Long-Term Neurological Research Articles

A Systematic Review of EEG and MRI Features for Predicting Long-Term Neurological Outcomes in Cooled Neonates With Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)

A Systematic Review of EEG and MRI Features for Predicting Long-Term Neurological Outcomes in Cooled Neonates With Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)

Pressure ulcer prevention for people with long-term neurological conditions (LTNCs) who self-manage care and live at home

AimTo develop a Theory of Change (ToC) pathway to facilitate the development of a multi-component intervention package supporting pressure Ulcer (PU) risk identification and management, in partnership with people with Long Term Neurological Conditions (LTNC) who self-manage care and live at home, their informal carers and PAs. MethodsA participatory approach, with extensive input from those whose lives are the focus of the research, was used throughout the 4 interlinked work packages (WP):•WP1 – Development of two co-operative Inquiry Groups (CIGs)•WP2 - Semi-structured interviews and/or app participation•WP3– Professional and strategic stakeholder engagement•WP4–Systems mapping and Theory of Change (ToC pathway developmentIterative data analysis was undertaken with emerging findings from each WP informing subsequent stages of the study. FindingsOverall, 74 participants contributed across the 4 WPs, incorporating 31 Service Users (SU), 8 carers, 9 Personal Assistants (PAs) and 26 professional stakeholders. We identified 8 key themes related to PU prevention, incorporating, learning, safe routines, third sector and peer support, navigating complex systems, adapting and reacting to change, perceptions of risk, risk negotiation and supporting roles. The findings indicate systemic and professional barriers which hamper people's ability to self-care and seek help. ConclusionsThe study highlights the complexities and impact of managing PU prevention activities at home for people with LTNC and areas of learning for health professionals and systems. By understanding these complexities we developed a systems map, identified resource requirements and illustrated a Theory of Change (ToC) pathway, to underpin future work to develop and user test an interactive, multi-component intervention.

Prediction Value of Initial Serum Levels of SERPINA3 in Intracranial Pressure and Long-Term Neurological Outcomes in Traumatic Brain Injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a severe neurological condition characterized by inflammation in the central nervous system. SERPINA3 has garnered attention as a potential biomarker for assessing this inflammation. Our study aimed to explore the predictive value of postoperative serum SERPINA3 levels in identifying the risk of cerebral edema and its prognostic implications in TBI. This study is a prospective observational study, including 37 patients with TBI who finally met our criteria. The Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), Levels of Cognitive Functioning (LCF), Disability Rating Scale (DRS), and Early Rehabilitation Barthel Index (ERBI) scores at six months after trauma were defined as the main study endpoint. We further calculated the ventricle-to-intracranial-volume ratio (VBR) at 6 months from CT scans. The study included patients with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores ranging from 3 to 8, who were subsequently categorized into two groups: the critical TBI group (GCS 3-5 points) and the severe TBI group (GCS 6-8 points). Within the critical TBI group, SERPINA3 levels were notably lower. However, among patients with elevated SERPINA3 levels, both the peak intracranial pressure (ICP) and average mannitol consumption were significantly reduced compared with those of patients with lower SERPINA3 levels. In terms of the 6-month outcomes measured via the GOS, LCF, DRS, and ERBI, lower levels of SERPINA3 were indicative of poorer prognosis. Furthermore, we found a negative correlation between serum SERPINA3 levels and the VBR. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) demonstrated the predictive performance of SERPINA3. In conclusion, incorporating the novel biomarker SERPINA3 alongside traditional assessment tools offers neurosurgeons an effective and easily accessible means, which is readily accessible early on, to predict the risk of intracranial pressure elevation and long-term prognosis in TBI patients.

Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection With Isolated “Minor” Lesions at Fetal Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Long-Term Neurological Outcome

