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I Janszky

Publications and source records attributed to I Janszky.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

Temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis: predictors for long-term surgical outcome.

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) accompanied by hippocampal sclerosis (HS) is the type of epilepsy most frequently operated on. The predictors for long-term seizure freedom after surgery of TLE-HS are unknown. In this study, we aimed to identify prognostic factors which predict the outcome 6 months and 2, 3 and 5 years after epilepsy surgery of TLE-HS. Our working hypothesis was that the prognostic value of potential predictors depended on the post-operative time interval for which the assessment was made. We included 171 patients (100 females and 71 males, aged 16-59 years) who had undergone presurgical evaluation, including video-EEG, who had had MRI-defined HS, and who had undergone temporal lobectomy. We found that secondarily generalized seizures (SGTCS) and ictal dystonia were associated with a worse 2-year outcome. Both these variables together with older age and longer epilepsy duration were also related to a worse 3-year outcome. Ictal limb dystonia, older age and longer epilepsy duration were associated with long-term surgical failure evaluated 5 years post-operatively. In order to determine the independent predictors of outcomes, we calculated multivariate analyses. The presence of SGTCS and ictal dystonia independently predicted the 2-year outcome. Longer epilepsy duration and ictal dystonia predicted the 3-year outcome. Longer epilepsy duration (P = 0.003) predicted a poor 5-year outcome. Conclusively, predictors for the long-term surgical results of TLE with HS are different from those variables that predict the short-term outcome. Epilepsy duration is the most important predictor for long-term surgical outcome. Our results strongly suggest that surgery for TLE-HS should be performed as early as possible.

Adolescent↗

Wine drinking is associated with increased heart rate variability in women with coronary heart disease.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that alcohol consumption is positively related to heart rate variability (HRV) in women with coronary heart disease (CHD) and therefore that cardiac autonomic activity is potentially implicated in the mediation of the favourable effects of moderate drinking. DESIGN, SETTINGS, AND PATIENTS: Cross sectional study of female patients who survived hospitalisation for acute myocardial infarction or underwent a revascularisation procedure, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, or coronary artery bypass grafting. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ambulatory 24 hour ECG was recorded during normal activities. The mean of the standard deviations of all normal to normal intervals for all five minute segments of the entire recording (SDNNI) and the following frequency domain parameters were assessed: total power, high frequency power, low frequency power, and very low frequency power. A standardised questionnaire evaluated self reported consumption of individual alcoholic beverage types: beer, wine, and spirits. Other clinical characteristics, such as age, body mass index, smoking habits, history of diabetes mellitus, menopausal status, educational status, and treatment, were also assessed. RESULTS: Wine intake was associated with increased HRV in both time and frequency domains independently of other clinical covariates (for example, ln SDNNI was 3.89 among wine drinkers v 3.59 among wine non-drinkers in the multivariate model; p = 0.014). In contrast, consumption of beer and spirits and the total amount of alcohol consumed did not relate significantly to any of the HRV parameters. CONCLUSION: Intake of wine, but not of spirits or beer, is positively and independently associated with HRV in women with CHD. These results may contribute to the understanding of the complex relation between alcohol consumption and CHD.

Age Factors↗

Spike frequency is dependent on epilepsy duration and seizure frequency in temporal lobe epilepsy.

OBJECTIVES: We wanted to investigate factors that are associated with frequency of interictal epileptiform discharges by investigating 303 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). METHODS: We included all patients who consecutively underwent the adult presurgical evaluation program at our center and who had intractable, medial TLE with complex partial seizures due to unilateral medial temporal lobe lesions. The interictal EEG samples were automatically recorded and stored on computer. The location and frequency of interictal epileptiform discharges were assessed by visual analysis of interictal EEG samples of 2-minute duration every hour. RESULTS: There were 303 patients (aged 16-63) who met the inclusion criteria. The median interictal epileptiform discharge frequency was 15 IED/h, the median seizure frequency was 4 seizures/month. According to univariate analyses, we found that age at monitoring, epilepsy duration, and higher seizure frequency were associated with higher interictal epileptiform discharge frequency. In the logistic regression analysis, we found that higher seizure frequency (p < 0.001) and longer epilepsy duration (p = 0.007) were independently associated with higher spike frequency, while the age at monitoring was not. CONCLUSIONS: Seizure frequency and epilepsy duration (years of patient's life with seizure activity) were independently associated with IED frequency, suggesting that IED are modulated by seizures.

Adolescent↗

Heart rate variability in long-term risk assessment in middle-aged women with coronary heart disease: The Stockholm Female Coronary Risk Study.

