Search NEL Online

Case Reports 2006; 27(1-2): 260-262 PubMed PMID: 16648780 Citation  Keywords:  Anticonvulsants:therapeutic use, Antidepressive Agents:therapeutic use, Carbamazepine:therapeutic use, Catatonia:classification, Depression:complications, Electroencephalography, Female, Humans, Hypnotics and Sedatives:therapeutic use, Middle Aged, Moclob.   

: We describe a patient who was ill for more than 15 years. She was treated predominantly as a neurological case because of multiple motor signs. The diagnosis of catatonia was considered at the time when she was hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital after a suicidal attempt. The "therapeutic blindness", which was obviously present during 15 years of her illness, is discussed: the ICD--10 is perhaps misleading regarding this diagnosis while it associates it too tightly only to schizophrenia....

Read abstract

Journal Article 2006; 27(1-2): 16-20 PubMed PMID: 16648779 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Anticonvulsants:therapeutic use, Brain:pathology, Electroencephalography, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Risk Factors, Secondary Prevention, Seizures:drug therapy, Social Environment,.   

: Patients experiencing solitary unprovoked epileptic seizure have different risks of recurrence. The possible risk factors include in particular: structural cerebral lesion and its cause, history of febrile seizures, family history of epilepsy, the type of seizure, epileptiform EEG discharges and the problem of initiation or (or not initiation) of antiepileptic treatment after the first paroxysm. The factors shown above were evaluated in a group of 30 patients with solitary unprovoked epileptic seizure. Regarding recurrence of epileptic seizure, the only significant factor appeared to be initiation of treatment after the first unprovoked paroxysm (p<0.001). We observed a 30% and 33.33% risk of recurrence following the initial epileptic seizure in patients after the first unprovoked seizure in less than 1 and 3 years, respectively....

Read abstract

Journal Article 2006; 27(1-2): 214-218 PubMed PMID: 16648776 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Electrocoagulation, Female, Gonadal Steroid Hormones:blood, Gynecologic Surgical Procedures, Humans, Laparoscopy, Ovulation:physiology, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome:blood, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Rate,.   

OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy of ovarian electrocautery performed during microlaparoscopy and laparoscopy, basing on ovulation and pregnancy rates obtained within one year of follow-up.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ovarian drillings, performed with the use of endoscopic methods, were carried out in 135 women with hormonal and ultrasound features of PCOS, aged 30-39 (average age 36 +/- 3.3). Laparoscopic ovarian electrocautery was carried out in 65 cases, whereas microlaparoscopic drilling was conducted in 70 cases. The obtained results were compared in regard to duration of the procedure and ovulation/pregnancy rates within one year of follow-up. Changes in hormonal profiles were also compared in both groups, measured in patients who did not get pregnant before, and 3 months after, the procedures.

RESULTS: The difference in durations between the two studied procedures was statistically significant (19 +/- 3 min vs. 24 +/- 4.4 min; p<0.001). However, the ovulation and pregnancy rates did not differ significantly between the two groups (72% vs. 77.7%; p<0.5 and 19.4% vs. 20%; p<0.95, respectively). There were also similar trends in hormonal changes after microlaparoscopic and laparoscopic drilling.

CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of ovarian drilling in PCOS, estimated by ovulation and pregnancy rates within 12 months of follow-up is similar for microlaparoscopy and laparoscopy, as well as the trends in hormonal changes. Ovarian electrocautery is significantly longer in microlaparoscopy, but the difference in time is of no practical impact....

Read abstract

Clinical Trial 2005; 26(6): 775-779 PubMed PMID: 16380709 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Electric Stimulation, Electrophysiology:methods, Female, Humans, Hypertriglyceridemia:complications, Male, Median Nerve:physiopathology, Middle Aged, Motor Neurons, Neural Conduction, Neurons, Afferent, Peripheral Nerves:physiopathology, Peripheral.   

OBJECTIVES: In this study we intended to find a correlation between hypertriglyceridemia and peripheral neuropathy (PN) in patients with a high triglyceride level and no neurological complaints.

METHODS: We recruited 24 patients (21 males and 3 females) having a triglyceride level above 300 mg/dl with no neurologic complaints and none of the other common causes of PN and they underwent an electroneurographic study. The distal motor or sensory latencies (DL), motor or sensory conduction velocities (CV), and motor or sensory amplitudes (AMP) were collected for the peroneal, posterior tibial, sural, median, and ulnar nerves and were considered abnormal if they fall above or below 2 standard deviations of reference values.

RESULTS: Our results show that 70.8% of the patients had a significant delay in the DL of the sural nerves and 66.7% had a significant delay in the DL of the median sensory fibers. 54.2% of the patients had a significant decrease in the motor CV in the posterior tibial nerves and 33.3% had a significant decrease in the sensory CV in the sural nerves. The means of the DL and CV were significantly different from reference values in most of the nerves. Amplitudes were the least if at all affected.

CONCLUSION: The pattern of the abnormalities affecting more the DL, the sensory nerves and the longer nerves of the lower extremities is suggestive of an early axonal polyneuropathy. We conclude that hypertriglyceridemia affects conduction parameters in peripheral nerves in a trend suggestive of early peripheral neuropathy....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Controlled Clinical Trial 2005; 26(6): 713-718 PubMed PMID: 16380702 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Anthropometry, Anxiety:physiopathology, Autonomic Nervous System:physiology, Combined Modality Therapy, Electrocardiography, Exercise:physiology, Exercise Therapy, Female, Heart Rate:physiology, Humans, Male, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Psych.   

