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Biomedical subjects

C A Tassinari

Publications and source records attributed to C A Tassinari.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

[Electroencephalographic findings in severe symptomatic partial epilepsies in childhood].

The EEG records of 64 patients affected by a symptomatic severe partial epilepsy have been reviewed retrospectively. The epilepsy started before age 12. The follow-up was at least 5 years after the onset of the disease. In a longitudinal study of interictal EEG, the following parameters were studied: normal or slightly abnormal EEG records at the onset, late appearance of abnormalities of background, multifocal abnormalities and generalized spike and wave discharges. The study of ictal EEG was performed in 32 patients: a good correlation with the interictal and ictal site of the discharges was found. The EEG semeiology of the seizures persisted unchanged throughout the evolution.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Response to vigabatrin in relation to seizure type.

1. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of vigabatrin in relation to the seizure type. 2. A review of the literature concerning the efficacy of vigabatrin in clinical trials was performed. 3. To date, vigabatrin has been used in a small number of patients with generalized seizures: in this group no significant effect was noted. 4. Vigabatrin was also given to a large number of patients with complex partial seizures: in this group vigabatrin produced a greater than 50% decrease in seizure frequency in almost 50% of patients included. 5. This review provides evidence that vigabatrin is effective in the treatment of complex partial seizures: patients with only one seizure type, low seizure frequency and unifocal EEG abnormalities are particularly expected to respond. 6. This implies that patients with complex partial seizures do not constitute an homogeneous group and that various parameters should be considered in the evaluation of the response to treatment.

Aminocaproates↗
PubMed1989

Epileptic seizures and cerebrovascular disease.

A series of 88 patients with completed stroke was selected in which heralding, early and late seizures were distinguished according to their onset. Relationships between CT scan and clinical EEG data are discussed with particular emphasis on possible mechanisms of seizures. Thus, small emboli or haemodynamic factors are stressed in the cases of heralding seizures, metabolic disturbances with cytotoxic effects in early seizures and chronic epileptic focus in late seizures.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Dyssynergia cerebellaris myoclonica (Ramsay Hunt syndrome): a condition unrelated to mitochondrial encephalomyopathies.

Thirteen patients with dyssynergia cerebellaris myoclonica (Ramsay Hunt syndrome) had full clinical and neurophysiological study as well as muscle biopsy. The patients had action myoclonus, generalised epileptic seizures, and mild cerebellar syndrome. The disease was inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern in five patients, and occurred as isolated cases in the remaining eight patients. The age at onset of symptoms ranged from 6 to 15 years (mean, 10.4 years). The EEG and polygraphic findings included normal background activity in most patients, spontaneous fast generalised spike-and-wave discharges, photosensitivity, no activation during slow sleep, and vertex and rolandic spikes in REM sleep. Results of muscle biopsy, performed an average of 14 years after onset of the disease, were normal and showed no mitochondrial abnormalities. These findings suggest that Ramsay Hunt syndrome is a condition with distinctive clinical and neurophysiological features and unrelated to mitochondrial encephalomyopathies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy: transthyretin (prealbumin) variants in kindreds of Italian origin.

As part of an epidemiological study that aims to characterize chemically the mutation(s) in transthyretin (TTR) related to familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) of different ethnic origins, studies were carried out on TTR from two FAP kindreds of Italian origin. Two different criteria were employed in the characterization of TTR from these kindreds: (1) immunoblotting of cyanogen bromide fragments for screening of TTR(Met30) and (2) isoelectric focusing. TTR(Met30) was not detected but other substitutions were demonstrated using isoelectric focusing techniques. One of the variants found is a basic TTR variant. The substitutions occurring in the variant TTRs of these two kindreds are not known and are presently under study.

Amyloidosis↗
PubMed1988

Extreme somatosensory evoked potentials (ESEPs) elicited by tapping of hands or feet in children: a somatosensory cerebral evoked potentials study.

Six children with tactile-evoked spikes in the EEG, also defined as extreme somatosensory evoked potentials (ESEPs), underwent an SEPs study in order to define the characteristics of such evoked potentials. Short-latency SEPs showed normal mean latency and amplitude values. Mid- or long-latency SEPs of abnormally high amplitude were recorded after stimulation of one or more extremities. Such extreme responses which showed the same reactivity proper to normal long-latency SEPs could be considered to correspond to the evoked spikes in the EEG.

Child↗
PubMed1988

Marfan's syndrome, recurrent complex partial status epilepticus and myoclonus: a case report.

A 26 year-old mentally retarded woman suffering from Marfan's syndrome and epileptic seizures presented weekly recurrent complex partial status epilepticus for two years, and myoclonus at rest. A marked increase of the myoclonic jerks and transient signs of cerebellar dysfunction followed each occurrence of the status epilepticus. Myoclonus could be interpreted as: 1) a permanent neurologic consequence of primary CNS disorders or secondary to disorders of the connective tissue, 2) a persistent post-ictal sequela sustained by recurrence of complex partial status, or 3) an additional consequence of both brain disorders due to Marfan's syndrome and recurrence of complex partial status epilepticus. The case report raises the possibility that recurrence of complex partial status for a long period may be a risk factor of permanent neurologic deficit, especially in already brain damaged patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Epilepsy with bilateral occipital calcifications: a benign onset with progressive severity.

We studied four patients with a focal epilepsy and bilateral occipital corticosubcortical calcifications without any sign of phakomatosis. The clinical course of the disease was similar in all the patients and evolved from a benign onset to a severe encephalopathy with progressive mental impairment. The question of whether these patients have an incomplete and atypical form of Sturge-Weber syndrome or a previously undescribed disorder is addressed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Double-blind study of vigabatrin in the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy.

