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Biomedical subjects

M C de Krom

Publications and source records attributed to M C de Krom.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

A cross-sectional study of subjective complaints in patients with epilepsy who seem to be well-controlled with anti-epileptic drugs.

OBJECTIVES: Side-effects of anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) may be overlooked in patients with epilepsy in everyday clinical practice. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and severity of subjective complaints in patients who were considered to be well-controlled and to assess whether these complaints are related to medication, personality traits, or other determinants. METHODS: We included patients with epilepsy who were considered to be well-controlled in a cross-sectional study in seven hospitals in the Netherlands. Their medication had not been changed for six months and an apparent reason to change the medication was lacking at the time of enrolment. Subjective complaints were assessed with a 46-item questionnaire. Using multivariable linear regression modeling, we assessed whether patient characteristics, epilepsy characteristics, medication, quality of life (Qolie-10), and personality traits (SCL-90) explained the presence and severity of complaints. RESULTS: Of 173 included patients, 67% reported moderate to severe subjective complaints on the questionnaire. Cognitive complaints were reported most frequently. Multivariate modeling showed that 61% of the variance in reported complaints could be explained by included determinants. The prevalence and severity of complaints was associated with AED polytherapy and higher scores on psycho neuroticism. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who were considered to be well-controlled proved to report an unexpectedly high number of subjective complaints. Both medication and aspects of personality contributed to the level of complaints. Our study illustrates that subjective side-effects are easily overlooked in everyday clinical practice, possibly because in practice a generally phrased question is used to detect side-effects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Estimating the costs of epilepsy: an international comparison of epilepsy cost studies.

PURPOSE: To compare systematically the national and per capita estimates of the cost of epilepsy in different countries. METHODS: Studies for this literature review were selected by conducting a Medline literature search from January 1966 to March 2000. Key methodologic, country-related, and monetary issues of the selected epilepsy cost studies were evaluated to compare their direct cost estimates and to explore their distribution. The results of the selected studies were made comparable by converting them with different types of conversion factors and expressing them as a proportion of the national expenditure on health care. RESULTS: Ten epilepsy cost studies were reviewed. The proportion of national health care expenditure on epilepsy shows a range of 0.12-1.12% or 0.12-1.05% depending on the type of conversion factor. The list of cost components included in the estimation of the direct costs of epilepsy differs from study to study. A comprehensive list is associated with a decrease in the contribution of drug and hospital costs to the total direct costs of epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the importance of studying the economic consequences of epilepsy and of interpreting the results on the international level. The results of epilepsy cost studies can provide insight into the distribution of the costs of epilepsy and the impact of epilepsy on the national expenditure on health care.

Anticonvulsants↗
PubMed2000

Conservative treatment of sciatica: a systematic review.

Most patients with sciatica (often caused by disc herniations) are managed conservatively at first. The natural course seems to be favorable. The additional value of many conservative therapies remains controversial. Because a systematic review of the conservative treatment of sciatica is lacking, such a review was carried out. After a standardized literature search and selection procedure, methodology and outcome of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were assessed by three observers. If possible, trial results were statistically pooled (= metaanalysis). The 19 RCTs that were selected showed greatly varying methodologic quality. Pooled odds ratios were calculated for several treatment types. Neither traction, exercise therapy, nor drug therapy was unequivocally effective. Epidural steroids may be beneficial for subgroups of nerve root compression. The literature suggests possible effectiveness of epidural steroids for sciatica. The authors recommend trials to investigate this treatment option further, especially with regard to patient subgroups (e.g., acute sciatica). The effects of clinical heterogeneity and methodology on review results are illustrated.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗
PubMed2000

Consistency of history taking and physical examination in patients with suspected lumbar nerve root involvement.

STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of interobserver variability in primary care patients. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the consistency of signs and symptoms of nerve root compression in primary care patients with pain irradiating pain into the leg (sciatica). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The literature does not report on all the clinical tests for nerve root compression. In previous studies, most patients had low back pain with no irradiation. Often, little information on examination technique, proportion of positive test results, or clinical patient characteristics was provided. METHODS: A random selection of 91 patients was investigated by a neurologist-resident couple. Agreement percentages, proportions of positive test results, and kappas were calculated. RESULTS: The kappa of the overall conclusion after the history taking was 0.40, increasing to 0.66 after physical examination. Kappas were good for decreased muscle strength and sensory loss (0.57-0.82), intermediate for reflex changes (0.42-0.53), and poor for the examination of the lumbar spine (0.16-0.33). The straight leg raising, crossed straight leg raising, Bragard's sign, and Naffziger's sign were the most consistent nerve root tension signs (> 0.66). CONCLUSIONS: Two clinicians disagreed on the presence of nerve root involvement in one of four patients after history taking, and in one of five patients after physical examination. For a more consistent overall diagnosis, the physician probably should put more emphasis on the history of pain on coughing-straining-sneezing, a feeling of coldness in the legs, and urinary incontinence. The investigation of paresis, sensory loss, reflex changes, straight leg raising, and Bragard's sign provide the most consistent results.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

When does the patient with a disc herniation undergo lumbosacral discectomy?

OBJECTIVES: To design a model that could accurately predict eventual lumbar disc surgery in the patient initially presenting with clinical findings of nerve root compression. METHODS: Prospective study in 183 patients with nerve root compression sampled from a primary care population. All patients underwent a standardised history, physical examination, and MRI. Surgery carried out in the next 6 months was recorded. Models were constructed to predict whether patients eventually received surgery. RESULTS: Two models were constructed. Reduced model A was based on baseline findings, only, and contained six variables. Model B incorporated change over time as well and contained 10 variables. The area under the curve (in a receiver operating characteristic) for these models was 0.86 and 0.92, respectively. It was shown that at a probability cut off of 0.60, model B predicted eventual surgery with a sensitivity of 57% and a specificity of 100%. CONCLUSIONS: Given the requirement of a high specificity, eventual operation could be adequately predicted in a sample of 183 patients with clinical nerve root compression. The application of the model in patients with nerve root compression might lead to earlier operation in a subset of patients resulting in a reduction of duration of illness and associated indirect costs. An important prerequisite for future application would be the validation of the prediction rule in another population.

Diskectomy↗
PubMed2000

Pathoanatomy of clinical findings in patients with sciatica: a magnetic resonance imaging study.

OBJECT: Anatomical details of nerve root compression may explain the production of the signs and symptoms of sciatica. The authors of anatomical studies have offered many theories without clearly demonstrating the clinical relevance of the observations. Clinicoanatomical series are scarce and are affected to a great extent by selection bias. METHODS: The authors created a schematic drawing of the lumbar anatomy based on both the literature and in vitro anatomical observations. A diagnosis was then made with the aid of detailed and standardized clinical and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging studies in primary-care patients who presented with pain that radiated into the leg. Clinical and MR imaging findings were correlated. Finally, the anatomical drawing was compared with the clinical data. The higher the vertebral level of symptomatic disc herniations, the more likely the compression will be more laterally situated. Classic symptoms of sciatica (typically, dermatomal pain; increase in pain when coughing, sneezing, or straining; and testing positive for pain during straight leg raising) were most likely to occur with compression of the nerve root in the axilla and with mediolateral disc herniations. CONCLUSIONS: The L-3, L-4, L-5, and S-1 nerve roots each tend to be compressed at different sites along the rostrocaudal course of the nerve root. Disc herniations become symptomatic at different sites for each disc level. The schematic drawing produced a priori could well be used to explain these findings. Expectations of particular clinical findings can be predicted by specific pathoanatomical findings.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Lack of effectiveness of bed rest for sciatica.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: Bed rest is widely advocated for sciatica, but its effectiveness has not been established. To study the effectiveness of bed rest in patients with a lumbosacral radicular syndrome of sufficient severity to justify treatment with bed rest for two weeks, we randomly assigned 183 subjects to either bed rest or watchful waiting for this period. The primary outcome measures were the investigator's and patient's global assessments of improvement after 2 and 12 weeks, and the secondary outcome measures were changes in functional status and in pain scores (after 2, 3, and 12 weeks), absenteeism from work, and the need for surgical intervention. Neither the investigators who assessed the outcomes nor those involved in data entry and analysis were aware of the patients' treatment assignments. RESULTS: After two weeks, 64 of the 92 patients in the bed-rest group (70 percent) reported improvement, as compared with 59 of the 91 patients in the control (watchful-waiting) group (65 percent) (adjusted odds ratio for improvement in the bed-rest group, 1.2; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.6 to 2.3). After 12 weeks, 87 percent of the patients in both groups reported improvement. The results of assessments of the intensity of pain, the bothersomeness of symptoms, and functional status revealed no significant differences between the two groups. The extent of absenteeism from work and rates of surgical intervention were similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with symptoms and signs of a lumbosacral radicular syndrome, bed rest is not a more effective therapy than watchful waiting.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1999

