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1.
J Neurol Sci ; 432: 120081, 2022 Jan 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34920158

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Patients with stroke secondary to occlusions of the anterior cerebral artery (ACA) often have poor outcomes. The optimal acute therapeutic intervention for these patients remains unknown. METHODS: Patients with isolated ACA-stroke were identified from 10 centers participating in the EndoVascular treatment And ThRombolysis in Ischemic Stroke Patients (EVATRISP) prospective registry. Patients treated with endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) were compared to those treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (OR; 95%CI) were calculated using multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: Included were 92 patients with ACA-stroke. Of the 92 ACA patients, 55 (60%) were treated with IVT only and 37 (40%) with EVT (±bridging IVT). ACA patients treated with EVT had more often wake-up stroke (24% vs. 6%, p = 0.044) and proximal ACA occlusions (43% vs. 24%, p = 0.047) and tended to have higher stroke severity on admission [NIHSS: 10.0 vs 7.0, p = 0.054). However, odds for favorable outcome, mortality or symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage did not differ significantly between both groups. Exploration of the effect of clot location inside the ACA showed that in patients with A1 or A2/A3 ACA occlusions the chances of favorable outcome were not influenced by treatment allocation to IVT or EVT. DISCUSSION: Treatment with either IVT or EVT could be safe with similar effect in patients with ACA-strokes and these effects may be independent of clot location within the occluded ACA.


Subject(s)
Brain Ischemia , Endovascular Procedures , Stroke , Brain Ischemia/complications , Brain Ischemia/drug therapy , Cohort Studies , Fibrinolytic Agents/therapeutic use , Humans , Reperfusion , Stroke/drug therapy , Thrombectomy , Thrombolytic Therapy , Treatment Outcome
2.
Int Endod J ; 51(6): 593-604, 2018 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29315650

ABSTRACT

AIM: To investigate whether apical periodontitis lesions infected by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) exhibit higher levels of oxidative stress biomarkers [8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG)] and bone resorption regulators [receptor activator of nuclear factor (NF-κB) ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG)] compared to EBV-negative periapical lesions and healthy pulp tissues. METHODOLOGY: The experimental group consisted of 30 EBV-positive and 30 EBV-negative periapical lesions collected in conjunction with apicoectomy. The pulp tissues of 20 impacted third molars were used as healthy controls. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of EBV was performed by nested and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), respectively. The levels of RANKL and OPG were analysed by reverse transcriptase real-time PCR. The levels of 8-OHdG and GSSG were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Mann-Whitney U-test and Spearman's correlation were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The levels of RANKL, OPG, 8-OHdG and GSSG were significantly higher in apical periodontitis lesions compared to healthy pulp controls (P = 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). RANKL and OPG mRNA expression was significantly higher in EBV-positive compared to EBV-negative periapical lesions (P < 0.05). There was no significant correlation between EBV copy numbers and levels of RANKL, OPG, 8OH-dG and GSSG in apical periodontitis. CONCLUSION: Levels of bone resorption regulators and oxidative stress biomarkers were increased in apical periodontitis compared to healthy pulp tissues. EBV-positive periapical lesions exhibited higher levels of RANKL and OPG compared to EBV-negative periapical lesions. EBV may contribute to progression of apical periodontitis via enhanced production of bone resorption regulators.


Subject(s)
Bone Resorption/metabolism , Bone Resorption/virology , Epstein-Barr Virus Infections/metabolism , Herpesvirus 4, Human , Oxidative Stress , Periapical Periodontitis/metabolism , Periapical Periodontitis/virology , 8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine , Adult , Biomarkers/metabolism , Case-Control Studies , Deoxyguanosine/analogs & derivatives , Deoxyguanosine/metabolism , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Glutathione/metabolism , Humans , Male , Osteoprotegerin/metabolism , RANK Ligand/metabolism , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
3.
J Postgrad Med ; 64(2): 115-118, 2018.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29067926

ABSTRACT

Primary tracheal tumors are rare and trachea is an exceedingly rare site of extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP). We report a case of solitary tracheal plasmacytoma causing symptoms of airway obstruction in a 59-year-old man. Flow/volume loop indicated the fixed central airway obstruction. Computerized tomography and bronchoscopy demonstrated a sessile tumor on posterior tracheal wall obstructing 80% of the lumen. Partial tracheal resection with T-T anastomosis was performed. Pathologic analysis of resected mass revealed EMP. Additional investigations excluded multiple myeloma. There are no signs of disease recurrence after 7-year follow-up.


