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Biomedical subjects

C Bassetti

Publications and source records attributed to C Bassetti.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

[International Stroke Trial Switzerland: some epidemiologic data].

Randomised trials provide the best evidence on the effects of treatment on a particular disease. They can also provide valuable data on outcome. In the present article, data from 1631 Swiss patients randomised in the International Stroke Trial (IST) are presented. Baseline characteristics and outcome in the Swiss patients were compared with the 17,804 patients randomised in other countries. On average, compared with other countries, Swiss patients were: 2.5 years older (CI: 1.9-3.1; p < 0.001); more likely to have presented with total anterior circulation infarcts (28 vs 23%); less likely to have lacunar strokes (16 vs 25%; p < 0.00001); more likely to be randomised and treated early (within 3 hours, 7 vs 4%, and within 6 hours, 25 vs 15%; p < 0.00001). However, Swiss patients were more likely to be dead or dependent 6 months after the stroke (66.9 vs 62.2%; p < 0.00001). The difference in death or dependency was almost entirely explained by the difference in age and baseline severity of strokes. These data highlight the difficulties inherent in between-country comparisons of outcome after stroke. They also emphasise the need for international multicentre trials to use methods of randomisation (either stratification or minimisation), as IST did, to ensure balance of prognostic factors within each participating country; to do otherwise might confound the assessment of the effect of treatment.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Silent functional magnetic resonance imaging demonstrates focal activation in rapid eye movement sleep.

Functional imaging of human sleep has been performed with nuclear medicine methods, but MRI has been difficult to implement, in part because of the noise associated with echo-planar imaging as well as the difficulty in reading physiologic signals in the MRI environment. We describe a silent MR sequence that can record brain activation over many hours with simultaneous acquisition of an EEG. This shows activation of occipital cortex and deactivation of frontal cortex during REM sleep, in agreement with previous studies using other techniques. MRI-Sleep-REM sleep.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

[Objective value of adenotonsillectomy in the child. A prospective study of incidence of tonsillitis, snoring, pulse oximetry and polysomnography and general development before and after adenotonsillectomy].

65 children were analysed prospectively before and after adeno-tonsillectomy to determine the incidence of upper airway infections, snoring and nocturnal obstructive symptoms. The weight and height percentiles were also determined before and after adeno-tonsillectomy. The Oxygen Desaturation Index (ODI) was measured in 27 children suspected of having a sleep apnea syndrome. In six of these children polysomnographic studies were carried out. A statistically significant reduction (p < 0,005) of upper airway infections could be seen six to twelve months after adeno-tonsillectomy. In 25 children (38%), we observed a postoperative weight gain and in eight cases (12%) a height gain. The obstructive symptoms, especially snoring and respiratory apneas, disappeared or were significantly reduced in 90% of the cases after adeno-tonsillectomy. All preoperatively pathological ODI and AHI normalised after the operation (p < 0,005).

Adenoidectomy↗
PubMed1999

Sleep apnea in acute cerebrovascular diseases: final report on 128 patients.

Although obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) appears to be a cardiovascular risk factor, its frequency in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) and stroke remains poorly known. We prospectively studied 128 patients (mean +/- SD age = 59 +/- 15 years) with stroke (n = 75) or TIA (n = 53). Assessment included body mass index (BMI); history of snoring and daytime sleepiness; cardiovascular risk factors and diseases; and severity of stroke (Scandinavian Stroke Scale = SSS). Polysomnography (PSG) was obtained in 80 subjects (group 1), a mean of 9 days (range, 1-71 days) after TIA or stroke. In 48 subjects (group 2), PSG was not available, refused, or inadequate. Groups 1 and 2 were similar with the exception of gender distribution. Clinical and PSG data were compared to those of 25 healthy controls matched for age, gender, and BMI. An apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) > 10 was found in 62.5% of subjects and 12.5% of controls. Between patients and controls there was a significant difference in AHI (mean [range]: 28 (0-140) vs 5 (0-24), p < 0.001), maximal apnea duration (mean + SD: 37 +/- 23 vs 23 +/- 13 seconds, p = 0.009), and minimal oxygen saturation (mean + SD: 82 +/- 10% vs 90 +/- 5%, p < 0.001). Conversely, frequency and severity of OSA were similar in stroke and TIA subjects. Multiple regression analysis identified age, BMI, diabetes, and SSS as independent predictors of AHI. Sleep apnea has a high frequency in patients with TIA and stroke, particularly in older patients with high BMI, diabetes, and severe stroke. These results may have implications for prevention, acute treatment, and rehabilitation of patients with acute cerebrovascular diseases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

