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The aim of this study was to describe oral lesions in a group of patients with COVID-19. We recruited 55 patients, 25 women (45.5%) and 30 men (54.5%), aged between 1 and 89 years with confirmed COVID-19 at different stages of severity. After obtaining informed consent, we examined their mouths and recorded clinical findings. Forty percent of the patients had at least 1 oral lesion. The most common lesions were candidiasis and ulcers (7 patients each); 2 patients had enanthems. Geographic tongue and caviar tongue were also observed. Altered taste, dry mouth, and painful/burning mouth were noted in 60%, 27.3%, and 36.4% of patients, respectively. Oral mucosal alterations and lesions were prevalent in this series of COVID-19 patients. Altered taste and a painful/burning mouth were common symptoms.

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The aim of this study was to describe oral lesions in a group of patients with COVID-19. We recruited 55 patients, 25 women (45.5%) and 30 men (54.5%), aged between 1 and 89 years with confirmed COVID-19 at different stages of severity. After obtaining informed consent, we examined their mouths and recorded clinical findings. Forty percent of the patients had at least 1 oral lesion. The most common lesions were candidiasis and ulcers (7 patients each); 2 patients had enanthems. Geographic tongue and caviar tongue were also observed. Altered taste, dry mouth, and painful/burning mouth were noted in 60%, 27.3%, and 36.4% of patients, respectively. Oral mucosal alterations and lesions were prevalent in this series of COVID-19 patients. Altered taste and a painful/burning mouth were common symptoms.

El propósito de este trabajo fue caracterizar las alteraciones orales en un grupo de pacientes COVID-19. Para ello se evaluaron 55 pacientes hospitalizados, confirmados COVID-19 en distintos estadios de severidad. Previo consentimiento informado, se examinó la cavidad oral y se registraron los hallazgos clínicos. El grupo de estudio estuvo conformado por 25 mujeres (45,5%) y 30 hombres (54,5%), con edades comprendidas entre 1 y 89 años. Un 40% de los pacientes mostraron alguna lesión bucal. Las lesiones más comunes fueron candidiasis y ulceraciones (7 pacientes cada uno) y en dos pacientes se observó enantema. También se encontraron alteraciones de la normalidad como glositis migratoria y varicosidades linguales. Asimismo, se registraron alteraciones del gusto, xerostomía y dolor/ardor bucal en el 60%, 27,3% y 36,4% respectivamente. En los pacientes COVID-19 se observaron con frecuencia alteraciones y lesiones en la mucosa bucal. Finalmente, la disgeusia y el dolor y/o el ardor oral fueron síntomas comunes en estos pacientes.

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AIM: To know the differences in the patterns of functional connectivity, the topological characteristics of the network and the relationship between these latter and the interictal epileptiform anomalies in children with primary and secondary autism spectrum disorder (ASD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted with 27 children aged between 3 and 13 years diagnosed with ASD. Subjects were submitted to an electroencephalogram in a functional state of spontaneous sleep. Functional connectivity and the properties of the network were analysed using data obtained from the electroencephalogram during the N2 stage of non-REM sleep. The frequency of discharge of the interictal epileptiform activity (FDIEA) was determined and was correlated with the topological properties of the network. RESULTS: Synchronisation was diminished in patients with secondary ASD for the alpha frequency and increased for the theta and delta frequency compared with patients with primary ASD. Local alpha efficiency was higher in patients who presented interictal epileptiform activity. Additionally, in patients with secondary ASD there was a statistically significant positive and negative correlation between FDIEA and the topological properties of the network. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with secondary ASD display patterns of functional connectivity that are weaker for the alpha frequency and stronger for theta and delta than patients with primary ASD. In patients with secondary ASD, the interictal epileptiform activity is related to local and global connectivity of the network for the alpha and beta bands during non-REM sleep.

