Zhenghong Liu, Man Qing Leong, Nanlan Li, Miqi Mavis Teo, Wei-Li Rachel Leong, Steve Chen Pong Wong, Jing Si Chew, Seyed Ehsan Saffari, Yee Hau Pang, Ghim Song Chia
{"title":"Reducing Door-to-Puncture Times for Mechanical Thrombectomy in a Large Tertiary Hospital.","authors":"Zhenghong Liu, Man Qing Leong, Nanlan Li, Miqi Mavis Teo, Wei-Li Rachel Leong, Steve Chen Pong Wong, Jing Si Chew, Seyed Ehsan Saffari, Yee Hau Pang, Ghim Song Chia","doi":"10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200325","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200325","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Endovascular therapy (EVT) for stroke has emerged as an important therapy for selected stroke patients, and shorter times to clot removal improve functional outcomes. EVT requires the close coordination of multiple departments and poses unique challenges to care coordination in large hospitals. We present the results of our quality improvement project that aimed to improve our door-to-groin puncture (DTP) times for patients who undergo EVT after direct presentation to our emergency department.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted time-motion studies to understand the full process of an EVT activation and conducted Gemba walks in multiple hospitals. We also reviewed the literature and interviewed stakeholders to create interventions that were implemented over 4 Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles. We retrospectively collected data starting from baseline and during every PDSA cycle. During each cycle, we studied the impact of the interventions, adjusted the interventions, and generated further interventions. A variety of interventions were introduced targeting all aspects of the EVT process. This included parallel processing to reduce waiting time, standardization of protocols and training of staff, behavioral prompts in the form of a stroke clock, and push systems to empower staff to facilitate the forward movement of the patient. A novel role-based communication app to facilitate group communications was also used.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Eighty-eight patients spanning across 22 months were analyzed. After the final PDSA cycle, the median DTP time was reduced by 36.5% compared with baseline (130 minutes (interquartile range [IQR] 111-140) to 82.5 minutes (IQR 74.8-100)). There were improvements in all phases of the EVT process with the largest time savings occurring in EVT decision to patient arrival at the angiosuite. Interventions that were most impactful are described.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>EVT is a complex process involving multiple processes and local factors. Analysis of the process from all angles and intervening on multiple small aspects can add up to significant improvements in DTP times.</p>","PeriodicalId":19136,"journal":{"name":"Neurology. Clinical practice","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11201277/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141469629","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jennifer L Purks, Lakshmi Arbatti, Abhishek Hosamath, Amy W Amara, Karen E Anderson, Lana Chahine, Shirley W Eberly, Daniel Kinel, Sneha Mantri, Soania Mathur, David Oakes, David G Standaert, Daniel Weintraub, Ira Shoulson, Connie Marras
{"title":"Cognitive Symptoms in Cross-Sectional Parkinson Disease Cohort Evaluated by Human-in-the-Loop Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing.","authors":"Jennifer L Purks, Lakshmi Arbatti, Abhishek Hosamath, Amy W Amara, Karen E Anderson, Lana Chahine, Shirley W Eberly, Daniel Kinel, Sneha Mantri, Soania Mathur, David Oakes, David G Standaert, Daniel Weintraub, Ira Shoulson, Connie Marras","doi":"10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200334","DOIUrl":"10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200334","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Cognitive impairment is experienced by up to 80% of people with Parkinson disease (PD). Little is known regarding the subjective experience and frequency of bothersome cognitive problems across the range of disease duration as expressed directly in patients' own words. We describe the types and frequency of bothersome cognitive symptoms reported verbatim by patients with PD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Through the online Fox Insight study and the Parkinson Disease Patient Report of Problems, we asked patients with PD to self-report by keyboard entry up to five most bothersome problems and how these problems affect their functioning. Human-in-the-loop curation, natural language processing, and machine learning were used to categorize responses into 8 cognitive symptoms: memory, concentration/attention, cognitive slowing, language/word finding, mental alertness/awareness, visuospatial abilities, executive abilities/working memory, and cognitive impairment not otherwise specified. Associations between cognitive symptoms and demographic and disease-related variables were examined in our cross-sectional cohort using multivariate logistic regression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 25,192 participants (55% men) of median age 67 years and 3 years since diagnosis (YSD), 8,001 (32%) reported a cognitive symptom at baseline. The 3 most frequently reported symptoms were memory (13%), language/word finding (12%), and concentration/attention (9%). Depression was significantly associated with bothersome cognitive problems in all domains except visuospatial abilities. Predictors of reporting any cognitive symptom in PD were depression (adjusted OR 1.5), increasing MDS-UPDRS Part II score (OR 1.4 per 10-point increment), higher education (OR 1.2 per year), and YSD 1, 2, 6-7, and 8-9 vs 0 YSD. Among individuals with at least one cognitive symptom, posterior cortical-related cognitive symptoms (i.e., visuospatial, memory, and language) were reported by 17% (n = 4325), frontostriatal-related symptoms (i.e., executive abilities, concentration/attention) by 7% (n = 1,827), and both by 14.2% (n = 1,020). Odds of reporting posterior cortical symptoms vs frontostriatal symptoms increased with age and MDS-UPDRS part II score, but not depression.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Nearly one-third of participants with PD, even early in the disease course, report cognitive symptoms as among their most bothersome problems. Online verbatim reporting analyzed by human-in-the-loop curation, natural language processing, and machine learning is feasible on a large scale and allows a detailed examination of the nature and distribution of cognitive symptoms in PD.</p>","PeriodicalId":19136,"journal":{"name":"Neurology. Clinical practice","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11221914/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141498581","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Thy P Nguyen, Deepa Dongarwar, Rajesh K Gupta, Suur Biliciler, Kazim A Sheikh
{"title":"A National Cross-Sectional Survey of EMG Physician Volume.","authors":"Thy P Nguyen, Deepa Dongarwar, Rajesh K Gupta, Suur Biliciler, Kazim A Sheikh","doi":"10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200333","DOIUrl":"10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200333","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>This study presents results from a survey of physicians performing electrodiagnostic studies to assess average volume. We also assessed how different factors (trainees, technologists, age of the physician, and case complexity) affected volume. Productivity is an important factor for physicians across practice settings. However, unlike evaluation and management services for neurologists, there are no published data for benchmarks of average volume of electrodiagnostic studies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A 34-question survey was designed collecting information on demographics, electrodiagnostic study volume, technologists, trainees, referrals, and case complexity. The anonymous survey was disseminated through a QR code or hyperlink to multiple online neurology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, electromyography, and neuromuscular forums. The primary outcome was EMG volume including number of EMGs per half-day and EMG volume per year. We conducted bivariate association analysis between primary outcomes and respondent characteristics using the Pearson χ<sup>2</sup> test. Multivariable regression models determined factors associated with each of our outcome variables.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 201 respondents initiated the survey. 71% were certified in adult neurology, 19.6% in physical medicine and rehabilitation, and 2.7% in pediatric neurology. 37.5% practiced in academic medicine. The remaining respondents were from private practice, group, solo, hospital employed, or other. 83% of respondents allotted a dedicated half-day to performing EMGs. The median number of EMGs scheduled during a half-day was within 3-4 (45%). 30% and 7% scheduled 5-6 or more than 7 patients per half-day, respectively. The median number of EMGs performed per year was within 251-500 (37%).</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>This national, cross-sectional survey evaluates average metrics of EMG volume. Our survey showed that the median number of EMGs annually lies between 251 and 500 studies (37%). In addition, for those respondents who allotted a dedicated half-day to performing EMGs, the median number of EMG studies scheduled per half-day lies between 3 and 4 studies (45%). In multivariate analysis, respondent characteristics of age of the physician (older than 45), working with nerve conduction technologists, and holding the position of EMG director were associated with increased EMG volume.</p>","PeriodicalId":19136,"journal":{"name":"Neurology. Clinical practice","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11194787/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141450990","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gwen Zeigler, Cole A Harrington, Nicole Rosendale, Christos Ganos, Valeria Roldan, Anna Pace, Sasha Alick-Lindstrom, Casey Orozco-Poore, Wissam Deeb, Margaret L Hansen, Z Paige L'Erario
