ABSTRACT
The occurrence during the last year of vestibular disorders, faints and drop attacks was investigated in 150 patients consecutively admitted to a geriatric hospital. The clinical features of these episodes were recorded by means of a proper questionnaire. True vertigo and/or feeling of unstable equilibrium were referred by 54,6% of the patients inquired into, whereas episodes interpretable as faints and drop attacks showed by far lower prevalences, respectively 13,3% and 6%. The Authors call attention to the difficulties in differential diagnosis among these three kinds of phenomena in the current practice.
Subject(s)
Cognition Disorders/etiology , Consciousness Disorders/etiology , Labyrinth Diseases/diagnosis , Vestibule, Labyrinth , Aged , Female , Humans , Labyrinth Diseases/complications , Male , Middle Aged , Syncope/etiology , Vertigo/etiologyABSTRACT
THe records of 78 young adults, who had suffered cerebral infarction, were reviewed with regard to possible pathogenetic mechanisms. Atherosclerosis risk factors appeared to play a major role between the age of 40 and 50, especially in males. Non atherosclerotic factors of cerebral ischemia were found predominant among females under 40, owing to contribution of migraine, oral contraceptive use and pregnancy/puerperium. In 18% of the patients no etiology could be identified.
Subject(s)
Arteriosclerosis/complications , Cerebral Infarction/etiology , Adult , Coronary Disease/complications , Diabetes Complications , Female , Humans , Hypercholesterolemia/complications , Hypertension/complications , Male , Middle Aged , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications , Retrospective Studies , Risk , Smoking , Spondylitis, Ankylosing/complications , Vascular Diseases/complicationsABSTRACT
110 elderly patients, 57 with and 53 without acquired neurological lesions, were examined for the presence of the grasping, snout, sucking, palmomental, glabellar and bulldog reflexes. The results were statistically analyzed by means of the chi2 method. The percentages of the positive reflex responses, although not negligible in the neurologically healthy patients, turned out far higher in the patients with organic cerebral disorders. With the exception of the sucking and palmomental reflexes, these differences appeared statistically significant. As for the neurological diagnosis, diffuse lesions proved themselves more crucial than focal ones. The conclusion is drawn that primitive reflexes should be regarded abnormal only in the context of an overt cerebral pathology.
