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Biomedical subjects

S Louis

Publications and source records attributed to S Louis.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Seizure disorders in Down syndrome.

The prevalence, onset, and type of seizure disorders, as well as seizure control, were studied in a large cohort of 405 individuals with Down syndrome (age range, 6 months to 45 years). The evaluation of a questionnaire completed by the subjects' parents and of the patients' medical records indicated that 33 (8.1%) of 405 persons with Down syndrome had seizure disorder. With regard to the onset of seizures, a bimodal distribution was noted: 40% of patients began having seizures before the age of 1 year, and another 40% started with seizure activity in the third decade of life. In the younger age group, primarily infantile spasms and tonic-clonic seizures with myoclonus were observed, and the older patients often had partial simplex or partial complex seizures as well as tonic-clonic seizures.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Pyruvate kinase: diagnostic value in neuromuscular disease.

Pyruvate kinase activity was examined in the sera of a group of patients with neuromuscular disease and in carriers, and compared with that of creatine kinase. The following observations were made: 1. Pyruvate kinase activity was elevated in all 14 patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, with very high values generally correlating inversely with age or disease duration. Elevated values of pyruvate kinase were usually, but not invariably, associated with elevated values of creatine kinase. 2. Almost all patients with other muscle diseases and those with neural atrophy had modest elevations in pyruvate kinase activity. 3. ten of 17 individuals were identified as carriers of muscle disease by using both pyruvate kinase and creatine kinase while eight and nine, respectively, were detected using either assay alone. 4. When frozen stored EDTA-plasma was used for pyruvate kinase estimation, higher levels, as compared with the corresponding sera or fresh plasma, were found in controls and carriers but not in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients. Frozen stored EDTA-plasma should, therefore, not be used for diagnostic purposes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Pharmacological prophylaxis against the development of kindled amygdaloid seizures.

The kindling of amygldaloid and cortical seizures in cats was used to study the prophylactic effects of phenobarbital, phenytoin, ethosuximide, acetazolamide, and dexamethason. Phenobarbital prevented the evolution of such seizures beyond stage 4 in all amygdaloid-kindling animals during 160 days of study. The prophylactic effect persisted on periodic challenge after the drug had been discontinued. Phenytoin, ethosuximide, acetazolamide, and dexamethasone appeared to have no prophylactic effect against the development of kindled amygdaloid seizures. With cortical kindling, both phenobarbital and phenytoin retarded the evolution of seizures without achieving true prophylaxis. The drugs appeared to act as suppressants. Prophylaxis was not an "all-or-none" phenomenon but rather a limitation of the stage of seizure evolution.

Acetazolamide↗
PubMed1975

Carbamazepine in difficult to control epileptic out-patients.

Twenty-three difficult to control patients with 1 or more seizures per week despite diphenylhydantoin (DPH), phenobarbital and/or primidone in near and toxic doses and blood levels were entered in the study. 3 had grand mal. 8 psychomotor seizures and 12 had both. During a 6 1/2 month study period the patient received active drug and placebo for 3 months each; randomized, double-blind. The dose was to be increased within 4 weeks up to 6 capsules per day equal to 1,200 mg of carbamazepine (C), while the doses or previously taken (basis) anticonvulsants were to remain unchanged. Hematopoetic system and heptic functions were monitored. Complete seizure control attributable to C was not achieved in any, but up to 50% improvement occurred in 12 patients. Questionable improvement was thought to take place in 3 patients, no change occurred in 7, and psychomotor seizures became more frequent in 1 patient. A clear-cut psychotropic effect was not observed. Adverse effects attributable to C were a decline of WBC below 4,000 with relative neutropenia in 3 patients followed by at return to the previous after discontinuation of C. Nystagmus and unsteadiness were seen in about half of the patients, and some headache and drowsiness occurred in one quarter. The highest C blood level was 11.8 mug/ml, the lowest 3.8 mug/ml (average 5.6 mug/ml) during 1,200 mg intake. It seemed, generally, that intoxication occurred with lower blood levels of carbamazepine in those patients whose basis anticonvulsant blood levels were highest.

Adolescent↗