Oitenta pacientes que se submeteram a consulta neurológica ambulatórial por motivos diversos (excluídas polifagia, polidipsia, poliúria e modificação na massa corporal) e nos quais o exame neurológico revelou uma polineurite foram submetidos a testes de tolerância à glicose, que resultaram anormais em 41 (todos tinham glicemia de ieium normal). A principal conclusão a que chega o autor é de que a polineurite é parte integrante do quadro geral do diabete, podendo representar uma de suas manifestações mais iniciais e eventualmente preceder a detecção da própria alteração metabólica pelo menos no que concerne às técnicas atualmente empregadas. O tratamento - limitado à dieta adequada - pode propiciar notória melhora subjetiva.

Eighty consecutive neurological ambulatory patients with various symptoms are presented. All patients with a history of diabetes or alcoholism were excluded. The group was composed of 54 females and 26 males ranging in age from 16 to 67 years. Neurological examination showed at least one peripheral abnormal finding in all patients. Absence of Achilles reflexes, impairment of tactile and vibratory sensibility in the distal portions of the legs and dysesthesia were the most frequent alterations. All patients showed normal fasting blood sugar and were submitted to the oral glucose tolerance test. Some evidence of abnormal glucose tolerance was present in 41 patients (51.25% of the entire group). Thus, we suggest that polyneuritis, misinterpreted as late complication, is indeed an integral part of the syndrome of diabetes and may be its very first objective sign. In conclusion, it is assumed that all patients with evidence of objective polyneuritis should be thoroughly tested for abnormality of glucose tolerance.

É apresentado o caso de uma paciente com 42 anos, que exibiu paralisia facial periférica direita, polineurite sensitivo-motora e síndrome psicofuncional. Raciocínio clínico foi engendrado, permitindo a formulação diagnóstica da forma nervosa crônica da doença de Chagas, sendo esta posteriormente confirmada pela investigação laboratorial.

The author reports the case of a 42-year-old woman who developed right peripheral facial paralysis and mixed polyneuritis in the course of an undiagnosed Chagas' disease. The clinical diagnosis could be confirmed by sorological reactions for Chagas' disease. A likely relationship between chronic Chagas' disease, peripheral facial paralysis and mixed polyneuritis is discussed.

É apresentado o caso de uma paciente de 68 anos de idade portadora de paralisia facial bilateral estabilizada por quase 4 anos. Uma melhora clínica tem-se evidenciado a partir do estabelecimento do diagnóstico de diabete melito, quando se pôde instituir o devido tratamento.

The author presents the case of a 68-year-old white woman who presented bilateral facial paralysis in the course of an undiagnosed diabetes mellitus. The paralysis remained stable for four years and as soon as the diabetes was treated, her symptoms improved.

O autor relata o caso clínico de uma moça de 21 anos que apresentou 6 episódios de paralisia facial periférica (três de cada lado), no lapso de 4 anos, exibindo, ademais, língua escrotal. A literatura sobre paralisia recorrente é revisada, e uma discussão acerca de eventuais fatores etiológicos é empreendida.

The clinic case of a 21-year-old girl with 6 episodes of relapsing and alternating peripheral facial paralysis associated with plicated tongue is reported. She never had oedema of the lips or face. The author reviewed the literature regarding frequency, clinical features and etiology of recurrent facial palsy. The definitive etiology could not be demonstrated.

O autor apresenta o caso de paciente chagásico de 47 anos, que desenvolveu de modo agudo uma polineuropatia atípica, cujo elemento mais saliente consistiu de uma ptose palpebral unilateral completa. A nomenclatura e a conceituação clínica da síndrome de Guillain-Barré-Strohl e de suas variantes são discutidas, com maior ênfase para a síndrome de Miller Fisher. É discutida também uma eventual participação da tripanosomíase no quadro neurológico.

The author reports the case of a 47-year-old man who developed an acute polyneuritis in the course of the chronic Chagas'disease. Neurological examination on admission forty-five days after onset showed total ptosis of the left eyelid without internal and external ophthalmoplegia. There was moderate diffuse weakness in the limbs. Tendon reflexes were depressed. Plantar responses were normal. The cerebrospinal fluid cell count and protein level were raised. The relationship between chronic Chagas'disease and peripheral polyneuritis is discussed.

Os autores apresentam o caso de um paciente com hidrocefalia normotensa na vigência de doença hipertensiva, ambas confirmadas pela autopsia que, adicionalmente, revelou um hematoma cerebelar esquerdo. Uma discussão é empreendida em torno de vários aspectos da hidrocefalia com pressão normal e do hematoma cerebelar.

The authors report the case of a 64-year-old man who presented normal pressure hydrocephalus in the course of hypertensive and arteriosclerotic vas-culopathy confirmed by postmortem examination. A blood clot was found on the central area of the left cerebellar hemisphere. The clinical features and the pathogenesis of normal pressure hydrocephalus and cerebellar hemorrhage are reviewed and discussed.

The authors review the literature about the cronic nervous form of Chagas' disease, directing their attention toward peripheral neurological aspects. Specifically, they analyse the results obtained from a "bind" research realized in a small community in the countryside of the state of Bahia, Brazil, where a high frequency of infection by Trypanosoma cruzi is reported. From 99 individuals examined, 50 showad a positive sorological test for Chagas' disease. The most frequent neurological findings in the total of 99 individuals were sensory loss and impairment of the deep reflexes. Among those with abolition of deep reflexes, there were 18 cases carrying a positive sorology for Chagas' disease, being that 15 from these 18 cases additionally presented a mild sensory deficit, characterizing a polyneuritic syndrome. In conclusion, they suggest that there is a neuritic form, as subdivision of a nervous form of Chagas' disease, particularly identified as a mixed polyneuritis.

São relatados os casos de dois irmãos com atrofia muscular espinhal proximal. Após conceituar as doenças neuromusculares, o autor tece considerações sibre as diversas formas de atrofia muscular de origem medular e conclui pela evidência da síndrome de Werdnig-Hoffmann.

Two cases of familial spinal muscular atrophy with onset in infancy are reported. The author makes an attempt to categorize them and concludes by Werdnig-Hoffmann disease.

Após conceituar a paralisia de Bell, ressaltar sua alta incidência e expor as teorias que se propõem a explicá-la, é relatado um caso de paralisia facial periférica isolada ocorrido durante o retorno de um mergulho, em paciente de 28 anos. Na revisão bibliográfica realizada são mencionadas e discutidas numerosas entidades que têm sido consideradas como causas de paralisia facial periférica, destacando-se um trabalho americano que relata dois casos ocorridos, de forma transitória, durante aumento de altitude e que foram atribuídos à variação de pressão no ouvido médio. Como conclusão, é admitido um mecanismo similar para o caso em pauta.

The case of a 28-year-old patient in which a peripheral facial paralysis occurred during raise of diving is reported. In reviewing the literature several conditions are mentioned and discussed as fortuitous causes of peripheral facial paralysis, being emphazised an North-American report about two patients suffering five episodes of transient seventh nerve paresis during ascent to altitude, where a disequilibrium of pressures between the middle ear and the nasopharynx was assumed to be the efective cause of the Bell's palsy. A similar mechanism was admited for the reported case.