BackgroundThe prognostic relevance of fetal/early postnatal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging (MRI) isolated “minor” lesions in congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is still unclear, because of the heterogeneity of previously reported case series. The aim of this study was to report the imaging and long-term clinical follow-up data on a relatively large cohort of infected fetuses. MethodsAmong 140 CMV-infected fetuses from a single-center 12-year-long fetal MRI database, cases that showed isolated “minor” lesions at MRI, mainly represented by polar temporal lesions, were selected. MRI features were described, and clinical follow-up information was collected through consultation of medical records and telephone interview to establish the auditory and neurological outcome of each patient. ResultsThirty-six cases were included in the study. The frequency of “minor” lesions increased progressively with ongoing gestational age in cases who underwent serial MR examination; 31% of cases were symptomatic at birth for unilateral altered auditory brainstem response. At long-term clinical follow-up, performed in 35 patients at a mean age of 64.5 months (range: 25 to 138), 43% of patients were asymptomatic and 57% presented with mild/moderate disability including hearing loss (34%), unilateral in all cases but one (therefore classified as severe), and/or minor cognitive and behavioral disorders (49%). ConclusionsDescriptive analysis of the type and modality of occurrence of “minor” lesions suggests performing serial fetal/postnatal MR examinations not to miss later-onset lesions. Follow-up data from the present cohort, combined with maternal/fetal factors and serologic-laboratory parameters may contribute to improve prenatal and neonatal period counselling skills.

Long-Term Neurological Morbidity Among Children Delivered by Vacuum Extraction—A National Cohort Study

(Abstracted from Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2023;102:843–853) Many factors during pregnancy and childbirth influence long term neurological outcomes, but some controllable factors have not been studied extensively; one of these factors is vacuum extraction (VE) as a method of assisted childbirth. This study was designed as the first nationwide cohort study examining VE and its impact on long-term neurological morbidity, and its aim was to assess the risks of neonatal mortality, cerebral palsy (CP), and epilepsy in children delivered by VE.

Neuroprotectant Activity of Novel Water-Soluble Synthetic Neurosteroids on Organophosphate Intoxication and Status Epilepticus-Induced Long-Term Neurological Dysfunction, Neurodegeneration, and Neuroinflammation.

Organophosphates (OPs) and nerve agents are potent neurotoxic compounds that cause seizures, status epilepticus (SE), brain injury, or death. There are persistent long-term neurologic and neurodegenerative effects that manifest months to years after the initial exposure. Current antidotes are ineffective in preventing these long-term neurobehavioral and neuropathological changes. Additionally, there are few effective neuroprotectants for mitigating the long-term effects of acute OP intoxication. We have pioneered neurosteroids as novel anticonvulsants and neuroprotectants for OP intoxication and seizures. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of two novel synthetic, water-soluble neurosteroids, valaxanolone (VX) and lysaxanolone (LX), in combating the long-term behavioral and neuropathological impairments caused by acute OP intoxication and SE. Animals were exposed to the OP nerve agent surrogate diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) and were treated with VX or LX in addition to midazolam at 40 minutes postexposure. The extent of neurodegeneration, along with various behavioral and memory deficits, were assessed at 3 months postexposure. VX significantly reduced deficits of aggressive behavior, anxiety, memory, and depressive-like traits in control (DFP-exposed, midazolam-treated) animals; VX also significantly prevented the DFP-induced chronic loss of NeuN(+) principal neurons and PV(+) inhibitory neurons in the hippocampus and other regions. Additionally, VX-treated animals exhibited a reduced inflammatory response with decreased GFAP(+) astrogliosis and IBA1(+) microgliosis in the hippocampus, amygdala, and other regions. Similarly, LX showed significant improvement in behavioral and memory deficits, and reduced neurodegeneration and cellular neuroinflammation. Together, these results demonstrate the neuroprotectant effects of the novel synthetic neurosteroids in mitigating the long-term neurologic dysfunction and neurodegeneration associated with OP exposure. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Survivors of nerve agents and organophosphate (OP) exposures suffer from long-term neurological deficits. Currently, there is no specific drug therapy for mitigating the impact of OP exposure. However, novel synthetic neurosteroids that activate tonic inhibition provide a viable option for treating OP intoxication. The data from this study indicates the neuroprotective effects of synthetic, water-soluble neurosteroids for attenuation of long-term neurological deficits after OP intoxication. These findings establish valaxanolone and lysaxanolone as potent and efficacious neuroprotectants suitable for injectable dosing.

