Presence Of Neurological Complications Research Articles

Ultrarapid high-dose course of prophylactic cranial irradiation in small-cell lung cancer: evaluation of late neurologic morbidity in 16 long-term survivors.

Despite the reduction in the incidence of brain metastases following prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) in patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), the use of this modality is still controversial due to the lack of improvement in survival and the appearance of neurotoxicity in long-term survivors. Moreover, the optimum dose, fraction size, and timing are not known. From 1980 to 1988, 70 patients with limited stage SCLC underwent PCI after or during multimodality treatment of their primary tumor. Most of these patients (75.7%) received an unconventional ultrarapid high-dose course of 17 Gy in two fractions over 3 days. Long-term (range 60-138 months) survivors (n = 16) were invited to have a complete neurological evaluation including computed cranial tomography (CCT), 99mTc-HMPAO single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) scan, electroencephalography (EEG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and neuropsychometry. Delayed neurologic complications or psychometric impairment was observed in 46% of patients. One or more abnormalities were detected by CCT in all patients, and the presence of neurologic complications seemed to correlate with periventricular and subcortical white matter changes. A strong correlation was found between CCT and SPECT periventricular white matter changes. Although the incidence of late neurologic toxicity following this rapid course of irradiation was high, clinical findings were less severe than expected, and all the patients were capable of self-care.

Postoperative mortality in infective endocarditis: determinant factors

The factors leading to high postoperative mortality in active infectious endocarditis (IE) are poorly defined. We studied patients operated at an University Hospital between March 1978 and April 1992. We hypothesized that the summation of potential adverse factors would strongly increase mortality after surgery. We studied 39 patients (28 men), age range 13-70 years (mean +/- SD = 32 +/- 16) operated during active IE (time from onset 52 +/- 48 days). Predisposing factor: rheumatic valvar disease in 14 cases, intravenous drug use in 5. Affected valves: aortic in 14, mitral in 10, tricuspid in 8, multiple structures in 7. In most cases, S aureus (12) or Streptococcus sp (10) was isolated in blood cultures. Surgery was indicated in most patients because of heart failure (30), multiple embolic complications (17) or treatment failure (14). The possible adverse influence of specific demographic characteristics, clinical features and surgical variables was assessed by the Student t test or the chi 2 test. Also, multiple regression analysis was performed in order to identify independent adverse factors for increased mortality. Positive correlations were further investigated with the chi 2 test to assess whether an increasing number of adverse factors could identify a special subset of patients with markedly elevated death risk. Fourteen patients (36%) died after surgery. Emergency surgery (p = 0.001), the presence of coma 6 hours after surgery (p = 0.0015) and S. aureus infection (p = 0.023) were all associated with increased mortality. The presence of neurological complications was correlated with a high mortality (54% vs. 27%). However this increase was of dubious statistical significance (p = 0.097). Multiple regression analysis confirmed S. aureus and emergency surgery as independent adverse factors for increased mortality. When put together, an increasing number of adverse factors was highly predictive of a fatal outcome, even after exclusion of that evaluated after surgery (level of consciousness). Patients with two or three adverse factors had a very high mortality rate (> 76.9%). Mortality following surgery for active IE is increased in patients operated on an emergency basis especially if the infection is caused by S. aureus. The presence of neurological complications may also be associated with worse outcome. Early consideration of surgery should reduce the high mortality in patients with active IE.

Neurological complications after liver retransplantation.

Postoperative neurological complications in 185 patients who underwent two or more orthotopic liver transplantations were reviewed. The most common neurological complications were alteration of mental status (84%), seizures (33%) and focal motor deficits (15%). The frequency of neurological complications after a second orthotopic liver transplantation was significantly greater than that after a single orthotopic liver transplantation. However, neurological complications were more frequent after a second orthotopic liver transplantation than after a third transplant. Significantly more neurological complications occurred in patients who did not survive a year than in those who did, regardless of the number of transplants they underwent. These findings indicate that the risk of neurological complications among patients with multiple orthotopic liver transplantations is greater in those who require a second transplant; this risk appears to diminish after a third transplant. Importantly, the presence of neurological complications is associated with increased post-orthotopic liver transplantation mortality rate.

Morbus Paget — Manifestationen an der Wirbelsäule

Computer tomography has been found to be of value in the study of deformities and narrowing of the spinal canal in 52 patients with Paget's disease of vertebral bodies. To a limited extent it can also be used for evaluating the intervertebral foramina. Deformities of the spinal canal were classified into three degrees of severity. The most severe changes were found in the lower thoracic region. The presence of neurological complications is an indication for CT studies.