[Hungarian Spine Association]
VARGA Pétel Pál, PENTELÉNYI Tamás
MARCH 20, 1993
Clinical Neuroscience - 1993;46(03-04)
VARGA Pétel Pál, PENTELÉNYI Tamás
MARCH 20, 1993
Clinical Neuroscience - 1993;46(03-04)
[Diagnosis and treatment of spondylolisthesis. Book review "Practical Rheumatology". Scientific Programme of the Hungarian Spine Society 1993.]
Clinical Neuroscience
[The pathogenesis of depression following cerebrovascular accident (post-stroke depression) is poorly understood. Thirty seven (28%) out of 134 patients from the „Budapest Stroke Data Bank" were found to be depressed. Thirty two patients (86%) in this group were affected by depression within three months or the stroke. Diagnosis of depression was bades on CES-D, Ham-D and Zung scales, and a word fluency test was performed with 11 depressed and 11 non-depressed patients. Comparing the frequency of post-stroke depression in groups with ischemic damage of the carotid versus the vertebrobasilar system, as well as the left versus right middle cerebral artery, no significant differences were found. Depression reduced the activities of daily living (score: 7.8) compared to the activities of non-depressed patients (score: 3.8) at the same score of stroke – severity (4.7 versus 4.1). These observations suggest that post-stroke depression influences the rehabilitation of stroke patients, therefore the diagnosis and treatment of post-stroke depression may increase the efficacy of stroke rehabilitation.]
Clinical Neuroscience
[The diagnostic usefulness of brainstem auditory evoked potentials was compared with other diagnostic possibilities. Brainstem auditory evoked potential was examined in patients with vertebrobasilar insufficiency. Based on the duration of clinical symptoms, patients were divided into three groups: 85 patients with transient ischaemic attack (TIA), 31 patients with prolonged ischaemic symptoms, and 35 patients with chronic symptoms were examined. The latency and interpeak latency of the auditory evoked potentials increased in 49,3 per cent. A subgroup within the TIA group was specially tested. The patients belonging to this group were admitted to the clinic soon after the onset of TIA. Acoustic evoked potentials showed increased latencies and interpeak latencies in 45,8 per cent of this group. The increasing latencies of the waves I. and III. and the interpeak latancies of I-II. and I-V. waves were the most frequent differences. Otoneurology demonstrated more frequent functional disturbances in brainstem than in acoustic evoked potentials in the second and third group. Computerized tomography is a really helpful only in examining chronic cases, while the CT reports 3,6 per cent hypodensities in the first group and 17,3 per cent in the third group. Brainstem auditory evoked potential testing is the most sensitive diagnostic method in the diagnosis of transient ischaemic attack.]
Clinical Neuroscience
[The authors report two cases of spontaneous intracerebral haematomas in children. Both children presented with serious symptoms of acute intracerebral haemorrhage. Investigations do not reveal the cause of the haemorrhage in either of the cases and angiography detected no arteriovenous malformation. The term ,,occult” is reserved for these cases, as spontaneous intracerebral haematomas do not result in space-occupying process or CSF passage blockage and may be treated medically.]
Clinical Neuroscience
[Middle cerebral artery (MCA) blood flow velocity and intracranial pressure (ICP) were recorded in 42 patients suffering from raised ICP. A major (ICP25 mmHg) or moderate (251CP15 mmHg) degree of intracranial hypertension was reduced by means of either continuous or intermittent CSF drainage. Measurements of MCA blood flow velocity were carried out with transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD). Three types of reactions were observed with regard to cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) changes in response to CSF drainage. Patients in Group 1 demonstrated pressure passive CBFV changes throughout the observed cerebral perfusion pressure (PP) range. In Group 2, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage brought about a transitory increase in CBFV for a few minutes. In Group 3, the reduction of ICP to the normal level did not influence CBFV at all. The pulsatility index (PI) of the cerebrovascular reserve capacity (CVR), which was highest in Group 1, changed in contrast with the CBFV changes in Groups 1 and 2. The pressure-passive velocity pattern (in Group 1) suggests that the blood vessels were at nearly maximum dilatation and were perhaps failing to constrict properly in response to increased PP. As recovery proceeded (Group 2), the mechanism became effective, thereby reestablishing autoregulation. Whereas clinical signs and computed tomography reveal only the trend of the ICP, TCD provides the possibility of a semi-quantitative evaluation of ICP changes and seems especially promising in the rapid assessment of the efficacy of treatment aimed at ICP reduction.]
