Diffusion-weighted imaging study of patients with essential tremor.

The pathophysiology of essential tremor (ET) is unknown. PET and fMRI studies have revealed bilateral activation and (1)H-MRS studies metabolic abnormalities in the cerebellum and other functionally related brain structures in ET. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was used to search for evidence of tissue integrity abnormalities in these areas in ET patients and 10 matched controls by calculating water apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs). Regions of interest included the left and right cerebellum, red nucleus, thalamus, caudate, putamen, pallidum, and frontal white matter. Histograms of ADCs were generated for all pixels in the infratentorial compartment and manually segmented areas corresponding to brainstem, vermis, and cerebellar hemispheres. ADC values were similar in all brain areas in patients and controls. Our study did not detect changes affecting the investigated brain regions in ET patients. These findings argue against major structural damage in the ET brain, although more subtle neurodegenerative changes cannot be ruled out.     

Cabergoline compared to levodopa in the treatment of patients with severe restless legs syndrome: results from a multi-center, randomized, active controlled trial.

We report the first large-scale double-blind, randomly assigned study to compare two active dopaminergic therapies for Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), the dopamine agonist cabergoline (CAB) and levodopa/benserazide (levodopa). Patients with idiopathic RLS were treated with fixed daily doses of 2 or 3 mg CAB or 200 or 300 mg levodopa for 30 weeks. Efficacy was assessed by changes in the IRLS (International RLS Severity Scale) and by time to discontinuation of treatment due to loss of efficacy or augmentation. 361 of 418 screened patients (age 58 +/- 12 years, 71% females) were randomly assigned and treated (CAB: n = 178; levodopa: n = 183) in 51 centers of four European countries. Baseline IRLS total score was 25.7 +/- 6.8. The baseline-adjusted mean change from baseline to week 6 in IRLS sum score was d = -16.1 in the CAB group and d = -9.5 in the levodopa group (d = -6.6, P < 0.0001). More patients in the levodopa group (24.0%) than in the CAB group (11.9%, P = 0.0029, log-rank test) discontinued because of loss of efficacy (14.2% vs. 7.9%, P = 0.0290) or augmentation (9.8% vs. 4.0%, P = 0.0412). Adverse events (AEs) occurred in 83.1% of the CAB group and in 77.6% of the levodopa group. In both groups, most frequent AEs were gastrointestinal symptoms (CAB: 55.6%, levodopa: 30.6%, P < 0.0001). This first large-scale active controlled study in RLS showed superior efficacy of cabergoline versus levodopa after a 30-week long-term therapy. Tolerability was found more favorable with levodopa than with cabergoline.     

Outpatient Initiation of Insulin: A Nurse Practitioner Protocol

Noninsulin dependent diabetes (type II diabetes) is a chronic disease characterized by hyperglycemia. Clients can generally be controlled by diet and exercise or a combination of diet, exercise, and oral hypoglycemic agents. When this therapy is not effective in controlling the hyperglycemia, the health care provider must choose to initiate insulin therapy. Outpatient initiation of insulin is an alternative to hospitalization in the type II diabetic client. Clinical guidelines for the initiation of insulin on an outpatient basis and management of the diabetic client are presented.     

Ungewöhnliche Strahlenreaktion nach Röntgenweichstrahltherapie bei einer Patientin mit Pemphigus vulgaris

Zusammenfassung Bei einer 71j?hrigen Frau trat nach R?ntgenweichstrahltherapie an der Nase (Gesamtdosis 28 Gy, Gewebehalbwerttiefe 10,5–11,5 mm) eine ausgepr?gte Strahlenerosion auf. Diese zeigte 5 Wochen nach Ende der Bestrahlung noch keine Tendenz zur Abheilung. Ursache dieses ungew?hnlichen Verlaufes war ein gleichzeitig bestehender Pemphigus vulgaris. Dieser hatte sich nach der Strahlentherapie, vermutlich als Folge einer Freisetzung epidermaler Antigene, verschlimmert. Da? der Pemphigus in diesem Fall durch die Bestrahlung ausgel?st wurde – wie mehrfach in der Literatur berichtet – ist unwahrscheinlich, aber nicht sicher auszuschlie?en. Eingegangen am 11. April 1994 Angenommen am 10. Juni 1994     

