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Biomedical subjects

R Reñé

Publications and source records attributed to R Reñé.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

[Neurologic syndromes associated with anti-Hu antibody. Study of 24 patients].

BACKGROUND: Twenty-four patients with neurologic involvement and anti-Hu antibodies were studied with the aim of defining the type of tumor associated, evaluating whether the clinico-pathologic picture agreed with the concept of paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis (PEM) and evaluating the treatments used. METHODS: The study was retrospective with the clinical histories being reviewed to define the neurologic syndromes, their evolution and response to the different treatments, time of appearance and type of tumor as well as the neuropathologic changes in the patients undergoing autopsy. RESULTS: In 18 patients a neoplasm was diagnosed as small cell pulmonary carcinoma (SCPC) in 89% of the cases. The neurologic picture preceded the tumor by an average of five months. The clinical pictures included: sensitive neuropathy (20 patients), cerebellous and truncus encephalicus involvement (8 patients), motor neuropathy (6 patients), cortical involvement (5 patients) and neurovegetative dysfunction (4 patients). In 55% of the patients more than one area was altered. Post mortem studies carried out on 5 patients demonstrated inflammatory infiltrates and neuronal loss in multiple areas of the nervous system. None of the patients improved with treatment. The 9 patients who only received immunodepressants evolved in a way similar to those who were not treated. In 7 of the 11 patients who received antitumoral therapy, the neurologic syndrome stabilized for at least 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: The clinicopathological picture and the associated tumor seen in patients with anti-Hu antibodies are identical to those seen in PEM. Antitumoral treatment seems to be more effective than immunodepressant treatment.

Adult

[Lumbosacral polyradiculomyelitis caused by cytomegalovirus in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome].

The case of a HIV positive patient with lumbosacral polyradiculomyelitis by cytomegalovirus (PLS-CMV) is presented. The patient was a homosexual male receiving maintainance treatment with foscarnet for previous corioretinitis by CMV who consulted for paraparesia and sphincter disorders of a 3 week evolution. Neutrophilic pleocytosis and high levels of glucose and proteins were observed on LCR and CMV isolated discarding other entities. The LCR normalized upon treatment with gancyclovir although serious residual paraparesia persisted. PLS-CMV is an infrequent entity of typical clinic and liquoral characteristics. Recognition of the same is important since favorable response depends on early anti-CMV treatment.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Plasmapheresis and antineoplastic treatment in CNS paraneoplastic syndromes with antineuronal autoantibodies.

We retrospectively evaluated the effect of plasmapheresis (PE) in seven patients with paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis (PEM), small-cell lung carcinoma, and anti-Hu antibodies, and four patients with paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration (PCD), ovarian or breast cancer, and anti-Yo antibodies. In addition to PE, patients received prednisone (nine), cyclophosphamide (eight), or treatment of the tumor (five). All but one patient were severely disabled by the time PE began. The clinical outcome was compared with that of five patients (PEM, four; PCD, one) who only had treatment of the tumor. Only one of these five patients had a severe neurologic deficit at the onset of the antineoplastic treatment. No patient improved. Two patients treated with PE and antineoplastic therapy and three who only received treatment of the tumor remained stable for at least 6 months. Four of the five patients with a stable course started the treatment when the neurologic deficit was not severe. We conclude that the efficacy of PE with other immunosuppressive therapies in the stabilization of the neurologic deficit is uncertain.

Aged

[Primary intraventricular hemorrhage in a patient with unilateral moyamoya disease].

