Biomedical subjects

Loredana Petrucci

Publications and source records attributed to Loredana Petrucci.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Cognitive outcome in adult women affected by congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency.

BACKGROUND: Some research suggests that girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), who are exposed to higher than normal levels of prenatal androgens, perform better on spatial tasks, worse on verbal tasks and have a greater incidence of left-handedness than unaffected controls, all of which suggests the development of a more male-typical cognitive pattern. However, research in all three areas has produced inconsistent findings. OBJECTIVES: To determine if prenatal androgen exposure has an organizing effect on female cognitive development and to what extent. METHODS: 24 women, 21-71 years, with either the salt-losing (SL) or simple virilizing (SV) forms of CAH due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency, and 18 controls, 21-73 years, who were unaffected female relatives or women with polycystic ovary syndrome, were assessed with IQ, handedness, executive function, verbal learning and memory, non-verbal learning and memory, perceptual speed, visuospatial processing and visuomotor ability measures. The battery included tests known to elicit sex differences and control measures. RESULTS: The findings did not support the hypothesis that women with CAH develop a more male-typical cognitive pattern. CONCLUSION: This study differs from others in the older age of its participants, grouping by SL/SV diagnosis and assessment of medical treatment and compliance as determined through hormone assays. Our findings provide additional support for the conclusion that, in adult women with CAH, previous prenatal androgen exposure does not enhance spatial abilities, impair verbal abilities nor alter hand preferences in a long-lasting way.

Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital↗

PubMed2005

Spinal cord stimulation for axial low back pain: a prospective, controlled trial comparing dual with single percutaneous electrodes.

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective, controlled, clinical trial comparing single and dual percutaneous electrodes in the treatment of axial low back pain from failed back surgery syndrome. OBJECTIVES: To clarify technical requirements and test the hypothesis that placing two linear arrays in parallel, thereby doubling the number of contacts, improves outcome. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Technical improvements have enhanced outcomes of spinal cord stimulation for chronic axial low back pain. Dual, parallel electrodes reportedly improve these outcomes. METHODS: Acting as their own controls, 20 patients who passed screening with single, 4-contact electrodes received permanent dual, 4-contact electrodes with 7- or 10-mm intercontact distances at the same vertebral level(s). We quantified and compared the technical and clinical results of the single and dual electrodes, adjusting stimulation parameters to specific psychophysical thresholds. RESULTS: Single electrodes provided significant (P < 0.01) advantages in patient- and computer-calculated ratings of pain coverage by paresthesias and in the scaled amplitude necessary to cover the low back, compared with dual 7-mm electrodes. Slight advantages without statistical significance were observed for the single over the dual 10-mm electrodes. Amplitude requirements were significantly lower for the single electrode than for either dual electrode. At long-term follow-up, 53% of patients met the criteria for clinical success. CONCLUSIONS: While we observed disadvantages for dual electrodes in treating axial low back pain, we achieved technical success with single or dual electrodes in most patients and maintained this success clinically with dual electrodes in 53%.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Spinal cord stimulation electrode design: a prospective, randomized, controlled trial comparing percutaneous with laminectomy electrodes: part II-clinical outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: Spinal cord stimulation, in use for more than 30 years, has evolved into an easily implemented technique involving percutaneous or laminectomy electrode placement. In a randomized comparison of four-contact percutaneous and four-contact insulated laminectomy electrodes placed at the same level in the dorsal, epidural midline, quantitative measures of stimulator performance revealed significant technical advantages for the laminectomy electrodes. Our prospective, randomized, controlled trial compares clinical results in these same patients. METHODS: Impartial third parties followed our series of 24 patients with failed back surgery syndrome to gather clinical outcome data. We defined "success" as at least 50% sustained relief of pain and patient satisfaction with the result of treatment. RESULTS: At a mean follow-up of 1.9 years, 10 of 12 patients receiving the laminectomy electrode and 5 of 12 patients receiving the percutaneous electrode reported a successful outcome (P < 0.05). Follow-up at a mean of 2.9 years showed that this result was maintained in 5 of 12 patients with the laminectomy electrode and 3 of 12 with the percutaneous electrode (not statistically significant). Many patients reported improvements in most activities of daily living, and loss of function was rare. In addition, 9 patients with laminectomy electrodes and 4 with percutaneous electrodes reducted or eliminated analgesic intake (P < 0.05), and 2 returned to work. No electrode migration was observed. CONCLUSION: Laminectomy electrode placement, although more invasive than percutaneous placement, yields significantly better clinical results in patients with failed back surgery syndrome at mean 1.9 years follow-up. In our small sample, however, the statistical significance of this advantage disappeared at mean 2.9 years follow-up.

Adult↗