PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

G Sideri

Publications and source records attributed to G Sideri.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: prospective neurologic, neuroimaging and neurophysiologic evaluation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Neurologic symptoms are present in 60% of patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) on initial examination and ultimately develop in about 90% of cases during the course of the disease. Despite central nervous system involvement being frequent, abnormalities in the brain of patients with TTP are infrequent on neuroimaging (CT/MRI) and neurophysiologic (EEG) evaluation, often reversible and mainly limited to symptomatic stages of the disease. The aim of our study was to establish the value of a complete neurologic screening as part of the work up of TTP. DESIGN AND METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 16 TTP patients, performing serial neurologic, neuroimaging and EEG examinations, independently of the presence of an objective central nervous system involvement. RESULTS: Our study shows that a complete neurologic evaluation is of modest help in improving the diagnosis of TTP, but may be useful for the neurologic management. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: Accurate neuroimaging and, especially, EEG evaluation and monitoring allowed us to identify patients who could benefit from anticonvulsive therapy, avoiding the unnecessary administration of the latter. The prognostic utility of complete neurologic screening in TTP remains to be conclusively demonstrated in larger prospective neurologic studies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Epileptic patients refractory to drug therapy.

We compared two groups of patients with idiopathic epilepsy, 41 patients whose seizure frequency was not controlled by adequate therapy and 39 patients in good seizure control, in respect of hematology, kidney and liver function tests, serum IgG, IgA and IgM concentrations and drug concentrations. The only difference that emerged were in the serum immunoglobulins, which were raised in the drug refractory group, significantly (p less than 0.01) so in the case of IgG. Failure of seizure control did not depend on inadequacy of drug dose or of blood concentration. Although the serum Ig changes do not warrant the assumption of an immunological origin for drug resistance, they do suggest a useful research line.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Periodic activity in electroencephalography.

We report ana analysis of 12 cases in which periodic activity was observed in more than one EEG recording in patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (4 cases), encephalitis of unknown etiology (1 case) and vascular disease (7 cases). In the patients with infective disease periodic high voltage potentials were elicited from all over the brain and the background rhythm was markedly impaired. In the patients with vascular disease the bursts were localized, reversible and sometimes recurrent. The impression gained is that a periodic EEG pattern denotes a pathological modification of behavior of the cerebral cortex rather than any particular disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Effects of carotid compression, as assessed by near infrared spectroscopy, upon cerebral blood volume and hemoglobin oxygen saturation.

Near infrared spectroscopy, a recently developed optoelectronic technique, has been studied as a possible method of monitoring the adequacy of cerebral perfusion in 22 patients who were candidates for carotid endarterectomy. Using this technique, changes in haemoglobin volume, haemoglobin oxygen saturation and redox level of cytochrome-c-oxidase were recorded from the frontoparietal region during routine carotid compression tests performed under continuous electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring. A highly significant association was found between EEG slowing, indicating impaired cerebral function, and a fall in haemoglobin volume and oxygen saturation, indicating a reduced blood and oxygen supply to the brain (Fisher exact test, P less than 10(-5]. In a few tests haemoglobin volume and oxygen saturation were reduced without changes in the EEG recording. This study raises new issues concerning the compensatory mechanisms taking place during carotid occlusion and suggests that near infrared spectroscopy might be useful in monitoring the blood and oxygen supply to the brain during carotid endarterectomy.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Anticonvulsant therapy and its possible consequences on peripheral nervous system: a neurographic study.

We studied 80 epileptic patients receiving antiepileptic drugs in mono- or polytherapy. For every patient, peroneal and median nerve motor conduction velocities and median nerve sensory conduction velocity were calculated. The average conduction velocity values were remarkably slower than those of a group of 55 normal subjects. We found at least one abnormal conduction velocity value in patients treated with carbamazepine (CBZ), phenobarbital, and phenytoin. There was no specific prevalence of one of these drugs. We found a noticeable relationship between conduction velocity slowing and daily dosage for CBZ only. There was no relationship between conduction velocity slowing and drug blood levels or duration of treatment.

Anticonvulsants↗
PubMed1983

Influence of glucoregulation with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion on nerve conduction velocity and beat to beat variation in diabetics.

Limited and contrasting data are available on the relationship between metabolic control and diabetic neuropathy. In eight type I diabetics peripheral and autonomic neuropathy were studied, first in conditions of poor metabolic control and then after one and three months during which an improved control of glycemic levels had been obtained by continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion. Autonomic neuropathy was investigated by evaluating beat to beat variation during deep breathing; peripheral neuropathy by measuring maximum motor conduction velocity of peroneal and median nerves and sensory conduction velocity of median nerve. Our data showed significant improvement of motor conduction velocity in both nerves studied, whilst sensory conduction velocity did not show any significant variation. The changes observed in beat to beat variation in five subjects with initially abnormal scores might reflect an improvement in autonomic nervous function, even if long-term studies are needed.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Calcium-phosphorus changes in chronic anticonvulsant therapy: effects of the administration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 on secondary hyperparathyroidism].

The present study represents a contribution to the knowledge of secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHP) in patients treated with anticonvulsant drugs (AC). In these subjects alterations of the calcium: phosphorus metabolism as rickets and osteomalacia are frequent; however literature data on SHP are scarce. Our research carried out on 29 adult patients under treatment with one or more AC for periods ranging from 9 months to 12 years confirmed that 25-OHD levels in the serum are low, especially in patients treated for longer times. The iPTH levels in the serum are increased with respect to normal controls, while blood calcium and phosphate levels are normal as are urine calcium and phosphate. The 25-OHD levels in serum present the same seasonal variations as the normal controls. The administration of 25-OHD3 (20 micrograms/day for 3 months) to 12 of these patients who had the lowest 25-OHD spring levels rendered the 25-OHD levels attain normal values. Cyclic AMP was normalized; serum and urine calcium and phosphorus and urinary hydroxyproline were not modified significantly. On the basis of the present data it is recommended that chronic AC treatment should be accompanied by long term administration of 25-OHD3 for prophylaxis and/or for treatment of SHP.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Congenital fiber type disproportion with fatal outcome: a case report.

A child with congenital fiber type disproportion without structural changes in muscle fibres is reported. Although this pattern suggests a favorable prognosis, the clinical worsening followed by death at the age of 17 months shows that there is as yet no predictor for a benign course for this myopathy.

Electromyography↗
PubMed1981

A longitudinal electroencephalographic study in acute leukaemia.

A longitudinal electroencephalographic study of 100 patients suffering from acute leukaemia is reported. An high incidence of EEG abnormalities indicates the central nervous system involvement with no clinical manifestations. The patients have been divided in two groups: A) with normal EEG and B) with pathological (cerebro-meningeal localisation) but many causes (metabolic, toxic or microcirculatory disturbances) can produce the abnormalities. Moreover therapy may cause CNS disturbances with EEG evidence. The most damaging seems to be the simultaneous association of radiation therapy and methotrexate.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1975

The tonic ambulatory foot response. A clinical and electromyographic study.

Three cases with "pyramidal" symptoms in which standing and/or walking evoked a tonic flexion of the toes and sole of the affected foot, have been studied from the clinical and electrophysiological standpoint. The phenomenon, for which the definition of tonic ambulatory foot respone (TAFR) is proposed, appeared to be triggered by cutaneous stimuli travelling along fibres lying in the range of nociceptive afferents, and to depend on a background of complex sensorimotor patterns of standing posture and/or stepping movements against resistance. The relationship of TAFR to other flexor foot responses described in the literature is discussed.

Cerebrovascular Disorders↗