{"title":"Neurologic Care for Transgender and Gender-Diverse People: A Review of Current Evidence and Clinical Implications.","authors":"Gwen Zeigler, Cole A Harrington, Nicole Rosendale, Christos Ganos, Valeria Roldan, Anna Pace, Sasha Alick-Lindstrom, Casey Orozco-Poore, Wissam Deeb, Margaret L Hansen, Z Paige L'Erario","doi":"10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200332","DOIUrl":"10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200332","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>To summarize the literature on neurologic care for transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) people and provide implications for clinical practice.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>There are limited data on the frequency and management of neurologic conditions among TGD people. TGD people have a higher prevalence of various neurologic conditions compared with cisgender or general population cohorts, including migraine, subjective cognitive decline, sleep disturbances, functional disorders, and cerebrovascular disease. Gender-affirming hormone therapy interacts with commonly prescribed neurologic medications and increases stroke risk among transfeminine people. Sex hormones and sex chromosomes may play a role in neurodegeneration and disability progression in neuroimmunologic diseases. Clitoral reduction surgeries on intersex children can cause neurologic disability and sexual dysfunction in adulthood. Socioeconomic disparities among TGD people contribute to health care barriers.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>Neurologists should consider the unique experiences and health care needs of TGD people in their clinical practice and research protocols.</p>","PeriodicalId":19136,"journal":{"name":"Neurology. Clinical practice","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11195436/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141450994","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Scott Friedenberg, Edward Stefanowicz, Timothy Frymoyer, Clemens M Schirmer, Neil R Holland, Trudi Dempsey
{"title":"Empowering Health Care Providers: A Collaborative Approach to Enhance Financial Performance and Productivity in Clinical Practice.","authors":"Scott Friedenberg, Edward Stefanowicz, Timothy Frymoyer, Clemens M Schirmer, Neil R Holland, Trudi Dempsey","doi":"10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200314","DOIUrl":"10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200314","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The combination of inadequate financial training, limited benchmarks, and mindset contribute to many physicians prioritizing revenue below quality, outcomes, and safety. This creates a challenge as hospital administrators aim to motivate clinicians to improve RVU generation and increase revenue.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Creating physician/administrator teams that defines and explores the gap between observed and expected financial performance in parallel with appreciating the physician's practice preferences can create new opportunities for billing. The proposed 3 phase approach emphasizes nonjudgmental communication, education and partnership. The most common and effective opportunities for improvement include billing optimization, scheduling and system infrastructure modifications.</p><p><strong>Implications for practice: </strong>As reimbursement decrease, balancing revenue generation with physician satisfaction has become paramount. Promoting data drive bidirectional communication can lead to identifying previously unrecognized billing opportunities where change is driven by providers rather than by 1-dimensional institutional goals.</p>","PeriodicalId":19136,"journal":{"name":"Neurology. Clinical practice","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11194789/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141446630","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hector Arciniega, Leonard B Jung, Fatima Tuz-Zahra, Yorghos Tripodis, Omar John, Nicholas Kim, Holly W Carrington, Evdokiya E Knyazhanskaya, Arushi Chamaria, Katherine Breedlove, Tim L T Wiegand, Daniel Daneshvar, Tashrif Billah, Ofer Pasternak, Michael J Coleman, Charles H Adler, Charles Bernick, Laura J Balcer, Michael L Alosco, Alexander P Lin, Inga K Koerte, Jeffrey L Cummings, Eric M Reiman, Robert A Stern, Sylvain Bouix, Martha E Shenton
{"title":"Cavum Septum Pellucidum in Former American Football Players: Findings From the DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project.","authors":"Hector Arciniega, Leonard B Jung, Fatima Tuz-Zahra, Yorghos Tripodis, Omar John, Nicholas Kim, Holly W Carrington, Evdokiya E Knyazhanskaya, Arushi Chamaria, Katherine Breedlove, Tim L T Wiegand, Daniel Daneshvar, Tashrif Billah, Ofer Pasternak, Michael J Coleman, Charles H Adler, Charles Bernick, Laura J Balcer, Michael L Alosco, Alexander P Lin, Inga K Koerte, Jeffrey L Cummings, Eric M Reiman, Robert A Stern, Sylvain Bouix, Martha E Shenton","doi":"10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200324","DOIUrl":"10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200324","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Exposure to repetitive head impacts (RHI) is linked to the development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which can only be diagnosed at post-mortem. The presence of a cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) is a common finding in post-mortem studies of confirmed CTE and in neuroimaging studies of individuals exposed to RHI. This study examines CSP in living former American football players, investigating its association with RHI exposure, traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES) diagnosis, and provisional levels of certainty for CTE pathology.