Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0000729 (abdominal cramps)
 531 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Thirteen children with refractory epilepsy received a ketogenic diet (medium chain triglyceride oil diet) as an alternative therapy since September 1997. Their seizure patterns included (1) generalized tonic-clonic seizures, (2) myoclonic seizures, (3) generalized tonic + atonic seizures, (4) complex partial seizures, (5) generalized clonic + atonic + myoclonic seizures, (6) head nodding + myoclonic + gelastic seizures, and (7) generalized tonic-clonic + myoclonic + atonic seizures. Major concerns emphasized on the efficacy and side effects of the diet. Clinical observation one month after the diet revealed that 53.8% of the patients had a > 75% reduction in seizure frequency and 76.9% of the patients had a > 50% reduction in seizure frequency. Six patients had some degrees of improvement in cognitive function and/ or school performances. The most common side effects were body weight loss (n = 6) and diarrhea (n = 5). Others included bad temper (n = 1), abdominal cramps (n = 2), nausea (n = 2), bad body smell (n = 1), and renal stones (n = 1). Even after discontinuation of the diet, 61.5% of patients still had a > 50% reduction in seizure frequency. We concluded that the ketogenic diet deserves a trial in children with refractory epilepsy.
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PMID:Clinical experience of ketogenic diet on children with refractory epilepsy. 1091 May 95

Valproic acid is a widely used drug in the treatment of epilepsy and, compared to other anticonvulsant drugs, is considered safe. The most common side effects of valproic acid ingestion or therapy are transient nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. Most of these complaints are mild. However, more serious adverse reactions can occur such as hepatotoxicity and pancreatitis. It has been proposed that, whenever possible, valproic acid not be used in the younger child, the child with a severe seizure disorder or other neurological disorders, mental retardation, developmental delay, organic brain disease, congenital abnormalities, or the child who is taking multiple anticonvulsant drugs, as these factors may increase the likelihood of hepatotoxicity and/or pancreatitis. In the present report, we describe a fatal case of acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis in a four and a half-year-old Hispanic female child who was receiving valproic acid in combination with another anticonvulsant drug for control of focal seizures. The patient also received the macrolide antibiotic azithromycin. For pediatricians and forensic pathologists valproic acid-induced pancreatitis can be a challenging diagnosis which must not be mistaken for abdominal trauma. We discuss the workup of the patient and differential diagnosis.
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PMID:Pathological case of the month: sudden death in a child as a result of pancreatitis during valproic acid therapy. 1239 3

Sudden illness while driving has been identified as a major cause of vehicle collisions, accounting for approximately 1 in 10 collisions. Because most drivers who experience sudden illnesses while driving do not perform avoidance maneuvers, the improvement of drivers' health is being promoted as a traffic safety strategy. Although stroke, heart disease, and epilepsy are common causes of sudden illness, common symptoms, such as abdominal cramps, vertigo, and syncope can also cause problems during driving. We found that regular referral to physicians was significantly less common among drivers who experienced health-related vehicle collisions or incidents. Inadequate control of chronic disease might lead to unusual symptoms and the onset of major attacks. Medications are prescribed to patients to relieve their symptoms and/or bring their diseases under control. However, pharmacists and doctors should ensure that patients are treated with appropriate medications to avoid drivers being distracted due to adverse reactions to medications. The author suggests that it is important to keep drivers in good health and administer appropriate medications if necessary. Both pharmacists and doctors should warn drivers that sudden illness or medication-associated distractions can cause vehicle collisions. Such interventions might contribute to reducing the frequency of sudden illness-related vehicle collisions.
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PMID:Medication and Driving-Appropriate Interventions. 2825 Mar 26