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Query: UMLS:C0036572 (seizures)
 80,221 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

To investigate the possible etiologic factors of late onset seizures of unknown origin, 50 consecutive patients whose seizures started after age 50 and who had a normal CT, were screened. The seizures in this group were generalized in 70% and infrequent. The hypothesis that late-onset seizures of unknown origin were frequently due to microinfarcts, was evaluated by comparing the frequency of arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, carotid bruits, diabetes mellitus and smoking in these patients with appropriate control groups. The results showed that the frequencies of these cardiovascular risk factors were similar to those of sex and age-matched controls and much lower than in a comparable series of patients whose seizures followed a stroke, or patients with stroke but not seizures. These data suggest that subclinical cerebrovascular disease is probably not a frequent etiology of late-onset epilepsy of unknown origin. The cause of these seizures remains to be elucidated.
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PMID:Seizures of unknown origin after the age of 50: vascular risk factors. 223 42

Transfusion of homologous blood components is associated with immunological (incompatibility, alloimmunization, immunosuppression) and infectious risks (hepatitis, cytomegalovirus, HIV and other agents). Endoprosthetic surgery of the hip and knee frequently requires transfusion. Preoperative deposit of autologous blood can reduce homologous transfusion requirements. The simplest method is liquid storage of whole blood. In order to re-examine the efficiency of our present scheme of preoperative deposit, we studied patients scheduled for endoprosthetic surgery with respect to the amount of blood deposited, stimulation of erythropoiesis, and homologous blood requirements at the time of operation. PATIENTS AND METHODS. Sixty-seven consecutive patients (33 men, 34 women) scheduled for endoprosthetic replacement of hip or knee or for revision arthroplasty of the hip were studied. Patients with anemia, coagulopathies, coronary heart disease, severe obstructive or restrictive pulmonary disease, cerebral sclerosis, syncopes and seizures were excluded from preoperative deposit. Patients deposited 450 ml at weekly intervals, with occasionally slightly higher or lower volumes. A patient was temporarily deferred when the hemoglobin concentration prior to donation fell below 11 g/dl. Blood was collected in CPDA-1 buffer. The aim was a deposit of three units. In patients undergoing exchange reoperation of a total hip arthroplasty, intra- and postoperative autotransfusion with a cell separator was employed in addition to preoperative donation. RESULTS. The age of the patients ranged from 43 to 83 years (mean +/- SD: 61.2 +/- 9.1). The differences between men and women with respect to height (172.9 +/- 6.8 vs 160.6 +/- 7.4 cm; p less than or equal to 0.001), weight (75.7 +/- 11.2 vs 69.1 +/- 11.0 kg; p less than or equal to 0.05), calculated blood volume (p less than or equal to 0.001), and erythrocyte volume prior to donation (p less than or equal to 0.001) were significant. A total of 185 units was deposited. Men donated 1350 (450-1970) ml blood (median, range) and women 1260 (340-1450) ml (p less than or equal to 0.01). Hemoglobin concentrations decreased significantly from an average of 14.7 g/dl in men and 13.8 g/dl in women prior to donation to 13.4 g/dl and 12.3 g/dl preoperatively (p less than or equal to 0.0001 for both groups). The donation was not associated with serious complications. For 4 patients the scheduled operation was deferred for a longer term. Forty-six patients (23 men, 23 women) underwent total hip arthroplasty, 12 (4 men, 8 women) exchange of total hip arthroplasty, and 5 (3 men, 2 women) endoprosthetic knee surgery. In total hip arthroplasty men required 0 to 500 ml homologous packed red cells (median=0), women 0 to 1250 ml (median=0;p less than or equal to 0.05). Thirty-nine (69.6%) of the patients, 19 (82.6%) men and 13 (56.5%) women, did not require homologous transfusion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:[Preoperative autologous blood deposit and liquid storage for replacement arthroplasty]. 258 31

