J Formos Med Assoc
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A patient with symptomatic atrioventricular blockage who had been treated by permanent pacemaker implantation, developed twiddler's syndrome 16 days after implantation. The electrode lead to the pacemaker pocket had been completely displaced, with the electrode tip having moved to the outside of the subclavian vein. ⋯ The patient is regularly followed up at an outpatient clinic and continues to be well. Although twiddler's syndrome is a rare complication of pacemaker implantation, preventive measures should be undertaken especially for those judged to be at high risk.
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Dental enamel pitting was studied as a diagnostic sign of pediatric tuberous sclerosis (TSC). Thirteen patients aged 2.5 to 18 years with varying degrees of TSC were evaluated. They were checked for the presence of enamel pitting by the use of two to three drops of dental plaque disclosing stain which was applied to the labial surfaces of dry teeth. ⋯ The total number of enamel pits in each patient varied from 1 to 26 and increased with age; 90% of the teeth with enamel pitting displayed one to two pits per tooth. The youngest patient with enamel pitting was 5 years old. The simplicity of this test and the high probability of pitting in TSC make the examination useful in the assessment of patients in whom the diagnosis of this serious genetic disease is being considered.
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Catecholamines have a deleterious effect on the traumatized brain. Propranolol, a beta-adrenergic blocker, can act on the vasomotor centers within the hypothalamus and brain stem to reduce the activity of the sympathetic nerves and the cerebral metabolic need for oxygen and glucose. This study investigated the effects of racemic (d,l) propranolol on the neurologic recovery of mice with head-injuries. ⋯ Small pieces of brain parenchyma were used to check the water content by gravimetric method. The treatment group showed better neurologic recovery than the placebo group by both the string test scoring system and grip test time. The brain edema was significantly reduced at the temporal lobes in the treatment group as compared to the placebo group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Review Case Reports
Hypoglycemia following ethanol ingestion in children: report of a case.
Ethanol is present in a large number of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, detergents and beverages. Without adequate safety measures, the accidental ingestion of such products by children is possible. Ethanol ingestion by children is known to cause various metabolic and neurologic disorders, including hypoglycemia, metabolic acidosis, seizures or coma. ⋯ Prompt recognition and treatment with intravenous glucose are essential and may be life-saving. Pediatricians need to be aware of the devastating impact of ethanol. Preventive measures, such as child-proof packaging and parent education, are required if ethanol intoxication in children is to be avoided.
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Case Reports
Frequency distribution of hypervariable VNTRs in Apo B, HVR-Ig and COL2A1 loci in Taiwan: forensic application.
By use of a simple, rapid and reliable polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method, we analyzed three hypervariable tandem repeats in the 3'-Apo B, 5'-HVR-Ig and 3'-COL2A1 loci. As accurate data of allele frequency of genetic markers is a prerequisite for forensic application, the allele frequency distribution of the three variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) among the Chinese population in Taiwan were studied. In a total of 123 unrelated Chinese subjects, the Apo B VNTR demonstrated a heterozygosity of 68.2% with 9 alleles, 0.85 of the power of discrimination (PD) value and 0.74 of the allelic diversity (h) value. ⋯ The high sensitivity and inexpensive nature of this approach make it superior to the traditional method of DNA fingerprinting for forensic typing. With the use of this PCR-VNTR system, many forensic cases have been successfully identified. The value of this system is illustrated in the investigation of a rape and murder case.