This is the first controlled study confirming a significant association between RLS and type 2 diabetes. In diabetic patients, polyneuropathy represents the main risk factor for RLS. However, polyneuropathy only partially explains the increased prevalence of RLS in type 2 diabetics. Clinical characteristics of RLS in diabetic patients are those of a secondary form.

In terms of epidemiology, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) accounts for 1-2 new cases/100.000 inhabitants per year [1, 2]. During the last two weeks, in coincidence with the descending slope of the pandemic peak in our region (Friuli Venezia-Giulia, Italy), we noted an unusual cluster of patients affected by GBS. The Neurology of the Udine University Hospital is the only Neurology Unit for the entire territory of the province, making unlikely the possibility of missing new cases, since this is the only facility for neurophysiological investigation and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination in an area of 4,969.3 km 2. Solicited by this observation and by a recent paper reporting the association of GBS with COVID-19 infection [3], we decided to reexamine the frequency of GBS cases during the March-April months of the last three years and to compare it with the admissions for GBS during the same months of the current year (up to April 16th). After having the possibility to perform a quick test (Cellex™ q rapid test [4]) for the presence of IgM and IgG against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (N-protein), we tested the four patients still present in our ward and two more patients already discharged who accepted to come back to the hospital. Furthermore, we briefly described clinical, laboratory and neuro-physiological data of patients admitted this year in Table 1. Data dealing with COVID-19 are reported in Table 2.

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Cerebral involvement is an unusual complication in multiple myeloma: herein four patients who presented myelomatous meningitis with multiple intraparenchymal lesions or a localized cerebral plasmacytoma are described. Two of these patients relapsed with meningeal involvement and a very limited disease outside the central nervous system after an initial complete remission obtained with induction chemotherapy. In the other two cases, the cerebral tumor appeared during first-line treatment. Cytological examination of the cerebrospinal fluid and magnetic resonance were essential for diagnosis. Different modalities of treatment were used, including intrathecal chemotherapy, cranial irradiation, and systemic chemotherapy with high-dose methotrexate and cytarabine, achieving improvement of neurological symptoms in three of four patients.