TITLE: Conectividad funcional derivada del electroencefalograma durante el sueño no REM en los trastornos del espectro autista.Objetivo. Conocer las diferencias en los patrones de conectividad funcional, las caracteristicas topologicas de la red y la relacion de estas con las anomalias epileptiformes interictales en niños con trastorno del espectro autista (TEA) primario y secundario. Pacientes y metodos. Se realizo un estudio retrospectivo con 27 niños de 3-13 años diagnosticados con TEA, a los que se les realizo un electroencefalograma en estado funcional de sueño espontaneo. Se analizo la conectividad funcional y las propiedades de la red a partir de los datos obtenidos del electroencefalograma durante la etapa N2 del sueño no REM. Se determino la frecuencia de descarga de la actividad epileptiforme interictal (FDAEI) y se correlaciono con las propiedades topologicas de la red. Resultados. Los pacientes con TEA secundario tenian una disminucion de la sincronizacion para la frecuencia alfa y un incremento para la frecuencia theta y delta en comparacion con los pacientes con TEA primario. La eficiencia local alfa fue mayor en los pacientes que presentaban actividad epileptiforme interictal. Ademas, en los pacientes con TEA secundario, existia una correlacion positiva y negativa estadisticamente significativa entre la FDAEI y las propiedades topologicas de red. Conclusiones. Los pacientes con TEA secundario muestran patrones de conectividad funcional mas debiles para la frecuencia alfa y mas fuerte para la theta y delta que los pacientes con TEA primario. En pacientes con TEA secundario, la actividad epileptiforme interictal se relaciona con la conectividad local y global de la red para las bandas de frecuencia alfa y beta durante el sueño no REM.

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INTRODUCTION: To date no controlled, randomised studies with flexible dose regimens have been conducted in children with rolandic epilepsy, and therapy is therefore still empirical. AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of clobazam (CLB) compared with that of carbamazepine (CBZ) in rolandic epilepsy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective, open, controlled and randomised study was carried out to compare CBZ and CLB in children with rolandic epilepsy with a follow-up over a two-year period. A random sample of 45 patients was taken and 38 of them finished the study. A flexible dose regimen was indicated. Control of seizures, academic performance, behaviour, adherence to treatment, parents' degree of satisfaction and side effect profiles were all evaluated. RESULTS: Both drugs were equally effective at controlling seizures (94.1% of patients with CLB and 100% of those with CBZ were free of seizures on ending the study; p = 0.26). CLB controlled seizures earlier (33.3 +/- 45 days versus 48.2 +/- 72.3; p < 0.05) and had fewer side effects than CBZ (side effects appeared in three patients with CLB and in eight of those on CBZ; p = 0). In two of the patients taking CBZ, the seizures got worse and a series of cognitive-behavioural complications also appeared. CONCLUSIONS: CBZ is an effective drug in rolandic epilepsy, but it may be associated with exacerbation of seizures as well as with cognitive-behavioural impairment. CLB in monotherapy seems to be an effective and better tolerated drug in this kind of epilepsy.

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BACKGROUND: Associations between electrophysiological and histological findings might provide an insight into the epileptogenicity of mild focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and a dual pathology. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 22 patients with pharmacoresistant TLE were included in the study, 16 of them with histologically confirmed hippocampal sclerosis (HS) associated with neocortical temporal mild Palmini Type-I FCD subtypes and 6 with HS. Intraoperative electrocorticography (ECoG) recordings were analysed for epileptiform discharge frequency and morphology. Associations between histological, and electrocorticography pattern findings in these patients were analysed. Electroclinical outcomes in these patients were also evaluated. RESULTS: Neocortical areas with mild Palmini Type-I FCD showed a significantly higher spike frequency (SF) recorded in the inferior temporal gyrus than those neocortical areas in patients with HS. There was a tendency to higher spike frequency and lower amplitude in neocortical areas with histopathologic subtype IB FCD in relation with IA during intraoperative ECoG. Post-SF excision and amplitude were significantly lower during neocortical post-excision intraoperative ECoG than during neocortical pre-excision recording. There was no difference found in the clinical outcome between patients with and without FCD. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative electrocorticographic interictal spike frequency recorded in the neocortical inferior temporal gyrus may help to characterize the histopathologic subtypes of mild Palmini Type-I FCD in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and a dual pathology. Our data support the epileptogenicity of neocortical mild FCD in TLE and assessments of ECoG patterns are relevant to determine the extent of the resection in these patients which can influence the electroclinical outcome.

