Clinical rheumatology
-
Clinical rheumatology · Mar 2008
Case ReportsChorea as a side effect of gabapentin (Neurontin) in a patient with complex regional pain syndrome Type 1.
We report the case of a woman who developed chorea in her neck, trunk, and extremities soon after taking gabapentin as treatment for complex regional pain syndrome Type 1. The chorea lasted for a year and resolved completely within 2 weeks of discontinuing gabapentin.
-
Clinical rheumatology · Mar 2008
Characteristic electron microscopic findings in the skin of patients with fibromyalgia--preliminary study.
This blinded study was done to determine if there are any abnormal electron microscopic (EM) findings in the skin of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients, which might contribute to or be due to the increased pain sensitivity seen in this condition. Skin biopsy samples were obtained from 13FMS patients and 5 control subjects. All tissues were prepared for EM examination by immediate prefixation in 2.5% glutaraldehyde for 2 h and postfixation in 1% osmium acid for 24 h. ⋯ Myelinated nerve fibers were unremarkable. The EM findings seen in the skin of FMS patients show unusual patterns of unmyelinated nerve fibers as well as associated Schwann cells. If these findings are replicated in a larger study, these abnormalities may contribute to, or be due to, the lower pain threshold seen in FMS patients.
-
Clinical rheumatology · Mar 2008
Case ReportsSciatic nerve compression due to femoral neck osteochondroma: MDCT and MR findings.
A 34-year-old man presented with a 15-month history of pain along the left sciatic nerve. Radiographs and computed tomography (CT) revealed an exostosis on the postero-inferior aspect of the left femoral neck. ⋯ Although peroneal and ulnar neuropathies due to the compression by exostosis are reported frequently, imaging findings of sciatic nerve involvement were not well documented in the literature. Multidetector CT and MR findings of a sciatic nerve compression caused by a femoral neck exostosis were presented.
-
The aim of this study was to evaluate data from controlled clinical trials testing the effectiveness of tai chi for treating osteoarthritis. Systematic searches were conducted on MEDLINE, AMED, British Nursing Index, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycInfo, The Cochrane Library 2007, Issue 2, the UK National Research Register and ClinicalTrials.gov, Korean medical databases, the Qigong and Energy database and Chinese medical databases (until June 2007). Hand searches included conference proceedings and our own files. ⋯ In conclusion, there is some encouraging evidence suggesting that tai chi may be effective for pain control in patients with knee OA. However, the evidence is not convincing for pain reduction or improvement of physical function. Future RCTs should assess larger patient samples for longer treatment periods and use appropriate controls.
-
Clinical rheumatology · Feb 2008
Case ReportsMultiple peripheral arterial and aortic aneurysms in Behcet's syndrome: a case report.
Behcet's syndrome is an inflammatory disorder of unknown cause, characterized by recurrent oral aphthous ulcers, genital ulcers, uveitis, and skin lesions. Behcet's syndrome with predominant vascular involvement is known as vasculo-Behcet. Arterial complications occur in only 1 to 7% of patients with Behcet's syndrome. ⋯ We report a case of Behcet's syndrome that, over 6 years, developed multiple aneurysms in peripheral arteries and aorta without any coexisting venous thrombosis. An increased awareness of Behcet's syndrome and its vascular complications is essential. This is highlighted by the fact that our patient had to undergo four surgeries and many years of diagnostic uncertainty before reaching at the final diagnosis.