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BACKGROUND & AIMS: Approximately 55% of neurological and neurosurgical early rehabilitation (NNER) patients are in need of enteral nutrition, but long-term nutritional assessment of these critically ill patients is suboptimal. Therefore, this study analyzed the effect of an individual nutritional assessment on weight changes during rehabilitation and impact on complications and functional outcome. METHODS: 170 NNER patients on enteral nutrition were enrolled in the study. According to the initial ward, patients were assigned to receive standardized enteral nutrition (n = 107, control group) or an individual nutritional assessment (n = 63, intervention group). Weight changes, complications, assessment of the functional outcome (Early Rehabilitation Index, Barthel Index, Early Rehabilitation Barthel Index) and the length of stay were recorded and compared between groups using non-parametric tests for non-paired samples (Mann-Whitney U test for metric data or the χ2 test for categorical data) or paired samples (Wilcoxon test). In addition, daily energy requirement was calculated and compared with daily intake. Correlation analysis by Spearman was performed to investigate linear relationship between weight changes and the difference of administered and calculated calories in both study groups. RESULTS: A weight loss was observed in the control group, whereas the weight of the intervention group remained stable over time. The difference between calculated and administered calories correlated with weight changes in the control group. Regarding complications during rehabilitation, control patients showed more frequently impaired diuresis. In addition, control patients were suffering longer from diarrhea than patients of the intervention group. Both groups improved in functional status to a comparable degree. Relationships between these improvements and weight changes or administered calories could not be found. CONCLUSIONS: Individual nutritional assessment had not an additional affect for the improvement of functional outcome or the prevention of complications. However, weight turned out to be more stable and signs of nutritional incompatibilities are less frequent among patients being treated with an individualized nutritional assessment.

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BACKGROUND & AIMS: Studies focusing on the nutritional status of neurological and neurosurgical early rehabilitation (NNER) patients are limited. The aim of the current study was to determine the nutritional status of NNER patients upon admission, to observe weight changes and to investigate the influence of nutritional status on complications and outcome. METHODS: 109 enterally fed NNER patients were included in this prospective observational study. Weight changes, complications, neurological outcome scores (Early Rehabilitation Index [ERI], Barthel-Index [BI]) and the length of stay (LOS) were recorded. In addition, daily energy requirement was calculated and compared with daily intake to identify under-/optimally- and oversupplied patients. RESULTS: A general weight loss was observed in the study group. Weight changes during rehabilitation differed between men and women as well as between under- and oversupplied patients. Nutritional supply during rehabilitation had no influence on the LOS and the change of neurological outcome scores, but significant differences in the frequency of nosocomial infections was observed between under-/optimally- and oversupplied patients. The nutritional status (weight group on admission) had a crucial impact on neurological outcome scores, indicated by lower BI at discharge in normal-compared to underweight patients. In addition, underweight + undersupplied patients showed a significantly lower improvement of the BI than underweight + oversupplied patients. To the contrary, underweight + oversupplied patients had a higher BI improvement than underweight + optimally supplied patients. CONCLUSIONS: The nutritional status upon admission in combination with the nutritional supply during rehabilitation appears to have an impact on changes of neurological outcome scores.

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Prolonged weaning of patients with neurological or neurosurgery disorders is associated with specific characteristics, which are taken into account by the German Society for Neurorehabilitation (DGNR) in its own guideline. The current S2k guideline of the German Society for Pneumology and Respiratory Medicine is referred to explicitly with regard to definitions (e.g., weaning and weaning failure), weaning categories, pathophysiology of weaning failure, and general weaning strategies. In early neurological and neurosurgery rehabilitation, patients with central of respiratory regulation disturbances (e.g., cerebral stem lesions), swallowing disturbances (neurogenic dysphagia), neuromuscular problems (e.g., critical illness polyneuropathy, Guillain-Barre syndrome, paraplegia, Myasthenia gravis) and/or cognitive disturbances (e.g., disturbed consciousness and vigilance disorders, severe communication disorders), whose care during the weaning of ventilation requires, in addition to intensive medical competence, neurological or neurosurgical and neurorehabilitation expertise. In Germany, this competence is present in centers of early neurological and neurosurgery rehabilitation, as a hospital treatment. The guideline is based on a systematic search of guideline databases and MEDLINE. Consensus was established by means of a nominal group process and Delphi procedure moderated by the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF). In the present guideline of the DGNR, the special structural and substantive characteristics of early neurological and neurosurgery rehabilitation and existing studies on weaning in early rehabilitation facilities are examined.Addressees of the guideline are neurologists, neurosurgeons, anesthesiologists, palliative physicians, speech therapists, intensive care staff, ergotherapists, physiotherapists, and neuropsychologists. In addition, this guideline is intended to provide information to specialists for physical medicine and rehabilitation (PMR), pneumologists, internists, respiratory therapists, the German Medical Service of Health Insurance Funds (MDK) and the German Association of Health Insurance Funds (MDS). The main goal of this guideline is to convey the current knowledge on the subject of "Prolonged weaning in early neurological and neurosurgery rehabilitation".