Based on prospective epidemiological studies, tentative conclusions concerning the place of occlusive peripheral artery disease ( OPAD ) in general practice are presented. For men aged 35-64 the 5-year incidence of OPAD was found to be 76%, i.e. 3 times higher than that of intermittent claudication. In a high percentage of cases new occurrences of OPAD were predictable by the risk profile at entry. Men with 3 risk factors had an incidence of 114% compared to 20% in those free of risk at entry. A comparative 11-year follow-up of 273 men with OPAD and 273 age-matched, randomly selected controls without OPAD , revealed a moderate incidence of local complications (3% amputations) but an impressive excess mortality of 33% vs 11%, mainly due to coronary heart disease. The high correlation between the risk profile on the one hand and morbidity/mortality on the other emphasizes the need for action against risk factors. The efficacy of measures for the improvement of the risk profile and the reduction of cardiovascular mortality is discussed on the basis of the so-called " Mister Fit Study".
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PMID:[The importance of peripheral-arterial occlusive diseases in medical practice. Conclusions from the Basel study]. 667 32

An examination has been carried out of 46 patients (33 females, 13 males, a mean age 40) with Sneddon's syndrome characterized by cerebrovascular disturbances and marked livedo. A clinical spectrum of the syndrome included miscarriage and intrauterine death of the fetus (20 cases), peripheral vein thromboses (12 cases), coronary heart disease (18 cases), thrombocytopenia (8 cases), arterial hypertension (27 cases), headache (39 cases), epileptic seizures (5 cases). Similar manifestations are usually seen in antiphospholipid syndrome (AFLS). Antibodies to phospholipids, those to cardiolipin, lupus anticoagulant were detectable in 78, 50 and 61% of the cases, respectively. Clinical and immunological signs of AFLS in the absence of SLE-typical symptoms provided grounds for considering them primary AFLS. Similar clinical patterns in 36 patients with cardiolipin antibodies and/or lupus anticoagulant and 10 patients without the antibodies and anticoagulant suggest these cases to be AFLS too.
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PMID:[Sneddon's syndrome and the primary antiphospholipid syndrome]. 805 89

The use of dobutamine stress echocardiography for the evaluation of coronary artery disease is rapidly expanding. Despite its widespread use, the feasibility and safety of dobutamine stress echocardiography has not been sufficiently documented. Between November 1992 and June 1995, we performed 1000 dobutamine stress echocardiographies. There were 744 men and 256 women with a mean age of 59 +/- 11 years. Anti anginal medication was not routinely withdrawn before the test. The mean maximal dobutamine dose was 41,4 +/- 10 mu g/kg center dot min(-1). Atropine was given additionally in 440 patients, with a mean dose of 0.5 mg. In patients receiving beta-blockers additional atropine was more often necessary as compared to those not receiving beta-blockers (278/457 = 61% versus 162/543 = 30 %, p < 0.0001). Reasons for discontinuing dobutamine infusion were achievement of target heart rate (64 % of cases) and maximal dose (12 % of cases). In 791 (79,1 %) patients no side-effects of dobutamine stress echocardiography were noticed. Termination of the study because of adverse side-effects occurred in 6.6 %. A total of 103 (10,3 %) noncardiac side-effects were observed: dizziness or nausea 6.4 %, headache 1.7 %. In one patient a focal cerebral seizure occurred. 156 cardiac side-effects occurred: blood pressure decrease of more than 20 mm Hg in 25 patients, extreme palpitations in 16 patients and pulmonary edema in one case. Most common cardiac side-effects consisted of arrhythmias (11.4 %): 9.1 % ventricular and 2.3 % supraventricular arrhythmias. Most ventricular arrhythmias were less severe (uniform and multiform premature ventricular beats, ventricular bigeminy or couplets in 71 patients). Nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, with a maximum duration of 20 s, occurred in 18 patients. In one patient sustained ventricular tachycardia developed and progressed towards ventricular fibrillation. This patient could be successfully defibrillated. Supraventricular arrhythmias presented as new atrial fibrillation in 10 patients, supraventricular tachycardia in three patients, junctional rhythm with a short decline in heart rate in nine patients and a second-degree AV block in another case. Dobutamine stress echocardiography has proven to be a safe and feasible method in the diagnosis of coronary heart disease. Minor side-effects are common and sometimes unpleasant for the patient, but do not often require termination of the study. Severe side-effects are seldom (< 1 %), but nevertheless, adequate medical and technical (defibrillator) support should be rapidly available.
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PMID:[Feasibility and safety of dobutamine stress echocardiography: experiences with 1,000 studies]. 871 45