OBJECTIVES: Low heart rate variability (HRV) is associated with poor prognosis after acute coronary events in men. In women, the prognostic impact is not well documented. The objective of this study was to assess the long-term predictive power of HRV on mortality amongst middle-aged women with coronary heart disease (CHD). DESIGN, SETTINGS AND SUBJECTS: Consecutive women below 65 years hospitalized for an acute coronary syndrome during a 3-year period in Stockholm were examined for cardiovascular prognostic factors including HRV, and followed for a median of 9 years. An ambulatory 24-h electrocardiograph was recorded during normal activities, 3-6 months after hospitalization. SDNN index (mean of the standard deviations of all normal to normal intervals for all 5-min segments of the entire recording) and the following frequency domain parameters were assessed: total power, high-frequency (HF) power, low-frequency (LF) power, very-low frequency (VLF) power and LF/HF ratio. Using Cox proportional hazards regression, the hazard ratios (HR) for each 25% decrease of the HRV parameters were assessed. RESULTS: After controlling for the independent, significant predictors of mortality amongst the clinical variables, the following HRV parameters were found to be significant predictors of all-cause mortality: SDNN index [HR 1.56, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.19-2.05], total power (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.08-1.35), VLF power (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.09-1.36), LF power (HR 1.18 95%, CI 1.07-1.30) and HF power (HR 1.18, 95% CI 1.05-1.33). The results were essentially the same when cardiovascular mortality was used as end-points. The HRV parameters were stronger predictors of mortality in the first 5 years following the index event. CONCLUSION: Low HRV is a predictor of long-term mortality amongst middle-aged women with CHD when measured 3-6 months after hospitalization for an acute coronary syndrome, even after controlling for established clinical prognostic markers.

Cohort Studies↗

Inflammatory markers and heart rate variability in women with coronary heart disease.

PURPOSE: Both heart rate variability (HRV) and inflammatory markers are carrying prognostic information in coronary heart disease (CHD), however, we know of no studies examining their relation in CHD. The aim of this study, therefore, was to assess the association between HRV and inflammatory activity, as reflected by the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) and C-reactive protein (CRP). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Consecutive women patients who survived hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction, and/or underwent a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or a coronary artery bypass grafting were included and evaluated in a stable condition 1 year after the index events. An ambulatory 24-h ECG was recorded during normal activities. SDNN index (mean of the standard deviations of all normal to normal intervals for all 5-min segments of the entire recording) and the following frequency domain parameters were assessed: total power, high frequency (HF) power, low frequency (LF) power and very low frequency (VLF) power. Levels of high-sensitivity CRP were measured by nephelometry, IL-6 and IL-1ra concentrations were determined by enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: Levels of IL-6 showed an inverse relation with HRV measures even after controlling for potential confounding factors. The P-values were 0.02, 0.04, 0.01, 0.03, 0.18 for the multivariate association with SDDN index, total power, VLF power, LF power and HF power respectively. In contrast, the inverse relationship between HRV measures and CRP or IL-1ra levels were weak and nonsignificant. Correlation coefficients for the relationship between IL-6 and HRV measures were both uni- and multivariately higher than for the relationship between HRV measures and any other factors evaluated in this study. CONCLUSION: Concentration of IL-6 showed a negative, independent association with HRV in women with CHD. Thus, increased inflammatory activity, as reflected by IL-6 levels, may represent a new auxiliary mechanism linking decreased HRV to poor prognosis in CHD.

Adult↗

Medial temporal lobe epilepsy: gender differences.

The present study investigated the gender differences in medial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) with regard to clinical history, seizure semiology, and EEG data. To avoid the influence of pathological and localisation differences, we included only MTLE patients with hippocampal sclerosis. Patients who had long term video EEG recordings with registered seizures and unilateral hippocampal sclerosis proved by high resolution MRI were included. There were 153 patients (86 women and 67 men) who met our inclusion criteria. The mean age of the patients was 33.5 years (range 16-59). The mean age at epilepsy onset was 10.8 years. Although there were more women than men, this difference was not significant (p = 0.15). We found that male patients experienced generalised seizures significantly more often, and isolated auras significantly less often than female patients. Analysing EEG data, we found that a seizure pattern lateralised to the side of the hippocampal sclerosis occurred more often in female patients. In the logistic regression analysis, we found that all three factors were associated independently with gender. Odds ratio (OR) for female gender in patients with generalised seizures was 0.44 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.21 to 0.92; p<0.05). In patients with isolated auras OR for female gender was 2.1 (95% CI 1.1 to 4.2; p<0.05). OR for female gender in patients with lateralised seizure pattern was 8.8 (95% CI 1.8 to 42.7; p<0.01). Men more often had secondarily generalised tonic-clonic seizures, while women had isolated auras and lateralised EEG seizure pattern more often. Our data suggest that the seizure spread is more extended or occurs more frequently in men than in women.

