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Biomedical subjects

J Dalmau

Publications and source records attributed to J Dalmau.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

[Tongue paralysis of neoplastic origin].

Tongue paralysis are often underestimated, particularly when isolated or having a chronic course. Sometimes, its early recognition may lead to the diagnosis of a tumor process, favorably modifying its course. We have retrospectively analyzed 13 cases of tongue paralysis of neoplastic etiology. In a woman, the paralysis was due to a lesion of the corticobulbar pathway whereas in the remaining 12, the alteration occurred in the hypoglossal nerve, particularly at extrabulbar intracranial and cranial base tract (10 cases). The clinical picture was due to the primary tumor in 9 patients, and due to bone or leptomeningeal metastases in the remaining four cases. In five cases, the lesion of the XII cranial nerve was essential for the diagnosis of the neoplasm or the neoplastic recurrence and in four cases, it was the only affected cranial nerve.

Adolescent↗

[Lead poisoning in the school-aged child: results of a screening program using zinc protoporphyrin].

The results of a zinc-protoporphyrin (ZPP) screening in 1983 among first-grade schoolchildren in Hospitalet de Llobregat (Catalonia, Spain) are presented. Tap water in this industrial city comes from the Llobregat river and is extremely hard, with an excessive level of salts. At this time, Spanish gasoline had high levels of lead. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of environmental pollution on subclinical lead poisoning. These were 428 children in the study, 67% of those eligible. Causes for non participation were being absent from school on the screening day or lack of parental consent for participation in the study. Only in two children levels of ZPP above 40 theta g/100 ml were found; both cases had iron deficiency anemia with low blood lead levels. Mean ZPP levels were somewhat higher in the Collblanc district, which suffers higher air pollution from street traffic, and in children living in houses built before 1940. The relevance and implications of these findings are discussed.

Air Pollutants↗

Plafibride tolerance trial at increasing doses in healthy volunteers.

Tolerance of N-2-(p-chlorophenoxy)-isobutyryl-N'-morpholinomethylurea (plafibride ITA 104), was studied in a group of healthy volunteers. Bis[2-(p-chlorophenoxy)-2-methylpropionato]-hydroxyaluminum (alufibrate) was used as a reference drug. Treatment with both drugs was carried out at progressively increasing doses from 50 to 1600 mg/d. Both products were administered p.o. Plafibride showed a platelet antiaggregant effect at the dose of 800 mg/d, which was more evident at the dose of 1600 mg/d. Alufibrate showed no platelet antiaggregant effect. Both drugs showed a similar type of hypolipemic effect which was a little higher in the case of alufibrate. No side effects of any kind were noticed with either of the two drugs.

Adult↗

Plafibride tolerance trial in healthy volunteers.

Tolerance of N-2-(p-chlorophenoxy)-isobutyryl-N'-morpholinomethylurea (plafibride, ITA 104) administered over a 3-month period was studied in a group of healthy volunteers. Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) was used as a reference drug. Both drugs were administered p.o. at the dose of 1600 mg/d. Plafibride showed a platelet antiaggregant effect similar in intensity to that shown by ASA, but its gastrointestinal tolerance was better. In the same way, plafibride showed a hypolipemic effect which was characterized by a decrease in the plasma level of total lipids and triglycerides and also by a drop in the percentage of the pre-beta-fraction of the lipoproteinogram at the expense of an increase in the alpha-fraction. No rebound effect was noticed when administration of the drug was stopped. The tolerance of plafibride was very good, both from the clinical and analytical point of view.

Adult↗

Acute infectious hepatitis. Clinical and epidemiological study.

A retrospective study of 120 children from birth to seven years of age suffering from acute infectious hepatitis was carried out from 1971 to 1974 at the Children's Hospital "La Fe". Only the most serious cases from the region were admitted to the Hospital and were classified and analyzed according to HBAg+ and HBAg- groups. Clinical and biochemical evaluations were done at admission, and again after 15 and 30 days. The main findings were as follows: hospital incidence was 5%; seasonal distribution did not follow the expected epidemiological pattern; the disease was more common among malnourished children; HBAg+ and HBAg- cases were not randomly distributed among the various blood groups: A+ children were four times more susceptible to HBAg- than to HBAg+, and 0+ children were more than twice more susceptible to HBAg+ than to HBAg-; clinical and biochemical recovery occurred within 30 days after hospital admission; mortality was 2.5%. Steroid therapy was reserved for the most serious cases; however, it was not possible to evaluate in this study its contribution to the course of the disease.

Acute Disease↗

[Video fiber endoscopy during induced sleep].

Video-fiberoscopy is the exploration of upper respiratory airways used in our diagnostic protocol in patients with chronic snoring and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). We perform a fibroscopy during propofol induced sleep without tracheal intubation; video recording and monitoring of level of sleep, pulse oximetry, blood pressure, ECG, etc. is used. This exploration allows us to asses upper respiratory airways when the patient is asleep as well as the areas of collepse and vibration both from a functional and anatomical points of view.

Anesthetics, Intravenous↗

Antineuronal antibodies in patients with neuroblastoma and paraneoplastic opsoclonus-myoclonus.