Abstract 159: Long-Term Survival and Neurological Follow-Up of Cardiac Arrest Survivors: Results From the French Multicentric Prospective Cohort the DESAC Study

Background: While short-term prognosis of cardiac arrest (CA) patients has been extensively studied, less is known regarding the mid- and long-term outcome of survivors. Aims: The aim of the DESAC study was to describe mid- and long-term survival and neurological status of CA survivors, and to assess the influence of pre- and intra-hospital therapeutic strategies on these outcomes. Methods: Between Jul 2015 and Oct 2018, patients over 18 years who were discharged alive from intensive care units in Paris and suburbs (France) after a non-traumatic CA were included and interviewed every 6 months during at least 24 months and up to 48 months in this multicentric study. Factors associated with Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) scale at 24 months were assessed with logistic regression, with CPC 1 or 2 level considered as a favorable neurological outcome. Trajectories of CPC were derived by mixed linear model in survivors with at least 3 evaluations. Results: Out of 593 survivors, 525 had a 24 months follow-up (mean age 57.6 +/-15.3, 79% men). CA occurred in public location in 251/525, with an initial shockable rhythm in 392/525. Prognostic factors independently associated with a favorable neurological outcome at 24 months were initial shockable rhythm (OR= 3.53 (1.65; 7.58)) and previous practice of sport (OR= 3.12 (1.20 ; 8.11)), whereas older age (OR per 10 years= 0.52 (0.40; 0.68)) and previous ischemic cardiomyopathy (OR= 0.34 (0.15 ; 0.77)) were poor prognostic factors. Therapeutic hypothermia or coronary procedures were not related to prognosis. Five trajectories of CPC could be derived among the 514 patients. Overall, 64% remained in CPC1, 13% in CPC2, 11% improved from CPC2 to CPC 12% died either early or lately (Figure 1). Conclusions: In this multicentric and prospective study, practice of sport and shockable rhythm were strongly associated with a favorable neurological recovery at 24 months. Furthermore, two thirds of the survivors remained in CPC 1 over time.

The Utility of Methylphenidate for Fatigue in Long-Term Neurological Conditions: A Meta-analytical Review.

Fatigue is a chronic and debilitating symptom of many long-term neurological conditions (LTNCs). Although methylphenidate provides some promise in alleviating fatigue in other clinical groups, little work has explored its potential utility within LTNCs. The current systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the utility of methylphenidate for symptoms of fatigue in LTNCs. Five databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library) were searched for relevant articles from their inception to February 2022. A purpose-developed evaluation tool was used to assess each study's research quality (QuEST:F). Of the 1698 articles identified, 11 articles were included within this review (n = 370). Meta-analytical findings reported an overall significant benefit of methylphenidate for symptoms of fatigue across a mixed neurological sample ( g = -0.44; 95% confidence interval, -0.77 to -0.11). Subgroup analyses identified a significantly greater benefit ( P < 0.001) of methylphenidate for fatigue in LTNCs with static pathogenic trajectories (eg, traumatic brain injury) (number needed to treat = 2.5) compared with progressive conditions (eg, multiple sclerosis) (number needed to treat = 40.2). Methylphenidate may pose an effective intervention for the treatment of fatigue in a number of LTNCs. Nonetheless, given the quality of the current evidence base, there exists a clear need for further robust assessment of the utility of methylphenidate-with a focus on subgroup-specific variability.

Long-term Neurological Effects of COVID-19 in Children

Long-term Neurological Effects of COVID-19 in Children

COVID-19 and Its Long-Term Neurological and Cognitive Implications: A Literature Review

Introduction: COVID-19 is an infectious disease resulting from severe acute respiratory syndrome. Individuals with prior COVID-19 infection have had neurological complaints of impaired attention, fatigue, and “brain fog”. This review seeks to summarize the associations between COVID-19 infection and the development of the neurocognitive elements of post-acute COVID syndrome (PACS) which is relevant to healthcare workers for the efficient treatment and management of the long-term effects of COVID. Methods: Literature that examines the neurocognitive complaints caused by COVID-19 infection, including brain fog, attention deficits, psychiatric impairment, and fatigue were selected. Google Scholar and PubMed were the primary databases used to obtain relevant literature. After preliminary searching, 21 articles were analyzed as part of this review. Results: The following symptoms of PACS were persistently reported by a large majority (approximately ⅓ to ½) of patients: breathlessness, cough, fatigue, and brain fog. PACS neurological symptoms were more prevalent in females than in males. Reported psychiatric symptoms from prior COVID-19 infection were ADHD, depression, and insomnia. Discussion: The causes of these neurocognitive symptoms were attributed to neuroinflammation of the choroid plexus, intracerebral hemorrhagic lesions, and hypoactivity in the anterior and posterior cingulate cortex. These possible pathways were confirmed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, computed tomography (CT) scans, and positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Conclusion: This paper will add to the evidence regarding the association between COVID-19 and the development of neurocognitive PACS. It is hoped that future research will build on a clearer understanding of the etiology of neurocognitive issues associated with viral infection.

