CASE REPORT   

Gazzetta Medica Italiana Archivio per le Scienze Mediche 2018 May;177(5):237-42

DOI: 10.23736/S0393-3660.17.03564-1

Copyright © 2017 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Co-ultramicronized palmitoylethanolamide/luteolin treatment as add-on to intensive neuro-rehabilitation in a young patient with traumatic brain injury

Luisa DE PALMA ¹ ✉, Andrea SANTAMATO ², Vincenzo MONITILLO ³, Pietro FIORE ¹

¹ Unit of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Basic Medicine, Neuroscience, and Sense Organs, “Aldo Moro” University of Bari, Bari, Italy; ² Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Section, “OORR” Hospital, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy; ³ Rehabilitation Scientific Institute, Maugeri Foundation, Cassano delle Murge, Bari, Italy

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a complex injury with a broad spectrum of symptoms and disabilities. The aim of this report was to present the case history of a young patient with TBI undergoing neurorehabilitation and treated with a composite of co-ultramicronized palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and luteolin (co-ultraPEALut) as add-on therapy to medical care. A 12-year-old boy with TBI from a bicycle-car accident was admitted to the neurorehabilitation department after two months of recovery in the intensive care unit for coma; his Glasgow Coma Scale was 3. At the time of admission the patient was placed on a treatment with a composite co-ultraPEALut (GLIALIA®) as add-on therapy to intensive neurorehabilitative care. At the end of the treatment period the patient showed a clear improvement in functional symptoms and in consciousness, greater than would have been expected from our historical experience with patients in this condition atadmission to our unit. The progressive recovery in motor and cognitive functions observed in the patient with a minimally conscious state, suggest that co-ultraPEALut may be an innovative therapeutic approach to the complex neurological condition of TBI and may be considered a new therapeutic opportunity in add-on to neurorehabilitative care.

KEY WORDS: Co-ultraPEALut - Traumatic brain injuries - Rehabilitation - Consciousness