Subject(s)
Airway Obstruction/etiology , Anastomosis, Surgical/methods , Plasmacytoma/surgery , Trachea/diagnostic imaging , Tracheal Neoplasms/surgery , Bronchoscopy , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Multidetector Computed Tomography , Plasmacytoma/diagnostic imaging , Plasmacytoma/pathology , Tracheal Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Tracheal Neoplasms/pathology , Treatment Outcome
4.
Adv Clin Chem ; 79: 93-152, 2017.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28212715

ABSTRACT

Although substantial improvements have been made in majority of cardiac disorders, heart failure (HF) remains a major health problem, with both increasing incidence and prevalence over the past decades. For that reason, the number of potential biomarkers that could contribute to diagnosis and treatment of HF patients is, almost exponentially, increasing over the recent years. The biomarkers that are, at the moment, more or less ready for use in everyday clinical practice, reflect different pathophysiological processes present in HF. In this review, seven groups of biomarkers associated to myocardial stretch (mid-regional proatrial natriuretic peptide, MR-proANP), myocyte injury (high-sensitive troponins, hs-cTn; heart-type fatty acid-binding protein, H-FABP; glutathione transferase P1, GSTP1), matrix remodeling (galectin-3; soluble isoform of suppression of tumorigenicity 2, sST2), inflammation (growth differentiation factor-15, GDF-15), renal dysfunction (neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, NGAL; kidney injury molecule-1, KIM-1), neurohumoral activation (adrenomedullin, MR-proADM; copeptin), and oxidative stress (ceruloplasmin; myeloperoxidase, MPO; 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, 8-OHdG; thioredoxin 1, Trx1) in HF will be overviewed. It is important to note that clinical value of individual biomarkers within the single time points in both diagnosis and outcome prediction in HF is limited. Hence, the future of biomarker application in HF lies in the multimarker panel strategy, which would include specific combination of biomarkers that reflect different pathophysiological processes underlying HF.


Subject(s)
Biomarkers/metabolism , Heart Failure/metabolism , Humans , Inflammation/metabolism , Kidney/physiopathology , Myocytes, Cardiac/pathology , Oxidative Stress
5.
Clin Neurol Neurosurg ; 148: 60-6, 2016 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27398623

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Sepsis associated encephalopathy (SAE) represents a diffuse and/or multifactorial cerebral dysfunction during response to systemic infection. Study aim was to compare clinical and electroencephalogram (EEG) characteristics and intrahospital survival rate among SAE patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study, during 42 months' period, included 39 SAE patients assigned in two groups according the outcome (survival: 19, and death: 20 patients). All the patients' features were registered: demography, neurological status, infection type, seizure appearance, brain computerized tomography (CT), EEG, EEG reactivity, Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) Score. The analysis included EEGs obtained during patients' consciousness change (improvement or deterioration) and the level of consciousness during and at the end of hospitalization. RESULTS: SAE was detected in 29.5% of patients with encephalopathy (2.8% of all patients hospitalized). Patients with lethal outcome were more likely to be female (p=0.0011), to have focal seizures (p=0.034), lower values of GCS during hospitalization (p<0.05) and longer lasting nosocomial infections (p=0.029). At the time of clinical exacerbation, patients were more likely to have suppression on EEG and less likely theta activity. Delta waves, TW waves and suppression of EEG activity were the most common findings 24h prior to death (p=0.0004). The lack of EEG reactivity was associated with death (p=0.00043). CONCLUSION: Presence of focal seizures, EEG suppression at the time of exacerbation in SAE elderly patients, particularly women, with longer infection duration and lower values of GCS, is associated with intrahospital death.


