Biomedical subjects

M Vollrath

Publications and source records attributed to M Vollrath.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1991

The natural history of anxiety disorders.

The article reviews research and presents our results on the natural history of 2 forms of anxiety disorder, panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Data from our epidemiological cohort study give evidence of premorbid anxiousness and overadaptation already in childhood. Distressing conditions in the family are more prevalent among subjects with anxiety disorders or major depression than among controls. Anxiety disorders frequently begin between age 20-30 and can be triggered by life events. The course is often characterized by a certain chronicity that manifests itself in residual symptoms and mild impairment in social roles even after many years and is frequently complicated with depression. The best predictors are severity and duration of symptoms, as well as comorbidity with depression. Future studies of the natural history should take into account these factors in multivariate approaches.

Anxiety Disorders↗

PubMed1991

The lymphocyte transformation test with type II collagen as a diagnostic tool of autoimmune sensorineural hearing loss.

Immunological disorders of the cellular type can be diagnosed by the lymphocyte transformation test (LTT). An autoimmune mechanism of certain cases of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) can be evaluated by using human inner ear tissue as an antigen. Recent studies have shown that type II collagen plays an important role, not only in some autoimmune mediated rheumatoid diseases, but also as an antigenic substrate of inner ear tissue in autoimmune sensorineural hearing loss. This paper deals with results of the lymphocyte transformation test using type II collagen as antigen in 68 patients with progressive sensorineural hearing loss (PSNHL) and 68 healthy volunteers. Thirty-four patients showed a strong stimulation in the lymphocyte transformation test, in contrast to only four volunteers in the control group, two of whom had a history of rheumatoid arthritis.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

[Juvenile laryngeal papillomatosis--a case report].

Juvenile papillomatosis of the larynx is a disease of viral origin and is a rare cause of hoarseness and stridor in childhood. Although the tumours are basically benign, they may present problems in therapy due to their localisation and marked tendency to recur. According to the present state of knowledge, a combination of laser coagulation and alpha-interferon therapy is the treatment of choice. It can be applied on a long-term basis effectively and with few side effects due to individualised dosage determination. We report on a girl patient of 2 1/2 years of age with recurrent juvenile papillomatosis of the larynx. Long-term alpha-interferon therapy was so far successful in preventing progress of the pattern of findings. Treatment is well tolerated after the most suitable dose has been found for a particular patient. No side effects were seen that would have compelled us to discontinue the treatment. We are planning to continue interferon therapy for at least 1 to 2 years with regular endoscopic control.

Child, Preschool↗

PubMed1990

Mucoepidermoid tumor of the parotid gland showing a translocation (3;8)(p21;q12) and a deletion (5)(q22) as sole chromosome abnormalities.

The cytogenetic findings in a mucoepidermoid tumor of the parotid gland are described. In addition to a t(3;8)(p21;q12), all cells analyzed showed a deletion of part of the long arm of chromosome 5. Although the typical translocation of benign pleomorphic adenomas was found, histologic examination did not show remnants of a pleomorphic adenoma. Nevertheless, we assumed that the malignant tumor most likely arose in a preexisting pleomorphic adenoma. As a mechanism for malignant transformation, the loss of a suppressor gene located on the long arm of chromosome 5 is discussed.

Adenoma, Pleomorphic↗

PubMed1990

The Zurich Study. IX. Panic disorder and sporadic panic: symptoms, diagnosis, prevalence, and overlap with depression.

The purpose of the present epidemiological study is to investigate and describe panic disorder and sporadic panic attacks among a cohort of young adults, aged 28 years, from the Canton of Zurich in Switzerland. Both DSM-III panic disorder and sporadic panic are characterized by frequent symptoms of somatic anxiety and tension, as well as by frequent symptoms of depressed mood and low vitality. Sporadic panic is more prevalent than panic disorder and shows a greater excess of females over males. The association with depressions (major depression and recurrent brief depression) is similarly high for both types of panic syndromes, while the association with other anxiety disorders is negligible. Several indicators suggest a marked similarity between sporadic panic and DSM-III panic disorder. More impressive differences were observed between subjects with panic disorder alone and subjects with comorbidity of panic and depression. For the latter group, the SCL-90R scores indicated higher severity. Comparison of the scores of life events, conflicts, self-esteem, and the number of chronic problems in childhood suggests a more specific nosological pattern for subjects with panic and depression as compared with those with panic alone.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Scanning electron microscopy in a case of infantile inborn deafness.

The temporal bones of a one-year-old, congenitally deaf boy were removed 3 1/2 days post mortem, fixed in formaldehyde and prepared for scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In the apical coil the organ of Corti had the normal configuration. In the second coil there was a continuous decrease of both the number of sensory cells and their conservation. Altered sensory cells with giant or bullous distended hairs were found. Throughout the basal coil the hairs of the sensory cells were absent, while the other cells of the organ of Corti appeared normal.

Cochlea↗

PubMed1990

[Dehydration therapy in low tone hearing loss. An alternative to rheologic therapy?].

