Biomedical subjects
Supoch Tunlayadechanont
Publications and source records attributed to Supoch Tunlayadechanont.
Aspergillosis of the central nervous system: a catastrophic opportunistic infection.
The clinical features and outcome of the treatment of aspergillosis of the central nervous system (CNS) in Thai patients are presented. The patients who were diagnosed as having CNS aspergillosis by tissue biopsy or culture from January 1, 1991 to December 31, 2000 were retrospectively reviewed. The study variables including age, sex, underlying disease, symptoms and signs, neuro-imaging studies, pathological findings and outcome of treatment, are described. There were seven cases of aspergillosis of the central nervous system. Four patients were male. The median age was 65 years (range 36-78 years). The most common underlying disease was diabetes mellitus (4/7; 57.1%). Two patients (28.6%) had no underlying disease. The most common primary site of infection was the paranasal sinuses (6/7; 85.7%). The most common clinical presentation was headache (6/7; 85.7%). Common neurological signs included multiple cranial nerve palsies (5/7; 71.4%) and alteration of consciousness (3/7; 42.9%). The median duration of the symptoms prior to admission was 60 days (range 8-180 days). All patients were treated with intravenous antifungal agents at high doses. Extensive surgery was performed in 6 patients. The mortality rate was very high (6/7; 85.7%). The median time from diagnosis and treatment to death was 53 days (22-720 days). Aspergillosis of the CNS should be considered in those with clinical features of headache, multiple cranial nerve palsies and alteration of consciousness accompanied by sinusitis, especially in elderly and diabetic patients. It remains a catastrophic opportunistic infection in spite of the current intensive and aggressive treatment.
Hiccups and multiple sclerosis.
Hiccups is a rare and unfamiliar presenting symptom of multiple sclerosis. Patients admitted to Ramathibodi Hospital from 1969 to 1992 who had a clinical diagnosis of multiple sclerosis were reviewed The presenting symptoms and neurological signs were analysed. The clinical features and course of the disease of cases who initially presented with intractable hiccups were studied in detail. There were 4 cases out of a total of 47 cases (8.5%) who presented with hiccups. These patients all had relapse and remission and two of them had a rather fulminant course of illness. Therefore, multiple sclerosis should be seriously considered as a possible cause of intractable hiccups. It may be of benign or malignant form. In the latter, the patients may develop quadriparesis within hours or days and respiratory failure may ensue. They usually respond well to high dose intravenous corticosteroids especially pulse methylprednisolone.
Twelve-year changes in vascular risk factors and their associations with mortality in a cohort of 3499 Thais: the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand Study.
BACKGROUND: Vascular mortality is increasing in economically developing countries such as Thailand but reliable data about the determinants of these changes are few. METHODS: In 1985, male and female employees of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand took part in a cardiovascular risk factor survey. In 1997, a follow-up survey was conducted and causes of death were determined for those subjects known to have died. Changes in levels of vascular risk factors over 12 years, and the associations of baseline risk factors with vascular mortality, were calculated. RESULTS: The 1985 survey recruited 3499 volunteers (average age 43 years) of whom 23% were female. In 1997, vital status was determined for 3318 (95%) and 2967 (85%) of the study participants were resurveyed. Mean levels of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), body mass index, total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol all increased over the 12-year follow-up period. Over the same time, the prevalence of diabetes also rose but the proportion of current smokers decreased. Vascular diseases were the most frequent cause of death during follow-up (n = 46), were positively associated with baseline age, SBP, DBP, smoking, diabetes, male sex, and total cholesterol, and were negatively associated with HDL cholesterol. CONCLUSIONS: Levels of most vascular risk factors worsened over the 12-year period between 1985 and 1997. The associations between baseline risk factor levels and vascular mortality were consistent with those observed in other populations. Interventions that control vascular risk factors have the potential to avert much premature vascular disease in Thailand.