Empfehlungen der European Stroke Initiative für Diagnose und Behandlung spontaner intrazerebraler Blutungen

Zusammenfassung Dieser Artikel stellt eine Übersetzung der im Jahr 2006 herausgegebenen Empfehlungen zur Behandlung von Patienten mit spontaner intrazerebraler Blutung der Europäischen Schlaganfallinitiative (EUSI) für das Europäische Schlaganfall-Council (ESC), die Europäische Neurologische Gesellschaft (ENS) und die Europäische Förderation Neurologischer Gesellschaften (EFNS) dar.Diese EUSI-Empfehlungen werden von dem European Stroke Council (ESC), der European Neurological Society (ENS) und der European Federation of Neurological Societies (EFNS) unterstützt.     

Towards performance measurement in reconstructive surgery: a multicentre pilot study of free and pedicled flap procedures.

OBJECTIVES: To pilot the acceptability and feasibility of clinical audit in free and pedicled flap reconstruction. To establish a baseline flap failure rate in participating units, so that a sample size calculation could be performed for future national audit. METHODS: A proforma was piloted over a 3-month period in four participating units, during which time data on 93 reconstructive procedures involving free and pedicled flaps was collected. The patients included those where large transfers of tissue were required such as for coverage of grade IIIb compound tibial fractures and breast reconstruction after mastectomy, and also smaller flap transfers such as after skin cancer excision. RESULTS: The proforma was found to be acceptable to clinicians and the feasibility of the data collection process was established. Overall there was a total flap survival of 89% and secondary operations to the donor or recipient sites were required in 11% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the feasibility of comparative audit for free and pedicled flap procedures using the methods proposed. Based on the incidence of flap failure observed in this pilot study, at least 18 months of prospective data collection on consecutive patients is required to fulfil the statistical requirements of comparative audit. The establishment of a routinely collected minimum dataset is proposed as one means of meeting these requirements.     

Gender ratio of migraine without aura: observations over time

Abstract Migraine without aura is typically considered a female condition. The purpose of this study was to determine if there have been any changes in the female-to-male ratio of the disease over time. We included in the study all patients with migraine without aura (n=3457) referred to the Parma University Headache Centre between 1976 and 1995. They were divided into subgroups with respect to gender and year-range of onset of migraine (before 1960, in the 1960s, in the 1970s, in the 1980s, and between 1990 and 1995). Gender ratio ranged from 3.6:1 (in patients with onset before 1960) to 2.8:1 (in patients with onset in the 1980s), with no statistically significant changes during the observation period.     

Social phobia, fear of negative evaluation and harm avoidance.

This naturalistic, prospective investigation examined the role of fear of negative evaluation and the personality trait of harm avoidance in the anxiety levels of treated social phobia patients. One hundred and fifty-seven patients with DSM-IV social phobia were assessed before starting treatment and were then followed for up to two years. As expected, greater fear of negative evaluation and higher scores of harm avoidance were associated with greater anxiety at the 6 month follow-up, and harm avoidance remained a significant predictor at 24 months. However, no evidence was found for an interaction between the personality and cognitive variables examined. The findings are discussed in terms of the relative independence of these factors, as well as their potential implications for the treatment of this disorder.     

Outcomes at 3 years of a prospective pilot study of Campath-1H and sirolimus immunosuppression for renal transplantation

Campath-1H (alemtuzumab) induction was used for renal transplantation in combination with sirolimus as immunosuppression. We previously reported a high (28%) rate of early rejection with this regimen, and now report 3-year outcomes. Twenty-nine patients were recipients of either deceased donor or non-HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) identical living donor primary renal allografts. Clinical parameters including infection, malignancy, kidney function, and kidney histology were followed prospectively for 3 years. Three-year cumulative graft and patient survival were 96% and 100%, respectively. Twenty patients were maintained on steroid-free immunosuppressive regimens, and 15 patients were maintained on monotherapy for immunosuppression (12 on sirolimus). No serious infectious complications were observed and two patients developed basal cell skin cancer. The 3-year results of our initial pilot study demonstrate good graft (96%) and patient (100%) outcomes. Campath-1H induction has yielded a high proportion of patients maintained on immunosuppressive monotherapy (57%) without serious infectious- and no malignancy-related complications. The reported regimen yielded novel insights into both Campath-1H and sirolimus therapy in renal transplantation. Because of the higher incidence of early rejection, we recommend a modified strategy of immunosuppression including a brief course of a calcineurin inhibitor.     

