Reduction in rate of epilepsy from neurocysticercosis by community interventions: the Salamá, Honduras study

Purpose: Epilepsy is highly prevalent in developing countries like Honduras, with few studies evaluating this finding. This population‐based study evaluated the impact of an 8‐year public health and educational intervention program in reducing symptomatic epilepsies in rural Salamá, Honduras. Methods: We used the capture and recapture method including review of charts, previous databases, key informants from the community, and a second house‐to‐house survey for epilepsy. Epilepsy incidence and prevalence day after the interventions was May 5, 2005. Residents with active epilepsy with onset after May 1997 were offered neurologic evaluation, electroencephalography, and brain tomography. New data over 8 years were compared to preintervention data from the initial baseline 1997 study utilizing prevalence ratios and confidence intervals. Other calculations utilized chi square or Fisher’s exact tests. Key Findings: Thirty‐three of 36 patients with onset of active epilepsy after 1997 accepted evaluations to determine etiology. Symptomatic etiology was found in 58.3%. Neurocysticercosis (NCC) was again the most frequent cause (13.9%), followed by perinatal insults (11.1%). Epilepsy secondary to NCC was significantly reduced from 36.9% in 1997 (p = 0.02). The incidence (35.7/100,000) and prevalence (11.8/1,000) of active epilepsy were not significantly reduced when compared to the incidence (92.7/100,000) and prevalence (15.4/1,000) of active epilepsy in 1997. Significance:   Our cohort appears to indicate that health and educational community interventions can reduce preventable epilepsy from NCC in a hyperendemic population in a low‐resource, developing country. Plans are underway for the Honduran Government to institute this rural model countrywide.     

Prevalence, incidence, and stimulant use of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in Taiwan, 1996–2005: a national population-based study

Purpose

We used National Health Insurance (NHI) database to examine the prevalence, incidence, and stimulant use of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis in Taiwan.

Methods

The National Health Research Institute provided a database of 10,00,000 random subjects for study. A population-based random sample of 372,642 patients aged younger than 18 was obtained as a dynamic cohort. Those study subjects who had at least one service claim from 1996 to 2005, with a principal diagnosis of ADHD, were identified.

Results

The cumulative prevalence of ADHD diagnosis increased from 0.06 to 1.64?% from 1996 to 2005. The annual incidence of ADHD diagnosis increased from 0.02 to 0.34?% from 1997 to 2005. The highest incidence rates of ADHD diagnosis for both males and females were in the 6- to 11-year age group. Higher incidence was detected in males (HR 3.76, 95?% CI 3.48–4.07), those who lived in northern region (HR 1.35, 95?% CI 1.07–1.71) and urban area (HR 1.53, 95?% CI 1.40–1.66). The percentage of stimulant use in children with ADHD diagnosis increased from 39.6 to 54.0?% from 1997 to 2005.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest increases in the prevalence and incidence rates of ADHD diagnosis in Taiwan, which was in line with those studies of Western countries. However, the prevalence of ADHD diagnosis in the NHI program was still much lower than in the community studies. The percentage of stimulant use in children with ADHD diagnosis also has an increasing trend, which warrants further study.     

Prevalence of sleep complaints and associated factors in community-dwelling older people in Brazil: the Bambuí Health and Ageing Study (BHAS)

BACKGROUND: Population-based studies of insomnia among older people residing in communities in developing countries are rare. The objectives of this population-based study were to determine the prevalence and factors associated with insomnia among older adults (60 years and over) living in a Brazilian town with 15,000 inhabitants (Bambuí MG). METHODS: All 1742 residents in this age group were selected for a structured interview and blood tests. From these, 1516 (87.0%) participated in the study. RESULTS: The prevalence of insomnia was 38.9%, being higher among women (45.3%) than among men (28.8%). The use of sleeping pills was reported by 380/1513 (25.1%) of the participants; 186 (49.0%) of these complained of insomnia, suggesting that their treatment should be reassessed. Factors independently associated with insomnia were: female sex (OR=1.78, 95% CI=1.41-2.24), dissatisfaction with free time arrangements (OR=1.88, 95% CI=1.28-2.77), self-rated health as reasonable or bad/very bad (OR=2.02, 95% CI=1.50-2.72 and OR=3.12, 95% CI=2.21-4.39, respectively), history of previous medical diagnosis of some chronic conditions (OR=1.38, 95% CI=1.10-1.73), inability to perform routine activities due to a health problem in the previous 2 weeks (OR=1.54, 95% CI=1.10-2.15), and staying in bed in the previous 2 weeks (OR=1.61, 95% CI=1.04-2.48). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of insomnia was high, indicating that this was a public health problem for older adults living in the study community. Our results emphasize the necessity for further investigations about insomnia among older people living in small communities in Brazil and other developing countries.     