“Unspecified organic personality and behavioral disorder due to brain damage from HHV-6 encephalitis in child. case report and literature review”

IntroductionWe present a case of a 15 year-old boy diagnosed with Unspecified Personality and Beheavioral Disorder Due to Brain Damage from a Human Herpes Virus-6 Encephalitis.ObjectivesTo describe a case of an Unspecified Organic Personality and Behavioral Disorder secondary to brain damage from Human Herpes Virus-6 (HHV-6) Encephalitis in an 11 year-old childand to review recent literature, in order to improve clinical practice.MethodsClinical case report and brief review of literature. A bibliographic research was made in the database PubMed, using the terms “Viral Encephalitis” AND “Neuropsychiatric symptoms”; “Viral Encephalitis” AND “Behavioral Disorder”; “Long-Term Neurological Morbidity” AND “Viral Encephalitis”.Results15 year-old boy diagnosed with Unspecified Personality and Beheavioral Disorder Due to Brain Damage from a Human Herpes Virus-6 Encephalitis, secondary to immunosupression in the context of haematopoietic progenitor transplantation (HPT) at 11 years old. MRI showed supratentorial ventriculomegaly, atrophic changes in encephalon and right hippocampus with subcortical retraction secondary to previous encephalitis. Clinically, main changes appeared in behavior, presenting a serious frontal syndrome with high disinhibition, what implied severe social and academic difficulties. During the outpatient follow-up, the behavioural disorder is being pharmacologically treated with Risperidone 1,5mg per day with a partially favorable evolution. The patient presented intolerance to olanzapine, with an episode of low level of conciuosness after taking it.Bibliographic research results indicate that the gold standard treatment for behavioral disturbances are antipsychotics. Risperdidone is proven save for treatment in children. Results point out also the importance of an early multidisciplinar intervention, involving family training, rehabilitation resources and curricular adaptations.Image:Image 2:ConclusionsViral encephalitis may have serious neuropsychiatric consequences, especially during childhood while the brain development is not finished. When the neurological damage affects the frontal lobes of the brain, behavioural and personality disturbances are expected and an early multidisciplinar intervention should be considered. Antypsichotics are the gold standard pharmacological treatment for behavioural disturbances. During the scholar period, special curricular adaptations should be done in order to reduce study-related stress.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Football (Soccer) as a Probable Cause of Long-Term Neurological Impairment and Neurodegeneration: A Narrative Review of the Debate.

Football (soccer) is the most widely played sport across the globe. Due to some recent high-profile cases and epidemiological studies suggesting football can lead to neurodegeneration, scientific and public interest has been piqued. This has resulted in research into whether an association between football participation and neurodegeneration or neurological impairment is present. It has been theorised that a combination of repeated sub-concussive and concussive injuries, due to ball-heading and head collisions, may lead to neurodegeneration. However, evidence remains conflicting. Due to the popularity of the sport, and the serious conditions it has been linked to, it is important to determine whether repeated head impacts during football participation can play a causative role in neurodegenerative disease. To answer this question, a review of the current literature was carried out. Epidemiological evidence showed a higher incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis amongst amateur and professional footballers and that footballers in positions that involve less contact and heading, e.g., goalkeepers lead significantly longer lives. Additionally, imaging studies reach a similar conclusion, reporting changes in brain structure, blood flow, and inflammatory markers in footballers when compared to controls. However, studies looking at an association between heading frequency and cognition show a lack of consensus on whether a higher heading exposure results in reduced cognition. Similarly, in neuropathological studies, signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) have been found in some former players, with contrasting studies suggesting low levels of CTE-type pathology are found in the general population, regardless of exposure to head trauma. The majority of studies suggest a link between football and neurodegenerative disease. However, the high prevalence of retrospective cohort and cross-sectional studies, often plagued by recall bias, undermine the conclusions drawn. Therefore, until larger prospective cohort studies are conducted, concrete conclusions cannot be made. However, caution can be exercised to limit head impacts.

