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Biomedical subjects

G Georgiadis

Publications and source records attributed to G Georgiadis.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Cognitive event-related potentials and magnetic resonance imaging in myotonic dystrophy.

Fourteen patients with myotonic dystrophy (MyD) were studied with means of an auditory "oddball" event-related potential (ERP) paradigm. The results were compared with data from 53 controls. The early components (N1, P2) of the ERP were not affected, whereas later components (N2, P3), which are thought to reflect cognitive processes, were abnormal in eight patients who were the oldest in the sample. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed in twelve patients and revealed, in five of them, multiple focal white matter lesions. These findings, however, could not be associated with neurophysiological abnormalities. It is concluded, that cognitive ERP, particularly N2 and P3 components, are abnormal in some patients suffering from MyD. Possible etiologies of the electrophysiological abnormalities are discussed.

Adolescent↗

Pituitary-testicular axis in men with beta-thalassaemia major.

Delayed puberty and hypogonadism are frequently observed in patients with homozygous beta-thalassaemia. We evaluated the pituitary-testicular axis in 30 thalassaemic men, aged from 17 to 35 years who were regularly transfused and underwent chelation therapy, while emphasis was given to pituitary reserves of gonadotrophins and the correlation of hormones with serum ferritin (SF). The investigation included endocrinological examination, evaluation of serum basal levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), free testosterone and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) test and also spermiograms. According to the results, patients were divided into three groups: group A, which included 18 eugonadal patients with moderately elevated SF, group B which included six patients who had hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism and excessive elevation of SF, and group C, which included six patients characterized as intermediate, with regard to sexual maturation and SF levels. In conclusion, beta-thalassaemia major leads to variable pituitary iron overload and thus hypophyseal damage. This endocrine disturbance is becoming less frequent nowadays with early and intensive chelation therapy.

Adolescent↗

Effect of 131I treatment on the calcitonin response to calcium infusion in hyperthyroid patients.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to evaluate the effect of 131I treatment for hyperthyroidism on calcitonin secretion by thyroid C-cells. DESIGN: Determination of basal calcitonin levels and calcitonin secretory reserve before and after 131I administration. PATIENTS: Seventeen hyperthyroid patients (15 female, two male) were studied before, and 2 months after 131I treatment, and 12 of these patients were restudied 8 months after 131I treatment. MEASUREMENTS: Calcitonin response was assessed by measuring basal and post calcium infusion calcitonin levels. Basal TSH, T3, and T4 levels were also determined at each study. RESULTS: The rise of plasma calcium resulted in statistically significant increase of plasma calcitonin levels before 131I treatment (10.9 +/- 2.4 pmol/l), while this response was significantly diminished 2 and 8 months after treatment (2.6 +/- 0.7 and 1.6 +/- 0.3 pmol/l, respectively). No correlation was found between the calcitonin response and age or plasma TSH. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that 131I treatment for hyperthyroidism may seriously damage thyroid C-cells and cause calcitonin deficiency.

Adult↗

Differential emotional precipitation of migraine and tension-type headache attacks.

The frequency of precipitation of headache attacks by individual emotional states as well as the awareness of vulnerability to particular emotional precipitants were investigated in 90 consecutive patients with tension-type headache and 50 consecutive migraine subjects at an Outpatient Headache Clinic. There was differential emotional precipitation in tension-type headache and migraine, with patients with tension-type headache reacting more selectively to negative emotional arousal (anger, anxiety) and reporting a graded frequency of attack precipitation by individual emotional states. Migraine subjects reported a more uniform distribution of attacks among different emotional precipitants. The two groups also showed a differential awareness of vulnerability to individual emotional precipitants. A cognitive process screening the emotional precipitants of tension-type headache and migraine attacks is proposed, based on different cognitive schemata functioning either over-effectively or defectively. The significance of cognitive mediation of the precipitation of attacks is further emphasized for a comprehensive management of both tension-type headache and migraine.

Adult↗

Peroneal muscular atrophy and epilepsy with cerebellar ataxia and choreoathetosis in the same family.

Seven members in three generations of a family are affected with peroneal muscular atrophy. Five have the disorder in combination with epilepsy. The proposita exhibits a cerebellar syndrome, she and one brother show choreiform movements, and she, her mother and a great-uncle have pes cavus. One member has EEG abnormalities but no muscular atrophy. The familial occurrence of this combination of symptoms has not been described before. In this family the syndrome is transmitted as an autosomal dominant with variable expressivity.

Adult↗

[Acute hypotensive effect of a central dopaminergic agonist, piribedil, administered intravenously in the normotensive human].

Ten normotensive patients including 5 parkinsonian and 5 dystonic patients received 3 mg piribedil intravenously over a 15 min period. This dopamine receptor agonist rapidly induced a fall in blood pressure together with a simultaneous reduction in heart rate and temperature. No change was observed when patients (four) were pretreated with a dopamine receptor blocking agent, haloperidol. It is concluded that acute dopamine receptor stimulation leads to a decrease in blood pressure. The hypotension could be centrally-mediated since the hypothermia, considered to be central in origin, parallels the blood pressure and heart rate changes.

Antihypertensive Agents↗

Myasthenia gravis: correlation of age with clinical course and anti-AChr antibody levels.

We studied the significance of age as a factor affecting prognosis and anti-AChR antibody levels in myasthenia gravis, comparing patients with symptom onset before 50 (37 patients) and at or after 50 (33 patients). More of the older patients, compared to younger ones (69.9% versus 32.4%,p<0. 05) progressed to severe disease in the first three years of treatment. Five older patients died during myasthenic crises, whereas no deaths occured in the younger group. In addition; older patients did not respond as favorably as younger ones to anticholinesterase treatment and more of them required combination therapy. AntiAChR antibody levels were significantly lower in older patients (9.2 versus 34.9 nM, p<0.005). We conclude that symptom onset at or after the age of 50 predicts unfavorable outcome in myasthenia gravis and is associated with lower anti-AChR antibody levels. This group of patients requires earlier treatment with corticosteroids, immunosuppressive drugs or both.

Journal Article↗