A prospective study was carried out at the Zagreb University Hospital Centre to evaluate the relationship between epilepsy, antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and quality of life (QoL) in patients with ...epilepsy (PE), and its association with depressive symptoms and sexual dysfunction (SD). QoL was assessed by use of the Quality of Life in Epilepsy-31 Inventory (QOLIE-31), SD by the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX), and depressive symptoms by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D17). The study included 108 PE (women 63% and men 37% men), mean age 39.54±15.91 years. Focal type epilepsy was diagnosed in 14.8%, generalized type in 35.2%, and both types were present in 40.7% of study patients. Drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) was present in 44/108 and vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) was implanted in 27/44 patients. The mean response on QOLIE-31 was 62.88±17.21 with no significant differences according to gender, type of epilepsy, and age. A statistically significantly lower QoL was found in the ‘Overall QoL’ domain (35-55
vs
. <35 age group). Patients taking both types of AEDs had a significantly lower QoL compared to those on newer types of AEDs. Higher QoL was associated with less pronounced depressive symptoms (p=0.000). Significant correlations were found between lower QoL and SD (p=0.001). In 27 patients with DRE having undergone VNS, a favorable effect of VNS implantation on the QoL and mood was observed as compared with 18 patients without VNS (p=0.041).
Provedeno je prospektivno istraživanje u KBC-u Zagreb s ciljem procjene povezanosti epilepsije, antiepileptičkih lijekova
(antiepileptic drug, AED) i kvalitete života (quality of life, QoL) u ...bolesnika s epilepsijom, kao i učestalosti depresije i
seksualne disfunkcije (SD). QOLIE-31 (Quality of Life in Epilepsy-31 Inventory) je primijenjen za procjenu QoL-a, ASEX
(Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale) za SD i HAM-D17 (Hamilton Rating Scale) za depresiju. Uključeno je 108 bolesnika s
epilepsijom (63% žena, 37% muškaraca; srednja dob 39,54±15,91 godina). Žarišnu epilepsiju imalo je 14,8% i generaliziranu
35,2% bolesnika, dok je obje vrste epilepsije imalo 40,7% bolesnika. Farmakorezistentnu epilepsiju (drug-resistant epilepsy,
DRE) imalo je 44/108 bolesnika, a kod njih 27/44 ugrađen je stimulator vagusnog živca (vagus nerve stimulation, VNS).
Srednji odgovor na QOLIE-31 bio je 62,88±7,21 bez značajnih razlika u odnosu na spol, vrstu epilepsije i dob. Statistički
značajno niži QoL nađen je u domeni ‘Sveukupni QoL’ (dobna skupina 35-55 godina u odnosu na dobnu skupinu <35).
Bolesnici koji su uzimali obje vrste AED imali su značajno niži QoL u usporedbi s onima na novijim AED. Viši QoL bio je
povezan s manje izraženim simptomima depresije (p=0,000). Pronađene su značajne korelacije između nižeg QoL-a i SD
(p=0,001). U bolesnika s DRE utvrđen je pozitivan utjecaj ugradnje VNS-a na QoL i raspoloženje (27 bolesnika s VNS-om
u usporedbi s 18 bolesnika bez VNS-a, p=0,041).
