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Biomedical subjects

R Sulkava

Publications and source records attributed to R Sulkava.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Treatment of acute migraine attack: naproxen and placebo compared.

A double-blind, cross-over, randomized study of acute migraine attack compared treatment results of naproxen with that of placebo. Each treatment period continued for either three months or six migraine attacks, whichever occurred first. The initial dose of naproxen was 750 mg, with additional 250-500 mg doses taken if and when required, to a maximum of five 250 mg tablets within a period of 24 h in each migraine attack. Forty-one patients were enrolled in the study; they had all experienced at least two but not more than eight migraine attacks a month during the preceding year. Thirty-two patients completed the two treatment periods. Naproxen was statistically significantly superior to placebo in reducing the severity of head pain, nausea, and photophobia; in shortening the duration of head pain, nausea, vomiting, photophobia, and lightheadedness; in diminishing the frequency of vomiting; and in decreasing the need for escape medication. Both patient and physician treatment preferences significantly favoured naproxen. Nine side effects were experienced by seven patients while receiving placebo and seven by five patients during naproxen treatment. Mild gastrointestinal discomfort was the main complaint. Only one patient withdrew from treatment because of a side effect, which occurred while receiving placebo.

Acute Disease↗

Prevalence of severe dementia in Finland.

A sample of 8,000 subjects to represent the population of Finland aged 30 years and over was used to identify patients with severe dementia; 141 cases were found. The prevalence of all types of severe dementia was 1.8% in the whole study population and 6.7% in the population aged 65 years and over. The prevalence increased with advancing age to 17.3% in the age group 85 years and over. Primary degenerative dementia constituted 50% of all cases; multi-infarct and combined dementia, 39%; and secondary dementia, 11%. Fifty-seven percent of the patients lived in institutions.

Adult↗

CSF beta-endorphin and beta-lipotropin in Alzheimer's disease and multi-infarct dementia.

We measured CSF levels of the opioid peptides beta-endorphin and beta-lipotropin in patients with Alzheimer's disease, multi-infarct dementia and controls. In both dementia groups, the mean concentration of beta-endorphin was significantly lower than in controls. The mean beta-lipotropin levels did not differ significantly in the two groups. The low CSF beta-endorphin level may relate generally to dementia.

Aged↗

Cerebral NMR and CT imaging in dementia.

Thirteen patients with different types of dementia were studied with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and CT imaging of the brain. The overall correlation between CT and NMR findings was good. Areas of hypodensity in cerebral white matter on CT were especially well visualized in the T2-weighted NMR images. Hypodense areas were seen in the white matter of patients with vascular dementias but not in those with primary degenerative dementias. Thus, the presence or absence of white matter changes may be an important factor in the differential diagnosis of vascular dementia and primary degenerative dementia. On the basis of NMR and CT findings, it was difficult to distinguish between the lacunar state type and Binswanger type of vascular dementia. It is suggested, therefore, that these two subgroups of vascular dementia be commonly named angiopathic dementia.

Aged↗

Cerebral MR and CT imaging in polycystic lipomembranous osteodysplasia with sclerosing leukoencephalopathy.

Cerebral magnetic resonance (MR) and CT imaging of two patients with polycystic lipomembranous osteodysplasia with sclerosing (PLO-SL) showed widespread progressive central and cortical atrophy. Computed tomography revealed calcifications in the area of the caudate nuclei and putamina in both patients. A reduced volume of brain white matter with deep cortical sulci was the most striking MR finding. Rather short relaxation times in periventricular areas adjacent to ventricular bodies were also observed.

Adult↗

Thiethylperazine and tardive dyskinesia.

Over a 14-month period in the outpatient department of a geriatric hospital, 7 female patients over 75 years of age were identified with tardive dyskinesia associated with the use of thiethylperazine. The indication for thiethylperazine treatment had been vertigo or dizziness. 3 of the patients also had symptoms related to cerebral arteriosclerosis and 2 had mild Parkinson's disease without levodopa therapy. None of them were markedly demented nor had chronic psychosis. Tardive dyskinesia appeared after a treatment period of 3 weeks to 6 years. These findings suggest that association of tardive dyskinesia with the use of thiethylperazine is not uncommon in geriatric outpatients.

