Hashimoto's Encephalopathy (HE) manifests with various neurologic symptoms associated with elevated thyroglobulin (TG) and/or thyroperoxidase (TPO) antibodies. Some patients with thyroid antibodies ...exhibit neurological presentations not consistent with HE. This study aims to characterize the spectrum of neurological morbidity in patients with thyroid antibodies.
We reviewed all patients tested for TG or TPO antibodies from 2010 to 2019. Patients tested for thyroid antibodies as part of a neurological workup for new symptoms were classified into the following categories: patients meeting full criteria for HE, patients with other neuroimmunological disorders, patients with unexplained neurological symptoms not fully meeting HE criteria, and patients with incidental non neuroimmunological disorders.
There were 2717 patients with positive thyroid antibodies in the dataset including 227 patients (78% female, age 54 ± 19 years) who met inclusion criteria.
Twelve patients (5%) met HE criteria, 30 (13%) had other neuroimmunological disorders, 32 (14%) had unexplained neurological symptoms, and 153 (67.4%) had incidental disorders. In addition to cognitive dysfunction, seizures, movement disorders, motor weakness, and psychosis, HE patients were also more likely to have cerebellar dysfunction, language impairment, and sensory deficits. They were more likely to carry a Hashimoto's thyroiditis diagnosis and had higher titers of thyroid antibodies. They all had a robust response to steroids.
The neurological spectrum of HE may be wider than previously reported, including frequent cerebellar, sensory, and language dysfunction. A subgroup of thyroid antibody positive patients with unexplained neurological symptoms may represent further expansion of thyroid antibody-related neurological disorders.
Display omitted
•Most patients with thyroid antibodies have no autoimmune neurological comorbidities.•Patients meeting full HE criteria showed robust response to steroids.•HE patients were more likely to have sensory, cerebellar, and language dysfunction.•A subset of patients with thyroid antibodies have unexplained neurological symptoms not meeting HE criteria.•The neurological spectrum in patients with thyroid antibodies may be wider than previously reported.
Prion diseases are difficult to recognize as many symptoms are shared among other neurologic pathologies and the full spectra of symptoms usually do not appear until late in the disease course. ...Additionally, many commonly used laboratory markers are non-specific to prion disease. The recent introduction of second-generation real time quaking induced conversion (RT-QuIC) has revolutionized pre-mortem diagnosis of prion disease due to its extremely high sensitivity and specificity. However, RT-QuIC does not provide prognostic data and has decreased diagnostic accuracy in some rarer, atypical prion diseases. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the current clinical utility of fluid-based biomarkers, neurodiagnostic testing, and brain imaging in the diagnosis of prion disease and to suggest guidelines for their clinical use, with a focus on rarer prion diseases with atypical features. Recent advancements in laboratory-based testing and imaging criteria have shown improved diagnostic accuracy and prognostic potential in prion disease, but because these diagnostic tests are not sensitive in some prion disease subtypes and diagnostic test sensitivities are unknown in the event that CWD transmits to humans, it is important to continue investigations into the clinical utility of various testing modalities.
Objective
To provide evidence‐based recommendations for the treatment of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis (SpA).
Methods
A core group led the ...development of the recommendations, starting with the treatment questions. A literature review group conducted systematic literature reviews of studies that addressed 57 specific treatment questions, based on searches conducted in OVID Medline (1946–2014), PubMed (1966–2014), and the Cochrane Library. We assessed the quality of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) method. A separate voting group reviewed the evidence and voted on recommendations for each question using the GRADE framework.
Results
In patients with active AS, the strong recommendations included use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), use of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) when activity persists despite NSAID treatment, not to use systemic glucocorticoids, use of physical therapy, and use of hip arthroplasty for patients with advanced hip arthritis. Among the conditional recommendations was that no particular TNFi was preferred except in patients with concomitant inflammatory bowel disease or recurrent iritis, in whom TNFi monoclonal antibodies should be used. In patients with active nonradiographic axial SpA despite treatment with NSAIDs, we conditionally recommend treatment with TNFi. Other recommendations for patients with nonradiographic axial SpA were based on indirect evidence and were the same as for patients with AS.
Conclusion
These recommendations provide guidance for the management of common clinical questions in AS and nonradiographic axial SpA. Additional research on optimal medication management over time, disease monitoring, and preventive care is needed to help establish best practices in these areas.
The purpose of this study was to identify reasons for revision of total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients who underwent primary THA at or before the age of 35 years. We hypothesized that the reasons ...for revision in younger patients would be different from the general older population of patients undergoing THA because of the differences in diagnoses, complexity of deformities, and differences in activity level.
Data for 108 hips in 82 patients who underwent primary THA at our institution before the age of 35 years from 1982-2007 and subsequently underwent revision THA were reviewed. Operative reports and clinic notes were reviewed to determine baseline characteristics, reason for revision, timing of revision, and components revised.
