CASE REPORT OF IDIOPATHIC NORMAL PRESSURE HYDROCEPHALUS: A CHALLENGING DIAGNOSIS.

Introduction: This report concerns the case of a 70-year-old man with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH). The diagnosis in the current case took more than 2 years. iNPH is characterised by ventriculomegaly with a known triad of symptoms: gait disturbance, cognitive impairments and urinary incontinence. Although this is a difficult diagnosis and other conditions must be ruled out, several points in the process could lead to a correct diagnosis. The aim of the report is to identify several reasons why the diagnosis was delayed for such a long time, as well as lessons for the future. Case: This patient developed several symptoms over time. First, he presented with depressive mood and altered behaviour. He later developed gait difficulties and, finally, urinary incontinence. Multiple consultations and examinations failed to provide an exact explanation for all his symptoms. After 2 years, a new doctor at the hospital started from scratch and recognised the iNPH triad, and the diagnosis was confirmed by the radiologist. Conclusion: The diagnosis of iNPH is difficult, as symptoms may manifest over time. In this case, the delay of diagnosis exceeded estimations. A broader view through interdisciplinary consultation could provide new insights and lead to earlier diagnosis.

Chronic fatigue syndrome - an update.

BACKGROUND: Chronic fatigue syndrome is a widespread condition with a huge impact not only on a patient's life, but also on society as evidenced by substantial losses of productivity, informal costs, and medical expenses. The high prevalence rates (0.2-6.4%) and the low employment rates (27-41%) are responsible for the enormous burden imposed on society, with loss of productivity representing the highest cost. The objective of this review is to systematically review the recent literature on chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis. METHODS: The published literature between 1 January 1990 and 1 April 2015 was searched using the MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Sciences databases. The reference lists of the selected articles were screened for other relevant articles. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Despite extensive research, none of the proposed etiological factors have shown strong, reproducible scientific evidence. Over the years, the biopsychosocial model integrating many of the proposed hypotheses has been gaining popularity over the biomedical model, where the focus is on one physical cause. Since the etiological mechanism underlying chronic fatigue syndrome is currently unknown, disease-specific treatments do not exist. Various treatments have been investigated but only cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and graded exercise therapy (GET) have shown moderate effectiveness.