PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

P Pasternack

Publications and source records attributed to P Pasternack.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Advanced Parkinson's disease: use of partial dopamine agonist, ciladopa.

Ciladopa is a partial dopamine agonist that is effective in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease who are no longer satisfactorily responding to levodopa. Thirty-one patients participated in a double-blind randomized study of ciladopa (added to levodopa) versus placebo. Among 21 patients randomized to treatment with ciladopa and levodopa, there was a 32% decrease in symptoms on the Modified Columbia University Disability Scale. This change was significant, p less than or equal to 0.05. Eight of the 21 patients (38%) improved by at least 50%. The mean number of hours "on" increased by 20%. This change was significant, p less than or equal to 0.05. Five of the 21 patients (24%) were on for at least 4 hours more than at baseline. Dyskinesias were not increased. The mean dose of ciladopa was 19.5 mg/d. The mean dose of levodopa in Sinemet was decreased by 10%. Studies with ciladopa in humans had to be discontinued because of the occurrence of microscopic testicular tumors in some rodents. Although improvement in patients taking ciladopa was modest, there were few adverse effects. These results are encouraging, because two other partial agonists are now available, and they may be as effective as ciladopa.

Aged↗

Brain stem infarction due to chiropractic manipulation of the cervical spine.

A case of brain stem infarction after chiropractic manipulation of the cervical spine is presented. Proposed mechanisms and sites of possible arterial injury are discussed. A diagnosis of vertebral artery occlusion was made using conventional brachial angiography. Digital intravenous angiography, a relatively new and less invasive vascular imaging technique which was used as an adjunct for evaluating the remainder of the cervicocephalic vessels, documented the vertebral occlusion. Chiropractic manipulation, which is increasing in popularity, may be a cause of potentially devastating neurologic disease.

Adolescent↗

Brain stem infarction due to chiropractic manipulation of the cervical spine.

A case of brain stem infarction after chiropractic manipulation of the cervical spine is presented. Proposed mechanisms and sites of possible arterial injury are discussed. A diagnosis of vertebral artery occlusion was made using conventional brachial angiography. Digital intravenous angiography, a relatively new and less invasive vascular imaging technique which was used as an adjunct for evaluating the remainder of the cervicocephalic vessels, documented the vertebral occlusion. Chiropractic manipulation, which is increasing in popularity, may be a cause of potentially devastating neurologic disease.

Arterial Occlusive Diseases↗

Pitfalls in the diagnosis of thoracic aortic aneurysm by transesophageal echocardiography.

A 74-year-old man underwent transesophageal echocardiography to evaluate the possibility of dissection of the descending aorta. The study demonstrated a round lumen that contained an echogenic mass mimicking aortic aneurysm with thrombus. However, computerized tomographic scanning identified the lumen as the pleural cavity containing a collapsed lung. The esophagus was on the right side of the spine, and the transesophageal technique could not visualize the descending aorta.

Aged↗