Neurology
Expert perspectives on neurological conditions, stroke management, movement disorders, and neuromuscular disease.
Recent Discussions
What are your preferred treatments for vasospasm in the setting of RCVS?
In the inpatient setting, I like nimodipine. However, in the outpatient setting, patients may not want to, may not be able to, or may not remember to reliably take the medication every 4 hours. As you can imagine, this would be quite disruptive to their overall daily schedule and possibly their qual...
What is your approach for monitoring disability progression in patients with MS?
In my clinical practice, all patients with MS undergo structured assessment for disability progression at each visit. This includes the Timed 25-Foot Walk (T25FW), a detailed neurologic examination, and an estimation of the EDSS. I also use a standardized MS clinic template that systematically asses...
What elements beyond NEDA-3 do you find valuable for tracking disease progression in MS?
I find NEDA-3 useful, but it is clearly incomplete, particularly for detecting gradual progression that occurs independently of relapses or new MRI lesions. In routine practice, fully quantifying progression and quality of life can be challenging, especially in a busy clinic. For me, what the patien...
When would you consider using occipital nerve blocks to treat episodic cluster headaches?
For many years, it has been known that occipital nerve blocks containing steroids help for a few days in episodic cluster headache. But giving steroids by mouth for 3-5 days also works well and lasts for several days (for migraine attacks, I prefer occipital nerve blocks with local anesthesia and no...
Do you recommend a workup for POEMS and/or amyloidosis for IgM monoclonal gammopathies associated with neuropathy?
While IgM monoclonal disorders, amyloidosis, and POEMS syndrome may all be associated with peripheral neuropathy, they are not often confused with one another. A patient with a peripheral neuropathy can be diagnosed most simply by a serum protein electrophoresis. The presence of a monoclonal IgM spi...
What types of cardiac conduction abnormalities would lead you to avoid using tricyclic antidepressants?
I wouldn’t say it is a definite contraindication. But, I would want to be sure it is a longstanding patient and they are seeing a cardiologist regularly. Then, if the QTc were within reason, I would consider it; but it wouldn’t be high on my list of options.
What is the most updated consensus regarding the use of pill in the pocket oral anticoagulation in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, and populations of patients who are most likely to be considered for enrollment in clinical trials?
I'm not sure that there is a consensus. The best available large trial data would recommend anticoagulation based on a CHADS2Vasc score of 2 or higher, while a score of 0 patients could be off anticoagulation, and if the score is 1, patients would benefit from shared decision-making. For the CHADS2V...
In older adults with mild cognitive impairment, do you ever prescribe cholinesterase inhibitors and/or memantine?
This is a great question, and of course, "do you ever" will get you in trouble every time! Let me start by saying that, in general, I do not prescribe these drugs for MCI. Cholinesterase inhibitors are clearly indicated for the mild-moderate stage of some kinds of dementia (some people would include...
What is your treatment approach for MAG antibody-associated polyneuropathy?
When patients have a classic Distal acquired demyelinating sensory (DADS) Neuropathy phenotype (by clinical +/- EDX criteria), typically an SPEP/IFE is checked first, and if an IgM monoclonal gammopathy is observed, then I typically check MAG antibodies at that point (if clinical and EDX features ar...
When should lumbar puncture be prioritized for patients with suspected Guillain-Barre Syndrome?
There are two major reasons to do an LP in suspected GBS. One is to see if there is albuminocytologic dissociation supporting the diagnosis of GBS. LP done early in the course may be normal, so CSF does not drive early treatment decisions. It should also be noted that the IGOS study showed that a sm...