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Biomedical subjects

U Steiger

Publications and source records attributed to U Steiger.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

["Psychogenic" bulbar paralysis].

This 58-year-old female presented with a history of difficulties in swallowing for 30 years. No diagnosis was made in spite of repeated investigations including barium-contrast radiography. A probative strumectomy and psychotherapy were unsuccessful. After an episode of major depression the swallowing disturbances increased. In addition the patient complained of mastication difficulties and was dysarthric. Finally, neurological examination and neurophysiological studies established the diagnosis of progressive bulbar palsy.

Bulbar Palsy, Progressive↗
PubMed1992

[Rare form of uveitis with neurological symptoms: the Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada uveomeningoencephalitic syndrome].

A 51-year-old Italian woman developed migraine-like headaches with increasing frequency 5 years after menopause. The simultaneous onset of severe bilateral uveitis, neurological signs such as vertigo, hearing loss, small sensomotor hemisyndrome, cognitive brain dysfunction and lymphocyte liquor pleocytosis confirmed the diagnosis of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome, a rare disease of probably autoimmune origin with destruction of pigment containing neuroepithelium. Other vasculitic diseases, especially those of infectious or rheumatologic origin, were excluded. Systemic corticoid treatment suppressed the activity of the illness but on dose reduction relapses occurred. Additional immunosuppressive medication prevented uveitic relapses and made it possible to reduce the corticoid dose.

Cyclophosphamide↗
PubMed1990

Albendazole treatment of echinococcosis in humans: effects on microsomal metabolism and drug tolerance.

We prospectively studied the effect of albendazole on microsomal reserve and on first-pass activation to albendazole sulfoxide in patients with hydatid disease. An aminopyrine breath test was performed in 12 patients while they were receiving albendazole treatment and while they were not. Excretion of 14CO2 in breath averaged 0.70%.kg.mmol-1 +/- 0.20%.kg.mmol-1 without treatment and 0.54%.kg.mmol-1 +/- 0.14%.kg.mmol-1 with treatment (p less than 0.005). Plasma levels of albendazole sulfoxide were measured 4 hours after the morning dose during the first and second half of the 4-week treatment cycles. In nine of the 12 patients albendazole sulfoxide levels decreased during the second half of the cycle by an average of 0.84 +/- 0.76 mumol/L (p less than 0.02). Transaminase levels increased in 10 of the 12 patients during long-term albendazole treatment, and major side effects, including hepatotoxicity, neutropenia, and alopecia, were observed in three patients. We conclude that albendazole partially inhibits microsomal enzyme function but induces its own metabolism. Hepatotoxicity and other possible severe side effects necessitate close therapeutic monitoring of patients who are given albendazole.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Recurrence rate after discontinuation of long-term mebendazole therapy in alveolar echinococcosis (preliminary results).

The recurrence rate was investigated in 19 patients with non-resectable alveolar echinococcosis after discontinuation of a long-term therapy with mebendazole (average treatment 4.3 years). A control group consisted of 14 patients who underwent radical surgery and finished a course of prophylactic postoperative mebendazole treatment of 2 years. In the controls, no recurrence was observed after a post-therapy period averaging 3.5 years. In contrast, recurrence occurred in 7/19 patients (37%) with non-resectable alveolar echinococcosis an average of 1.6 years after discontinuation of the long-term mebendazole therapy. The absence of clinically detectable recurrence in the remaining 12 patients seems to be due either to spontaneous inactivation of alveolar echinococcosis preceding chemotherapy or too short post-therapy surveillance. The patients with recurrence responded favorably to reintroduction of chemotherapy. The data indicate that mebendazole therapy is parasitostatic rather than parasiticidal.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

[The role of ochronotic arthropathies in rheumatology].

In alkaptonuric patients, cartilage, fibrocartilage and tendons are slowly impregnated by homogentisic acid. This leads to pigment deposition between and on the surface of collagen fibres (ochronosis) which hardens the tissues as in leather tanning, and can render them breakable. Ochronotic intervertebral discs show a tendency of calcification and ossification, which produces a characteristic radiological picture. Ochronotic cartilage is rather often split off in the weight bearing zones of the knee, shoulder and hip. This is followed by osteoarthrotic changes with a synovial reaction frequently leading to an osteochondromatosis. The labelling of the pigmented ochronotic cartilage thus can support a didactic demonstration of the nature of osteoarthrotic remodelling. It underlines that such remodelling consists mainly of non specific changes developing independently of the cause of the original cartilage lesion.

Alkaptonuria↗
PubMed1977

Left ventricular contractile function in aortic stenosis evaluated by isovolumic and ejection phase indexes.

