Relations between epileptic seizures and headaches.

PURPOSE: To describe headaches in patients with epilepsy and try to identify relations between epileptic seizures and headaches. METHODS: Cross-sectional study, with 304 patients from the epilepsy out-patient section of University Hospital of Federal University of Alagoas (Brazil) between February 2007 and February 2008. The presence of headaches and their relationships with the epileptic seizures were analyzed. RESULTS: Frequent seizures were associated with a greater tendency of occurrence of headaches (odds ratio=1.6 times, p=0.077). Headaches occurred in 66.1% of the cases. The highest occurrence was of migraine (32.9% of the patients), followed by tension-type headaches (9.2%). Two syndromes with a continuum epilepsy-migraine in the same seizure are worth mentioning: migralepsy in 6.6% and epilepgraine in 10.2% of the patients with epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of headaches in patients with epilepsy was observed, with emphasis on hybrid crises of epilepsy and migraine.

New guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of insomnia.

The Brazilian Sleep Association brought together specialists in sleep medicine, in order to develop new guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of insomnias. The following subjects were discussed: concepts, clinical and psychosocial evaluations, recommendations for polysomnography, pharmacological treatment, behavioral and cognitive therapy, comorbidities and insomnia in children. Four levels of evidence were envisaged: standard, recommended, optional and not recommended. For diagnosing of insomnia, psychosocial and polysomnographic investigation were recommended. For non-pharmacological treatment, cognitive behavioral treatment was considered to be standard, while for pharmacological treatment, zolpidem was indicated as the standard drug because of its hypnotic profile, while zopiclone, trazodone and doxepin were recommended.

Executive dysfunction and motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease.

The aim of this study is to analyze executive function and motor symptoms in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). The sample consisted of 44 subjects with PD between the ages of 45 to 75, who were examined consecutively. The subjects were divided into two groups according to the duration of the disease. The control group was composed of spouses, family and accompanying members. Patients included were submitted to motor dysfunction evaluation using the UPDRS. The executive functions modalities analyzed included: operational memory, inhibitory control, planning, cognitive flexibility and inductive reasoning. Significant differences between the experimental and control groups were found in all the executive domains studied. Evidence of tremor, rigidity and bradykinesia correlation with executive dysfunction were not observed. Patients with PD, even in the initial phase of the disease, presented executive dysfunction. The cardinal motor signs of the disease were not correlated with the cognitive dysfunction found.

Effects of nasal continuous positive airway pressure treatment on oxidative stress and adiponectin levels in obese patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

BACKGROUND: Obesity and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are both associated with the prevalence of major cardiovascular illnesses and certain common factors they are considered responsible for, such as stress oxidative increase, sympathetic tonus and resistance to insulin. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on oxidative stress and adiponectin levels in obese patients with and without OSA. METHODS: Twenty-nine obese patients were categorized into 3 groups: group 1: 10 individuals without OSA (apnea-hypopnea index, AHI or=20) who did not use CPAP; group 3: 9 patients with moderate to severe OSA (AHI >or=20) who used CPAP. RESULTS: Group 3 showed significant differences before and after the use of CPAP, in the variables of diminished production of superoxide, and increased nitrite and nitrate synthesis and adiponectin levels. Positive correlations were seen between the AHI and the superoxide production, between the nitrite and nitrate levels and the adiponectin levels, between superoxide production and the HOMA-IR, and between AHI and the HOMA-IR. Negative correlations were found between AHI and the nitrite and nitrate levels, between the superoxide production and that of nitric oxide, between the superoxide production and the adiponectin levels, between AHI and the adiponectin levels, and between the nitrite and nitrate levels and the HOMA-IR. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the use of CPAP can reverse the increased superoxide production, the diminished serum nitrite, nitrate and plasma adiponectin levels, and the metabolic changes existing in obese patients with OSA.

Study into the use of continuous positive airway pressure in obstructive sleep apnoea-hypopnoea syndrome patients with daytime drowsiness.

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnoea-hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS) is a respiratory disorder with high morbidity and mortality. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the most commonly prescribed conservative treatment for adults with OSAHS. CPAP therapy normalises or decreases OSAHS symptoms and can reduce and prevent OSAHS complications. AIMS: To evaluate adherence to nasal CPAP treatment and CPAP impact on daytime drowsiness. METHOD: A sample of 20 patients evaluated for daytime drowsiness using the Epworth sleepiness scale and interviewed for adherence to nasal CPAP use. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in the level of daytime sleepiness of the patients users of nasal CPAP (p=0.017); patients not using nasal CPAP experienced a decrease without statistical significance (p=0.162). 100% of CPAP users reported benefits and 50% of these reported related discomforts. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with OSAHS that use CPAP have a greater reduced level of sleepiness than those who do not use it.

APOE-epsilon4 polymorphism and cognitive deficit among the elderly population of Fernando de Noronha.

BACKGROUND: Polymorphism of the gene for apolipoprotein E (APOE) is an important risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's disease. The epsilon4 allele of the APOE gene has been linked with a number of neuropsychiatric illnesses, and also with stress and depression among geriatric populations. OBJECTIVE: To identify APOE-epsilon4 polymorphism and correlate this with cognitive deficit among the elderly population of the island of Fernando de Noronha. METHOD: Neuropsychiatric tests (mini-mental state examination, verbal fluency test and clock drawing test) were applied to 52 elderly people without Alzheimer's disease. DNA was isolated from peripheral blood and genotyping of APOE was done by the PCR-RFLP method. RESULTS: 87% of the elderly population (mean age 69.6+/-7.0) had cognitive deficit. CONCLUSION: The observed frequency of the epsilon4 allele was 10%, but the correlation between the presence of epsilon4 and cognitive deficit in this population was not statistically significant.

