Journal of neurology
-
Journal of neurology · Apr 2003
ReviewCharacteristics of intracranial aneurysms and subarachnoid haemorrhage in patients with polycystic kidney disease.
Subarachnoid haemorrhage is a common cause of death in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), but little is known about specific characteristics of subarachnoid haemorrhage and intracranial aneurysms in this group of patients. We performed a systematic review on site, size and number of aneurysms, age at time of rupture, gender, and family history in patients with ADPKD and intracranial aneurysms. We also studied the frequency of ADPKD in patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage treated in our hospital. ⋯ Compared with data on patients without ADPKD, subarachnoid haemorrhage in patients with ADPKD occurs not only often in a familial setting of subarachnoid haemorrhage, but also at an earlier age and more often in men. In patients with ADPKD, the most frequent site of aneurysms is the middle cerebral artery. The proportion of patients with ADPKD among all patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage is very small.
-
Status epilepticus occurs on the intensive care unit, either because the patient has been transferred with refractory status epilepticus or as an incidental finding. Management of refractory status epilepticus on the intensive care unit is necessary for adequate treatment of the physiological compromise that occurs in convulsive status epilepticus. In addition, anaesthesia is sometimes necessary for the treatment of status epilepticus, and provided that the potential benefit of anaesthesia offsets the associated morbidity, then such an approach is warranted. ⋯ Status epilepticus is also under-recognised as a cause of persistent coma on the intensive care unit, though the gain from aggressive treatment in this situation is unknown. In most instances, status epilepticus in coma carries such a poor prognosis that aggressive treatment is probably justified. Myoclonic status epilepticus also occurs on the intensive care unit, usually following cardiorespiratory arrest; this does not necessarily represent an agonal event especially if the initial insult was hypoxia related.
-
Journal of neurology · Apr 2003
An outcome study of riluzole in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis--a population-based study in Ireland, 1996-2000.
Riluzole is the only therapy proven in clinical trials to prolong amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) survival (approximately three months). Questions remain concerning riluzole's effectiveness in everyday practice, the appropriate duration of treatment, which certain subtypes of ALS specifically benefit from the medication, and whether early administration prolongs survival in ALS patients. We report the results of a population-based outcome study of riluzole in the Irish ALS population over a five-year period. ⋯ This beneficial effect is transient and stopping the medication in advanced ALS should be reconsidered. Bulbar-onset patients appear to particularly benefit from riluzole for unclear reasons. Our initial observations support riluzole use in early ALS.