Clinical Neuroscience
[The cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV), as measured by transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) via the transorbital route in the intracranial segment of internal carotid artery (ICA), and the regional cerebral blood (volume) flow (rCBF) in the corresponding cortical areas, as measured by the hydrogen clearance technique, were determined in 8 New Zealand White rabbits undergoing cisterna magna infusion for elevation of the intracranial pressure (ICP). In the lower range of autoregulation, i. e. at perfusion pressures (PP) between 80 and 40 mm of mercury and even below this, the changes in (CBFV) and CBF showed a strong correlation (0,86) under conditions with standard PCO2 (PaCO2)=35+2 mm of mercury). Autoregulation was exhausted at 40 mm of mercury and the cerebrovascular resistance (CVR) was minimal. Below this PP, the CBF and CBV dropped sharply, whereas CVR, gradually increased, indicating that, despite the maximally dilated resistance vessels, the intracranial hypertension causes the vascular resistance to increase, possibly via blocking of the venous outflow. Our results confirmed that non-invasive and easily (even at the bedside) applicable measurements of CBFV changes could substitute the cumbersome and expensive isotope measurements of CBF in intracranial hypertension.]
Clinical Neuroscience
We aimed to investigate the association between fluoxetine use and the survival of hospitalised coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pneumonia patients. This retrospective case-control study used data extracted from the medical records of adult patients hospitalised with moderate or severe COVID-19 pneumonia at the Uzsoki Teaching Hospital of the Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary between 17 March and 22 April 2021. As a part of standard medical treatment, patients received anti-COVID-19 therapies as favipiravir, remdesivir, baricitinib or a combination of these drugs; and 110 of them received 20 mg fluoxetine capsules once daily as an adjuvant medication. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between fluoxetine use and mortality. For excluding a fluoxetine-selection bias potentially influencing our results, we compared baseline prognostic markers in the two groups treated versus not treated with fluoxetine. Out of the 269 participants, 205 (76.2%) survived and 64 (23.8%) died between days 2 and 28 after hospitalisation. Greater age (OR [95% CI] 1.08 [1.05–1.11], p<0.001), radiographic severity based on chest X-ray (OR [95% CI] 2.03 [1.27–3.25], p=0.003) and higher score of shortened National Early Warning Score (sNEWS) (OR [95% CI] 1.20 [1.01-1.43], p=0.04) were associated with higher mortality. Fluoxetine use was associated with an important (70%) decrease of mortality (OR [95% CI] 0.33 [0.16–0.68], p=0.002) compared to the non-fluoxetine group. Age, gender, LDH, CRP, and D-dimer levels, sNEWS, Chest X-ray score did not show statistical difference between the fluoxetine and non-fluoxetine groups supporting the reliability of our finding. Provisional to confirmation in randomised controlled studies, fluoxetine may be a potent treatment increasing the survival for COVID-19 pneumonia.
