Deep Brain Stimulation Compared With Contingency Management for the Treatment of Cocaine Use Disorders: A Threshold and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

ObjectivesCocaine is the second most frequently used illicit drug worldwide (after cannabis), and cocaine use disorder (CUD)-related deaths increased globally by 80% from 1990 to 2013. There is yet to be a regulatory-approved treatment. Emerging preclinical evidence indicates that deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the nucleus accumbens may be a therapeutic option. Prior to expanding the costly investigation of DBS for treatment of CUD, it is important to ensure societal cost-effectiveness.AimsWe conducted a threshold and cost-effectiveness analysis to determine the success rate at which DBS would be equivalent to contingency management (CM), recently identified as the most efficacious therapy for treatments of CUDs.Materials and MethodsQuality of life, efficacy, and safety parameters for CM were obtained from previous literature. Costs were calculated from a societal perspective. Our model predicted the utility benefit based on quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and incremental-cost-effectiveness ratio resulting from two treatments on a one-, two-, and five-year timeline.ResultsOn a one-year timeline, DBS would need to impart a success rate (ie, cocaine free) of 70% for it to yield the same utility benefit (0.492 QALYs per year) as CM. At no success rate would DBS be more cost-effective (incremental-cost-effectiveness ratio <$50,000) than CM during the first year. Nevertheless, as DBS costs are front loaded, DBS would need to achieve success rates of 74% and 51% for its cost-effectiveness to exceed that of CM over a two- and five-year period, respectively.ConclusionsWe find DBS would not be cost-effective in the short term (one year) but may be cost-effective in longer timelines. Since DBS holds promise to potentially be a cost-effective treatment for CUDs, future randomized controlled trials should be performed to assess its efficacy.     

立体定向穿刺引流术治疗基底节区脑出血的价值探究

目的探究立体定向穿刺引流术治疗基底节区脑出血的临床应用价值。 方法回顾性分析长江大学附属荆州市第一人民医院颅脑外科自2019年6月至2020年6月治疗的66例基底节区脑出血患者的临床资料，根据手术方式的不同分为2组，其中行传统开颅手术治疗的33例患者为对照组，采用立体定向穿刺引流术治疗的33例患者为引流组，观察并比较2组患者围术期指标、疗效、血清水通道蛋白4（AQP4）、血小板反应蛋白（TSP）1和TSP2水平、脑水肿体积。 结果引流组手术时间及住院时间均短于对照组，术中失血量低于对照组，血肿清除率高于对照组，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）；引流组术后疗效较对照组好，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）；引流组患者血清AQP4、TSP1、TSP2水平较对照组低，脑水肿体积较对照组小，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。 结论立体定向穿刺引流术治疗可改善基底节区脑出血患者围术期指标、增强疗效、降低血清AQP4水平、减少脑水肿体积。     

从“血不利则为水”探讨乳腺癌相关淋巴水肿

导致血不利的原因一是不足,即由于气、血、津、液等物质的缺乏致无源行血;一是不通,即水、湿、痰、饮、瘀、食积、火郁、内风、外伤等病理因素阻滞,致血行不畅。血瘀经脉之内,则水亦瘀积脉中,致脉络胀满,形成水肿。乳腺癌术后患者,金刃本已损伤血脉,术后的放疗、化疗又属祛邪之法,故机体元气受损,气虚无力行血,血运行不畅,导致患侧上肢水肿。故治疗乳腺癌相关淋巴水肿时,应当血水同治,即活血利水之法要贯穿始终。先病血而后病水者,可以活血化瘀为主,利水为辅;先病水后病血者,则以利水消肿为主,酌加活血养血之品。但需要注意的是:①临证时切不可拘泥于单纯的活血利水法,而忽视乳腺癌相关淋巴水肿(breast cancer related lymphedema,BCRL)患者机体本身的状况。②临证勿忽视五脏与血、水的关系,以及肺、脾、肾、三焦与水肿的内在关系。③可多种方法联合运用,审证求因,标本同治。BCRL术后宜补气活血,通脉利水;术后兼化疗者可疏肝健脾、利水消肿;早期可在活血利水基础上,侧重利湿消肿,后期多湿聚为痰,治疗侧重化痰软坚。     

Endovascular deep brain stimulation: Investigating the relationship between vascular structures and deep brain stimulation targets

