Biomedical subjects

Marcio M Vasconcelos

Publications and source records attributed to Marcio M Vasconcelos.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

[Pseudotumor cerebri secondary to dural sinus thrombosis: pediatric case report].

Pseudotumor cerebri is a relatively common neurologic syndrome in adolescence. In most cases, etiology is idiopathic, but it may have serious complications, such as blindness, that are related to increased intracranial pressure. The aim of this article is to emphasize the differential diagnosis of pseudotumor cerebri, with special attention to treatable etiologies. We report a case of an 12 year-old adolescent who presented with diplopia and headache 9 days after right-sided otitis media and mastoiditis. Head computerized tomography was normal, but brain magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated thrombosis of ipsilateral transverse and sigmoid sinuses, which responded promptly to early anticoagulation. The conclusion is that magnetic resonance imaging is essential for patients with a clinical diagnosis of pseudotumor cerebri in order to exclude treatable causes, such as dural sinus thrombosis.

Anticoagulants↗

PubMed2005

[Contribution of psychosocial risk factors for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the contribution of psychosocial risk factors for the diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHOD: This is a retrospective, case-control study that analyzed 403 pupils from a public elementary school. DSM-IV symptom questionnaire and a specific psychosocial questionnaire were filled out, and a history and complete physical and neurological examinations were performed. RESULTS: The most statistically significant psychosocial risk factor was "marital discord in the past" (odds ratio = 11.66, p = 0.044). A total of 29 murders of subjects' close relatives were observed, and this variable was statistically relevant. CONCLUSION: Children that were exposed to marital discord in the past between parents underwent a 11.66-fold increase in the risk of ADHD diagnosis. Authors suggest that exposure to community violence be included among Rutters's indicators of adversity, which predispose infants and children to the future occurrence of ADHD and other neuropsychiatric disorders.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

[Ketogenic diet for intractable epilepsy in children and adolescents: report of six cases].

BACKGROUND: This study aims to report on use of the ketogenic diet in a group of six children and adolescents with intractable epilepsy. METHODS: Authors reviewed the medical records of every patient under 15 years of age who received the ketogenic diet between April 1999 and July 2003. A comparison is made between treatment results, adverse events and beneficial effects with the pertinent medical literature. RESULTS: The ketogenic diet was administered to six patients, whose median age was 7.0 years (range, 1.8-12.2). Average duration of diet application was of 9.7 months (range, 7 days-4 years). A reduction equal to or greater than 50% in seizure frequency was observed in half of the cases. Complications included neutropenia, constipation, dehydration, priapism, and seizure recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The ketogenic diet was effective and safe in three out of six patients with intractable epilepsy. Neutropenia was the most common complication.

Age of Onset↗

PubMed2004

[Mental retardation].

OBJECTIVE: This paper describes recent advances in the neurobiology of mental retardation, emphasizing new diagnostic resources provided by cytogenetics, molecular testing, and neuroimaging. SOURCES OF DATA: MEDLINE (January 2000 through October 2003), using the following key words: mental retardation, developmental disability, child, and adolescent. Search of the Pediatrics and New England Journal of Medicine websites using the key word mental retardation. The Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database was searched for information on clinical genetics. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS: In October 2003, the number of genetic syndromes associated with mental retardation reached 1,149. Considering the genetic or environmental and congenital or acquired causes of mental retardation, current diagnostic investigation is able to detect the etiology in 50 to 70% of cases. CONCLUSION: Diagnostic evaluation should follow a stepwise approach in order to make rational use of the expensive tools of cytogenetics, molecular biology, and neuroimaging.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

[Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder prevalence in an inner city elementary school].

OBJECTIVE: To define the prevalence of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a sample school-aged children from a public elementary school. METHOD: The study population was composed of all pupils who attended the first five grades at a public state school. During the first stage, school teachers and parents filled a standardized questionnaire of 18 ADHD symptoms defined at DSM-IV. In the second stage, children who screened positive and their parents were invited for a medical visit at school. After signature of an informed consent, the following procedures were done: DSM-IV symptoms questionnaire, oriented history, physical exam and neurologic exam. ADHD diagnosis was subdivided into three types: predominantly hyperactive (H), predominantly inattentive (ADD), and mixed type ADD + H. RESULTS: Among 403 pupils recruited in the first stage, 108 screened positive. Of these, 101 were assessed. There were 68 boys and 33 girls. Median age was 9 years (Range, 6-15 years; standard deviation, 1.99). ADHD diagnosis was defined for 69 pupils (17.1%), including 27 children (39.1%) with ADD, 26 children (37.7%) with ADD + H, and 16 children (23.2%) with H without ADD. Among children who received a diagnosis of ADHD, 45 (65.2%) were boys and 24 (34.8%) were girls (ratio 1.9:1). CONCLUSION: ADHD prevalence in a sample of 403 school-aged children from a public elementary school was 17.1%.

Adolescent↗