RESUMO
Electroencephalograms were obtained in 515 Vietnam veterans 12-16 years after penetrating head injury, and the results were correlated with a variety of clinical and radiological parameters. Forty-two percent of EEGs were abnormal; 9% disclosed epileptiform findings (EF). EF correlated highly (P = 0.0001) with the extent of brain volume loss (defined by CT), posttraumatic epilepsy, and organic mental disorder. 'Seizure persistence' was higher and duration of posttraumatic epilepsy was longer in patients with 'prominent EF.' All patients with anterior temporal or central spike foci experienced posttraumatic seizures. Focal slowing correlated significantly with focal neurologic deficits such as hemisensory deficit or hemiparesis and Broca's aphasia as well as with seizures and residual organic mental disorder. Total or near total recovery from original hemiparesis was noted in 70% of the patients with normal EEG and 32% of the patients with focally slow tracings.
Assuntos
Traumatismos Craniocerebrais/fisiopatologia , Ferimentos Penetrantes/fisiopatologia , Adulto , Traumatismos Craniocerebrais/complicações , Traumatismos Craniocerebrais/diagnóstico por imagem , Eletroencefalografia , Epilepsia/etiologia , Epilepsia/fisiopatologia , Humanos , Masculino , Radiografia , Fatores de Tempo , Veteranos , Vietnã , Ferimentos Penetrantes/complicações , Ferimentos Penetrantes/diagnóstico por imagemRESUMO
Two children had recurrent neurological symptoms associated with angioedema. Extensive clinical and laboratory investigations failed to reveal a separate cause for the neurological changes. Only 19 prior cases of this association have been reported. Seizures and headaches are the most common symptoms, but a wide variety of focal and generalized deficits may occur. The release of vasoactive substances such as histamine, serotonin, and prostaglandins, which are also putative neurotransmitters, is postulated to be the cause of the cerebral symptoms.