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In Germany, medical-occupational rehabilitation represents an essential link between rehabilitation programs focusing either on medical or occupational rehabilitation. Its main objective is return to work. The current study presents the vocational integration 5 years after medical-occupational rehabilitation and determines possible prognostic factors for long-term occupational integration. To evaluate the effectiveness of medical-occupational rehabilitation, a 5-year-follow-up interview was conducted with participants (n=105) of the multicenter study on medical-occupational rehabilitation (MEmbeR). As a main result, 76% of the participants were still employed 5 years after medical-occupational rehabilitation and the return to work rate was 57%. Prognostic factors for long-term occupational integration could not be identified. However, a low degree of disability, an unrestricted capacity for teamwork as well as an unrestricted ability to judge might be beneficial factors for a successful reintegration. The high amount of participants who returned to work 5 years after medical-occupational rehabilitation, supports the concept of medical-occupational rehabilitation. However, more studies are needed to identify further factors influencing the outcome.

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BACKGROUND: Colonization or infection with multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria is considered detrimental to the outcome of neurological and neurosurgical early rehabilitation patients. METHODS: In a German multi-center study, 754 neurological early rehabilitation patients were enrolled and and reviewed in respect to MDR status, length of stay (LOS) and the following outcome variables: Barthel Index (BI), Early Rehabilitation Index (ERI), Glasgow Outcome Score Extended (GOSE), Coma Remission Scale (CRS), Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC). RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 68.0 ± 14.8 years. Upon admission, the following prevalence for MDRs was observed: MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus) 7.0% (53/754), ESBL- (extended spectrum beta-lactamase) producing bacteria strains 12.6% (95/754), VRE (vancomycin resistant enterococci) 2.8% (21/754). Patients colonized or infected with MDR bacteria (MDR+) were significantly more frequently diagnosed with a critical illness polyneuropathy - CIP - than non-colonized (MDR-) patients: 29.0% vs. 14.8%. In addition, they were more frequently mechanically ventilated (MDR+: 55/138, 39.9%; MDR- 137/616, 22.2%). MDR+ patients were referred to rehabilitation earlier, had a longer LOS in early rehabilitation, lower BI on admission and at discharge, lower ERI on admission and lower CRS at discharge than MDR- patients. There was a highly significant correlation of the BI upon admission with the BI at discharge (rs = 0.492, p < 0.001). GOSE at discharge differed significantly between both groups (χ 2-test, p < 0.01). Perhaps of greatest importance, mortality among MDR+ was higher in comparison to MDR- (18.1% vs. 7.6%). CONCLUSIONS: The outcome of neurological early rehabilitation patients colonized or infected with MDR bacteria including MRSA or ESBL producing strains is significantly poorer than by non-colonized patients. There is some evidence that the poor outcome could be related to the higher morbidity and lower functional status upon admission.

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Ocular myositis is a rare disease characterized by painful diplopia but loss of vision rarely occurs. The article reviews the literature focusing on the differential diagnostics. We report the case of an 80-year-old women suffering from slowly progressive loss of vision in the left eye. Diplopia was only present at the beginning and there was only moderate pain. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a swelling of the left medial, lateral and inferior rectus muscles of the orbit leading to compression of the optic nerve in the orbital cone. An intravenous prednisolone stoss therapy (1000 mg per day for 3 consecutive days) was initiated, followed by oral medication of 100 mg per day then tapering over 10 weeks. Vision improved and no relapses were observed. Physicians should be aware of this rare disease to ensure quick diagnosis and treatment of ocular myositis.

