Is hypertension a risk factor of hemifacial spasm?

OBJECTIVES: The published data on the relation between arterial hypertension (AH) and hemifacial spasm (HFS) are controversial. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of AH in HFS patients and the relation of AH and compression of the brainstem at the region of vasomotor center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 60 of primary HFS patients and 60 healthy controls matched by age. AH was defined according to WHO criteria. The vessel compression of the brainstem was measure on MRI scans in selected region of vasomotor center located in the ventro-lateral medulla (VLM), between the pontomedullary junction, retro-olivary sulcus and the root entry zone (REZ) of the IX and X nerves. Modeling and compression severity of the VLM was graded in the 0-3 scale. RESULTS: The prevalence of AH in HFS patients did not differ significantly from the control group (61.6% vs 45.0%, p=ns). VML compression by vessel was frequently found in HFS patients with AH than without AH (97.2% vs 60.9%, χ(2)=11.0, p=0.0009). A similar relation was also found in the control group. The higher rate of VML vascular compression was related to the presence of AH in both, HFS patients and control group. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of AH in HFS patients does not differ from controls. The VLM compression in HFS patients and controls is related to AH diagnosis. The association between AH and VLM compression is stronger in patients with higher degree of VLM compression.

[Variable magnetic fields in the treatment of tics disorders - preliminary results].

INTRODUCTION: Tics disorders is frequent pathological syndrome, particularly typical for children's age. The symptoms of this disease are differential, and their intensification individualized, which makes difficult unique recognition. Tics disorders concern the most often the muscles of face, head, upper limbs and trunk. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 16 patients (11 boys and 5 girls) with tics complex disorders about unknown etiology particularly relating of face and upper limbs muscles. In the treatment were the interventions with use a magnetotherapy and magnetostimulation applied. The procedures were ones daily by 3 weeks in two series executed. It author's pool was the frequency of occurrence tics disorders as well as the proportional opinion of effectiveness conducted treatment estimated. RESULTS: After 10 weeks in 14 patients was the decrease of occurrence frequency involuntary movements observed, in proportional scale about 75%. The results of subjective opinion of mood showed, that decrease the frequency tics disorders had in all children the direct shift on improvement their mood, and also satisfaction in their parents. CONCLUSIONS: The use of variable magnetic fields influenced on decrease the occurrence frequency tics disorders, and also on improvement quality of life the treated patients.

[Variable magnetic fields in the treatment of tics disorders - preliminary results].

INTRODUCTION: Tics disorders is frequent pathological syndrome, particularly typical for children's age. The symptoms of this disease are differential, and their intensification individualized, which makes difficult unique recognition. Tics disorders concern the most often the muscles of face, head, upper limbs and trunk. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 16 patients (11 boys and 5 girls) with tics complex disorders about unknown etiology particularly relating of face and upper limbs muscles. In the treatment were the interventions with use a magnetotherapy and magnetostimulation applied. The procedures were ones daily by 3 weeks in two series executed. It author's pool was the frequency of occurrence tics disorders as well as the proportional opinion of effectiveness conducted treatment estimated. RESULTS: After 10 weeks in 14 patients was the decrease of occurrence frequency involuntary movements observed, in proportional scale about 75%. The results of subjective opinion of mood showed, that decrease the frequency tics disorders had in all children the direct shift on improvement their mood, and also satisfaction in their parents. CONCLUSIONS: The use of variable magnetic fields influenced on decrease the occurrence frequency tics disorders, and also on improvement quality of life the treated patients.

[Rehabilitation of children after craniocerebral injuries with particular attention paid to the reflex stimulation Powiertowski's method. Preliminary study]. / Usprawnianie dzieci po przebytych urazach czaszkowo-mózgowych ze szczególnym uwzglednieniem metody stymulacji odruchowej Hieronima Powiertowskiego. Doniesienie wstepne.

INTRODUCTION: An increasing number of craniocerebral injuries among children is becoming a serious therapeutic problem for emergency wards and for chronic treatment wards. The most important problem among these patients is a lengthening period of consciousness disorders. The aim of the study is to present a sample method of rehabilitation of children with brain injury. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The rehabilitation process comprised 15 children with brain injury, including 8 with cerebral hemisphere injury and 7 with brain stem injury. The method of early motion rehabilitation was applied. It was developed by H. Powiertowski in 1970's. In the years 1991-1999 the method was used at the Children's Ward of the Department of Rehabilitation by Professor Krystyna Dobosiewicz. RESULTS: As a result of the applied method, 13 out of 15 children with brain injuries regained consciousness. 2 girls with severe lesion of the brain, still unconscious were transferred to the intensive care ward in the place of residence. CONCLUSIONS: Powiertowski's method of motion stimulation, which is presented in this paper, turned out to be successful in the process of rehabilitation children with brain injury treated in the Department of Rehabilitation.