Characterization of T-cell subsets infiltrating post-burn hypertrophic scar tissues

In this study, skin-infiltrating cells were characterized in both the active and remission phases of post-burn hypertrophic scar biopstes. Immunohistochemistry examination of active phase samples showed an abundant presence of Langerhans cells, T cells, macrophages, a low presence of natural killer cells and the lack of B lymphocytes. In active hypertrophic scars T lymphocytes infiltrate deep into the superficial dermis and are also observed in the epidermis: CD3⁺ cells were present at about 222±107 per 0.25 mm². In particular the analysis of lymphocyte subpopulations showed that CD4⁺ T cells predominate in the dermis as well as in the epidermis of active hypertrophic scars whereas CD8⁺ cells were less well represented (CD4/CD8 ratio is 2.06). This distribution was also shown in remission phase samples and in normotrophic scar specimens, although the lymphocyte number was significantly lower. Approximately 70 per cent of T lymphocytes present in the tissue involved in active phase hypertrophic scar samples were activated (positive with anti-HLA-DR and IL-2 receptor antibodies) which is significantly higher than remission phase hypertrophic and normotrophic scars, in which positivity was 40 and 38 per cent, respectively. Upon activation, the lesional lymphocytes release several cytokines, locally and transiently, that interact with specific receptors in response to different stimulation. Central to the immune hypothesis of hypertrophic scars is that some of the T-cell lymphokines act on keratinocytes, fibroblasts and other cell types to induce changes characteristic of these scars. The presence and close proximity of activated T lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells of various phenotypes in both the epidermis and dermis of hypertrophic tissues provides strong circumstantial evidence of a local immune response. However, the manner in which T cells achieve and maintain their activated state in hypertrophic tissues in not yet known, and both antigen-dependent and independent mechanisms may contribute.     

Lessons to be learned from a complicated case of rhino-cerebral mucormycosis in a renal allograft recipient

Fungal infections still represent a serious complication after organ transplantation. Early diagnosis and aggressive treatment are crucial. Because of the many diagnostic problems involved, we present a case of mucormycosis--primarily affecting the paranasal sinuses with later intracranial extension--in a highly immunized recipient of a third renal transplant. Although fungal infection was suspected from various imaging techniques, only the detection of typical fungal hyphae in the infected tissue was diagnostic. Neither the blood tests and cerebrospinal fluid examinations performed nor cultures from maxillary sinus fluid were of any diagnostic help. Surgical debridement from a transnasal as well as an intracranial approach and systemic amphotericin B together with the discontinuation of immunosuppression after removal of the rejected graft were able to save the patient. This case stresses the importance of early diagnosis that can only be made from tissue biopsies and allows appropriate timely treatment.     

Relationship between resting alpha activity and the ERPs obtained during a highly demanding selective attention task.

In spite of previous reports on the relationship between ongoing EEG and ERPs, there remains a lack of agreement on the nature of their nexuses. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between resting EEG and the ERP components in two groups of healthy subjects with different levels of performance in a highly demanding selective visual attention task. Young adults were classified according to the amount of their correct responses in the task, into high (HP; averaged hits (AH): 86%) and low performance groups (LP; AH: 59%). EEG was recorded during rest, prior to task performance and absolute (AP) and relative power (RP), as well as inter- (rTER) and intrahemispheric (rTRA) correlation were calculated. ERPs during task performance were also obtained and their amplitude and latency measures were assessed. Results showed that individuals with better behavioral performance had a higher synchronization between both hemispheres during rest as well as higher amplitude and shorter latencies of N2 and P3. Principal Component Analysis revealed that alpha2 AP and RP were inversely related to P2 and N2 latency. Higher values of alpha1 and alpha2 rTER were clustered with higher P3 amplitude and shorter reaction time. In conclusion, the differences in the cortical organization of HP and LP at rest (EEG) seem to be associated to the way the brain reacts during information processing (ERPs).