This study is to reappraise the usefulness of isovolumic as compared to ejection phase indexes for detecting abnormal left ventricular contractile function patients with a common hemodynamic abnormality, namely, chronic left ventricular pressure overload. In 41 subjects with pure or predominant aortic stenosis left ventricular pressure measurements were performed by micromanometry. Single-plane left ventricular cineangiograms were carried out in the right anterior oblique (RAO) and the A-P position. The isovolumic contractile indexes we used in this study were peak measured velocity of shortening of the contractile elements (Vpm) and Vmax obtained from linear extrapolation of total pressure-velocity curves. The end-diastolic and end-systolic RAO cineventriculograms served for the calculation of the ejection phase parameters mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (VCF) and mean normalized systolic ejection rate (MNSER). Of the 41 patients, Vpm was depressed in 16 (39 per cent), Vmax in 17 (42 per cent), VCF in 12 (29 per cent), and MNSER in 14 (34 per cent). When the isovolumic and the ejection phase parameters were combined, 24 patients (59 per cent) were found to have at least one of the four contractile indexes below normal. In 26 of the 41 patients the isovolumic and the ejection phase indexes provided the same conclusions as to normality of left ventricular function. In contrast, 15 patients showed discordant isovolumic and ejection phase indexes. An increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was only inconsistently related to an abnormal left ventricular function because in 7 of 28 patients with an end-diastolic pressure above 14 mm. Hg all contractile indexes were normal. Furthermore, a normal end-diastolic pressure was present in three of 24 patients with depressed myocardial function. It is concluded that in chronic left ventricular pressure overload from aortic stenosis neither the isovolumic nor the ejection phase indexes are superior in sensitivity for assessing contractile function. In this clinical setting the combination of both types of indexes appears to be the most reliable way for identifying patients with depressed contractile function of theleft ventricle in the basal state.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

[Left ventricular function at rest and during dynamic load before and after aortocoronary bypass. Preliminary report].

17 patients with coronary artery disease were studied before and 10 +/- 3 months (mean +/- 1 SD) after aortocoronary bypass surgery. Left ventricular performance was analyzed at rest and in 12 cases during dynamic exercise (work load 59 +/- 22 watts) with tip manometer pressure measurements. The degree of coronary artery obstruction was estimated pre- and postoperatively by vascularization index (VaI). Patients were separated into 2 groups (group A: 8 patients with postoperatively improved VaI, and group B: 9 patients with unchanged or worsened VaI). Apart from a significant fall in LVEDP (p less than 0.025) in group A, there was no significant change in left ventricular dynamics in either group at rest, while a significant improvement in mean LVEDP (p less than 0.05), max dP/dt (p less than 0.05), Vpm (p less than 0.005) and Vmax (p less than 0.005) during dynamic exercise was observed in group A, but no significant change in these terms in group B, after surgery.

Coronary Artery Bypass↗
PubMed1975

[HL-A B27 associated rheumatic disease].

Report on a HL-A B27 positive female patient with the typical cardiac lesion occasionally found inankylosing spondylitis, peripheral arthritis, and acute anterior uveitis but without clinical or radiological evidence of spine or sacroiliac joint involvement. The concept of "HL-A B27 associated disease", including ankylosing spondylitis as well as Reiter's disease or other forms of seronegative rheumatic diseases, is suggested.

Aortic Valve↗
PubMed1975

[Proceedings: Clinical findings and coronary morphology before and after aorto-coronary venous bypass].

37 patients (mean age 51+/-8 years) were clinically and angiographically investigated before and 11+/-5 months after implantation of an aortocoronary vein graft. The rate of bypass patency was 78%. Postoperatively 57% of the patients were free of symptoms, 35% were improved and 8% unimproved or worse. The reduced incidence of angina pectoris during exercise testing appears to be correlated with graft patency, an improved vascularization index and probably the absence of preoperative myocardial infarction. The systolic time intervals and the lung-ear time at rest are of no value for differentiation of improved and unimproved patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

[Clinical observations and angiographic findings before and after aortocoronary benous bypass grafting (author's transl)].

37 patients (mean age 51 +/- 8 years) were investigated clinically, mechanocardiographically and angiocardiographically before and 336 +/- 166 days after implantation of an aortocoronary vein graft. The bypass patency rate was 78%. Postoperatively 57% of the patients were free of symptoms, 35% were improved and 8% unimproved or worse. The postoperative incidence of angina pectoris during exercise testing was significantly lower in the groups with an improved vascularization-index, open vein grafts and a lack of preoperative myocardial infarction. For separating the patients only the vascularization-index and the bypass patency seem to be of value.

Adult↗