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It has been observed in recent years that levels of such molecules as calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and, to a lesser extent, the pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide are elevated during migraine attacks and in chronic migraine, both in the cerebrospinal fluid and in the serum. Pharmacological reduction of these proteins is clinically significant, with an improvement in patients' migraines. It therefore seems logical that one of the main lines of migraine research should be based on the role of CGRP in the pathophysiology of this entity. The Spanish Society of Neurology's Headache Study Group decided to draft this document in order to address the evidence on such important issues as the role of CGRP in the pathophysiology of migraine and the mechanism of action of monoclonal antibodies and gepants; and to critically analyse the results of different studies and the profile of patients eligible for treatment with monoclonal antibodies, and the impact in terms of pharmacoeconomics. The clinical development of gepants, which are CGRP antagonists, for the acute treatment of migraine attacks, and CGRP ligand and receptor monoclonal antibodies offer promising results for these patients.

We investigated the incidence, clinical characteristics, risk factors, and outcome of meningoencephalitis (ME) in patients with COVID-19 attending emergency departments (ED), before hospitalization. We retrospectively reviewed all COVID patients diagnosed with ME in 61 Spanish EDs (20% of Spanish EDs, COVID-ME) during the COVID pandemic. We formed two control groups: non-COVID patients with ME (non-COVID-ME) and COVID patients without ME (COVID-non-ME). Unadjusted comparisons between cases and controls were performed regarding 57 baseline and clinical characteristics and 4 outcomes. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biochemical and serologic findings of COVID-ME and non-COVID-ME were also investigated. We identified 29 ME in 71,904 patients with COVID-19 attending EDs (0.40 parts per thousand, 95%CI=0.27-0.58). This incidence was higher than that observed in non-COVID patients (150/1,358,134, 0.11 parts per thousand, 95%CI=0.09-0.13; OR=3.65, 95%CI=2.45-5.44). With respect to non-COVID-ME, COVID-ME more frequently had dyspnea and chest X-ray abnormalities, and neck stiffness was less frequent (OR=0.3, 95%CI=0.1-0.9). In 69.0% of COVID-ME, CSF cells were predominantly lymphocytes, and SARS-CoV-2 antigen was detected by RT-PCR in 1 patient. The clinical characteristics associated with a higher risk of presenting ME in COVID patients were vomiting (OR=3.7, 95%CI=1.4-10.2), headache (OR=24.7, 95%CI=10.2-60.1), and altered mental status (OR=12.9, 95%CI=6.6-25.0). COVID-ME patients had a higher in-hospital mortality than non-COVID-ME patients (OR=2.26; 95%CI=1.04-4.48), and a higher need for hospitalization (OR=8.02; 95%CI=1.19-66.7) and intensive care admission (OR=5.89; 95%CI=3.12-11.14) than COVID-non-ME patients. ME is an unusual form of COVID presentation (

To develop a proposal for a portfolio of services and a set of indicators for Headache Units.Qualitative study that applied techniques of consensus with the participation of 15 professionals who are experts in the treatment of headaches (experience of 15 years) and in quality assurance. The description of the indicators included: statement, definition, standard, type of indicator, dimension, source, level of evidence, and clarification of terms. The proposal for a portfolio of services included the following areas: clinical management, patient-centered care, community involvement, knowledge management, translational research, and social dissemination. The proposal converged in 13 indicators exploring five dimensions.This proposal contributes to ensure and assess the level of quality of a Headache Unit or outpatient clinic.Cartera de servicios y cuadro basico de indicadores de calidad para las unidades de cefalea: estudio de consenso.Objetivo. Elaborar una propuesta de cartera de servicios para una unidad de cefalea y un conjunto basico de indicadores de calidad asistencial en cefalea. Desarrollo. Estudio que aplico tecnicas de busqueda de consenso con participacion de un total de 15 profesionales expertos en tratamiento de cefaleas (experiencia de mas de 15 años) y en gestion de calidad. La descripcion de los indicadores incluyo: enunciado, definicion, estandar, tipo de indicador, dimension, fuente, nivel de evidencia y aclaraciones de terminos. La propuesta de cartera de servicios incluyo los siguientes ambitos: gestion clinica, atencion centrada en el paciente, implicacion comunitaria, gestion del conocimiento, investigacion traslacional y difusion social. La propuesta se concreto en 13 indicadores que abarcaban cinco dimensiones. Conclusiones. Esta propuesta contribuye a asegurar y evaluar el nivel de calidad de una unidad de cefaleas o de las consultas monograficas de cefaleas.