Subject(s)
Electroencephalography/methods , Outcome Assessment, Health Care/statistics & numerical data , Seizures/physiopathology , Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy/physiopathology , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pilot Projects , Prospective Studies , Seizures/epidemiology , Seizures/mortality , Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy/epidemiology , Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy/mortality , Sex Factors
6.
Med Hypotheses ; 77(4): 638-41, 2011 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21802860

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: No method is currently available for preoperative approximation of the patient's situation to the one existing during pneumonectomy in general anesthesia with alternations of single and double-lung ventilation in the lateral position. We hypothesized that a patient breathing the room air in the sitting position, with the main bronchus occluded by the inflatable catheter (aimed to predict a postpneumonectomy ventilatory function), could, at least in some aspects, simulate the intraoperative situation in certain clinical conditions discussed in the text. To evaluate the hypothesis, we used data of 15 candidates for pneumonectomy at increased risk, who underwent a spirometry with the left man bronchus occluded, as a part of the postoperative lung function prediction. Arterial blood samples (pO2, pCO2, saturation, and pH) were obtained before placement of the Fogarty catheter, than after at least 60s of normal breathing with the main bronchus occluded. Significant drop in pO2 (10.35±1.65 vs. 7.79±1.40 kPa) ensued within 1 min after occlusion of the main bronchus. All patients were able to perform spirometry in presence of induced hypoxemia without dyspnea that would require cessation of the procedure. These results, together with the absence of cardiac rhythm disorders, lead us to believe that they would behave in the same way during a pneumonectomy with alternations of single and double-lung ventilation. Such an assumption is based on the fact that breathing the room air is less favorable from the standpoint of oxygen delivery--the content of oxygen in the room air is smaller in the room air compared to that delivered through endotracheal tube. The practical implication of this hypothesis is that assessment of oxygenation during this procedure, additionally facilitates the preoperative risk assessment in patients undergoing pneumonectomy for lung cancer. Moreover, a slight postoperative oxygenation improvement and smaller loss in FEV1 in patients with moderate COPD, mean that COPD patients are likely to do a little bit better postoperatively than predicted.


Subject(s)
Hypoxia/complications , Lung Neoplasms/surgery , Pneumonectomy , Humans , Lung Neoplasms/complications , Preoperative Care
7.
Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes ; 119(7): 451-5, 2011 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21667435

ABSTRACT

To get more insight into molecular mechanisms underlying oxidative stress and its link with insulin resistance, oxidative stress parameters, as well as, antioxidant enzyme activities were studied in young, non-obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Study was performed in 34 PCOS women and 23 age and body mass index (BMI)-matched healthy controls. Plasma nitrotyrosine and malondialdehyde (MDA), representative byproducts of protein and lipid oxidative damage, were determined by enzyme immunoassay. Antioxidant enzyme activities, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were studied spectrophotometrically. Insulin resistance was calculated using homeostasis assessment model (HOMA-IR). Plasma nitrotyrosine and MDA were increased, but only nitrotyrosine was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in PCOS women compared to controls. Uric acid (surrogate marker of × antine oxidase) was also significantly elevated in PCOS (p < 0.05). Both plasma SOD and GPX activity showed no statistically significant difference between PCOS and controls. Indices of insulin resistance (insulin and HOMAIR) were significantly higher in PCOS group and positively correlated with level of MDA (r = 0.397 and r = 0.523, respectively; p < 0.05) as well as GPX activity (r = 0.531 and r = 0.358, respectively; p < 0.05). Our results indicate that insulin resistance could be responsible for the existence of subtle form of oxidative stress in young, nonobese PCOS women. Hence, presence of insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia and oxidative damage are likely to accelerate slow development of cardiovascular disease in PCOS.


Subject(s)
Antioxidants/metabolism , Insulin Resistance , Malondialdehyde/blood , Oxidative Stress , Oxidoreductases/blood , Polycystic Ovary Syndrome/blood , Tyrosine/analogs & derivatives , Adult , Body Mass Index , Female , Humans , Tyrosine/blood , Uric Acid/blood
8.
Acta Chir Iugosl ; 54(3): 129-36, 2007.
Article in Serbian | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17988045

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to estimate validity of transthoracic ultrasonography in diagnosis and evaluation of the results of initial surgical therapy of acute pleural empyema. The study included 49 patients with II stage acute pleural empyema. Initial surgical tretament was indicated according to CT and transthoracic ultrasonography findings. Evaluation of initial therapy results has been made by transthoracic ultrasonography (TUS). Clinical significance of standard x-ray, CT and TUS in different stages of diagnostic and therapeutic procedure has been analyzed. Chest drainage was initial treatment in 10 (20.4%) patients, thoracentesis in 39 (79.6%). Complete cure with this two methods was achieved in 22 (44.9%) patients. In 27 (55.1%) patients initial treatment failed. TUS was sufficient for adequate estimate of initial treatment results in 41 (83.6%). Additional CT was indicated in 8 (16.3%) patients. Transthoracic ultrasonography has impotrant role in choice of initial surgical therapy of acute pleural empyema. If initial estimate of therapy results is made by TUS, CT is rarely necessary.


