-nanomolar levels.

Methods: In a multicenter ECOG trial, patients with progressive metastatic CRPC, ECOG 0-2 were treated with eribulin 1.4 mg/m as an IV bolus over 5 minutes on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle. Read More

Clin Auton Res 2019 Feb 19. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.

Purpose: Familial dysautonomia (FD) is a rare autosomal recessive disease that affects the development of sensory and autonomic neurons, including those in the cranial nerves. We aimed to determine whether conventional brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could detect morphologic changes in the trigeminal nerves of these patients.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of brain MRI of patients with genetically confirmed FD and age- and sex-matched controls. Read More

Orphanet J Rare Dis 2019 02 18;14(1):46. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Program for the Study of Neurodevelopment in Rare Disorders and Center for Rare Disease Therapy, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15144, USA.

Background: Krabbe disease is a rare neurological disorder caused by a deficiency in the lysosomal enzyme, β-galactocerebrosidase, resulting in demyelination of the central and peripheral nervous systems. If left without treatment, Krabbe disease results in progressive neurodegeneration with reduced quality of life and early death. The purpose of this prospective study was to describe the natural progression of early onset Krabbe disease in a large cohort of patients. Read More

Radiother Oncol 2019 Feb 31;131:112-119. Epub 2018 Dec 31.

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA. Electronic address:

Introduction: Radiation-induced optic neuropathy (RION) is a complication of radiation therapy (RT) that causes blindness. We aimed to define the tolerance of the anterior optic pathway to fractionated RT and identify risk factors for RION.

Materials/methods: Patients with chordoma or chondrosarcoma of the skull base treated with proton and photon therapy between 1983 and 2013, who received a minimum of 30 Gy (relative biologic effectiveness [RBE]) to the anterior optic pathway were assessed. Read More

J Neurosurg 2019 Feb 15:1-8. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

1Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neurosciences Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah; and.

OBJECTIVECavernous sinus meningiomas are complex tumors that offer a perpetual challenge to skull base surgeons. The senior author has employed a management strategy for these lesions aimed at maximizing tumor control while minimizing neurological morbidity. This approach emphasizes combining "safe" tumor resection and direct decompression of the roof and lateral wall of the cavernous sinus as well as the optic nerve. Read More

Sci Rep 2019 Feb 14;9(1):2027. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Department of Radiology, Aichi Medical University Hospital, Aichi, Japan.

To identify predictive factors of prognosis after radiotherapy with concurrent steroid pulse therapy for thyroid eye disease, retrospective analyses were performed among 77 patients. Clinical activity score and magnetic resonance imaging were used to evaluate degrees of orbital inflammation. As a pre-treatment work-up, the thyroid-stimulating antibody (TSAb) level was measured. Read More