Botulinum toxin type A versus amitriptyline for the treatment of chronic daily migraine.

Objective: To compare the effects of botulinum toxin type A with those of amitriptyline on the treatment of chronic daily migraines.

Methods: Chronic migraine sufferers were randomized into two groups and treated with 25 or 50mg/day of amitriptyline or 250U of botulinum toxin type A. A reduction of at least 50% in the number of pain episodes, in the intensity of pain, and in the number of drug doses for pain and reports of improvement by the patient or by the examiner were the main endpoints.

Botulinum toxin type A in refractory chronic migraine: an open-label trial.

Botulinum toxin type A (BT-A) has been described as an important strategy to various types of pain such as cervical dystonia, myofascial pain syndrome and headache. Although BT-A efficacy has not been proven in tension type headache, its use in migraine continues controversial. In this open trial, we evaluated the efficacy of BT-A in refractory migraine.

[Role of patent foramen ovale and of the Eustaquian valve in the trhomboembolic events].

The association between patent foramen ovale (PFO) and paradoxical emboli is described in medical literature. When have not association with atrial septal aneurysm, arguments arise about the clots origin, because it have been difficult to gave evidence of the clots passing from venous circulation across shunt right to left. We describe four cases of vascular events whose transesophageal echocardiography showed clots nailed within the PFO associated the prominent Eustachian valve, without septal aneurysm.

[Atrial septal defects as a risk factor for migraine: a case-control study].

To determine the magnitude of the association between atrial septal defect (ASD) and migraine. We evaluated 101 subjects submitted to transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). They have been asked about headache.

Exacerbated inflammatory cellular immune response characteristics of HAM/TSP is observed in a large proportion of HTLV-I asymptomatic carriers.

Background: A small fraction of Human T cell Leukemia Virus type-1 (HTLV-I) infected subjects develop a severe form of myelopathy. It has been established that patients with HTLV-I associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) show an exaggerated immune response when compared with the immunological response observed in HTLV-I asymptomatic carriers. In this study the immunological responses in HAM/TSP patients and in HTLV-I asymptomatic carriers were compared using several immunological assays to identify immunological markers associated with progression from infection to disease.

Gabapentin to treat sacral perineural cyst-induced pain. Case report.

Background And Objectives: Perineural cysts may induce difficult to control neuropathic pain. Anticonvulsivants are used to treat such pain. This report aimed at presenting a case of total pain remission with gabapentin after failure of all other therapeutic alternatives used.