High prevalence of glaucoma in patients with sleep apnea syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of glaucoma in sleep apnea syndrome (SAS), an entity characterized by repetitive upper airway obstructions during sleep, inducing hypoxia and sleep disruption with the risk of cardiovascular and neurologic sequelae. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 114 white patients consecutively referred for polysomnographic evaluation of suspected SAS. INTERVENTION: Complete ophthalmologic examination, including computerized perimetry and simultaneous stereoscopic optic disc photographs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Spearman rank correlations between the respiratory disturbance index during night sleep (RDI), a value used to diagnose and grade SAS, and visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), visual field indices, presence or absence of glaucomatous optic disc changes, and diagnosis of glaucoma. Each correlation was controlled for age and body mass index. To compare proportions of patients harboring glaucoma, the binomial test was used. RESULTS: Sixty-nine (60.5%) of the 114 patients had an RDI > or =10, which indicates SAS. Three patients had primary open-angle glaucoma, and two had normal-tension glaucoma. All patients with glaucoma had SAS. The observed prevalence of glaucoma in patients with SAS (5 of 69, 7.2%) was significantly higher than expected in a white population (2%) (P = 0.01). The RDI correlated positively with IOP (P = 0.025), visual field loss variance (P = 0.03), glaucomatous optic disc changes (P = 0.001), and diagnosis of glaucoma (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with SAS constitute a high-risk population for glaucoma and should therefore be screened for glaucoma.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Eyelid, conjunctival, and corneal findings in sleep apnea syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of eyelid, conjunctival, and corneal findings in patients with sleep apnea syndrome (SAS). DESIGN: Case series. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-two white patients referred for evaluation of suspected SAS. INTERVENTION: Complete examination of eyelids, conjunctiva, and cornea, including videokeratography. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Spearman rank correlations were determined between the respiratory disturbance index (RDI) during night sleep, a value used to diagnose and grade SAS, and tear film break-up time, eyelid distraction distance, presence or absence of ocular irritation symptoms, blepharoptosis, floppy eyelids, lacrimal gland prolapse, keratoconus, and endothelial dystrophy. Each correlation was controlled for age and body mass index. RESULTS: According to the RDI, 44 (61 %) of the 72 patients had SAS. The RDI correlated positively with the eyelid distraction distance (P = 0.05), presence or absence of floppy eyelids (P = 0.01), and lacrimal gland prolapse (P = 0.01), and correlated negatively with tear film break-up time (P = 0.02). None of our patients with floppy eyelids had corneal abnormalities. One patient with SAS had bilateral keratoconus; another had bilateral Fuch endothelial dystrophy. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep apnea syndrome was significantly associated with reduced tear film break-up time, floppy eyelids, and lacrimal gland prolapse. However, ocular irritation symptoms and corneal involvement were rare among patients with SAS. These findings do not confirm previous studies that reported a high prevalence of corneal involvement in floppy eyelid syndrome.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

[Viral encephalitis].

Viral encephalitis presents with fever, headache, focal and generalized neurologic symptoms and signs, seizures, and CSF pleocytosis. Herpes simplex Virus (HSV) 1 and arboviruses (flaviruses) are the most common causes of encephalitis in Switzerland. The initial work-up in a suspected encephalitis includes CSF analysis, EEG, and brain CT or MRI. The identification of the responsible agent usually occurs with polymerase chain reaction or serology. The differential diagnosis to other infectious and non-infectious acute CNS-disorders may initially be arduous. A specific treatment is possible only in encephalitis caused by viruses of the herpes group. Active immunization should be considered in subjects at high risk for tick-borne encephalitis. With early treatment the prognosis may be satisfactory also in HSV encephalitis.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed1999

Night time versus daytime transient ischaemic attack and ischaemic stroke: a prospective study of 110 patients.

