An epidemiologic investigation of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Thrace, Turkey, 2006-2010.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the incidence and prevalence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in Thrace, Turkey in a five-year time period (2006-2010).

Methods: Study population included residents of three provinces (Edirne, Tekirdag, Kırklareli) in the Thrace region. Cases were ascertained from all of the neurologic centers and hospitals of these provinces.

Possible promoting effects of melatonin, leptin and alcar on regeneration of the sciatic nerve.

Peripheral nerve injury is a widespread and disabling condition that can impair the individual's daily life. Studies involving medications that may positively affect peripheral nerve regeneration are rare. The aim of this study was to investigate new treatments after peripheral nerve injury using various neuroprotectants, melatonin, alcar and leptin, in the regenerative process in an experimental rat model.

The value of electroencephalography in differential diagnosis of altered mental status in emergency departments.

Objective: To evaluate the value of electroencephalography in patients with altered mental status in emergency departments.

Methods: Demographical characteristics, types and aetiologies of seizures, and clinical outcomes of the patients were recorded. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to the complaints of admission: findings and symptoms of seizure; stroke and symptoms of stroke-related seizures; syncope; and metabolic abnormalities and other causes of altered mental status.

Cerebral fat embolism syndrome after long bone fracture due to gunshot injury.

Cerebral fat embolism syndrome is a lethal complication of long-bone fractures and clinically manifasted with respiratory distress, altered mental status, and petechial rash. We presented a 20-year-old male admitted with gun-shot wounds to his left leg. Twenty-four hours after the event, he had generalized tonic clonic seizures, decorticate posture and a Glascow Coma Scale of seven with localization of painful stimuli.

Has admission blood pressure any prognostic value in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage: an emergency department experience.

Hypertension is a well-known risk factor for the development and rupture of cerebral aneurysms. The authors conducted a study to investigate the prognostic value of admission blood pressure (BP) on prognosis in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Two hundred patients with SAH were divided into two groups according to Hunt Hess score (good prognosis: 1 to 3, and poor prognosis: 4 and 5) and according to death in hospital (surveyed and died).

Entrapment neuropathies in chronic stroke patients.

Stroke is the third most common cause of mortality and is one of the most common causes of morbidity in the world. Entrapment neuropathies may cause morbidity after stroke. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the development of entrapment neuropathies in severe stroke patients within the chronic stages of the event.

Phrenic neuropathy in diabetic and prediabetic patients without neuromuscular complaint.

Neuropathy, one of the major reasons of morbidity in diabetes mellitus (DM), is associated with prediabetic conditions as well as DM. The present study aims to compare phrenic and peripheral nerves in prediabetic, diabetic patients and healthy controls. A total of 37 diabetic, 40 prediabetic patients and 18 healthy controls were enrolled in the study.

The effect of admission blood pressure on the prognosis of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage that occurred during treatment with aspirin, warfarin, or no drugs.

Background: Hypertension is the most important modifiable risk factor for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), but blood pressure (BP) management during the acute phase of ICH is still controversial. Approximately one-fourth of ICHs occur during treatment with warfarin or aspirin.

Aim: This study was designed to determine the effect of admission BP on the early prognosis of ICH patients by dividing them into three groups (warfarin, aspirin, and no drugs).

Does cervical radiculopathy have an effect on peripheral nerve conduction studies? An electrophysiological evaluation.

Background: Peripheral nerve neuropathies are more common in patients with cervical radiculopathy (CR) and a proximal lesion along an axon might predispose that nerve to injury at distal sites. To evaluate this hypothesis, the frequency of median nerve neuropathy at the wrist and the frequency of ulnar nerve neuropathy at the elbow were investigated in 80 patients with one-sided CR.

Methods: The symptomatic and asymptomatic extremities were compared for the electrophysiological parameters of ulnar and median nerve conduction studies.

Ischemic stroke in young adults: risk factors, subtypes, and prognosis.

Background: ischemic strokes occurring in patients younger than 47 years is a relatively rare event and accounts for less than 5% of all ischemic strokes in western countries.

Objective: the etiologic spectrum in younger patients and older patients differs considerably.

Methods: in this hospital case series study, we enrolled 192 patients with ischemic stroke, aged 18 to 47 years, all of whom were submitted to a diagnostic protocol.

Cost of acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke in Turkey.

Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the direct medical costs and outcomes of patients with stroke.

Material And Methods: The records of the patients admitted with ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke to the University of Trakya, School of Medicine, Department of Neurology were reviewed retrospectively in year 2007. Direct medical costs (total costs, radiological, laboratory, medicine, and other) were calculated, additionally cost per life saved and per life-year saved were calculated for stroke patients.

Stroke due to bee sting.

Although bee stings can cause local reactions, neurovascular complications are rare. A 60-year-old man developed a focal neurologic deficit 2 hours after multiple bee stings, which was confirmed to be acute cerebral infarctions on magnetic resonance imaging scan.

Acute onset myositis associated with brucellosis, quite a rare diagnosis.

Brucellosis is a zoonosis that is transmissible to humans. It is a disease with multi-systemic involvement caused by the genus Brucella. Neurological complications, including meningitis, meningo-encephalitis, myelitis-radiculoneuritis, brain abscess, epidural abscess and meningo-vascular syndromes, are rarely encountered.

[Cerebral infarction due to traumatic carotid artery dissection: case report and review of current management].

With the advent of improved neuroradiological methods, it has been determined that frequency of traumatic carotid artery dissections is higher than previously observed. Since delayed neurological deficits may develop in some asymptomatic undiagnosed cases, it is essential to consider the possibility of the carotid artery dissection and evaluate it properly in suspicious cases. In this article, a case of internal carotid artery dissection and subsequent cerebral infarction following a motor vehicle accident is presented.

Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies in a Turkish patient (HNPP): a rare cause of entrapment neuropathies in young adults.

Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) is an autosomal dominant nerve disease usually caused by 1,5 Mb deletion on chromosome 17p11.2.2-p12, the region where the PMP-22 gene is located.

Sympathetic skin response and RR interval variation in patients with cardiac syndrome X.

Sympathetic skin response (SSR) and R-R interval variation (RRIV) are noninvasive electrophysiological tests used in the assessment of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system function, respectively. Cardiac syndrome X (CSX) is usually diagnosed in the presence of typical angina pectoris, a positive response to exercise testing, and normal-appearing coronary angiograms without spasm induced by hyperventilation or ergonovine. Alterations of autonomic nervous system control of cardiac function have been described in CSX.

Simultaneous onset of hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes.

Primary brain hemorrhage and infarction only very rarely occur simultaneously. We report a patient with the simultaneous onset of hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes who had uncontrolled hypertension and atrial fibrillation. Neuroradiologic investigations revealed a large right thalamic hematoma with ventricular extension and an infarct in the territory of the left internal carotid artery.

Evaluation of vasomotor reactivity by transcranial Doppler sonography in patients with acute stroke who have symptomatic intracranial and extracranial stenosis.

Objective: In patients with large artery disease, determining the cerebral hemodynamic state and following its alterations may be a good marker for predicting long-term outcome. The aim of our study was to compare the changes in vasomotor reactivity (VMR) of patients with symptomatic intracranial and extracranial artery stenosis. We also examined whether VMR after stroke influences the long-term prognosis for these patients.

Deep cerebral vein thrombosis associated with iron deficiency anaemia in adults.

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is rare and has a wide spectrum of symptoms, therefore it is difficult to diagnose. Thrombosis of the deep cerebral veins occurs very rarely: it has been reported that approximately 6% of patients with CVT have deep CVT, and the prognosis for patients with this condition is poor. CVT has been reported in association with dehydration, a hypercoagulable state, mastoiditis, tumour invasion of a venous sinus, use of oral contraceptives, pregnancy, puerperium, head trauma, vasculitis, and intracranial and systemic infections.

Two patients with tremor caused by cortical lesions.

Myoclonic tremor due to cortical lesions is a rare condition and must be distinguished from other causes of tremor. This is because the treatment strategies of tremor may differ due to the various etiologies. We present here two cases with myoclonic tremor caused by parietal cortical lesions showing tremulous finger movement provoked by action and posture.

Six-month follow-up study in patients with symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis.

Ischaemic stroke due to intracranial atherosclerosis is estimated to comprise 8-12% of all ischaemic strokes. It is known that the risk of recurrence is extremely high in patients with ischaemic stroke caused by intracranial stenosis. In the present study we aimed to evaluate the clinical and radiological findings over a 6-month follow-up period in patients with intracranial atherosclerosis.