The complex interplay between gastrointestinal and psychiatric symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome: A longitudinal assessment.

Aims: The aims of this study were to better define the relationship between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and psychiatric disorders and to examine the efficacy of paroxetine in the treatment of IBS patients.

Methods: One hundred fifty subjects with diagnosis of IBS (Roma III criteria) and relative sub-classification (constipated, diarrhea, and mixed) were assessed for psychopathological features and gastrointestinal symptoms using IBS Symptom Severity Score and were consecutively enrolled. Fifty patients assumed paroxetine for 16 weeks and were longitudinally evaluated.

Usefulness of a simple sleep-deprived EEG protocol for epilepsy diagnosis in de novo subjects.

Objective: In case series concerning the role of EEG after sleep deprivation (SD-EEG) in epilepsy, patients' features and protocols vary dramatically from one report to another. In this study, we assessed the usefulness of a simple SD-EEG method in well characterized patients.

Methods: Among the 963 adult subjects submitted to SD-EEG at our Center, in the period 2003-2010, we retrospectively selected for analysis only those: (1) evaluated for suspected epileptic seizures; (2) with a normal/non-specific baseline EEG; (3) still drug-free at the time of SD-EEG; (4) with an MRI analysis; (5) with at least 1 year follow-up.