| 1. |
- Agerskov, Simon, et al.
(författare)
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The phenotype of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus-a single center study of 429 patients
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of the Neurological Sciences. - : Elsevier BV. - 0022-510X. ; 391, s. 54-60
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephlaus (iNPH) is, despite a vastly improved knowledge of the disorder since its first description still underdiagnosed and undertreated. Because of this, there is a need for further large studies describing the typical symptomatology and reversibility of symptoms in iNPH, which was the aim of this study. Methods In all, 429 patients (mean age 71years) were included. Detailed pre- and postoperative examinations of symptoms and signs were analyzed. A composite outcome measure was constructed. Results Sixty-eight % improved after surgery. Preoperatively, 72% exhibited symptoms from three or four of the assessed domains (gait, balance, neuropsychology and continence) while 41% had symptoms from all four domains. Ninety % had gait disturbances, of which 75% had broad-based gait, 65% shuffling gait and 30% freezing of gait. These disturbances coexisted in most patients preoperatively, but were more likely to appear as isolated findings after surgery. Impaired balance was seen in 53% and retropulsion in 46%. MMSE <25 was seen in 53% and impaired continence in 86%. Improvements were seen in all symptom domains postoperatively. Conclusions The iNPH phenotype is characterized by a disturbance in at least 3/4 symptom domains in most patients, with improvements in all domains after shunt surgery. Most patients present with a broad-based and shuffling gait as well as paratonia. Present symptoms in all domains and a shuffling gait at the time of diagnosis seem to predict a favorable postoperative outcome, whereas symptom severity does not.
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| 2. |
- Andrén, Kerstin, 1980, et al.
(författare)
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Adherence to anti-seizure medications in the Swedish Prospective Regional Epilepsy Database and Biobank for Individualized Clinical Treatment (PREDICT)
- 2023
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Ingår i: Epilepsy and Behavior Reports. - 2589-9864. ; 24
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to describe the extent of, and risk factors for, non-adherence to anti-seizure medications (ASMs) in adult people with epilepsy (PWE) in Sweden. A cross-sectional multi-centre study was performed of PWEs in western Sweden, with data from medical records, and a questionnaire filled in by the participants including self-reports on how often ASM doses had been forgotten during the past year. Participants were categorized into adherent if they forgot at 0–1 occasion, and non-adherent if they forgot at 2–10 or >10 occasions. Demographic and clinical factors were compared by Chi2- or Fisher's test and a logistic regression model was used to find risk factors for non-adherence. In the cohort of 416 PWE aged median 43, IQR 29–62 years, 398 patients were prescribed ASM treatment at inclusion, and 39 % (n = 154) were in the non-adherent group. Significant factors in the multivariable analysis were: younger age, seizure freedom the past year, valproate treatment and experiencing side effects. The rate of self-reported non-adherence was high, illustrating a need for continuous focus on fundamental aspects of epilepsy care. The identified risk factors could enable quality improvement projects and patient education to be directed to those at risk of non-adherence.
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| 3. |
- Andrén, Kerstin, 1980, et al.
(författare)
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Early shunt surgery improves survival in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus
- 2021
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Ingår i: European Journal of Neurology. - : Wiley. - 1351-5101 .- 1468-1331. ; 28:4, s. 1153-1159
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and purpose To examine the effect of delayed compared to early planning of shunt surgery on survival, in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH), a long-term follow-up case-control study of patients exposed to a severe delay of treatment was performed. Methods In 2010-2011 our university hospital was affected by an administrative and economic failure that led to postponement of several elective neurosurgical procedures. This resulted in an unintentional delay of planning of treatment for a group of iNPH patients, referred to as iNPH(Delayed) (n = 33, waiting time for shunt surgery 6-24 months). These were compared to patients treated within 3 months, iNPH(Early) (n = 69). Primary outcome was mortality. Dates and underlying causes of death were provided by the Cause of Death Registry. Survival was analysed by Kaplan-Meier plots and a Cox proportional hazard model adjusted for potential confounders. Results Median follow-up time was 6.0 years. Crude 4-year mortality was 39.4% in iNPH(Delayed) compared to 10.1% in iNPH(Early) (p = 0.001). The adjusted hazard ratio in iNPH(Delayed) was 2.57; 95% confidence interval 1.13-5.83, p = 0.024. Causes of death were equally distributed between the groups except for death due to malignancy which was not seen in iNPH(Delayed) but in 4/16 cases in iNPH(Early) (p = 0.044). Conclusions The present data indicate that shunt surgery is effective in iNPH and that early treatment increases survival.
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| 4. |
- Andrén, Kerstin, 1980, et al.
