Developmental Background and Outcome in Patients with Nonepileptic Versus Epileptic Seizures: A Controlled Study

OBJECTIVE: To compare the risk of accidents in patients with uncontrolled seizures, in seizure-free patients, and in patients with chronic headache. METHOD: This was a prospective longitudinal case-controlled study with interviews. A semi-structured questionnaire was used in the epilepsy and headache outpatient clinics of the Hospital das Clínicas of UNICAMP. RESULTS: Group I was composed of 48 patients with uncontrolled seizures, group II was composed of 24 seizure-free patients and group III was composed of 32 patients with headache. Thirty-nine patients (81%) in group I, 13 (54%) in group II, and 19 (59%) in group III reported accidents in the last two years. In the first group, 649 accidents (89%) were related to epileptic seizures and the average number of accidents not related to seizures was 1.7. The average number of accidents in groups II and III were both 2.4. CONCLUSION: Epileptic seizure was the most important factor determining the occurrence of accidents in people with epilepsy.

Download Full-text

Magnesium as an Effective Adjunct Therapy for Drug Resistant Seizures

Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences / Journal Canadien des Sciences Neurologiques ◽

10.1017/s0317167100013457 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 39 (3) ◽

pp. 323-327 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Peter A. Abdelmalik ◽

Nina Politzer ◽

Peter L. Carlen

Keyword(s):

Intractable Epilepsy ◽

Retrospective Chart Review ◽

Epileptic Seizures ◽

Controlled Study ◽

Seizure Freedom ◽

Drug Resistant ◽

Cns Depressant ◽

Drug Resistant Epilepsy ◽

Double Blinded

Objective:To explore the use of magnesium (Mg), an endogenous ion and enzymatic co-factor used in a variety of medical applications, for the treatment of epileptic seizures resistant to traditional medical therapy.Background:For almost a century, Mg has been used as prophylaxis and treatment of seizures associated with eclampsia. Mg is a CNS depressant, with numerous functions intracellularly and extracellularly. However, because of the availability of well studied anticonvulsant drugs, Mg has not been tested widely in the treatment of epileptic seizures.Methods:A retrospective chart review of 22 cases of drug resistant epilepsy, where a trial of empiric oral Mg supplementation (mainly in the form of Mg-oxide) was conducted.Results:Oral Mg supplementation was associated with a significant decrease in the number of seizure days per month, from 15.3 ± 13.2 (mean ± SD) to 10.2 ± 12.6 at first follow up (3-6 months, p=0.021), and to 7.8 ± 10.0 seizure days/month at second follow up (6-12 months, p=0.004). Thirty-six percent had a response rate of 75% or greater at second follow-up. Two patients reported seizure freedom. Most patients were well maintained on MgO 420mg twice a day, or in 2 cases, Mg Lactate, without significant adverse effects, the most frequent being diarrhea (4/22).Discussion:These results suggest that oral Mg supplementation may prove to be a worthwhile adjunctive medication in treating drug intractable epilepsy.Conclusions:A prospective, double-blinded, placebo controlled study is warranted to evaluate the potential of Mg for the treatment of drug-resistant seizures.

Download Full-text

Pulmonary Edema and Simultaneous Cardiac Dysfunction After Epileptic Seizures

Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences / Journal Canadien des Sciences Neurologiques ◽

10.1017/s0317167100017911 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 40 (06) ◽

pp. 896-897

Author(s):

V. Pelliccia ◽

C. Pizzanelli ◽

S. Pini ◽

P. Malacarne ◽

U. Bonuccelli

Keyword(s):

Pulmonary Edema ◽

Cardiac Dysfunction ◽

Epileptic Seizures

Download Full-text

Application of a Simple Cold Stub to the Direct Observation of Frozen Hydrated Sand

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100071508 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 31 ◽

pp. 212-213

Author(s):