OBJECTIVE: Ischaemic stroke occurs only in 20%-40% of patients at night. The aim of the study was to compare sleep and stroke characteristics of patients with and without night time onset of acute ischaemic cerebrovascular events. METHODS: A consecutive series of 110 patients with transient ischaemic attack (n=45) or acute ischaemic stroke (n=65) was studied prospectively by means of a standard protocol which included assessment of time of onset of symptoms, sleep, and stroke characteristics. An overnight polysomnography was performed after the onset of transient ischaemic attack/stroke in 71 patients. Stroke and sleep characteristics of patients with and without cerebrovascular events occurring at night (between midnight and 0600) were compared. RESULTS: A night time onset of transient ischaemic attack or stroke was reported by 23 (21%) of 110 patients. Patients with daytime and night time events were similar in demographics; risk factors; associated vascular diseases; clinical and polysomnographic sleep characteristics (including severity of sleep apnoea); and stroke severity, aetiology, and outcome. Only the diastolic blood pressure at admission was significantly lower in patients with night time events (74 v 82 mm Hg, p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with night time and daytime transient ischaemic attack/stroke are similar in sleep and stroke characteristics. Diastolic hypotension may predispose to night time cerebrovascular events. Factors not assessed in this study probably account for the circadian variation in the frequency of transient ischaemic attack and acute ischaemic stroke.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Local intra-arterial thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We performed a retrospective analysis of the prognostic factors in patients treated with local intra-arterial thrombolysis (LIT). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of LIT using urokinase in patients with acute ischemic stroke of the anterior or posterior circulation and to determine the influence of clinical and radiological parameters on outcome. METHODS: Forty-three patients were treated with LIT using urokinase (median dose, 0.75x10(6) IU). The median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at hospital admission was 18 (range, 9 to 36). Nine patients had occlusions of the internal carotid artery (ICA), 23 of the middle cerebral artery (MCA), 1 of the anterior cerebral artery, and 10 of the basilar artery (BA). Outcome was assessed after 3 months and classified as good for Rankin Scale (RS) scores of 0 to 3 and poor for RS scores of 4 or 5 and death. RESULTS: Nine patients (21%) recovered to RS scores 0 or 1, 17 (40%) to scores of 2 or 3, and 7 (16%) to scores of 4 or 5. Ten patients (23%) died. Outcome was good in 17 patients (80%) with MCA occlusions, in 3 patients (33%) with ICA, and in 5 patients (50%) with BA occlusions. Good outcome was associated with an initial NIHSS score of <20 (P<0.001), improvement by 4 or more points on NIHSS score within 24 hours (P=0.001), and vessel recanalization (P=0.02). Recanalization was more likely if LIT was started within 4 hours (P=0.01). Symptomatic cerebral hemorrhage occurred in 2 patients (4.7%). CONCLUSIONS: LIT was most efficacious in patients with MCA and BA occlusions when the initial NIHSS score was less than 20 and when treated within 4 hours. It is of limited value in patients with distal ICA occlusions.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1997

MRI of paramedian thalamic stroke with sleep disturbance.

The paramedian thalamus is believed to play an important role in the regulation of sleep, and disturbances of sleep regulation are known to occur in paramedian thalamic stroke (PTS). We examined 12 consecutive patients with PTS and sleep disturbance by MRI. Two distinct groups of patients could be defined: six presenting with severe hypersomnia (group 1) and six with slight sleepiness (group 2). On MRI, all patients had ischaemic lesions involving the paramedian thalamic nuclei, the centre of the lesions being the dorsomedial and centromedial thalamic nuclei. In group 1 the lesions were bilateral, butterfly-shaped infarcts involving the paramedian nuclei (three cases); or unilateral with an extension into the subthalamic nuclei. In group 2 the lesions were unilateral and limited to the paramedian nuclei, mainly the dorsomedial nucleus. Bilateral lesions can be attributed to a common origin in some cases for both paramedian thalamic arteries and the mesencephalic arteries.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Idiopathic hypersomnia. A series of 42 patients.

