Abstract Aim: To determine whether the change of direction (COD) deficit can represent the time of the change of direction in professional under 17 years old (U-17) soccer players. Methods: Sixteen young soccer athletes performed the adapted 505 agility test with the stationary stance (2 straight lines of 5 m) and the 10 m linear running test (LR). In both tests, the partial and total times were recorded every 2.5 m by time gates (0-2.5 m; 2.5-7.5 m; 7.5-10 m). The best performances were recorded and used to determine the COD deficit (difference between the time for the LR and 505 tests). The paired t-test compared the initial acceleration (0-2.5 m) time, the COD time (2.5-7.5 m), and the COD deficit among the tests. Results: Times in the LR test were significantly shorter in the initial acceleration phase (0-2.5 m), and the change of direction deficit was also lower than the change of direction time (2.5-7.5 m) for both sides (p = 0.005). Conclusion: When an athlete is aware of an upcoming change of direction, a lower initial acceleration results in biases for determining the change of direction deficit. Therefore, acceleration capacity might not be suitable to assess using the 505 agility test.

OBJETIVO: Descrever as características clínicas e de neuroimagem (SPECT) de pacientes brasileiros com doença de Parkinson e mutações PARK2 e PARK8. MÉTODO: Foram avaliados 119 pacientes com critérios clínicos para a doença de Parkinson. RESULTADO: Entre os pacientes avaliados foram encontrados 13 pacientes com mutação nos genes PARK2 (n=9) ou PARK8 (n=4). Não houve diferença significativa na avaliação das características clínicas entre os dois grupos. Os resultados de SPECT mostraram diferenças significativas quanto ao potencial de ligação do [99mTc] TRODAT-1 SPECT entre pacientes vs. controle, sendo a diferença mais pronunciada entre PARK2 e controle. CONCLUSÃO: A freqüência de mutação encontrada foi 10,1%, sendo mais comum em mulheres. Estes pacientes apresentavam longo tempo de doença e alta prevalência de discinesias associadas ao uso da levodopa. Nossos pacientes com PARK8 não apresentaram uma história familiar relevante de doença de Parkinson.

OBJECTIVE: To describe clinical and neuroimaging (SPECT) characteristics of Brazilian patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and mutations in PARK2 or PARK8 genes. METHOD: A total of 119 patients meeting clinical criteria for PD were evaluated. RESULTS: Of all patients studied, 13 had mutations in either PARK2 (n=9) or PARK8 genes (n=4). No statistically significant differences in clinical characteristics in both groups were seen. SPECT with [99mTc] TRODAT-1 showed significant differences between patient and control and the most remarkable difference was between PARK2 and control. CONCLUSION: The study found a frequency of mutation of 10.1% and it was most commonly seen in women. These patients had long disease course and high rates of dyskinesia after L-DOPA use. PARK8 patients did not have a relevant family history of PD.

A síndrome da veia cava superior (SVCS) é condição relativamente rara. Relatamos o caso de um paciente de 42 anos, masculino, hipertenso há 15 anos, que evoluiu com dor cervical e torácica há um um ano, sendo evidenciada oclusão de 95% da coronária direita. Submetido a angioplastia, porém com persistência da dor torácica. Posteriormente evoluiu com episódios recorrentes de hemiplegia à direita associados a crises hipertensivas, que melhoravam com medicamentos anti-hipertensivos. Pela presença de coloração vinhosa na face e acentuação durante os períodos de ataques isquêmicos transitórios, foi feita a suspeita diagnóstica de provável acometimento do sistema de drenagem venosa, confirmada à venografia pelo achado de dilatação da veia jugular direita e imagem de estreitamento importante na junção com a veia cava superior. Em conclusão, não foi possível definir com certeza a relação entre as duas patologias no caso aqui apresentado, porém chamou a atenção a melhora dos sintomas neurológicos após o controle da SVCS com o tratamento instituído.

The superior vena cava obstruction is a relatively rare condition. We report the case of a 42 year old man suffering of hypertension for about fifteen years. He reported a cervical and thoracic pain for one year, that was related to a 95% of occlusion on the right coronary artery. An angioplasty has been done but the patient still related the thoracic pain. Afterwards the patient had recurrent episodes of right hemiplegia and hypertensive emergencies that have been treated with anti-hypertensive agents. A venous disease was suspected because of cyanosis in the face especially when episodes of transient ischemic attacks occurred. A venography showed obstruction of the right jugular vein near the junction with the superior vena cava. In conclusion, it was not possible to define with certainty the relationship between the two pathologies presented by the patient, even so, we call attention to the improvement of the neurological symptoms after the control of superior vena cava obstruction with the treatment.