Patients with acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss were treated by rheology or dehydration after recording of the summation and compound action potentials by electrocochleography. Patients treated in the acute phase, as well as patients with chronic disease (that is the interval between onset of hearing loss and therapy was more than 1 week) clearly responded better to dehydration than to conventional rheological treatment. This was especially striking in those patients showing an enhanced SP/AP ratio indicating endolymphatic hydrops.

Acetazolamide↗

PubMed1990

[Diagnosis of carotid body tumor by imaging procedures].

The imaging techniques available for the diagnosis of tumors of the glomus caroticum are discussed with reference to four cases (three patients, one with tumor bilaterally). Taking into consideration the practicability and invasiveness of the investigations as well as the risks and costs involved, we propose that the procedures be performed in the following sequence: ultrasonography, Doppler ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT) or (even better) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and selective angiography. In most cases where there is a non-inflammatory mass in the neck, ultrasonography and Doppler ultrasonography may be adequate to establish the diagnosis of a glomus caroticum tumor. B-scan ultrasonography reveals an inhomogeneous mass that pushes the carotid arteries apart and an arteriovenous shunt may be seen using the Doppler technique. CT and MRI show the full extent of the tumor and provide information about infiltration of adjacent structures. Selective intra-arterial angiography confirms the diagnosis, demonstrating a profound vascularized tumor in the carotid bifurcation. If angiography leads to identification of an afferent vessel, selective embolization of the tumor may be performed, thus enabling a much safer operation with less blood loss.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

The Zurich Study. VII. Insomnia: symptoms, classification and prevalence.

This study describes sleep behaviour and insomnia in a representative cohort of a Swiss population. Interviews were carried out prospectively from age 20-21 to 27-28 years, starting with 292 males and 299 females. Females usually go to bed earlier and sleep 30 min longer than males. Taking into account length and periodicity of insomnia we can distinguish occasional insomnia (OI), repeated brief insomnia (RBI), and continued insomnia (CI), defined by operational criteria. The prevalence of sleep problems is stable from age 21-28, at 36%-40%. CI (prevalence 8%-10%) and RBI (13%-19%) are both medical problems in terms of treatment by professionals (10%-17%) or self-medication (7%-12%). The majority of insomniacs cope with sleep problems in various other ways. Frequency and patterns of symptoms of insomnia are described.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

Chemically induced esthesioneuroepithelioma: a cytogenetic, cell culture and biochemical investigation with implications for tumor histogenesis.

Chemically induced esthesioneuroepitheliomas (ENE) in rats were subjected to tissue culture experiments, biochemical evaluations for catecholamines and chromosomal analyses. The most conspicuous cytogenetic finding was a C1 marker chromosome in addition to numerical and structural chromosomal aberrations. Regarding the overwhelming similarity between human ENE and experimentally induced ENE, similar cytogenetic aberrations in its human counterpart are postulated. Biochemically, no catecholamines or their metabolic precursors could be identified, thus distinguishing ENE from sympathetic neuroblastomas. No keratin-positive cells could be found in the primary tumor or in the cell cultures studied, thus showing that immunohistology can be a valuable tool for differentiating ENE from anaplastic carcinomas.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

The Zurich study. VIII. Insomnia: association with depression, anxiety, somatic syndromes, and course of insomnia.

The association of three subtypes of insomnia with psychic and functional syndromes, and the course of insomnia over 7 years were examined in a Swiss cohort of young adults interviewed three times. Specific associations were found between repeated brief insomnia (RBI) and recurrent brief depression (RBD). Continued insomnia (CI) was associated with major depression. All three subtypes of insomnia were associated with anxiety disorders; 52% of insomniacs were free of concurrent anxiety and depression. Insomnia--especially RBI and CI--was also associated with a number of functional complaints, but not with the consumption of alcohol, medicine, or illegal drugs. Insomniacs with RBI and occasional insomnia (OI) experienced more life events and interpersonal conflicts than controls. These findings support the subdivision of insomnia into different subtypes. The longitudinal analysis showed that insomnia tends to reoccur. For subjects with insomnia either at age 21 or 23 years, there was a higher risk of further insomnia at follow-ups. The specific subtype of insomnia at the first occurrence was not predictive for the outcome: all subtypes of insomnia enhance the risk of relapses in a similar way. Insomnia at age 21 is no precursor of the first onset of a depressive or anxiety disorder within a 2-year follow-up. With respect to the course of insomnia over 7 years, the subtypes did not differentiate.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

Outcome of panic and depression in a seven-year follow-up: results of the Zurich study.

