Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

F Antonaci

Publications and source records attributed to F Antonaci.

66 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

The sweating pattern in "hemicrania continua". A comparison with chronic paroxysmal hemicrania.

A comparison of the heat- and pilocarpine-induced forehead sweating patterns was carried out in 8 patients with "Hemicrania continua" (HC) and in healthy subjects (n = 17 and 14 for the two tests, respectively). The results were compared with those obtained in 8 patients with chronic paroxysmal hemicrania (CPH). Unlike what has been demonstrated in cluster headache, CPH and HC patients showed no symptomatic/non-symptomatic side asymmetry or medial-lateral preponderance after sweat stimulation by heating or pilocarpine, exceeding those observed in the control group. The only exception seems to be a significant relative increase in medial forehead sweating on both sides in HC patients when compared to controls during the heating test. With these variables, no evidence for any difference of major importance seems to exist between the two headache forms.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cluster headache: a comparison of the proportions of abnormal recordings for several derived variables in tyramine pupillometry.

Tyramine pupillometry was performed in 27 cluster headache patients and in 45 healthy controls. Asymmetry variables, i.e. symptomatic(S)-nonsymptomatic(NS) side diameter difference and the ratios (S/NS, log NS/S or S/S+NS) displayed higher sensitivities than variables which express the function of the symptomatic and the nonsymptomatic side pupil separately. Thirty percent of patients had abnormal S-NS values at maximal pupillary dilatation. The statistical properties of different ratio variables are discussed and it is concluded that the transformed ratio (log(NS/S], anisocoria (S-NS) and the anisocoria index (S/S+NS) may be superior to the conventional S/NS ratio.

Arousal↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Electronic pupillometry in healthy controls. Response to sympathicomimetics.

The ocular sympathetic function was examined in 79 healthy volunteers (37 males and 42 females) by electronic pupillography. Pupillary diameters were first estimated under standard light conditions prior to drug application, these diameters being termed "basal values". Then, the pupils were stimulated pharmacologically by instillation of various sympathicomimetic drugs: tyramine tests were carried out in 42 individuals (24 females; 18 males), hydroxyamphetamine tests in 38 (22 females and 16 males), and phenylephrine tests in 43 individuals (23 females and 20 males). Generally, only a minor variation in the frequency of asymmetries was observed between sexes as well as between the various age groups, both when calculating the increase in pupillary diameter in millimeters, in per cent, and as the anisocoria index. In agreement with previous investigations, pupil size was found to diminish with age. The use of an age-matched control material is mandatory when comparing pupillographic recordings in patients in various categories, in the ordinary condition, as well as after topical drug administration.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sweating patterns in humans: I. Exercise- and pilocarpine-induced forehead sweating in healthy individuals.

In cluster headache, forehead sweating is frequently pathological and for this reason it is important to know the normal pattern. In the present work, sweating was induced by exercise and pilocarpine in 14 healthy individuals in the age group 24-50 years. A comparison was also made with patterns of heat-induced forehead sweating. No definite left-right asymmetry or medial-lateral preponderance were observed. As expected, the sweat patterns following body heating and exercise were rather similar. However, there was a significant relative increase in lateral forehead sweating with heat-induction as compared to pilocarpine-induction. In comparative intra- or inter-individual studies of forehead sweating, the method of sweat provocation may, therefore, not be indifferent.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sweating patterns in humans: II. Heat-induced forehead sweating and cutaneous temperature in healthy individuals.

A comparison of heat-induced forehead sweating and cutaneous temperature patterns has been carried out in 17 healthy individuals (a total of 54 measurements). Only minor asymmetries in facial sweating and temperature were observed. No significant correlation between sweating and cutaneous temperature was found. The reproducibility of the method was excellent.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bilateral sympathetic skin response following nociceptive stimulation: study in healthy individuals.

