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Biomedical subjects

F de Romanis

Publications and source records attributed to F de Romanis.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

[New antiepileptic drugs: a review and personal contribution].

In drug-resistant epilepsy the use of VGB, LTG, oxcarbazepine, FBM and GBP resulted in at least a 50% improvement in 20% to 60% of such patients treated and in 7% led to complete seizure control. In the long term, VGB may lose its efficacy and give rise to tolerance phenomena. Another frequent disadvantage of VGB is poor compliance owing to the large number of tablets needed to achieve the necessary dose (2-3 g). VGB may also induce a worsening of myoclonic epilepsies and seems ineffective in absences; whereas it can induce a good response in West's syndrome. LTG and FBM yielded a good response in idiopathic generalized epilepsies and were effective in refractory partial seizures, West's syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut's syndrome. After being suspended because of the risks of bone-marrow aplasia and liver toxicity, FBM trials began again in 1995, use of the drug being restrict to drug-resistant partial epilepsies and to Lennox-Gastaut's syndrome. Oxcarbazepine has an efficacy equal to that of CBZ, but had fewer side effects and very few interactions with other drugs. Although GBP has few side effects and acts as an anticonvulsant in subjects with resistant partial epilepsy, some reports suggest that it can lose its efficacy around the 18th or 19th month.

Anticonvulsants↗
PubMed1995

[Lamotrigine: first experience in Italy].

LTG, lamotrigine is a new antiepileptic agent chemically unrelated to any established drugs in use. The safety and the efficacy of LTG (564.5 +/- 74.4) mg/day was evaluated as add-on therapy (plus CBZ) in a placebo controlled study of 34 patients with refractory partial complex and/or partial secondary generalized seizures. The incidence of adverse effects of the drug is low and the unwanted effects are reversible. The long half-life and lack of effect on other AEDs will render LTG an easily dosable addiction to a patient's existing regimen. Reduction in the total number seizures was recorded in 61.4% of patients. We conclude that LTG is an effective AED for treatment of therapy-resistant partial seizure.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[Gamma-vinyl-GABA: first experiences in Italy. II].

The long term efficacy of GVG was studied in patients with drug resistant CPC and CPC plus secondarily generalized seizures. GVG was started as monotherapy followed by add-on therapy with carbamazepine (CBZ), phenobarbital (PB), valproate (VPA). The results suggest: 1) loss of efficacy of gamma-vinyl-GABA during long-term use, and 2) at present, GVG appears to be an effective safe antiepileptic drug for initial monotherapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Gamma-vinyl-GABA: the first trials in Italy].

Vigabatrin (gamma-vinyl-GABA), a structural analogue of GABA, is a selective inhibitor of GABA transaminase. Vigabatrin has been effective in patients with refractory epilepsy. We treated patients with complex partial seizures and some of them also with secondary generalized seizures. Vigabatrin was administered as "add on therapy" (Table 1) and monotherapy (Table 2). As to table 1, concerning a variety of treatments and too few patients we could not reach any definitive statistical conclusion (paired Student's t test not significant). In table 2 the paired Student's t test was significant with p < 0.01. Longer follow-up is needed to determine whether the clinical effect is maintained and no severe side effects appear.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Bombesin, dermorphin, physalaemin and sauvagine: effects on superficial and depth EEG tracings in epileptic and non-epileptic rats].

The effects of bombesin, sauvagine, physalaemin and dermorphin on rat CNS were observed. These peptides were administered to non-epileptic and epileptic rats: SEEG and DEEG were recorded. On the normal electrical background activity of rat brain only physalaemin had no effect. All the other peptides gave rise to slow activity with different duration. In the epileptic rat only sauvagine showed no effect whilst physalaemin reduced the epileptic activity, bombesin seemed to strengthen the action of metrazol and dermorphin blocked it at the onset. These observations will undergo FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) analysis.

Amphibian Proteins↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Spasmophilia: a clinical neurophysiopathological and biochemical study.

Spasmophilia is a problem much debated as regards its nosographic location. Its paroxysmal onset in a "neurotic" patient has confined spasmophilia within a psychiatric syndromic complex for many years. In the present study, strict clinical criteria used in selecting a population of spasmophilic patients included clinical, neurophysiological, biohumoral and psychological evaluations, providing further information about the real organic features of this syndrome. Moreover, on the basis of an organic pathogenetic hypothesis, all patients were administered medical therapy which resulted in clinical amelioration in a significant number of cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Psychiatric syndromes in epilepsy. Case contribution].

The Authors have taken into consideration the psychiatric disorders during epilepsy and subdivide them in: behavioural disorders, epileptic deterioration, Petit Mal status and epileptic psychoses. Epileptic psychoses have been divided in: episodic (confusional and disthymic) and chronic (syndromes where ideation troubles and schizophrenic syndromes prevail). On the basis of a nosographic approach the Authors consider the possibility to relate the latter to epilepsy, while for others the association of two diseases has probably taken place. The Authors agree with the assumption that the epileptic psychosis is the result of a multifactorial activity finally resulting in a real disorder at the level of the temporo-limbic structures, such activity is not always revealed by surface EEG.

Adolescent↗