Introduction Cognitive impairment (CI) has a prevalence of 45–70% in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), producing a negative impact on their quality of life, personal life, and work. Early detection of CI has become an important aspect to be considered for an adequate follow-up, to optimize social adaptation and to implement specific cognitive rehabilitation strategies. The aim of this work is to propose a suitable cognitive evaluation of patients with MS based on available and efficient tools for diagnosis and monitoring purposes well supported by literature review and clinical experience. Methods A multidisciplinary panel of professionals from the field of neurology, neuropsychology, and neuroimaging performed a literature review of the topic of cognitive impairment assessment. This was combined and completed with their clinical experience to produce a set of recommendations. Results Some limitations to cognitive evaluation are described: shortage of time and resources during the neurology consultation, scarceness or absence of specialized professionals’ availability, importance of tests adaptation, and doubts about its use to define therapeutic efficiency. We recommend a baseline and annual screening evaluation, and we suggest a baseline and periodic neuropsychological assessment. The latter ought to change to a recommendation with the presence of either positive screening test, or subjective to cognitive complaints, screening-test results and patient or family report mismatch, or in specific social/work situations. Conclusions Cognitive evaluation should be performed on all patients diagnosed with MS and throughout follow-up. It is necessary to support the creation of multidisciplinary MS teams to optimize the evaluation and follow-up of MS patients.

IRhMC and HCT are reliable markers of UMN degeneration in ALS patients and are more frequent in bulbar onset patients, independently of the mutation status. Age should be considered when evaluating IRhMC. The regional measurement of IRhMC following the motor homunculus could be used as a measure of disease progression.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is primarily an inflammatory and degenerative disease of the central nervous system, triggered by unknown environmental factors in patients with predisposing genetic risk profiles. The prevention of neurological disability is one of the essential goals to be achieved in a patient with MS. However, the pathogenic mechanisms driving the progressive phase of the disease remain unknown. It was described that the pathophysiological mechanisms associated with disease progression are present from disease onset. In daily practice, there is a lack of clinical, radiological, or biological markers that favor an early detection of the disease's progression. Different definitions of disability progression were used in clinical trials. According to the most descriptive, progression was defined as a minimum increase in the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) of 1.5, 1.0, or 0.5 from a baseline level of 0, 1.0–5.0, and 5.5, respectively. Nevertheless, the EDSS is not the most sensitive scale to assess progression, and there is no consensus regarding any specific diagnostic criteria for disability progression. This review document discusses the current pathophysiological concepts associated with MS progression, the different measurement strategies, the biomarkers associated with disability progression, and the available pharmacologic therapeutic approaches.

PurposeTo evaluate if respiratory coaching performed prior to CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) image acquisition has an impact on the occurrence of transient interruption of contrast (TIC) phenomenon.Materials and methodsTwo hundred and thirty-one consecutive patients with suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) were referred for CTPA. They were randomised into two groups, with or without respiratory coaching (groups A and B, respectively). Those patients who were deemed not able to be coached were not randomised and were assigned to a third group (C). Two radiologists evaluated the degree of enhancement of the pulmonary arteries and the presence and grade of TIC. The χ2 test was used to compare differences among groups in occurrence and grade of this phenomenon.ResultsThere were no significant differences in the presence of any grade of TIC among the three groups, with 30 positive cases (32%) in group A, 33 (35%) in group B, and 12 (27%) in group C (P = 0.61). When TIC was graded and divided into significant or not, the different groups also did not differ significantly.ConclusionPerforming respiratory coaching before CTPA had no statistically significant effect on the incidence and severity of TIC in this prospective randomised study.Main Messages• Significant transient interruption of contrast appears in 12% of pulmonary CT angiograms.• Severe transient interruption of contrast leading to nondiagnostic tests appears in 2% of studies.• In our study respiratory coaching has no impact on the incidence of transient interruption of contrast.

No abstract