Increased frequency of euthyroid ophthalmopathy in patients with Graves' disease associated with myasthenia gravis.

We previously showed that myasthenia gravis (MG) has a mild clinical expression when associated with autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD). In the present study we have investigated the frequency of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) in patients with Graves' disease (GD) associated with MG as compared with GD patients without MG. A total of 418 patients with GD were studied, 31 with MG and 387 without MG.

Alpha-dihydroergocryptine in the treatment of de novo parkinsonian patients: results of a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Introduction: A multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study was carried out in 123 patients suffering from never treated (de novo) idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of the study was to confirm the efficiency and safety of alpha-dihydroergocryptine (alpha-DHEC) given as monotherapy in the symptomatic treatment of PD. The total score of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) was identified as the efficacy target variable.

Prevalence of headache syndromes in panic disorder.

We investigated the prevalence of headache in a group of patients attending a psychiatric clinic because suffering from panic disorder, according to DSM-IV criteria. The psychopathological assessment was performed with the 'Panic Disorder/Agoraphobia Questionnaire' and the presence of headache was evaluated according to the criteria of the International Headache Society. The results showed that two-thirds of patients met the criteria for a diagnosis of headache, with migraine without aura being the most frequent form, followed by tension headache, while two patients only were affected by migraine with aura.

Psychiatric comorbidity and psychosocial stress in patients with tension-type headache from headache centers in Italy. The Italian Collaborative Group for the Study of Psychopathological Factors in Primary Headaches.

A multicenter study was carried out in 10 Italian Headache Centers to investigate the prevalence of psychosocial stress and psychiatric disorders listed by the IHS classification as the "most likely causative factors" of tension-type headache (TTH). Two hundred and seventeen TTH adult outpatients consecutively recruited underwent a structured psychiatric interview (CIDI-c). The assessment of psychosocial stress events was carried out using an ad hoc questionnaire.

T-cell interleukin-6 receptor binding in patients with myasthenia gravis.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a T-cell-dependent and antibody-mediated autoimmune disease of the neuromuscular junction, in which the cytokine network may be deranged. Specific receptors for interleukin (IL)-6, a cytokine with several effects on the neuroimmune system, have been found on human lymphocytes. The aim of the present study has been to assay IL-6 binding on peripheral blood T cells from MG patients.