The mean age at index surgery was 25.4 years, and mean time from index to revision surgery was 10.1 years. The most common preoperative diagnoses included avascular necrosis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, developmental dysplasia of the hip, and posttraumatic arthritis. The most common reasons for revision were acetabular loosening (30.1%), femoral loosening (23.7%), and polyethylene wear (24.7%). 8.3% of patients underwent primary THA with highly cross-linked polyethylene, while the remainder of the patients underwent THA when conventional polyethylene was used. There was no statistically significant association between which component(s) were revised and initial fixation (ie cemented or uncemented prosthesis) (P = .26).
Causes of revision in this population appear to differ from the general THA population. In young patients, acetabular loosening, femur loosening, and polyethylene wear were the most common causes of revision. Instability and infection were less common compared with literature reports of causes of revision in older patients. Findings in this study may be useful in counseling young patients undergoing THA, though results were likely influenced by the use of conventional rather than highly cross-linked polyethylene in this cohort.
Abstract Extramedullary (EM) tibial alignment guides have demonstrated a limited degree of accuracy in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The purpose of this study was to compare the tibial component ...alignment obtained using a portable, accelerometer-based navigation device versus EM alignment guides. One hundred patients were enrolled in this prospective, randomized controlled study to receive a TKA using either the navigation device, or an EM guide. Standing AP hip-to-ankle and lateral knee-to-ankle radiographs were obtained at the first, postoperative visit. 95.7% of tibial components in the navigation cohort were within 2° of perpendicular to the tibial mechanical axis, versus 68.1% in the EM cohort ( P < 0.001). 95.0% of tibial components in the navigation cohort were within 2° of a 3° posterior slope, versus 72.1% in the EM cohort ( P = 0.007). A portable, accelerometer-based navigation device decreases outliers in tibial component alignment compared to conventional, EM alignment guides in TKA.
Objective
Although rates of arthroplasty have increased dramatically, rates among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are reported to be decreasing. It is not known if this is also the case among ...patients with other inflammatory arthritides. This study was undertaken to evaluate rates of arthroplasty due to RA, juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), spondyloarthritis (SpA), and a composite group of patients with inflammatory arthritides (IA), compared to arthroplasty rates among patients without inflammatory or autoimmune conditions.
Methods
Administrative discharge databases (State Inpatient Databases of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, New York Department of Health Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System, California Statewide Health Planning and Development) were used to compare rates of knee, hip, and shoulder arthroplasty occurring from 1991 to 2005.
Results
Of 2,839,325 arthroplasties in 1991–2005, 2.7% were performed in patients with IA. The rate of arthroplasty for noninflammatory conditions doubled (124.5 per 100,000 persons in 1991 versus 247.5 per 100,000 persons in 2005), while the rate for IA remained stable at 5.1 per 100,000. Rates of arthroplasty for RA decreased slightly (4.6 per 100,000 versus 4.5 per 100,000) and those for JIA decreased by nearly 50% (0.22 per 100,000 versus 0.13 per 100,000), but the rate of arthroplasty for SpA increased by nearly 50% (0.22 per 100,000 versus 0.31 per 100,000). Age at the time of arthroplasty increased for patients with RA (mean ± SD 63.4 ± 12.7 years versus 64.9 ± 12.8 years), JIA (30.9 ± 12.2 years versus 36.7 ± 14.9 years), and SpA (54.3 ± 16.1 years versus 60.4 ± 13.9 years). However, the mean age at the time of arthroplasty among non‐IA cases decreased (71.5 ± 11.8 years versus 69.0 ± 12.0 years).
Conclusion
This population‐based study is the first to show that arthroplasty rates have decreased significantly among patients with JIA and minimally among patients with RA, and have increased among patients with SpA. The increased age at the time of arthroplasty among patients with JIA and SpA suggests that these patients are increasingly able to defer surgical interventions. Further research is needed to assess the ongoing effect of biologic agents on the need for arthroplasties in patients with IA.
African Americans in the United States undergo total knee arthroplasty (TKA) less often than whites, in part because of lower expectations among African Americans for successful surgery. Whether this ...lower expectation is justified is unknown. Our objective is to compare health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and satisfaction after TKA between African Americans and whites.
A systematic review of English language articles using Medline, the Cochrane register, Embase (April 21, 2015), and a hand search of unlisted disparities journals was performed. Search terms included total knee replacement, quality of life, outcomes, and satisfaction. High-quality cohort studies that examined HRQOL in African Americans and white adults 6 months or more after TKA were included.
Of the 4781 studies screened by title, and 346 by abstract, 7 studies included race in their analysis. Results included 5570 TKA patients, 4077 whites (89%), and 482 (11%) blacks. Because studies used different outcome measures and were inconsistent in their adjustment for confounders, we could not perform a quantitative synthesis of results. In 5 studies, US blacks had worse pain, in 5 worse function, and in 1 less satisfaction 6 months to 2 years after TKA.
