The results of various studies that have so far evaluated the influence of meteorological conditions on seizures are often divergent. No studies have been performed so far that evaluate the possible ...correlation between the occurrence of seizure-related events, surface and upper level atmospheric conditions and biometeorological forecasts. The aim of this study is to investigate those interactions.
Records of "Sveti Duh" University hospital, Zagreb, Croatia between January 2016 and May 2020 were analysed in order to determine number of patients per day who were assessed through Emergency room because of a recent epileptic seizure. The dates were assessed for surface and upper level atmospheric conditions and biometeorological forecasts. Analyses of these factors were performed for two consecutive days preceding that day, the day of seizure, as well as for the following day. Data was analysed using chi-squared test, Mann-Whitney U-test or Kruskal-Wallis test (with Conover's test for post-hoc analyses), depending on variable type. Additionaly, logistic regression was used to study effects of variables on seizure occurrence. Statistical significance was set to p < 0.05.
Results showed significant difference between the numbers of patients with seizure depending on upper level type on the following day. We also observed fewer daily patients with seizures when the synoptic situation on the following day was high pressure field then when it was low pressure or non-gradient pressure field (observed just during the colder part of the year), which was supported in our regression analyses. A greater frequency of seizures was observed if the biometerological prognosis was deemed unfavourable on the following day. Furthermore, our results showed significantly larger proportion of days with seizure patients in warmer, than in colder days of the year.
All of the analyzed weather-related parameters seem to be associated with daily numbers of seizures on the previous day. The reason behind this phenomenon is uncertain; however, the results indicate that weather patterns have a certain influence on patients with epilepsy, but are not yet fully understood or adequately appreciated.
Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection and various chemokines, including CCL20, CXCL8 and CXCL10 are considered to participate in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), and several studies point to ...a direct regulatory effect of EBV on the expression of these chemokines. In our study we hypothesized that serum concentrations of CCL20, CXCL8 and CXCL0 are induced in patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) in comparison to healthy individuals, and that they are associated with EBV infection. Serum concentrations of CXCL8 and CXCL10 were lower in RRMS patients in relapse in comparison to healthy controls. Although potential effects of corticosteroid therapy introduced in a subgroup of RRMS patients prior to sampling were excluded by subgroup comparison, this possibility has to be considered while interpreting the results. We found an inverse association between serum concentrations of CXCL8 and anti-Epstein–Barr Virus Nuclear Antigen (EBNA) IgG and decreased expression of CXCL8 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in relapse compared to remission. Lower serum concentrations of CXCL8 and CXCL10 in RRMS patients and decreased peripheral production of CXCL8 in relapse may indicate compensatory anti-inflammatory counter-regulation in MS.
Glavobolja uzrokovana prekomjernim uzimanjem lijekova je sekundarna glavobolja kod bolesnika s prethodno prisutnom primarnom glavoboljom koja je prisutna 15 i više dana mjesečno, a nastaje kao ...posljedica prekomjerne redovite uporabe akutne i/ili simptomatske terapije za glavobolje 10 ili 15 dana na mjesec i više, ovisno o uzimanom lijeku tijekom više od tri mjeseca. Glavobolja uzrokovana prekomjernom uporabom lijekova predstavlja veliki medicinski problem s obzirom na to da je sve učestalija i predstavlja terapijski izazov, ali i socioekonomski problem jer narušava kvalitetu života bolesnika i prouzrokuje značajne troškove samom bolesniku, no i društvu u cjelini. U prevenciji nastanka važno je educirati bolesnike, ali i liječnike i ljekarnike o opasnosti prekomjernog uzimanja lijekova koje može dovesti do novonastale glavobolje, dok je u liječenju najvažnije reducirati ili potpuno prekinuti uzimanje lijeka koji je doveo do glavobolje, a često je važno i uvesti profilaktičku terapiju za primarnu glavobolju u podlozi. Nakon uspješnog liječenja važno je daljnje praćenje bolesnika radi prevencije recidiva.
Specificity of Migraine Treatment in Women Bačić Baronica, Koraljka; Tomasović, Sanja; Košćak Lukač, Jelena ...
Archives of psychiatry research,
02/2023, Letnik:
59, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The prevalence of migraine is higher in women than in men, with female to male ratio 3:1 in reproductive age. It is believed that sex hormones play significant role in migraine pathogenesis. ...Therefore, treatment of migraine in women has some specificities due to hormonal differences between sexes and due to hormonal fluctuations during menstrual cycle, pregnancy, lactation and perimenopause. Treatment of migraine during pregnancy depends on safety profile of the therapy. NSAID-s like naproxen and ibuprofen are being considered safe during the second trimester, but during the first and third trimester they may have adverse effects on pregnancy and foetus. CGRP antagonists should be avoided during pregnancy. Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and diclofenac are considered to be safe acute therapy during breastfeeding and for preventive treatment propranolol should be used as first line therapy. Women with severe menstrual and menstrual related migraine without aura may be treated with hormonal therapy, whereas it should be avoided among patients with aura due to increased risk of stroke.
Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are currently considered as an epiphenomenon of apoptotic processes, possibly in control of autoreactivity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Apoptosis of reactive ...lymphocytes by the Fas/FasL system is described as an effective control mechanism for autoreactivity in MS. We aimed to provide a context to the potential link between ANA and peripheral lymphocyte apoptosis in MS. The presence of ANA was detected in sera by immunofluorescence assay, and concentrations of sFas and sFasL were determined in the sera of 44 and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 11 relapsing-remitting (RR) MS patients using cytometric bead-based array, and their association with the disease characteristics was determined. ANA were detected in the sera of 43.2% of RRMS patients, and their frequency was the highest in patients with disease duration of less than one year (88,89%). In addition, the number of experienced relapses was lower in ANA-positive patients. Concentrations of sFasL were inversely associated with patients' expanded disability status scale (EDSS) scores. Low concentrations of both soluble factors strongly discriminated patients with moderate to severe disability, from patients with mild or absent disability only in a group of patients with prolonged disease duration (>10 years). Both soluble mediators were significantly higher in ANA-positive patients. FasL concentrations were inversely associated with the number of relapses. There is a potential link between the presence of ANA and peripheral lymphocyte apoptosis mediated by Fas/FasL system in MS, whose precise role and significance needs to be determined by future mechanistic studies.