Clinical Neuroscience
Cognitive dysfunction (CD) is a common non-motor symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Alexithymia is a still poorly understood neuropsychiatric feature of PD. Cognitive impairment (especially visuospatial dysfunction and executive dysfunction) and alexithymia share common pathology of neuroanatomical structures. We hypothesized that there must be a correlation between CD and alexithymia levels considering this relationship of neuroanatomy. Objective – The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between alexithymia and neurocognitive function in patients with PD. Thirty-five patients with PD were included in this study. The Toronto Alexithymia Scale–20 (TAS-20), Geriatric Depression Inventory (GDI) and a detailed neuropsychological evaluation were performed. Higher TAS-20 scores were negatively correlated with Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) similarities test score (r =-0.71, p value 0.02), clock drawing test (CDT) scores (r=-0.72, p=0.02) and verbal fluency (VF) (r=-0.77, p<0.01). Difficulty identifying feelings subscale score was negatively correlated with CDT scores (r=-0.74, p=0.02), VF scores (r=-0.66, p=0.04), visual memory immediate recall (r=-0.74, p=0.01). VF scores were also correlated with difficulty describing feelings (DDF) scores (r=-0.66, p=0.04). There was a reverse relationship between WAIS similarities and DDF scores (r=-0.70, p=0.02), and externally oriented-thinking (r=-0.77,p<0.01). Executive function Z score was correlated with the mean TAS-20 score (r=-62, p=0.03) and DDF subscale score (r=-0.70, p=0.01) Alexithymia was found to be associated with poorer performance on visuospatial and executive function test results. We also found that alexithymia was significantly correlated with depressive symptoms. Presence of alexithymia should therefore warn the clinicians for co-existing CD.
Clinical Neuroscience
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder of neuromuscular transmission. Autonomic dysfunction is not a commonly known association with MG. We conducted this study to evaluate autonomic functions in MG & subgroups and to investigate the effects of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. This study comprised 30 autoimmune MG patients and 30 healthy volunteers. Autonomic tests including sympathetic skin response (SSR) and R-R interval variation analysis (RRIV) was carried out. The tests were performed two times for patients who were under acetylcholinesterase inhibitors during the current assessment. The RRIV rise during hyperventilation was better (p=0.006) and Valsalva ratio (p=0.039) was lower in control group. The SSR amplitudes were lower thereafter drug intake (p=0.030). As much as time went by after drug administration prolonged SSR latencies were obtained (p=0.043).Valsalva ratio was lower in the AchR antibody negative group (p=0.033). The findings showed that both ocular/generalized MG patients have a subclinical parasympathetic abnormality prominent in the AchR antibody negative group and pyridostigmine has a peripheral sympathetic cholinergic noncumulative effect.
Clinical Neuroscience
[The well-known gap between stroke mortality of Eastern and Western European countries may reflect the effect of socioeconomic differences. Such a gap may be present between neighborhoods of different wealth within one city. We set forth to compare age distribution, incidence, case fatality, mortality, and risk factor profile of stroke patients of the poorest (District 8) and wealthiest (District 12) districts of Budapest. We synthesize the results of our former comparative epidemiological investigations focusing on the association of socioeconomic background and features of stroke in two districts of the capital city of Hungary. The “Budapest District 8–12 project” pointed out the younger age of stroke patients of the poorer district, and established that the prevalence of smoking, alcohol-consumption, and untreated hypertension is also higher in District 8. The “Six Years in Two Districts” project involving 4779 patients with a 10-year follow-up revealed higher incidence, case fatality and mortality of stroke in the less wealthy district. The younger patients of the poorer region show higher risk-factor prevalence, die younger and their fatality grows faster during long-term follow-up. The higher prevalence of risk factors and the higher fatality of the younger age groups in the socioeconomically deprived district reflect the higher vulnerability of the population in District 8. The missing link between poverty and stroke outcome seems to be lifestyle risk-factors and lack of adherence to primary preventive efforts. Public health campaigns on stroke prevention should focus on the young generation of socioeconomically deprived neighborhoods. ]
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Journal of Nursing Theory and Practice
[Correlations Between Burnout and Socio-demographic and Workplace Related Factors Among Health-care Workers During The Covid-19 Pandemics]5.
Journal of Nursing Theory and Practice
[Operational Efficiency Investigation from APN Perioperative Perspective]1.
Journal of Nursing Theory and Practice
[Nutritional Therapy in the Stroke Ward: Treatment of Dysphagia in Acute Care of Stroke Patients ]2.
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Journal of Nursing Theory and Practice
[A possible role of Advanced Practice Nurses in primary care - the possibility of screening for retinopathy in patients with diabetes]5.
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