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Biomedical subjects

M S Haddad

Publications and source records attributed to M S Haddad.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

[Zinc in the treatment of hepatolenticular degeneration: report of 3 cases].

Three patients with symptoms and signs of hepatolenticular degeneration (HLD) who developed serious renal side effects of D-penicillamine (DP) had their therapeutic schedule changed to zinc. Patient 1, a 55 year-old man had been well until 12 years old, when skeletal changes (osteomalacia) due to tubular renal disturbance began. His diagnosis of HLD had first been established at age of 32 when he presented with "wing-beat" tremor. He was then begun on DP and his neurological symptoms resolved within one year of initiating therapy but skeletal abnormalities remained unchanged as a sequel. During the next 22 years the patient was continued on DP therapy but with poor compliance. Then the reappearance of his neurological manifestations occurred several times. By the age of 53, after one year without therapy, his neurological status has worse. DP was reinstituted but some weeks later his renal laboratory parameters became severely affected. DP was discontinued and zinc sulfate (220 mg three times daily) was introduced. On this therapeutic regimen his renal laboratory parameters returned to previous level after one month. Within one year on this therapeutic regimen neurological manifestations were resolved. After 31 months on zinc treatment he remains neurologically asymptomatic and his renal function is satisfactory. Patient 2, a 41 year old woman had been her diagnosis of HLD at age of 20, when following the diagnosis of the disease in her old brother, she was found to have the laboratory features of HLD and bilateral Kayser-Fleischer rings. DP treatment was recommended at that time but she quit the follow-up. When she was 23, an esophageal variceal bleeding occurred.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult

Traumatic callosotomy.

In a 33 years-old epileptic woman with a traumatic impact to the vertex, clinical and radiological studies (skull X-R, CT and MRI) disclosed an extensive callosal section under the topography of the falx, associated to fronto-basal contusions. There was a significant improvement in the epileptic syndrome. No interhemispheric disconnection syndrome could be determined, which is compatible with the posterior regions of the corpus callosum having been spared. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the most extensive callosal injury documented by MRI to date.

Accidental Falls

[Parkinsonism secondary to ethylene oxide exposure: case report].

Ethylene oxide is a gas widely used in the production of industrial chemicals. It is also used to sterilize heat-sensitive medical supplies. Previous reports of acute and chronic exposure have described neurotoxic effects like peripheral neuropathy and cognitive impairment. We describe a pure parkinsonian syndrome following acute ethylene oxide intoxication. A 39-years-old male was referred to our Movement Disorders Clinic for evaluation of a parkinsonian syndrome. He was acutely exposed to ethylene oxide four years before and remained comatose for three days, and gradually regained consciousness. At that time he showed a global parkinsonian syndrome including bradykinesia, rigidity and rest tremor, with a severe motor disability; no other neurological disorders were found. The symptomatology was partially controlled with biperidene and levodopa plus carbidopa. Two years later he developed L-dopa induced dyskinesias. Four years after the intoxication he was evaluated at our clinic. General examination showed no abnormalities. Neurologic examination revealed a normal mental status. Motor evaluation disclosed moderate bradykinesia, rigidity and rest tremor, shuffling gait, poor facial mimic, stooped posture, and his speech was low and monotonous; deep tendon reflexes were brisk. The Hoehn-Yahr disability score was degree IV. Routine laboratory and radiological exams showed results within normal limits. The CSF examination was normal. Brain computed tomography and magnetic ressonance were normal. A trial with bromocriptine and levodopa plus carbidopa did not improve dyskinesia, and he was put on a schedule including amantadine and biperidene with improvement to grade III in Hoehn-Yahr scale. In the present case there was a clear relation between the acute exogenous intoxication and irreversible parkinsonism.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult

Knowledge about epilepsy among teachers and epileptic patients.

223 epileptics patients and their families and 136 teachers from public and private schools were submitted to similar questionnaires related to inheritance, transmission, cure, complication rates, care during seizures, need for information on the disease, habits, comparison with other diseases and to the educational and social performance of epileptics. Cure and complication rates accounted for the main differences between those populations. Epileptics could recognize a bigger number of complications but still expected to be cured from the disease. The majority of teachers and patients have never been informed about epilepsy and this finding was related to the big number of equivocal answers obtained from them. Put together, the data showed that social and educational performance of epileptic patients could be disturbed by medical and social parameters. Some of them could be improved by an educational program towards these aspects of epilepsy.

Adult

Eating epilepsy.

Eating epilepsy is a rare type of reflex epilepsy. A 24 years-old male with eating reflex complex partial seizures was submitted to clinical, neurological, neuroradiological and EEG studies. Neurologic and CT examinations were normal. EEG recordings including video-EEG monitoring during meals disclosed focal abnormalities related to both temporal lobes prevailing at the left side and secondary bilateral synchrony mainly in more anterior regions. Ictal findings were similar to the interictal secondary bilateral synchrony except for its longer duration. PB, VPA and DPH monotherapies were ineffective. High dose CBZ monotherapy yielded good but incomplete seizure control. Since a big number of precipitants could be involved, no specific physiopathological basis could be established.

Adult