The impact of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) detoxification pathway on complex pathogenesis and heterogeneity of clinical findings in multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly the exact correlation ...between indicators of clinical severity and different GST genotypes, has not yet been fully elucidated. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between disability level in multiple sclerosis (estimated by Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale), disease progression (estimated by Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score), the level of brain atrophy and lesion load (determined by MRI) and detoxification status (analyzing glutathione S-transferase P1, GSTP1, genotype profile), in a group of 58 MS patients and 68 age/gendermatched controls. The results present the first evidence on significantly higher frequency of GSTP1 C341T polymorphism (C-T transition) in healthy subjects compared to MS patients, suggesting it may act as a moderating factor in developing MS clinical phenotype. Gender-dependent distribution of the C341T polymorphism was found in both MS patients and controls, with higher frequency of C-T transition in females. In addition, preliminary data showed higher proportion of male MS patients with higher median MSSS scores, as well as lower brain atrophy level and lesion load in MS patients carrying the C341T mutation. Observed gender difference in distribution of the C341T polymorphism in MS patients, as well as in disease progression, suggests that GSTP1 detoxification pathway occurs in a gender-dependent manner and could therefore add to clinical severity in male MS patients.
U profilaksi kronične migrene donedavno su se rabili lijekovi koji, prema međunarodnim smjernicama, imaju dokazanu učinkovitost pri epizodnoj migreni. Nakon što su dvjema velikim kontroliranim ...studijama
PREEMPT 1 i 2 dokazane učinkovitost i dobra podnošljivost botulinskog toksina tipa A u profilaksi kronične migrene, stručna povjerenstva u Europi (prvo u Ujedinjenom Kraljevstvu) i Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama odobrila su njegovu uporabu kao druge linije profilaktičkog liječenja pri indikaciji kronične migrene u nacionalnim sustavima zdravstvenih osiguranja. U Hrvatskoj su dostupni profilaktički lijekovi za migrenu iz skupina blokatora beta-adrenergičkih receptora (registrirani za indikaciju migrene) i antikonvulziva (nisu registrirani za migrenu). U
ovim preporukama smatramo da u Hrvatskoj, s obzirom na omjer troškova i prednosti liječenja, botulinski toksin tipa A treba rabiti u drugoj liniji profilaktičkog liječenja kronične migrene tek nakon iscrpljivanja učinka ili nepodnošljivostin dvaju oralnih profilaktika u prethodnim ciklusima liječenja. Botulinski toksin tipa A valja aplicirati
prema protokolu studijâ PREEMPT 1 i 2, s razmakom aplikacija od tri mjeseca. Lijek treba primjenjivati u bolničkim centrima pod nadzorom stručno osposobljenog neurologa iz Ambulante/Odjela/Zavoda za glavobolje ili neurologa koji se bavi užim područjem glavobolja. Odluku o produljenju/prestanku liječenja donosi neurolog na temelju postojanja/nepostojanja povoljnog učinka lijeka na redukciju dana glavobolje za 30% na mjesec u razdoblju od 3 mjeseca nakon druge primjene lijeka.
Stem cells have long been in focus as potential therapy or even cure for a whole myriad of diseases. Many neurodegenerative disorders, both acute and chronic, are characterized by irreversible ...neuronal damage and loss, and only a few efficient treatment options exist. In contrast to many other tissues, the potential of self-regeneration of the central nervous system is highly limited. There is hope that stem cells could replace the damaged neuronal and glial cells, and provide biological and functional restoration based on their properties of self renewal and the ability to give rise to different cells. In recent years, the promising results of research on animal models has led to the establishment of the first clinical trials; although no clear evidence of therapeutic benefit for any of the conditions have been ascertained. Here we give a review of the current strategies of stem-cell based therapy for some of the more common neurological disorders, discussing the progress and current challenges, and giving an overview of future perspectives.
Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is sporadic, progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized clinically by autonomic dysfunction, Parkinsonism (MSA-P), and cerebellar ataxia (MSA-C) in any ...combination. Parkinsonism is present in the majority of patients (80%). Early in the course of the disease autonomic dysfunctions are present in approximately 40% of patients, while the domination of cerebellar symptoms is present in 20% of all patients. According to second consensus statement on diagnosis of MSA, to make the diagnosis of possible MSA, except Parkinsonism or a cerebellar syndrome, there must be one feature involving autonomic dysfunction plus one other additional that can include findings on history, clinical examination or changes in structural or functional imaging. We present a case of 60-year old male with Parkinsonism and cerebellar symptoms accompanied with signs of autonomic nervous system involvement. Level of autonomic dysfunction was not the level required for the diagnosis of probable MSA. On initially performed 1.5T MRI, the most prominent neurodegenerative feature of brain stem, cerebellum and basal ganglia was atrophy, however features like "hot-cross bun" sign, "slit-like" putaminal rim and middle cerebellar peduncle hyperintensities were detected only after MR imaging on higher resolution (3T) device. Our case points to the possibility that some typical structural changes that can help in diagnostic process may not be clearly visible on 1.5 T MRI devices. In such cases we suggest using 3T MRI device, if feasible, in order to demonstrate findings that may help in establishing the diagnosis of possible MSA.
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