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Biomedical subjects

X Beristain

Publications and source records attributed to X Beristain.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Saccades in presymptomatic and early stages of Huntington disease.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate quantitative measures of eye movements as possible biomarkers in prediagnostic and early stages of Huntington disease (HD). METHODS: The study sample (n = 215) included individuals both at risk and recently diagnosed with HD. All participants completed a uniform clinical evaluation which included administration of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) by a movement disorder neurologist and molecular testing to determine HD gene status. A high resolution, video-based eye tracking system was employed to quantify measures of eye movement (error rates, latencies, SD of latencies, velocities, and accuracies) during a computerized battery of saccadic and steady fixation tasks. RESULTS: Prediagnostic HD gene carriers and individuals with early HD demonstrated three types of significant abnormalities while performing memory guided and anti-saccade tasks: increased error rate, increased saccade latency, and increased variability of saccade latency. The eye movement abnormalities increased with advancing motor signs of HD. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormalities in eye movement measures are a sensitive biomarker in the prediagnostic and early stages of Huntington disease (HD). These measures may be more sensitive to prediagnostic changes in HD than the currently employed neurologic motor assessment.

Eye Movements↗
PubMed2001

[Fasciola hepatica. study of a series of 37 patients].

BACKGROUND: To analyze the clinical, bacteriologic, diagnostic and therapeutic features of patients with Fasciola hepatica (FH) in our hospital. PATIENTS AND METHOD: We reviewed all the patients with a diagnosis of fascioliasis from 1975 to 1999 in the Aranzazu Hospital in San Sebastián (Guipúzcoa, Spain). Diagnosis was made by direct vision of adult parasites during surgery and/or the presence of ova in stool examinations and/or positive serologic tests in patients with symptoms consistent with parasitosis. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients were included (23 men and 14 women), aged 19 to 71 years. Ingestion of watercress was confirmed in 27. Seven cases occurred as part of familiar outbreaks. Thirty-two were in the liver invasive stage and in 5 the biliary tree was invaded. The most common features were eosinophilia (91.8%), malaise and weight loss (75.6%), elevated alkaline phosphatase (74.2%), and abdominal pain (72.9%). Adult worms in the biliary ducts were observed in 3 patients and ova in feces were observed in 6. In 13 of 27 patients indirect hemagglutination test was ( 1/1,280. Data significant to confirmation of liver involvement were provided by laparoscopy in 12 of 13 patients and by imaging techniques in 13 of 31 patients. Four patients had cholelithiasis and of these, 2 also showed adult parasites in the common bile duct. Three patients underwent surgery. Therapy with dehydroemetine and/or bithionol was followed by complete remission in 30 patients, although 6 required repeat treatment cycles. The remaining 4 patients were cured by praziquantel. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the patients in these series reported consumption of watercress and all patients showed the symptoms typical of parasite disease. Imaging techniques proved to be of great utility in confirming the diagnosis of hepato-biliary disease. In most of the patients therapy with dehydroemetine and/or bithionol (in one or several cycles) was followed by complete remission.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Paradoxical embolism to the basilar apex associated with May-Thurner syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Embolic occlusion of intracranial vessels can be caused by material arising proximally, most commonly from the heart, the aorta, or the carotid or vertebral arteries, and rarely from systemic veins. May-Thurner syndrome is an uncommon condition in which there is impaired venous return because of compression of the left common iliac vein by the overlying right common iliac artery, resulting in iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis. OBJECTIVE: To describe a young patient with presumed paradoxical embolism to the basilar apex associated with a patent foramen ovale and May-Thurner syndrome. DESIGN: Single case report. RESULTS: A 16-year-old girl with a history of bulimia and oral contraceptive use had a "top of the basilar" syndrome. She was found to have a patent foramen ovale on transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. Magnetic resonance venography of the lower extremities revealed May-Thurner syndrome. Antiphospholipid antibodies (antiphosphatidylserine, anticardiolipin, and antiphosphatidyl-ethanolamine), factor V Leiden mutation by polymerase chain reaction, and homocyst(e)ine levels were normal. Anticoagulation with intravenous unfractionated heparin sodium followed by warfarin sodium was used, resulting in resolution of her neurologic deficits. CONCLUSIONS: Deep venous thrombosis is notorious for its variable clinical manifestations and the potential dire consequences of a missed diagnosis. Physicians caring for patients with presumed paradoxical embolism should assess for May-Thurner syndrome.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Comparison of the automated nonradiometric Bactec MGIT 960 system with Löwenstein-Jensen, Coletsos, and Middlebrook 7H11 solid media for recovery of mycobacteria.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of as well as the time to detection of mycobacteria by three procedures: solid media with traditional reading, microscopy on solid media, and liquid culture using the automated nonradiometric Bactec MGIT 960 system. A total of 2832 respiratory specimens were tested, 315 of which were positive for mycobacteria. The most frequently isolated species was Mycobacterium tuberculosis (201 isolates). One hundred twenty mycobacteria other than tuberculosis were isolated, 72 of which were Mycobacterium xenopi strains. Sensitivity of each of the different media compared to all media combined for growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was 93%, 76.1%, 79.6%, and 75.1% for Bactec MGIT 960, Middlebrook 7H11 plates, Löwenstein-Jensen, and Coletsos, respectively. Sensitivity of the Bactec MGIT 960 for detection of all mycobacterial isolates was 75.1%. When this automated system was supplemented with visual inspection, the sensitivity increased to 89.4%. The sensitivity of Middlebrook 7H11 plates, Löwenstein-Jensen, and Coletsos was 50.8%, 60.7%, and 52.3%, respectively. Time to detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis using the Bactec MGIT 960 system and Middlebrook 7H11 plates with microscopic reading was 12.7 and 13 days, respectively; using the traditional Löwenstein-Jensen and Coletsos media, time to detection was 22.8 and 22.7 days, respectively.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed1997