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Introduction: The so-called Würzburg Screening (WS) is recommended for assessing occupational problems among rehabilitation patients. However, it is unclear whether it can be used in neurological rehabilitation. Data of the WS as well as of a medical opinion of occupational problems (both assessed at the beginning of rehabilitation) was compared with prognoses of occupation at the end of rehabilitation. Methods: Data of 347 neurological post-acute rehabilitation patients were analyzed. Data of the WS as well as of a medical opinion of occupational problems (both assessed at the beginning of rehabilitation) was compared with prognoses of occupation at the end of rehabilitation. Results: The sensitivity of the WS to predict poor occupational outcome was 61.5 % while its specificity was 59.4 %. When combined with medical opinion, its sensitivity was higher (75 %) with a specificity of only 50.9 %. Regarding the prediction of further need for rehabilitation, the WS had a sensitivity of 56.3 % and specificity 76.4 %. Combined with the medical assessment, the sensitivity increased to 76.5 %, whereas the specificity was slightly lower with 76,1 %. Conclusion: Neither the WS alone nor the combination with a medical assessment allows valid prognoses of occupational problems and further rehabilitation needs at the beginning of rehabilitation. This suggests that the validity of the WS, which has been demonstrated for other indications, does not simply apply to neurological rehabilitation. Further studies are necessary to determine the validity of this scale.

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BACKGROUND: In Germany, neurological-neurosurgical early rehabilitation is well established in the treatment of severe neurological diseases. To develop quality standards, knowledge of the current rehabilitation course is required. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the course of rehabilitation from patients in an early neurological/neurosurgical rehabilitation program in 16 centers from 10 German states. The odds for a good or poor outcome were investigated using a multivariate logistic regression model. RESULTS: Seven hundred and fifty-four patients were included in the study. The average age of the patients was 68 ± 15 years. Of the patients studied, 26 % were on mechanical ventilation commencing their neurological rehabilitation. The average duration of stay was 56 ± 51 days. Weaning rate from mechanical ventilation was 65 % and the rate of weaning from tracheal cannula was 54 %. Mean improvement in the Barthel Index of 17 points, significant reduction of dysphagia (from 62 to 30 %) and depended walking (from 99 to 82 %), and the achievement of phase C (the next stage of rehabilitation) in 38 % can still be counted as signs of successful rehabilitation. During their course of stay, near 10 % of the patients died. Of these, 67 % received solely palliative care. In the multivariate logistic models, the absence of the factor "necessity for mechanical ventilation on admission" (odds ratio 0.61; 95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.42 … 0.89) increased the chance for good outcome and the presence of this factor the risk of dying with an odds ratio of 8.07 (95 % CI: 4.54-14.34). DISCUSSION: In spite of the severity of neurological deficits, significant functional progress has been made. These results could be interpret as positive proof of the efficacy of neurological/neurosurgical early rehabilitation programs.

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PURPOSE: Learning to play musical instruments such as piano was previously shown to benefit post-stroke motor rehabilitation. Previous work hypothesised that the mechanism of this rehabilitation is that patients use auditory feedback to correct their movements and therefore show motor learning. We tested this hypothesis by manipulating the auditory feedback timing in a way that should disrupt such error-based learning. METHODS: We contrasted a patient group undergoing music-supported therapy on a piano that emits sounds immediately (as in previous studies) with a group whose sounds are presented after a jittered delay. The delay was not noticeable to patients. Thirty-four patients in early stroke rehabilitation with moderate motor impairment and no previous musical background learned to play the piano using simple finger exercises and familiar children's songs. RESULTS: Rehabilitation outcome was not impaired in the jitter group relative to the normal group. Conversely, some clinical tests suggests the jitter group outperformed the normal group. CONCLUSIONS: Auditory feedback-based motor learning is not the beneficial mechanism of music-supported therapy. Immediate auditory feedback therapy may be suboptimal. Jittered delay may increase efficacy of the proposed therapy and allow patients to fully benefit from motivational factors of music training. Our study shows a novel way to test hypotheses concerning music training in a single-blinded way, which is an important improvement over existing unblinded tests of music interventions.

