Deficits in the evolution of hand preshaping in Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) results in various types of motor impairments including bradykinesia, tremor and rigidity. Recent research has implicated more fundamental processes at the source of the observed motor deficits. Among these, problems in the sequencing and/or timing of complex movements and in the execution of internally-guided tasks. Furthermore, PD patients exhibit procedural learning deficits which may complicate the interpretation of experimental results of studies involving novel sensorimotor tasks. The reach-to-grasp movement is a complex, overlearned sensorimotor task consisting of two semi-independent components, a relatively simple reach or transport phase and a more complex manipulation or prehension phase. In the present study, we used a novel technique in order to study the evolution of hand preshaping during the reach-to-grasp movement of PD patients and age-matched controls to objects of different shapes in three different spatial locations. Our results indicate that while PD patients are able to specify movement direction as well as controls, their hand preshaping exhibits substantial impairments. Other prehension measures, such as the time to peak aperture (TPA), indicate that PD patients delayed execution of the grasp until visual feedback of their hand was available. Overall, our results suggest that PD patients' internal guidance processes are severely disrupted, having to rely on visual feedback in order to modulate their hand shape to fit the contours of the target objects during a reach-to-grasp movement.     

US-guided percutaneous cholecystostomy: features predicting culture-positive bile and clinical outcome

PURPOSE: To assess sonographic and clinical features that might be used to predict infected bile and/or patient outcome from ultrasonography (US)-guided percutaneous cholecystostomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between February 1997 and August 2002 at one institution, 112 patients underwent US-guided percutaneous cholecystostomy (59 men, 53 women; average age, 69.3 years). All US images were scored on a defined semiquantitative scale according to preset parameters: (a) gallbladder distention, (b) sludge and/or stones, (c) wall appearance, (d) pericholecystic fluid, and (e) common bile duct size and/or choledocholithiasis. Separate and total scores were generated. Retrospective evaluation of (a) the bacteriologic growth of aspirated bile and its color and (b) clinical indices (fever, white blood cell count, bilirubin level, liver function test results) was conducted by reviewing medical records. For each patient, the clinical manifestation was classified into four groups: (a) localized right upper quadrant symptoms, (b) generalized abdominal symptoms, (c) unexplained sepsis, or (d) sepsis with other known infection. Logistic regression models, exact Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test, and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used. RESULTS: Forty-seven (44%) of 107 patients had infected bile. A logistic regression model showed that wall appearance, distention, bile color, and pericholecystic fluid were not individually significant predictors for culture-positive bile, leaving sludge and/or stones (P =.003, odds ratio = 1.647), common bile duct status (P =.02, odds ratio = 2.214), and total score (P =.007, odds ratio = 1.267). No US covariates or clinical indices predicted clinical outcome. Clinical manifestation was predictive of clinical outcome (P =.001) and aspirating culture-positive bile (P =.008); specifically, 30 (86%) of 35 patients with right upper quadrant symptoms had their condition improve, compared with one (7%) of 15 asymptomatic patients with other known causes of infection. CONCLUSION: US variables can be used to predict culture-positive bile but not patient outcome. Clinical manifestation is important because patients with right upper quadrant symptoms have the best clinical outcome.     

Long-term visual outcome of transscleral laser cyclotherapy in eyes with ambulatory vision

OBJECTIVE: To determine the long-term visual acuity (VA) outcome of eyes with ambulatory vision (20/80 or better) that were treated with transscleral laser cyclotherapy. DESIGN: Observational case series. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-one eyes of 21 patients who had been treated with laser cyclotherapy and who had been followed up at least 1 year. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted to record the prelaser best-corrected VA and then the last available post laser VA and duration of follow-up. Additional laser or surgical interventions for glaucoma control were also recorded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in VA from pretreatment to last available examination. RESULTS: The 21 eyes were followed for a mean of 40.7 months (range, 13-88 months); 17 eyes had a final vision within 1 line of the prelaser VA. One eye improved 3 lines, and 3 eyes deteriorated 3 or more lines. CONCLUSIONS: Most eyes with 20/80 or better VA maintained close to that acuity after laser cyclotherapy after a mean follow-up of 40.7 months. These good visual results offer support for those who believe that the indications for laser cyclotherapy should not be limited to eyes with poor VA or potential.