Diagnostic value of history and physical examination in patients suspected of sciatica due to disc herniation: a systematic review.

We conducted a systematic review of the literature from 1965-1994 to assess the value of history and physical examination in the diagnosis of sciatica due to disc herniation; we also included population characteristics and features of the study design affecting diagnostic value. Studies on the diagnostic value of history and physical examination in the diagnosis of sciatica due to disc herniation are subject to important biases, and information on numerous signs and symptoms is scarce or absent. Our search revealed 37 studies meeting the selection criteria; these were systematically and independently read by three readers to determine diagnostic test properties using a standard scoring list to determine the methodological quality of the diagnostic information. A meta-analysis was performed when study results allowed statistical pooling. Few studies investigated the value of the history. Pain distribution seemed to be the only useful history item. Of the physical examination signs the straight leg raising test was the only sign consistently reported to be sensitive for sciatica due to disc herniation. However, the sensitivity values varied greatly, the pooled sensitivity and specificity values being 0.85 and 0.52, respectively. The crossed straight leg raising test was the only sign shown to be specific; the pooled sensitivity and specificity values were 0.30 and 0.84, respectively. There was considerable disagreement on the specificity of the other neurological signs (paresis, sensory loss, reflex loss). Several types of bias and other methodological drawbacks were encountered in the studies limiting the validity of the study results. As a result of these drawbacks it is probable that test sensitivity was overestimated and test specificity underestimated.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗
PubMed1997

[Surgical treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome: endoscopic or classical (open)? A prospective randomized trial].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the results of open with endoscopic release of the carpal tunnel in patients with the carpal tunnel syndrome. DESIGN: Randomised prospective study. SETTING: General hospital Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, Oostburg and Terneuzen, the Netherlands. METHOD: 178 patients were randomised for open or endoscopic release. The symptom severity score and functional status score were completed before and three months after the procedure. One week after the operation the patients' postoperative pain was measured on a 10-point visual analogue scale. Differences were analysed using the Chi-square test or the t-test. RESULTS: Randomisation failed in two patients; 85 patients had an endoscopic release and 91 patients had an open release. The postoperative pain was significantly less in the endoscopic group. Improvement in symptom severity score and functional status score was the same in both groups. There was no difference in absence from work. Two local complications occurred in the endoscopically treated group. Of the patients 25% were not or only slightly satisfied with the results. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic release of the carpal tunnel is as effective as the open release but it gives less postoperative pain. Because of the risk of complications and the additional costs, the endoscopic release is not the preferred method for treatment of the carpal tunnel syndrome, however.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Gender-related differences in non-epileptic attacks: a study of patients' cases in the literature.

