O presente estudo validou para a Língua Portuguesa a escala de graduação do paciente com hidrocefalia de pressão normal (HPN) desenvolvida na Língua Inglesa como \"Grading scale for idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus\". Duas traduções independentes da escala de HPN foram feitas por médicos brasileiros, fluentes na Língua Inglesa. Após harmonização dessas, a tradução resultante foi retrotraduzida independentemente por dois outros médicos, que desconheciam a escala original. Seguiu-se a última tradução e revisão para a Língua Portuguesa por uma profissional tradutora da área da saúde. A comparação da versão final traduzida com a escala original foi realizada pelo comitê multiprofissional que não estava envolvido no processo de tradução, pontuando-se para item distúrbio de marcha: 0 ausente; 1 marcha instável, mas independente; 2 anda com um apoio; 3 anda com 2 apoios ou andador e 4 não é possível andar. No item demência: 0 ausente; 1 sem demência aparente, mas apático; 2 socialmente dependente, mas independente na residência; 3 parcialmente dependente na residência e 4 totalmente dependente. Incontinência Urinária: 0 ausente; 1 ausente, mas com polaciúria ou urgência miccional; 2 às vezes, apenas à noite e 4 frequente. Para obtenção da pontuação final, devem-se somar os itens, sendo que, quanto maior o escore final, maior comprometimento do paciente. O resultado foi pré-testado em um estudo-piloto. A versão final da escala de HPN para o Português, bem como as escalas de equilíbrio de Berg, índice de marcha dinâmica e \"timed up and go\" foram aplicadas simultaneamente em cento e vinte e um pacientes consecutivos com diagnóstico médico de hidrocefalia de pressão normal (setenta e três homens e quarenta e oito mulheres) que procuraram o Ambulatório de Hidrodinâmica Cerebral, da Divisão de Neurocirurgia Funcional do Instituto de Psiquiatria do Hospital das Clínicas de São Paulo da FMUSP, no período de julho de 2010 a março de 2012. Foram testadas as propriedades psicométricas do questionário, como confiabilidade e validade. A idade mediana foi de 71,09 anos (intervalo de 35 a 92 anos). O período médio de reteste para a escala de HPN foi de sete dias. Nenhuma alteração do formato original da escala foi observada no final do processo de tradução e adaptação cultural. O grau de concordância e reprodutividade foi alta, como demonstrado pela medida de concordância Kappa, com excelente correlação intraobservador para itens da escala de HPN individualmente avaliados: marcha (0,8), demência (0,90) e incontinência (0,87). Na análise interobservador, o resultado foi excelente, com item marcha (0,91), demência (0,86) e incontinência (0,87). A correlação entre a escala de HPN com as demais escalas foi considerada de moderada a satisfatória para a maioria dos itens, variando de -,069 a 0,55 na correlação de Pearson. A avaliação individual entre escalas sobre os itens incontinência urinária, demência e marcha foram também satisfatórias e estatisticamente significantes. A versão para o Português da escala de graduação do paciente com HPN foi traduzida e validada com sucesso para aplicação em pacientes brasileiros de ambos os sexos, apresentando satisfatória confiabilidade e validade / The current study validated to Portuguese language the graduation scale for patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) developed on English language as \"Grading scale for idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus\". Two translations independent of NPH scale were done by Brazilian doctors, fluent on English language. After harmonization of both, the resulting translation was back-translated independently by two other doctors, that unaware to the original scale. Followed the last translation and revision to Portuguese language by a professional translator of health area. The comparison of last translated version with original scale was performed by one multiprofessional committee not involved on translation process. Was established specific punctuation to components of NPH classical triad, the punctuation to gait: 0 absent; 1 unstable gait, but independent; 2 walk with a support; 3 walk with 2 supports or walker an 4 is not possible to walk. On dementia item: 0 absent; 1 without apparent dementia, but apathetic; 2 socially dependent, but independent on resistance; 3 partial dependent on resistance and totally dependent. Urinary incontinence: 0 absent, 1 absent but with pollakisuria or urinary urgency, 2 sometimes, just at night; 3 sometimes even during the day and 4 frequently. The obtained final punctuation was given by summation of three items, and the higher the final punctuation, greater involvement of the