In this study, the association and outcome of panic and depression were investigated in an epidemiological cohort of young adults interviewed at age 21, 23, and 28. The prevalence rates of sporadic panic, panic disorder, major depression, and recurrent brief depression were very stable. There was a clear preponderance of females in all diagnoses. Panic and depression overlapped to a large extent cross-sectionally at all 3 interviews, and this overlap increased in a longitudinal perspective. For the analysis of outcome, the subjects were divided into 4 groups according to their diagnosis at the first interview: pure panic, pure depression, mixed panic and depression, and controls. Irrespective of the first diagnosis, the 7-year outcome showed a strong tendency to develop into pure depression or mixed panic and depression at follow-up interviews. In a longitudinal perspective, cases that suffered from both panic and depression appeared more severely ill, as expressed in very high treatment rates and a high rate of lifetime suicide attempts.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

Chemically induced esthesioneuroepithelioma: ultrastructural findings.

Tumors of the olfactory epithelium of rats were induced with two different nitrosamines: 2,6-dimethylnitrosomorpholine and N-nitrosopiperidine. Both carcinogens yielded identical tumors consisting of small, undifferentiated, neuroblastic cell elements without specialized cell contact. Cell processes contained microtubuli, centrioles, and neurosecretory granules. Two kinds of rosettes were encountered frequently: neuroblastic Homer Wright rosettes consisted of undifferentiated cells, surrounding a minute lumen filled with amorphous material; and Flexner rosettes showed a higher degree of maturation. Inside their central lumen, cell processes with characteristic features of olfactory sensory cells (basal bodies, cilia, centrioles, microtubuli) could be demonstrated. The stem cell of this tumor is most likely the undifferentiated light basal cell inside the olfactory epithelium, since its ultrastructural appearance and its cytoskeleton are alike. At least under neoplastic conditions, this stem cell may likewise differentiate into epithelial cells, since transition to squamous cell carcinomas has been observed. In view of their overwhelming similarity to their human counterpart, the induced tumors are most likely to represent esthesioneuroepitheliomas.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

[The relevance of sonographic diagnosis of cervical lymph nodes in tumors of the head and neck].

Thirty patients with a squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, with cervical lymph nodes which could be shown by ultrasound but not by palpation of the neck, are reviewed. The cervical lymphatic nodes, which were similar in size to the preoperative ultrasonic measurement, were removed by elective neck dissection. Histological examination showed a reactive inflammation only, without tumour infiltration, in 83.3% of the cases. These clinically inconspicious lymph nodes, which were homogeneous on ultrasound scan and could be easily differentiated from the background, obviously show the premalignant stage of tumour spread. The consequences for the operation and later follow-up are discussed.

Biopsy↗

PubMed1989

[Submicroscopic changes in the jejunum in ectopic sites. A scanning and transmission electron microscopy study following free, microvascular jejunum transfer].

Biopsies of the jejunal epithelium were analysed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy of specimens taken from patients at least 1 year after reconstruction of defects from resection of oro-hypopharyngeal cancer by free microvascular anastomized jejunum graft. The villi were compressed and flattened, their surface uneven due to calibre changes of columnar cells. The microvilli were rarefied and grossly altered. In the subapical area there was a distinct enhancement of desmosomal connections. Paneth cells and endocrine cells were unaltered. Autonomic nerves were intact, though the muscularis mucosa seemed to be denervated.

Biopsy↗

PubMed1989

[The lymphocyte transformation test for detecting immunologic inner ear deafness].

The basis and performance of the lymphocyte transformation test for proving an immunologically induced inner ear hearing loss are described and documented. In 6 out of 14 patients with inner ear hearing loss of unknown origin an immunological etiology could be elaborated by using this test. The relevance of this test as well and its further application by using collagen type II as antigen are discussed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

[Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis as a cause of dysphagia. A case report].

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a non-inflammatory stiffening disease of the vertebral spine due to extensive bone formation, often causing complete bridging of neighbouring intervertebral spaces. Except for the spine, other parts of the skeleton are rarely affected. Although in 78% of all cases the cervical spine is involved, dysphagia is rare (17%), being caused either by mechanical obstruction or by para-oesophageal inflammation due to irritation at the osteophyte processes. The diagnosis may be established by conventional X-ray of the spine, oesophagogram or CT. The paper describes a patient presenting with dysphagia caused by spondylophyte blockage of the cervical spine.

Cervical Vertebrae↗

PubMed1989

[Esthesioneuroblastoma: histogenesis and diagnosis].

Tumors of the rat induced by means of two different nitrosamines (N-nitrosopiperidine, 2,6-dimethylnitrosomorpholine) were analyzed with the light and electron microscope and by immunohistological investigation. The ultrastructural analysis showed mainly in the Flexner rosettes some clear characteristics of olfactory epithelium such as olfactory vesicles, cilia, and microtubules. With four exceptions, the immunohistologically investigated tumor cells showed no immunofluorescence after incubation with antibodies against intermediate filaments. The results resemble in all aspects the structures found in human esthesioneuroepitheliomas, so that it is reasonable to speak of an identical tumor. As the sensory cells of the normal olfactory epithelium as well as the light basal cells show a negative reaction with antibodies against intermediate filaments, too, the induced tumor is derived histogenetically from the olfactory epithelium and the light basal cell is assumed to be its stem cell.

Animals↗