Prevalence of and risk factors associated with carotid artery stenosis: the Troms? Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To assess prevalence, distribution, ultrasound characteristics and determinants of carotid artery stenosis in a large, population-based study of both women and men. METHODS: A total of 6,727 persons aged 25-84 years were screened for extracranial stenosis with Duplex ultrasound of the right carotid artery. Risk factors were compared in 225 persons with stenosis and 5,514 persons without. RESULTS: The prevalence of carotid stenosis was higher in men than in women, where 3.8% (95% CI, 3.2-4.6%) had carotid stenosis, compared to 2.7% (95% CI, 2.2-3.3%) in women (p = 0.001). The prevalence gradually increased by age in both genders. Cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, fibrinogen, systolic blood pressure levels and current smoking were independently associated with carotid artery stenosis in both women and men. The presence of carotid stenosis was significantly associated with a history of cerebrovascular disease, coronary heart disease and peripheral artery disease. For each 10% increase in the degree of carotid stenosis, the risk of having had a cerebrovascular event increased by 26%. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of carotid stenosis in the general population, as measured by ultrasound, is low. Age, male gender, smoking, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol (inverse), fibrinogen and systolic blood pressure are all independent predictors of carotid artery stenosis.     

Prevalence and associated factors of DSM-V insomnia in Norway: the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT 3)

BackgroundMany studies have assessed the prevalence of insomnia, but the influence of non-participants has largely been ignored. The objective of the present study was to estimate the prevalence and associated factors of insomnia in a large adult population using DSM-V (diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th ed.) criteria, also taking non-participants into account.MethodsThis cross-sectional study used data from a questionnaire in The Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT 3) performed in 2006–2008, and a subsequent non-participant study. The total adult population (n = 93,860 aged ⩾20 years) of Nord-Trøndelag County, Norway, was invited. Of these, 40,535 responded to the insomnia questionnaire. Among 42,024 eligible non-participants, 6918 (17%) responded to two insomnia questions.ResultsInsomnia was diagnosed by applying modified DSM-V criteria. The age-adjusted insomnia prevalence was estimated using the age distribution of all adult inhabitants of Nord-Trøndelag. Supplementary prevalence data were estimated by extrapolating data from the non-participant study. Additionally, the association between insomnia and self-reported health was estimated, adjusting for known confounders. The total age-adjusted prevalence of insomnia was 7.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.9–7.4) (8.6% for women, 5.5% for men). Adjusting for non-participants, the prevalence estimate changed to 7.9% (95% CI, 7.3–8.6) (9.4% for women, 6.4% for men). Insomnia was more than eight times more likely (OR, 8.3; 95% CI, 6.2–11.1) among individuals with very poor versus very good self-reported health, adjusting for age, gender, employment status, chronic musculoskeletal complaints, anxiety and depression.ConclusionsThe adjusted insomnia prevalence estimate in Nord-Trøndelag was 7.9%. Insomnia was strongly associated with poor self-reported health.     

TMEM230: How does it fit in the etiology and pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease?

Mutations in the transmembrane protein 230 (TMEM230) gene were recently identified in a large Canadian pedigree and 7 smaller Chinese families, nominating TMEM230 as the third gene causing a Mendelian form of late onset Parkinson's disease (PD) with typical Lewy‐body pathology (after synuclein alpha (SNCA) and leucine rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2)). The protein encoded by TMEM230 remains largely uncharacterized, but initial evidence points to roles in the trafficking of recycling vesicles, retromers, and endosomes, suggesting intriguing links to the pathways targeted by other PD‐causing genes. The focus on family‐based studies is gaining new momentum in the next‐generation sequencing era, for the discovery of further, high‐penetrance (medically relevant) genetic variants in PD. However, at this junction, important aspects of the TMEM230 story remain unclear, such as the prevalence of these mutations in the Chinese and other populations of the world, the penetrance of the mutations, and even their mode of inheritance. The first replication studies among Chinese and White PD patients have been largely negative. Furthermore, much more work remains ahead to elucidate the mechanisms by which these mutations might lead to neuronal cell death, alpha‐synuclein pathology, and parkinsonism. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society     

Efficacy of the ketogenic diet: Which epilepsies respond?

