ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: According to recent findings neuroendocrine response related to dissociative symptoms is related to dysregulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis but HPA axis functioning as related to dissociation is only partially understood. METHOD: With the aim to test the relationship between basal serum cortisol and dissociative symptoms measured as somatoform and psychic dissociation we performed clinical testing and biochemical analysis in 30 inpatients with diagnosis of unipolar depression (mean age 41.46, SD=13.68). RESULTS: The results show that cortisol as an index of HPA axis functioning manifests significant relationship to somatoform dissociative symptoms (r=-0.40; p=0.014). CONCLUSIONS: The result indicates relationship between HPA-axis reactivity and somatoform dissociative symptoms in unipolar depressive patients and suggests that somatoform dissociation presents a defense mechanism related to a passive coping response.
Subject(s)
Depressive Disorder/etiology , Dissociative Disorders/etiology , Hydrocortisone/blood , Somatoform Disorders/etiology , Adult , Depressive Disorder/blood , Depressive Disorder/physiopathology , Dissociative Disorders/blood , Dissociative Disorders/diagnosis , Dissociative Disorders/physiopathology , Female , Humans , Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System/physiopathology , Male , Middle Aged , Pituitary-Adrenal System/physiopathology , Somatoform Disorders/blood , Somatoform Disorders/diagnosis , Somatoform Disorders/physiopathology , Stress, Physiological/complications , Stress, Physiological/physiopathology , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
In 1993-1998 and in 1999-2004 we have performed two surveys of pediatric bacterial meningitis in all 8 neurosurgery/pediatrics and infectious diseases departments in Slovakia. We have detected 101 and another 54 cases with attributable mortality of 15% and sequellae in 18%.
Subject(s)
Cross Infection/epidemiology , Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/epidemiology , Meningitis, Bacterial/epidemiology , Staphylococcal Infections/epidemiology , Child , Child, Preschool , Cross Infection/mortality , Cross Infection/therapy , Data Collection , Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/therapy , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Meningitis, Bacterial/microbiology , Meningitis, Bacterial/mortality , Meningitis, Bacterial/therapy , Risk Factors , Slovakia/epidemiology , Staphylococcal Infections/therapy , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Twenty five (25) cases of nosocomial postsurgical meningitis due to Acinetobacter baumannii meningitis were compared to other 146 cases of meningitis after surgery caused by other pathogens. Prior neurosurgical ventriculo-peritoneal shunt insertion and CNS abnormality as well as very low birth weight were significant risk factors for acquisition of Acinetobacter baumannii meningitis. Mortality - 40% among children with nosocomial meningitis was unacceptably high and significantly higher than among meningitis caused by microorganisms other than Acinetobacter baumannii.
Subject(s)
Acinetobacter Infections/mortality , Acinetobacter baumannii/isolation & purification , Cross Infection/microbiology , Meningitis, Bacterial/microbiology , Surgical Wound Infection/microbiology , Acinetobacter Infections/drug therapy , Acinetobacter baumannii/immunology , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Central Nervous System/abnormalities , Central Nervous System/pathology , Child , Child, Preschool , Cross Infection/drug therapy , Cross Infection/mortality , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Infant, Very Low Birth Weight/immunology , Meningitis, Bacterial/drug therapy , Meningitis, Bacterial/mortality , Risk Factors , Surgical Wound Infection/drug therapy , Surgical Wound Infection/mortality , Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt/adverse effectsABSTRACT
Within last 25 years we have observed 20 cases of fungal meningitis and/or cerebral abscesses. Commonest etiologic agens was Candida spp. (C. albicans 9 of 20). Molds were responsible for 4 cases of brain abscess. Mortality was 50% what seems to be very high. Extremely high mortality is caused by delayed onset of therapy, severe underlying disease and multiresistant fungal organisms such as Mucorales, Fusarium solani and Aureobasidium.
