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Biomedical subjects

P Gasco

Publications and source records attributed to P Gasco.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Physical rehabilitation has a positive effect on disability in multiple sclerosis patients.

BACKGROUND: Although physical rehabilitation is commonly administered to MS patients, its efficacy has not been established. OBJECTIVE: We assessed the efficacy of an inpatient physical rehabilitation program on impairment, disability, and quality of life of MS patients with a randomized, single-blind, controlled trial. METHODS: Fifty ambulatory MS patients were assigned to 3 weeks of inpatient physical rehabilitation (study treatment) or exercises performed at home (control treatment). Patients were evaluated at baseline and at 3, 9, and 15 weeks by a blinded examining physician. RESULTS: No changes in impairment occurred in either group, as measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale. At the end of the intervention the study group improved significantly in disability, as assessed by the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) motor domain, compared with controls (p = 0.004), and the improvement persisted at 9 weeks (p = 0.001). The effect size statistic was usually large or moderate in all scale scores of the FIM motor domain at 3 weeks and moderate to fair thereafter. The study group also improved in overall health-related quality of life profile compared with controls; however, the difference was significant only for the mental composite score at 3 (p = 0.008) and 9 weeks (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Despite unchanging impairment, physical rehabilitation resulted in an improvement in disability and had a positive impact on mental components of health-related quality of life perception at 3 and 9 weeks.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1989

Serum magnesium and nerve conduction velocity in uraemic patients on chronic haemodialysis.

In 18 patients on regular haemodialysis treatment, the dialysate magnesium concentration (dMg) was lowered (from 0.5 to 0.25 mmol/litre) and the correlation between serum Mg level (sMg) and nerve conduction velocity was investigated before and one year after dMg variation, in order to ascertain whether hypermagnesaemia plays a role in the pathogenesis of peripheral neuropathy in patients on regular dialysis. The normalization of sMg (from 1.27 +/- SD 0.16 to 0.98 +/- 0.09 mmol/litre) did not result in any improvement in nerve conduction velocity, though such improvement has previously been reported; however, this discrepancy could be explained by the fact that sMg was not excessively high at the beginning of the study.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Lymphocytoplasmapheresis in multiple sclerosis: one-year results in 6 patients.

6 patients with definite MS underwent lymphocytoplasmapheresis for one year. Clinical data, evoked potential recordings and peripheral blood lymphocyte helper/suppressor ratio were assessed before and after the treatment and were compared with those of a control group of 10 multiple sclerosis patients. Lymphocytoplasmapheresis did not significantly modify clinical and laboratory findings compared with the control group.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Lymphocytoplasmapheresis in multiple sclerosis: preliminary laboratory findings.

Short-term treatment with lymphocytoplasmapheresis was evaluated in 6 multiple sclerosis patients with special reference to the electrophysiological and immunological findings. Visual, somatosensory, brainstem auditory evoked potentials, flicker fusion test, helper/suppressor blood lymphocyte ratio, serum immunocomplexes and immunoglobulins and Kurtzke scores were evaluated in each patient before and after treatment. No statistically significant results were obtained.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

[Levodopa treatment of a case of torsion spasm with athetosis].

The result about Levodopa treatment in torsion dystonia and athetosis are quite contradictory. We report an interesting case, significant for the results that we obtained in a long treatment period. A girl was suffering from age of 8 years of torsion dystonia associated with athetosis. We made our first clinical examination when 12 years old: she was not able to stand-up and to walking, neither was she able to be sitting in a chair without arms. In two months of treatment with Levodopa 3.000 mg. by day, the symptoms completely disappeared. During the first two years of treatment, at every effort to decrease the therapy we observed an important increase of symptoms. Successively it was possible to decrease the therapy and now, after 8 years of treatment, with a minimal dose, the girl doesn't show any symptoms, so that she can manage a normal relative life. Probably these good results depend on the fact that was a sporadic recessive form of torsion dystonia case.

Athetosis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Aggressiveness in humans].

Aggressiveness is a deeply-rooted feature of human biology. Its underlying mechanisms can be analysed doctrinally from the biological standpoint, in the light of physiological, clinical and pharmacological data, the ecological standpoint, wherein comparison is made with the behaviour patterns observed in animals, and the psychological standpoint, which is strongly influenced by psychoanalysis theory in explaining the reasons for aggressive behaviour. Reference is also made to the form taken by aggressiveness in children, adults and persons with neurological and mental diseases. The ways in which pathological aggressiveness can be treated are discussed.

Aggression↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Risk factors in cerebral apoplexy. Epidemiological study].

Acute cerebral vascular diseases are of social as well as clinical interest, since, together with myocardial infarct, they constitute the prime cause of death. Yet their treatment is still confined to the combatting the collateral factors of cerebral damage, since drugs of an aetiological type cannot be employed. The study of the aetiopathogenetic factors of cerebral infarct is thus of considerable importance in the establishment of its prophylactic management. An epidemiological assessment was made of prior risk factors: arterial hypertension, heart disease, and changes in fat and sugar metabolism in 1748 cases of acute cerebral vasculopathy. The data obtained are compared with those in the literature.

Acute Disease↗