Although evidence supports the improved safety profile of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) over warfarin (WF), outcomes among elderly traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients on this regimen remain unclear. This study describes the association between anticoagulation status (DOAC vs. WF use) and the rates of occurrence of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), hematoma progression, need for surgical intervention and mortality in elderly TBI cases.

This retrospective cohort study from 2014 to 2019 included all trauma patients > 65 years on either WF or DOACs at the time of injury. The primary outcome was the rate of ICH after TBI. Multivariable regression analysis identified independent predictors of functional dependency and mortality.

A total of 501 elderly TBI patients (mean age = 82 years old) were included. WF users had higher CT Marshall scores (p = 0.007), more severe TBI (GCS < 8) (p = 0.003) and higher rates of subdural hematomas compared to the DOAC group (p = 0.003). Patients on DOACs had lower rates of ICH (42% vs. 57%, p = 0.001) and hospitalization (30% vs. 41%, p = 0.013) and better Glasgow outcome scale-extended scores at hospital discharge (mean 6.98 vs. 6.41, p = 0.005). Multicompartment ICH (OR 2.30, p = 0.027) and longer hospitalization (OR 0.04, p < 0.001) were associated with higher functional dependency rates, while higher CT Marshall scores (OR 1.09, p < 0.001) and poorer baseline frailty status (OR 0.62, p = 0.026) predicted increased mortality risk.

Elderly TBI patients on DOACs have lower rates of ICH, lower need for hospitalization and better functional outcomes at discharge compared to those taking WF. These findings need further confirmation using prospective multicenter studies.

Self-guided Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy (iCBT) for migraine interventions could improve access to care, but there is poor evidence of their efficacy.

A three-arm randomized controlled trial compared: iCBT focused on psychoeducation, self-monitoring and skills training (SPHERE), iCBT focused on identifying and managing personal headache triggers (PRISM) and a waitlist control. The primary treatment outcome was a ≥ 50% reduction in monthly headache days at 4 months post-randomization.

428 participants were randomized (mean age = 30.1). 240 participants (56.2%) provided outcome data at 4 months. Intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis with missing data imputed demonstrated that the proportion of responders with a ≥ 50% reduction was similar between combined iCBTs and waitlist (48.5/285, 17% vs. 16.6/143, 11.6%, p = 0.20), but analysis of completers showed both iCBT programs to be superior to the waitlist (24/108, 22.2% vs. 13/113, 11.5%, p = 0.047). ITT analysis with missing data imputed showed no difference between the two iCBTs (SPHERE: 24.8/143, 17.3% vs. PRISM: 23.7/142, 16.7%, p = 0.99). Uptake rates of the iCBTs were high (76.9% and 81.69% logged in at least once into SPHERE and PRISM, respectively), but adherence was low (out of those who logged in at least once, 19.01% [21/110] completed at least 50% modules in SPHERE and 7.76% [9/116] set a goal for trying out a given trigger-specific recommendation in PRISM). Acceptability ratings were intermediate.

Self-guided iCBTs were not found to be superior in our primary ITT analysis. Low adherence could explain the lack of effects as completer analysis showed effects for both interventions. Enhancement of adherence should be a focus of future research.

Mucolipidosis type IV (MLIV) is a rare, progressive lysosomal storage disorder characterized by severe intellectual disability, delayed motor milestones and ophthalmologic abnormalities. MLIV is an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in the MCOLN1 gene, encoding mucolipin-1 which is responsible for maintaining lysosomal function.

Here, we report a family of four Iranian siblings with cognitive decline, progressive visual and pyramidal disturbances, and abnormal movements manifested by severe oromandibular dystonia and parkinsonism. MRI scans of the brain demonstrated signal abnormalities in the white matter and thinning of the corpus callosum.

Whole-exome sequencing identified a novel homozygous variant, c.362C > T:p. Thr121Met in the MCOLN1 gene consistent with a diagnosis of MLIV. The presentation of MLIV may overlap with a variety of other neurological diseases, and genetic analysis is an important strategy to clarify the diagnosis. This is an important point that clinicians should be familiar with. The novel variant c.362C > T:p. Thr121Met herein described may be related to a comparatively older age at onset. Our study also expands the clinical spectrum of MLIV associated with the MCOLN1 variants and introduces a novel likely pathogenic variant for testing in MLIV cases that remain unresolved.

Growing evidence suggests that direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) may be suitable for cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). The optimal strategy regarding lead-in parenteral anticoagulation (PA) prior to DOAC is unknown.

In this post hoc analysis of the retrospective ACTION-CVT study, we compared patients treated with DOACs as part of routine care: those given “very early” DOAC (no PA), “early” (<5 days PA) and “delayed” (5–21 days PA). We compared baseline characteristics and outcomes between the very early/early and delayed groups. The primary outcome was a composite of day-30 CVT recurrence/extension, new peripheral venous thromboembolism, cerebral edema and intracranial hemorrhage.