The use of quality of life (QOL) measures in epilepsy research is relatively recent compared with that in other chronic conditions such as coronary heart disease and diabetes. However, in recent years much research has been undertaken to develop and validate QOL measures for use in various groups of people with epilepsy, including children, the elderly, and newly diagnosed patients. QOL measures are now available for use in both clinical trials and primary care. The Liverpool Group is one of the leading research teams in this field and is probably best known for developing the Liverpool Seizure Severity Scale. However, the group has also developed a number of other QOL measures, with an emphasis on keeping the measures appropriate, practical, and responsive, and always considering the burden to patients. This review describes some of the measures the Liverpool Group has developed, outlines their application in clinical trials of a number of aspects of antiepileptic drugs, and details the importance of some of the findings. The diversity of the group's approach and of its involvement in assessing the QOL of people with epilepsy are emphasized.
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PMID:Quality of life and epilepsy: the Liverpool experience. 958 9

High physical fitness and physical activity are associated with favourable lipid levels, especially a high level of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). A person's skeletal muscle properties, metabolism and percentage of different muscle fibres (ST-%), which may modify coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors, such as serum insulin, obesity and serum sex hormones may also influence his fitness level and leisure-time physical activity. We studied the associations of physical fitness, physical activity and ST-% with serum lipids and lipoproteins in 72 healthy men. Their parameters were compared with those of 20 men with defined CHD. Significant interrelationships between ST-%, fitness and leisure-time physical activity index (LTPAI) were observed. Multiple regression analysis showed that ST-%, fitness and leisure-time physical activity explained about 32% of the variation in HDL-C in the healthy men. In healthy men ST-% correlated positively with fitness (r(s) = 0.62, P < 0.001) and with LTPAI (r(s) = 0.62, P < 0.001). Fitness level also correlated significantly with LTPAI (r(s) = 0.81, P < 0.001). Serum insulin showed negative associations with ST-% (r(s) = -0.63, P < 0.001) and fitness (r(s) = -0.54, P < 0.001) and LTPAI (r(s) = -0.62, P < 0.001). Free fraction of testosterone correlated negatively with serum HDL-C level (r(s) = -0.34, P < 0.01), with fitness (r(s) = -0.41, P < 0.001) and with LTPAI (r(s) = -0.54, P < 0.001). In sedentary men with the lowest fitness and physical activity the mean of ST-% (45%) was similar to that in CHD patients (44%). However, ST-% in men in the highest tertile of physical activity and fitness (68%) was significantly higher than in CHD patients and in men in the lowest tertile of physical activity and fitness. Skeletal muscle enzyme activity in lipid metabolism was significantly lower in both CHD patients and in sedentary and low-fit men than that in fitter and physically active men. The present data imply that skeletal muscle properties are important determinants of risk profiles, such as physical activity, fitness and serum lipid and lipoprotein patterns. Although fitness is a graded, independent predictor of mortality from CHD, a relatively high fitness level is not enough. This was clearly observed in the clustering analysis, in which the healthy men, according to their ST-%, fitness, leisure-time physical activity and serum sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), fell into three natural groups: (i) Inactive men with lowest ST-% (mean 42%), lowest fitness (10.7 METs) and lowest HDL-C (1.36 mm/l); (ii) Fit men with high ST-% (66%), high fitness (14.5 METs) and moderately high HDL-C (1.54 mol/l); (iii) Active men with high ST-% (66%), highest fitness (14.9 METs) and highest serum HDL (1.83 mmol/l). The results support the idea that both fitness and physical activity give further protection against CHD by modifying risk factors. Our findings also suggest that skeletal muscle properties should be considered in the studies which assess CHD risk factors and their modifications especially in the field of health-related fitness.
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PMID:Associations between skeletal muscle properties, physical fitness, physical activity and coronary heart disease risk factors in men. 962 81

