Does the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder interfere with bariatric surgery results?

ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze possible negative effects of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) on the success of bariatric surgery. Methods: we evaluated forty patients undergoing bariatric surgery and with regular post-operative follow-up of at least one year. To all, we applied the questionnaire advocated in the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) of the American Psychiatric Association for ADHD, as well as analyzed their postoperative data. Results: fifteen (38%) patients presented a positive questionnaire for ADHD. Patients with ADHD presented higher BMI than patients without the disorder (45.8 vs. 40.9 kg/m2, p=0.017), and the difference remained in all postoperative stages. There was no statistically significant difference in surgery success (33.3% x 66.7%, p=0.505) or in BMI reduction (30.71% x 31.88%, p=0.671) one year after the procedure. Conclusion: ADHD patients have a higher BMI. However, the presence of ADHD does not influence the success of bariatric surgery and the reduction of BMI

Basilar artery occlusive disease in stroke survivors in a multiethnic population

Objectives: To describe clinical, radiological findings, and outcome in a multiethnic population of stroke survivors with basilar artery occlusive disease (BAOC). Methods: Forty patients with infarcts in the basilar artery (BA) territory, alive 30 days after the ictus, participated in the study. BA stenosis (>50%) or occlusion was shown by magnetic resonance or digital subtraction angiography in all patients. Demographical, clinical and radiological characteristics were described. Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) scores at 30 days and 6 months after the ischemic event were evaluated. Association between demographical, clinical, radiological features and outcome were analyzed with Chi-square and Fisher`s exact tests. MRS scores at 30 days and 6 months were compared with the Wilcoxon test. Results: Sixty percent of the patients were men, and 33% were Afro-Brazilian. Mean age was 55.8 +/- 12.9 years. Most (90%) had multiple vascular risk factors. Stroke was preceded by TIA in 48% of the patients, and 80% had a history of arterial hypertension. The most common neurological symptom was vertigo/dizziness (60%) and the sign, hemiparesis (60%). Most of the infarcts were located in the pons (85%) and the BA middle third was the most frequently affected segment (33%). BA occlusion occurred in 58% of the patients. More severe vascular occlusive lesions were present in Whites (p = 0.002) and in patients with involvement of the middle third of the BA (p = 0.021). Large-artery atherosclerosis was the most common stroke etiology (88%) and was more frequent in older patients (p < 0.001). Most patients were treated with anticoagulation. MRS scores improved significantly at 6 months (p < 0.001): at this time, 78% of the patients had MRS scores between 0 and 2. Conclusions: We observed different results compared with other series: greater proportion of Afro-descendents, higher frequency of atherosclerosis and BA occlusion. Rates of preceding TIAs and good outcome at 6 months were similar to previously published data. These results represent a step forward towards understanding BAOC in a multiethnic context. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.CAPES (Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior), a Brazilia

Burden and attitude to resistant and refractory migraine

Background: New treatments are currently offering new opportunities and challenges in clinical management and research in the migraine field. There is the need of homogenous criteria to identify candidates for treatment escalation as well as of reliable criteria to identify refractoriness to treatment. To overcome those issues, the European Headache Federation (EHF) issued a Consensus document to propose criteria to approach difficult-to-treat migraine patients in a standar