Time of Delivery Among Low-Risk Women at 37–42 Weeks of Gestation and Risks of Stillbirth and Infant Mortality, and Long-term Neurological Morbidity

(Abstracted from Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2022;36:577–587) Time of delivery in low-risk pregnancies is an important consideration for clinicians. They must balance the risks associated with early delivery, including respiratory and other neonatal complications, versus those associated with later delivery, including stillbirth, meconium aspiration syndrome and maternal complications.

End of Life Care of People with Long Term Neurological Conditions: Interface between Neurology, Neurorehabilitation and Palliative Care

Neurologists address diagnosis, modification of disease course and management of symptoms of people with long-term neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, motor neuron disease and sequelae of stroke. Neurorehabilitation specialists focus on management of symptoms and alleviation of activity limitations. Palliative care specialists are involved in end-of-life care of these patients. Guidance and protocols of palliative care services have been directed towards the care of patients with cancer. While it may be possible to extrapolate some of these to people with long-term neurological conditions, there are obvious differences between the two groups. The time course of progressive neurological conditions varies widely between and within the disorders which make timing of initiation of these discussions challenging. Common issues during end-of-life care are when to start discussions about end-of-life care, advanced care planning, management of common symptoms, withdrawal of life-sustaining treatments, support for family and caregivers and when to involve specialist palliative care team. The unique social, economic and cultural aspects of India influence these decisions. End-of-life care cannot be seen in isolation and as such close collaboration between neurology, neurorehabilitation and specialist palliative care is imperative. In this article, we will discuss the end-of-life care of people with long-term neurological condition in India.

Impact of Mechanism of Injury on Long-term Neurological Outcomes of Cervical Sensorimotor Complete Acute Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury.

Mechanism of injury is a largely understudied descriptor of acute traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI). This study sought to compare the impact of high-energy and low-energy mechanisms of injury in neurological outcomes of cervical sensorimotor complete tSCI. Patients with tSCI were identified in 4 prospective, multicenter clinical trials and registries. American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) grade was assessed ≤ 72 hours postinjury and followed up between 12 to 52 weeks. Patients were included if they had a cervical and sensorimotor complete (AIS-A) injury at baseline. Study outcomes were change in AIS grade and lower extremity motor, upper extremity motor, and total motor scores. Propensity score matching between high-energy mechanisms of injury (HEMI; e.g. , motor vehicle collisions) and low-energy mechanisms of injury (LEMI; e.g. , falls) groups was performed. Adjusted groups were compared with paired t-tests and McNemar test. Of 667 patients eligible for inclusion, 523 experienced HEMI (78.4%). HEMI patients were younger, had lower body mass index, more associated fractures or dislocations, and lower baseline lower extremity motor scores. After propensity score matching of these baseline variables, 118 pairs were matched. HEMI patients had a significantly worse motor recovery from baseline to follow-up based on their diminished change in upper extremity motor scores and total motor scores. Cervical sensorimotor complete tSCIs from HEMI were associated with significantly lower motor recovery compared to LEMI patients. Our findings suggest that mechanism of injury should be considered in modelling prognosis and in understanding the heterogeneity of outcomes after acute tSCI.

Long-Term Neurological, Behavioral, Functional, Quality of Life, and School Performance Outcomes in Children With Guillain-Barré Syndrome Admitted to PICU

BackgroundMost children with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) recover but may suffer from long-term sequelae, interfering with development and quality of life. Owing to the lack of published data, we aimed to assess the long-term neurological, behavioral, functional, quality of life, and school performance outcomes them. MethodsDesign: Cross-sectional observational. Setting: Pediatric intensive care unit. Patients: Children, aged one to 12 years, with GBS admitted over five years (July 2012 to June 2017) were enrolled during one year (July 2017 to June 2018). These children were assessed for the following outcomes: neurological (Hughes disability score, Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category [PCPC], Pediatric Overall Performance Category [POPC], and Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended Pediatric version [GOS-E Peds] scales), behavioral (Childhood Psychopathology Measurement Schedule [CPMS]), functional (Vineland Social Maturity Scale [VSMS]-Indian Adaptation), quality of life (Pediatric Quality of Life [PedsQL]), and school performance (Parent-Directed Questionnaire). ResultsEighty children were enrolled after a median of 3.0 (1.3-4.2) years from discharge. The majority (95%) had favorable neurological recovery (Hughes disability score 0 to 1). Favorable outcome was noted in 95% of children on PCPC, 87.5% on POPC, 60% on GOS-E Peds, 86.2% on CPMS, 92.5% on VSMS, and 98% on PedsQL. The majority (97.5%) of childre were attending schools, and 57.7% had satisfactory school performance. The presence of quadriparesis at admission, mechanical ventilation, tracheostomy requirement, poor ambulatory status at discharge, and longer pediatric intensive care unit and hospital stay predicted unfavorable neurological outcome on different tools. Absence of quadriparesis at admission and no requirement of mechanical ventilation predicted a favorable result on all outcome measures. ConclusionsOn long-term follow-up, most children with severe GBS showed favorable neurological, behavioral, functional, and quality of life outcomes. Severe clinical presentation and prolonged intensive care unit stay predict poor long-term outcome.