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SETTING: Nicaragua, a country where the DOTS strategy has been successfully implemented since 1984. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence and trends of Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistance to first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs. DESIGN: A prospective national survey carried out in 2004 according to the standardised model developed by the World Health Organisation and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. RESULTS: A total of 423 M. tuberculosis strains were studied. Among the 320 strains evaluated for initial resistance, 13.1% displayed resistance to any drug, lower than the 1998 figure of 15.6%. Overall initial resistance to isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RMP) and multidrug resistance (MDR) was respectively 6.6%, 0.9% and 0.6%. Initial resistance was higher in older age groups. Overall acquired resistance was 35.9% (n = 103); resistance to INH was 29.3% and to RMP 8.9%, while MDR was 7.9%. The acquired MDR rate was clearly higher in Category I failures (44.4%) than in relapses (3.8%) and retrieved defaulters (2.7%). All resistance rates found in this study were lower than those detected in 1998. CONCLUSION: This study shows low rates of resistance and MDR and a downward trend in all rates, undoubtedly related to the proper implementation of the National Tuberculosis Programme.

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INTRODUCTION: The dual pathology consisting of hippocampal sclerosis plus focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is often reported in patients with medication-resistant medial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). AIMS: To determine the histopathological changes that take place in the neocortex of patients with medication-resistant MTLE submitted to surgery and to evaluate the relation between the histopathological changes, pathological background and the clinical course of patients who had received surgical treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tissue obtained by en bloc resection from the neocortex of 18 patients with MTLE refractory to medical treatment was processed histologically and a tailored temporal lobectomy was performed with electrocorticography. RESULTS: Dual pathology was diagnosed in 13 patients (72.2%). Imaging studies confirmed the existence of mesial sclerosis of the temporal in 100% of cases and there was no evidence of neocortical lesions. Histologically, 46.15% and 38.46% of the patients were diagnosed as belonging to FCD type 1a and FCD type 1b, respectively. Only one patient presented FCD type 2a. A statistically significant relation was found between the presence of dual pathology and the existence of an early precipitating injury (p = 0.04). One year after surgery, 72.7% (8/11) patients with dual pathology were classified as belonging to Engel class I. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with MTLE there are microscopic FCD-type alterations in the neocortex. There is an association between these alterations and the existence of an initial precipitating injury. Complete resection of the epileptogenic area, which is guaranteed by the lobectomy tailored by electrocorticography, allows patients to enjoy a favourable post-surgical progression one year after surgery.

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AIM: To assess the value of volumetric measurement by means of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and interictal electroencephalogram (EEG) in pre- and post-operative assessment of patients with medication-resistant medial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) who were submitted to surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We evaluated 12 volumetric studies carried out using MRI and 24 digital EEG records for six patients suffering from complex partial seizures that were resistant to medical treatment and had their origin in the temporal lobe. A volumetric analysis was performed using MRI to study the epileptogenic region and the frequencies at which interictal epileptiform discharges (IED/minute) appeared before, at six months and at one year after surgery were calculated; a correlation was observed between the volumetric analysis and the irritative and epileptogenic region. RESULTS: The volumes of both the ipso and contralateral hippocampuses were smaller in comparison to the increased frequency of the IED in the mesial regions. The inferior temporal lobes and the parahippocampal cortex have reduced volumes ipsolateral to the epileptogenic region. At six months after performing the temporal lobectomy, the IED frequency decreased with respect to the pre-operative IED. A negative correlation was found between the resected volume of the parahippocampal cortex and the inferior temporal lobe, and the post-operative IED frequency at one year. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with medication resistant MTLE the volumes of other structures in the medial temporal lobe are diminished, in addition to the hippocampus, and they are seen to have a smaller volume on the side that is ipsolateral to the epileptogenic region. There is a relation between the volume of the resected hippocampus and the post-operative IED frequency in patients with MTLE who successfully underwent a temporal lobectomy. Volumetric analysis of the epileptogenic lesion using MRI provides localising information that is valuable in the pre-operative assessment of patients with medication resistant MTLE who are submitted to surgery.