John M. Wehrung ◽

Richard J. Harniman

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Surface Water ◽

Direct Observation ◽

Controlled Study ◽

Clay Particles ◽

Organic Debris ◽

Rock Formations ◽

Water Tables ◽

Permeable Rock ◽

Natural Means

Water tables in aquifer regions of the southwest United States are dropping off at a rate which is greater than can be replaced by natural means. It is estimated that by 1985 wells will run dry in this region unless adequate artificial recharging can be accomplished. Recharging with surface water is limited by the plugging of permeable rock formations underground by clay particles and organic debris.A controlled study was initiated in which sand grains were used as the rock formation and water with known clay concentrations as the recharge media. The plugging mechanism was investigated by direct observation in the SEM of frozen hydrated sand samples from selected depths.

Download Full-text

Studies on Ultrastructure and Cytochemistry of Right Ventricular Endomyocardial Biopsy

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100158820 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 48 (3) ◽

pp. 256-257

Author(s):

Xia Mingyu ◽

Ma Wengshu ◽

Wu Xiangh ◽

Chen Dong

Keyword(s):

Light Microscopy ◽

Right Ventricular ◽

Dilated Cardiomyopathy ◽

Endomyocardial Biopsy ◽

Heart Diseases ◽

Ultrastructural Localization ◽

Controlled Study ◽

Myocardial Biopsy ◽

Morphological Assessment ◽

Rheumatic Heart

This paper describes morphological and cytochemistry changes of endomyocardial biopsy in 94 patients. The samples of myoicardium were taken from 32 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, and sdudied with light and electron microscop. The cytochemical studies in some of these patients were performed at histological and ultrastructure level. This paper also reported the result of myocardial biopsy in 33 patients with serious dysrythmia.The result of this controlled study indicates that morphological assessment in both cardiomyopathy and congenital or rheumatic heart diseases showed no special changes. In patients of dilated cardiomyopathy, the decreased activity of myosin ATPase was secondary to cardial failure. The change of succinate dehydrogenase (SDHase) was not significant with light microscopy. But ultrastructural localization of SDHase activity is valuable. Its activity was found to be localized in endomembrane and ridge of the mitochondria, the activity of this enzyme was decrease, normal, or increase. SDHase activity was more intense in cardial myocytes well-functioning, or ultrastructurally well preserved hearts.

Download Full-text

Morphometric analysis of peroxisomes in hepatocytes of alcohol-fed rats

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100157486 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 47 ◽

pp. 1100-1101

Author(s):

D.C. Dominguez ◽

J.T. Ellzey

Keyword(s):

Caloric Intake ◽

Volume Density ◽

Controlled Study ◽

Control Group ◽

Numerical Density ◽

Cacodylate Buffer ◽

Paired Control ◽

Experimental Group ◽

Liver Peroxisomes ◽

Single Lesion

Peroxisomes which participate in 1ipid metabolism have been shown to be altered in several metabolic disorders and toxic conditions. In alcoholic liver disease, the single lesion most frequently found is lipid accumu1ation in hepatocytes. However, the mechanisms for this 1ipid accumu1ation are not clear. The occurrence of modifications of liver peroxisomes due to excess alcohol consumption has not been subjected to a controlled study. We utilized a combination of cytochemica1 and morphometrictechniques to study the size and number of liver peroxisomes in rats fed an alcohol-supplemented diet compared to those of matched-paired control animals.Male Sprague-Daw1ey rats (400-500 g) received a liquid diet. The experimental group (N = 5/group) was fed a diet containing 30% ethanol-derived calories (EDC) and the control group was fed an isocaloric diet to 30% EDC. A pair feeding procedure was employed to control for caloric intake. Small pieces of liver randomly selected, were fixed in 2.3% -glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M sodium cacodylate buffer, pH 7.2, incubated in a DAB medium and postfixed with. 2% aqueous osmium tetroxide. EM photographs were taken from sections of 3 tissue blocks from each sample (7,200X) with a Zeiss EM10-A (60 kV). With the use of a point counting method and a digital planimeter the volume density (Vv) and numerical density (Nv) were determined.

Download Full-text