According to the diagnostic criteria currently in use, the so-called "unilateral" forms of the moyamoya disease, or rather those in which the disorders of the disease itself--such as occlusion of the internal supraclinoid carotid artery or its terminal branches and development of abnormal collateral circulation in the region of the basal ganglia--are only found in one hemisphere and should be considered as "probable" forms of the disease with a much lower incidence than the bilateral or "defined" forms of the same. One patient with a primary intraventricular hemorrhage (PIVH) in whom an occlusion of the right internal carotid artery was angiographically demonstrated and in whom collateral type moyamoya circulation was found as was the presence of an aneurysm in the right coroid territory is presented. The association of PIVH, unilateral moyamoya disease and aneurysm is infrequent in the literature, with the origin of the bleeding, in some cases, having been attributed to rupture of the aneurysm. Since angiographic control was not available in the patient presented it cannot be excluded that the aneurysm was really a pseudoaneurysm therefore being a consequence, rather than a cause, of the arterial rupture. Thus one of the other mechanisms proposed must be invoked to explain the pathogenesis of the PIVH: rupture of a perforating artery or of a microaneurysm located in the subependimary periventricular region. The treatment recommended for these case of PIVH associated to aneurysm is chirurgical if persistence is demonstrated in successive arteriographies.

Adult

[Cerebral tuberculoma. Report of 8 cases].

A series of eight patients with cerebral tuberculoma seen between 1980 and 1990 is reported. Headache was the leading clinical finding, followed by focal neurological findings and seizures. Papilledema was the most uniform examination finding associated with intracranial hypertension. Five patients had another localization of tuberculosis: three had tuberculous meningitis, one had tuberculous pericarditis and only one had associated active pulmonary involvement. Cerebrospinal fluid was investigated in seven patients. In three patients data of tuberculous meningitis were found, with positive culture in Löwenstein medium. Two patients had the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. All patients received medical treatment with good response, except in one who developed paradoxical expansion of the lesions after two months of therapy.

Adult

[Stiff man syndrome (Moersch and Woltman syndrome). Description of two cases].

This study reports two female patients with progressive muscular rigidity beginning to the paravertebral and pelvic muscles associated with muscular spasms. The electromyography showed continuous muscular activity originated at the central nervous system. In both cases we observed the complete rigid man syndrome. Complementary explorations including thyroid hormonal study, ceruloplasmin, electroencephalogram, cranial computerized tomography, and magnetic resonance were normal. Auditive evoked potentials evidenced a prolongation of the interlatency III-V, suggesting pathologic involvement of the encephalic trunk. In one patient an artificial reservoir was inserted to instill baclofen into the meningeal space and produced a clinical improvement. The actual status of this rare illness is reviewed.

Electromyography

[Opportunistic infections of the central nervous system in patients with AIDS].

Between August 1985 and March 1989 we had evaluated 70 AIDS patients. We had identified 7 opportunistic Central Nervous System infections, others toxoplasmosis and tuberculosis: A case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy presented with aphasia as their initial manifestation, a probable herpesvirus type 1 polyradiculoneuropathy, four cryptococcal meningitis and syphilitic neuroretinitis.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

[Otitis externa maligna and cranial neuropathy].

Malignant external otitis (MEO) is a disease of the external auditive channel (EAC) due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa which usually involves individuals with diabetes mellitus. It may result in the invasion of the cranial base with cranial neuropathy and a high mortality rate despite therapy. We report the clinical features, diagnostic procedures, evolution and therapy of 8 patients with MEO, seven of which had cranial neuropathy. All patients have diabetes except one who had acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. All had otalgia, otorrhea and headache lasting for several months. Six patients had homolateral (as related to the MEO) facial palsy. One patient with bilateral MEO developed bilateral facial palsy and lesion of the cranial nerves VI (unilaterally) and IX through XII (bilaterally). In all patients P. aeruginosa was cultured from the EAC exudate scintigraphy with 99Tc showed uptake at medium ear and mastoid level in all 8 patients, suggesting a possible osteomyelitis. Scintigraphy with 67Ga was positive in the 6 cases where it was carried out, showing uptake in the soft tissues of the cranial base. Computed tomography was carried out in 6 patients, and it was useful to define the anatomical extent of the disease. The patients received different therapeutic schedules, particularly the combination of a betalactamic and aminoglucoside antibiotics. Follow up was characterized by common recurrences, and one patient died. The importance of early diagnosis and treatment to prevent the extension and recurrence of MEO are discussed. Cranial neuropathy is considered as a poor prognostic finding.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome