The objective of the study was to analyze the doppler sonography findings of vertebrobasilar circulation (VB) in patients with Parkinson's disease. 40 patients were analyzed (25 men's and 15 women) with Parkinson's disease, average age was 61.9 years (SD=11.43), treated at the Clinic for Neurology in Tuzla. Device for doppler sonography was Multidop x 4. Doppler sonography findings of VB circulation were analyzed in order to computerized tomography (CT) findings of the brain (with or without ischemic lacunar lesions) and in order to presence of postural disturbances as one of dominant Parkinson's disease symptoms during actual hospitalization. Our results suggest that vertebrobasilar insufficiency is more frequent in patients with Parkinson's disease (no matter of type) and postural disturbances as a dominant symptom comparing to group of Parkinson's disease patients without postural disturbances. These results implicate the importance of doppler sonography findings of vertebrobasilar circulation in patients with Parkinson's disease and possibility of considering role of vertebrobasilar insufficiency in development of postural disturbances.

Intracerebral hemorrhage is the deadliest, most disabling and least treatable form of stroke despite progression in medical science. The aim of the study was to analyze the frequency, risk factors, localization and 30-day prognosis in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. We analyzed 352 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) hospitalized at the Department of Neurology Tuzla during a three-year follow up. The following data were collected for all patients in a computerized database: age, sex, risk factors (hypertension, heart diseases, diabetes and smoking) and CT findings. Stroke severity was estimated with Scandinavian Stroke Scale, ICH topography was specified by CT, and outcome at 1st month after onset included information on vital status and disability (modified Rankin Scale, mRS). The most frequent risk factors were hypertension (84%), heart diseases (31%), cigarette smoking (28%) and diabetes mellitus (14%). The most frequent localization of ICH was multilobar (38%), internal capsule/basal ganglia region (36%) and lobar (17%). Within first month died 147 patients (42%). The highest mortality rate was in patients with brain stem (83%) and multilobar hemorrhage (64%). Factors independently associated with mortality were age (odds ratio 1,05 (95% confidence interval 1,02 to 1,08); p=0,001), stroke severity (OR 0,93 (0,92 to 0,95); p<0,0001), multilobar hemorrhage (OR 5,4 (3,0 to 9,6); p<0,0001) and intraventricular hemorrhage (OR 3,9 (2,2 to 7,1); p<0,0001). Favorable outcome at first month (mRS < or = 2) had 45% of the surviving patients with ICH. The best outcome was for the patients with cerebellar hemorrhage (63%), while only 40% of the patients with hemorrhage in internal capsule/basal ganglia region had Rankin scale 2 or less. Hypertension is the most frequent risk factor in patients with ICH. ICHs are mainly localized in lobar and internal capsule/basal ganglia regions. Independent predictors of mortality following ICH are age, hypertension, intraventricular blood extension and stroke severity. Mortality, as well as good outcome at 1 month, is related to the localization of bleeding.

The aim of this study was to analyze: frequency of balance disorder (vertigo and disequilibrium), frequency of abnormalities in auditory evoked potentials (AEP) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) changes of the brain in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with balance disorder, relation of patient's disability status to balance disorder and relation of the changes in MRI of the brainstem to AEP abnormalities. It was analyzed 60 patients with relapsing-remitting form of MS. Two groups of patients were made consecutively under Expanded Disability Status Scale score (EDSS): A (EDSS < or =4,5) and B (EDSS > or =5,0). The study was retrospective-prospective. After the neurological exam AEP and MRI of the brain have been done. Balance disorder has been verified as initial symptom in 29 (48,4%) and out of them disequilibrium experienced 24 (83,4%) patients. During the relapses balance disorder experienced 48 (80%) patients and in 37 (77,1%) it was disequilibrium. Among them 33 (68,7%) were with lower EDSS (< or =4,5) and 15 (31,3%) with higher EDSS score (> or =5). There is no correlation between disability status and vertigo which means that vertigo is not more frequent in more disabled patients and vice-versa. The AEP were pathological in 57 (95%) patients. Of all 29 patients with vertigo AEP were pathological in 28 (96,5%) while in 31 patients without vertigo pathological AEP were in 29 (93,5%) but it is not statistical significant. The most frequent characteristic of AEP changes were prolonged inter-peak latency III-V waves (48 patients or 80%). The plaque in brainstem visualized by MRI was found in 41 (71,8%) of patients (38 or 92,6% of them had pathological AEP and in three patients AEP were normal). In group of patients with pathological AEP, 38 (66,6%) of them had plaque in brainstem. In other three patients with normal AEP it was visualized plaque in brainstem. In the group of 29 patients with balance disorder, 20 (68,9%) had plaque in brainstem as well as 21 (67,7%) out of 31 patients without balance disorder had plaque in the brainstem. This difference is not statistical significant. It is concluded that the vertigo (including disequilibrium) is relatively often (48,4%) initial symptom of MS. Vertigo is not more frequent in patients with higher EDSS score and vice-versa. Pathological AEP are frequent neurophysiologic finding in both (95%) patients with (96,5%) and without (93,5%) vertigo. The most often pathological characteristic of AEP are prolonged interpeak latency of III-V waves (78,5%), as well as abnormalities of V and than IV wave. MS plaques in brainstem visualized by MRI technique are frequent in both groups of patients with and without pathological finding of the AEP.