A rare case of glioblastoma multiforme.

A male, 39 years, entered rapidly in coma, was admitted in the Neurological Hospital Brasov and deceased after 4 hrs in hospital. At necropsy, macroscopic appearances of the cut surface showing unique tumour mass in all brain from frontal lobe to cerebellum, with extensive cortical invasion. The tumor has a variable coloration, a yellowish central necrosis and cysts containing turbid fluid. Histopathological aspect is extremely variable with regional heterogeneity: striking cellular pleomorphism with a lack of cell processes, anaplastic glial cells, and some multinucleated giant cells, large necrotic areas with pseudo-palisading of surrounding tumor cells and microvascular proliferation, as glomeruloid tufts.

Influence of the dopamine agonist alpha-dihydroergocryptine on the pharmacokinetics of levodopa in patients with Parkinson's disease.

This study investigated whether chronic coadministration of alpha-dihydroergocryptine (DHEC) altered the plasma pharmacokinetics of individualized treatments with levodopa in 12 patients with Parkinson's disease. Steady-state pharmacokinetics of plasma levodopa (L-Dopa) under combined treatment were compared with those under treatment with L-Dopa alone. There was no evidence of increased exposure to L-Dopa caused by concomitant treatment with DHEC. In contrast, additional treatment with DHEC reduced the overall exposure to L-Dopa (17.5% reduction in area under the curve; 95% CI: 23%-6%). This effect was small but statistically significant for the area under the plasma concentration-time curve, whereas tmax (time of maximum plasma concentration) and peak-to-trough fluctuation were not affected. Cmax (maximum plasma concentration), on average, was reduced to a similar extent (-14.5%; 95% CI: 38% to -17%), albeit not significantly. The magnitude of the interaction does not suggest changing the current clinical practice of up-titrating DHEC and subsequently adapting L-Dopa to the individual needs of patients.