Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0042963 (vomiting)
 31,883 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The clinical and pathologic features of 15 new cases of the uncommon primary or granulomatous angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) are described. To date, only 108 such cases have been reported in the English literature. Clinically, most PACNS patients have been young or middle-aged (mean age, 45 years; range, 3 to 96 years), with men outnumbering women slightly by a ratio of 4 to 3. The most frequent presenting complaints are headache, weakness, and confusion; less common complaints are aphasia, dysphasia, nausea or vomiting, loss of memory, and seizure disorder. There is usually no evidence of a systemic disease; the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is almost invariably normal, and there are no diagnostic laboratory tests. The cerebral angiogram usually shows multifocal, segmental stenosis or irregularity of small and medium-sized leptomeningeal and intracranial blood vessels, often with a beading or aneurysmal appearance, and alterations in blood flow in the affected regions. Anatomically, the angiitis is focal and segmental in distribution. An isolated negative biopsy, therefore, does not rule out the disease. Histologically, PACNS may be granulomatous, necrotizing, or lymphocytic in character, and mixed morphologic types often occur. Large- and small-vessel thrombosis is common. Acute lesions frequently coexist with healing or healed lesions. Involvement of extracranial blood vessels occurs only rarely. Past or current herpes zoster infection and Hodgkin's lymphoma are the most noteworthy clinical associations of PACNS, but whether they are causally related remains uncertain.
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PMID:Primary (granulomatous) angiitis of the central nervous system: a clinicopathologic analysis of 15 new cases and a review of the literature. 174 Mar

In Canada in late 1987 there was an outbreak of an acute illness characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms and unusual neurologic abnormalities among persons who had eaten cultivated mussels. Health departments in Canada solicited reports of this newly recognized illness. A case was defined as the occurrence of gastrointestinal symptoms within 24 hours or of neurologic symptoms within 48 hours of the ingestion of mussels. From the more than 250 reports received, 107 patients met the case definition. The most common symptoms were vomiting (in 76 percent of the patients), abdominal cramps (50 percent), diarrhea (42 percent), headache, often described as incapacitating (43 percent), and loss of short-term memory (25 percent). Nineteen patients were hospitalized, of whom 12 required intensive care because of seizures, coma, profuse respiratory secretions, or unstable blood pressure. Male sex and increasing age were associated independently with the risks of hospitalization and memory loss. Three patients died. Mussels associated with this illness were traced to cultivation beds in three river estuaries on the eastern coast of Prince Edward Island. Domoic acid, which can act as an excitatory neurotransmitter, was identified in mussels left uneaten by the patients and in mussels sampled from these estuaries. The source of the domoic acid appears to have been a form of marine vegetation, Nitzschia pungens, also identified in these waters in late 1987. The contaminated mussels from Prince Edward Island were removed from the market, and no new cases have occurred since December 1987. We conclude that the cause of this outbreak of a novel and severe intoxication was the ingestion of mussels contaminated by domoic acid, a potent excitatory neurotransmitter.
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PMID:An outbreak of toxic encephalopathy caused by eating mussels contaminated with domoic acid. 207 68

A neuropsychiatric syndrome developed in four patients 2 1/2-9 months after gastric partition for morbid obesity. Since the partition, all four patients had recurrent severe vomiting with severe weight loss (52 to 100 lb) and they had not had vitamin supplementation. Two patients had peripheral neuropathy along with confusion and memory loss of recent events. The other two had peripheral neuropathy alone. Vitamin B complex replacement was especially helpful in the management of these patients. Peripheral neuropathy completely resolved in one of the patients, whereas the other three patients were left with residual weakness in their extremities and two had recent memory loss. Awareness of this complication may result in early recognition and treatment in the postgastric partition patient.
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PMID:Neuropsychiatric syndromes after gastric partition. 630 87

A case of Wernicke's encephalopathy with ataxia, confusion, memory loss, partial seizures of complex behavior and hypothermia, subsequent to thiamine depletion due to chronic malnourishment and triggered by an episode of acute vomiting and diarrhea, is reported, Computerized tomography (CT-scan) depicted small bilateral lesions in areas adjacent to the walls of the third ventricle, common location of the lesions seen in autopsy material of Wernicke's encephalopathy. Early diagnosis and treatment with vitamin B complex supplemented with intensive mnemonic and cognitive therapy led to complete recovery in a ten day period.
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PMID:Wernicke's encephalopathy. A case report with neurophysiologic and CT-scan studies. 686 52

