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Biomedical subjects

Yuen T So

Publications and source records attributed to Yuen T So.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Practice Advisory: utility of surgical decompression for treatment of diabetic neuropathy: report of the Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology.

Surgical decompression at the site of anatomic narrowing has been promoted as an alternative treatment for patients with symptomatic diabetic neuropathy. Systematic review of the literature revealed only Class IV studies concerning the utility of this therapeutic approach. Given the current evidence available, this treatment alternative should be considered unproven (Level U). Prospective randomized controlled trials with standard definitions and outcome measures are necessary to determine the value of this therapeutic intervention.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed2006

Action at a distance: a lumbar spine tumor presenting as trigeminal neuralgia.

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is often secondary to an underlying structural cause, frequently compression of the fifth nerve root by an ectatic artery. Here we describe a case of a 36-year-old woman with symptoms of TN who was found to have severe communicating hydrocephalus. Further investigation revealed a lumbar myxopapillary ependymoma, which in turn was responsible for the communicating hydrocephalus. An argument connecting these seemingly disparate findings is made. This unusual set of circumstances is an example of "action at a distance" in the nervous system, and reminds clinicians to think broadly about the various pathophysiologic mechanisms that can potentially underlie common disorders.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

High-dose cyclophosphamide in refractory myasthenia gravis with MuSK antibodies.

We describe a 48-year-old woman with seronegative myasthenia gravis (MG) and high-titer of anti-MuSK antibody. She had severe bulbar and respiratory weakness with minimal limb weakness for 2 years. Her disease responded poorly to all the conventional immunosuppressive regimens. Treatment with immunoablative dose of cyclophosphamide led to dramatic and sustained remission of her symptoms. High-dose cyclophosphamide is an effective alternative in patients with unusually refractory disease.

Alkylating Agents↗
PubMed2005

Use of serum prolactin in diagnosing epileptic seizures: report of the Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to review the use of serum prolactin assay in epileptic seizure diagnosis. METHODS: The authors identified relevant studies in multiple databases and reference lists. Studies that met inclusion criteria were summarized and rated for quality of evidence, and the results were analyzed and pooled where appropriate. RESULTS: Most studies used a serum prolactin of at least twice baseline value as abnormal. For the differentiation of epileptic seizures from psychogenic nonepileptic seizures, one Class I and seven Class II studies showed that elevated serum prolactin was highly predictive of either generalized tonic-clonic or complex partial seizures. Pooled sensitivity was higher for generalized tonic-clonic seizures (60.0%) than for complex partial seizures (46.1%), while the pooled specificity was similar for both (approximately 96%). Data were insufficient to establish validity for simple partial seizures. Two Class II studies were consistent in showing prolactin elevation after tilt-test-induced syncope. Inconclusive data exist regarding the value of serum prolactin following status epilepticus, repetitive seizures, and neonatal seizures. RECOMMENDATIONS: Elevated serum prolactin assay, when measured in the appropriate clinical setting at 10 to 20 minutes after a suspected event, is a useful adjunct for the differentiation of generalized tonic-clonic or complex partial seizure from psychogenic nonepileptic seizure among adults and older children (Level B). Serum prolactin assay does not distinguish epileptic seizures from syncope (Level B). The use of serum PRL assay has not been established in the evaluation of status epilepticus, repetitive seizures, and neonatal seizures (Level U).

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed2004

Phenotypic variability associated with Arg26Gln mutation in caveolin3.

Caveolin3 (CAV3) is a protein associated with dystrophin, dystrophin-associated glycoproteins, and dysferlin. Mutations in the CAV3 gene result in certain autosomal-dominant inherited diseases, namely, rippling muscle disease (RMD), limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 1C (LGMD1C), distal myopathy, and hyperCKemia. In this report we show that a previously reported family with RMD has a mutation in the CAV3 gene. Affected individuals had either a characteristic RMD phenotype, a combination of RMD and LGMD1C phenotypes, or a LGMD1C phenotype, but one mutation carrier was asymptomatic at age 86 years. This phenotypic variability associated with mutations in CAV3 has been reported previously but only in a few families. It is important to remember the significant phenotypic variability associated with CAV3 mutations when counseling families with these mutations. These observations also suggest the presence of factors independent of the CAV3 gene locus that modify phenotype.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Clinical utility of electrodiagnostic consultation in suspected polyneuropathy.

Although paresthesias of the distal lower limbs are characteristic features of polyneuropathy, they may also herald the presence of a focal neuropathy, polyradiculopathy, or myelopathy. Electromyography and nerve conduction studies (EMG/NCS) are widely used in the evaluation of such symptoms, but their utility has not been subjected to vigorous scrutiny. We investigated the clinical impact of the electrodiagnostic consultation in assessing suspected polyneuropathy. When compared with the clinical impression, the result of the electrodiagnostic consultation was confirmatory in only 39% of all patients, and changed the diagnosis or uncovered an additional diagnosis in 43%. An alternative diagnosis was likely when either weakness was present (75%) or the Achilles stretch reflex was preserved (48%). These data support the use of EMG/NCS in the diagnostic evaluation of patients presenting with distal paresthesias, especially in those with preserved Achilles reflexes or motor deficits.

Adult↗