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Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: the evolution of a disease once considered rare
Berger JR, Concha M.. Journal of neurovirology, 1995-03-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, a formerly rare disease that chiefly occurred in persons with underlying lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, is now seen with increasing frequency in the era of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy is currently estimated to arise in 5% of all human immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals. The clinical features of the disorder in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome do not appear to be significantly different from progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy occurring in association with other immunosuppressive disorders. Radiographically, the appearance of HIV dementia on magnetic resonance imaging is sometimes confused with that of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. Among the characteristics that are helpful in distinguishing between the two disorders are the presence of focal findings, the rate of disease progression, the specific magnetic resonance imaging attributes, including the location of the lesions, and certain cerebrospinal fluid parameters, including surrogate markers for human immunodeficiency virus dementia and the presence of myelin basic protein. The remarkable increase in the burden of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy has provided a vital impetus for its study, particularly with respect to diagnosis and therapy. Establishing an unequivocal diagnosis of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy currently requires brain biopsy. The application of polymerase chain reaction for JC virus amplification to cerebrospinal fluid samples suggests that it may provide an alternative means of diagnosis. Recent in vitro studies of cytosine arabinoside and camptothecin suggest that they, or similar agents, may prove useful in the treatment of this illness and well-designed clinical trials are underway.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Berger, JR., & Concha, M. (1995). Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: the evolution of a disease once considered rare. Journal of neurovirology. https://doi.org/10.3109/13550289509111006
Vancouver
Berger JR, Concha M. Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: the evolution of a disease once considered rare. Journal of neurovirology. 1995. doi:10.3109/13550289509111006. PMID: 9222338.
BibTeX
@article{berger1995-9222338,
author = {Berger, JR. and Concha, M.},
title = {{Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: the evolution of a disease once considered rare}},
journal = {Journal of neurovirology},
year = {1995},
doi = {10.3109/13550289509111006},
pmid = {9222338},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3109/13550289509111006}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- The clinical features of the disorder in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome do not appear to be significantly different from progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy occurring in association with other immunosuppressive disorders.
- The application of polymerase chain reaction for JC virus amplification to cerebrospinal fluid samples suggests that it may provide an alternative means of diagnosis.
- Recent in vitro studies of cytosine arabinoside and camptothecin suggest that they, or similar agents, may prove useful in the treatment of this illness and well-designed clinical trials are underway.
Why it matters
This review is about progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, a disease that increased with AIDS, and its diagnosis and therapy. It is not about Alzheimer's disease and does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention for it.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 36/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of neurovirology) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Journal of NeuroVirology: journal h-index 109 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1995 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 278 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 8.4 citations a year over 33 year(s) since 1995 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 2 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Mauricio Concha: h-index 28 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Miami: institution h-index 998 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 9222338) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 36 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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