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AIM: To evaluate the value of prolonged video-electroencephalographic (video-EEG) monitoring complemented with spectral and EEG source analysis in identifying the epileptogenic area in patients with medial temporal lobe epilepsy who are candidates for non-lesional resective surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The electrographic patterns during the onset of seizures were evaluated in over 667 seizures from 41 patients with a clinical diagnosis of medication-resistant partial epilepsy. Analyses were performed using Harmonie software and variable resolution electrical tomography (VARETA). RESULTS: Video-EEG was used to determine that 53.6% of the patients evaluated suffered complex partial seizures of a temporal origin; these were characterised by having an average frequency of 5.56 +/- 1.56 Hz, while the non-temporal seizures displayed a frequency within the range 9.17 +/- 3.32 Hz. The topographic location of the dominant ictal frequency during the period of maximum spectral energy in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy enabled us to draw a distinction between a group of patients with mesial seizures and those with non-mesial seizures that exceeded the number that was determined by visual inspection of the EEG, that is, 78.9 versus 47.3%, respectively. There was a 100% coincidence between the area where the seizures began as defined by surface EEG complemented with spectral analysis, the generator of this activity as defined by VARETA and the epileptogenic region. CONCLUSIONS: The localising information provided by video-EEG complemented with spectral and EEG source analysis allows for non-invasive location of the epileptogenic region in patients with medial temporal lobe epilepsy even when structural imaging studies show an absence or bilaterality of abnormalities.

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SETTINGS: Tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic laboratories in Latin America. OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of thin-layer agar (TLA) compared to Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ) culture for the diagnosis of TB. DESIGN: Phase II prospective study in six laboratories. Samples included sputum and extra-pulmonary specimens from patients with a clinical diagnosis of TB. Respiratory samples were decontaminated using NaOH/ NALC; all samples were centrifuged, stained with Ziehl-Neelsen for acid-fast bacilli (AFB), cultured on LJ and TLA and identified according to recommended procedures. Sensitivity and likelihood ratios (LR), growth detection time and contamination rate were calculated for both media. RESULTS: A total of 1118 clinical specimens were studied. Cultures detected Mycobacterium tuberculosis in all AFB-positive samples, whereas for AFB-negative specimens LJ detected 3.2% and TLA 4.4%. Sensitivity was 92.6% (95%CI 87.9-95.9) and 84.7% (95%CI 78.8-89.0) for TLA and LJ, respectively. Positive and negative LRs were similar. Contamination was 5.1% for TLA and 3.0% for LJ. Median time to detection of a positive culture was 11.5 days (95%CI 9.3-15.0) for TLA and 30.5 days (95%CI 26.9-39.0) for LJ (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Difference in the characteristics of the participating laboratories, the disease prevalence and the number and type of specimens processed did not affect the overall performance of TLA as compared to LJ, supporting the robustness of the method and its feasibility in different laboratory settings.