patient. The result was pre-tested in a pilot study. The last version of NPH to Portuguese, as well the Berg balance scales, Dynamic Gait Index and \"timed up and go\" were applied simultaneously in 121 consecutive patients with medical diagnostic of normal pressure hydrocephalus (73 men and 48 women) who sought the Ambulatory of Cerebral Hydrodynamics, Division of Functional Neurosurgery, Institute of Psychiatry, Hospital das Clínicas in Sao Paulo from FMUSP, on period July / 2010 to march / 2012. The psychometric properties, reliability and validity of questionnaire were tested. The mean age was 71,09 years, ranging from 35 to 92 years. The period of mean retest was 7 days. None change to the original format of the scale was observed at the end of the translation process and cultural adaptation. The rate of agreement and reproducibility was high, as confirmed by measure of agreement of Kappa, with excellent intra-observer correlation for NPH scale items individually evaluated: gait (0,80), dementia (0,90) and incontinence (0,87). The correlation between the NPH scale with the other scales was considered moderate to satisfactory for most items, ranging from - 069 to 0.55 in Pearson correlation. The individual evaluation between scales on the items on urinary incontinence, dementia and gait were also satisfactory and stistically significant. The Portuguese version of the graduation scale for patients with NPH was successfully translated and validated for use in Brazilian patients of both genders, with satisfactory reliability and validity

Background: Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) has been an ongoing and challenging field of research for the past decades because two main issues are still not fully understood: the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying ventricular enlargement and prediction of outcome after surgery. Purpose: To evaluate changes in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) derived parameters in patients with suspected normal pressure hydrocephalus before and after withdrawal of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Material and Methods: Twenty-four consecutive patients with clinical and radiological suspicion of NPH and 14 agematched control subjects were examined with DTI on a clinical 3T scanner. Patients were examined before and 6–36 h after CSF drainage (interval between scans, 5 days). Fifteen patients were finally included in data analysis. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean, parallel, and radial diffusivity (MD, PD, RD) were evaluated using a combination of a ROI-based approach and a whole-brain voxel-by-voxel analysis. Results: Alteration of DTI parameters in patients with suspected NPH is regionally different. Compared to the control group, we found an elevation of FA in the subcortical white matter (SCWM) and corpus callosum, whereas the other diffusion parameters showed an increase throughout the brain in variable extent.We also found a slight normalization of RD in the SCWM in patients after lumbar drainage. Conclusion: Our results show that DWI parameters are regionally dependent and reflect multifactorial (patho-) physiological mechanisms, which need to be interpreted carefully. It seems that improvement of gait is caused by a decrease of interstitial water deposition in the SCWM.

No / PURPOSE: To investigate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics in the aqueduct of Sylvius (AoS) in chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI)-positive and -negative healthy individuals using cine phase contrast imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-one healthy individuals (32 CCSVI-negative and 19 age-matched CCSVI-positive subjects) were examined using Doppler sonography (DS). Diagnosis of CCSVI was established if subjects fulfilled >/=2 venous hemodynamic criteria on DS. CSF flow and velocity measures were quantified using a semiautomated method and compared with clinical and routine 3T MRI outcomes. RESULTS: CCSVI was associated with increased CSF pulsatility in the AoS. Net positive CSF flow was 32% greater in the CCSVI-positive group compared with the CCSVI-negative group (P = 0.008). This was accompanied by a 28% increase in the mean aqueductal characteristic signal (ie, the AoS cross-sectional area over the cardiac cycle) in the CCSVI-positive group compared with the CCSVI-negative group (P = 0.021). CONCLUSION: CSF dynamics are altered in CCSVI-positive healthy individuals, as demonstrated by increased pulsatility. This is accompanied by enlargement of the AoS, suggesting that structural changes may be occurring in the brain parenchyma of CCSVI-positive healthy individuals.