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Huntington's disease (HD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease for which as yet no disease-modifying therapy is available. Even at the early stage of the disease, HD patients suffer from motor and cognitive impairments. They are in need of physical, occupational and speech therapy or (inpatient) multidisciplinary rehabilitation. This paper reviews the available evidence for the usefulness of these therapeutic interventions. Studies using HD animal models have shown that motor training per se or as part of an enriched environment setting may have a positive impact on disease onset and progression. There are four clinical randomized controlled trials (RCT) showing beneficial effects of physical therapy (standardized home-based training program). In particular, inpatient neurological rehabilitation may have positive effects on activities of daily living (ADL) in HD patients. A non-controlled trial on multidisciplinary rehabilitation showed a reduction of oxidative stress and associated neurodegeneration, with another study even demonstrating an increase in the volume of the right caudate and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Among the studies focusing on multidisciplinary rehabilitation, there is only one RCT. Further controlled studies are needed.

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BACKGROUND: Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by hyperkinetic movements, psychiatric (e.g. depression and psychosis) and cognitive symptoms (frontal lobe dementia). In Germany approximately 8000 patients suffer from HD. OBJECTIVES: The paper reviews the clinical course, epidemiology, genetics, differential diagnoses, pathophysiology, symptomatics and causal treatment options. METHODS: Publications on animal and human HD studies and trials and reviews available in Medline have been taken into account. RESULTS: Only genetic testing allows diagnostic certainty. The CAG repeat length influences age of onset, disease course and life expectancy. The mechanism by which mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) causes HD is complex and poorly understood but leads to cell death, in particular in striatal neurons. In clinical trials antioxidants (e.g. coenzyme Q10), selisistat, PBT2, cysteamine, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-receptor antagonists and tyrosine kinase B receptor agonists have been studied in HD. CONCLUSION: No disease-modifying therapy is currently available for HD; however, gene silencing, e.g. through RNA interference, is a promising technique which could lead to effective therapies in due course.

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Unilateral cerebral ischemia of the hippocampus is very rare. This paper reviews the literature and presents the case of a 59-year-old woman with an amnestic syndrome due to a left hippocampal stroke. The patient suffered from retrograde amnesia which was most severe over the 2 days prior to presenting and a slight anterograde amnesia. In addition, a verbal memory disorder was confirmed 1 week after admission by neurological tests. As risk factors, arterial hypertension and a relative hyper-beta lipoproteinemia were found. This case shows that unilateral amnestic stroke, e.g. in the hippocampus region, may be the cause of an amnestic syndrome and should be included in the differential diagnostics.

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INTRODUCTION: Nursing is most important in neurological early rehabilitation to achieve a good outcome. In the present study, the validity of the catalogue of the "Working Group on Nursing in Early Rehabilitation" (AGnFP) has been examined. METHODS: 54 neurological early rehabilitation patients (mean age 68.3 (14.7) years) have been enrolled. All nursing processes (basic and medical care) have been documented through timekeeping. RESULTS: A nursing total of 205.9 (122.6) min/d per patient was found. In the AGnFP-catalogue, 177.5 (130.9) min/d have been documented (86.2% of all nursing processes). Barthel-index correlated negatively with basic nursing care (r = − 0.42, p < 0.01). The early rehabilitation index showed a negative correlation with medical nursing processes (r = − 0.46, p < 0.01). The AGnFP catalogue correlated with basic nursing processes (r = 0.69, p < 0.001). DISCUSSION: The AGnFP-catalogue is a tool to document nursing in early neurological rehabilitation. Further studies are strongly encouraged.

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Multidrug-resistant germs are an increasing problem in neurological and neurosurgical early rehabilitation but reliable data is missing. The present study examined the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and multidrug-resistant gram negative germs (MRGN) in a German neurological early rehabilitation facility (BDH Clinic Hessisch Oldendorf). Observation period was 2004-2013 (10 years). MRSA prevalence on admission was 11.4%, MRGN prevalence during rehabilitation 11.8%. A combination of different multidrug-resistant germs (MRSA plus MRGN) was observed in 3.8% of all cases. VRE were first detected in 2009, prevalence was as low as 0.1%. High prevalence of MRSA and MRGN raises major financial, medical, and ethical problems in early rehabilitation facilities. The authors encourage further multi-center studies and suggest a better recompense for this group of patients in the German DRG-system (Diagnosis Related Groups).

