Saccades and 6-Methylprednisolone Treatment in Multiple Sclerosis

Saccadic eye movements are studied in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis during a worsening of the disease, before and after high-dose 6-methylprednisolone infusions. The quantitative evaluation was based on the amplitude-duration and amplitude-peak velocity relationships, the precision (i.e., the ratio of actual to desired saccade amplitude) and the latency of saccades. At basal recordings, 15 of the 17 patients showed at least one abnormality. The amplitude-duration relationship improved in one patient and worsened in two patients; the amplitude-peak velocity relationship improved in one and worsened in another patient; and the precision and the latency improved in one and seven patients respectively. In the whole group of patients, the only parameter which showed a significant modification (improvement) was the latency. Finally, the neurophysiological modifications did not match clinical changes. © 1994 Elsevier B.V

Risk factors for tumor occurrence in patients with myasthenia gravis.

There is still uncertainty regarding risk factors for cancer occurrence in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of extrathymic neoplasms in patients with MG and the factors associated with tumor occurrence. The archives of four tertiary MG centers were consulted and patients were interviewed on the main clinical features of the disease, the presence and type(s) of extrathymic neoplasms and other autoimmune disorders, and their symptomatic and immunosuppressant treatments (with detailed schedules). A retrospective cohort survey was undertaken comparing the demographic and clinical variables of patients with extrathymic neoplasms to those of the remaining MG population. 2,479 patients were traced and interviewed personally or through informants. The sample included 1,490 women and 989 men (mean age 54.7 years). Other autoimmune disorders were present in 216 cases (8.7%). Thymectomy was performed in 1,549 cases (62.5%), thymic hyperplasia and thymoma being the most common findings. Acetylcholinesterase-inhibitors were the most common treatment (93.5%), followed by steroids (64.3%), azathioprine (35.0%), plasma exchange (13.2%), immunoglobulins (7.5%), cyclosporine (5.3%), and cyclophosphamide (5.0%). 221 patients (8.9%) had one or more extrathymic tumors, 168 of which occurred after disease onset. Patients with and without extrathymic neoplasms were followed for 14.8 and 13.9 years, respectively. Variables shown by multivariate analysis to be associated with increased neoplastic risk included older age, thymoma and immunoglobulin use. Extrathymic tumors are a common finding in patients with MG and tend to be associated with age, thymoma, and immunoglobulin use

Exome sequencing and pathway analysis for identification of genetic variability relevant for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm newborns: A pilot study

Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common chronic lung disease in infancy, affecting preterm children with low birth weight. The disease has a multifactorial aetiology with a significant genetic component; until now published association studies have identified several candidate genes but only few of these data has been replicated. In this pilot study, we approached exome sequencing aimed at identifying non-common variants, which are expected to have a stronger phenotypic effect. Materials and methods: We performed this study on 26 Italian severely affected BPD preterm unrelated newborns, homogeneously selected from a large prospective cohort. We used an Illumina HiSeq 2000 for sequencing. Data analysis was focussed on genes previously associated to BPD susceptibility and to new candidates in related pathways, highlighted by a prioritization analysis performed using ToppGene Suite. Results: By exome sequencing, we identified 3369 novel variants, with a median of 400 variations per sample. The top candidate genes highlighted were NOS2, MMP1, CRP, LBP and the toll-like receptor (. TLR) family. All of them have been confirmed with Sanger sequencing. Conclusions: Potential candidate genes have been discovered in this preliminary study; the pathogenic role of identified variants will need to be confirmed with functional and segregation studies and possibly with further methods, able to evaluate the collective influence of rare variants.Moreover, additional candidates will be tested and genetic analysis will be extended to all affected children

Exome sequencing and pathway analysis for identification of genetic variability relevant for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm newborns: A pilot study

Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common chronic lung disease in infancy, affecting preterm children with low birth weight. The disease has a multifactorial aetiology with a significant genetic component; until now published association studies have identified several candidate genes but only few of these data has been replicated. In this pilot study, we approached exome sequencing aimed at identifying non-common variants, which are expected to have a stronger phenotypic effect. Materials and methods: We performed this study on 26 Italian severely affected BPD preterm unrelated newborns, homogeneously selected from a large prospective cohort. We used an Illumina HiSeq 2000 for sequencing. Data analysis was focussed on genes previously associated to BPD susceptibility and to new candidates in related pathways, highlighted by a prioritization analysis performed using ToppGene Suite. Results: By exome sequencing, we identified 3369 novel variants, with a median of 400 variations per sample. The top candidate genes highlighted were NOS2, MMP1, CRP, LBP and the toll-like receptor (. TLR) family. All of them have been confirmed with Sanger sequencing. Conclusions: Potential candidate genes have been discovered in this preliminary study; the pathogenic role of identified variants will need to be confirmed with functional and segregation studies and possibly with further methods, able to evaluate the collective influence of rare variants.Moreover, additional candidates will be tested and genetic analysis will be extended to all affected children