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Biomedical subjects

Marina Diomedi

Publications and source records attributed to Marina Diomedi.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

An anorexic woman with convulsive loss of consciousness. Syncope or epileptic fits?

We report the case of a young anorexic woman who suffered a sudden loss of consciousness with convulsions, diagnosed as epilepsy associated with a migrational disorder, as documented at MRI. Standard 12-lead ECG showed a prolonged QT interval. Biochemical tests revealed a severe hypokalemia. Continuous 24-h ECG recording detected a ventricular tachycardia in torsades de pointes inducing a syncopal convulsive attack that seemed to be related to oral Cisapride assumption for dyspepsia. Discontinuation of cisapride and normalization of kalemia caused disappearance of both ECG abnormalities and loss of consciousness episodes. Syncope is a condition often misdiagnosed as epileptic seizures.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Panic disorder or epilepsy? A case report.

Psychiatric and neurological disturbances can show up with panic attack symptoms. This report illustrates the difficulty in distinguishing between panic disorder and epilepsy in a subgroup of epileptic patients that suffer panic attacks as symptoms of seizures. This is the first report of panic attacks due to a focal lesion involving the left temporal lobe and the second case of panic attacks related to a meningioma.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

The role of chronic infection and inflammation in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease.

Molecular and cellular immune activities have a fundamental role in all stages of the atherosclerotic process and in the pathogenesis of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases. Recent studies have demonstrated how chronic infections can support a local and systemic chronic inflammation, leading to the atherosclerotic process. The pathogenic link between infection and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease is not completely defined. Some therapeutic strategies, able to influence the persistence of the infections or to modify the inflammatory process, could be useful in primary and secondary vascular disease prevention and in modifying the acute event outcome.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

The role of chronic infection and inflammation in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease.

Molecular and cellular immune activities have a fundamental role in all stages of the atherosclerotic process and in the pathogenesis of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases. Recent studies have demonstrated how chronic infections can support a local and systemic chronic inflammation, leading to the atherosclerotic process. The pathogenic link between infection and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease is not completely defined. Some therapeutic strategies, able to influence the persistence of the infections or to modify the inflammatory process, could be useful in primary and secondary vascular disease prevention and in modifying the acute event outcome.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed2003

Genetic heterogeneity in inherited spastic paraplegia associated with epilepsy.

We have recently mapped a new rare form of spastic paraplegia complicated by bilateral cataracts, gastroesophageal reflux with persistent vomiting, and amyotrophy to chromosome 10q23.3-q24.2. This locus, named SPG9, is located in an interval spanning about 12 cM of genomic DNA, between markers D10S536 and D10S603, where different neurological disorders have been mapped. In particular, a gene for partial epilepsy has been assigned to a 3 cM interval between markers D10S185 and D10S577, which is completely included in the SPG9 critical region. A few families affected with spastic paraplegia and epilepsy have been reported; in the present study, we tested a pedigree with concurrence of spastic paraplegia, epilepsy, and mental retardation inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, using markers located in the SPG9 interval. Haplotype reconstruction excluded the linkage to 10q23.3-q24.2. In addition, the seven different loci so far reported to be associated with autosomal dominant pure forms of spastic paraplegia have been tested and excluded by linkage analysis and haplotype reconstruction, including SPG4 on chromosome 2p22-p21, where a familial form of spastic paraplegia associated with dementia and epilepsy has been mapped. These data confirm genetic heterogeneity in familial spastic paraplegia with epilepsy and suggest a specific locus for the family here analyzed.

DNA↗
PubMed2002

Cytotoxin-associated gene-A--positive Helicobacter pylori strains are associated with atherosclerotic stroke.

BACKGROUND: It is uncertain whether Helicobacter pylori is associated with ischemic syndromes and whether this association is mediated by the induction of atherosclerosis. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that atherosclerotic stroke shows a selective association with virulent H pylori strains. METHODS AND RESULTS: The seroprevalence of infection by H pylori and by strains bearing the cytotoxin-associated gene-A (CagA), a strong virulence factor, was assessed by ELISA in 138 patients with large-vessel stroke (group A), in 61 patients with cardioembolic stroke (group B), and in 151 healthy control subjects. The 3 groups had a similar socioeconomic status. Serum levels of C-reactive protein were also measured by ELISA. The prevalence of infection was 71% in group A, 63.9% in group B, and 70.2% in the control group (P=NS), whereas the prevalence of CagA-positive strains was higher in group A than in group B (42.8% versus 19.7%, respectively; odds ratio 3.04, 95% CI 1.43 to 6.49; P<0.001) and higher in group A than in the control group (42.8% versus 17.9%, respectively; odds ratio 4.3, 95% CI 2.12 to 8.64; P<0.001), after adjusting for main cardiovascular risk factors and social class. A trend toward a difference in C-reactive protein was observed between CagA-positive (2.00+/-3.43 [mean+/-SD] mg/dL) and CagA-negative (1.31+/-1.72 [mean+/-SD] mg/dL) patients (P=0.072, Mann-Whitney U test). CONCLUSIONS: The association between H pylori and acute cerebrovascular disease seems to be due to a higher prevalence of more virulent H pylori strains in patients with atherosclerotic stroke.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Inter-hemispheric asymmetry of cerebral flow velocities during generalized spike-wave discharges.

The aim of this study was to verify the symmetry of cerebral blood flow changes during the generalized spike-wave discharges of typical absence seizures. A recording of mean flow velocity in the left and right middle cerebral arteries and of electroencephalographic activity was performed simultaneously in two subjects with multiple daily absence seizures. A total of 12 generalized spike-wave discharges were recorded. Mean flow velocities showed a significant increase during the discharges with respect to baseline. The increase of flow velocity started simultaneously or a few seconds before the discharges. In 91.6 % of all recordings, the percentage increase of mean flow velocity was significantly higher in the left than in the right side (7.03 % +/- 3.3 vs 5.14 % +/- 3.3; p < 0.1). The extent of the following decrease of flow velocity was also significantly greater in the left than in the right side (-16.91 % +/- 8.1 vs -14.07 % +/- 8.3; p < 0.01). These findings show an inter-hemispheric asymmetry in cerebral blood flow during generalized spike-wave discharges in two patients with absence seizures. Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography promises to be an interesting approach to detect rapid changes in cerebral hemispheric activity not otherwise recognizable.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Carotid artery wall thickness in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Epidemiological studies have suggested a pathophysiological link between sleep apnea syndrome and cerebrovascular diseases. The mechanism by which sleep disturbance can affect the predisposition to developing stroke is not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome have an increase in atherosclerosis indicators at the carotid artery level. METHODS: We included 23 male patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (respiratory disturbance index >30). Intima-media thickness and the presence of steno-occlusive lesions in the common carotid arteries were investigated with B-mode high-resolution ultrasonography. Results of the ultrasonographic examination were compared with those of a group of 23 subjects without obstructive sleep apnea syndrome who were matched for age and comorbid factors. RESULTS: The intima-media thickness of the common carotid arteries of patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome was significantly higher (P<0.0001) than that of control subjects (1.429+/-0.34 versus 0.976+/-0.17 mm). CONCLUSIONS: Results of the present study show that carotid wall thickness is increased in patients with severe sleep apnea syndrome. There is strong evidence that an increase in the thickness of the carotid artery wall is a valid marker of the risk of stroke. For this reason, our finding seems to further strengthen the hypothesis that patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome are at risk of developing cerebrovascular diseases regardless of the association with other vascular risk factors.

Carotid Arteries↗