PURPOSE: To identify serologic markers in children with paraneoplastic opsoclonus-myoclonus (POM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined the sera of 64 children with neuroblastoma (16 with POM and 48 age-matched and stage-matched controls) by immunohistochemistry of rat brain and human cerebellum, and by Western blot analysis of protein extracts from human Purkinje cells, cortical neurons, neuroblastoma cell lines, and HuD. RESULTS: Using immunohistochemistry, IgG reactivity against neurons was identified in 13 of 16 POM sera (81%), and 12 of 48 non-POM sera (25%; P<0.001). IgM antineural antibodies were present in 3 of 16 POM sera (19%) and 11 of 48 (23%) non-POM sera. Except for anti-Hu antibodies detected in 10 sera (4 with POM), no other specific reactivities were identified by Western blot analysis of neuronal or of neuroblastoma protein extracts. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that: 1) patients with neuroblastoma and POM are more likely to harbor antineuronal antibodies than patients without POM; 2) no specific serologic marker of POM was identified, but the frequent presence of antineuronal antibodies suggests that POM is immune-mediated; and 3) anti-Hu antibodies are present in some sera from patients with neuroblastoma, irrespective of the presence of POM.

Adult↗

[Analysis of the neurologic consultations in an oncologic hospital: contributions of neuro-oncology].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the reasons for consultation to the neurology service in a cancer center. METHODS: A retrospective examination of all neurology consultations over a 3-month period. RESULTS: A total of 247 patients were examined. The most frequent symptoms included, pain (34%), motor weakness (25%) and altered mental status (22%). The most frequent diagnoses were spinal cord compression (18%), brain metastases (15%), metabolic and/or toxic encephalopathies (14%) and stroke (7%). Spinal cord compression was demonstrated in 50% of patients with back pain or radiculopathy. Pain and motor weakness resulted from metastatic complications in 75% and 69% of the cases, respectively; however, only 18% of the cases of altered mental functions resulted from metastatic complications. At the time of the neurology consultation, 41% of the patients were receiving corticosteroids and 43% suffered from one or more of its adverse effects. The diagnostic test most frequently requested by the neurologist was the MRI. In 101 patients the neurological symptoms were followed for at least 5 days; when the cause of the neurological deficit was a metastatic complication, the effect of the treatment was evaluated one month later. Overall, 64% of the patients with metastatic complications improved with treatment, 19% remained stable, and 17% worsened or died. CONCLUSIONS: In a cancer center, the three symptoms that most frequently resulted in neurologic consultation were pain, motor weakness, and altered mental status. These were most commonly due to brain or epidural metastases, toxic and/or metabolic encephalopathy, and stroke. The use of neuroimaging does not appear to replace the need for neurologic consultation. The neurologist assists in establishing the diagnosis and initiating the appropriate treatment. In this study, two out of three patients improved after treatment of the neurologic deficit.

Adult↗

[Metastatic neurological complications in patients with cancer].

INTRODUCTION: The neurological complications of patients with cancer may be classified as metatatic or non-metastatic. DEVELOPMENT: The development of cerebral metastases (CM) is not only one of the complications most feared by patients, but also often leads doctors to withdraw the systemic treatment of cancer, although early diagnosis and treatment usually alleviates or resolves the neurological deficits, and improves the quality of life and prolongs it. Most CM are originated by embolization of neoplastic cells to the brain. They are therefore found in the region where grey and white matter meet. The commonest symptoms of CM are headache, convulsive crises, altered mental functions, motor deficits, ataxia and speech disorders. Cerebral MR and CT are the most useful investigations in CM. The tumours most frequently involved in metastatic spinal compression are cancer of the lung, prostate, breast and kidney, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. MR is the investigation of choice, but if this cannot be done, or is contraindicated, myelography or medullary CT using subarachnoid contrast material should be used. CONCLUSION: In this article we review the diagnosis and management of metastatic neurological complications, specifically cerebral metastases and spinal compression.

Brain Neoplasms↗

[Paraneoplastic cerebral syndromes with oto-neuro-ophthalomologic manifestations].

OBJECTIVE: To review the paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes associated with otoneurophthalmologic manifestations. DEVELOPMENT: Paraneoplastic otoneurophthalmologic syndromes usually result from encephalitis of the brainstem and/or cerebellar degeneration. They can develop in association with various immunological responses against onconeuronal proteins (e.g. anti-Hu, anti-Ri, anti-Yo, anti-Ma, anti-Ta and anti-Tr) or with immunological mechanisms against unknown antigens. The eye movement abnormalities may have a supranuclear, nuclear or internuclear origin. There is no ocular movement abnormality which can be considered pathognomonic of a paraneoplastic disorder, but opsoclonus-myoclonus of infancy is often associated with neuroblastoma. The association of hearing loss and paraneoplastic sensory neuronopathy suggests that in some patients the neurosensory deafness result from involvement of the ganglia of Corti and/or the cochlear nuclei in the brain stem. The management of these syndromes depends on their rapid identification as paraneoplastic disorders and on the early diagnosis and treatment of the cancer. Patients with anti-Ta (or anti Ma-2) antibodies may improve with treatment of the cancer, usually a germ-cell tumor of the testis. Paraneoplastic opsoclonus-myoclonus of infancy usually improves with treatment that combines chemotherapy, steroids, and intravenous immunoglobulins, although neurological sequelae (psychomotor and language retardation) are frequent. CONCLUSIONS: There are several paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes that may present with otoneurophthalmologic symptoms. Detection of antineuronal antibodies facilitates the early identification of some of these syndromes and associated tumors. In general, the management of these syndromes is based on treatment of the associated cancer.

Antibodies, Neoplasm↗

[Granular myringitis].

We present two cases of granular myringitis. A clinical study, diagnosis and therapy of this rare condition are undertaken.

Adult↗