Auriculotemporal neuralgia (ATN) is an infrequent syndrome consisting in strictly unilateral pain in the temporal region associated with nerve tenderness, which can be successfully treated with anesthetic blockade. We analysed clinical characteristics and treatment response in a series of eight patients.Series of consecutive patients diagnosed with ATN at Headache Clinics of two university hospitals in Spain. Data on demographic and pain characteristics, as well as response to treatment are presented.Eight patients (seven women). Mean age at onset was 52.8 ± 14.3 years. Pain was strictly unilateral (left-sided in five cases, right-sided in three), and triggered by pressing the preauricular area. Four patients presented background pain, mostly dull in quality, with an intensity of 5.75 ± 1.2 on the verbal analogical scale (VAS). In six, burning exacerbations occurred, ranging from 2 seconds to 30 minutes, with intensity 7.3 ± 1.5 on VAS. Complete relief was achieved with gabapentin in three cases, anaesthetic blockade in three and spontaneously in two.ATN is uncommon in headache units. Gabapentin is a good alternative therapeutic option to anesthetic blockade.

Neurologic manifestations of HIV infection are quite diverse and can develop into seizures. Because new drug therapies have been developed, it is important to know the interactions between antiretroviral and antiepileptic agents. A 36-year-old patient with HIV developed a set of progressive left hemiparesis and secondarily generalized partial seizures related to progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. Phenytoin and carbamazepine were necessary to control the seizures. Instead of diverse antiretroviral therapies, the viral load was increased. Protease inhibitors (ritonavir and saquinavir) were added to the treatment and the patient developed progressive ataxia related to carbamazepine toxicity. Carbamazepine was discontinued and the patient remained asymptomatic. The patient was diagnosed with carbamazepine toxicity related to the introduction of ritonavir. Ritonavir is a potent inhibitor of hepatic cytochrome P450, mainly the CYP3A4 isoform. Carbamazepine is metabolized by this subsystem. Ritonavir acted as a CYP3A4 inhibitor, diminishing carbamazepine metabolism and provoking an increase in serum levels and clinical toxicity. We present a case of interaction between ritonavir and carbamazepine. Interaction between antiepileptic and antiretroviral agents is an emergent problem caused by the increasing association of the two therapies. We recommend strict monitoring of serum antiepileptic drug (AED) levels to avoid toxicity and inadequate seizure control.

To determine the reasons for consultation to the neurology service in a cancer center.A retrospective examination of all neurology consultations over a 3-month period.A total of 247 patients were examined. The most frequent symptoms included, pain (34%), motor weakness (25%) and altered mental status (22%). The most frequent diagnoses were spinal cord compression (18%), brain metastases (15%), metabolic and/or toxic encephalopathies (14%) and stroke (7%). Spinal cord compression was demonstrated in 50% of patients with back pain or radiculopathy. Pain and motor weakness resulted from metastatic complications in 75% and 69% of the cases, respectively; however, only 18% of the cases of altered mental functions resulted from metastatic complications. At the time of the neurology consultation, 41% of the patients were receiving corticosteroids and 43% suffered from one or more of its adverse effects. The diagnostic test most frequently requested by the neurologist was the MRI. In 101 patients the neurological symptoms were followed for at least 5 days; when the cause of the neurological deficit was a metastatic complication, the effect of the treatment was evaluated one month later. Overall, 64% of the patients with metastatic complications improved with treatment, 19% remained stable, and 17% worsened or died.In a cancer center, the three symptoms that most frequently resulted in neurologic consultation were pain, motor weakness, and altered mental status. These were most commonly due to brain or epidural metastases, toxic and/or metabolic encephalopathy, and stroke. The use of neuroimaging does not appear to replace the need for neurologic consultation. The neurologist assists in establishing the diagnosis and initiating the appropriate treatment. In this study, two out of three patients improved after treatment of the neurologic deficit.

