Comprometimento neurológico por inseticidas: estudo das manifestações crônicas em 13 casos

Foram estudados 13 pacientes com manifestações neurológicas crônicas deter minadas por inseticidas organoclorados e organofosforados. Todos apresentavam pelo menos quatro de cinco condições adotadas para o diagnóstico. A sintomatologia compreendeu neuropatias motoras puras e mistas, mielopatias e lesão de nervos cranianos. A pesquisa de inseticidas no sangue e urina foi positiva em todos os pacientes em que foi realizada. Estudo eletromiográfico em oito casos mostrou padrão neuropático em sete deles. A medida da velocidade de condução nervosa motora mostrou redução em todos os casos em pelo menos um nervo estudado. A conduta foi espectante, sendo que todos os pacientes tiveram remissão total ou parcial do quadro clínico, em prazos variáveis após o afastamento da zona rural. São abordados aspectos da patogenia e feita revisão da literatura. Os autores concluem sobre a importância relativa da pesquisa de inseticidas no sangue e urina e especulam sobre a existência de outros fatores coadjuvantes na etio-patogenia da doença desencadeada pelos defensivos agrícolas

Exclusive bed for thrombolysis. A simple measure that allows 85% of ischemic stroke patients to be treated in the first hour

ABSTRACT The door-to-needle time is an important goal to reduce the time to treatment in intravenous thrombolysis. Objective Analyze if the inclusion of an exclusive thrombolytic bed reduces the door-to-needle time. Method One hundred and fifty patients admitted for neurological evaluation with ischemic stroke were separated in two groups: in the first, patients were admitted in the Emergency Room for intravenous thrombolysis (ER Group); in the second, patients were admitted in an exclusive thrombolytic bed in the general neurology ward (TB Group). Results Sixty-eight (86.0%) patients from TB Group were treated in the first 60 minutes of arrival as compared to 48 (67.6%) in the ER Group (p = 0.011). Conclusion The introduction of a thrombolytic bed in a general hospital setting can markedly reduce the door-to-needle time, allowing more than 85% of patients to be treated within the first hour of admission

Correlação entre hipótese diagnóstica e laudo de tomografia axial computadorizada craniana Correlation between diagnostic hypothesis and result of cranial computed axial tomography

Para avaliar a utilização da tomografia axial computadorizada craniana (TC) em nosso meio, analisamos as solicitações de 367 exames consecutivos no período compreendido entre 07/1995 e 07/1996. Houve ampla variação da faixa etária, com média de 31,7 ± 22,9 anos. As especialidades que mais solicitaram o exame foram: Neurologia (36,2%), Pronto Atendimento (17,4%), Neuropediatria (16,9%) e Clínica Médica (5,9%). As indicações mais frequentes para o exame foram: convulsão (30%), cefaléia (26,2%), déficit motor (20,2%) e redução do nível de consciência (16,9%). As "hipóteses" aventadas com maior frequência foram: afastar lesão estrutural (9,0%), acidente vascular não discriminado (8,2%) e neurocisticercose (8,2%). O laudo da TC foi normal em 50,4% dos exames. Os laudos anormais mais frequentes foram: hidrocefalia (5,4%), acidente vascular isquêmico (5,4%) e neoplasia (3,5%). As maiores taxas de achados normais foram encontradas nas "hipóteses" de cefaléia (94,4%), convulsão (71,4%) e afastar lesão estrutural (66,7%). Os maiores índices de acerto entre hipótese e laudo foram encontrados nas situações de "afastar lesões estruturais" (66,7%), hidrocefalia (50%), acidente vascular cerebral isquêmico (50%) e hematoma (50%). Concluimos que a utilização de um recurso auxiliar de diagnóstico como a TC cumpre melhor ainda a sua função se o requisitante do exame preencher com clareza e detalhamento o pedido do exame.<br>The use of computed axial tomography (CT) in the investigation of neurologic disorders is attractive for his disponibility in the health services. However, the indications of the exam and the correlation with the clinical features has not been frequently studied. We study correlation between the requests of CT and the findings reported by the radiologist, in 367 exams performed from 07/1995 to 07/ 1996. The mean age was 31.7 ± 22.9 years. The CT were requested in decrescent order of frequency by the Services of Neurology (36.2%), Emergency room (17.4%), Pediatric Neurology (16.9%) and Internal Medicine (5.9%). The CT was more indicated in cases of seizures (30%), headache (26.2%), motor impairment (20.2%) and reduction of conscience level (16.9%). The main hypothetic diagnosis were "to discard anatomic lesions" (9.0%), not specified stroke (8.2%) and neurocisticercosis (8.2%).The result of the CT was normal in 50.4% of the exams specially those requested in cases of headache (94.4%), seizures (71.4%) and "to discard anatomic lesions"(66.7%).The more frequently CT abnormalities were hydrocephalus (5.4%), ischemic stroke (5.4%) and neoplasm (3.5%) The greatest rates of correlation were among those to discard anatomic lesions (66,7%), hydrocephalus (50%), ischemic stroke (50%) and hematoma (50%).We concluded that CT is more helpfull if more clinical data is provided in the request form, so aiding the radiologist in the final report

Does the side of middle cerebral artery compromise matters in the mortality after thrombolysis in ischemic stroke?