BackgroundEndovascular delivery of current using ‘stentrodes’ – electrode bearing stents – constitutes a potential alternative to conventional deep brain stimulation (DBS). The precise neuroanatomical relationships between DBS targets and the vascular system, however, are poorly characterized to date.ObjectiveTo establish the relationships between cerebrovascular system and DBS targets and investigate the feasibility of endovascular stimulation as an alternative to DBS.MethodsNeuroanatomical targets as employed during deep brain stimulation (anterior limb of the internal capsule, dentatorubrothalamic tract, fornix, globus pallidus pars interna, medial forebrain bundle, nucleus accumbens, pedunculopontine nucleus, subcallosal cingulate cortex, subthalamic nucleus, and ventral intermediate nucleus) were superimposed onto probabilistic vascular atlases obtained from 42 healthy individuals. Euclidian distances between targets and associated vessels were measured. To determine the electrical currents necessary to encapsulate the predefined neurosurgical targets and identify potentially side-effect inducing substrates, a preliminary volume of tissue activated (VTA) analysis was performed.ResultsSix out of ten DBS targets were deemed suitable for endovascular stimulation: medial forebrain bundle (vascular site: P1 segment of posterior cerebral artery), nucleus accumbens (vascular site: A1 segment of anterior cerebral artery), dentatorubrothalamic tract (vascular site: s2 segment of superior cerebellar artery), fornix (vascular site: internal cerebral vein), pedunculopontine nucleus (vascular site: lateral mesencephalic vein), and subcallosal cingulate cortex (vascular site: A2 segment of anterior cerebral artery). While VTAs effectively encapsulated mfb and NA at current thresholds of 3.5 V and 4.5 V respectively, incremental amplitude increases were required to effectively cover fornix, PPN and SCC target (mean voltage: 8.2 ± 4.8 V, range: 3.0–17.0 V). The side-effect profile associated with endovascular stimulation seems to be comparable to conventional lead implantation. Tailoring of targets towards vascular sites, however, may allow to reduce adverse effects, while maintaining the efficacy of neural entrainment within the target tissue.ConclusionsWhile several challenges remain at present, endovascular stimulation of select DBS targets seems feasible offering novel and exciting opportunities in the neuromodulation armamentarium.     

创伤性脑损伤患者创伤后成长与创伤后应激障碍的调查研究

目的分析创伤性脑损伤（TBI）患者创伤后成长（PTG）与创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）的现况及其影响因素。 方法通过便利抽样的方法，选取首都医科大学附属北京天坛医院神经外科自2019年7月至2020年1月就诊的85例TBI患者为研究对象，使用创伤后成长评定量表（PTGI）、创伤后应激障碍量表平民版（PCL-C）调查TBI患者的PTG水平、PTSD情况，并进一步分析TBI患者PTG的影响因素。 结果TBI患者PTGI总分为（58.41±23.05）分，处于低水平。PCL-C得分为（36.18±16.52）分，PCL-C阳性症状检出率为41.2%。多元线性回归分析结果显示，文化程度、性格类型、社会支持、警觉性增高、创伤再体验是TBI患者PTG的影响因素。TBI患者文化水平低、外向型性格、社会支持水平越高其PTG水平越高。TBI事件后警觉性反应低者，PTG水平较高，创伤再体验症状促进PTG的发生。 结论TBI患者创伤后早期同时出现PTG及PTSD，通过调动患者个体内部因素及外在社会联系等方面积极因素，可能提高患者PTG水平。     

基于TCD脑血流频谱评估颅脑损伤患者颅内压的研究进展

经颅多普勒（TCD）可以动态无创地监测和评估脑血管血流动力学变化，而颅内压（ICP）是评估颅脑损伤患者颅内病情的重要指标。临床工作中一直在探索一种准确、方便的无创ICP监测方法，由于TCD具有床旁无创、低廉快捷的优势，并且通过TCD检测脑血流频谱还可间接评估ICP变化，对临床治疗有重要的指导意义。本文综合国内外研究，结合ICP监测技术和TCD技术，并整合既往文献中基于搏动指数建立ICP评估模型的公式方法，就TCD脑血流频谱评估ICP的研究进展作一综述。     

Clinical patterns of gait freezing in Parkinson's disease and their response to interventions: An observer-blinded study

BackgroundFreezing of gait (FOG) in Parkinson's disease (PD) is provoked by specific situations. The sensitivity of these situations to detect FOG and the relative FOG response to l-dopa and subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) is unknown.MethodsTwo blinded reviewers analyzed the video recordings of a standardized patient assessment before and 10 months after DBS-implantation of 124 PD patients with positive FOG according to the Unified Parkinson Rating Scale part II item 14. Baseline evaluations were done under 2 conditions (OFF- and ON-drug states). Postoperatively, the patients were evaluated under 4 conditions (OFF-drug/OFF-stim, OFF-drug/ON-stim, ON-drug/OFF-stim, and ON-drug/ON-stim). FOG frequency and its severity was rated during different provoking situations (start, turning, reaching a destination and open space hesitations) during a standardized walking task. Cumulative link mixed models were calculated to investigate the immediate and carry-over effect of medication and stimulation.ResultsEighty-one percent of patients presented FOG at least in one provoking situation on video assessment. During turning, the FOG severity was significantly worse than for the other subtypes (p < 0.0001). Both interventions improve all FOG subtypes similarly. The effect size of l-dopa and STN-DBS on subtypes were similar (p > 0.05), but the combined intervention had a stronger effect on FOG severity (p < 0.0001) compared to each intervention separately. FOG severity was lower at follow-up OFF compared to baseline OFF condition (p < 0.02) demonstrating a carry-over effect of STN-DBS.ConclusionTurning is the most sensitive provoking situation for gait freezing. STN-DBS and l-dopa improve all FOG subtypes similarly, their effect is stronger in combination.