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine the status of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in anxiety disorder patients and to evaluate possible exercise intervention in order to improve the ANS and overall psychiatric status of patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The ANS function was monitored via means of heart rate variability (HRV) changes during a 6-week hospitalization at the Psychiatric Clinic of University Hospital in Olomouc. The status of ANS was monitored by the new evaluation method of spectral analysis (SA) of HRV. The research involved 43 anxiety patients (29 women and 14 men) who underwent six weeks of intensive psychotherapy; part of the test group also participated in regular aerobic exercise.

RESULTS: In the sense of autonomic dysfunction we can not give clear-cut answers to the question whether the autonomic dysfunction could be one of the predictors of anxiety disorder, although our results suggest lower vagal representation in the spectra. Unlike in the healthy population the exercise had a positive impact only on a limited number of patients. Regular endurance exercise on a stationary bicycle had a positive impact on the ANS efficiency only in patients with primary ANS activity reduction. In patients with normal ANS efficiency the exercise intervention had no effect; in some cases we even found activity reduction during the hospitalization period. However, the exercise had a positive effect on the course and outcome of the applied therapy in all patients.

CONCLUSIONS: ANS disturbances have not been exhibited in some patients suffering from anxiety disorder. Due to the positive impact of regular physical activity on cardiovascular, metabolic, neural, and psychological changes in organism, monitored exercise should be implemented into therapeutic programs for patients with anxiety disorders....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Comparative Study 2005; 26(6): 719-723 PubMed PMID: 16380689 Citation  Keywords:  Adaptation, Physiological, Adrenal Glands:enzymology, Animals, Electron Transport Complex IV:biosynthesis, Enzyme Induction:drug effects, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System:physiopathology, Liver Circulation:drug effects, Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental:chemica.   

OBJECTIVES: Cytochrome oxidase activity has been determined in the adrenal glands of thioacetamide (TAA)-cirrhotic rats.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two groups of animals (Control group; n=10 and TAA group; n=11) of three months evolution were used to study the cytochrome oxidase activity in the suprarenal cortex (glomerular, fascicular and reticular layers) and medulla. TAA was administered orally and cytochrome oxidase (COX) activity was assayed by an immunohistochemical technique.

RESULTS: In TAA-cirrhotic rats, COX activity increases in the cortex fascicular layer (221 +/- 1.79 vs 181.9 +/- 2.75; p<0.001) as well as in the medulla (146.6 +/- 1.72 vs 129 +/- 3.09; p<0.001).

CONCLUSION: These results make it possible to consider the existence of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis and adrenomedullary sympathetic system hyperactivity, both peripheral limbs of the stress system, in this experimental model of cirrhosis....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Comparative Study 2005; 26(6): 729-732 PubMed PMID: 16380686 Citation  Keywords:  Age Factors, Animals, Animals, Newborn, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Organ Size:drug effects, Rats, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators:pharmacology, Sexual Behavior, Animal:drug effects, Tamoxifen:pharmacology, Testis:cytology, Te.   

OBJECTIVE: In this study we examined the possibility that demasculinization produced by the neonatal administration of tamoxifen is accompanied by a decline in plasma levels of testosterone during adulthood.

METHODS: Wistar male rats received either a treatment with 12.5 microg/kg of tamoxifen during the first eight days of age or a treatment with 100 microg/kg of tamoxifen for five days. Each treatment had their respective control group. During adulthood their masculine sexual behavior was analyzed. At 8 months of age, males were killed by decapitation, trunk blood was collected and peripheral glands were dissected and weighed. Testosterone levels were measured by HPLC. Histological analysis of peripheral glands was performed.

RESULTS: Both neonatal tamoxifen treatments significantly decreased male sexual behavior when compared to control values. In addition, both treatments also showed a significant decrease in testicular weight when compared to control groups, as well as a decrease in seminal vesicle weight. In the microscopic analysis, a significant decrease in the diameter of the seminiferous tubules was observed, especially in the animals treated with 100 microg/kg of tamoxifen. However, no differences were observed between tamoxifen treated and control animals concerning plasma levels of testosterone.

CONCLUSION: The present results indicate that behavioral manifestations and changes in peripheral reproductive organs that accompanied demasculinization are not due to a deficit in testosterone secretion....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Case Reports 2005; 26(5): 499-502 PubMed PMID: 16264411 Citation  Keywords:  Adrenal Insufficiency:complications, Adrenocorticotropic Hormone:deficiency, Adult, Autonomic Nervous System:physiopathology, Chromosomes, Human, Pair 12:genetics, Conjunctival Diseases:complications, Electroencephalography, Epilepsy:genetics, Hormone Rep.   

: Allgrove syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disease with achalasia, alacrima, adrenocortical insufficiency, autonomic neuropathy and other neurological disturbances. A case of two brothers with Addison s disease from early childhood is presented. The younger brother with Addison disease died at the age of 5. The older brother was treated for adrenocortical insufficiency from the age 3, and then treated for achalasia and epilepsy from the age of 5. The patient is currently 26 years old and suffers from achalasia and adrenocortical insufficiency. He also suffers from alacrima, autonomic neuropathy, epilepsy and other damages of the central and peripheral nervous system. The clinical picture is typical for Allgrove or 4A syndrome, and the diagnosis was confirmed by means of molecular analysis of a new AAAS gene mutation....

Read abstract  Full text PDF