Thirty-one patients with severe drug-resistant epilepsy entered the study. Vigabatrin (2 to 3 g/d, stratified according to weight) and placebo were administered orally, as add-on therapy in random order under double-blind conditions, each for three months using a crossover design. Thirty patients completed both periods. Of these, ten patients (33%) showed a decrease in seizure frequency of 50% or more. In the 15 patients presenting with complex partial seizures, "temporal" electroencephalographic abnormalities, and relatively low seizure frequency, there was a significant reduction in seizure frequency during vigabatrin treatment. No significant treatment effect was found for the remaining 15 patients, who presented with mixed seizure types, multifocal electroencephalographic abnormalities, and high seizure frequencies. Tolerability to vigabatrin was good; the most frequently reported unwanted effect was drowsiness. Plasma concentrations of phenytoin showed a significant reduction during the vigabatrin period. The results demonstrate the efficacy and good tolerability of vigabatrin therapy in patients with severe complex partial epilepsy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Predictive factors of seizure frequency and duration of antiepileptic treatment in rolandic epilepsy: a retrospective study.

Factors useful to predict seizure frequency and duration of antiepileptic treatment of children with benign partial epilepsy and rolandic spikes were retrospectively evaluated in 72 patients seizure-free for at least 5 years and off antiepileptic drugs for at least 2 years. Three groups were considered: Group I, 11 patients (15%) with a single seizure: Group II, 40 patients (56%) with 2 to 6 seizures; Group III, 21 patients (29%) with over 6 seizures. Significant predictors of rare seizure frequency were: presence of convulsive generalized seizures as the sole ictal manifestation, found in 17 patients of Group II and in one patient of Group III (p less than 0.001), and longer average interval between first and second seizure in Group II than in Group III (7.8 months versus 3.5 months, p less than 0.0001). Although the average duration of the disease was significantly shorter in Group II than in Group III (1.5 years versus 4.5 years, p less than 0.00001), the duration of the antiepileptic treatment was similar in both groups. Of the 8 untreated patients, 5 had a single seizure and one had 2 seizures. Therefore, it is suggested that antiepileptic treatment be delayed without risk until the third seizure occurrence and restricted to patients with no predictor of rare seizure recurrence.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Periodic spasms: an unclassified type of epileptic seizure in childhood.

Seven boys aged between 14 months and 13 years with focal or multifocal partial epilepsy had very unusual seizures, characterized by series of periodic bilateral spasms. These consisted of a brief, complex movement of slight to severe intensity, mainly involving the axial muscles, with raising of the shoulders, adversion of the eyes and head, often with rictus-type facial grimaces and occasional stretching of the legs and emission of a guttural sound. The ictal EEG showed a pattern of periodic complexes, characterized by a slow wave with superimposed fast activity. This form of epileptic seizure is resistant to treatment and is found only in patients affected by a brain disease consisting of a fixed or progressive encephalopathy. These observations document the existence of a rare form of seizure or epileptic event, not yet included in the International Classification of epileptic seizures and clinically relevant because of its diagnostic and prognostic implications.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Intracranial microvascular decompression for "cryptogenic" hemifacial spasm, trigeminal and glossopharyngeal neuralgia, paroxysmal vertigo and tinnitus: I. Surgical technique and results.

Intracranial microvascular decompression was performed in 21 out of 24 patients with hyperactive dysfunction of cranial nerves: 8 cases of hemifacial spasm, 12 of trigeminal neuralgia, 3 of glossopharyngeal neuralgia and 1 case of paroxysmal vertigo and tinnitus. In 21 cases an abnormal vascular loop was found to impinge on the root entry zone of the nerve in the brainstem. Dissection of this loop with decompression of the nerve resulted in long-lasting relief of symptoms in all but two patients who presented early recurrence; in one of these a second procedure was eventually successful. In two patients with trigeminal neuralgia a benign tumor of the cerebellopontine angle that had escaped preoperative diagnosis was present. Finally, in one case no compressive lesions were found. From the data of the literature and from our present experience microvascular decompression can be considered a safe as well as an effective procedure, affording a high success rate in conditions often or usually resistant to medical treatment and erroneously considered "idiopathic".

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Intracranial microvascular decompression for "cryptogenic" hemifacial spasm, trigeminal and glossopharyngeal neuralgia, paroxysmal vertigo and tinnitus: II. Clinical study and long-term follow up.

20 patients who had undergone microvascular decompression for the treatment of "idiopathic" trigeminal neuralgia (9 cases), hemifacial spasm (7 cases), glossopharyngeal neuralgia (3 cases) and paroxysmal vertigo and tinnitus (1 case) were followed up for 25 months on average. Permanent relief of symptoms was observed in 19 (95%), with sparing of cranial nerve function. Analysis of the clinical data shows that the patients described in the present series did not differ from those considered to suffer from "idiopathic" cranial nerve dysfunction syndromes. The importance of vascular cross compression as etiological factor in such conditions is stressed and the pathophysiology discussed. The term "cryptogenic" applied to trigeminal neuralgia or hemifacial spasm thus needs revising. Lastly, the indications of microvascular decompression in the treatment of "cryptogenic" cranial nerve dysfunction syndromes are defined.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

[Status epilepticus in the Lennox-Gastaut syndrome].

Thirty patients with the Lennox-Gastaut syndrome presenting one or more status epilepticus (the first before age 15) were studied. Triggering factors, semiology, duration, severity and EEG features were considered. A comparison was made between this group of patients and another group having the Lennox-Gastaut syndrome but without status. No significant difference appears in the long-term prognosis, even when status were prolonged. Only three patients died during a status. For this reason the authors recommend prudence and avoidance of very strong treatment. In their experience, intravenous diazepines, intravenous phenytoin and intramuscular ACTH were the most effective drugs.

Adolescent↗