SAŽETAK
Međunarodne smjernice za farmakološko liječenje epilepsija općenite su, sveobuhvatne i ne prepoznaju lokalne specifičnosti poput ekonomskih i tehničkih mogućnosti u pojedinim državama, ...dostupnosti pojedinih antiepileptika ili drugih metoda liječenja i slično. Stoga se nameće potreba izrade nacionalnih smjernica, čiji su zapravo temelj međunarodne smjernice Internacionalne lige protiv epilepsije. Hrvatske smjernice za farmakološko liječenje epilepsija plod su suradnje svih relevantnih stručnih društava i referentnih centara u RH, na čelu s Hrvatskom ligom protiv epilepsije te Hrvatskim neurološkim društvom i Hrvatskim društvom za dječju neurologiju Hrvatskoga liječničkog zbora, a odražavaju aktualne socioekonomske i regulatorne specifičnosti u našoj zemlji, najnovije spoznaje farmakoloških profila i učinkovitosti pojedinih antiepileptika kao i ekspertna mišljenja. Antiepileptička terapija se uvodi nakon postavljanja dijagnoze epilepsije, stoga profilaktička primjena nije opravdana. Nakon postavljanja dijagnoze potrebno je bolesnika informirati o prognozi bolesti, mogućnostima liječenja i samopomoći, životnim ograničenjima te mogućim neželjenim događajima. Ciljevi farmakoterapije epilepsija su potpuna kontrola napada uz izbjegavanje nuspojava te održavanje ili poboljšanje kvalitete života. Zlatni standard liječenja je monoterapija odnosno primjena adekvatnog antiepileptika u adekvatnoj dozi. Izbor i titracija lijeka su individualni, a temelje se na smjernicama za liječenje pojedinih vrsta napada, karakteristikama bolesnika i regulatorno specifičnim čimbenicima. Nakon neuspjeha inicijalne monoterapije, potrebna je reevalucija anamnestičkih i dijagnostičkih podataka te potom postupna i spora zamjena antiepileptika. Racionalna politerapija podrazumijeva kombinaciju dvaju antiepileptika različitih mehanizama djelovanja, prvog ili eventualno drugog izbora za postavljenju dijagnozu, niskoga interakcijskog potencijala, različitog profila nuspojava i sinergističkog ili aditivnog djelovanja. Zamjena generičkih ili originalnog i generičkog oblika lijeka nije preporučljiva, a poglavito nakon postizanja remisije ili prilikom uzimanja visokih doza lijeka. Ukidanje antiepileptičke terapije treba biti postupno i sporo, u slučaju politerapije jedan po jedan lijek, a u donošenju odluke o ukidanju, kao i o uvođenju antiepileptika, mora biti uključen bolesnik i njegova obitelj.
Abstract Objectives To determine epidemiological rates of multiple sclerosis (MS) in western Herzegovina. Patients and methods We analysed data from 81 MS patients (49 females, 32 males) on the ...prevalence day, 31 December 2003. Patient information was obtained from a search of all available medical records from the period 1994–2003 in the investigated area. Results Crude prevalence of MS was 27/100,000 (95% confidence interval (CI) 20–34). Prevalence was highest in the mountainous municipality of Posušje (56/100,000) and lowest in the coastal municipality of Neum (0 incidence). The annual incidence of MS was 1.6/100,000 (95% CI 0–3.3). The female/male ratio of MS was 1.5. The mean age of the patients on prevalence day was 40.0 ± 11.6 years, and the mean age at disease onset was 31.0 ± 7.1 years. Eight (10%) of the patients had a first-degree relative with MS. The primary progressive (PP) disease course was observed only in females. Visual symptoms were the initial symptom of MS in 6 (7%) of the patients. Conclusions Western Herzegovina is an area of moderate risk for MS, and the distribution of MS in western Herzegovina is heterogeneous. PP-MS occurred only in females, and involvement of the visual pathways as the initial symptom of MS was low.
Epilepsy is a common neurologic disease and presents a major public health problem. Patients with epilepsy have unexpected occurrence of seizures with many triggered by existing triggering factors ...such as alcohol, stress etc. Other potential triggers include certain weather or atmospheric parameters and local geomagnetic activity. We have analyzed the impact of atmospheric parameters grouped in 6 grouped weather types or weather regimes and the local geomagnetic activity through the K – index. In the prospective study, we analyzed a total of 431 seizures over a 17-month period. In the results obtained, we found that the most severely common weather regime grouped type of weather was radiation and then precipitation regime. It was also found that grouped weather types of weather regimes had more impact on generalized than focal epileptic seizures. Local geomagnetic activity had no direct effect on the occurrence of epileptic seizures. Those results confirm the thesis how the impact of certain external factors is complex and that the further study is required in that respect.
•Epilepsy is a common neurologic disease and has a big impact on patients’ life quality.•There are many trigger factors which affect the occurrence of epileptic seizures.•Oscillations of weather regimes have greater impact on generalized epileptic seizures.•Geomagnetic activity has no influence on the occurrence of epileptic seizures.
Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is an acute form of brain inflammation that is potentially lethal but has a high probability for recovery with treatment. Although the clinical picture of anti-NMDAR ...encephalitis is usually recognizable due to its relatively well-known symptoms, the disorder can sometimes present itself in an unpredictable and atypical way. In this case report, we wish to present the influence of different delay times prior to the establishment of diagnosis. Thus, our first patient was diagnosed with anti-NMDAR encephalitis 4 years after the initial symptoms, the second one after 8 years, and the third one after 13 months. The outcomes of the three presented patients indicate the importance of being aware of many clinical presentations of this disorder, as its early diagnosis greatly affects the outcome and may reduce permanent damage, especially in cognitive functions.
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