[Obstructive sleep apnea contribution to oxidative stress in obesity]. / Contribuição da apnéia obstrutiva do sono para o estresse oxidativo da obesidade.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper was to check the influence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on obesity oxidative stress and CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) effect on oxidative stress and in these patients. METHODS: Twenty nine male patients considered obese (BMI > 30 kg/m(2)) were divided into 3 groups: a) Group I: 10 OSA free patients (apnea-hipopnea index (AHI) < 5); b) Group 2: 10 with moderate to serious OSA (AHI > 20); c) Group 3: 9 with OSA from moderate to serious (AHI > 20) using CPAP, minimum 4 hours/night for 2 months. RESULTS: Significant differences before and after CPAP usage were observed in group 3 in the following variables: reduction of superoxide (SO) production [13.2 (10.3-19.6) vs. 10.5 (5.8-11.8) nmoles O2(-)/2 x 10(6) PMN] and increase in serum nitrite/nitrates levels [24.5 (16.7-33.5) vs. 49.5 (39.3-58.1) microM]. Positive correlation between Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) and SO (r = 0,726) and negative correlation was observed between AHI and serum nitrite/nitrates levels (r = - 0.867). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, oxidative stress present in obesity is elevated by OSA and CPAP treatment can rise the levels of SO and can decrease serum nitrite/nitrates present in obese patients with OSA.

[The BCTRIMS Expanded Consensus on treatment of multiple sclerosis: I. The evidences for the use of immunosuppressive agents, plasma exchange and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation]. / Consenso expandido do BCTRIMS para o tratamento da esclerose múltipla: I. As evidências para o uso de imunossupressores, plasmaférese e transplante autólogo de células tronco.

Since the sixties immunosuppressive agents have been used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis as there was cumulating evidence of the inflammatory nature of the disease. Cyclophosphamide, azathioprine and methotrexate have been the most frequently employed drugs whereas other agents such as cyclosporine and cladribine have been recently tested for RRMS. Mithoxantrone, on the other hand, was approved by the FDA for treatment of aggressive forms of the disease. Other immunointerventions such as plasma exchange and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation have recently been employed in some special circumstances. This paper analyses the most important published data on the use of the immunosuppressive agents, plasma exchange and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation according to the classes of evidences and types of recommendations of these drugs and immunointerventions. It provides sufficient information to support the guidelines expressed in the BCTRIMS Expanded Consensus on Treatment of MS.

[The BCTRIMS Expanded Consensus on treatment of multiple sclerosis: III. Evidence and recommendation-based guidelines]. / Consenso expandido do BCTRIMS para o tratamento da esclerose múltipla: III. Diretrizes baseadas em evidências e recomendações.

There has been unprecedented advances in knowledge of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the last few years. A new set of criteria for its diagnosis and a bunch of recent clinical trials with disease-modifying agents (DMA) have been published. All of that has made it necessary to update and expand the previous consensus for MS treatment as formulated by the Brazilian Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (BCTRIMS) two years ago. The BCTRIMS Expanded Consensus emphasizes the need to (1) consider MS treatment on an individual basis; (2) educate patients about the potential benefits and risks of treatment; (3) monitor drugs side effects; (4) have a signed Informed Consent Form; (5) consider the relative cost of the drug. The various clinical possibilities and the indications of the DMA and other immunointerventions are considered according to classes of evidences and types of recommendations. The BCTRIMS Expanded Consensus on Treatment of MS may turn out to be a model to other developing countries.

Polirradiculoneurites inflamatórias / Inflammatory polyradiculoneuritis

Foram estudados retrospectivamente 71 casos de polirradiculoneurites inflamatórias primitivas divididas em dois grupos: grupo I, 48 casos de polirradiculoneurite tipo Guillain-Barré e grupo II, 23 casos de polirradiculoneurite atípica, fora dos limites da conceituaçäo clássica de Guillain-Barré, sem dissociaçäo albumino-citológica (com hipercitose ou com líquido cefalorraquino normal) e/ou com sinais de comprometimento do sistema nervoso central. O material estudado corresponde ao decênio julho 74/junho 84. O estudo demonstrou que tanto as polirradiculoneurites tipo Guillain-Barré como as polirradiculoneurites atípicas tiveram um bom prognóstico em mais de 70% dos casos, näo havendo correlaçäo direta entre a intensidade das alteraçöes liquóricas e a evoluçäo clínica; o emprego da corticoidoterapia näo mostrou-se claramente efetivo na evoluçäo dos casos estudados nesta série

Hemicoreo-atetose aguda de etiologia vascular: relato de um caso / Acute hemichoreal athetosis of vascular etiology: a case report

É descrito um caso de hemicoreo-atetose aguda de etiologia vascular (hematomas da gânglia basal esquerda), seguido tardiamente por distonia de torçäo do tipo deformante e fixo durante o tratamento com butirofenoma, em uma paciente de 75 anos. A paciente era portadora de hipertensäo arterial e Diabetis mellitus, compensados clinicamente. O diagnóstico foi baseado na história clínica, exame neurológico e exames complementares (Radiografias do crânio, eletroencefalografia, líquido céfalo-raqueano e tomografia cerebral computadorizada)