The recent developments in the management of spinal cord injury (SCI) have led to a reduction in mortality and in the consequences, resulting from incomplete spinal cord damage in those who survive. In this respect, it is noteworthy that SCI not only results in paraplegia or tetraplegia, but also in systemic, cardiovascular and metabolic alterations secondary to autonomic dysfunction. After SCI there is a decrease in sympathetic discharge and an increase in parasympathetic drive, resulting in profound changes in arterial blood pressure and heart rate. When SCI is induced in experimental animals, an immediate hypotension occurs (acute phase) which has been attributed to an autonomic imbalance involving a predominance of parasympathetic activity. Subsequently, an episodic hypertension may develop (chronic phase) as a part of a condition denominated autonomic dysreflexia. This hypertension is caused by afferent stimulation below the level of injury and can be so severe that sometimes may lead to cerebral haemorrhage, seizures, and death. In the light of the above lines of evidence, experimental SCI may provide an ideal model to study the nature of cardiovascular mechanisms following traumatic injury. Thus, the present review will deal with an update of the possible cardiovascular complications associated to SCI (including spinal shock, autonomic dysreflexia, deep venous thrombosis, and risk for coronary heart disease). This will be discussed within the context of the development of drugs with potential therapeutic usefulness in the acute and chronic stages of SCI.
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PMID:Cardiovascular alterations after spinal cord injury: an overview. 1532 Jul 96

We evaluated the serum levels of lipids, lipoproteins, apolipoproteins, along with a number of minerals and trace elements such as Ca, Mg, Cu and Zn in a group of children after 6 months of valproic acid monotherapy. Thirty patients with seizures, mean age, 9.8+/-2.6 years and 79 healthy children (controls), mean age, 10.9+/-3.2 years, formed the two styd groups. The patient group was treated with valproic acid (27.9+/-14.8 mg/kg/24 hr). Patients underwent clinical and laboratory evaluations including liver function tests, NH3, lipid, mineral and selected trace element levels before and after six months on valproic acid treatment, whereas controls only one evaluation. Liver function data and NH3 levels were found to be elevated in the group of patients, whereas albumin level was reduced. Triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-C, apolipoprotein (ApoA)-1, Apo B and Ca concentrations were found relative to control values, LDL-C, VLDL-C, Mg, Cu, Zn, were measured significantly altered (P<0.0001) compared to controls. The ratios ApoA-1/ApoB, HDL-C/ApoA-1, LDL-C/Apo B, which were closely related to the size of LDL particles, where correlated with Zn/Cu (P<0.001). Serum lipid profile, especially LDL size, indirectly evaluated for the first time and metal levels were found to be significantly changed, after six months on valproic acid monotherapy, suggesting a possible risk of developing coronary heart disease. Since valproic acid is a long-term treatment, it could be recommended that the incorporation of measurements of lipids, lipoproteins, apolipoproteins and trace elements in the "follow up" laboratory testing could be a preventive measure.
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PMID:Lipids, lipoproteins, apolipoproteins, selected trace elements and minerals in the serum of children on valproic acid monotherapy. 1670 Aug 24

We report a case of a 52-year-old female patient with known cerebral cavernomas and acute headache. A cranial CT scan excluded an intracranial bleeding. Cavernomas are rare vascular malformations of the venous blood system (synon. cavernous angiomas) with a slow blood flow. Clinical manifestation is presented between an age of 30-50 years with mostly unspecific neurological symptoms like headache, nausea, vomiting and dizziness, but also epileptic seizures and bleedings may occur. In general, therapy is symptomatic. In cases of seizures, however, anticonvulsive treatment is indicated. Operation can be discussed for peripheral localized cavernomas with bleeding or for refractory seizures. If antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapy is necessary due to other diseases (coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, thrombosis, pulmonary embolism), cerebral cavernomas are not considered as an absolute contraindication. The risk for an ischemic stroke under atrial fibrillation (5-20%), for example, is higher than the risk for bleeding of a cerebral cavernoma under anticoagulation therapy.
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PMID:[Acute headache in a case of cerebral cavernomas]. 1757 33


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