The features of idiopathic hypersomnia are not well defined. We reviewed clinical and laboratory information on 42 subjects with idiopathic hypersomnia and obtained detailed follow-up evaluations on 28 of them. Only 29% of subjects had 'classic' idiopathic hypersomnia with non-imperative sleepiness, long unrefreshing naps, prolonged night-time sleep, difficult awakening with sleep drunkenness and prominent mood disturbances. Thirty-two percent had clinical features similar to narcolepsy, i.e. irresistible sleepiness, short and refreshing naps, few problems with awakening and good response to stimulants, without cataplexy or any indication of abnormal REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. The other 39% had intermediate clinical characteristics. We found no increase in the frequency of the human leucocyte antigens associated with narcolepsy. Overall, response to stimulants was good in three-quarters of the patients and spontaneous improvement of sleepiness occurred in one-quarter. Possible aetiologies identified in 10 patients included viral illness, head trauma and primary mood disorder. Idiopathic hypersomnia is a rare syndrome in which clinical heterogeneity suggests a variable or multifactoral pathogenesis. Only a minority of cases correspond to classical descriptions. Stimulants are often beneficial and spontaneous improvement appears to be more common than in narcolepsy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Symptoms of sleep disorders, inattention, and hyperactivity in children.

Children with sleep disorders are often inattentive or hyperactive, and some carry a diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) until their sleep disorder is detected. However, the potential behavioral impact of undiagnosed sleep disorders is not known. We sought to determine whether children with higher levels of inattention and hyperactivity more frequently have symptoms of sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBDs) or periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD). We surveyed parents of 2-18-year-old patients at a child psychiatry clinic (n = 70) and a general pediatrics clinic (n = 73) to assess the children's behavior, snoring, complaints of restless legs at night, and daytime sleepiness. A validated pediatric sleep questionnaire provided the explanatory variables, and a scale for inattention and hyperactivity, derived from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV), provided the dependent variable. Habitual snoring was more frequent (33%) among children who carried a diagnosis of ADHD than among the other children at the psychiatry or general pediatric clinics (11 and 9%, respectively, chi-square test, p = 0.01). Snoring scores, derived from six snoring- and SRBD-related question items, were associated with higher levels of inattention and hyperactivity. The complaint of restless legs and a composite score for daytime sleepiness showed some evidence, though less consistent, of an association with inattention and hyperactivity. The association of snoring with inattention and hyperactivity suggests that SRBDs and perhaps other sleep disorders could be a cause of inattention and hyperactivity in some children. If a causal effect is present, our data suggest that 81% of habitually snoring children who have ADHD--25% of all children with ADHD--could have their ADHD eliminated if their habitual snoring and any associated SRBD were effectively treated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Compliance with nasal CPAP can be improved by simple interventions.

Effectiveness of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) as a treatment of obstructive sleep apnea can be limited by poor compliance, but little is known about how to improve compliance. We performed a randomized, controlled clinical trial among 33 subjects of two interventions to improve compliance. One group of subjects received weekly phone calls to uncover any problems and encourage use, another received written information about sleep apnea and the importance of regular CPAP use, and a third served as control subjects. We found that intervention improved CPAP compliance (p = 0.059) and that the effect was particularly strong when intervention occurred during the first month of CPAP treatment (p = 0.004). Although the sample size did not allow definitive investigation of other explanatory variables, subjects with lower levels of education or those with relatives who used CPAP may have benefited from intervention more than other subjects. We conclude that simple, inexpensive efforts to improve compliance with CPAP can be effective, especially when applied at the start of CPAP treatment, but optimal intervention may vary with certain patient characteristics.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

MRI findings in narcolepsy.

