Tinea Capitis in the United Arab Emirates

ABSTRACT: The authors reviewed the causative agents for tinea capitis in United Arab Emirates nationals attending Tawam Hospital, Al Ain, between 1981 and 1988. Microsporum canis was the most prevalent organism isolated. Oral griseofulvin remained the treatment of choice. The addition of isotretinoin appeared promising in the chronic inflammatory forms.     

Atazanavir: a novel inhibitor of HIV-protease in haemodialysis.

Sir, Atazanavir is a novel azapeptide protease inhibitor with highspecificity for, and activity against, HIV-1 protease. Atazanavirhas a pharmacokinetic profile that allows for once-daily oraladministration. It is a moderate inhibitor of hepatic cytochromeP450 enzymes and interacts with several drugs [1]. However,it has been shown that even drugs whose elimination is predominantlyhepatic may have altered pharmacokinetics in patients with renalimpairment [2]. Furthermore, both currently available proteaseinhibitors     

Hallucinations in Parkinson's disease: a follow-up study.

To study prevalence of hallucinations in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) during a 1-year period, and identify factors predictive of the onset of hallucinations in patients who were hallucination-free at baseline, 141 unselected outpatients with PD were evaluated prospectively for a set of demographic, clinical, and therapeutic variables and the presence of hallucinations during the previous 3 months. Patient groups were compared with nonparametric tests, and logistic regression was applied to significant data. Follow-up data were available for 127 patients. The hallucination prevalence rates (%) at the first and second evaluation were, respectively, 41.7 and 49.6 for hallucinations of all types (NS), 29.1 and 40.2 for minor hallucinations (i.e., presence or passage hallucinations, and illusions) (P = 0.02), 22.8 and 21.2 for formed visual hallucinations (NS), and 8.7 and 8.7 for auditory hallucinations (NS). Hallucinations rarely started or ceased during the study. The most labile forms were minor hallucinations, which developed in 20% of patients and ceased in 9%. During follow-up, 15% of patients started to hallucinate. Three factors, all present at the first evaluation, independently predicted the onset of hallucinations in patients previously free of hallucinations at baseline (odds ratio; 95% confidence interval): severe sleep disturbances (14.3; 2.5-80.9), ocular disorders (9.1; 1.6-52.0), and a high axial motor score (5.7; 1.2-27.4). Hallucinations have a chronic course in most parkinsonian patients. Factors predicting the onset of hallucinations point to a role of extranigral brainstem involvement and a nonspecific, facilitating role of ocular disorders.     

First-Pass Metabolism of Diltiazem in Anesthetized Rabbits: Role of Extrahepatic Organs

Pharmaceutical Research - Purpose. The aim of this study was to assess in vivo which organs contribute to the first-pass metabolism of diltiazem. Methods. Anaesthetized rabbits received diltiazem...     

Sex differences in diencephalon serotonin transporter availability in major depression.

BACKGROUND: Major depression is more prevalent in women than men. The present study evaluated if previous findings that demonstrated decreased 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) transporter availability in depressed patients would be confirmed in a larger sample and also evaluated sex differences. METHODS: Depressed (n = 32) and healthy subjects (n = 32), including 16 pairs of women and men, participated in an iodine-123-2 beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-iodophenyltropane) ([(123)I]beta-CIT) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Participants were administered [(123)I]beta-CIT (225.7 +/- 3.7 MBq) and imaged 23.0 +/- 1.6 hours later. Statistical analyses included analysis of variance and a regression analysis of the main and interactive effects of age, sex, and depression. RESULTS: Overall, depressed patients demonstrated 12% lower diencephalon and no change in striatal or brainstem [(123)I]beta-CIT uptake. Significant age by sex, sex by depression, and age by sex by depression interactions were noted due to 22% lower diencephalon [(123)I]beta-CIT uptake in depressed women compared with less than a 1% decrease in depressed men. CONCLUSIONS: As observed previously, diencephalon 5-HT transporter availability is decreased in depressed patients. However, the decrease appears to be sex-specific and age-dependent. These findings suggest that serotonergic mechanisms mediating depressed mood differ between men and women in an age-dependent manner and may explain why young women respond better to treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants.     

Causes of death amongst French patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a prospective study

Background and purpose: To prospectively investigate causes of death and the circumstances surrounding death in 302 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The functional status of patients immediately before death was also determined. Methods: Information was obtained from neurologists at ALS centres, patients’ files, and, when deaths occurred outside a medical facility, attending physicians. Results: Most patients (63%) died in a medical facility. The most frequently reported cause of death was respiratory failure (77%), including terminal respiratory insufficiency (58%), pneumonia (14%), asphyxia due to a foreign body (3%) and pulmonary embolism (2%). Ten per cent of patients died from other causes: post‐surgical or traumatic conditions (5%), cardiac causes (3.4%), suicide (1.3%) and sudden death of unknown origin (0.7%). The cause of death could not be determined in 13% of cases (6% inside a medical facility and 25% outside). At the time of death, only 55% of patients were receiving riluzole, 33% were undergoing non‐invasive ventilation, 3% had a tracheotomy and 37% a gastrostomy. Conclusion: The information provided by this study helps to improve our understanding of the natural history of the disease and may help optimize the quality of care we can offer patients at the end of life.     

Pain and denture condition in edentulous orodyskinesia: Comparisons with tardive dyskinesia and control subjects

Edentulous orodyskinesia (ED) is a neglected source of aimless oral movements that may be confused with tardive dyskinesia (TD). We attempted to clarify the clinical features, significance, and orodental factors in relation to ED. Fourteen ED subjects, 13 TD patients, and 15 age‐matched controls self‐assessed their oral pain perception, condition, and function using a visual analogue scale. Dyskinesias were classified and rated by a neurologist. Perioral thermal and pressure pain threshold studies, and a standardized orodental examination, were conducted blind to subject group. The perceived oral pain level was low in all groups, and those reporting a significant intensity level of pain (≥50th percentile) were few. The pain thresholds in both dyskinetic groups were comparable to control values. All ED cases wore a complete set of dentures, considered a current source of problems by 85.7% of them. ED cases commonly displayed inadequate dental occlusal relationship (P = 0.014 vs. controls; P = 0.036 vs. TD) and an overclosed vertical dimension (P = 0.006 vs. controls) as well as unstable and unretentive dentures. ED was limited to the oral region, spared the tongue when the mouth is open, and was never severe in our patients. ED has distinct movement characteristics and is often associated with inadequate dentures and biomechanical sources of denture instability. The contribution of the foregoing findings to the expression of oral dyskinesia warrants further studies. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society     

Studies on the sero-epidemiology of endemic diseases in Libya. II. Rubella

No epidemiological information concerning the prevalence of rubella previously existed in Libya, thus precluding policy decisions in respect of possible immunization programme options. A random serological survey of school children, using the single-radial haemolysis-test, gave the following IgG positive rates. In Benghazi, 621 subjects yielded 58.8% at six years, the point of entry to the school system, rising to 78.3% at 12 years; in Gharian, 188 subjects yielded 61.1% at six years rising to 89.3% at 12 years. An additional random group of 70 Benghazi children, bled annually for four years, yielded positive rates of 55.7% at six years rising to 78.6% at nine years.