Peripheral nerve war injuries.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate peripheral nerve war injuries sustained during the war in southern Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. PATIENTS AND METHODS: During the war in Croatia, 713 patients (99% male and 1% female) with wounds inflicted by firearms were examined at the Laboratory of Neurophysiology, University Hospital, Split. The patients, soldiers and civilians alike, ranged in age from 6 to 73 years (average, 28 years). All patients with firearm nerve war injuries underwent detection by electromyography and plurisegmental examination of the damaged peripheral nerve (neurography). The patients were examined and controlled on three occasions: within 2 months after wounding; up to 6 months after wounding; and more than 6 months after wounding. RESULTS: Single peripheral nerve lesions were present in 80% of the patients, and multiple peripheral nerve or plexus lesions were present in 20% of the patients. Peroneal and ulnar nerves were most often involved (20.9% and 19.8%, respectively). Associated massive injuries to the muscles, large blood vessels, or vital organs were present in 45% of the patients. Wounds were inflicted by shell fragments in 80% of the patients and by projectiles in 20% of the patients. CONCLUSION: According to our results, better recovery was achieved with conservative treatment and when physical therapy was initiated early with maximal patient cooperation. Electromyoneurographic findings were the most valid in the prognostic classification of war-inflicted peripheral nerve injuries.

[Meteorologic effects and thrombocyte aggregation in patients with myocardial infarct living in the coastal region of central Dalmatia]. / Meteoroloska zbivanja i agregacija trombocita u bolesnika s infarktom miokarda na srednjodalmatinskom priobalnom podrucju.

The circulating platelet aggregates were measured in 90 patients admitted to the Clinical Hospital Split because of myocardial infarction developed in the costal region of Middle Dalmatia. They were divided into three groups, each consisting of 30 patients affected by coronary incident developed during the three most characteristic weather types in the region: sirocco, bora and calm weather. All the patients have had elevated values of circulating thrombocyte aggregates, but the patients in the sirocco group exhibited significantly higher values (34.77% +/- 11.67%) than the patients in both bora (27.93% +/- 11.72%; p < 0.05) and the calm weather groups (23.5% +/- 10.62%; p < 0.01). In the control group of 10 healthy examinees the values of circulating platelet aggregates were within normal range during all the three weather types (5.85% +/- 0.70%, 5.24 +/- 0.51% and 5.18 +/- 0.59%, in case of sirocco, bora and calm weather, respectively). The three groups were not significantly different regarding the values of creatinine kinase, which means that the infarct size was not the probable cause of the observed differences in platelet aggregability. Taking into account our previous finding of increased incidence of coronary events during sirocco, these results suggest that increased platelet aggregability is a contributing factor to the risk of myocardial infarction during such a weather.

Lenticulostriate arteries in aging process: an angiographic study.

Histological studies describe in detail the changes of the small arteries wall with controversial results concerning lumen narrowing during the aging process. In this study, the anatomic and the angiographic parameters of the medial and lateral lenticulostriate arteries were analysed in 64 carotid angiograms. Only 20% of the total number of lenticulostriate arteries were shown on angiograms. Collateral branches were rarely visible, especially those of medial group. The course of the lenticulostriate arteries was mostly straight or moderately tortuous. No significant differences were noted in any of the measured parameters when compared with the age (p greater than 0.05). It appears that age-related changes spread over external layers of small arteries, with no lumen narrowing or filling defect.

The role of dopamine in the formation of gastric ulcers in rats.

A single dose of the dopamine agonists L-dopa, bromocriptine or apomorphine produced a protective effect by significantly shortening of the length of stomach ulcerations. A single dose of the dopamine antagonists haloperidol, sulpiride or domperidone potentiated the ulcerogenic effect by extending the length of stomach ulcerations. These results point to the fact that dopamine is involved in the rise and development of experimental stomach ulcers.