Effects of monotherapy and polytherapy on the blink reflex in epileptic patients.

We performed the blink reflex (BR) in 20 normal volunteers, 13 epileptic patients receiving antiepileptic drug (AED) monotherapy, and 13 epileptic patients receiving AED polytherapy. Comparison of R1, ipsilateral and contralateral R2 and VIIth nerve latencies in the three groups showed no statistically significant differences R1 and VIIth nerve latencies among the three groups. There were statistically significant differences between the polytherapy group and the monotherapy and control groups in comparisons of ipsilateral and contralateral R2.

Risk factors for developing seizures after a stroke.

We evaluated development of seizures in 219 consecutive patients who had ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. Subjects with transitory ischemic attacks, subarachnoid, subdural, and epidural hemorrhages or those with previous history of epilepsy were excluded. Mean follow-up time was 11.

Tegmental pontine hemorrhages: clinical features and prognostic factors.

We report six patients with partial, predominantly paramedian, tegmental pontine hemorrhages. Constant clinical manifestations consisted of: ipsilateral miosis, horizontal gaze paresis, lower motor neuron facial paresis, contralateral hemisensory loss and mild and transitory hemiparesis, dysarthria and mild or no compromise of consciousness. Five out of six were hypertensive.

Turner's syndrome, fibromuscular dysplasia, and stroke.

We report a 43-year-old woman who presented with a right frontoparietotemporal ischemic stroke. She had been diagnosed with Turner's syndrome during childhood and had a history of chronic estrogen therapy. Cerebral angiography showed lesions characteristics of fibromuscular dysplasia involving the right internal carotid and right vertebral arteries.

Chronic aseptic meningitis in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Chronic aseptic meningitis is a rare manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus. It may occur early in the course of the disease and sometimes may be the initial symptom. We report a patient with chronic aseptic meningitis associated with systemic lupus erythematosus.