A case of lumbar sciatica in a patient with spondylolysis and spondylolysthesis and underlying misdiagnosed brucellar discitis.

We report the case of a patient affected by vertebral pain refractory to conventional analgesic therapy with a diagnosis of spondylolysthesis and also the affects of a misdiagnosed brucellar spondylodiscitis. The absence of a positive response to conventional analgesics, a suggestive medical history (epidemiologic data still show a high incidence of Brucella infections for the Province of Catania), radiological findings and microbiological tests led to the correct diagnosis of algic syndrome in a patient affected by brucellar spondylodiscitis with the concomitant presence of retroperitoneal muscular abscess, and a previously diagnosed spondylolysthesis. All symptoms improved after correct antibrucellar antibiotic therapy and surgical drainage of the retroperitoneal abscess.

Continuous intrathecal baclofen administration by a fully implantable electronic pump for severe spasticity treatment: our experience.

Aim: With this 8-month study, we wanted to evaluate the efficacy of continuous intrathecal baclofen infusion delivery by a programmable pump for severe spasticity according to patient selection criteria, implantation technique and related parameters, and outcome after the initial follow-up period.

Methods: Intrathecal baclofen infusion was initiated in 30 patients within 24 h after a test dose of the agent resulted positive in spinal anaesthesia. During the procedure and the follow-up period, the following parameters were measured: incidence of anaesthesiological or surgical complications and adverse events, postdural puncture headache, prolonged motor block, difficulty in wound healing, infection, necessity to remove the pump; clinical response as measured on the Ashworth and spasms scales, quality of sleep, autonomy, quality of life and pain before and after intrathecal baclofen therapy.

Relationship between cardiac function and insulin resistance in obese patients.

Both overweight and insulin resistance predispose to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases, independently of other risk factors. We studied the relationship between insulin resistance and heart function and dimension in 39 patients with different degrees of obesity. Twenty-six women and 13 men with body mass index (BMI) ranging 26.

A controlled multicenter pediatric study in the treatment of acute respiratory tract diseases with the aid of a new specific compound, erdosteine (IPSE, Italian Pediatric Study Erdosteine).

Introduction: Erdosteine is an original drug which has been suggested as secretolytic compound and promoter of respiratory ventilation in the treatment of acute and chronic respiratory diseases. Moreover, the drug possesses also scavenging, antioxidant, and bacterial anti-adhesivity properties. From a clinical point of view the best results have been obtained by combined treatment with an antibiotic agent of useful spectrum activity.

Correlation of quantitative ultrasound of bone with biochemical markers of bone resorption in women with osteoporotic fractures.

The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation of parameters of bone quality assessed by quantitative ultrasound (QUS) with biochemical indexes of bone resorption. QUS of the calcaneus and the hand phalanges, and biochemical parameters (urinary excretion of pyridinoline [Pyr] and deoxypyridinoline [D-Pyr]) were measured in a group of 30 well-characterized postmenopausal women with established osteoporosis and fragility fractures. All patients were treatment free.