The estuarine dinoflagellate Pfiesteria piscicida gen. et sp. nov. produces exotoxin(s) that can be absorbed from water or fine aerosols. Culture filtrate (0.22 microns porosity filters, > 250 toxic flagellated cells/ml) induces formation of open ulcerative sores, hemorrhaging, and death of finfish and shellfish. Human exposure to aerosols from ichthyotoxic cultures (> or = 2000 cells/ml) has been associated with narcosis, respiratory distress with asthma-like symptoms, severe stomach cramping, nausea, vomiting, and eye irritation with reddening and blurred vision (hours to days); autonomic nervous system dysfunction [localized sweating, erratic heart beat (weeks)]; central nervous system dysfunction [sudden rages and personality change (hours to days), and reversible cognitive impairment and short-term memory loss (weeks)]; and chronic effects including asthma-like symptoms, exercise fatigue, and sensory symptoms (tingling or numbness in lips, hands, and feet; months to years). Elevated hepatic enzyme levels and high phosphorus excretion in one human exposure suggested hepatic and renal dysfunction (weeks); easy infection and low counts of several T-cell types may indicate immune system suppression (months to years). Pfiesteria piscicida is euryhaline and eurythermal, and in bioassays a nontoxic flagellated stage has increased under P enrichment (> or = 100 micrograms SRP/L), suggesting a stimulatory role of nutrients. Pfiesteria-like dinoflagellates have been tracked to fish kill sites in eutrophic estuaries from Delaware Bay through the Gulf Coast. Our data point to a critical need to characterize their chronic effects on human health as well as fish recruitment, disease resistance, and survival.
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PMID:Insidious effects of a toxic estuarine dinoflagellate on fish survival and human health. 852 74

Fabry's disease (FD) is a rare, sex-linked disorder resulting from alpha-galactosidase deficiency. Cerebrovascular complications have been reported in the literature but have not been systematically analyzed. We report 2 patients and review 51 previously reported cases (descriptive meta-analysis) to clarify the clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features. The average age at onset of cerebrovascular symptoms was 33.8 years for hemizygous individuals (n = 43) and 40.3 years of heterozygotes (n = 10). The most frequent symptoms and signs were as follows (in descending order of frequency): hemiparesis, vertigo/dizziness, diplopia, dysarthria, nystagmus, nausea/vomiting, head pain, hemiataxia, and ataxia of gait, in the hemizygote group; and memory loss, dizziness, ataxia, hemiparesis, loss of consciousness and hemisensory symptoms, in the heterozygote group. The vertebrobasilar circulation was symptomatic in 67% of the hemizygotes and 60% of the heterozygotes. Intracerebral hemorrhage was found in 4 patients (3 hemizygotes and 1 heterozygote). Elongated, ectatic, tortuous vertebral and basilar arteries were the most common angiographic and pathologic features. For the hemizygotes, the recurrence rate for cerebrovascular disease was 76% and the death rate was 55%; 86% of the heterozygotes had recurrent cerebrovascular event(s) and 40% died. The cerebrovascular manifestations of FD, in both hemizygotes and heterozygotes, are predominantly due to dilative arteriopathy of the vertebrobasilar circulation, frequently recur, and portend a poor prognosis.
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PMID:Cerebrovascular complications of Fabry's disease. 868 96

Alzheimer's disease is, in part, characterised by the loss of neurones in the basal forebrain cholinergic cells that project to the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. These impairments have correlated with the memory loss noted in dementia of the Alzheimer's type. This 'cholinergic hypothesis' has led to the rational design of drugs to enhance or stimulate acetylcholine-mediated neurotransmission. Early acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, such as tacrine and physostigmine, are poorly tolerated and have a short duration of action. Rivastigmine is a centrally-selective acetylcholinesterase inhibitor with a relatively long duration of action and is a 'pseudo-irreversible' cholinesterase inhibitor due to slow dissociation of a carbamoyl derivative from the esteratic site of acetylcholinesterase. Preclinical studies confirmed the central selectivity of the drug and its distribution into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Early studies demonstrated that rivastigmine improved cognition and was relatively well-tolerated at moderate doses. Clinical investigations of rivastigmine administered at doses of 6 - 12 mg/day significantly improved cognition, as measured by the ADAS-Cog score, and activities of daily living, as measured by the Progressive Deterioration Scale. Significant global improvements were also noted as measured by the Clinician's Interview Based Impression of Change that required the use of caregiver information. The most frequent adverse effects noted in clinical trials were consistent with peripheral cholinergic stimulation and included nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness and diarrhoea. These effects were dose-related and minimised by slow dose-escalation upon initiation of therapy. Rivastigmine undergoes minimal metabolism by the cytochrome P450 system. As a result, it has few drug interactions. The drug is currently marketed widely in over 60 countries worldwide. In the United States, the drug received 'approvable' status subsequent to the NDA filing, and should be available later this year.
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PMID:Rivastigmine, a brain-region selective acetylcholinesterase inhibitor for treating Alzheimer's disease: review and current status. 1113 19