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Datos clínicos y experimentales evidencian el papel del sistema inmune en la patogenia de la epilepsia. El propósito de este trabajo es mostrar los resultados de los estudios inmunológicos realizados a 30 pacientes epilépticos con crisis parciales complejas refractarias a tratamiento médico, evaluados por vídeo-EEG. Pacientes y métodos. Los pacientes se agruparon de acuerdo con la localización del foco epileptogénico en: temporales (n = 16), lateralizados (n = 6) y extratemporales (n = 4). Se estudiaron, además, pacientes (n = 4) diagnosticados según la evaluación por vídeo-EEG como epilepsia psicógena. Se determinaron los niveles de inmunoglobulinas (IgG, IgM e IgA) por inmunodifusión radial y se cuantificaron por inmunocitoquímica los linfocitos T y B (CD3 y CD20), así como los marcadores linfocitarios: CD4, CD8, CD25 y HLA-DR. Resultados. Se evidenció un aumento significativo en el porcentaje de linfocitos T CD8+ (supresores/citotóxicos, p < 0,05) y de los marcadores de activación CD25 (células receptor IL-2) y HLA-DR (antígeno leucocitario humano DR). La evaluación de los parámetros inmunológicos en los diferentes grupos de localización del foco epileptogénico mostró que el aumento significativo de los linfocitos CD8+ se limita a los casos temporales y lateralizados (p < 0,01). Los pacientes con localización extratemporal y los casos psicógenos mostraron valores normales para todos los marcadores evaluados; este último grupo recibía el mismo tratamiento médico que el resto de los pacientes. Conclusiones. Estos resultados evidencian que existen alteraciones del sistema inmune en los pacientes epilépticos con crisis parciales complejas no asociadas al tratamiento antiepiléptico; las mismas pueden ser factores relevantes en la patogenia de la epilepsia y guardan relación con la localización del foco epileptogénico(AU)

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OBJECTIVE: Clinical and experimental data support the role of immune mechanisms in the pathogeny of epilepsy. The purpose of this work was to study the immunological aspects in 30 epileptic patients with complex partial crisis resistant to antiepileptic drugs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The patients were evaluated by EEG-Video and they were grouped attending to epileptogenic focus localization in: temporals (n = 16), lateralized (n = 6) and extratemporals (n = 4). We also studied a group with psychogenic epilepsy (n = 4), this group was diagnosed after EEG-video evaluation. The following immunological evaluations has been carried out: levels of serum immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM e IgA) by radial immunodiffusion test and lymphocytic subpopulations using immunocytochemical methods. We measured the percent of T and B lymphocytes (CD3 and CD20), helper/inductor lymphocyte T (CD4), suppressor/cytotoxic (CD8), interleukine-2 receptor (CD25) and human leukocyte antigen (HLA-DR). RESULTS: The results show a significant increase of CD8+ lymphocytes (p < 0.05) and in the activation markers (CD25+ and HLA-DR+ cells). The evaluation of immunological parameters applied to different group of epileptogenic focus localization shown that the increase of CD8+ lymphocytes is limited to temporal and lateralized patients (p < 0.01). The patients with extratemporal localization of focus and the psychogenic cases shown normal values for the evaluated immunological lymphocyte markers. We did not find a deficit in the humoral immunological aspects. CONCLUSIONS: Taking into account that patients diagnosed as psychogenic received an antiepileptic drug treatment identical to that of the other group, the observed immunological changes might be related with the patogeny of certain epilepsy variants associated with the focus localization and not with the medication.

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SETTING: IUATLD collaborative programme, Nicaragua. OBJECTIVE: To analyse reported trends in the retreatment failure rate (2SRHZE/1RHZE/5R3H3E3), and assess demographic characteristics, drug resistance and survival in patients who fail retreatment. DESIGN: A retrospective, descriptive study. Reports from 1988-1996 were analysed and records of 69 patients who failed retreatment were reviewed. RESULTS: The treatment success rate in new cases improved from 71% in 1988-1991 to 79% in 1992-1996, the default rate decreased from 16% to 10%, and the failure rate remained stable at 2-3%. The proportion of previously treated patients among all smear-positives decreased from 20% to 15%. In retreatment patients the failure rate declined from 6.6% to 4.3% and the average annual number of failures from 24 to 13. In 1992-1996, 64 patients, 0.8% of new smear-positive cases treated during this period, failed retreatment; the corresponding figures for 1988-1991 are 95 and 1.6%. Among 69 retreatment failure cases reviewed, there was male predominance and increasing age during the study period. Drug susceptibility results were available for 38, of whom 89% were resistant to isoniazid and rifampicin. The median survival of patients after failure was 3.9 years. CONCLUSION: Treatment results improved over the study period. The proportion of patients on retreatment out of all smear positives treated decreased, as did the absolute number of failures and the retreatment failure rate. Development of multidrug resistance has been largely prevented in Nicaragua; the low failure rate justifies the continued use of the standardised retreatment regimen.

