PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

P Esperança

Publications and source records attributed to P Esperança.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Characterisation of anthocyanidins by electrospray ionisation and collision-induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry.

The present study describes the use of electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry, in combination with collision-induced dissociation (CID) and tandem mass spectrometry, for the structural characterisation of anthocyanidins and their O-glycosides. The high-energy CID spectra of [M-Cl](+) ions of the free aglycones show characteristic fragmentation pathways, which provide useful information about the substitution pattern in the A- and B-rings of each compound. The major fragmentation observed in the high-energy CID spectra of [M-Cl](+) ions of anthocyanins involves loss of the mono- or disaccharide units resulting in ions containing only the aglycone moiety. From the spectral data, the identity of the aglycone can be established as well as the number and the class of monosaccharide units in the O-glycosides.

Anthocyanins↗
PubMed2000

Migraine with prolonged aura.

We present the case of a 29-year-old man with a long history of migraine with aura, in whom migraine with prolonged aura was induced after the sudden withdrawal of prophylactic therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Transverse myelitis].

The authors report three clinical cases of acute transverse myelitis in young patients with emphasis given to the seriousness of this kind of pathology, the need to exclude a potentially treatable cause and the controversial corticosteroid treatment.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hypnic headache: report of two cases.

Hypnic headache constitutes one rare type of primary short-lasting headache related to sleep. The authors describe two cases of hypnic headache that had a very good response to lithium carbonate. Although these two cases do not fulfill the proposed criteria for hypnic headache, as the pain was not bilateral, and, in case 2, it had a longer duration than previously described, we believe that the very good response to lithium carbonate favors this diagnosis. We believe that it is important to consider a diagnosis of hypnic headache because of the remarkable response to lithium carbonate shown by some patients with this condition.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The importance of TTR met 30 in the diagnosis of familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy in the absence of a positive family history].

INTRODUCTION: Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy type I is an hereditary autosomal dominant disease, characterized by having a mutant transthyretin (TTR met 30). For this reason there is a deposition of amyloid in several organs with their subsequent malfunction. The most characteristic clinical presentation is peripheral, sensomotor and autonomic neuropathy. The dysautonomic component is seen early and often dominates the clinical picture. Subsequently, there is cardiac, ocular or renal involvement and death generally occurs 10 to 15 years after onset of the disorder. In Portugal one thought the gene was fully penetrant and, thus, a positive family history was an important criterion for the diagnosis. However an increasing number of patients without a positive family history have been identified. CLINICAL CASES: We present the cases of three men and a woman, aged between 36 and 48 years, with clinical sensomotor and autonomic polyneuropathy. There was no known family history of the condition in any case. Nerve biopsy in three of the patients, and biopsy of abdominal fat in the other patient, showed amyloid to be present. Similarly, TTR met 30 analysis was positive in all cases, and allowed the diagnosis to be established. CONCLUSION: It is essential to do TTR met 30 analysis in all patients with peripheral polyneuropathy in whom there is obviously a dysautonomic component and no known family history.

Abdomen↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Hypnic headache: a report of four cases].

INTRODUCTION: Hypnic headaches are an uncommon type of primary headache of short duration, related to sleep, which have usually been described in elderly persons. Although not currently included in the International Headache Society's classification, criteria have been established for its diagnosis. They include: frequency of more than 15 days per month for at least one month, the headache wakens the patient when asleep, it lasts for between 5 and 60 minutes, may be generalized or unilateral, with no associated autonomic disorder or causative aetiological agent. CASE REPORTS: We describe four clinical cases, three women aged 43, 52 and 65 years old and one 68 year old man. They complained of moderate to severe headaches which were unilateral, daily, woke them up at night, lasted for some hours and had no associated autonomic symptoms. On clinical investigations (cephalic CAT and MR scans) organic disease, as a cause, was ruled out. Different acute and prophylactic treatments were tried, but only lithium carbonate (400 mg at night) led to full improvement of symptoms. When this treatment was stopped the headache reappeared in some patients. CONCLUSIONS: Although some patients did not fulfil the diagnostic criteria described by Dodick et al in a previous series of cases, the night time presentation with no associated autonomic disorder and good response to lithium carbonate were in favour of the diagnosis of hypnic headaches

Aged↗