(författare)
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Long-term effects of complications and vascular comorbidity in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus: a quality registry study
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Neurology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0340-5354 .- 1432-1459. ; 265:1, s. 178-186
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- There is little knowledge about the factors influencing the long-term outcome after surgery for idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH). To evaluate the effects of reoperation due to complications and of vascular comorbidity (hypertension, diabetes, stroke and heart disease) on the outcome in iNPH patients, 2-6 years after shunt surgery. We included 979 patients from the Swedish Hydrocephalus Quality Registry (SHQR), operated on for iNPH during 2004-2011. The patients were followed yearly by mailed questionnaires, including a self-assessed modified Rankin Scale (smRS) and a subjective comparison between their present and their preoperative health condition. The replies were grouped according to the length of follow-up after surgery. Data on clinical evaluations, vascular comorbidity, and reoperations were extracted from the SHQR. On the smRS, 40% (38-41) of the patients were improved 2-6 years after surgery and around 60% reported their general health condition to be better than preoperatively. Reoperation did not influence the outcome after 2-6 years. The presence of vascular comorbidity had no negative impact on the outcome after 2-6 years, assessed as improvement on the smRS or subjective improvement of the health condition, except after 6 years when patients with hypertension and a history of stroke showed a less favorable development on the smRS. This registry-based study shows no negative impact of complications and only minor effects of vascular comorbidity on the long-term outcome in iNPH.
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| 5. |
- Andrén, Kerstin, 1980
(författare)
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Natural course and long-term prognosis in idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus - the effect of delayed surgery and clinical factors on outcome and survival
- 2020
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, iNPH, causes gait and balance difficulties, urinary incontinence and cognitive decline in mainly older persons and is treatable by insertion of a cerebrospinal fluid diverting shunt. The effects of postponing treatment in these patients have have been largely unknown and the benefits of treatment in the long-term, mortality and causes of death have not been reported in any large cohort of patients. The aims of this thesis were to study the natural course in untreated iNPH patients, and the effect of postponed treatment, with regard to outcome and survival. Moreover, the aim was to study the long-term outcome and survival in a large unselected cohort of iNPH patients treated all over Sweden, registered in the Swedish Hydrocephalus Quality Registry, SHQR. A group of patients diagnosed with iNPH who due to capacity problems had to wait median 13 months for shunt surgery, was studied and compared to a group of patients operated without delay. Symptoms progressed during the wait. Once treated, these patients improved, but outcome was less beneficial than in the patients operated without delay (paper I). Their mortality was more than two-fold increased (paper II). In 979 iNPH patients from the SHQR, around 60% stated being improved 2 to 6 years after shunt surgery. Re-operations were necessary in 26% but did not influence the long-term outcome, and vascular comorbidity had only minor effects (paper III). Survival was reduced compared to the general population, and shorter in patients with more pronounced symptoms or with heart diseases. Patients with the most beneficial treatment effects, survived similarly as the general population. Death due to cerebrovascular diseases was more common in iNPH patients, while death due to malignancy was less common, than in the general population (paper IV). This thesis indicates that the natural course of iNPH is progression of symptoms which are only partially reversible and in order to optimize treatment benefits and survival, surgery should be performed without delay. The majority of this aged patient group, also those with vascular comorbidities, have favourable long-term effects and should also be offered treatment. Complications are common, but do not seem to hamper the long-term results. Treatment improves the symptoms and increases survival in iNPH.
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| 6. |
- Andrén, Kerstin, 1980, et al.
(författare)
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Natural course of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. - : BMJ. - 0022-3050. ; 2014:85, s. 806-810
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Abstract Objectives The natural course of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) has not been thoroughly studied. The consequences of postponing shunt treatment are largely unknown. We aimed to describe the effects of waiting for more than 6months before surgery and to compare the outcome with that seen in patients who waited for less than 3months. Methods 33 patients (iNPHDelayed) underwent an initial investigation (Pre-op 1), followed by re-examination, just prior to surgery, after waiting for at least 6months (Pre-op 2). Outcome was evaluated after 3months of treatment. 69 patients who were surgically treated within 3months after Pre-op 1 and who were also evaluated after 3months of treatment constituted a comparison group (iNPHEarly). Evaluations were done with the iNPH scale and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). iNPHDelayed patients were prospectively studied with regard to outcome, whereas the comparison group iNPHEarly was defined and analysed retrospectively. Results iNPHDelayed patients deteriorated significantly during their wait for surgery, with progression of symptom severity ranging from +7 to −47 on the iNPH scale, and from 0 to +3 on the mRS (both p<0.001). The magnitude of change after surgery was similar in the groups, but since the symptoms of iNPHDelayed patients had worsened while waiting, their final outcome was significantly poorer. Conclusions The natural course of iNPH is symptom progression over time, with worsening in gait, balance and cognitive symptoms. This deterioration is only partially reversible. To maximise the benefits of shunt treatment, surgery should be performed soon after diagnosis.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Andrén, Kerstin, 1980, et al.
