AANEM Education News Express

Science News: Safety and Efficacy of Eculizumab in Guillain-Barré Syndrome: A Multicentre, Double-blind, Randomised Phase 2 Trial

    9/5/2018
Submitted by Leigh Maria K. Ramos-Platt, MD, News Science Editorial Board
Edited by Benn E. Smith, MD, News Science Editorial Board

Eculizumab is an anti-C5 humanized monoclonal antibody. Misawa et al report on a 34 patient, 24-week double-blind, randomized phase 2 study comparing IVIG and 4 weeks of eculizumab (900 mg per dose) versus IVIG and 4 weeks of placebo.

September is Dystonia Awareness Month!

    9/1/2018
AANEM is proud to help increase understanding about dystonia during Dystonia Awareness Month! 

Science News - Muscle MRI in Patients with Dysferlinopathy: Pattern Recognition and Implications for Clinical Trials

    8/22/2018
Submitted by Francisco E. Gomez, MD, News Science Editorial Board 
Edited by Benn E. Smith, MD, News Science Editorial Board

This article summarizes a research paper in which the authors sought to describe the pattern and natural history of muscle involvement in patients with dysferlinopathies via MRI studies. 

Science News: Three Article Summaries on Recent Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Research Findings

    8/8/2018

• Serum neurofilament light chain levels as a marker of upper motor neuron degeneration in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
• Cerebrospinal fluid macrophage biomarkers in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Electromyography study of the thoracic paraspinal and rectus abdominis muscles in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

August is Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month!

    8/1/2018
AANEM is proud to help increase understanding about spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) during SMA Awareness Month! Check out this article for links to resources to help increase your knowledge of this disease.   

Science News: Ultrasonography of the Transverse Movement and Deformation of the Median Nerve and its Relationships with Electrophysiological Severity in the Early Stages of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

    6/20/2018
Submitted by Lisa M. Williams, MD, News Science Editorial Board

To date, conflicting theories behind the initial pathogenic mechanism of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) exist. Recently, researchers have investigated the transverse plane movement of the median nerve as a potential mechanism for CTS. Using ultrasonography, the researchers of this study designed a cross-sectional, case-controlled study measuring deformation and displacement of the median nerve as it related to severity of CTS confirmed by electrophysiological studies. 

Science News: Clustering of Neuropsychiatric Disease in First-degree and Second-degree Relatives of Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

    6/13/2018
Submitted by Niranjan N. Singh, MD, News Science Editorial Board

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition primarily involving the motor system. There is increasing epidemiologic evidence of an association between ALS and a wider spectrum of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders among family members, including schizophrenia and psychotic illness and suicidal behavior. In this issue of JAMA Neurology, O’Brien et al present a case-control family aggregation study of genetic pleiotropy within ALS kindreds.

Science News: Effect of Fascia Penetration on Sensory Nerve Conduction in the Superficial Radial Nerve

    6/7/2018
Submitted by Rocio Carolina Garcia Santibanez, MD, News Science Editorial Board

In this study, the investigators sought to determine the effect of the fascia penetration of the radial nerve in its sensory nerve action potential amplitude.