Aged↗

Fatal Candida meningitis in a previously healthy adult.

A rare case of fatal Candida albicans meningitis in a healthy middle-aged woman is reported. The organism did not grow in four of the six cerebrospinal fluid cultures despite clinical meningo-encephalitic symptoms and clear cell reaction in cerebrospinal fluid. Death was unexpected with a generalised tonic-clonic seizure and cardiac arrest. A possible relationship between the coexistent long-standing intra-uterine contraceptive device and Candida meningitis is discussed.

Adult↗

Accuracy of clinical diagnosis in primary degenerative dementia: correlation with neuropathological findings.

Neuropathological features and causes of death are presented in 27 deceased patients belonging to a prospective series of 71 hospitalised patients with primary degenerative dementia. The clinical criteria for primary degenerative dementia used in the present study were accurate enough to exclude patients with multi-infarct dementia. At necropsy, 82% of the cases had neuropathological changes of Alzheimer's disease. The clinical features of patients with other neuropathological changes are described. The most common immediate cause of death was bronchopneumonia which accounted for 59% of deaths in Alzheimer's disease.

Aged↗

Classic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with dementia.

Documented cases of classic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) combined with severe dementia are few and come from the isolated populations of the Western Pacific. In this report, three women had a clinically and neuropathologically documented combination of ALS and dementia. In all cases the symptoms and signs of ALS were mainly bulbar. In two of them dementia appeared first, followed by ALS. At autopsy, there was a marked discrepancy between the severe degree of dementia of Alzheimer's type and the sight nonspecific neuropathologic findings without Alzheimer's changes. Our cases bear a close resemblance to recently published Japanese cases. It may be concluded that the combination of sporadic ALS and progressive dementia seems to be a clinical entity without consistent neuropathologic changes and that it also occurs in the western countries.

Aged↗

Alzheimer's disease and senile dementia of Alzheimer type. A comparative study.

Clinical and neuropsychological findings, EEG, and several blood and CSF parameters were investigated in 36 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 35 patients with senile dementia of Alzheimer type (SDAT). There were more women among senile patients and more familial cases among presenile patients. The average duration of the symptoms was longer in presenile patients (6.1 years) than in senile patients (3.9 years). This could be due to the lower resistance to the disease process in the senile group. Extrapyramidal signs, especially rigidity, were found in over 60% of all patients and in practically all patients with advanced dementia. Tremor was found in three patients only. Four presenile (11%) and two senile (6%) patients had epileptic seizures. All patients had abnormal EEG recordings, mainly in form of diffuse slowing. A positive correlation was found between the EEG abnormality and the severity of dementia in AD but not in SDAT. However, the difference between the correlation coefficients in AD and SDAT was insignificant. Between EEG and the duration of the disease there was no correlation. EEG was not more abnormal in very severe dementia than in severe dementia. Other findings were similar in AD and SDAT. It is concluded that it is artificial to separate AD and SDAT at the age of 65 and that they clinically compose a single entity. This entity could well be called Alzheimer's disease.

Aged↗

Alzheimer's disease and senile dementia of Alzheimer type. A neuropsychological study.

Neuropsychological performance was investigated in 36 presenile patients with Alzheimer's disease and 35 patients with senile dementia of Alzheimer type by using Luria's test methods. The most deteriorated performances in both groups were in memory, intellectual, higher visual and motor functions, and in orientation. The neuropsychological functions deteriorated gradually in the course of the disease process so that the shape of the performance profile was preserved. The progression of the disease seemed to be more rapid in senile patients but neuropsychologically there were no significant differences between Alzheimer's disease and senile dementia of Alzheimer type. They seemed to form a continuum of one disease. Luria's neuropsychological investigation turned out to be a useful method in the assessment of at least moderate to severe dementia.

Aged↗