Subject(s)
Empyema, Pleural/diagnostic imaging , Thorax/diagnostic imaging , Acute Disease , Empyema, Pleural/surgery , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Ultrasonography
9.
Amino Acids ; 30(4): 495-8, 2006 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-16773246

ABSTRACT

To identify kidney glutathione S-transferase (GST) isoenzyme, which does not bind to glutathione affinity column, biochemical characterization was performed by using an array of substrates and by measuring sensitivity to inhibitors. Immunological characterization was done by immunoblotting. Affinity flow-through GST exhibited activity towards 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole and cumene hydroperoxide, typical class alpha substrates and high sensitivity towards hematin, an alpha class inhibitor. It cross-reacted with antibodies against alpha class GST. Affinity flow-through GST in human kidney is an alpha class member.


Subject(s)
Glutathione Transferase/chemistry , Glutathione/chemistry , Kidney/enzymology , Chemical Phenomena , Chemistry, Physical , Chromatography, Affinity/methods , Chromatography, Agarose/methods , Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel , Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology , Ethacrynic Acid/pharmacology , Glutathione Transferase/antagonists & inhibitors , Glutathione Transferase/isolation & purification , Hemin/pharmacology , Humans , Immunoblotting , Sensitivity and Specificity , Triazines/pharmacology
10.
J Hum Hypertens ; 20(2): 149-55, 2006 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-16341053

ABSTRACT

Despite evidence that essential hypertension (EH) is a state of increased oxidative stress, the data on oxidative protein modifications is lacking. Besides, the role of extracellular antioxidant enzymes in EH has not been systematically studied. Study was performed in 45 subjects with EH and 25 normotensive controls. Patients were divided into three groups according to the 2003 ESH/ESC guidelines (grade 1-3). Plasma protein reactive carbonyl derivatives (RCD) and SH-groups (as byproducts of oxidative protein damage) as well as antioxidant enzyme activities superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and catalase were studied spectrophotometrically and correlated with blood pressure (BP). RCD levels were increased in EH patients compared to controls and correlated significantly with both systolic blood pressure (SBP) (r = 0.495, P<0.01) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (r = 0.534, P<0.01). Plasma SH-groups content was significantly lower in all patients with EH, with no correlation with BP. SOD and catalase activity in patients with grade 1 EH were similar to that of controls. Patients with grade 2 and 3 of EH had lower SOD and catalase activity. However, significant correlation with SBP and DBP was observed for catalase only (r = -0.331; P<0.05 and r = -0.365; P<0.05, respectively). EH patients exhibited higher plasma GPX activity compared to those in controls, and it correlated with SBP (r = 0.328; P<0.05). The results presented show that increased oxidative protein damage is present in all grades of EH. In mild hypertension extracellular antioxidant enzyme activities are not decreased, suggesting they are probably not critical in early EH, but could be important in moderate to severe EH.


Subject(s)
Blood Pressure/physiology , Blood Proteins/metabolism , Hypertension/blood , Oxidative Stress/physiology , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism , Analysis of Variance , Case-Control Studies , Catalase/blood , Female , Glutathione Peroxidase/blood , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Phenylhydrazines/metabolism , Sulfhydryl Compounds/blood , Superoxide Dismutase/blood
11.
Ren Fail ; 27(3): 345-51, 2005.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-15957553

ABSTRACT

Parenteral iron has been recommended for the treatment of iron deficiency in the majority of maintenance hemodialyzed (HD) patients. However, iron supplementation and consequent over saturation of transferrin and high iron levels, may aggravate oxidative stress already present in these patients. This study aimed to further clarify the role of repeated intravenous iron therapy as a supplementary cause of oxidative stress in HD patients. Markers of free radical activities (carbonyl reactive derivatives, CRD, thiol groups, SH, malondialdehyde, MDA) and antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, SOD and glutathione peroxidase, GPX) were determined in plasma and red blood cells (RBC) of 19 hemodialysis patients given a total iron dose of 625 mg (ferrogluconat, Ferrlecit, 62.5 mg). Blood samples were taken before the first and after the last dose of iron. Twenty apparently normal subjects served as healthy controls. Before iron treatment, HD patients exhibited increased concentrations of MDA and CRD in plasma and red blood cells, accompanied with impaired antioxidant capacity. All patients responded to iron therapy with a significant increase in their serum ferritin, serum iron, hemoglobin, and red blood cells levels. However, iron treatment resulted in enhanced oxidative stress in plasma of HD patients, since significant increase in plasma MDA and CRD concentrations, together with a decrease in nonprotein SH groups levels were detected. Supplementation with iron did not significantly influence plasma SOD and GPX activities, nor did any of the red blood cell parameters tested. Our data show that, despite improvement in hematological parameters, an increase in iron stores due to supplementation could also contribute to increased free radical production in HD patients.


Subject(s)
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency/drug therapy , Ferric Compounds/administration & dosage , Oxidative Stress/physiology , Adult , Alcohol Oxidoreductases/blood , Anemia, Iron-Deficiency/blood , Anemia, Iron-Deficiency/etiology , Biomarkers/blood , Drug Administration Schedule , Erythrocytes/metabolism , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Glutathione Peroxidase/blood , Humans , Immunoenzyme Techniques , Injections, Intravenous , Kidney Failure, Chronic/blood , Kidney Failure, Chronic/complications , Lipid Peroxidation/drug effects , Lipid Peroxidation/physiology , Male , Middle Aged , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Spectrophotometry , Superoxide Dismutase/blood , Transferrin/metabolism , Treatment Outcome
12.
Epilepsia ; 42(1): 72-9, 2001 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11207788

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: In patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), epileptic seizures occur more frequently than in the general population. The aim of this study was to analyze clinical characteristics of epilepsy in patients with MS, potential correlation between the semiology of seizures, EEG and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in these patients, as well as to examine the response to anticonvulsant therapy. METHODS: In a series of 268 consecutive patients with definite MS hospitalized at the Institute of Neurology, Belgrade, we identified 20 (7.5%) patients with seizures or epilepsy. All patients with seizures or epilepsy were submitted to standard EEG and brain MRI with gadopentetate dimeglumine. RESULTS: In four patients, epilepsy occurred 1-5 years before other clinical manifestations of MS. Eight patients had seizures only during MS relapses (provoked seizures). In two of them, seizures were the only manifestations of relapse. In 12 patients, seizures occurred regardless of the phase of MS (chronic epilepsy). In the majority of patients, seizures were partial with secondary generalization. Five patients experienced episodes of status epilepticus, and they all had dementia. Abnormal EEG pattern was found in 11 patients. Brain MRI disclosed cortical-subcortical lesions in nine patients and focal cortical atrophy in one, whereas in the remaining patients, findings were inconclusive. Probable EEG-MRI-seizure type correlation existed in 10 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that epilepsy may represent an initial symptom of MS and a single clinical manifestation of a relapse, and further support the assumption of the existing correlation between the presence of cortical-subcortical lesions and epileptic seizures or epilepsy in patients with MS.


Subject(s)
Epilepsy/diagnosis , Multiple Sclerosis/diagnosis , Seizures/diagnosis , Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Age of Onset , Aged , Anticonvulsants/therapeutic use , Atrophy , Brain/pathology , Carbamazepine/therapeutic use , Child , Chronic Disease , Comorbidity , Electroencephalography/statistics & numerical data , Epilepsy/drug therapy , Epilepsy/epidemiology , Female , Gadolinium DTPA , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/statistics & numerical data , Male , Middle Aged , Multiple Sclerosis/epidemiology , Multiple Sclerosis/pathology , Recurrence , Seizures/drug therapy , Seizures/epidemiology , Treatment Outcome
13.
Srp Arh Celok Lek ; 126(9-10): 335-44, 1998.
Article in Serbian | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-9863404

