Isolated leukemic iritis in childhood

Case report on a child with acute lymphogenous leukemia. Although there was constant hematological remission she developed an isolated leukemic iritis and secondary glaucoma. The clinical picture showed a characteristic stratification of the hyphema. After the patient had remained seated for a prolonged period of time the leukemic cells settled above the erythrocytes, forming a so-called pseudohypopyon, which diagnostically important. Cytologic examination after anterior chamber paracentesis is indispensable in order to establish the etiology of the disease. Isolated leukemic iritis may be the first sign of a relapse and therefore indicate a need to reinstitute induction therapy.     

Synthesis and anticonvulsant properties of some arylsuccinate methylpyridylimides

In reaction of alpha-phenyl, alpha-p-chlorophenyl and alpha-m-chlorophenylsuccinic acid with various aminopyridines, N-pyridyl-substituted succinimides (compounds 1-14) were obtained. These compounds were investigated for their CNS activity. Compounds 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7 displayed anticonvulsant properties in the maximum electroshock test. Compounds 5 and 6 were also active in the pentetrazole test.     

Acute pericarditis as the initial manifestation in Still's disease in an adult

Almost 90% of primary acute pericarditis are idiopathic. Between specifics forms, a very low percentage of cases are due to chronic rheumatic diseases. A case of adult Still's disease (juvenile chronic rheumatoid arthritis) with acute pericarditis being the first clinical manifestation (besides fever and general syndrome) is presented. Therapy with oral prednisone was rapidly effective, and pericardial effusion resolved after 3 weeks of treatment, as echocardiography showed.     

Hereditary protein C deficiency and portal-vein thrombosis

Inherited defects of the natural coagulation inhibitors predispose patients to thrombosis. These disorders have similar clinical presentations with a strong family history of thrombosis, episodes of recurrent venous thromboembolism, beginning in early adulthood. We report a case of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in a patient with portal hypertension due to portal-vein thrombosis secondary to hereditary protein C deficiency, an association that has seldom been reported.     

VIM thalamic stimulation for tremor in a patient with IgM paraproteinaemic demyelinating neuropathy.

We demonstrate the effect of deep brain stimulation of the ventral intermediate thalamic nucleus on intractable action tremor, in a 72-year-old man suffering from neuropathy associated with monoclonal gammopathy.     

Pulmonary valvuloplasty in children with cyanotic cardiopathy

We present 5 patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease in whom a pulmonary valvuloplasty was performed as palliative therapy. The patients symptoms were hypoxemic spells, very low oxygen saturation and no weight gain. The oxygenation improved and symptoms disappeared. We believe that in properly selected patients this technique represents a good therapeutic modality.     

Serum levels of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) in Parkinson's disease.

To elucidate the possible role of vitamin E in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), we compared serum levels of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), measured by high-performance liquid chromatography, and the vitamin E/cholesterol ratio of 42 Parkinson's disease (PD) patients using their spouses as the control group. The serum levels of vitamin E did not differ significantly between the groups (13.84 +/- 0.56 micrograms/ml for PD and 14.80 +/- 0.57 micrograms/ml for controls), nor did the vitamin E/cholesterol ratio (0.64 +/- 0.03 for both groups). There was no influence of antiparkinsonian therapy on vitamin E or the vitamin E/cholesterol ratio. Serum levels of the vitamin E and vitamin E/cholesterol ratio did not correlate with age, age at onset, scores of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale or the Hoehn and Yahr staging in the PD group. These results suggest that serum vitamin E concentrations do not play a role in the pathogenesis of PD.     

Porphyria cutanea tarda associated with autoimmune hypothyroidism, vitiligo and alopecia universalis.

The aetiology of porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) has not been elucidated, but the possibility of an autoimmune mechanism has been proposed. We report a case of an unknown clinical combination of PCT with autoimmune hypothyroidism, alopecia universalis and vitiligo with thyroid and parietal cell circulating antibodies. This is highly suggestive of underlying autoimmune damage in this patient.