US blacks may derive less benefit from TKA than whites as measured by HRQOL, pain, function, and satisfaction. Many studies assessing predictors of patient-related TKA outcomes fail to analyze race as a variable, which limited our study. More studies assessing the effect of race and socioeconomic factors on TKA outcome are needed.
Patient satisfaction after total hip (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a core outcome selected by the Outcomes Measurement in Rheumatology. Up to 20% of THA/TKA patients are dissatisfied. ...Improving patient satisfaction is hindered by the lack of a validated measurement tool that can accurately measure change.
The psychometric properties of a proposed satisfaction instrument, consisting of 4 questions rated on a Likert scale, scored 1-100, were tested for validity, reliability, and sensitivity to change using data collected between 2007 and 2011 in an arthroplasty registry.
We demonstrated construct validity by confirming our hypothesis; satisfaction correlated with similar constructs. Satisfaction correlated moderately with pain relief (TKA ρ = 0.61, THA ρ = 0.47) and function (TKA ρ = 0.65, THA ρ = 0.51) at 2 years; there was no correlation with baseline/preoperative pain/function values, as expected. Overall Cronbach’s alpha >0.88 confirmed internal consistency. Test-retest reliability with weighted kappa ranged 0.60-0.75 for TKA and 0.36-0.56 for THA. Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score/Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores quality of life improvement (>30 points) corresponds to a mean satisfaction score of 93.2 (standard deviation, 11.5) after THA and 90.4 (standard deviation, 13.8) after TKA, and increasing relief of pain and functional improvement increased the strength of their association with satisfaction. The satisfaction measure has no copyright and is available free of cost and represents minimal responder burden.
Patient satisfaction with THA/TKA can be measured with a validated 4-item questionnaire. This satisfaction measure can be included in a total joint arthroplasty core measurement set for total joint arthroplasty trials.
Objective
Most patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have active RA and report postoperative flares; whether RA disease ...activity or flares increase the risk of worse pain and function scores 1 year later is unknown.
Methods
Patients with RA were enrolled before THA/TKA. Patient‐reported outcomes, including the Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS)/Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and physician assessments of disease characteristics and activity (Disease Activity Score in 28 joints DAS28 and Clinical Disease Activity Index), were collected before surgery. Patient‐reported outcomes were repeated at 1 year. Postoperative flares were identified using the RA Flare Questionnaire weekly for 6 weeks and were defined by concordance between patient report plus physician assessment. We compared baseline characteristics and HOOS/KOOS scores using 2‐sample t‐test/Wilcoxon's rank sum test as well as chi‐square/Fisher's exact tests. We used multivariate linear and logistic regression to determine the association of baseline characteristics, disease activity, and flares with 1‐year outcomes.
Results
One‐year HOOS/KOOS scores were available for 122 patients (56 with THA and 66 with TKA). Although HOOS/KOOS pain was worse for patients who experienced a flare within 6 weeks of surgery, absolute improvement was not different. In multivariable models, baseline DAS28 predicted 1‐year HOOS/KOOS pain and function; each 1‐unit increase in DAS28 worsened 1‐year pain by 2.41 (SE 1.05; P = 0.02) and 1‐year function by 4.96 (SE 1.17; P = 0.0001). Postoperative flares were not independent risk factors for pain or function scores.
Conclusion
Higher disease activity increased the risk of worse pain and function 1 year after arthroplasty, but postoperative flares did not.
Patients who have bilateral hip arthritis can be treated with bilateral total hip arthroplasty (bTHA) in either a staged or simultaneous fashion. The goal of this study was to determine whether ...staged and simultaneous posterior bTHA patients differ in regard to (1) patient-reported outcome measures, (2) 90-day complication rates, and (3) discharge dispositions and cumulative lengths of stay.
Patients who (1) underwent simultaneous bTHA or staged bTHA (within 12 months) using the posterior approach, and (2) completed preoperative and 1-year postoperative Hip dysfunction and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement surveys were included in the study. A total of 266 patients (87 simultaneous bTHA and 179 staged bTHA) were included. Chart review was performed to collect patient-level variables, postoperative complications, discharge dispositions, and lengths of stay.
Staged bTHA patients had higher Hip dysfunction and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement, Lower Extremity Activity Scale, and Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey physical component scores compared to simultaneous bTHA patients at 6 weeks after surgery (P = .019, .006, and .008, respectively), but these differences did not meet the minimal clinically important difference threshold for any questionnaire. Simultaneous bTHA was associated with higher rate of periprosthetic fractures (P = .034) and discharge to a location other than home (P < .001).
There were statistically significant, but likely not clinically meaningful differences in patient-reported outcomes for staged and simultaneous bTHA patients at 6 weeks after surgery. Surgeons should be aware of the higher periprosthetic fracture risk and greater likelihood of discharge to a rehabilitation facility associated with simultaneous bTHA. Further research should aim to understand which patients may benefit most from simultaneous bTHA.
PDF
