Intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke--our experiences.

Intravenous (i.v.) thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) is the only available pharmacological therapy to improve the outcome of acute ischemic stroke.

The town of Cabar, Croatia, familiar pseudocluster for multiple sclerosis--descriptive epidemiological study.

Previous descriptive surveys in the town of Cabar, Croatia carried out by our own epidemiological research group, have established that this area is at high risk for MS. To confirm the above assumption and to update MS frequency in this area we conducted a community-based intensive prevalence and incidence study. On December 31st 2001, the average prevalence was 205.

The town of Cabar, Croatia, a high risk area for multiple sclerosis--analytic epidemiology of dietary factors.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is demyelization disease of central nervous system of unidentified causes. Analytic epidemiological research of 19 patients, clinically approved cases of MS and 25 controls, autochthonic inhabitants of town of Cabar, Croatia, the high-risk zone for the disease, was made. The research plan included case-control investigation--the "door to door" questionnaire--about nutrition habits.

Intraventricular thrombolysis with rt-PA in patients with intraventricular hemorrhage.

Objectives: To evaluate safety, clinical feasibility, and outcome of intraventricular (IVen) administration of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in patients with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH).

Materials And Methods: Forty-eight patients with IVH who received IVen rt-PA were compared with 49 age-, sex-, Glasgow Coma Scale score-, and Intracerebral Hemorrhage score-matched control patients. Patients with IVH of aneurysmal or arteriovenous malformation origin were excluded.

Recommendations for the management of patients with carotid stenosis.

These are evidence based guidelines for the management of patients with carotid stenosis, developed and endorsed by Croatian Society of Neurovascular Disorders, Croatian Society of Neurology, Croatian Society of Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, Croatian Society for Radiology, Croatian Society of Vascular Surgery and Croatian Society of Neurosurgery. They consist of recommendations for noninvasive screening of patients with carotid stenosis, best medical treatment and interventions such as carotid endarterectomy and stent placement based on international randomized clinical trials.

Early onset of carpal tunnel syndrome during pregnancy: case report.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is common during pregnancy and is considered to have a short and benign course. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs most frequently in third trimester. Patients are usually managed conservatively; symptoms improve after delivery and do not require surgical intervention.

Sildenafil induced choreoathetosis in men with Parkinson's disease.

Objective: The present report describes a case of choreoathetotic movements which were most probably induced by sildenafil in a patient with Parkinson's disease (PD) treated with levodopa/carbidopa (LD/CD).

Case Summary: A 56-year-old retired man was admitted to hospital because of bizarre, involuntary movements and anxiety. Before admission he had taken sildenafil 100 mg.

Direct medical cost of children and adolescents epilepsy at a university setting in Croatia.

The aim was to study the direct medical cost of epilepsy in children and adolescents and to determine the impact of epilepsy type and child's age on total costs of treatment. One-year prospective, prevalence based, "bottom up" analyses of sixty-nine (69) children with epilepsy (International League Against Epilepsy criteria was used). Direct medical costs were calculated by summing annual costs of hospital care, outpatient visits and antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment.

Trigeminal neuralgia secondary to meningioma of petroclival localization.

Trigeminal neuralgia is characterized by paroxysmal episodes of facial pain in the distribution of the trigeminal nerve. It can occur in either sex but is most frequently seen in women aged 50-60 years. This article presents case of trigeminal neuralgia in a 55-year-old female patient caused by meningioma of petroclival localization.

Recurrent transient global amnesia at high altitude.

We report the case of a 57-year-old man who experienced recurrent episodes of memory loss that resemble transient global amnesia (TGA). The first episode lasted 20 minutes, and the second was 8 hours long.

[Epilepsy and pregnancy: antiepileptic drugs effects on pregnancy].

Purpose: The aim of our study was to analyse the antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) usage in pregnant women with epilepsy, and to evaluate possible complications of this therapy during pregnancy and delivery as well as fetal effects of there drugs.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in the University Hospital Center Rijeka, Croatia, during the ten-year period (Jan 1, 1993-Dec 31, 2002). The study included 151 pregnant women with epilepsy.

Epidemiology of primary central nervous system tumors in the Coast and Gorski Kotar County, Croatia, 1977-2000.

Aim And Background: To establish the incidence of primary tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) in the resident population of the Coast and Gorski Kotar County, Croatia, in the period 1977-2000.

Methods: A retrospective descriptive epidemiological study. Tumors were classified according to the World Health Organization's scheme.

Make love to forget: two cases of transient global amnesia triggered by sexual intercourse.

Transient global amnesia (TGA) is characterized by a sudden onset and by a typical resolution within several hours. Several precipitating events have been proposed: physical exertion, emotional experiences, etc. The aim of this paper was to present two cases of TGA triggered by sexual intercourse and to suggest a possible mechanism for the development of TGA.

Migraine and tension-type headache in Croatia: a population-based survey of precipitating factors.

The careful monitoring of the trigger factors of headache could be an important step in treatment, because their avoidance may lessen the frequency and severity of attacks. Furthermore, they may provide a clue to the aetiology of headache. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of tension-type headache (TTH) and to establish the frequency of precipitating factors in subjects with migraine and TTH in the adult population of Bakar, County of the Coast and Gorski Kotar, Croatia.

The use of standardized incidence and prevalence rates in epidemiological studies on multiple sclerosis. A meta-analysis study.

Objective: To demonstrate whether or not the age and sex adjustment of incidence and prevalence rates in multiple sclerosis (MS) could allow more reliable comparison between epidemiological studies performed in different areas of the world and to establish if the latitude gradient theory could be confirmed after the standardization for age and sex distribution.

Methods: A meta-analysis of population-based incidence and prevalence studies on MS from 1980 through 1998 using the terms 'multiple sclerosis', 'prevalence' and 'incidence' in the bibliographic databases MEDLINE and EMBASE was performed. We included studies that reported the diagnostic criteria, number of cases and the population studied, the date of the study, the latitude, and the age- and sex-specific crude incidence and prevalence rates.

ALS with variable phenotypes in a six-generation family caused by leu144phe mutation in the SOD1 gene.

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurological disorder. The mutations of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase gene (SOD1) are responsible for familial ALS. We investigated a large family of Istro-Rumanian origin characterized by an autosomal dominant ALS occurring in 18 cases (three of which are still alive) throughout six generations.

Prevalence of migraine in Croatia: a population-based survey.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of migraine among Croatian adults. This is the first epidemiological study of migraine in Croatia in which the operational diagnostic criteria of the International Headache Society have been applied.

Methods: The study population consisted of all residents (aged 15 to 65 years) of Bakar, County of The Coast and Gorski Kotar, Croatia.

Incidence and prevalence of myasthenia gravis in the county of the coast and Gorski kotar, Croatia, 1976 through 1996.

For the period 1976 through 1996, we carried out an incidence and prevalence study of myasthenia gravis in the County of the Coast and Gorski kotar, Croatia. This was the first epidemiological study of myasthenia gravis in Croatia. A total of 43 incident cases were identified.