Las disartrias / The dysarthrias

The dysarthrias are a group of motor alterations of the speech as consequence of a neurological impairment that represent the 54% of the total of disorders that impair oral communication. Several types of dysarthrias could be determined according to the location of the causing lesion, the neurological mechanisms implicated in its generation, and functional characteristics of the speech. Clinical evaluation of the dysarthrias should include the clinical history, physical examination and the motor assessment of the speech. Prognosis is determined by the etiology and severity of the disorder. The objective of the treatment is to satisfy daily communicational needs of the patient in consideration to the underlying neurological condition (AU)

Aspergilosis meningovascular: caso clínico / Meningovascular aspergillosis: case report

El diagnóstico precoz de la infección por Aspergillus del Sistema Nervioso Central (SNC) es un gran desafío, donde la sospecha clínica fundamentada es clave por la alta letalidad de la entidad aún con tratamiento oportuno. La importante dificultad diagnostica es favorecida por algunas características de la entidad: baja incidencia, compromiso de individuos inmunocomprometidos que presentan múltiples infecciones, manifestaciones neurológicas clínicas e imagenológicas inespecíficas y métodos diagnósticos etiológicos de resultados tardíos. Presentamos el caso de un paciente diabético y alcohólico, con aspergilosis meningovascular precedida en 8 meses por un foco fúngico pulmonar. La presentación clínica fue a la manera de una meningoencefalitis subaguda con: cefalea, vértigo, compromiso de lenguaje, hemiparesia, alteración de conciencia y crisis convulsiva. Se trato con Anfotericina B con recuperación clínica completa. En este artículo revisamos algunos aspectos del compromiso por Aspergillus del SNC: mecanismos patogénicos, formas clínicas, factores de riesgo, principales métodos diagnósticos y alternativas de tratamiento.

Mielopatía por déficit de vitamina B12: caracterización clínica de 11 casos / Subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord caused by vitamin B12 deficiency: report of 11 cases

Background: Subacute combined degeneration is a clinical manifestation of vitamin B12 deficiency, that we observe with unusual frequency. Aim: To report a series of eleven patients with subacute combined degeneration. Patients and methods: Retrospective analysis of 11 patients hospitalized in a public hospital in Santiago, between March 2001 and February 2003. All had a myelopathy of more than three weeks of evolution with serum vitamin B12 levels of less than 200 pg/ml. Results: A risk factor was identified in 10 cases and the most common was an age over 60 years old. The main presenting symptom was the presence of paresthesias. On admission, sphincter dysfunction, posterior column and pyramidal syndromes coexisted in nine patients. A level of sensitive deficit was detected in six. Ten patients had macrocytosis and eight were anemic. Serum vitamin B12 was measured in ten and in nine, it was below 200 pg/ml. The mean lapse between onset of symptoms and treatment was eight months. All received intramuscular vitamin B12 in doses on 1,000 to 10,000 IU/day. Sphincter dysfunction and propioception were the first symptoms to improve. Conclusions: Subacute combined degeneration must be suspected in patients older than 60 years with a subacute myelopathic syndrome and low serum vitamin B12 levels.

Caracterización clínica de 450 pacientes con enfermedad cerebrovascular ingresados a un hospital público durante 1997 / Retrospective analysis of 450 patients with cerebrovascular disease admitted to a public hospital during 1997

Background: In Chile, cerebrovascular diseases are the fifth cause of death among men and the third cause among women. Aim: To assess the clinical features and management of patients with cerebrovascular disease admitted to a public hospital during 1997. Patients and methods: A retrospective analysis of clinical records of patients discharged with a diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease. Those records in which there was discordance between the discharge diagnosis and the clinical picture were not considered in the analysis. Results: Of the 563 discharges from the hospital with the diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease, 487 records were located and 450 were considered in the analysis. Fifty four percent of patients were male and ages ranged from 17 to 96 years old...