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A Antigüedad

Publications and source records attributed to A Antigüedad.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Polymorphisms in the interleukin-4 and IL-4 receptor genes and multiple sclerosis: a study in Spanish-Basque, Northern Irish and Belgian populations.

Cytokine gene polymorphisms are known to influence susceptibility and disease course of many autoimmune diseases. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system white matter characterized by inflammation, demyelination and axonal damage. We analysed both the well-known intronic variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) and +33 C/T single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the IL-4 gene, as well as the functional Q551R SNP in the IL4-R gene in a cohort of three distinct populations comprising sporadic cases and controls from the northern Spanish Basque Country and Northern Ireland, as well as family trios from Belgium. The IL-4 +33 TT genotype was decreased in primary progressive (PP) versus relapsing-remitting (RR) patients in the Northern Irish population (OR = 0.14; 95% CI = 0.018-1.09). Two-marker haplotype distribution of the VNTR and +33 C/T SNP in PP patients differed from that seen in RR patients in Northern Ireland (P = 0.03). The R allele of the Q551R SNP was significantly under-transmitted in the Belgian trio families (P = 0.003), although this effect was not seen in the Northern Irish and Basque data sets. We did not identify IL-4-IL4-R gene-gene interaction in determining susceptibility or clinical parameters of MS. Disease or genetic heterogeneity or both may be responsible for the observed lack of reproduction in different populations. Our data reinforce recent findings for a role of IL4-R in susceptibility to MS.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[The practice of neurology by regional specialists in Vizcaya (Spain)].

We describe the practice of 3 regional specialists in neurology in 1993 and 1994 at Hospital de Cruces in Vizcaya. Each neurologist alternately spent 1 day working in the hospital ward and another day working in an external clinic in the region, thus allowing clinic patients to be seen consistently by the same neurologist, while responsibility for inpatients could be shared by 2 physicians. All clinic patients in the region and the majority of hospital patients were covered by these specialists. A yearly average of 683.05 new patients were seen; 177.72 (26.01%) as inpatients, 82 (12%) at the hospital-based outpatient clinic and 423.33 (61.98%) at other clinics in the region. The wait time for new patients in the regional clinics was 119.71 days; 21.97% of these patients were classified as having no neurological disease (with diagnoses of syncope and peripheral vertigo included in this group), 25.74% had headache and 40.12% had cerebrovascular, neuromuscular, degenerative disease or epilepsy. Hospitalized patients released with diagnoses of non-neurological disease or cephalea represented 12.91% of the total; 50.6% of hospital patients had cerebrovascular disease.

Cerebrovascular Disorders↗
PubMed1990

[Idiopathic cerebral gas embolism].

Air embolism to the brain is an accident that may occur in situations that favour the entrance of air into the bloodstream. The clinical diagnosis is sometimes difficult and only the computerized axial tomography may be of invaluable help. We present a rare case of air embolism occurring during sleep in which no apparent causes could be established. This woman had clinical findings of extensive infarction at the right cerebral hemisphere. The axial tomography performed during the first five days showed the presence of air bubbles persisting for three days and areas of infarction and edema during the 3rd-5th day. Magnetic resonance evidenced new areas of infarction in both hemispheres by the 12th day. Application of antiedema therapy was followed by a partial clinical recovery.

Cerebral Infarction↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Natural interferon-beta in the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a multicenter, randomized, MRI-based, phase II clinical trial].

OBJECTIVE: The ability of natural human interferon beta (n-hIFN beta) to reduce multiple sclerosis (MS) activity was investigated in 60 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were randomized to receive either 9 MIU (33 micrograms) of n-hIFN beta by subcutaneous route, three times per week, on alternate days, during one year, or no treatment (control group) during the first six months and then switched to the same treatment for the following six months. Disease activity was monitored monthly by both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical parameters. An intergroup analysis (first 6 months of the study) showed fewer active lesions and lower exacerbation rate in the treatment group than in the control group. Similarly, there were more exacerbation-free patients in the treatment group during this time. RESULTS: When switched to treatment, the control group showed a significant reduction in the number of active lesions (p = 0.00001) and the exacerbation rate decreased by half. Exacerbation-free patients more than doubled (p = 0.006) and the median time to first exacerbation was significantly prolonged (96 vs > 180 days; p = 0.019). Treatment was extended for 12 additional months at a dose of 6 MIU (22 micrograms) once a week and disease activity persisted under control in 88% of patients. Treatment with n-hIFN beta was well tolerated, adverse events being mild and self-limiting. Sera were analyzed for anti-IFN beta antibodies and neutralizing activity was found in 12% of the patients after two years. CONCLUSION: The results of this phase II study show, that n-hIFN beta promotes a significant reduction of disease activity in RRMS as shown by both MRI and clinical variables, and that the treatment is well tolerated, with low antigenicity.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Eales' disease involving central nervous system white matter].

Eales' disease (ED) is a rare condition characterized by repeated retinal and vitreous hemorrhages. The only extraocular involvement described occasionally in the literature is neurological. Histologically, vasculitis in ED is usually restricted to the eye, but occasionally involves the central nervous system, where demyelinizing lesions may also occur. We present a 34-year-old male with ED and subclinical central nervous system involvement. Craneal magnetic resonance images (MR) suggested demyelinization; brainstem auditory and somatosensory evoked potentials were abnormal. There was moderate pleocytosis in CSF and intratecal production of immunoglobulins with oligoclonal bands. Follow-up over a period of 2.5 years showed no clinical, MR or CSF changes in spite of continued opthamological impairment. Little is known about factors that affect the development or not of demyelinizing lesions in ED patients with neurological involvement demonstrated by intratecal production of immunoglobulins. Identification of such factors may contribute to our understanding of other diseases, such as multiple sclerosis.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Antinuclear antibodies in multiple sclerosis].

The prevalence of circulating antinuclear antibodies (ANA) was studied in a group of 147 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Also analyzed was the evolution of ANA over time in those patients for whom the first analysis was positive. ANA titers > or = 1/50 were considered positive. Twenty-two of the MS patients (15%) were positive for ANA upon the first analysis. In a control group of patients with other non-autoimmune neurological diseases the prevalence of ANA positivity was 6.1%. ANA titers became normal in 94.7% of the MS patients over a mean maximum period of 22.5 +/- 19.2 months. We known of no other study of the evolution of ANA titers in MS patients. Because ANA fluctuates in MS, the titers of other circulating autoantibodies should be interpreted cautiously both when discussing etiopathogenetic hypotheses and when diagnosing associated diseases. The diagnostic usefulness of ANA determination in MS is low.

Adult↗