[Effect of the sera of patients with multiple sclerosis on apoptosis and nitric oxide production of endothelial cells]

Multiple sclerosis [MS] is one of the chronic autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system with unknown etiology. The present study aimed to investigate the apoptosis and nitric oxide [NO] production of endothelial cells treated with serum of patients with MS and response to interferon beta [IFN- beta] therapy. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were treated with sera from patients with active MS [in relapse], MS in remission, or sera from healthy volunteers [each n = 10]. Nitric oxide [NO] levels were determined in culture supernatants by Greiss method and endothelial cell apoptosis was assessed by annexin V-propidium iodide staining. Effects of IFN-beta-1b on endothelial cell apoptosis and NO production were tested at increasing doses [10, 100, and 1000 U/ml]. Compared with healthy people, only apoptosis of endothelial cells treated with serum of patients with relapsing phase increased, P<0.01; while there was no significant difference between apoptosis of endothelial cells treated with serum of patients in remission phase and healthy controls. Apoptosis of endothelial cells treated with sera of patients in relapse was decreased by IFN-beta-1b at 10 U/ml, P<0.05. The same dose also led to a significant increase in nitric oxide production. The results suggest that endothelial cells injury and apoptosis may play a role in MS etiology and represents a potential therapeutic mechanism of action for IFN-beta-1b in MS therapy

[Catamenial epilepsy]

Epilepsy is one of the most common neuralgic disorders in clinical practice with a prevalence of 0.5-3 percent in general population general population, Among women seizures may occurs in relation to the menstrual cycle; such seizures are commonly termed as catmenial epilepsy. Although the existence of cat menial epilepsy was generally accepted uncertainty about its prevalence remains in horologic books prevalence of 15% is mentioned. The aim of this study was to evalvate of catmenial epilepsy in the women of childbearing age in Isfahan. This descriptive study was done between April 2003 to May 2004 in Isfahan. 356 women of childbearing age [15-45] with epilepsy recorded their seizures, the first and last day of their menstrual period for 6 consecutive modnths. Demographic findings, antiepileptic drugs and catmenial tenencies of their seizures were obtained and evaluated by spss version 10. 356 epileptic women were investigated in this study. 26 patients [7.3%] had catmenial epilepsy. The mean age of patients with catmenial epilepsy of was 25.46% 7.24%, 77% of them were between 21-40 years. The type seizure in cat menial patients was generalized tonic-colonic in 61.5%, myoclonic in 27% and focal epilepsy in 11.5%.73% of the with catmenial seizures use more than one antiepileptic drugs. Significant rate of catmenial seizures in women with epilepsy so hormonal therapy may be helpful for such patients. The majority of occur with catmenial seizures use more than one antiepileptic drugs, and more frequent attacks, so they are at grater risk and they need more attention to control their seizures

preventive role of topical timolol in treatment of migraine headaches

There are many various hypotheses about pathophysiology of migraine headaches. One of them is autonomic nervous system disturbance, but the exact location of the disturbance is not well known. Since most of migraine attacks are accompanied with a retro-orbital pain, we assessed the efficacy and safety of topical Timolol on blockage of beta

Relationship between cerebral vein thrombosis and non-anticardiolipin antiphospholipid antibodies

Background: anticardiolipin antibody [aCL] has been recognized as a marker for increased risk of Cerebral Vein Thrombosis [CVT]. However, there are only rare reports on CVT associated with other antibodies against different phospholipids such as phosphatidyl inositol, phosphatidyl serine, phosphatidic acid and beta 2 glycoprotein I. In this study, we studied the presence of these antiphospholipid antibodies [aPL], demographic and clinical characteristics in 30 patients with CVT

Methods: after diagnosis of CVT in 30 patients with MRI, we measured the titer of aCL and aPL [IgM and IgG] in all cases. The titers of IgG and IgM type of aPL and aCL were estimated in the sera

Results: anticardiolipin antibody was solely detected in 20% [n=6] and aCL and other aPL in 23.3% [ n=7] of patients, indicating one patient positive for other aPL but not for aCL [non-aCL]. Although the aPL positive group did not differ from the aPL-negative group from the stand point of clinical and demographic characteristics, yet seizure, infarct, superficial veins and sinus involvement and the use of OCP were seen more frequently in aPL-positive group

Conclusion: our findings suggest that in addition to aCL, other antiphospholipid antibodies may be an associated condition that plays a role in the pathogenesis of CVT. The presence of aPL in CVT patients is probably associated with more superficial sinus or veins involvement and as a result death rate was lower in aPL- positive group. Further investigations are necessary to establish this hypothesis

Epilepsy in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Background: regarding the unexpected frequency of epilepsy in patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy [DMD], this study was conducted to assess the impression of Duchenne - related epilepsy

Methods: after definite diagnosis of DMD in 57 children attended to neurology clinics, a questionnaire including demographic variables and data related to symptom presentations was completed for each one. If history of epilepsy was present, complementary information on the background of epilepsy [based on history taking and Paraclinical data] was obtained

Results: among 54 patients with DMD, seven cases [12.3%] had the history of epilepsy versus 0.4 - 0.5% in general population [p<0.001]. Known causes of epilepsy were ruled out in these patients. From 7 patients with epilepsy, 6 cases had mild mental retardation and one of them had normal mental status

Conclusion: our data suggests that epilepsy may be a rare associated feature of DMD. Absence of dystrophin in the central nervous system [CNS] may cause suppression of inhibitory synapses in cortex and hypocampus which in turn brings epileptic foci into play