Vibration therapy reduces plasma IL6 and muscle soreness after downhill running.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, the effects of vibration therapy (VT) on delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and associated inflammatory markers after downhill running were determined. METHODS: 29 male recreational runners (33 (8) years; V(O2)peak 57 (6) ml kg(-1) min(-1)) completed a 40-min downhill run and were randomly allocated to a VT group or Control group. For 5 days post-run, the VT group underwent once-daily sessions of VT on the upper and lower legs. DOMS was assessed pre-run and for 5 days post-run by visual analogue scale. Immune cell subsets and plasma inflammatory markers were assessed pre-run, post-run, 24 and 120 h post-run by full differential cell count, and by ELISA and enzyme immunoassay, respectively. Data were analysed as per cent change from pre-run (ANOVA) and the magnitude of the treatment effect (Cohen's effect size statistics). RESULTS: VT significantly reduced calf pain 96 h post-run (-50% (40%), 90% confidence limits) and gluteal pain 96 h (-50% (40%)) and 120 h post-run (-30% (30%)); decreased interleukin 6 (IL6) 24 h (-46% (31%)) and 120 h post-run (-65% (30%)); substantially decreased histamine 24 h (-40% (50%)) and 120 h post-run (-37% (48%)); substantially increased neutrophils (8.6% (8.1%)) and significantly decreased lymphocytes (-17% (12%)) 24 h post-run. There were no clear substantial effects of VT on other leukocyte subsets and inflammatory markers. CONCLUSION: VT reduces muscle soreness and IL6. It may stimulate lymphocyte and neutrophil responses and may be a useful modality in treating muscle inflammation.

[Bilateral, symmetrical and simultaneous putamino-capsulo-caudal infarction]. / Infarctus putamino-capsulo-caudés bilatéraux, symétriques et simultanés.

The first case, to our knowledge, of bilateral, symmetric and simultaneous infarction in the basal territory of the middle cerebral arteries is reported. The patient presented with a pseudo-rostral brainstem syndrome, including loss of oculo-vestibular reflexes, severe tetraparesia and akinetic mutism-like disturbance of consciousness. The lesions were due to embolism, caused by atrial fibrillation, occluding the ostium of the lenticulostriate arteries. It involved only the putamino-capsulo-caudal regions, concerning the whole anterior and posterior dorsal capsules. The term tetraparetic mutism is proposed to describe this new clinico-pathological syndrome, which is the sum of a capsular tetraparesia, due to the lesion of the geniculate and cortico-spinal fibres at the level of the genu and posterior limbs, and of a capsular akinetic mutism, due to the lesion of the reticular thalamo-cortical tracts at the level of the anterior limbs. These total capsular infarcts moreover involved all the oculomotor cortico-reticular tracts, which could explain the absence of oculo-vestibular reflexes.

[Sensorimotor polyneuropathy induced by almitrine dimesylate. Anatomo-clinical study of a case]. / Polyneuropathie sensitivo-motrice induite par le bismésilate d'almitrine. Etude anatomo-clinique d'une observation.

A 65-year-old male patient with chronic obstructive long disease developed a severe motor and sensory polyneuropathy during the treatment with almitrine bismesylate (Vectarion). Electrophysiological and neuropathological investigations demonstrated a distal axonopathy. A medicamentous origin was suspected since other causal factors were lacking. Eight months after stopping of treatment, the functional recovery was complete. The authors discuss the recent data recorded in the literature concerning the neurological complications induced by this new drug, which is increasingly administered in diseases of the respiratory tract.

[Role of ORL in the treatment of sleep apnea syndromes]. / Le rôle de l'ORL dans le traitement du syndrome d'apnées du sommeil.

Over the past few years, the criteria defining the sleep apnea syndrome have been well delineated. This syndrome is a common affliction whose pathophysiology is usually indicative of an obstacle in the upper respiratory tract. The authors describe seven mostly serious cases, with cardiovascular and hemodynamic repercussions, that benefited from ORL surgery (uvulo-palato-pharyngoplasty and/or tonsillotomy). In each case, the consequences of this simple surgery were excellent, resulting in a sharp attenuation of the symptoms or their disappearance. In conclusion, the authors insist on the preponderant role that can be played by the ear, nose and throat specialist, both in the selection of these patients and in their treatment.

Effects of a levo-5-hydroxytryptophan-dihydroergocristine combination on depression and neuropsychic performance: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial in elderly patients.

Fifty elderly patients (mean age, 68 years) affected by depression were treated with a combination (P3007) containing 3 mg of dihydroergocristine and 100 mg of levo-5-hydroxytryptophan or placebo for 60 days in a double-blind trial. Efficacy of treatment was evaluated by means of neuropsychic tests and rating scales for depression before treatment and after 30 and 60 days. Patients treated with the drug combination showed significant improvements in their depressive state and psychic performance, whereas no change was observed in patients receiving placebo. The treatment was well tolerated.

Spinal arachnoiditis due to aspergillus meningitis in a previously healthy patient.

A 30-year-old, previously healthy, non-addicted man presented with a chronic spinal meningitis complicated by arachnoiditis and spinal cord compression. Biopsy showed a chronic granulomatous leptomeningitis, in which some cells contained branching septate organisms that were immunostained with an antiserum to Aspergillus fumigatus. Precipitins to A. fumigatus were detected in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), but not in blood, and aspergillus infection was apparently restricted to the leptomeninges. Clinically successful treatment led to the disappearance of CSF precipitins and oligoclonal bands.

[Clinical and polygraphic study of 2 cases of "nocturnal myoclonus" sensitive to clonazepam]. / Etude clinique et polygraphique de deux observations de "nocturnal myoclonus" sensibles au clonazépam.

Polygraphic sleep recordings were performed in two patients with nocturnal myoclonus. The beneficial effect of Clonazepam has been confirmed in the two cases.