Risk factors of chronicity in lumbar disc patients. A prospective investigation of biologic, psychologic, and social predictors of therapy outcome.

Study Design: The current prospective longitudinal study examined the predictive value of psychological, somatic and social variables for the prediction of the short- and long-term follow-up in 111 consecutively selected patients with acute radicular pain and a lumbar disc prolapse or protrusion.

Objectives: The criteria for the therapy outcome were the intensity of persistent pain at the time of the discharge from the hospital and 6 months later and the application for early retirement at the 6 month follow-up.

Methods: As for the psychological predictors, we examined depression (Beck Depression Inventory BDI), daily hassles (Kiel Interview of the Subjective Situation KISS), pain coping strategies (Kiel Pain Inventory KSI), and Health locus of control (GKU).

[Space-occupying cyst formation following surgery of malignant gliomas].

Incidence and follow-up of patients with space-occupying cystic lesions after surgery of malignant gliomas are demonstrated. Aetiological aspects and therapeutic possibilities are mentioned.

Evoked potentials in neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis.

Nerve conduction, EEG, visual evoked potentials, electroretinograms and somatosensory evoked potentials were investigated in 3 children with the Bielschowsky-Jansky-type and in 1 child diagnosed as Spielmeyer-Vogt-type of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. Electroretinographic responses were abolished in all of them. Electroencephalograms showed high amplitude, irregular delta-theta activity and spike- or polyspike-wave discharges without localized preponderance.