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Central Nervous System Complications (central + nervous_system_complications)
Selected AbstractsMycoplasma pneumoniae -associated myelitis: a comprehensive reviewEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 2 2006S. Tsiodras Myelitis is one of the most severe central nervous system complications seen in association with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections and both acute transverse myelitis (ATM) as well as acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) have been observed. We reviewed all available literature on cases of Mycoplasma spp. associated ATM as well as ADEM with dominant spinal cord pathology and classified those cases according to the strength of evidence implicating M. pneumoniae as the cause. A wide range of data on diagnosis, epidemiology, immunopathogenesis, clinical picture, laboratory diagnosis, neuroimaging and treatment for this rare entity is presented. The use of highly sensitive and specific molecular diagnostic techniques may assist in clearly elucidating the role of M. pneumoniae in ATM/ADEM syndromes in the near future. Immunomodulating therapies may have a role in treating such cases. [source] International Experts' Perspectives on the State of the Nurse Staffing and Patient Outcomes LiteratureJOURNAL OF NURSING SCHOLARSHIP, Issue 4 2007Koen Van den Heede Purpose: To assess the key variables used in research on nurse staffing and patient outcomes from the perspective of an international panel. Design: A Delphi survey (November 2005-February 2006) of a purposively-selected expert panel from 10 countries consisting of 24 researchers specializing in nurse staffing and quality of health care and 8 nurse administrators. Methods: Each participant was sent by e-mail an up-to-date review of all evidence related to 39 patient-outcome, 14 nurse-staffing and 31 background variables and asked to rate the importance/usefulness of each variable for research on nurse staffing and patient outcomes. In two subsequent rounds the group median, mode, frequencies, and earlier responses were sent to each respondent. Findings: Twenty-nine participants responded to the first round (90.6%), of whom 28 (87.5%) responded to the second round. The Delphi panel generated 7 patient-outcome, 2 nurse-staffing and 12 background variables in the first round, not well-investigated in previous research, to be added to the list. At the end of the second round the predefined level of consensus (85%) was reached for 32 patient outcomes, 10 nurse staffing measures and 29 background variables. The highest consensus levels regarding measure sensitivity to nurse staffing were found for nurse perceived quality of care, patient satisfaction and pain, and the lowest for renal failure, cardiac failure, and central nervous system complications. Nursing Hours per Patient Day received the highest consensus score as a valid measure of the number of nursing staff. As a skill mix variable the proportion of RNs to total nursing staff achieved the highest consensus level. Both age and comorbidities were rated as important background variables by all the respondents. Conclusions: These results provide a snapshot of the state of the science on nurse-staffing and patient-outcomes research as of 2005. The results portray an area of nursing science in evolution and an understanding of the connections between human resource issues and healthcare quality based on both empirical findings and opinion. [source] Diagnosis and treatment of HIV-associated neurocognitive disordersNEW DIRECTIONS FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, Issue 87 2000Stephen J. Ferrando M.D. Although significant strides have been made in recent years in treating HIV disease with new antiretroviral medications, the management of neurocognitive disorders continues to remain a challenge. This chapter provides an overview of the current epidemiology, neuropathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of the central nervous system complications of HIV infection. [source] Cerebral metastasis and other central nervous system complications of pleuropulmonary blastoma,,PEDIATRIC BLOOD & CANCER, Issue 3 2007John R. Priest MD Abstract Background Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is a rare tumor of pleura and lung in young children. Central nervous system (CNS) complications, particularly cerebral parenchymal metastases, occur in aggressive forms of PPB: Types II and III PPB. This article evaluates cerebral and meningeal metastases, cerebrovascular events (CVA) caused by tumor emboli, spinal cord complications, and intracranial second malignancies in PPB. Procedure International PPB Registry and literature cases were evaluated for CNS events. Cerebral metastasis patients were evaluated for gender, side of origin of PPB, PPB Type, interval from diagnosis to metastasis, status of chest disease, treatment, and outcome. Standard statistical methods were used to calculate the cumulative probability of cerebral metastasis and survival following metastasis. Results Thirty-nine cases of cerebral metastasis were identified in 5/53 Registry Type II cases, 15/44 Registry Type III cases, and 19/143 literature Type II/III cases. Metastases occurred 1,60, median 11.5 months after diagnosis. Chest disease was controlled in 50% of children at time of metastasis. The cumulative probability of cerebral metastasis by 5 years from diagnosis was 11% for Type II patients (95%CI (confidence interval): 2,20%) and 54% for Type III patients (95%CI: 31,76%). Seven children survive cerebral metastasis. Other CNS complications were post-operative CVA (five cases), spinal cord invasion or compression (six), leptomeningeal disease (three), and second intracranial malignancies (two). Conclusions Cerebral metastasis is more frequent in PPB than in other childhood sarcomas. Clinicians should screen for this complication. Diverse other CNS complications are less common and require careful diagnosis. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2007;49:266,273. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. 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