Long-Term Neurological Outcome of Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Patients With Nonshockable Rhythms: A Single-Center, Consecutive, Retrospective Observational Study

BackgroundData on extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and initially nonshockable rhythms are limited. ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the long-term neurological outcomes of ECPR for patients with OHCA and initially nonshockable rhythms. MethodsIn this single-center, consecutive, retrospective, observational study, patients with OHCA and initially nonshockable rhythms who underwent ECPR between January 2012 and December 2017 were included. All patients with refractory cardiopulmonary arrest were transported while undergoing conventional CPR and received ECPR on arrival in the emergency department. We retrospectively collected characteristics at admission and neurological outcomes at the last visit or telephone interview. Cerebral performance category (CPC) scales 1 and 2 were defined as good neurological outcomes and CPC scales 3, 4, and 5 were defined as poor neurological outcomes. ResultsOf the 39 patients included in this study, 32 died in the hospital and only 7 survived. There were 4, 0, 0, 3, and 32 patients with CPC 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. The proportion of good neurological outcomes for all patients was 10.3% (95% CI 2.9–24.2%) and 14.3% (95% CI 4.0–32.7%) for patients with pulseless electrical activity. No patients with asystole had a good neurological outcome. Median follow-up period was 1052 days (interquartile range 116–1589 days) for those who survived to discharge. ConclusionsApproximately 10% of initially nonshockable patients with OHCA, generally considered to be a poor prognosis, could acquire good neurological outcomes when they underwent ECPR with our indications.

Mid and Long-term Neurological and Neuropsychiatric Manifestations of Post-COVID-19 Syndrome: A Meta-analysis (N6.001)

Mid and Long-term Neurological and Neuropsychiatric Manifestations of Post-COVID-19 Syndrome: A Meta-analysis (N6.001)

Adherence to Clear-cut Definitions Is Mandatory When Assessing Short- and Long-term Neurological Complications of COVID-19.

Adherence to Clear-cut Definitions Is Mandatory When Assessing Short- and Long-term Neurological Complications of COVID-19.

Plasma Neurofilament Light Chain Predicts Mortality and Long-Term Neurological Outcomes in Patients with Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) often suffer from heterogeneous long-term neurological deficits, such as cognitive decline. Our ability to measure secondary brain injury to predict the long-term outcomes of these patients is limited. We investigated whether the blood neurofilament light chain (NfL) can monitor brain injury and predict long-term outcomes in patients with ICH. We enrolled 300 patients with first-episode ICH within 24 h recruited in the Chinese Cerebral Hemorrhage Mechanisms and Intervention study cohort from January 2019 to June 2020. Patients were prospectively followed up for 12 months. Blood samples were collected from 153 healthy participants. Plasma NfL levels determined using a single-molecule array revealed a biphasic increase in plasma NfL in ICH patients compared to healthy controls, with the first peak at around 24 h and a second elevation from day 7 through day 14 post-ICH. Plasma NfL levels were positively correlated with hemorrhage volume, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale, and Glasgow Coma Scale scores of ICH patients. Higher NfL concentration within 72 h after ictus was independently associated with 6- and 12-month worsened functional outcomes (modified Rankin Scale ≥ 3) and higher all-cause mortality. Magnetic resonance imaging and cognitive function evaluation were available for 26 patients at 6 months post-ICH, and NfL levels measured 7 days post-ictus correlated with decreased white matter fiber integrity and poor cognitive function at 6 months after stroke. These findings suggest that blood NfL is a sensitive marker for monitoring axonal injury post-ICH and can predict long-term functional ability and survival.