Gender-related differences for disorders of consciousness other than true epilepsy usually point to a larger number of women suffering especially from non-epileptic attacks or pseudoseizures. Recently, sexual abuse has been suggested as a possible cause for this increased prevalence in women. It has, however, not been very clear if women have a different phenomenology of these type of seizures from men. In the present study, patients' cases as published in the literature are analysed in a detailed way, using a working classification by Betts et al to look for gender-specificity. Of the 62 cases, 76% concern women and 24% men; a percentage comparable to those published elsewhere. Ages range from 14 to 77 years-of-age, but 89% of patients are younger than 40. Sexual abuse was proven in 18 cases, all women. The phenomenology of the attacks was divided into tonic-clonic type and complex partial type of attack, or a combination of the two. Also, special types of attacks (swoons, tantrums, abreactive attacks and forthright simulation) were looked for. Males tended to suffer especially from tonic-clonic type seizures (80% of cases), while in women as many tonic-clonic type as complex partial type attacks were observed. Special types of attacks were observed at the same frequency in both sexes. The group of sexual abuse victims did not differ from the total group of women in this respect. The clinically more impressive nature of a tonic-clonic-type attack, that is more easily suspected to be 'real', might make this type of seizure a more male form of acting out. A prospective study on the incidence and phenomenology of pseudo-epileptic seizures in the general population is suggested to answer the new questions raised in this survey.

Abreaction↗
PubMed1995

Status epilepticus during vigabatrin treatment: a report of three cases.

Vigabatrin (gamma-vinyl-GABA or GVG) is an irreversible inhibitor of gamma-aminobutyric acid transaminase (GABA-T), which is an enzyme responsible for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) catabolism. Inhibition of GABA catabolism increases brain concentration of GABA, a neural inhibitor. GVG has been found to be a potent new anti-epileptic drug, especially in the treatment of refractory epilepsy, in particular of complex partial seizures. Three patients who developed a severe status epilepitus while on GVG treatment are reported. A possible proconvulsive effect of GVG is hypothesized, which might result from disinhibition in the nigro-collicular pathway due to increased GABA-levels.

4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase↗
PubMed1994

[Manganese poisoning due to use of Chien Pu Wan tablets].

A patient developed a severe chorea whilst taking Chien Pu Wan pills. At examination only a high blood level of manganese (3 times the normal value) was found. Chemical analysis of these Chinese herbal pills showed that each pill contained 14 micrograms of manganese. By taking 3 to 5 pills a day, our patient was receiving 42 to 70 micrograms of manganese over and above the normal absorbed quantity of 60-90 micrograms daily. Because the chorea developed during the use of these pills and resolved when the blood levels of manganese went down, and because the high manganese blood levels were the only abnormality we found, we assumed these Chien Pu Wan pills and the subsequent manganese intoxication to be the cause of the chorea. Manganese poisoning may cause extrapyramidal signs such as parkinsonism, dystonia and chorea. This form of alternative therapy is not yet subject to legislation. In order to be able to control the nature and (side) effects of this kind of therapy, legislation is required.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Basilar migraine with severe EEG abnormalities.

We report a patient suffering from a series of attacks fulfilling the criteria of basilar migraine. During the attack there was no normal EEG background pattern and the EEG showed predominantly delta activity. After the attack the EEG returned to (nearly) normal in a very short time. Up to now no such EEG findings have been reported in basilar migraine.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Carpal tunnel syndrome: prevalence in the general population.

To study the prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in the general population and the value of brachialgia paraesthetica nocturna (BPN) in diagnosing CTS, an age and sex stratified random sample of 715 subjects was taken from the population register of Maastricht (The Netherlands) and surrounding villages, between September 1983 and July 1985. The response rate was 70%. Of these, 12 CTS cases had already been diagnosed. Of the remaining subjects, 64 (13 men, 51 women) woke up because of BPN. Among these subjects 1 man and 23 women were found to have CTS. The prevalence rate of undetected CTS was 5.8% [95% confidence interval (CI): 3.5-8.1%] in adult women; 3.4 percent (95% CI: 1.5-5.3%) had already been diagnosed as CTS. The overall prevalence rate for men was 0.6% (95% CI 0.02-3.4%). These figures have to be regarded as minimal estimates. The overall diagnostic value of BPN for CTS was 38%, while for women only this was 45% (95% CI: 31-60%).

Adult↗