Tag: neurology

Evidence Rating Level: 1 (Excellent)  1. There were no language ability differences among 2-year-old children of women taking epileptic medication during pregnancy compared to children of healthy women not taking medication.  2. Anti-seizure medications taken in the third trimester of pregnancy had insignificant teratogenic effects on the developing fetal brain and...

Postpartum mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic: a population-based, repeated cross-sectional study 1. Clinical visits for postpartum mental health illness increased in the first 9 months of the COVID-19 pandemic comparatively to pre-pandemic rates, peaking between 0 and 90 days after birth.  2. In Ontario, Canada, postpartum people living in low...

Short-Term Antibody Response After 1 Dose of BNT162b2 Vaccine in Patients Receiving Hemodialysis 1. A single dose of BNT162b2 vaccine did not elicit a humoral immune response in most people receiving hemodialysis who had no history of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. Evidence Rating Level: 2 (Good) One of the several groups of people...

1. Among a cohort of individuals from South Korea, exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was found to be associated with an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease (PD). Evidence Rating Level: 2 (Good) Increased air pollution levels have been identified to be associated with neurodegenerative changes in recent studies. This retrospective...

1. Individuals with moderate-to-severe arm impairment after ischemic stroke experienced greater improvements in arm function after vagus nerve stimulation therapy as compared to those without. 2. There were no severe adverse events reported as related to the trial device. Evidence Rating Level: 1 (Excellent) Study Rundown: Loss of motor function is one of the most...

1. Older patients presenting to the dentist with missing teeth were more likely to have Alzheimer’s Disease. Evidence Rating Level: 2 (Good) The association between cognitive impairment and worse oral health is well-established: In particular, individuals with cognitive impairment are at greater risk for having missing teeth, cavities, plaque accumulation, and...

1. At 12 and 24 months, bariatric surgery was superior to a community weight management program at decreasing intracranial pressure (ICP) in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). 2. Patients in the bariatric surgery group had improved body weight and BMI compared to the weight management program. Evidence Rating Level: 1...

Infectivity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in children compared with adults 1. Children are most likely not the dominant drivers of COVID-19 transmissions, as their COVID test specimens were not as likely to grow in culture, had higher cycle thresholds in RT-PCR, and had lower viral concentrations, compared...

1. 12-month remission was superior with valproate than with levetiracetam. 2. Compared to levetiracetam, patients in the valproate group reported fewer adverse reactions (42% vs. 37%) and increased cost-effectiveness. Evidence Rating Level: 1 (Excellent) Study Rundown: Epilepsy is a common debilitating neurological condition with lifetime incidence of 5%. Although valproate is currently...

1. Lamotrigine offered greater clinical benefit, fewer adverse reactions, and higher cost-utility normalized to quality-adjusted life years compared to levetiracetam and zonisamide. 2. Lamotrigine continues to be recommended as first-line therapy and standard comparator in trials for focal epilepsy. Evidence Rating Level: 1 (Excellent) Study Rundown: Focal epilepsy causes recurrent seizures limited...