Drug adverse events and drop-out risk: a clinical case

We report a brief discussion on a clinical case of a female patient, 85 years old, affected by severe cognitive impairment and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The patient was not taking drugs at home (apart from promazine: 10 drops when necessary to control her behavioral diseases). A previous neuropsychological evaluation had shown a severe cognitive impairment MMSE=16/30; ADL=3/6; IADL=0/8) due to multiple brain ischemic areas (confirmed in 2003 by MRI neuroimaging). When the patient was admitted to our center she was able to perform some basic activities of daily living such as eating and walking and was not too confused. She was included in cognitive rehabilitation groups. Since she showed signs of Parkinsonism, a therapy based on omeprazol 20mg, acetylsalicylic acid, donepezil 10mg, pramipexol 0.18 mg, nimodipine 10 drops, levodopa+carbidopa 100/25mg was started. A few days later she became sleepy during daytime and, once, she lost her balance and fell. She was not self-sufficient any more. At first this was attributed to a lung infection that the patient had, but her state continue after the infection was completely cured with appropriate antibiotics therapy. At that point an adverse drug reaction was suspected and therapy with pramipexol 0.18 mg was interrupted. In a few days the patient regained her previous level of consciousness and self-sufficiency. We consider this a typical case of complex management in a patient with dementia and comorbidity in which adverse drug reactions can play an important role in lowering the level of cognitive functions. In this case the relationship with the family of the patient was made difficult by the attitude of the patient's daughter who decided, after the onset of the adverse drug reaction, to interrupt her mother's stay in our center even at risk of the worst consequences.

[Van Buchem disease. Maxillofacial changes, diagnostic classification and general principles of treatment]

Van Buchem's disease is a rare pathology with recessive transmission and variable expressivity characterised by a progressive cortical bone deposition. There are two types of this disease: Type I (Van Buchem's disease) progressive form for all life and with high level of PA (alkaline phosphate); Type II (Worth disease) the pathologic bone deposition stops at 20 years of age and the level of PA in the adult is normal. The most important histological feature is the bone hypertrophy with preservation of the lamellar frame. The bones interested are: skull vault, mandible, ribs, clavicle and diaphyseal portion of long bones. The first clinical manifestation became evident in childhood with progressive course. The narrowing of the cranial foramen is responsible of the progressive cranial nerves compression and the subsequent neurological signs. The disease is incurable; surgical treatment aims to reduce the intracranial pressure and to correct bones deformity. A clinical case in which the patient treated has esthetic problems but not neurological signs is presented.