Microanatomy of the perforators of the anterior communicating artery complex.

We describe the microanatomy of the perforating arteries arising from the anterior communicating artery complex (5 mm distal of the anterior cerebral artery, the anterior communicating artery, and 5 mm proximal of the distal anterior cerebral artery). Thirteen unfixed human brains were used in this study. The origin and number of perforators are described, as is the site of brain penetration, and results are correlated with previous studies. The hemodynamics of blood flow in relation to the formation of an anterior communicating artery aneurysm and different surgical approaches are mentioned. The neuropsychological outcome after aneurysm clipping with regards to the pattern of blood supply from the anterior cerebral artery complex is also discussed.

Brain↗
PubMed1996

Evaluation of outcome after intracranial aneurysm surgery: the neuropsychiatric approach.

BACKGROUND: With the reduction of mortality and gross neurologic morbidity of patients undergoing intracranial aneurysm surgery, the interest in outcome is shifting towards more subtle aspects such as cognitive deficits and psychosocial adjustment. METHODS: We discuss two different ways of measuring outcome in a sample of 20 patients who had intracranial aneurysm surgery. Patients were evaluated at discharge using the Karnofsky Scale and the Glasgow Outcome Scale. Six months after discharge we conducted a neuropsychiatric evaluation including cognitive, behavioral, and mood status assessment. RESULTS: Although 13 of out patients had a "good recovery, " 18 had some neuropsychiatric impairment. Comparing patients with "good recovery" with the remainder, patients with poorer outcomes tended to have a left pterional approach, a poorer "drive", and language disorders (p < 0.05). There was no correlation between out cognitive, mood, and behavioral assessment and the results of the Karnofsky and Glasgow Outcome Scales ( p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: we conclude that neuropsychiatric deficits are common after intracranial aneurysm surgery and that for our study the Karnofsky Scale and Glasgow Outcome Scale were not sensitive enough to detect residual impairment. therefore, it is important to develop brief tests and scales able to identify these problems and to complement the standard clinical neurological examination.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Do we evaluate outcome appropriately?

We discuss two different ways of measuring outcome in a sample of 20 patients who had intracranial aneurysm surgery. Patients were evaluated at discharge using the Karnofsky Scale and the Glasgow Outcome Scale. Six months after discharge we conducted a neuropsychiatric evaluation including cognitive, behavioral, and mood status assessment. Although 13 of our patients had a "good recovery', 18 had some neuropsychiatric impairment. We did not find statistical relationships between the discharge evaluation and the neuropsychiatric assessment at follow-up. We discuss the need for developing new outcome measures to pick-up neuropsychiatric deficits, beyond the traditional neurologic semiology.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Posterior cortical atrophy with progressive visual agnosia].

Interest in progressive focal cerebral syndromes associated with classical degenerative diseases has increased in recent years. Descriptions of posterior cortical atrophy with progressive visual agnosia are relatively rare. We present 5 patients (2 women) ranging in age between 57 and 72 years old. In all cases symptoms began and progressed with no known etiology. All cases were sporadic. The main clinical signs are difficulty in recognizing objects, colors, persons or places; topographical disorientation and visual memory alterations; alexia, simultagnosia, loss of ocular fixing and optic ataxia. Some patients presented other disturbances of praxis or memory and 2 progressed to global dementia. Language function was preserved and behavioral disturbances did not develop. The amplitude of the P100 visual evoked potential was low but latency was normal in 4 patients and prolonged in 1. Brain images showed atrophy and hypoperfusion in the parieto-occipital area. The neuropathology status of these patients is unknown.

Adult↗