Neurology Alert articles from May 2002

Neurology Alert archives from May 2002

FDA: no approval for pleconaril; side effects cited. (Pharmacology Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... The world will have to wait a while longer for a cure for the common cold. In mid March, the FDA's Antiviral Drugs Advisory Committee voted to not endorse the approval of pleconaril, ViroPharma and Adventis' antiviral drug for inhibiting...

Statins reduce fracture risk in elderly. (Pharmacology Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... A new study shows that statins are associated with a reduction in fracture risk in older women, even though the drugs do not seem to increase bone mineral density (BMD). Researchers in Australia look at the history of statin use in 1573 women...

Levofloxacin resistance shown in study. (Pharmacology Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Levofloxacin is quickly becoming one of the most widely used antibiotics in the country for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia. Almost predictably, Canadian researchers have recently identified 4 adult patients who failed treatment...

Claritin could become OTC. (Pharmacology Watch).(over-the-counter)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Loratadine (Claritin) may be available over-the-counter (OTC) before the end of the year. In a dramatic shift from the company's previous stance, Schering-Plough has asked the FDA for permission. to market all strengths of loratadine as...

Ramipril might have additional benefits. (Pharmacology Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... The ACE inhibitor ramipril may have benefits beyond blood pressure lowering in patients who are at risk for stroke. A review of more than 9000 patients in the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) trial revealed that patients treated with...

Losartan more effective than atenolol. (Pharmacology Watch).
May 1, 2002... In a head-to-head study of losartan vs. atenolol, the angiotensin II receptor blocker losartan was shown to be more effective at reducing cardiovascular mortality and morbidity than the beta-blocker atenolol. In a multinational trial of more...

Alcohol consumption and risk of dementia. (Clinical Briefs in Primary Care).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Source: Ruitenberg A, et al. Lancet. 2002;359:281-286. OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES INDICATE salutary effects of moderate alcohol consumption (MAC) upon incidence of stroke and myocardial infarction. Since some portion of dementia is attributable...

Benefit of atrial pacing in sleep apnea syndrome. (Clinical Briefs in Primary Care).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Source: Garrigue S, et al. N Engl J Med. 2002;346:404-412. SLEEP APNEA SYNDROME (SAS) HAS A diversity of immediate and distant consequences, including disrupted sleep, daytime fatigue resulting in traffic accidents, hypertension, increased...

Metabolic syndrome among US adults. (Clinical Briefs in Primary Care).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Source: Ford ES, et al. JAMA. 2002;287:356-359. THE METABOLIC SYNDROME IS DEFINED as the presence of 3 or more of 5 potential measurements 1) abdominal obesity (waist circumference > 102 in men, > 88 cm in women); 2) hypertriglyceridemia (>...

Trial' prescriptions to reduce drug wastage. (Clinical Briefs in Primary Care).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Source: Paterson JM, Anderson GM. Am J Manag Care. 2002;8:151-158. DESPITE THE FACT THAT PRESCRIBED medications are often not used by patients, current statutes in most clinical settings do not allow patients to return unused medications...

Cognitive functioning of long-term heavy cannabis users seeking treatment. (Clinical Briefs in Primary Care).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Source: Solowij N, et al. JAMA. 2002;287:1123-1131. WHETHER LONG-TERM HEAVY cannabis (LHC) use is associated with persistent impairment of cognitive function (COG) is an important public health issue not only because of the ponderous number...

A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, flexible-dose study of fluoxetine in the treatment of women with fibromyalgia. (Clinical Briefs in Primary Care).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Source: Arnold LM, et al. Am J Med. 2002;112:191-197. BEST MANAGEMENT OF FIBROMYALGIA (FMG) remains a difficult challenge for most clinicians. Although meta-analyses suggest that tricyclic antidepressants are moderately effective, trials...

Surgically restored sensation after severe brachial plexus injury in neonates.
May 1, 2002... ABSTRACT & COMMENTARY Source: Anand P, Birch R. Brain. 2002;125:113-122. DESPITE IMPROVEMENT IN PERINATAL CARE, THE INCIDENCE OF perinatal brachial plexus palsy (PBPP) has not declined in recent years (Dodds 5, Wolfe S. Curr Opin...

Efficacy and safety of modafinil (Provigil[R]) for the treatment of fatigue in MS.(multiple sclerosis)
May 1, 2002... Sources: Rammohan KW, et al. JNeurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2002;72:179-183; Willoughby E. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2002;72:150. WITH ALL THEIR FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGICAL impairments, patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) suffer from a...

Electrical stimulation improves repair of nerve injury.
May 1, 2002... ABSTRACT & COMMENTARY Source: Zealear DL, et al. J Neurophysiol. 2002;87:2195-2199. AT PRESENT, MEDICAL INSURERS WILL NOT COVER facial nerve electrical stimulation for the treatment of Bell's palsy. Recent evidence in rodents suggests...

Spontaneous CSF leaks and connective tissue disorders: is there a connection?(cerebrospinal fluid)
May 1, 2002... ABSTRACT & COMMENTARY Source: Mokri B, et al. Neurology. 2002;58:814-816. ONE OF THE EDITORS RECENTLY EXAMINED A TALL and slender young woman with a spontaneous CSF leak and a history of a spontaneous internal carotid artery dissection...

Microsurgery for spinal stenosis.(microendoscopic decompressive laminotomy)
May 1, 2002... ABSTRACT & COMMENTARY Source: Guiot BH, et al. Spine. 2002;27:432-438. CAN MICROSURGERY SATISFACTORILY ADDRESS LUM-bar spinal stenosis? Microendoscopic decompressive laminotomy (MEDL) was compared to standard procedures in this cadaver...

The genetics of primary dystonias and related disorders.
May 1, 2002... ABSTRACT & COMMENTARY Source: Nemeth AH. Brain. 2002;125:695-721. ARECENT REVIEW IN Brain AFFORDS Neurology Alert readers the opportunity to review a complicated area of movement disorders, the genetics of dystonia. Dystonias may be...

Drug resistance proteins: a potential mechanism for medically refractory epilepsy.
May 1, 2002... ABSTRACT & COMMENTARY Source: Sisodiya SM, et al. Brain. 2002;125:22-31. MULTIPLE DRUG RESISTANCE (MDR) HAS BEEN REC-ognized as an obstacle to cancer treatment for at least two decades. Tumor cells may demonstrate intrinsic or acquired...

Late breakers.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Move Over Avonex[R]. The 48-week EVIDENCE trial data were released by the FDA on March 7. EVIDENCE was a randomized, head-to-head, open-label/ blinded-examiner, parallel-groups design trial comparing "standard" dose beta interferon(INF)-...