PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

L Monteiro

Publications and source records attributed to L Monteiro.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Spectrum of epilepsy in neurocysticercosis: a long-term follow-up of 143 patients.

To characterize the clinical profile and the prognostic factors of the epilepsy due to parenchymal neurocysticercosis (NCC) 143 patients were analysed. Patients (62 men, 81 women) had a mean age at epilepsy onset of 29 years (range 2-71), mean epilepsy duration of 16 years (range 1-58) and mean follow-up of 5.2 years. Seizures were generalised tonic-clonic (GTC) in 50 patients (35%), simple partial (SP) in 66 (46%) and complex partial (CP) in 27 (19%). Epilepsy began as a single seizure in 73% and as a cluster of seizures or status epilepticus in 27%. Seizures were controlled in 64% of patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that significant prognostic factors associated with seizure control were type of seizures and age at epilepsy onset. Control is more likely in GTC and SP seizures and in patients with a higher age at seizures onset. Our analysis establishes that epilepsy due to NCC is a heterogeneous syndrome concerning age and mode of onset, seizure type, duration of epilepsy and pattern of evolution probably related with different pathogenic mechanisms.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Active neurocysticercosis, parenchymal and extraparenchymal: a study of 38 patients.

In this retrospective study we have analysed a series of 38 patients seen from 1983 to 1992 (mean follow-up, 4.5 years) with active neurocysticercosis (NCC), 23 (60.5%) with parenchymal and 15 (39.5%) with extraparenchymal NCC. Classification into these two forms of NCC was based on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging criteria. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay performed in cerebrospinal fluid, for anti-Taenia solium antibodies, was positive in 18 of 23 (78%) cases. Epilepsy and/or intracranial hypertension were the most common clinical presentation (92%). Twenty-three (60.5%) of 38 patients were treated with praziquantel and/or albendazole. In parenchymal NCC, the efficacy of medical therapy was complete in 13 of 16 (81%) and partial in 3 of 16 (19%) patients. In contrast, in all cases of extraparenchymal NCC treated with cysticidal drugs the results were disappointing. A ventriculoperitoneal shunt was performed in 9 of 13 patients with extraparenchymal NCC and hydrocephalus. Severe complications, including two deaths, associated with the natural evolution of the disease or with surgery, occurred only in extraparenchymal NCC. Therefore, we confirm the existence of the two forms of active NCC, parenchymal and extraparenchymal, which are strikingly different in clinical presentation, medical therapy response, complications, morbidity and mortality.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Case report: cyclosporin A-induced neurotoxicity.

Acute encephalopathy is a recognized toxic effect of Cyclosporin A (CsA) in organ transplantation recipients. A 16-year-old girl presented with acute encephalopathy 2 weeks after CsA and methylprednisolone medication for idiopathic uveitis. Magnetic resonance imaging showed cortical and white matter occipital changes, which were not visible 2 months later. With expanding indication for CsA use, an increasing number of neurotoxic cases are to be expected.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Spontaneous thoracolumbar spinal cord infarction: report of six cases.

We present a retrospective study of 6 patients with spinal cord infarction in the territory of the Adamkiewicz artery. In all patients, the clinical picture was stereotyped: sudden onset of paraplegia and bilateral radicular pain, dissociated sensory loss below the level of infarction and sphincter dysfunction. Emergency neuroradiological investigation ruled out a compressive lesion in all cases. In one patient, spinal angiography was performed and identified an occlusion of the Adamkiewicz artery. Treatment was supportive and all patients had a substantial recovery over a period of weeks.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Staff burnout in a hospice setting.

Burnout is a job-related state characterized by emotional and physical exhaustion which can be caused by intense involvement over an extended period of time with people who are experiencing psychological and/or physical problems. People working in the health care professions have been identified as being particularly at risk for experiencing burnout. Based on hospice staff survey data collected as a part of the National Hospice Study (NHS), this paper describes multivariate analyses of selected demographic, occupational, and organizational predictors of burnout. Findings indicated that younger, better-educated staff are more prone to burnout, as are staff who work on a full-time basis in direct contact with patients. None of the hospice organizational factors tested were significantly related to burnout. Further research is necessary to determine whether or not such factors as staff support systems are effective in mitigating burnout among staff in the health care field.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Neurocysticercosis--a review of 231 cases.

Two hundred thirty-one cases of neurocysticercosis are reviewed. Diagnosis was established by cerebral computed tomography during a seven-year period (1983-1989). One hundred and fourty-four (62%) presented with symptom-related disease (symptomatic neurocysticercosis and in 87 the diagnosis was incidental (asymptomatic neurocysticercosis). In symptomatic neurocysticercosis the parasitosis was considered inactive in 115 cases and active in 29. Seizures occurred in 135 patients (96% of the symptomatic neurocysticercosis). In the active form we also found: meningitis (n = 15), intracranial hypertension (n = 12), hydrocephalus (n = 10) and arteritis (n = 2). Treatment included praziquantel (n = 21), albendazole (n = 4), dexamethasone (n = 18) and surgery (n = 10).

Albendazole↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cysticercosis of the brain. The value of computed tomography.

Incidence and radiologic findings of neurocysticercosis were investigated in a series of 23,800 consecutive head examinations using computed tomography (CT). The condition was diagnosed in 168 cases (0.7%). The parenchymatous form was the most common presentation (96.3%), while the meningeal form corresponded to only 11.9 per cent of cases. These two forms coexisted in some cases. These findings reversed the knowledge on the condition based on conventional radiography. The different CT appearances in the brain are described and a new radiologic protocol for the CT evaluation of the condition is advocated, which includes a follow-up after a trial cure with Praziquantel in the presence of cysts not associated with suggestive brain calcifications. CT was more sensitive than conventional radiography in the differentiation between dead and living larvae, thus having an impact on the therapeutic management of the patients.

Adolescent↗