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INTRODUCTION: MEmbeR is a prospective multi-center study on medical-occupational rehabilitation in Germany. METHODS: 196 neurological, psychiatric, orthopaedic, and internal medicine patients from 21 rehabilitation centres all across Germany have been enrolled and followed-up for 2 years after discharge. Primary outcome parameter was defined as return to work. Further, the SF-12 and a Mini-ICF-Rating have been used. RESULTS: Mean age was 34.1 (9.9) years, length of stay 150.0 (223.5) days. Prior to occupational rehabilitation, 69.9% were unable to work, 2 years after discharge only 5.6%. Rate of participants seeking a job was reduced from 19.7% to 3.1%. In summary, 78.1% returned to work. Employed participants were younger (32.8 [9.7] vs. 38.5 [9.4] years, p=0.001) and less disabled (Degree of Disablement [GdB]: 20.0 [31.2] vs. 36.1 [33.7], p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The multicenter cohort study MEmbeR provides further knowledge about the outcome of medical-occupational rehabilitation in Germany.

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BACKGROUND: A significant proportion of patients with long-term mechanical ventilation (MV) and difficult or prolonged weaning suffer from primary or secondary neurological conditions and concomitant functional disorders, in addition to respiratory problems. Therefore, these patients are treated in neurological weaning departments. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Using a questionnaire members of the German Working Group for early neurorehabilitation were interviewed with respect to the structure of weaning facilities, weaning strategies, patient characteristics and treatment outcome of patients admitted for weaning in 2009. RESULTS: In the year 2009 a total of 1,486 patients were admitted to 7 participating neurological weaning units. The primary diagnosis was a neurological condition in 97.5% of the patients. In 62.9% of the patients the neurological condition was considered to be primarily responsible for the MV, 22.8% demonstrated pulmonary factors and for 3.0% a cardiac condition was determined to be decisive. In 5.0% of the patients it was not possible to ascertain a single cause or factor. Weaning was successful in 69.8% of all cases, 64.9% (965 patients) were released from the facility without MV, 274 patients (18.4%) were released with MV, 61.3% of these (168 patients) were referred to other rehabilitation facilities or into the care of the family physician and 38.7% (106 patients) were transferred to other hospitals due to special medical problems. The total mortality rate was 16.6% (247 patients deceased). CONCLUSIONS: In this first comprehensive evaluation of German neurological weaning centers for patients with long-term MV, structures and treatment outcomes were compared with recent results from the literature.

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This paper suggests an operationalization of the items of the early rehabilitation Barthel-index (ERBI). In addition, it presents a modification of this instrument, called lower-saxony ERBI (lsERBI). In order to validate the lsERBI, it has been used in 273 neurological rehabilitants. Findings suggest that the lsERBI has a higher specificity but lower sensitivity than the conventional ERBI. Inter-rater-reliability was high (r=0.84). Further studies are welcome to validate the lsERBI.

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An extended version of the Barthel index, the so-called "Early Rehabilitation Barthel Index", or ERBI, is widely used in German early neurological rehabilitation centres and even was used in defining early rehabilitation procedures in the German DRG system. It contains highly relevant items like mechanical ventilation, tracheostomy, or dysphagia. This study presents an English version of the ERBI and examines its validity and reliability. Two samples of early neurological rehabilitation patients have been analyzed. In one sample (n=1,669), measures of morbidity and length of stay (LOS) have been compared between certain ERBI categories. In a second sample (n=273), inter-rater reliability (nurses vs. physicians) has been examined. Patients with low ERBI had a significantly longer LOS than those with high ERBI values (p<0.001). Further, parameters of morbidity (patient clinical complexity level, number of co-diagnoses) were significantly higher in a low ERBI subgroup. Inter-rater reliability was r=0.849 (p<0.001). The findings suggest that the ERBI is a reliable and valid scale to assess early neurological rehabilitation patients.

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