Biomedical subjects

Aleksandra M Pavlović

Publications and source records attributed to Aleksandra M Pavlović.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

[Constructional apraxia in patients with closed head injury].

INTRODUCTION: Constructional apraxia is a disorder characterized by an inability to join the elements into a unity. It has not been studied much in patients with closed head injury (CHI). METHODS: Forty-one patients with CHI were examined, of which 11 (26.83%) were with the right-sided, 12 (29.27%) with the left-sided, and 18 (43.90%) with bilateral lesion using the Wechsler Individual Intelligence Test (VITI) - Serbian version, Rey Complex Figure (RCF) test, Trail Making Test - TMT A and B, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). RESULTS: Intelligence quotient (IQ) was significantly higher in the patients with the right-sided (95.27) and bilateral cerebral lesions (87.56) than in the left-sided (84.42). RCF scores did not show any significant difference regarding the side of the lesion, but was numerically the lowest scores were in patients with bilateral brain damage. Patients with left-sided lesions had the score of 30.63, right-sided of 28.68, and bilateral of 27.39. TMT B showed a significantly lower result in patients with the left-sided (196.50 seconds) and bilateral lesions (192.07 seconds) compared to the right-sided (140.14 seconds). WCST scores were not significantly different regarding the side of the lesion, but the absolute value of the categories was less than expected. CONCLUSION: Constructional apraxia was more frequently present in the patients with CHI than it was previously considered. The use of sensitive tests can show the presence of the disorder mainly in bilateral, but also in unilateral lesions.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Paroxysmal hemicrania].

Paroxysmal hemicrania (PH) is one of the trigeminal autonomic cephalgias (TACs), a group of primary headache disorders characterized by unilateral trigeminal distribution pain that occurs in association with prominent ipsilateral cranial autonomic features. The TACs are relatively rare, which is likely to be why they are poorly recognized in primary care. TACs will thus be referred to neurologists eventually, offering an excellent opportunity to diagnose and treat these patients. PH responds in a dramatic and absolute fashion to indomethacin. The importance of recognizing these syndromes is underscored by their excellent but highly selective response to treatment. This is the case report of our patient with PH and the review of current knowledge about pathophysiology of TACs, as well as differential diagnosis of other entities from this headache group.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in the evolution of stroke].

Fibrinolytic activity in the acute stroke was examined by monitoring the level of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), as one of the indicators of fibrinolytic activity. Given the role of PAI-1 in the processes of atherogenesis and thrombogenesis, plasma PAI-1 level was measured in 59 patients (up to 50 years of age) with atherothrombotic stroke (verified by computed tomography scanning or magnetic resonance imaging of brain) in the period from 12 to 24 hours (I analysis) and 30 days after the onset of stroke (II analysis); then, it was correlated with plasma PAI-1 level in the control group (57 healthy subjects), which was 2.86 +/- 0.70 U/ml. It was found that PAI-1 level was significantly higher in the acute stroke (I analysis: PAI-1 = 4.10 +/- 1.40 U/ml, p < 0.001; II analysis: PAI-1 = 3.64 +/- 0.90 U/ml, p < 0.001), while fibrinolytic activity was lower, especially on the first day from the stroke that was not completely increased even after 30 days. There was no difference in PAI-1 levels between the subgroups of patients with infarction and lacunar cerebral ischemia (p > 0.05), as well as between females and males (p > 0.05). Along with significantly increased fibrinogen level (4.65 +/- 1 g/l, in the controls--2.83 +/- 0.64 g/l, p < 0.001), significantly higher triglycerides (2.04 +/- 0.76 mmol/l, in the controls--1.38 +/- 0.54 mmol/l, p < 0.001) and lipoproteins(a) (0.405 +/- 0.29 g/l, in the controls--0.172 +/- 0.14 g/l, p < 0.001) were found, correlating with higher plasma PAI-1 level in these patients. The increased plasma level of PAI-1 pointed to possibility of decreased fibrinolytic activity in pathogenesis of ischemic stroke, as well as, risk of reinsult, which had been the greatest after the onset of stroke and declined gradually within several weeks.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Vitamin B12 deficiency in neurology].

Vitamin B12 is vital compound that can not be synthesized by human organism so it is completely dependent on input from environment. Cobalamin is involved in many important cell processes revealing his deficiency in many tissues. Etiology of vitamin B12 deficiency is various. This deficiency has epidemical proportions, especially in older population. Most frequent are neurologic, psychiatric, hematologic and gastroenterologic manifestations. Progression of untreated deficiency leads to progressively grave lesions, invalidity and possibly lethal outcome. Making right diagnosis is of utmost importance cause it can allow timely application of substitution therapy and prevention of irreversible damage.

Humans↗