To review the paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes associated with otoneurophthalmologic manifestations.Paraneoplastic otoneurophthalmologic syndromes usually result from encephalitis of the brainstem and/or cerebellar degeneration. They can develop in association with various immunological responses against onconeuronal proteins (e.g. anti-Hu, anti-Ri, anti-Yo, anti-Ma, anti-Ta and anti-Tr) or with immunological mechanisms against unknown antigens. The eye movement abnormalities may have a supranuclear, nuclear or internuclear origin. There is no ocular movement abnormality which can be considered pathognomonic of a paraneoplastic disorder, but opsoclonus-myoclonus of infancy is often associated with neuroblastoma. The association of hearing loss and paraneoplastic sensory neuronopathy suggests that in some patients the neurosensory deafness result from involvement of the ganglia of Corti and/or the cochlear nuclei in the brain stem. The management of these syndromes depends on their rapid identification as paraneoplastic disorders and on the early diagnosis and treatment of the cancer. Patients with anti-Ta (or anti Ma-2) antibodies may improve with treatment of the cancer, usually a germ-cell tumor of the testis. Paraneoplastic opsoclonus-myoclonus of infancy usually improves with treatment that combines chemotherapy, steroids, and intravenous immunoglobulins, although neurological sequelae (psychomotor and language retardation) are frequent.There are several paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes that may present with otoneurophthalmologic symptoms. Detection of antineuronal antibodies facilitates the early identification of some of these syndromes and associated tumors. In general, the management of these syndromes is based on treatment of the associated cancer.

Neurologic practice and care have been modified in many important ways during the past ten years, to adapt to the explosion of new information and new technology. Students, residents and practicing physicians have been continuing programs to a model that focuses almost exclusively on the applications to neurologic disorders of the new knowledge obtained from biomedical research. On the other hand high demand for outpatient neurologic care prevents adequate patient's evaluation.Case 1: 65 years old female. Occipital headache diagnosed of tensional origin (normal computerized tomography). Two months later is re-evaluated due to intractable pain and hypoglossal lesion. An amplified computerized tomography revealed a occipital condyle metastasis. Case 2: 21 years old female. Clinical suspicion of demyelinating disease due to repeated facial paresis and sensitive disorder. General exploration and computerized tomography revealed temporo-mandibular joint. Case 3: 60 years old female. Valuation of anticoagulant therapy due to repeated transient ischemic attacks. She suffered from peripheral facial palsy related to auditory cholesteatoma.Neurologic education is nowadays orientated to new technologies. On the other hand, excessive demand prevents adequate valuation and a minute exploration is substituted by complementary evaluations. These situations generate diagnostic mistakes or iatrogenic. It would be important a consideration of the neurologic education profiles and fulfillment of consultations time recommendations for outpatients care.

Supraorbital neuralgia has only recently been described. Most of the cases reported involve patients suffering from chronic idiopathic neuralgias that are difficult to treat and sometimes require surgery to release the nerve. We present our experience in patients with a variant of this neuralgia which has a known causation, is commonly seen and has a benign prognosis.We studied five patients, four females and one male, with a mean age of 55 years (range: 29-69 years). They had all suffered direct banal traumatic injury to the frontal region due to different causes. Four of them developed continuous, piercing or burning-type pain; three of them had paroxysmal pain and one had itching. There were no autonomic manifestations. All of them were found to be abnormally sensitive in the affected area, with tactile hypaesthesia, hyperalgesia or allodynia and a positive Tinel's sign. Neuroimaging tests were normal. Two patients were treated with gabapentin and amitriptyline. One was treated with an anaesthetic blockade, which afforded temporary relief. Three of them received no treatment at all. After one year of follow-up, all of them had improved and three were no longer in pain, although sensory alterations persisted in all cases.Post-traumatic supraorbital neuralgia is a frequent condition, although it is probably underdiagnosed. It has its own characteristic clinical and developmental features that distinguish it from idiopathic supraorbital neuralgia. Progress is usually good and it responds favourably to symptomatic treatment, if needed.

Meralgia paraesthetica is a pathology that is frequently seen in visits to extra-hospital neurology services. Nevertheless, the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of this condition remain somewhat unclear.A retrospective study was conducted involving 140 patients. Data were collected concerning demographic aspects, clinical picture, diagnostic study, aetiology, treatment and progression.There was a predominance of males, with a mean age of 54 years. The mean follow-up time was 25 months. The symptoms that were reported were as follows: numbness, burning pain, tingling or prickling in the nerve territory. Hypaesthesia was the most frequent sign found in the examination. History of another compressive neuropathy was present in 13.6% of patients. The diagnosis was based on the patient record and the neurological examination. The neurophysiological study and complementary tests were reserved for atypical cases. The most common causation was spontaneous and only three cases were found to be secondary to a structural lesion. A third of the patients were receiving pharmacological treatment. Although the clinical picture was benign, in most cases it tended to become chronic. Patients treated pharmacologically did not show a significant improvement in comparison to those who were not given treatment. The most important data for forecasting improvement of the clinical picture were the identification and correction of the factors precipitating compression of the nerve.Meralgia paraesthetica is a frequent, benign pathology but with a tendency to become chronic that responds poorly to pharmacological treatment. It is important to identify and correct mechanical factors and only in exceptional cases is it secondary to a structural lesion.