ABSTRACT

CONCLUSION: We conclude that despite inevitable variability the clinical picture of JME is characteristic. It is easy to diagnose JME if one thinks of it while the history should be thoroughly analyzed. An EEG recording during sleep confirms the diagnosis. An early diagnosis of JME permits adequate prognosis of the subsequent course of epilepsy, and adequate therapy brings remission in most of the patients. If treatment starts following the large number of severe GTC seizures, the response to therapy is incomplete. The persistency of the illness throughout the life, the need for continuous medication and therapeutic unresponsiveness in cases with late diagnosis, do not justify the increasing misconception that JME is of benign nature. Diagnosis of JME is rare because of insufficient familiarily of physicians with the illness. BACKGROUND: Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) is an idiopathic generalized epileptic syndrome characterized with the combination of myoclonic, generalized tonic-clonic (GTC) and absence seizures that are readily provoked by sleep deprivation. PATIENTS: Forty-three patients, aged from 14 to 51 years, participated in a 5-year follow-up study. Diagnosis was made according to the criteria (Table 1) for diagnosis of JME set by Panayiotopoulos et al. (1994). Nineteen patients made their first contact with a neurologist at the Institute of Neurology and were diagnosed as JME, while the remaining 24 were referred to from other medical institutions with a diagnosis of therapy resistant to focal epilepsy. All patients underwent a somatic and neurological examination, "mini mental test," EEG in waking and CT scan of the brain. Some patients had EEG performed during sleep and some had MRI of the head. RESULTS: JME began between 9 and 26 (average 17) years. All patients had myoclonic seizures, 98% had GTC and 23% absence seizures. The first myoclonic seizure occurred between 9 and 24 years while the frst GTC seizure occurred between 10 and 32 years. Myoclonic seizures (83% of patients) and GTC seizures (70% of patients) occurred most often immediately after awaking. The most frequent provocative factors were insufficient sleep, alcohol abuse and tiredness. Epilepsy in the family was present in 39%, focal neurological deficiency in 9% and pathological findings on of CT and MRI in 7% of patients. Waking EEG was pathological in 77% of patients; it included generalized spike-wave discharges in 73%, multiple spike-wave complexes in 33% and focal discharges in 12% of patients, respectively. In all 26 patients tested, sleep EEG was pathological most often with multiple spike-wave complexes in 85% and 3-4 Hz spike-wave complexes in 57% of patients. The correct diagnosis of JME following a comprehensive examination was made in 24 (56%) patients after a delay of 1 to 35 years. In 24 patients with delayed diagnosis of JME the replacement of earlier medication with valproic acid (VPA) induced remission in 18 patients (75%) while 1 patient (4%) experienced a reduction in the number of seizures. Five patients (21%) did not respond to VPA medication: 2 due to a weak compliance, another 2 due to inefficient medication and 1 because of the preexistent malabsorption syndrome. In 19 patients (44%) with initial diagnosis of JME, VPA was introduced immediately upon diagnosis. Of them, 15 (79%) had excellent response to VPA, 1 refused therapy and for 3 patients there is no information. In 2 patients VPA was substituted due to side effects (hepatotoxicity and alopetia) with lamotrigine (low doses), which brought about decrease in frequency and mitigation in myoclonic seizures.


Subject(s)
Epilepsies, Myoclonic , Adolescent , Adult , Electroencephalography , Epilepsies, Myoclonic/diagnosis , Epilepsies, Myoclonic/therapy , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Prognosis
14.
Microsc Res Tech ; 40(5): 408-17, 1998 Mar 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-9527050

ABSTRACT

Proliferative activity of tumors is strongly associated with prognosis and response to therapy. The reason for faster and uncontrolled growth rate of tumors compared with normal tissue may be caused by the greater proliferation of cells, the smaller rate of cell death, or both. Cell production vs. cell loss rates, and their correlation with a grade of tumor cell differentiation (G) was estimated in 45 cases of squamous cell lung cancers (SCLC) by the use of mitotic indices (MI), number of interphase NORs, and apoptotic indices (AI) as parameters. The mitotic figures as well as apoptotic cells were observed on paraffin sections (4-microm thick) stained with haematoxylin and eosin, and with Feulgen reaction with Schiff-type reagent containing 0.5% Toluidine Blue. According to our results, all three parameters distinguish significantly (P < 0.05) between well and moderately or poorly differentiated groups, but not between the first two groups, and clearly discriminate between low- and high-grade malignancy. These results suggest classification of squamous cell lung cancers into two groups, a group of low and a group of high proliferative activity, despite their morphological appearance. Regression analysis revealed a significant (P < 0.0005) correlation between MI and AgNOR counts per cell nucleus as proliferative markers and AI as a marker of cell loss. The number of mitoses and apoptoses, especially when they are expressed as a percentage of the total number of tumor cells, are markers of tumor proliferation rate. They both can be used in biofunctional staging, based on cell kinetics, to provide more prognostic information about lung cancers than clinicopathological staging.