Bilateral sympathetic skin response (SSR) was evaluated in 25 normal subjects aged (29 +/- 5 years). The stimulation (an electrical pulse train randomly applied to the sural nerve) was equal to 0.5-1.0-1.5 times the nociceptive flexion reflex (RIII) thresholds. This method allowed us to quantify the pain threshold, since a close relationship between the RIII threshold and subjective pain threshold has been described. Decrease in latency, increase in amplitude and duration were observed when increasing intensity of stimulation was used. The right-side stimulation produced significantly shorter latencies and higher amplitudes than the left one. The asymmetry index showed a trend of larger responses on the left hand and shorter latencies on the right hand in males. Females displayed less left-right asymmetry than males. A positive correlation was recognized between RIII threshold and amplitude and duration of SSR. Test-retest evaluation in 12 individuals revealed good reproducibility of SSR in terms of latency and duration, while amplitudes showed large variability. The accuracy of SSR response concerning latency and duration was better (range 0.88-0.92) when 1.5 RIII threshold was used, showing that painful stimulation should be used to obtain reliable SSR in clinical practice.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A computerized record chart for the study of chronic daily headache.

A comprehensive record chart for the study of chronic daily headache (CDH) is presented. The record chart contains 11 parts (232 items) concerning: sociodemographic data, physiological history, female reproductive life history, family history, pathological history, drug abuse, headache history, headache clinical features, prophylactic therapy, instrumental investigations, and physical and neurological examination. Furthermore, three attached special charts are illustrated which concern, respectively, the cervical spine examination, oromandibular function examination and the assessment of analgesic use.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Epileptic seizure during aspirin and caffeine withdrawal in a drug induced headache.

A 45-year-old female migraineur with a long-standing history of drug-induced headache is described. She had been abusing caffeine (250 mg/day) and aspirin (5 gr/day). On the third day after discontinuation a withdrawal syndrome characterized by headache and a generalized tonic-clonic seizure occurred. The temporal association makes it likely that the convulsion episode in an integral component of the withdrawal syndrome in this patient. This extra feature of the withdrawal syndrome has never been described after caffeine and/or aspirin interruption. Possible pathogenetic mechanisms are discussed.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Chronic paroxysmal hemicrania and hemicrania continua: anaesthetic blockades of pericranial nerves.

Greater occipital nerve (GON), supraorbital nerve (SON), and minor occipital nerve (MON) blockades-in this sequence-were carried out on the symptomatic side in patients with chronic paroxysmal hemicrania (CPH) (no = 6) and hemicrania continua (HC) (no = 7). Prior to the blockade, indomethacin was discontinued for a sufficiently long time (24 h) to allow a constant flow of attacks/constant pain. The local anaesthetic agent used was lidocaine. The blockades were invariably negative in CPH. In HC, the GON and MON blockades generally had no positive influence. The pattern as regards SON blockades was slightly different, in that the pre-test average VAS-value of 7.3 decreased to 4.6 (p < 0.05, Student's t-test, and p = 0.065 Wilcoxon) and-on an individual basis-decreased in 4 out of 7 patients. GON/MON blockades will help distinguish CPH/HC from cervicogenic headache. SON blockade will have to be carried out in a good-sized series of HC patients in order to establish more concrete evidence of the putative effect in HC. SON blockades may eventually also aid in the distinction between HC and supraorbital nerve neuralgia (where the blockade effect generally seems to be complete).

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A 3D kinematic method for evaluating voluntary movements of the cervical spine in humans.

The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of a 3D kinematic method of evaluating movements of the cervical spine. Range of motion (ROM) of the cervical spine was evaluated in 8 control subjects during flexion-extension, rotation and lateral bending movements. The test was repeated on two separate occasions. The ROM test-retest difference ranged from 1.42 degrees for right axial rotation to 9.11 degrees for left axial rotation. The test showed good reliability, with an intraclass correlation coefficient which was higher than 0.74 in extension movement and excellent in flexion, axial rotation and lateral bending. In conclusion, the method proposed for the 3D kinematic analysis of neck movement proved to be useful and non-invasive and to show good-excellent reproducibility. Furthermore the method is easily applicable in clinical practice to evaluate neck function in cervical spine disorders.

Adult↗