(författare)
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Survival in treated idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of Neurology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0340-5354 .- 1432-1459. ; 267, s. 640-648
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective To describe survival and causes of death in 979 treated iNPH patients from the Swedish Hydrocephalus Quality Registry (SHQR), and to examine the influence of comorbidities, symptom severity and postoperative outcome. Methods All 979 patients operated for iNPH 2004-2011 and registered in the SHQR were included. A matched control group of 4890 persons from the general population was selected by Statistics Sweden. Data from the Swedish Cause of Death Registry was obtained for patients and controls. Results At a median 5.9 (IQR 4.2-8.1) year follow-up, 37% of the iNPH patients and 23% of the controls had died. Mortality was increased in iNPH patients by a hazard ratio of 1.81, 95% CI 1.61-2.04, p < 0.001. More pronounced symptoms in the preoperative ordinal gait scale and the Mini-mental State Examination were the most important independent predictors of mortality along with the prevalence of heart disease. Patients who improved in both the gait scale and in the modified Rankin Scale postoperatively (n = 144) had a similar survival as the general population (p = 0.391). Deaths due to cerebrovascular disease or dementia were more common in iNPH patients, while more controls died because of neoplasms or disorders of the circulatory system. Conclusions Mortality in operated iNPH patients is 1.8 times increased compared to the general population, a lower figure than previously reported. The survival of iNPH patients who improve in gait and functional independence is similar to that of the general population, indicating that shunt surgery for iNPH, besides improving symptoms and signs, can normalize survival.
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| 9. |
- Andrén, Kerstin, 1980, et al.
(författare)
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Symptoms and signs did not predict outcome after surgery: a prospective study of 143 patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus
- 2024
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Ingår i: JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY. - : SPRINGER HEIDELBERG. - 0340-5354 .- 1432-1459.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ObjectiveTo determine the utility of symptoms, signs, comorbidities and background variables for the prediction of outcome of treatment in iNPH. MethodsA prospective observational study of consecutively included iNPH patients, who underwent neurological, physiotherapeutic and neuropsychological assessments before and after shunt surgery. The primary outcome measure was the total change on the iNPH scale, and patients were defined as improved postoperatively if they had improved by at least five points on that scale. Results143 iNPH patients were included, and 73% of those were improved after surgery. None of the examined symptoms or signs could predict which patients would improve after shunt surgery. A dominant subjective complaint of memory problems at baseline was predictive of non-improvement. The reported comorbidities, duration of symptoms and BMI were the same in improved and non-improved patients. Each of the symptom domains (gait, neuropsychology, balance, and continence) as well as the total iNPH scale score improved significantly (from median 53 to 69, p < 0.001). The proportions of patients with shuffling gait, broad-based gait, paratonic rigidity and retropulsion all decreased significantly. DiscussionThis study confirms that the recorded clinical signs, symptoms, and impairments in the adopted clinical tests are characteristic findings in iNPH, based on that most of them improved after shunt surgery. However, our clinical data did not enable predictions of whether patients would respond to shunt surgery, indicating that the phenotype is unrelated to the reversibility of the iNPH state and should mainly support diagnosis. Absence of specific signs should not be used to exclude patients from treatment.
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| 10. |
- Constantinescu, Radu, 1966, et al.
(författare)
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Cerebrospinal fluid markers of neuronal and glial cell damage to monitor disease activity and predict long-term outcome in patients with autoimmune encephalitis
- 2016
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Ingår i: European Journal of Neurology. - : Wiley. - 1351-5101. ; 23:4, s. 796-806
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and purposeClinical symptoms and long-term outcome of autoimmune encephalitis are variable. Diagnosis requires multiple investigations, and treatment strategies must be individually tailored. Better biomarkers are needed for diagnosis, to monitor disease activity and to predict long-term outcome. The value of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers of neuronal [neurofilament light chain protein (NFL), and total tau protein (T-tau)] and glial cell [glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)] damage in patients with autoimmune encephalitis was investigated. MethodsDemographic, clinical, magnetic resonance imaging, CSF and antibody-related data of 25 patients hospitalized for autoimmune encephalitis and followed for 1 year were retrospectively collected. Correlations between these data and consecutive CSF levels of NFL, T-tau and GFAP were investigated. Disability, assessed by the modified Rankin scale, was used for evaluation of disease activity and long-term outcome. ResultsThe acute stage of autoimmune encephalitis was accompanied by high CSF levels of NFL and T-tau, whereas normal or significantly lower levels were observed after clinical improvement 1 year later. NFL and T-tau reacted in a similar way but at different speeds, with T-tau reacting faster. CSF levels of GFAP were initially moderately increased but did not change significantly later on. Final outcome (disability at 1 year) directly correlated with CSF-NFL and CSF-GFAP levels at all time-points and with CSF-T-tau at 3 1 months. This correlation remained significant after age adjustment for CSF-NFL and T-tau but not for GFAP. ConclusionIn autoimmune encephalitis, CSF levels of neuronal and glial cell damage markers appear to reflect disease activity and long-term disability.
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