Of 231 patients, 11.7% had very early DOAC, 64.5% early (median [IQR] 2 [1–2] days) and 23.8% delayed (5 [5–6] days). More patients had severe clinical/radiological presentations in the delayed group; more patients had isolated headaches in the very early/early group. Outcomes were better in the very early/early groups (90-day modified Rankin Scale of 0–2; 94.3% vs. 83.9%). Primary outcome events were rare and did not differ significantly between groups (2.4% vs. 2.1% delayed; adjusted HR 1.49 [95%CI 0.17–13.11]).

In this cohort of patients receiving DOAC for CVT as part of routine care, >75% had <5 days of PA. Those with very early/early initiation of DOAC had less severe clinical presentations. Low event rates and baseline differences between groups preclude conclusions about safety or effectiveness. Further prospective data will inform care.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a progressive genetic disorder characterized by muscle weakness ultimately leading to pulmonary impairments that can be fatal. The recent approval of nusinersen, a disease-modifying therapy, substantially changed the prognosis for patients, particularly in children. However, real-world evidence about its long-term effectiveness in adults remains limited. This study aimed to document longitudinal data on motor function, pulmonary function and patient-reported outcome measures of Canadian adults with SMA type 2 and 3 treated with nusinersen.

Outcomes from 17 patients were collected at the Institut de réadaptation en déficience physique de Québec during routine clinical visits over 36 months post nusinersen treatment, using the Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale Expanded for SMA (HFMSE), Revised Upper Limb Module (RULM), 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Adult Test of Neuromuscular Disorders (CHOP-ATEND), SMA functional rating scale (SMAFRS), pulmonary function testing and subjective changes reported by patients.

After 36 months, 9 patients showed motor function improvement. Changes beyond the minimal clinically important difference were seen for four patients on the HFMSE, four patients on the RULM and five patients on the 6MWT. Pulmonary function remained stable for most subjects. Subjective positive changes were reported in 88% of patients and five patients showed improvement in the SMAFRS.

This real-world study demonstrates the positive effects of nusinersen in adults with SMA types 2 and 3. Although stabilizing the patient’s condition is considered therapeutic success, this study shows an improvement in motor function and subjective gains in several patients.

Operative cancellations adversely affect patient health and impose resource strain on the healthcare system. Here, our objective was to describe neurosurgical cancellations at five Canadian academic institutions.

The Canadian Neurosurgery Research Collaborative performed a retrospective cohort study capturing neurosurgical procedure cancellation data at five Canadian academic centres, during the period between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2018. Demographics, procedure type, reason for cancellation, admission status and case acuity were collected. Cancellation rates were compared on the basis of demographic data, procedural data and between centres.

Overall, 7,734 cancellations were captured across five sites. Mean age of the aggregate cohort was 57.1 ± 17.2 years. The overall procedure cancellation rate was 18.2%. The five-year neurosurgical operative cancellation rate differed between Centre 1 and 2 (Centre 1: 25.9%; Centre 2: 13.0%, p = 0.008). Female patients less frequently experienced procedural cancellation. Elective, outpatient and spine procedures were more often cancelled. Reasons for cancellation included surgeon-related factors (28.2%), cancellation for a higher acuity case (23.9%), patient condition (17.2%), other factors (17.0%), resource availability (7.0%), operating room running late (6.4%) and anaesthesia-related (0.3%). When clustered, the reason for cancellation was patient-related in 17.2%, staffing-related in 28.5% and operational or resource-related in 54.3% of cases.

Neurosurgical operative cancellations were common and most often related to operational or resource-related factors. Elective, outpatient and spine procedures were more often cancelled. These findings highlight areas for optimizing efficiency and targeted quality improvement initiatives.

To evaluate clinical outcomes and volumetric changes following endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) for tuberculum sellae (TS) and planum sphenoidale (PS) meningiomas. Key objectives included evaluating pre- and postoperative tumor volumes, visual assessments and EEA-related complications.

A single-center retrospective study was conducted at Foothills Medical Centre, University of Calgary, Canada, from 2009 to 2022 including 24 patients meeting inclusion criteria for midline skull base tumors, confirmed as WHO Grade I or II meningiomas with optic canal extension.

EEA achieved gross total resection in 87.5% of cases, with a mean tumor volume reduction of 92.24%. Postoperatively, 91.67% exhibited visual improvement or stability. Cerebrospinal fluid leaks occurred in 12.5% of cases, necessitating revision surgery in one case. Persistent postoperative endocrine dysfunction affected 4.17%. Preoperative tumor volume did not demonstrate a correlation with complications.

