[Methylphenidate therapy in 141 patients with hyperkinetic disorder or with pervasive developmental disorder and hyperkinesia].

The efficacy and adverse reactions produced by methylphenidate (MPD) therapy were evaluated in 141 patients with hyperkinetic disorder or pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) with hyperkinesia. Ninety-nine patients were followed for 1 to 5 years to determine if the treatment could be continued and if the patients' adaptation to their environment improved. The results showed that the MPD therapy was effective in 93% of patients whose IQ was > 80 and in 70% whose IQ was < or = 80. The efficacy was not significantly different between patients with PDD and those without PDD. Of the patients in whom the MPD therapy was effective, the majority received a MPD dosage of 0.3 mg/kg once every morning. Adverse reactions, such as excitability, nausea or anorexia, and insomnia were reported in 23% of the patients. Although this figure was not negligible, no serious events occurred. Seizure induction was suspected in 2 patients. Many of the patients (53/83) in whom the MPD treatment was effective continued to receive the treatment throughout the follow-up period. By the time that the conditions were alleviated to the extent that the treatment could be stopped, the patients had become well adapted to their environment. However, in many other cases, adaptation was unsatisfactory. In these cases, psycosocial interventions were necessary, even if the MPD therapy was effective.

[Usefulness of melatonin for developmental sleep and emotional/behavior disorders--studies of melatonin trial on 50 patients with developmental disorders].

We studied the usefulness of melatonin for sleep disorders and emotional/behavior disturbances of patients with developmental disorders. The efficacy and side effects of melatonin at bedtime were evaluated in 50 children and young adults with sleep disorders (3-28 years old, 41 males and 9 females, autism [AU] in 27 patients, mentally retardation [MR] in 20 patients, and severe motor and intellectual disability [SMID] in 3 patients). The sleep disorders consisted of various types of insomnia in 44 patients and of circadian rhythm sleep disorders in 6 patients. Thirty nine of the insomnia patients and 3 of the circadian rhythm sleep disorder patients experienced improvement in response to melatonin. In some cases, the efficacies were diminished after the daily medication of melatonin. With the emotional/behavior disturbances, excitabilities were often improved in cases whose sleep disorders were also improved. There was almost no change in contrariness, stereotyped behavior and in school/workshop refusal. Melatonin at bedtime was efficacious in 42 of the 50 patients with sleep disorders. In 17 patients, there were side effects (residual drowsiness on the next morning, awakening in the middle of sleep, excitement after awakening and before going to sleep, etc.). But these side effects were not serious. The effects of melatonin were influenced by the type of sleep disturbances, the factors of the environment and the mental conditions. Taking side effects into account, we judged melatonin to be useful in 34 patients.

[Acute aortic dissection after aortic valve replacement].

A 53-year-old male who had been performed aortic valve replacement 15 weeks before was admitted to our hospital because of severe chest pain. Cjest computerized tomography showed dissection of aorta from ascending to descendig aorta and hemorrhage around ascending aorta. An emergency operation was performed under hypothermic circulatory arrest with a selective cerebral perfusion. An entry of dissection was found at posterior wall where was 3 cm upper from an artificial valve. Total arch replacement was successfully performed. There is a few cases of aortic dissection after aortic valve replacement, but careful peri and post operative care is necessary after aortic valve replacement.

Prospective study of nesidioblastosis in newborns and infants: hypoglycemic seizures, epileptogenesis and the significance of the C-peptide suppression test in pancreatectomy.

The long-term follow-up of chronic hyperinsulinemic seizures, epileptogenesis and other neurological complications in five patients who were treated with conservative therapy followed by pancreatectomy during the neonatal period and infancy, who were confirmed to have diffuse nesidioblastosis are described. The reaction pattern of the C-peptide (CPR) suppression test and its relation to the final extent of pancreatectomy was examined in four patients. The chronological change in electro-encephalography (EEG) and its epileptogenesis was also examined in each patient during hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, and during normoglycemia in a long-term post-pancreatectomy follow-up. All patients demonstrated several types of hypoglycemic seizures, ranging from apnea, erratic seizures, evolving to generalized/unilateral tonic-clonic or tonic seizures, myoclonic seizures and EEG abnormalities. Four of five patients still suffered from epilepsy at the age of 4-22 years. The reaction pattern of the CPR suppression test showed dichotomy, with a hyper-reactive pattern in two patients who required total pancreatectomy to control hypoglycemia, and a suppression pattern in two other patients treated with 90-95% pancreatectomy. Neonatal onset and subsequent myoclonic seizures were ominous signs of epileptogenesis to various types of intractable epilepsy and other neurological sequelae. A prompt diagnosis and pancreatectomy of a sufficient extent at the first operation are essential. The CPR suppression test may be useful for a prompt diagnosis and selection of the extent of pancreatectomy.

[A case of septic aneurysm complicated with simultaneous subdural and intracerebral hematoma].

A case of septic aneurysms complicated with simultaneous subdural and intracerebral hematoma is presented. A 13-year-old girl had been operated on for endocardial cushion defect when she was 5 years old, and residual mitral regurgitation was followed up. She suddenly complained of headache, vomited and lost consciousness. She was brought to the Tokyo Women's Medical College Hospital by an ambulance. On arrival, she was semicomatose. Her left pupil was mydriatic and did not react to light. Right hemiparesis was noted. Systolic murmur was audible in the apical region of the heart. Laboratory data showed a mild anemia and a white cell count of 23,000. CT scan showed a subdural hematoma in the left frontotemporoparietal region and a small subcortical hematoma in the left occipital lobe. An emergency operation was carried out for the subdural hematoma. When the dura was opened, about 10 ml bloody CSF flowed out. A hematoma weighing about 50 g was removed. A bleeding point or an aneurysm could not be discovered on the dura, arachnoid membrane or surface of the brain at the operation. On the 15th day after the operation, when the fever was decreased, cerebral angiography was done. The left vertebral angiogram showed an aneurysm on a peripheral branch of the calcarine artery, which was considered the origin of the subcortical hematoma in the left occipital lobe. The left carotid angiogram showed no aneurysm. On the seventh day after that study, the aneurysm did not appear by left vertebral angiography. She was discharged with no neurological deficit. One month later, she was admitted again with a high fever.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Intraarterial lymphocytes injection for treatment of lymphedema.

We noted a marked improvement of lymphedema in a patient with recurrence of cancer 3 years after amputatio recti and with post-thrombotic syndrome of the leg, as the result of injection of a suspension of lymphocytes administrated as therapy against advanced cancer. Subsequently lymphocytes-injections were given 39 times to 7 patients with lymphedema of one limb, of various causes. A suspension of lymphocytes was injected repeatedly into the proximal artery of the affected limb. In one patient, lymphocytes were injected 4 times at intervals of 1 or 3 weeks. In most cases, this injection resulted in a marked reduction in the swelling of the affected limb and improvement was seen for several weeks or months. In all cases, there was a marked, continuous softening of the tissue.