Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jul 1995
Meta AnalysisDexamethasone treatment for acute bacterial meningitis: how strong is the evidence for routine use?
A methodological appraisal of the published randomised controlled trials on the use of dexamethasone as an adjunct treatment in acute bacterial meningitis was carried out to examine whether the available evidence is strong enough to support the routine use of the drug. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they were published in indexed journals after 1966, written in English, and were randomised controlled trials with dexamethasone as adjunct to antimicrobials in patients with acute bacterial meningitis. All studies were extracted and their adherence to eight methodological principles was graded as adequate, inadequate, or unclear. ⋯ It is concluded that the available evidence is not strong enough to support a routine use of dexamethasone in acute bacterial meningitis. Further research is needed to determine the effect of a policy to use dexamethasone early in the management of suspected acute bacterial meningitis. Future studies should adopt a pragmatic approach, be methodologically rigorous, and meticulously measure the risk as well as the benefit of this policy.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jul 1995
Sexual function in women with advanced multiple sclerosis.
Changes in sexual function in 47 women with advanced multiple sclerosis are described. Twenty eight (59.6%) of the women reported decreased sexual desire. Seventeen (36.2%) reported decreased lubrication. ⋯ A significant correlation was found between expanded disability status scale (EDSS) score and cohabitation. Problems with sexual function were reported significantly more often by women with lower EDSS scores. Most women (83%) found the interview a positive experience.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Apr 1995
Clinical TrialIntraventricular recombinant tissue plasminogen activator for lysis of intraventricular haemorrhage.
A prospective series of 20 patients with moderate to severe intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) was studied for the effect of intraventricular administration of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) on reduction of haematoma volume and prognosis. On the day of haemorrhage ventriculostomy was performed and 2 to 5 mg of rt-PA were injected via the external ventricular drainage, followed by drainage closure for two hours. In 14 patients rt-PA treatment was repeated. ⋯ One patient did not survive the IVH. Intraventricular treatment with rt-PA seems effective in rapid lysis of intraventricular haematoma and normalisation of impaired CSF circulation. This treatment may contribute to an improvement in prognosis of moderate to severe IVH.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Apr 1995
Extracerebral absorption of near infrared light influences the detection of increased cerebral oxygenation monitored by near infrared spectroscopy.
The detection of increased cerebral oxygenation secondary to cerebral hyperaemia, induced by hypercapnia has been studied in anaesthetised patients using a near infrared, reflectance mode, cerebral oxygenation monitor (Invos 3100 Somanetics, Troy, Michigan, USA). Two studies were performed, with and without a pneumatic scalp tourniquet, to distinguish between extracranial and intracranial changes in tissue oxygenation. In the control study a mean increase in end tidal CO2 of 23.1 mm Hg was accompanied by a mean increase in middle cerebral artery flow velocity of 116%. ⋯ There was no correlation between the change in middle cerebral artery flow velocity and rSO2 in the control or scalp ischaemia group. This study shows that the Invos 3100 monitor is sensitive to tissue oxygenation but does not reliably detect changes in cerebral oxygenation as a result of profound cerebral hyperaemia. The contribution of extracerebral tissue to the attenuation of near infrared light and the lack of spatial resolution remain major problems to be overcome before this or other near infrared spectroscopy instruments can be introduced into clinical practice.