This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
Abstract
Objective To determine the differences in outcomes of adult patients with ataxia initially evaluated for paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration (PCD) as inpatients or outpatients.
Methods In this retrospective cohort analysis, diagnosis, workup, and functional outcomes based on the change in the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score were compared between patients with ataxia who underwent workup for PCD initially as inpatients vs outpatients between March 2011 and June 2018 at Rush University Medical Center.
Results There were 78 patients included in the analysis; 59% were women, and the average age at symptom onset was 57 ± 19.5 years. Nineteen patients (24.3%) underwent evaluation as inpatients and 59 (75.6%) as outpatients. Admitted patients were more likely to receive immunotherapy (73.7% vs 20.3%, p < 0.0001) and received it faster than outpatients (0.40 months for inpatients, interquartile range [IQR] 0.03–1 months, vs 6.6 months for outpatients, IQR 2–11.7 months; p = 0.01). A greater percentage of inpatients improved based on the mRS score compared with those who underwent evaluation as outpatients (52.63% vs 22.81%, p = 0.01).
Conclusions More patients improved from baseline in the inpatient cohort.
Classification of Evidence This study provides Class III evidence that for patients undergoing initial evaluation for PCD, patients undergoing inpatient evaluation have better outcomes compared with those undergoing outpatient evaluation.
Footnotes
Funding information and disclosures are provided at the end of the article. Full disclosure form information provided by the authors is available with the full text of this article at Neurology.org/cp.
- Received October 21, 2019.
- Accepted February 4, 2020.
- © 2020 American Academy of Neurology
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
The Nerve!: Rapid online correspondence
NOTE: All contributors' disclosures must be entered and current in our database before comments can be posted. Enter and update disclosures at http://submit.cp.neurology.org. Exception: replies to comments concerning an article you originally authored do not require updated disclosures.
- Stay timely. Submit only on articles published within the last 8 weeks.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- 200 words maximum.
- 5 references maximum. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- 5 authors maximum. Exception: replies can include all original authors of the article.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.