The neuropathology of narcolepsy is unknown. Recently, Plazzi et al. (1) reported magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities in the pontine tegmentum of three patients with long-standing idiopathic narcolepsy. Considering the localization of the neuroradiological findings in the pontine reticular formation, where rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is generated, the authors suggested a causal relationship between narcolepsy and MRI abnormalities. Frey and Heiserman, however, found pontine MRI abnormalities in only two of 12 patients with narcolepsy both of whom had long-standing hypertension (2). Pullicino et al. noted similar pontine MRI abnormalities in patients with subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy-like ischemic rarefaction of the pons (3). Thus, the changes noted by Plazzi et al. may have been caused by small-vessel disease rather than narcolepsy. To assess whether altered pontine MRI signals are a regular feature of idiopathic narcolepsy, we selected randomly from our database seven patients with narcolepsy with cataplexy. Of these seven, three agreed to have brain MRIs; their cases are described below. None had pontine MRI abnormalities.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Patterns of muscle activity in legs in sleep apnea patients before and during nCPAP therapy.

Nocturnal muscle activity in legs (MAL) was studied in 19 patients with sleep apnea syndrome before and during nCPAP. We distinguished periodic (P-MAL) and nonperiodic (N-MAL) as well as apnea-associated and independent MALs. N-MALs were strongly associated with apneas and disappeared during nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP). P-MALs showed a rather long intermovement interval (IMI) of about 54 s when associated with respiratory disturbances and a shorter one of about 38 s when occurring independently. In 5 patients with predominantly independent P-MALs and a short IMI before and during nCPAP an incidental coexistence of sleep apnea with periodic leg movements in sleep syndrome (PLMS) was postulated. Five patients with an equal number of apnea-associated and independent MALs before nCPAP had a long IMI which shortened under nCPAP, while the majority of MALs become independent. This could indicate a facilitating or an unmasking effect of nCPAP on PLMS. Four patients with predominantly apnea-associated MALs with a long IMI before nCPAP showed an unchanged MAL pattern under nCPAP, despite the disappearance of apneas. Since some arousals persisted in these patients, insufficient nCPAP pressure with an upper airway resistance syndrome was suspected. We conclude that when P-MALs persist under nCPAP therapy a long IMI may indicate an upper airway resistance syndrome, whereas a short IMI may indicate a coexisting or even induced PLMS.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Sleep-disordered breathing in patients with acute supra- and infratentorial strokes. A prospective study of 39 patients.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although recent studies suggest a high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in patients with acute stroke, a systematic characterization of sleep-disordered breathing based on the severity and topography of stroke has not been performed. METHODS: We prospectively studied 39 noncomatose adult subjects (15 women, 24 men; mean age, 57 years) with a first acute stroke. Sleep history, cardiovascular risk factors, stroke severity as estimated by the Scandinavian Stroke Scale, and extent of stroke demonstrated on a computed tomographic or magnetic resonance imaging scan of the brain were assessed. Polysomnography was performed a mean of 10 days (range, 1 to 49 days) after stroke onset. Monitoring of breathing during wakefulness, non-rapid eye movement sleep, and rapid eye movement sleep included measurements of nasal/oral airflow, respiratory effort, and oxygen saturation. RESULTS: Breathing was abnormal during wakefulness in 7 (18%) subjects and during sleep in 26 (67%). Obstructive sleep apnea (apnea-hypopnea index > 10) was found in 14 subjects, Cheyne-Stokes-like breathing was observed in 4, and a combination of obstructive sleep apnea and Cheyne-Stokes-like breathing was observed in 7. Sustained tachypnea and ataxic breathing were rare. No significant differences were found in age, body mass index, history of snoring or hypersomnia, or stroke topography or severity between subjects with and without sleep-disordered breathing. Prevalence and severity of breathing disturbances were also similar between patients with supratentorial stroke (n = 28) and those with infratentorial (n = 11) stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep-disordered breathing is frequent in patients with acute stroke, rarely has localizing value, and can also be found in patients with mild neurological deficits. Respiratory disturbances in stroke victims can be explained only in part by topography and extension of acute brain damage.

Acute Disease↗