Levodopa has been used to treat some painful conditions and found to be effective in neuropathic pain due to herpes zoster in a double-blind study. From our anecdotal observations about the efficacy of levodopa on diabetic neuropathic pain, we designed a double-blind placebo-controlled study to test levodopa in painful diabetic neuropathy. Twenty-five out-patients with painful symmetrical diabetic polyneuropathy were admitted to the study. Fourteen patients were given 100 mg levodopa plus 25 mg benserazide to be taken three times per day for 28 days. Eleven patients were given identical placebo capsules. A blinded neurologist evaluated the patients clinically and performed Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) measurement every week from day 0 to day 28. The results seemed promising and levodopa may be a choice for the control of pain in neuropathy for which we do not have many alternative treatments.

To evaluate electrophysiological incidence and the type of peroneal nerve lesions seen after high tibial osteotomy we conducted an electrophysiological study (electromyography and nerve conduction velocity studies) in 11 patients who were suffering from medial gonarthrosis and treated by Maquet barrel-vault type high tibial valgization osteotomy. All the patients were tested both pre- and postoperatively. Every patient was examined postoperatively for a minimum of a 6 months after surgery to eliminate spontaneously reversible lesions. Results obtained from nonoperated legs served as controls. Three patients (27%) with peroneal nerve lesions were detected electrophysiologically; one had only motor involvement, one only sensory involvement, and one both motor and sensory involvement. Clinically only one of these patients was symptomatic, and the other two were detected by electrophysiological means. Peroneal nerve lesions which may be overlooked by mild weakness and hypesthesia in the early postoperative period can be detected by electrophysiological means at a higher rate than expected. These lesions persist a relatively long time and even can be permanent despite the absence of clinical symptoms.

Background and Purpose The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) in predicting functional recovery of hemiparesis and hemiplegia in acute stroke patients.Methods Twenty-seven acute stroke patients were evaluated clinically and electrophysiologicaUy within the first week and 3 to 6 months after the event. Ginical assessment included a quantitative evaluation of motor ability and activities of daily living. MEPs were recorded from the abductor pollicis brevis and tibialis anterior muscles bilaterally. Correlations between clinical parameters and MEPs were assessed.

It is known that myasthenia gravis is improved by cold. In two previously reported studies performed on a limited number of myasthenic patients and controls, local cold application to the eyelid was suggested for use as a diagnostic test for ocular myasthenia gravis. In this study, ice test to the eyelid was evaluated as a diagnostic test on 12 myasthenic patients and 15 controls with blepharoptosis and the results were compared with those of edrophonium test.