Extreme systemic atrophy

Cachexia is a term for extreme systemic atrophy. It generally occurs in adults where lack of nutrition causes atrophy of adipose hssue, the gut, pancreas and muscle. Cachexia is usually associated with the late stages of severe illness, especially cancer. 

One chronic-duration occupational study reported neurological abnormalities of the peripheral nervous system (global atrophy of lower extremities and distal neuropathy of upper extremities) in four of six... 

A major benefit of topical tacrolimus compared with topical glucocorticoids is that tacrolimus does not cause skin atrophy and therefore can be used safely in locations such as the face and intertriginous areas. Common side effects at the site of application are transient erythema, burning, and pruritus, which tend to improve with continued treatment. Systemic absorption generally is very low and decreases with resolution of the dermatitis. However, topical tacrolimus should be used with extreme caution in patients with Netherton s syndrome because these patients have been shown to develop elevated blood levels of the drug after topical application. It is recommended that patients using tacrolimus use sunscreen and avoid excessive UV exposure. 

Atlases can also be used to guide the selection of brain regions for more complex analyses (Gardner and Yazdani 1998 Nowinski 2004). We have used a simple coordinate system based on the position and size of the CSF space to allow automatic measurements of the position and severity of cerebral atrophy in patients with dementia. In this case the atlas is deliberately extremely simple and of very low spatial resolution identifying only the front, middle, back, top and bottom and right and left of the CSF space. Despite this, the distribution of CSF in this standard space allows differential diagnosis between dementias of different types with accuracy... 

Involvement of the motor system leads to pareses, predominantly of the lower extremities and usually symmetrical the distal distribution is indicative of a polyneuritic type of lesion. As a result, the musculature of calves, feet, lower arms and hands shows hypotonicity and/or atrophy, which, if not apparent initially, develops during the course of the disease. Its morphologic substrate can be demonstrated in biopsy specimens. Occasionally, muscular fasciculations are seen or felt, involving for instance the small muscles of the hands. Motor involvement may be so severe as to result in tetraplegia. 

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