This study delivers reproducible data for pre- and postoperative tumor volume following the EEA after TS or PS meningiomas. The EEA demonstrated favorable radiographic and clinical outcomes in TS and PS meningiomas, achieving gross total resection with minimal morbidity.

Patients with stroke while hospitalized experience important delays in symptom recognition. This study aims to describe the overall management of an in-hospital stroke population and how it compares with an out-of-hospital community-onset stroke population.

In this retrospective observational study, we included consecutive patients with in-hospital and out-of-hospital strokes (both ischemic and hemorrhagic) over a period of one year treated at a comprehensive stroke center. Demographic and clinical data were extracted, and patient groups were compared with regard to stroke treatment time metrics.

A total of 362 patients diagnosed with acute stroke were included, of whom 38 (10.5%) had in-hospital and 324 (89.5%) had out-of-hospital strokes. The median delay to stroke recognition (time between the last time seen well and first time seen symptomatic) was significantly longer in in-hospital compared to out-of-hospital strokes (77.5 [0–334.8] vs. 0 [0–138.5] min, p = 0.04). The median time interval from stroke code activation to the arrival of the stroke team at the bedside was significantly shorter in in-hospital versus out-of-hospital cases (10 [6–15] vs. 15 [8–24.8] min, p = 0.01). In-hospital strokes were less likely to receive thrombolysis (12.8% vs. 45.4%, p < 0.01) with significantly higher mortality (18.2% versus 2.6%, p < 0.01) and longer overall median hospital stay (3 [1–7] vs. 12 days [7–23], p < 0.01) compared to out-of-hospital strokes.

This study showed significant delays in stroke symptom recognition and stroke code activation for in-hospital stroke patients despite comparable overall stroke time metrics. Development of in-hospital stroke protocols and systematic staff training on stroke symptom recognition should be implemented to improve care for hospitalized patients.

The study aimed to determine the patterns of the vestibular and ocular motor findings in cerebellar infarction (CI).

We retrospectively analyzed vestibular and ocular motor test results in 23 CI patients and 32 acute unilateral vestibulopathy (AUVP) patients.

Among CI cases, the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) was the most commonly affected territory. Vertigo is predominantly observed in patients with infarctions affecting PICA or anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA). Lesions involving the superior cerebellar artery (SCA) mainly result in dizziness. Saccadic intrusion and oscillation, abnormal bilateral smooth pursuit (SP) and abnormal saccades were more prevalent in the CI group than in the AUVP group (all p < 0.05). Horizontal saccades were abnormal in 11 patients (47.8%) with CI. All AUVP patients had normal horizontal saccades. Horizontal SP was impaired in 13 patients (56.5%) with CI, with decreased gain toward both sides in 10 and toward 1 side in 3. Impaired horizontal SP was noted in nine patients (28.1%) with AUVP, with decreased gain toward the contralesional side in all cases. A total of 26.3% (5/19) of patients with CI exhibited subjective visual vertical (SVV) deviation toward the affected side and 31.6% (6/19) toward the unaffected side. In patients with AUVP, 70.0% (21/30) showed SVV deviation toward the affected side.

Vertigo is mainly seen in PICA or AICA infarctions. SCA lesions mostly cause dizziness. Saccadic intrusion and oscillation, abnormal bilateral SP and abnormal saccades contribute to the diagnosis of CI. Moreover, SVV deviation varies depending on the cerebellar structures involved.

Understanding post-stroke spasticity (PSS) treatment in everyday clinical practice may guide improvements in patient care.

This was a retrospective cohort study that used population-level administrative data. Adults (aged ≥18 years) who initiated PSS treatment (defined by the first PSS clinic visit, focal botulinum toxin injection, or anti-spasticity medication dispensation [baclofen, dantrolene and tizanidine] with none of these treatments occurring during the 2 years before the stroke) were identified between 2012 and 2019 in Alberta, Canada. Spasticity treatment use, time to treatment start and type of prescribing/treating physician were measured. Descriptive statistics were performed.

Within the cohort (n = 1,079), the most common PSS treatment was oral baclofen (initial treatment: 60.9%; received on/after the initial treatment date up to March 31, 2020: 69.0%), largely prescribed by primary care physicians (77.6%) and started a median of 348 (IQR 741) days after the stroke. Focal botulinum toxin (23.3%; 37.7%) was largely prescribed by physiatrists (72.2%) and started 311 (IQR 446) days after the stroke; spasticity clinic visits (18.6%; 23.8%) were also common.

We found evidence of gaps in provision of spasticity management in persons with PSS including overuse of systemic oral baclofen (that has common adverse side effects and lacks evidence of effectiveness in PSS) and potential underuse of focal botulinum toxin injections. Further investigation and strategies should be pursued to improve alignment of PSS treatment with guideline recommendations that in turn will support better outcomes for those with PSS.