Surface electromyography in patients with tension-type headache and normal healthy subjects.

Headache is one of the most common medical symptoms and tension - type headache is the most common form. Pericranial muscles have been invoked as a source of nociception among patients with tension - type headache. This study was performed to determine surface electromyography (EMG) as representative of the electrical activity of pericranial muscles in tension - type headache and normal subjects during rest and mental calculation. Surface EMG recordings were performed in 20 normal subjects (age 33.9 +/- 8.9 years) and 20 tension-type headache patients (34.5 +/- 9.4 years) using electroencephalograph during the initial rest period for 5 minutes, during mental calculation for 2 minutes and 3 minutes of the rest period. Surface EMG was scored as discharge score (DS) at the third, sixth and ninth minute. The DS at each minute studied showed that the headache group had higher electrical activity than the normal group and increased EMG activity during mental stress was found in the headache group.

Risk factors for dementia and impaired cognitive status in Thai elderly.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of physical and biochemical risk factors for dementia and cognitive status in an urban population based Thai elderly. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This study was part of an integrated health research project from 1997 to 1999. Subjects were 550 elders who lived in a community within 10 km from Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. They were 55 years and older. Thai mental state examination (TMSE) was applied to all subjects as the screening test for dementia. Those who scored less than or equal to 24 out of 30 were categorised as having cognitive impairment or suspected of having dementia, and they were then examined in detail for the diagnosis of dementia using the DSM IV criteria. Blood pressure and body weight were recorded. Blood was drawn for biochemical and haematological analysis including the serology for syphilis and thyroid function test as the basic screening investigation for dementia. Descriptive data, expressed as the mean, standard deviation, Pearson Chi square and ANOVA tests were analysed with SPSS 9.0 in the study. RESULTS: Of 550 subjects, 261 (47.45%) were classified as the normal subjects group, 49 (8.91%) as the cognitively impaired group, and 240 (43.82%) as the dementia group. 377 subjects (68.55%) were female and the distribution of females in each subgroup ranged from 63.3-75.5 per cent. The mean age in the normal group was 67.47 +/- 6.05 years, the cognitively impaired group was 70.14 years and the dementia group was 69.63 +/- 9.21 years. Systolic blood pressure (BP), diastolic BP, serum cholesterol, SGOT, GGT, serum albumin, haemoglobin, MCHC, neutrophil counts and weight were statistically significant factors that were associated with cognitive status. Both systolic and diastolic BP were high in the higher cognitive status group. Serum albumin, serum cholesterol levels and body weight were also higher in the high cognitive status group. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated an association between nutritional status and cognitive status in Thai elderly. Poorer nutritional factor in lower cognitive function individuals might explain a lower of both systolic and diastolic BP in the dementia subjects compared to the healthy subjects.

Experience of ApoE study in Thai elderly.

The association between ApoE E4 and dementia is reported in Alzheimer's disease and other dementia such as in multi-infarct dementia. OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between apolipoprotein E genotype (ApoE) and dementia in Thai elderly and patients to examine the alleles frequencies of ApoE in a Thai population. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Seventy-eight cases and ninety-four controls from a community based population were recruited. Their ages were all over 50 years. Dementia was diagnosed by DSM IV criteria. Blood was taken and stored for DNA extraction and for restriction enzyme analysis of ApoE genotype. Descriptive analysis and odds ratios from SPSS 9.0 program were used in this study. RESULTS: Alleles frequencies of ApoE E2, E, E4 in normal controls were 0.03, 0.80, 0.17 and alleles frequencies of ApoE E3, E4 in dementia subjects were 0.71 and 0.29, respectively. Odds ratios for dementia risk of apolipoprotein genes were as follows: 0.62 for ApoE E3 and 1.98 for ApoE E4. In this study, forty-two dementia subjects had Alzheimer's disease. Fifty nine point five per cent of Alzheimer's disease subjects carried ApoE E4 (positive predictive value is 0.60). CONCLUSION: Thai elderly carry ApoE genotype distribution similar to that reported in other ethnic groups. Bearing ApoE E4 gene increases the risk of developing dementia. The use of ApoE genotyping can only be a diagnostic adjunct for Alzheimer's disease.

Arsenic neuropathy.

Arsenic neuropathy in a young Thai male who accidentally drank a glass of arsenic solution was reported. Two hours after ingestion, he experienced nausea and vomiting. Ten days later, distal sensory loss and weakness developed. Symptoms and signs were progressive to the severity that the patient was functionally dependent. After five months on a rehabilitation programme, he regained functional independence although he still exhibited distal weakness.