Svend Erik Børgesen

Prophylactic treatment of migraine with propranolol. A clinical trial.

30 patients suffering from intractable, repetitive migraine took part in a double‐blind single‐crossover trial to compare the effect of propranolol (at 120 mg per day) with that of placebo. During propranolol treatment the frequency of migraine attacks was reduced significantly; by more than 50 per cent in 9 patients and by less than 50 per cent in a further 9. In the remainder propranolol showed no advantage over placebo. It is concluded that, as propranolol has only few and mild side effects, it is a useful drug for preventing migraine attacks. As the pathogenesis of migraine is not completely understood, the mode of action of propranolol in preventing attacks cannot be fully explained. It has been possible, however, to relate some of the effects of betareceptor antagonism to the current knowledge of the condition.

Spinal tumours associated with increased intracranial pressure. Report of two cases and a discussion on the pathophysiology.

Two cases of increased intracranial pressure associated with lumbar intraspinal tumours are reported. On the basis of protein investigations and constant flow infusion manometric tests, the pathophysiology of the increased intracranial pressure is discussed. It is demonstrated that protein macromolecules leak from the tumour into the cerebrospinal fluid and suggested that these are responsible for mechanical obstruction of the outflow channels for the cerebrospinal fluid.

Creatine Kinase BB Release into Cerebrospinal Fluid After Lateral Ventricle Cannulation

Creatine kinase (CK) and creatine kinase BB isoenzyme (CK-BB) activities were measured in ventricular CSF obtained by lateral ventricle cannulation in patients suspected of normal pressure hydrocephalus. Lateral ventricle cannulation resulted in highly and variably elevated CK and CK-BB levels. The results emphasise the interference of these CK and CK-BB elevations in studies on the prognostic value of CSF CK and CK-BB levels in head trauma patients with respect to outcome.

CSF-Dynamics in Syringomyelia: Intracranial Pressure and Resistance to Outflow

The several theories on the pathogenesis of syringomyelia have not resulted in the satisfactory selection of those patients who can be treated by CSF diversion. In the present paper three types of syringomyelia are described by case studies. The classification is made by investigation of CSF-dynamics, a measurement of CSF pressure and resistance to outflow of CSF. It is proposed that in a subgroup of patients with syringomyelia the cause is defective CSF resorption and that this group may be selected out and treated accordingly.