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Biomedical subjects

Didier Cros

Publications and source records attributed to Didier Cros.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Radiculoplexopathy with conduction block caused by acute Epstein-Barr virus infection.

The authors report a case of cervicobrachial radiculoplexopathy with proximal conduction block (CB), associated with acute Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. The patient presented with pain, paresthesias, and monomelic weakness in the left C7-8, and T1 myotomes. The illness was monophasic with rapid recovery. Neurophysiologic studies demonstrated CB in the proximal left median and ulnar nerve segments. The authors conclude that this syndrome resulted from a postinfectious process following acute EBV infection.

Brachial Plexus Neuritis↗

IgG neuropathy: an immunoelectron microscopic study.

There are many potential mechanisms of peripheral nerve impairment by a monoclonal IgG dysglobulinemia. In this study, using electron microscopy, we observed widening of the myelin lamellae comparable to that commonly described in IgM neuropathies with antimyelin-associated glycoprotein activity. Such features have yet to be described in IgG neuropathies. In addition, we observed deposits of a granular material in the interstitial tissue of the nerve. By immunoelectron microscopy, we demonstrated the presence of the IgG in the lesions of myelin and the endoneurial space. A direct link between monoclonal dysglobulinemia (regardless of type) and polyneuropathy should be confirmed by nerve biopsy, because the result may influence treatment.

Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic↗

Multifocal motor neuropathy: decrease in conduction blocks and reinnervation with long-term IVIg.

BACKGROUND: Multifocal motor neuropathy with conduction blocks (MMNCB) is an immune-mediated motor neuropathy. Previous long-term IV immunoglobulin (IVIg) treatment studies have documented improvement in muscle strength and functional disability but revealed a concomitant increase in acute axonal degeneration (AD) and conduction block (CB). OBJECTIVE: To determine the long-term effects of IVIg therapy on clinical and neurophysiologic outcome measures in MMNCB patients responsive to IVIg. METHODS: The authors reviewed medical records of 10 patients with MMNCB for outcomes in muscle strength (Medical Research Council score), functional disability (Modified Rankin Disability score), CB, and AD. All patients had received IVIg (2g/kg in 5 days for 3 consecutive months), followed by monthly maintenance therapy. RESULTS: Patients were followed for an average of 7.25 years (range, 3.5 to 12 years). There was significant and sustained improvement in muscle strength and functional disability while on IVIg therapy. Furthermore, the authors found significant improvement in CB, decrease in AD, and evidence of reinnervation by the end of the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Long-term IV immunoglobulin therapy improves muscle strength and functional disability, decreases the number of conduction blocks and the extent of axonal degeneration, and promotes reinnervation. These findings differ from previous reports of deterioration in neurophysiologic outcome measures. Comparison of the IV immunoglobulin regimen in those reports and this study shows that the authors' patients were treated with significantly higher IV immunoglobulin maintenance doses. These findings have implications for the long-term treatment of patients with multifocal motor neuropathy with conduction blocks.

Action Potentials↗

Neurophysiologic findings in early acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy.

BACKGROUND: Patients with early acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP) may not meet the current neurophysiologic criteria. OBJECTIVE: To document neurophysiologic findings in early AIDP. METHODS: Clinical and neurophysiologic data from 38 AIDP patients, assessed within 10 days of symptom onset were reviewed. RESULTS: In addition to absent H reflexes and abnormal F-wave responses in the acute stage of AIDP, abnormalities of blink reflexes, upper limb sensory responses abnormalities with spared sural responses, presence of distal CMAP dispersion, and A-waves were frequently observed. Established demyelinating neurophysiologic parameters were infrequently seen. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormalities of H reflexes and F responses were most frequently noted in early AIDP. Additionally, distal temporal dispersion, prolonged or absent blink reflexes, and A-waves were often present in the acute stage of AIDP when classic diagnostic criteria of AIDP were not satisfied. SIGNIFICANCE: Neurophysiologic studies in early AIDP frequently reveal abnormalities that are not specific of primary demyelinating neuropathy.

Adolescent↗

Atypical presentations of primary amyloid neuropathy.

Primary amyloidosis (AL) may be complicated by peripheral neuropathy in 15-35% of cases. We report on four patients with atypical neurological presentations of AL neuropathy, whose diagnoses were delayed due to varied clinical presentations. The clinical presentation included painful sensory neuropathy (two patients), mononeuropathy multiplex (one patient), and primary demyelinating polyneuropathy (one patient). The latter two types of presentation have not been reported previously. The diagnosis was established by fat pad biopsy in two patients, lymph node biopsy in one, and sural nerve biopsy in one. Two patients were treated with high-dose melphalan followed by stem cell rescue, and one was treated with oral melphalan and prednisone. All three cases experienced stabilization of neuropathic symptoms. We report these cases in order to raise awareness of the varied clinical presentation of AL neuropathy.

Action Potentials↗