We report the efficacy of the ketogenic diet in refractory epilepsies focusing on outcomes with regard to epilepsy syndromes and etiology in children and adults with refractory epilepsy. Sixty-four consecutive children and four adults were prospectively enrolled from 2002 to 2009; seven were excluded from analysis. The classical ketogenic diet was initiated on an inpatient basis with dietary ratios ranging from 2:1 to 4:1 fat to carbohydrate and protein. Patients were classified according to syndrome and etiology using the 1989 and more recent 2010 International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) classification systems. Responders were defined as >50% reduction in seizure frequency compared to baseline. Syndromes included symptomatic generalized (52), genetic (idiopathic) generalized (7), and focal epilepsies (2) and etiologies included structural (24), genetic (18), and unknown (19). Twenty-nine (48%) of 61 patients were responders at 3 months. Two children became seizure-free: one with focal epilepsy of unknown etiology and another with refractory childhood absence epilepsy. Responsive syndromes included migrating partial epilepsy of infancy, childhood absence epilepsy, focal epilepsy, epilepsy with myoclonic-atonic seizures, and Dravet syndrome. Children with lissencephaly and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy had surprisingly good responses. The ketogenic diet is an effective treatment for children and adults with refractory epilepsy. The response is predicted by type of epilepsy syndrome. Accurate characterization of the electroclinical syndrome is an important factor in decisions about timing of initiation of the ketogenic diet.     

Levodopa-induced Dyskinesia in Parkinson’s disease: Epidemiology,etiology, and treatment

Although levodopa is the gold standard for treating motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD), long-term therapy leads to levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID). Dyskinesia refers to involuntary movements other than tremor and most commonly consists of chorea that occurs when levodopa-derived dopamine is peaking in the brain (“peak-dose dyskinesia”). However, dyskinesia can also consist of dystonia or myoclonus and occur during other parts of the levodopa dosing cycle. New validated rating scales and home diaries can better help the health care provider assess the timing and severity of dyskinesia. The exact etiology of LID is unknown, but there is evidence that abnormal pulsatile stimulation of dopamine receptors may be contributory. Treatment of LID includes adjustment of PD medications to maximize “on” time without troublesome dyskinesia. Amantadine is the only medication available with demonstrated ability to reduce the expression of established LID without reducing antiparkinsonian benefit. Other medications that are currently being studied to treat established LID include antiepileptics and serotonergic medications. Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus is now the most commonly used surgical procedure for PD patients, and it is very effective in treating LID.     

Are the dichotomies generalized versus focal epilepsies and idiopathic versus symptomatic epilepsies still valid in modern epileptology?

In this commentary we discuss the basic concept of an epileptogenicity level, which is variable in different brain regions and is a function of multiple factors including the basic epileptogenicity level, routine environmental or internal stimuli, and various triggering and causative factors. This concept blurs the distinction between focal versus generalized and between idiopathic versus symptomatic epilepsies. We suggest dropping the dichotomy idiopathic versus symptomatic and to instead simply list the different etiologic factors that increase the epileptogenicity level. On the other hand, even if there is a continuum between focal and generalized epilepsies, most epilepsies are either predominantly focal or predominantly generalized. It is useful to maintain this distinction (even if somewhat artificial) because focal epilepsies can be treated with epilepsy surgery, and all focal epilepsies tend to respond to the same type of anticonvulsants. Generalized epilepsies cannot be treated surgically and respond to different anticonvulsants depending on the semiologic type of seizures.     

Is the dementia rate increasing in Beijing? Prevalence and incidence of dementia 10 years later in an urban elderly population

OBJECTIVE: To examine the time trend of dementia morbidity over the past decade in Beijing, China. METHOD: In 1997, 1593 community-dwelling elderly aged 60+ years were examined and followed-up over 2-years to identify incident dementia. A similar cohort study of dementia conducted in the same district 10 years prior was used as historical comparison to examine the time trend of dementia incidence. RESULTS: Forty prevalent dementia cases were identified at the initial examination for a prevalence of 2.51% (95% CI: 1.74-3.28) and 25 incident cases were identified at the follow-up visit for an incidence of 0.90% (0.55-1.25) among residents aged 60+ years. Alzheimer's dementia (AD) was the most common type of dementia in both prevalent and incident cases. CONCLUSION: The prevalence and incidence rates of dementia in Beijing were slightly higher than those 10 years ago, which was partly because of population aging. AD became the most common subtype of dementia.     

Geographic differences in the incidence of Huntington’s disease in Sardinia,Italy

Neurological Sciences - The frequency of Huntington’s disease (HD) may vary considerably, with higher estimates in non-Asian populations. We have recently examined the prevalence of HD in the...     

Prevalence of insomnia and associated socio-demographic factors in a Brazilian community: the Bambuí study

BACKGROUND: Population-based studies of insomnia among adults residing in communities in developing countries are rare. The objectives of this population-based study were to determine the prevalence and factors associated with insomnia among adults (18 years and over) living in a Brazilian town with 15,000 inhabitants (Bambuí MG) and to determine how the use of different definitions of insomnia affect its prevalence. METHODS: A total of 87.3% of 1221 randomly selected individuals aged 18+ participated. Prevalences were estimated based on different definitions. To determine the associated characteristics, insomnia was defined as a complaint in the last month, occurring at least three times a week, causing distress. RESULTS: (1) Prevalence ranged from 12.0 to 76.3%; (2) prevalence of insomnia, as defined above, was 35.4%; (3) prevalence among women increased with age and was higher than that of men; (4) insomnia was independently associated with less education in both sexes, and among females it was associated with older age (60+ years). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of insomnia in Bambuí was high, similar to that of urban centers of developed countries; this investigation substantiated the importance of operational criteria in studies of insomnia.     