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data from the DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project were used to compare the presence and ratio of CSP in former American football players (n = 175), consisting of former college (n = 58) and former professional players (n = 117), and asymptomatic unexposed controls without RHI exposure (n = 55). We further evaluated potential associations between CSP measures and cumulative head impact index (CHII) measures (frequency, linear acceleration, and rotational force), a TES diagnosis (yes/no), and a provisional level of certainty for CTE pathology (suggestive, possible, and probable).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Former American football players exhibited a higher CSP presence and ratio than unexposed asymptomatic controls. Among player subgroups, professional players showed a greater CSP ratio than former college players and unexposed asymptomatic controls. Among all football players, CHII rotational forces correlated with an increased CSP ratio. No significant associations were found between CSP measures and diagnosis of TES or provisional levels of certainty for CTE pathology.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>This study confirms previous findings, highlighting a greater prevalence of CSP and a greater CSP ratio in former American football players compared with unexposed asymptomatic controls. In addition, former professional players showed a greater CSP ratio than college players. Moreover, the relationship between estimates of CHII rotational forces and CSP measures suggests that cumulative frequency and strength of rotational forces experienced in football are associated with CSP. However, CSP does not directly correlate with TES diagnosis or provisional levels of certainty for CTE, indicating that it may be a consequence of RHI associated with rotational forces. Further research, especially longitudinal studies, is needed for confirmation and to explore changes over time.</p>","PeriodicalId":19136,"journal":{"name":"Neurology. Clinical practice","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11332980/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142004872","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anelyssa D'Abreu, Azziza Bankole, Jaideep Kapur, Carol A Manning, Pavel Chernyavskiy
{"title":"Association of the Area Deprivation Index With Dementia Basic Workup and Diagnosis in Central and Western Virginia: A Cross-Sectional Study.","authors":"Anelyssa D'Abreu, Azziza Bankole, Jaideep Kapur, Carol A Manning, Pavel Chernyavskiy","doi":"10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200323","DOIUrl":"10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200323","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>The Area Deprivation Index (ADI) provides a validated and multidimensional metric of areal disadvantage. Our goals were to determine if the ADI influences the likelihood of receiving workup based on published guidelines and an etiologic diagnosis of dementia in Central and Western Virginia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We collected deidentified data from the electronic health record of individuals aged 50-105 years diagnosed with dementia at the University of Virginia (UVA) Medical Center (2016-2021) and at Carillion Clinic (2018-2021). Visit-specific ICD-10 codes were used to classify each dementia diagnosis as \"disease-specific\" (e.g., Alzheimer disease) or \"general\" (e.g., unspecified dementia). Following the American Academy of Neurology guidelines, we considered the evaluation performed as \"adequate\" if patients had vitamin B12, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and brain CT or magnetic resonance imaging within 6 months of the initial diagnosis. Census tract ADI was linked to study participants using the unique census tract identifier derived from the participants' home addresses at the time of diagnosis. Statistical modeling occurred under a Bayesian paradigm implemented using a standard code in R.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study included 13,431 individuals diagnosed with dementia at UVA (n = 7,152) and Carillion Clinic (n = 6,279). Of those, 32.5% and 20.4% received \"disease-specific\" diagnoses at UVA and Carillion Clinic and 8.2% and 20.4% underwent \"adequate\" workup, respectively. The adjusted relationship between census tract ADI and the likelihood of a disease-specific diagnosis was U-shaped: Residence in moderately disadvantaged areas was associated with the lowest likelihood of disease-specific diagnosis.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Most patients diagnosed with dementia did not receive an adequate evaluation or an etiologic diagnosis. Those living in locations just above the national median ADI levels had the lowest likelihood of receiving an etiologic diagnosis, lower than those in the least and most deprived areas. Renewed awareness efforts among providers are needed to increase compliance with diagnostic guidelines.</p>","PeriodicalId":19136,"journal":{"name":"Neurology. Clinical practice","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11195434/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141450991","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jennifer Morganroth, Leah Zuroff, Amanda C Guidon, Grant T Liu, Shawn J Bird, Sunil Singhal, Gil I Wolfe, Ali G Hamedani