Ultrasound imaging of the lower urinary tract after successful tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate changes in the mobility of the whole urethra, in the proximal urethra (funneling) and in the thickness of the urinary bladder wall, after a successful tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure. METHODS: This prospective longitudinal study included 52 women with urodynamically confirmed stress urinary incontinence who had undergone a successful TVT procedure. Ultrasound examination was performed before the TVT procedure and at a median of 3 (range, 3-6) months after surgery. For all women, the changes to the urethra and urinary bladder induced by surgery were examined. For three mobility groups (low, intermediate and high urethral mobility before surgery) we compared the changes induced by the operation and the typical position and mobility of the tape. RESULTS: The position of the urethra at rest was not influenced by surgery. The operation significantly decreased the mobility of all parts of the urethra during Valsalva. The absolute changes of the vector of the urethral movement differed according to the mobility group (average decrease, 6 mm; decrease for women with low, intermediate and high mobility, respectively, 2-3 mm, 4-6 mm and 9 mm). The change in relative mobility was the same in all groups. The operation decreased funneling (width and depth) during maximal Valsalva. After surgery there was an increase in the thickness of the bladder wall (by 0.64 and 0.73 mm, respectively, at the anterior part and trigone). CONCLUSIONS: A successful TVT procedure did not influence the position of the urethra at rest but significantly decreased the mobility of the urethra during Valsalva and also decreased funneling at maximal Valsalva.     

Incidence of asthma and net change in symptoms in relation to changes in obesity.

The incidence of asthma has been reported to be associated with obesity. An alternative analysis, of net change in prevalence, does not require exclusion of those with asthma at baseline. Follow-up data were obtained from 9,552 participants in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey and the Swiss cohort Study on Air Pollution and Lung Disease in Adults. Incidence of asthma was analysed by proportional hazards regression, and net changes in symptoms and asthma status by generalised estimating equations, by obesity group. Incidence and net change in ever having had asthma were greater in females than in males, and in participants who remained obese compared with those who were never obese (hazard ratio 2.00, 95% confidence interval 1.25-3.20; excess net change 2.8%, 0.4-5.3% per 10 yrs). The effect of being obese on net change in diagnosed asthma was greater in females than in males, but for net change in wheeze without a cold it was greater in males. The present results are consistent with asthma being more frequently diagnosed in females, especially obese females. These findings may help to explain the reports of a stronger association between asthma and obesity in females than in males.     

Periodontal mechano-sensory responses following trauma to permanent incisor teeth in children

Abstract –  The aim of this study was to investigate mechano-sensory responses of injured and uninjured incisor teeth. Twenty-five children who had experienced dental trauma, together with age- and gender-matched controls, were studied prospectively. Touch thresholds of incisor teeth from both groups were determined using calibrated sets of von Frey hairs (force range 0.5–10.0 g in 0.5 g increments) using a forced choice staircase method. Forces were applied perpendicular to the buccal enamel surfaces along the midline, 2 mm from the incisal edge. Touch threshold was defined as the lowest force detected in three out of the five occasions. Following statistical analysis, P  < 0.05 was considered significant. At initial examination, the touch threshold values of 25 traumatised teeth were significantly greater than the untraumatised controls ( P  < 0.001), and these values approached those of the control teeth over 3–12 months ( P  > 0.05). Dental trauma was associated with increased touch thresholds in permanent incisor teeth, with recovery toward healthy control values usually occurring between 3–12 months.     

Preservation of Bile Ductules Mitigates Bile Duct Loss

The finer branches of the biliary tree (FBBT) contain a regenerative compartment. We hypothesized that preservation of the FBBT together with its microvasculature will lead to recovery of biliary damage and prolonged preservation of bile ductules during the development of chronic liver allograft rejection. The interlobular bile ducts, portal bile ductules and extraportal biliary cells with and without microvessels were studied in sequential biopsies in five patients who fulfilled the Banff criteria of early chronic rejection (CR) (imminence group). Biopsies of CR patients (n = 12) served as controls. Biopsies were double immunostained with CD34 (microvessels) and cytokeratin 7 (biliary structures). Proliferation and proangiogenic activity were assessed with Ki67 and VEGF-A immunostaining. Severe damage of bile ducts in the imminence group did not progress to significant bile duct loss. This was associated with a high proliferative activity in all biliary structures and preservation of the microvascular compartment. VEGF-A expression was increased in all but the reperfusion biopsies. In conclusion, both regenerative activity of the FBBT and an intact microvascular compartment are associated with less damage of the biliary tree and could therefore be prerequisites for biliary regeneration.