Adolescent↗

Significant predictors of poor prognosis in women aged </=65 years hospitalized for an acute coronary event.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the importance of different clinical parameters predicting long-term cardiac prognosis in younger women with an acute coronary event. DESIGN: The Stockholm Female Coronary Risk Study is a follow-up study in women </=65 years. SETTING: Patients were included between 1991 and 1994 from all 10 coronary care or intensive care units in the greater Stockholm area. SUBJECTS: A total of 335 consecutive female patients hospitalized for an acute coronary event. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cardiac death and nonfatal myocardial infarction (AMI). RESULTS: During the follow-up period of 5 years there were 26 (8%) all cause deaths and 39 (12%) recurrent cardiac events. In the group that participated in the complete study, the following age adjusted parameters were found as strong predictors of adverse outcome: AMI as index event [Hazard Ratio (HR) 9.13, 95% CI 3.09-26.99], diabetes mellitus (HR 4.13, 95% CI 1.68-10.17), left ventricular dysfunction (HR 3.94, 95% CI 1.52-10.17), serum HDL cholesterol <1.0 mmol L-1 (HR 4.01, 95% CI 1.62-6.12), and serum triglycerides >2.0 mmol L-1 (HR 2.46, 95% CI 1.06-5.54). AMI as index event and diabetes mellitus were the most significant predictors in a multivariate statistical model. Diabetes mellitus was the strongest predictor when the analysis was repeated in the total patient cohort, integrating patients that did not participate in the extended investigations. CONCLUSION: Women aged </=65-year-old hospitalized for an acute coronary event has a low rate of cardiac events during the following 5-year period. Easily obtained clinical variables such as diabetes mellitus predict adverse prognosis and implicates a need for a more active diagnostic and treatment strategy.

Adult↗

Demonstration of increasing standard pH value of lacrimal fluid with increase of flow rate.

PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that pH value of human tears is affected by flow rate. METHODS: After stimulation with a drop of 70% alcohol into the ipsilateral nasal cavity tears from the left eyes of 30 healthy volunteers were collected with glass capillaries while flow rate of tear secretion was registered. The pCO(2), actual and standard pH were determined in the collected samples with the Astrup method: Standard pH is defined as the pH of the sample that has been equilibrated at 37 degrees C with a gas mixture having pCO(2)=40 mmHg. RESULTS: The flow rate correlated positively and significantly with both the standard pH value (r=0.503, p<0.01) and the pCO(2) (r=0.517, p<0.01) while there was no correlation between the actual pH and the flow rate. CONCLUSION: Loss of CO(2) from the sample is a cause of serious uncertainty in tear pH determination. A positive flow rate-pH relationship was found for human tears when the uncertainty was removed by determination of the standard pH.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗

Possible role of sweating in the pathophysiology of panic attacks.

In recent years the role of hyperventilation in the generation of panic attacks has attracted a considerable amount of interest. According to these studies hyperventilation can elicit the somatic symptoms of panic due to systemic alkalosis. We suggest that since in the case of panic, sweating might cause alkalosis, it could also contribute to the generation of panic attacks. In light of this hypothesis we made a statistical analysis of the panic symptoms of 111 panic patients diagnosed according to DSM-III criteria. The analysis revealed that: (1) there was a well identified group of panic patients who had minor breathing difficulties with heavy sweating; and (2) that all the patients sampled had either severe breathing, or sweating symptoms, or both. We conclude that in the absence of the intensive physical activity of the 'flight or fight' reaction, sweating as well as hyperventilation can cause alkalosis, which in turn might generate panic attacks.

Alkalosis, Respiratory↗

Failed surgery for temporal lobe epilepsy: predictors of long-term seizure-free course.

OBJECTIVES: To identify prognostic factors which predict the outcome 2 years after TLE surgery in those patients who were not seizure-free at the 6-month postoperative examination. METHODS: We included 86 postoperative TLE patients who had undergone presurgical evaluation, including video-EEG and high-resolution MRI, and who had seizures between the second and sixth postoperative months. RESULTS: 32% of patients were seizure-free in the second postoperative year. We found that normal MRI findings and secondarily generalized seizures (SGTCS) preoperatively were associated with a non-seizure-free outcome, while rare postoperative seizures and ipsilateral temporal IED with seizure-free outcome. Newly administered levetiracetam showed a significant positive effect on the postoperative outcome independent of other prognostic factors. Five of seven patients who received levetiracetam became seizure-free (p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: One-third of patients who did not become seizure-free immediately after surgery, eventually achieved long-term seizure freedom. We suggest watching for long-term seizure freedom after failed epilepsy surgery especially in patients who had rare postoperative seizures, focal MRI abnormality, ipsilateral temporal spikes, or no SGTCS preoperatively. Levetiracetam may have a positive effect on postsurgical seizures.

Adult↗