Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J Fagius.
A typical case of pseudoclaudication syndrome (neurogenic intermittent claudication), where the cause of the lumbar spinal canal narrowing was an intraspinal neoplasm, is reported. A neoplasm as the cause of this syndrome seems to be very rare, possibly because of the progressive nature of the space-occupying lesion and hence the rapid development of other predominant symptoms.
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A field study was performed at a Swedish steelworks concerning symptoms and signs of polyneuropathy in 42 workers exposed to organic solvents at the plastic coating line of the plant. Examination was done clinically and by simple electrophysiological methods. The workers were exposed to a mixture of solvents, including methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and trichloroethyelen. Nosed to a mixture of solvents, including methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and trichloroethylene. None of the solvents used are known to cause peripheral neuropathy. At times very high vapour concentrations of solvents in the air were attained. The exposed workers were compared with at group of reference subjects sampled from other sections of the steelworks, matched for sex, age and duration of employment. Among the exposed workers one plausible and two suspected cases of polyneuropathy were found. None of the reference subjects showed signs of polyneuropathy. Statistical assessment provided some evidence, though weak, of a connection between the exposure to organic solvents and the observed abnormalities. A brief review is made of the present state of knowledge about hazards to the peripheral nervous system from the solvents in question.
The serum prolactin response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia was studied in 20 healthy volunteers. The results of insulin tolerance tests performed after pre-treatment with dexamethasone in a dose of 0.5 mg (0.5-DEX-ITT) and 1.0 mg (1.0-DEX-ITT) were compared with those of a similar control insulin tolerance test (ITT). The serum prolactin levels increased in all but 3 ITT's. In the ITT and 0.5-DEX-ITT the prolactin responses were significantly greater in women than in men. After pretreatment with dexamethasone the basal serum prolactin levels and the prolactin response to hypoglycaemia were significantly decreased compared with those in the ITT. The prolactin response both to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia and to dexamethasone showed such a large individual variation that this type of response seems unsuitable for evaluation of the hypothalamo-pituitary function.
The pseudoclaudication syndrome, now a well known neurological entity, can simulate intermittent claudication of arterial origin in its clinical appearance. Walking and sometimes simply standing upright for a while can cause transitory pain, numbness or weakness in the legs. The symptoms are caused by entrapment of the cauda equina fibers. Intermittent bladder paresis with total inability of micturition despite urgency to void may sometimes be a prominent feature of the syndrome, a fact that seems to be less well known as seen from a review of the literature.