A systematic review of the quality of studies on dementia prevalence in Italy

Abstract Background Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), is one of the most burdensome medical conditions. In order to better understand the epidemiology of dementia in Italy, we conducted a systematic search of studies published between 1980 and April 2014 investigating the prevalence of dementia and AD in Italy and then evaluated the quality of the selected studies. Methods A systematic search was performed using PubMed/Medline and Embase to identify Italian population-based studies on the prevalence of dementia among people aged ≥60 years. The quality of the studies was scored according to Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) criteria. Results Sixteen articles on the prevalence of dementia and AD in Italy were eligible and 75 % of them were published before the year 2000. Only one study was a national survey, whereas most of the studies were locally based (Northern Italy and Tuscany). Overall, the 16 studies were attributed a mean ADI quality score of 7.6 (median 7.75). Conclusions Available studies on the prevalence of dementia and AD in Italy are generally old, of weak quality, and do not include all regions of Italy. The important limitations of the few eligible studies included in our analysis, mostly related to their heterogeneous design, make our systematic review difficult to interpret from an epidemiologic point of view. Full implementation of a Dementia National Plan is highly needed to better understand the epidemiology of the disease and monitor dementia patients

Combination of pharmacotherapy and lidocaine analgesic block of the peripheral trigeminal branches for trigeminal neuralgia: a pilot study

Classical trigeminal neuralgia (CTN) is treated predominantly by pharmacotherapy but side effects and unsuccessful occurs. The current study was carried out to evaluate the therapeutic effect of combination of pharmacotherapy and lidocaine block. Thirteen patients with CTN managed with pharmacotherapy were recruited and assigned either to no additional treatment (Group I) or to additional analgesic block (Group II). The primary endpoint was the reduction in the frequency of pain episodes in a month assessed at 30 and 90 days. Comparisons of measurements of pain, general health and depression scales were secondary endpoints. The results from the follow-up visits at 30 and 90 days showed the Group II to have larger reduction in the frequency of pain and exhibited a bigger improvement in the scores of the pain, general health and depression scales. The results from this preliminary study suggest a clinical benefit of the combination of pharmacotherapy and lidocaine block

ID migraine questionnaire in temporomandibular disorders with craniofacial pain: a study by using a multidisciplinary approach

To evaluate the prevalence of migraine and related disability and the role of ID migraine questionnaire as a screening tool in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and craniofacial pain (CFP). TMDs patients with CFP underwent stomatognathic (RDC/TMD criteria) and neurological visits (IHS criteria, 2004). ID migraine questionnaire and MIgraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS) were also administered. Out of 45 patients, 69% met diagnosis of migraine plus chronic tension-type headache (CTTH); 9% presented CTTH and 20% were migraineurs. Out of 39 migraineurs who completed MIDAS, 56% presented the highest disability grade. Out of 37 patients who completed ID migraine questionnaire, 32 resulted affected by probable migraine with a diagnostic sensibility and specificity of 94% and 100%, respectively. Our findings showed a clinical association between TMDs and migraine. We support a clinical role of ID migraine and MIDAS in TMDs patients with CFP and we underline the importance of a multidisciplinary evaluation in this group of migraineurs

Neurovascular headache and occipital neuralgia secondary to bleeding of bulbocervical cavernoma

It has recently been suggested that the trigeminocervical complex plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of neck discomfort that accompanies migraine attacks. Clinical and neurophysiological data have shown that pain within the occipital area may be transmitted by the first trigeminal branch, which supports an anatomical and functional link between cervical and trigeminal modulation of peripheral afferents. We describe a patient with an acute symptomatic migraine attack and chronic occipital neuralgia, both due to bleeding of a bulbocervical cavernoma. The clinical presentation is also discussed and related to recent scientific data on the role of the trigeminocervical complex in both the clinical picture and underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of cervical and head pain. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2007

Occipital neuroma triggered cluster headache responding to greater occipital nerve blockade Neuroma occipital desencadeando cefaléia em salvas responsiva ao bloqueio do nervo occipital maior

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