Subject(s)
Apoptosis , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology , Lung Neoplasms/pathology , Mitotic Index , Nucleolus Organizer Region/ultrastructure , Adult , Aged , Biomarkers, Tumor , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Mitosis , Staining and Labeling
15.
Srp Arh Celok Lek ; 125(7-8): 228-33, 1997.
Article in Serbian | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-9304237

ABSTRACT

Nontraumatic subcutaneous emphysema is less frequent than traumatic. Its occurrence, unless synchronous with the treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax, usually is the consequence of exacerbation of COPD or of the obstruction of major bronchi. However, in routine clinical practice, the occurrence of subcutaneous emphysema without evident underlying disease, in combination with normal chest x-ray, still is a diagnostic and therapeutic problem. In this study typical mechanisms of this phenomenon are presented; air-trapping at the level of the main bronchus caused by endobronchial tumour growth, progressive destruction of alveoles by diffuse lung disease irrespective of its nature, and mechanism of its occurrence during dealing with the urgent clinical problem in the intensive care unit. This study does not deal with subcutaneous emphysema during the attack of severe asthma assuming it as well known situation that usually does not cause a major therapeutic problem. The sequence of necessary diagnostic and therapeutic steps is discussed taking account of possible pitfalls that usually exist in all of three described pathophysiological situations.


Subject(s)
Subcutaneous Emphysema , Humans , Subcutaneous Emphysema/diagnosis , Subcutaneous Emphysema/etiology , Subcutaneous Emphysema/therapy
16.
IEEE Trans Image Process ; 5(11): 1528-38, 1996.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18290070

ABSTRACT

We investigate variable-precision classification (VPC) for speeding vector quantization (VQ). VPC evaluates bit-serially, from the most significant bit. When the magnitude of the error due to the unevaluated bits is less than the absolute magnitude of the discriminant, we can classify without processing the remaining bits. A proof shows that as the operand precision increases, the average necessary precision becomes asymptotically independent of the operand precision, VPC makes the complexity of the L(2) norm equivalent to the L(1) norm. In VQ of real images, on average, the codevector element's precision necessary for classification was under four bits. We implemented binary classification circuitry using VPC and conventional approaches. The key modules were designed and their performance estimated assuming 1.0-mum gate array technology. The implementations could search binary pruned trees at the television quality video rate. When the overall execution time is important, VPC more than halves the computational complexity.

17.
Acta Chir Iugosl ; 42(1): 49-54, 1995.
Article in Croatian | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-8975526

ABSTRACT

Influence of performed diagnostic and therapeutic procedures on the outcome of the treatment of traumatic hemopneumothorax during isolated chest trauma. The aim of this study is the assessment of the influence of performed diagnostic and therapeutic procedures on the outcome of hemopneumothorax as a part of isolated chest trauma. The main group consists of 51 patients with hemopneumothorax. Patients with pneumothorax without effusion represent the first control group; the second control group consist of patients treated because of iatrogenic pneumothorax. In the main and control groups the analysis of clinical, roentgenographic and functional parameters was made, together with the analysis of particular therapeutic procedures, the estimation of the success of the treatment was based on roentgenographic and functional parameters. The higher incidence of hemopneumothorax compared with control groups during chest trauma in the analyzed material is statistically significant. The occurrence of bilateral hemopneumothorax in 10% of cases emphasizes the need of adequate roentgenographic assessment of injured patients. Regardless of the intensity of the trauma, symptoms do not always indicate the existence of hemopneumothorax. The number of fractured ribs is not of significant importance in terms of the occurrence of hemopneumothorax or pneumothorax. Severe dyspnea can be accompanied even with a smaller collapse of the lung independently of the amount of blood in the pleural cavity. Oxygenation in the arterial blood is impaired with the great and small pulmonary collapse. Hemodynamic disorders existed in 14% all cases. The higher frequency of operative treatment in the main group is statistically significant. The majority of cases of traumatic hemopneumothorax can be successfully treated by the conservative treatment. Accompanying complications do not have greater influence on the outcome.


Subject(s)
Hemopneumothorax/diagnosis , Hemopneumothorax/therapy , Thoracic Injuries/complications , Adult , Hemopneumothorax/etiology , Humans , Iatrogenic Disease , Middle Aged , Thoracic Injuries/therapy
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