Prevalence of Anti-Ganglioside Antibodies and Their Clinical Correlates with Guillain-Barré Syndrome in Korea: A Nationwide Multicenter Study

Background and Purpose

No previous studies have investigated the relationship between various anti-ganglioside antibodies and the clinical characteristics of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in Korea. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and types of anti-ganglioside antibodies in Korean GBS patients, and to identify their clinical significance.

Methods

Serum was collected from patients during the acute phase of GBS at 20 university-based hospitals in Korea. The clinical and laboratory findings were reviewed and compared with the detected types of anti-ganglioside antibody.

Results

Among 119 patients, 60 were positive for immunoglobulin G (IgG) or immunoglobulin M antibodies against any type of ganglioside (50%). The most frequent type was IgG anti-GM1 antibody (47%), followed by IgG anti-GT1a (38%), IgG anti-GD1a (25%), and IgG anti-GQ1b (8%) antibodies. Anti-GM1-antibody positivity was strongly correlated with the presence of preceding gastrointestinal infection, absence of sensory symptoms or signs, and absence of cranial nerve involvement. Patients with anti-GD1a antibody were younger, predominantly male, and had more facial nerve involvement than the antibody-negative group. Anti-GT1a-antibody positivity was more frequently associated with bulbar weakness and was highly associated with ophthalmoplegia when coupled with the coexisting anti-GQ1b antibody. Despite the presence of clinical features of acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN), 68% of anti-GM1- or anti-GD1a-antibody-positive cases of GBS were diagnosed with acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP) by a single electrophysiological study.

Conclusions

Anti-ganglioside antibodies were frequently found in the serum of Korean GBS patients, and each antibody was correlated strongly with the various clinical manifestations. Nevertheless, without an anti-ganglioside antibody assay, in Korea AMAN is frequently misdiagnosed as AIDP by single electrophysiological studies.     

Treatment of benign focal epilepsies in children: when and how should be treated?

Benign focal epilepsies represent almost one-fourth of all childhood epilepsies and are a frequent occurrence in clinical practice. They include benign infantile seizures (BIS), Panayiotopoulos syndrome (PS), and benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BCECTS) in this order of the onset age. Because the prognosis is always excellent in patients with benign focal epilepsies, we must consider the risks and benefits of chronic antiepileptic drug (AED) administration. AED treatment is usually not recommended for the patients with a first attack, but should be considered for those with a second or third attack. A choice of AED has been based on the expert opinion. Carbamazepine (CBZ) is recommended for both acute and chronic treatment of seizure clusters in patients with BIS. Valproic acid (VPA), CBZ or clobazam (CLB) appears to be a first option of AED for patients with PS. A common first choice for BCECTS is CBZ in the USA and Japan, and VPA in the EU. The treatment period should be as short as possible without waiting for EEG normalization, possibly within 2 years after the initiation of AED. We must remember that some patients with BCECTS may have an “atypical evolution”. In conclusion, when and how to treat this benign condition should be determined in an individual manner based on the length and frequency of seizures, circadian rhythm of the attacks, interictal EEG findings, cognitive and behavioral functions in daily life and the attitude of the parents toward seizure recurrences and AED side effects.     

Neighbourhood-level socio-environmental factors and incidence of first episode psychosis by place at onset in rural Ireland: The Cavan–Monaghan First Episode Psychosis Study [CAMFEPS]

BackgroundLittle is known about associations between the social environment and risk for psychosis within rural settings. This study sought to investigate whether such associations exist within a rural context using a prospective dataset of unusual epidemiological completeness.MethodUsing the Cavan–Monaghan First Episode Psychosis Study database of people aged 16 years and older, both ecological analyses and multilevel modelling were applied to investigate associations between incidence of psychosis by place at onset and socio-environmental risk factors of material deprivation, social fragmentation and urban–rural classification across electoral divisions.ResultsThe primary finding was an association between more deprived social contexts and higher rates of psychotic disorder, after adjustment for age and sex [all psychoses: incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.12, 95% CI (1.03–1.23)].ConclusionsThese findings support an association between adverse socio-environmental factors and increase in risk for psychosis by place at onset within a predominantly rural environment. This study suggests that social environmental characteristics may have an impact on risk across the urban–rural gradient.