The impact of the side in middle cerebral artery (MCA) ischemic stroke is not well established. Our aim was to analyze the differences between right (RMCA) and left middle cerebral artery (LMCA) stroke in patients submitted to intravenous thrombolysis and the influence of the affected side in the patient’s mortality after 3 months. Method Patients with MCA ischemic stroke submitted to intravenous thrombolysis from March 2010 to December 2011 at two Brazilian Stroke Centers were included. Differences between patients with RMCA and LMCA stroke were identified by univariate analysis. Results Forty-five patients with RMCA stroke and 67 with LMCA stroke were analyzed. Patients with LMCA had a higher incidence of atrial fibrillation (p = 0.031), although patients with RMCA more often had a previous ischemic stroke (p = 0.034). The mortality over 3 months was similar for either side (OR = 1.20 ;0.37 - 4.29, p = 0.772). Conclusion The side of the MCA ischemic stroke did not influence the patients mortality

Curitiba acute ischemic stroke protocol: a university hospital and EMS initiative in a large Brazilian city

Few healthcare centers in Brazil perform thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe an interinstitutional protocol for the rapid identification and thrombolytic treatment of AIS patients at a public health hospital in a large Brazilian city. METHOD: Emergency medical services (EMS) personnel evaluated 433 patients with possible stroke during a six-month period. After a standard checklist, patients with suspected AIS and symptoms onset of less than two hours were evaluated at our University Hospital (UH). RESULTS: Sixty-five (15%) patients met the checklist criteria and had a symptom onset of less than two hours, but only 50 (11%) patients were evaluated at the UH. Among them, 35 (70%) patients had ischemic stroke, 10 (20%) had hemorrhagic stroke, and 5 (10%) had other diagnoses. Of the 35 ischemic stroke patients, 15 (43%) underwent IV thrombolysis. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that trained EMS workers could help to improve the rate of thrombolytic treatment in large Brazilian cities. Permanent training programs for EMS and hospital staff, with quality control and correct identification of AIS patients, should be implemented to increase appropriate thrombolytic therapy rates in Brazil

Incidência de cefaléia em uma comunidade hospitalar Headache incidence in a hospital community

O objetivo foi determinar em um grupo de pessoas de uma comunidade hospitalar a incidência de cefaléia e para esta a frequência, principais características e investigações médicas mais solicitadas. Utilizamos a combinação de questionário e entrevista. Do total de 1006 fichas aleatoriamente preenchidas, 987 pessoas responderam corretamente aos quesitos e destas 380 (38,5%) eram portadoras de cefaléia. Baseados na Classificação Internacional de Cefaléia dividimos os portadores em dois principais grupos, a migrânea e a cefaléia do tipo tensional. As demais foram agrupadas num terceiro grupo. A idade média foi 31,18 anos, com predomínio do sexo feminino em todos os tipos de cefaléia. A presença de história familiar foi positiva em 76,8% dos entrevistados. As características mais frequentes foram: localização frontal, tipo pulsátil e intensidade moderada. O principal fator desencadeante foi o estresse. A procura de acompanhamento médico deu-se em 41,3% dos portadores. Destes, aproximadamente 56% consultaram um clínico geral, 23% consultaram um neurologista e 21% procuraram outras especialidades. O RX de crânio foi o exame mais solicitado pelos generalistas e o eletrencefalograma pelos neurologistas. A tomografia computadorizada do crânio não foi solicitada com frequência<br>The purpose was to describe the main features of headache incidence in a hospital community, its frequency and the most requested medical investigation. Due to the stressful work environment, hospital is considered to hold a high-risk population. Interviews and questionnaires were utilized. Of a 1006 files, which were randomly filled out, 987 could be analyzed. Of all, 38,5% were from headache sufferers. By using a table of pain symptoms taken from the International Headache Society classification as a pattern, headaches were assigned as migraine, tension-type and other. The mean age was 31.18 and the frequency in females was higher than in males, at any type. Family occurrence in first-degree relatives was 76.8%. Frontal location, medium intensity and pulsation were the most described features. Stress was the most frequently mentioned trigger factor. A physician was consulted only by 41.3%. Cranium X-ray was the most frequently requested exa