Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Mar 1988
Xanthochromia revisited: a re-evaluation of lumbar puncture and CT scanning in the diagnosis of subarachnoid haemorrhage.
The CT and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings of 100 patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysms were reviewed. Forty six percent of the 68 patients who had a lumbar puncture had blood stained CSF but with no xanthochromia. ⋯ It is concluded that it is blood stained CSF that is important in the diagnosis of subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), and not xanthochromia, and that a normal CT scan (EMI 1010) and the absence of xanthochromia in the CSF do not exclude a ruptured intracranial aneurysm. To diagnose SAH, it may be necessary to perform both investigations; the CT scan as the primary investigation in those patients in whom lumbar puncture is judged to be hazardous; the lumbar puncture as the secondary investigation in those patients with a normal CT scan.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Mar 1988
Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical TrialPropranolol and propranolol-LA in essential tremor: a double blind comparative study.
In a double blind, comparative study with 15 patients, a long-acting formulation of propranolol taken once daily (at doses of 160, 240 and 320 mg), was shown to be as effective as conventional propranolol (80 mg three times daily) in reducing the amplitude of essential tremor. The specific protocol employed demonstrated problems inherent in chronic pharmacological trials in essential tremor which have implications for future studies.