{"title":"Trends and Disparities in the Utilization of Thymectomy for Myasthenia Gravis in the United States.","authors":"Jennifer Morganroth, Leah Zuroff, Amanda C Guidon, Grant T Liu, Shawn J Bird, Sunil Singhal, Gil I Wolfe, Ali G Hamedani","doi":"10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200335","DOIUrl":"10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200335","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>In 2016, a randomized controlled trial demonstrated the clinical efficacy of trans-sternal thymectomy for patients with non-thymomatous myasthenia gravis (MG). Whether large-scale changes occurred in clinical practice after this trial is unknown.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We performed a retrospective longitudinal cross-sectional analysis using National Inpatient Sample (NIS) data from 2012 to 2019. Our study included hospitalized adults at least 18 years of age diagnosed with MG without an associated thymoma. We used joinpoint regression to analyze annual trends in thymectomy volume and surgical approach (minimally invasive vs trans-sternal) from 2012 to 2019. Using logistic regression models, we examined patient and hospital-level factors that may have influenced whether thymectomy was performed, such as age, sex, race, insurance payor, hospital size and teaching status, and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index. Sampling weights were applied to account for the complex survey design of NIS.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The total number of thymectomy procedures increased by 69.8% per year (95% CI 40.1-105.8) between 2012 and 2019. Trans-sternal thymectomies increased by 62.8% per year (95% CI 35.8-95.2) and minimally invasive thymectomies by 83.7% per year (95% CI 38.1-144.3). Thymectomies were significantly more likely to occur in 2017-2019 compared with 2012-2016 (OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.62-2.31). In a multivariable regression model, several factors decreased the odds of patients with MG having a thymectomy: older age, Black race (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.49-0.77), female (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.63-0.86), and higher Elixhauser Comorbidity Index. Patients in medium (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.30-2.55) or large (OR 2.81, 95% CI 2.07-3.82) size and urban teaching hospitals (OR 6.09, 95% CI 2.65-13.97) were more likely to undergo thymectomy.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Thymectomy is being performed more frequently for non-thymomatous MG, especially after 2016 after publication of a positive phase III clinical trial. There are several disparities in thymectomy utilization that warrant further attention.</p>","PeriodicalId":19136,"journal":{"name":"Neurology. Clinical practice","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11194790/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141450995","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Escalation to Anti-CD20 Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis Following Natalizumab-Associated Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy.","authors":"Andrew B Wolf, John R Corboy","doi":"10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200330","DOIUrl":"10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200330","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Disease-modifying therapy (DMT) for multiple sclerosis (MS) after natalizumab-associated progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is controversial due to concern for recurrent PML. We describe DMT utilization for over a decade in a patient with MS who survived PML.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Case report.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A 36-year-old woman was diagnosed with MS in 2002 and treated with interferon beta-1a until 2006, when she transitioned to natalizumab due to relapses. She presented in 2012 with 2 months of progressive cognitive and gait concerns and was diagnosed with PML by positive CSF JC virus testing with concordant clinical and MRI findings. She was treated with plasma exchange and then corticosteroids for PML immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome before starting glatiramer acetate for DMT. She transitioned to dimethyl fumarate in 2013 after MS activity on MRI with negative CSF JC virus testing. Owing to worsening footdrop consistent with progression, she transitioned to ocrelizumab in 2017 and then to ofatumumab in 2020 due to logistics of medication administration. There has been no clinicoradiographic or CSF evidence of recurrent PML.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>DMT selection is challenging for patients with MS who survive PML. We used an escalation approach extending to ocrelizumab and ofatumumab due to MS progression. Anti-CD20 DMTs are a high-efficacy option post-PML.</p><p><strong>Classification of evidence: </strong>This provides Class IV evidence. It is a single observational study without controls.</p>","PeriodicalId":19136,"journal":{"name":"Neurology. Clinical practice","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11194788/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141450992","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}