A case of disseminated Langerhans cell histiocytosis with resistant central nervous system (CNS) disease in an adolescent is described. The child presented with visible cranial lesions, emesis, headaches, and short-term memory loss. Diagnostic evaluation revealed multiple osseous lesions in the cranium, ribs, vertebral bodies, and pelvis. The clinical course with complications and response to each therapy are sequentially reviewed. Remission, as evidenced clinically and by magnetic resonance imaging, was ultimately accomplished with 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CDA). The full course of 2-CDA was not tolerated due to bone marrow suppression. CNS histiocytosis is known to be resistant to therapy. Earlier introduction of 2-CDA for CNS disease might offer more successful treatment with less toxicity than seen in patient.
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PMID:Langerhans cell histiocytosis: central nervous system involvement treated successfully with 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine. 1129 88

Beri-Beri is caused by vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency. Thiamine is essential for carbohydrate metabolism and the generation of energy. Depending on age and calorie intake, 1-1.5mg/day are required with a 50% increase during pregnancy and lactation. Fever and increased muscular activity will also increase thiamine requirements (storage in muscles is limited, and reserves are quickly depleted). The sources of thiamine are meat, the outer layer of cereal grains and pulses, nuts, and leafy vegetables. The vitamin is lost during milling and processing and during excessive cooking. Beri-beri takes 2 forms: wet beri-beri which has a high output biventricular failure with edema associated with profound peripheral vasodilation and tachycardia (this also occurs in an acute fulminating form known as shoshin beri-beri) and dry beri-beri with symptoms of peripheral neuropathy with taxia, weakness, paraesthesia, and patchy sensory loss with areflexia. In this form, foot and/or wrist drop may occur. Thiamine deficiency can also produce Wernicke-Korsakoff psychosis characterized by vomiting, horizontal nystagmus, ophthalmoplegia, memory loss, and confabulation. Wet beri-beri is a medical emergency treated by intravenous administration of thiamine for several days. 38 patients (27 men and 11 women) were identified with beri-beri in urban Banjul in the Gambia. 14 had wet beri-beri, 11 a mixed presentation, and 13 dry beri-beri. Most of the patients were disabled for many months. Risk factors were pregnancy, alcohol consumption, fever, exercise, diabetes, and dysentery. 4 of the patients died (2 were in the last trimester of pregnancy). The staple diet in urban areas of the Gambia is imported, polished white rice in a groundnut- or oil-based sauce with fish and vegetables such as peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Meat is too expensive for the urban poor, and fruit and vegetable consumption is highly seasonal and income-dependent. There is little chance that this diet will be changed for the 46% of the population who live in urban areas. It is likely that a substantial proportion of the population has subclinical thiamine deficiency and are at risk of beri-beri. Since thiamine added to imported rice will be destroyed by traditional means of cooking, adding the vitamin to wheat flour may be an appropriate public health measure.
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PMID:Beri-beri: "Endemic amongst urban Gambians". 1231 72

There is increasing evidence of permanent sequalae from acute organophosphate poisoning. We report on accidental diazinon overexposure with acute organophosphate poisoning through cutaneous absorption and inhalation followed by persistent neurological effects. In addition, we observed skeletal and endocrine effects likely attributable to the diazinon poisoning. A family of seven was exposed to diazinon in June 1999 over a two-day period. The pesticide company mistakenly used diazinon to heavily spray the inside of the home instead of permethrin. The applicator applied the pesticide over the entire surface of the floor, carpeting, furniture, and clothing in closets to eradicate an infestation of fleas. Acute symptoms in the family members included headaches, nausea, skin irritation, runny nose, and vomiting. The family was first evaluated at 3 months and then 3 years after the acute poisoning. There were persisting neurological symptoms of memory loss, decreased concentration, irritability, and personality changes of varying degrees in all family members. Objective neurological findings of impaired balance, reaction time, color vision, slotted pegboards and trials making were present in the three older children who could be tested. Neuropsychological evaluation revealed evidence of organic brain dysfunction in all seven family members. Bone growth difficulties are present in four of five children. One child has delayed menarche.
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PMID:Health effects of diazinon on a family. 1546 49


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