RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: One of the most frequent complications of vascular encephalopathies is the onset of cognitive disorders that lead the patient to a progressive decay of his abilities and useful life. Being high blood pressure (HBP) one of the most important causes of brain vascular disorders, we studied some aspects of cognition in HBP patients without neurological manifestations and with normal scores in Mini Mental State Examination. PATIENTS AND METHODS: There were studied 84 uncomplicated hypertensive patients, with a normal neurological physical examination and a group of 35 functionally healthy subjects. The patients were divided into three groups: slight high blood pressure (SLHBP, n = 24 age, 49 +/- 4) with diastolic blood pressure (DBP) between 90 and 100 mmHg, moderate high blood pressure (MHBP, n = 40, age 51 +/- 6) with DBP between 101 and 114 mmHg, and severe high blood pressure (SHBP, n = 20, age 49 +/- 8) with DBP of 115 mmHg or higher. All subjects underwent visual and auditory P300 evoked potentials. RESULTS: Visual and auditory P300 wave showed global latency delay, and amplitude decrease and absence of response in different leads, especially in frontal regions, higher in SHBP patients. This absence of response was more evident in auditory P300 in all patient groups. CONCLUSION: It is remarkable that neurologically asymptomatic HBP patients have P300 alterations with regional focalization, possibly due to a functional disorder related to hemodynamic changes in the central nervous system.
Assuntos
Potenciais Evocados P300 , Potenciais Evocados/fisiologia , Hipertensão/fisiopatologia , Adulto , Pressão Sanguínea/fisiologia , Cognição/fisiologia , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Testes NeuropsicológicosRESUMO
A polyspecific Pan-African antivenom has been produced from the plasma of horses immunized with a mixture of the venoms of Echis ocellatus, Bitis arietans and Naja nigricollis, the three most medically important snakes in sub-Saharan Africa. The antivenom is a whole IgG preparation, obtained by caprylic acid precipitation of non-IgG plasma proteins. The antivenom effectively neutralizes the most important toxic activities of the three venoms used in the immunization in standard assays involving preincubation of venom and antivenom before testing. This antivenom compares favourably with other antivenoms designed for use in Africa with respect to neutralization of the toxins present in the venom of E. ocellatus. Caprylic acid fractionation of horse hyperimmune plasma is a simple, convenient and cheap protocol for the manufacture of high quality whole IgG antivenoms. It constitutes a potentially valuable technology for the alleviation of the critical shortage of antivenom in Africa.
Assuntos
Antivenenos/imunologia , Caprilatos/química , Imunoglobulina G/imunologia , Venenos de Serpentes/antagonistas & inibidores , Animais , Precipitação Química , Venenos Elapídicos/antagonistas & inibidores , Venenos Elapídicos/imunologia , Venenos Elapídicos/intoxicação , Cavalos , Camundongos , Venenos de Serpentes/imunologia , Venenos de Serpentes/intoxicação , Venenos de Víboras/antagonistas & inibidores , Venenos de Víboras/imunologia , Venenos de Víboras/intoxicaçãoRESUMO
The World Health Organization (WHO) has indicated that opioid analgesics are insufficiently available, particularly in developing countries, due to a variety of reasons, including legislative, educational, and policy issues. In its effort to promote the rational use of medical opioids and the adequate treatment of patients with cancer, WHO has sponsored a meeting of Latin American representatives every 2 years, which includes health professionals and government regulators. During March 24-27, 1996, a group of 86 representatives of cancer pain relief and palliative care programs from nine Latin American countries met in Santo Domingo under the auspices of the WHO Palliative Care Program for Latin America. For the first time since the First Latin American Meeting, government regulators were present to help address the issue of opioid availability from their perspective. During the meeting, issues pertaining to cancer pain, opioid availability, and palliative care were discussed. This report summarizes some of the events and presents a summary of the conclusions of an earlier meeting in 1994, as described in the Declaration of Florianopolis, and presents its follow-up, The Santo Domingo Report, generated following the 1996 meeting.