News Express

Science News: Diagnostic Utility of Gold Coast Criteria in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

November 30, 2021

Existing diagnostic criteria for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) such as El Escorial criteria (rEEC) and Awaji criteria have certain limitations, particularly for early disease or atypical presentations of ALS. A new diagnostic criterion has been proposed, with the goal of making it simpler to implement and include atypical presentations.

Science News: Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Misdiagnosed as a Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy: An International Multicentric Retrospective Study

November 30, 2021

Charcot–Marie–Tooth (CMT) disease, a common hereditary polyneuropathy, has no treatment besides symptomatic relief. Authors performed a large retrospective study in 16 university hospitals in three European countries (France, Belgium, and Switzerland). Among 1,104 chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) cases, there were 35 CMT patients (3.2%) misdiagnosed as CIDP.

Science News: Effect of High-Frequency (10-kHz) Spinal Cord Stimulation in Patients With Painful Diabetic Neuropathy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

November 15, 2021

Nevro's SENZA-PDN study, RCT of spinal cord stimulation treatment conducted for PDN-painful diabetic polyneuropathy, compares 10 kHz SCS plus Conventional Medical Management (CMM) to CMM alone in 216 patients at 18 centers in the United States.

Science News: Assessing Diagnostic and Severity Grading Accuracy of Ultrasound Measurements for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Compared to Electrodiagnostics

November 15, 2021

This is a prospective study of 95 18 to 80-year-old patients referred for electrodiagnostic (EDX) testing of idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Exclusion criteria for prior CTS and other concomitant confounding factors. The combined sensory index (CSI) and Bland criteria were used to assess for severity.

Science News: Skeletal Muscle and Peripheral Nerve Histopathology in COVID-19

November 03, 2021

This study discusses spectrum of skeletal muscle and nerve pathology of patients who died following SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Science News: Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in a French Cohort of Myasthenia Gravis

November 03, 2021

Among 3,558 patients with MG registered in the French database for rare disorders, 34 (0.96%) had COVID-19. The mean age at COVID-19 onset was 55.0 ± 19.9 years (mean MG duration: 8.5 ± 8.5 years). By the end of the study period, 28 patients recovered from COVID-19, 1 remained affected, and 5 died.

Science News: Childhood Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Caused by Excess Sphingolipid Synthesis

October 19, 2021

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating disease with poorly understood underlying pathophysiology. This article describes a rare cause of the early onset of motor neuron disease in children due to mutation in SPLTC1, a subunit of the SPT (serine palmitoyltransferase).

Science News: Epidemiology and Natural History of Inclusion Body Myositis A 40-Year Population-Based Study

October 19, 2021

This study determines the prevalence and natural history of sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM) and tests the hypothesis that patients with sIBM have higher cancer or mortality rates than the general population.

Science News: Acute Flaccid Myelitis: Long-Term Outcomes Recorded in the CAPTURE Study Compared With Paediatric Transverse Myelitis

October 05, 2021

This is a prospective, multicenter, non-randomized, observational cohort study of children with myelitis seen at academic centers in North America. The study lasted 5 years and the length of follow-up was 1 year. Pediatric patients diagnosed with myelitis were eligible for enrollment in the study within 6 months of onset of symptoms. Patients were classified as transverse myelitis (TM) or the acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) variant based on clinical and radiographic findings.

Brian Wallach Receives AANEM Public Recognition Award

October 05, 2021

AANEM's Public Recognition Award is awarded to public figures, celebrities, or entities that have made extraordinary contributions toward increasing public awareness of muscle and nerve disorders. This year's recipient is Brian Wallach, founder of I AM ALS. Since I AM ALS was founded, it has built partnerships with more than 30 organizations, testified three times before Congress, pushed long-awaited FDA ALS clinical trial guidance, built a 100 member congressional caucus, and delivered more than $83 million worth of federal research funding for ALS.

Patient Safety: NM Complications of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

October 05, 2021

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPI’s) are monoclonal antibodies that target the immune checkpoints programmed death 1 (PD1), programmed death ligand 1 (PDL-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) on T cells and promote immune mediated destruction of cancer cells. They are used to treat a variety of cancers including breast, bladder, cervical, colon, lung cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, melanoma, etc. ICPI treatment is associated with an array of immune related adverse events affecting many organ systems. Neurologic adverse events have also been reported.

Jeremy D.P. Bland, MB ChB, FRCP, Receives 2021 Distinguished Researcher Award

September 22, 2021

The Distinguished Researcher Award is characterized by a member who has made continuous significant contributions to clinical neurophysiological, NM, or MSK research. This year, this honor is awarded to Jeremy D.P. Bland, MB ChB, FRCP, a consultant in neurophysiology at East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust in Canterbury, United Kingdom. In addition, he is an honorary lecturer at King’s College in London.

Science News: Cardiovascular Health and Chronic Axonal Polyneuropathy: A Population-based Study

September 21, 2021

The authors in this study investigated participants of the Rotterdam Study between June 2013 and January 2017, and screened them for polyneuropathy categorized as having no, possible, probable or definite polyneuropathy.

Seward B. Rutkove, MD Honored with 2021 Innovation Award

September 02, 2021

The Innovation Award honors forward-thinking members for designing and developing products, services, or processes to enhance patient care and/or transform the quality of patient care delivery through technology and innovation. This year's winner is Dr. Rutkove. He has been selected for his incredible contributions to the field of NM and EDX medicine which include cofounding two companies, Myolex, Inc. and Haystack Diagnostics, Inc. 

Science News: Tau Protein as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

August 29, 2021

This study highlights role of Tau protein as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in ALS patients.

Science News: Focal Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy: Onset, Course, and Distinct Features

August 29, 2021

Focal CIDP, described as involvement of brachial or lumbosacral plexus, or one or more peripheral nerves in one upper or lower limb, can pose diagnostic challenge.

Ileana Howard, MD Selected as the 2021 Advocacy Award Winner

August 18, 2021

Ileana Howard, MD is the 2021 recipient of AANEM's Advocacy Award for her outstanding work in supporting veterans,along with her efforts dedicated to providing the highest level of specialty care using telehealth.  

Practice: CMS Releases Proposed Updates to Physician Fee Schedule and the Quality Payment Program

August 18, 2021

AANEM policy staff is diligently reviewing the 1,700+ page rule that was issued by the CMS on July 13, 2021. Here are a few highlights from the proposal. 
 

Science News: The Value of Sensory Nerve Conduction Studies in the Diagnosis of Guillain-Barré Syndrome

August 18, 2021

Detecting Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) early is important for effective treatment. Present electrodiagnostic criteria are exclusively based on motor studies, although sensory testing abnormalities occur early in most patients. This article reviews the utility of sensory testing for GBS.

Science News: Rate of Change in Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody Levels Predicts Myasthenia Gravis Outcome

August 18, 2021

Up to 80% of myasthenia gravis (MG) patients are seropositive for anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies (AChR-Ab) and these antibodies are routinely checked as diagnostic markers in clinical practice. However, their use in prognosis is thought to be limited.