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Introducción. Múltiples y diversas son las entidades gnosológicas que tienen como factor común la génesis de expuestas evocadas corticales de gran amplitud y que han sido comúnmente denominados como potenciales evocados gigantes. En la mayor parte de los casos se trata de afecciones que tienen como característica clínica común la presencia de mioclonías de origen cortical, talescomo las epilepsias mioclónicas progresivas, epilepsias idiopáticas generalizadas, mioclonías de origen tóxico, infeccioso y postanóxico.En el estudio de lesiones hemisféricas focales también se han demostrado potenciales gigantes, lo mismo que en algunos casos de pacientes con degeneración corticobasal. Objetivo. Este trabajo pretende ejemplificar a través de la presentación de casos interesantes algunas de las entidades mencionadas, y revisar algunos conceptos acerca de los mecanismos que podrían estar involucrados en la génesis de estas respuestas electrofisiológicas particulares. Pacientes y métodos. Se estudiaron 6 pacientes entre 2 y 22 años de edad a los que se realizaron estudios de potenciales evocados multimodales, electroencefalograma y estudios imaginológicos. Resultados. Se constataron potenciales somatosensoriales gigantes en los pacientes con mioclonías evidentes, en tanto que los potenciales visuales de gran amplitud fueron comunes al resto de los casos presentados, en presencia o no de mioclonías. Conclusiones. Los potenciales evocados gigantes responden a un estado de hiperexcitabilidad cortical que puede tener orígenes diversos(AU)

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Introducción y objetivos. Las anomalías electrográficas del lóbulo temporal pueden presentarse en el 70 por ciento de los pacientes epilépticos, constituyendo la focalización de las descargas epileptiformes interictales una contribución importante al diagnóstico clínico. Por otra parte, se reconoce que la deteccción e interpretación de tales anomalías resulta influida por el método de registro; así, la utilización de electrodos extracraneales adicionales ha demostrado incrementar significativamente la sensibilidad del electroencefalograma (EEG) interictal e ictal. Pacientes y métodos. Presentamos los resultados de dos años de trabajo del Laboratorio de Electroencefalograma del Centro Internacional de Restauración Neurológica de La Habana, Cuba, utilizando electrodos cigomáticos en la evaluación ordinaria de pacientes epilépticos. Los registros se realizaron empleando la posición FCz como electrodo de referencia, en sustitución de la referencia (orejas cortocircuitadas) que por defecto se utiliza en el módulo de registros del software Track Walker 2 para Medicid 3E (empleado en los Laboratorios de Neurofisiología Clínica de la Red Nacional). Se comprobó actividad epileptiforme en 196 registros; de éstos, en 100 (51 por ciento) dicha actividad involucraba el lóbulo temporal, con localización estrictamente temporal demostrada en 25 pacientes (25 por ciento), y en 7 (28 por ciento) documentamos focalización en el aspecto mesial. Se presentan segmentos de EEG con descargas epileptiformes focalizadas en el lóbulo temporal (aspecto mesial y lateral) en montajes biopolares (cigotemporoparasagital) así como en referenciales. Conclusiones. Nuestros resultados avalan la utilidad de esta metodología para la detección y localización de actividad epileptiforme en el lóbulo temporal y plantean una alternativa que sensibiliza el valor diagnóstico del EEG en las epilepsias(AU)

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