Double crush syndrome evaluation in the median nerve in clinical, radiological and electrophysiological examination.

Double crush syndrome (DCS) was first described by Upton and McComas who proposed that focal compression of an axon often occurs at more than one level. The aim of the study was to support the hypothesis of DCS of the median nerve on the basis of available diagnostic methods. 30 patients (25 F and 5 M aged 33-73, mean 54.6+/-8.2 years) with coexisting carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and cervical radiculopathy (CR) were examined. Control group included 40 healthy volunteers (27 F and 13 M aged 17-82, mean 43.1+/-11 years). Medical evaluation comprised clinical examination, X-ray and MR imaging of the cervical spine, electroneurography (ENG) with F-wave and somatosensory evoked potentials (mSEPs) of median nerves. In clinical examination 96.6% of patients suffered from cervical spine pain and nocturnal paresthesies of at least one hand. Muscular atrophy was present in 43.3% in the proximal and in 70% in the distal part of the upper extremity. 30.3% of patients presented with a thoracic scoliosis. On X-ray examination, all patients showed cervical discopathy, mostly C5-C6 (70%) and C6-C7 (53.3%). Using MR investigation, the narrowing of intervertebral foramina was present in 81.25% and narrowing of vertebral canal in 37.5%. On ENG all patients presented with CTS, bilaterally in 73.3%. The F wave was abnormal in 73.3% and mSEPs in 66.7% of patients. Coincidence of MR and mSEPs in view of lateralization was observed in 71.4%. Results supported the DSC hypothesis. DCS evaluation requires both structural and functional diagnosis of peripheral neurones using MRI and electrophysiological examination.

Tibial nerve somato-sensory evoked potentials in idiopathic scoliosis.

Background. For many years the etiology of idiopathic scoliosis has been a topic of interest for researchers and clinicists. Material and methods. We examined somatosensory evoked potentials from the tibial nerves (tSSEP) in 120 children with idiopathic scoliosis, of whom 40 showed abnormal results and were retested by tSSEP one year later. The progressive nature of the scoliosis was evaluated on the basis of clinical and radiological examination. This group of 40 children was divided into two subgroups: Group I, consisting of 25 children with progressive scoliosis, and Group II, consisting of 15 children with non-progressive scoliosis. The groups were cross-referenced for one-curve scoliosis (21 children) and two-curve scoliosis (19 children). These children had been treated conservatively by asymmetrical three-plane trunk mobilization using the Dobosiewicz method. Results. Of the 40 children with abnormal results in the first tSSEP examination, 70% still had pathological recordings in the second examination. 65% of this group had progressive scoliosis, as compared to only 40.8% in the entire study population of 140 children. In the follow-up x-ray we found slight but statistically significant regressio of the Cobb angle and rotation. The radiological changes had no significant relation to changes in the tSSEPs. There was no statistically significant different in quantitative pathology on the tSSEPs between progressive and non-progressive scoliosis. Conclusions. These results may be an argument in favor of the hypothesis that idiopathic scoliosis results from a dysfunction of the sensory pathways.

[Developmental age idiopathic osteoporosis--diagnostics and rehabilitation]. / Osteoporoza idiopatyczna wieku rozwojowego--diagnostyka i rehabilitacja.

Developmental age idiopathic osteoporosis is a rare metabolic disease, which pathomechanism is different from involutional osteoporosis. Its etiology still remains unknown. An onset of the disease is rapid, affecting previously healthy children of both sexes aged 3.5-15. A rapid loss of bone mass is especially remarkable. Clinical picture of the disease includes pain localised initially in feet, then in thoraco-lumbar section of the vertebral column, gradually progressive deformation of the longitudinal axes of limbs, gait pathology and progressive depletion of a lower limb muscle strength. The onset of the disease is non-specific. Diagnosis is possible on the basis of roentgen imaging depicting rarefaction of cancellous layer of the bone, numerous infractions of long bones and typical for osteoporotic deformation of vertebral shafts with reduction of their vertical dimension. Current research presents two-staged method of rehabilitation applied in developmental age osteoporosis. The main principle of treatment is based on increasing axial load of lower limbs in antigravitational position causing joint surfaces to be pushed together. Final stage of rehabilitation includes interval training on a moving track.