Category: Medical

Medical reporting

Rasagiline added to dopamine agonist has small benefit in Parkinson’s

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From Clinical Neurology News, 25 June 2013: Rasagiline is safe and efficacious as add-on therapy in patients with early Parkinson’s disease whose symptoms are not adequately controlled with dopamine agonist monotherapy, results from a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study suggest. Data from the ANDANTE study showed that adding rasagiline (1 mg/day) to dopamine agonist therapy led … Continue reading Rasagiline added to dopamine agonist has small benefit in Parkinson’s

Dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome frequency determined prospectively

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From Clinical Neurology News, 24 June 2013: Nearly one-quarter of patients decreasing or stopping dopamine agonist therapy experience dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome, and one third of those suffer severe symptoms, according to results from the EuroDaws study. In the prospective, observational study of 51 patients with Parkinson’s disease who were withdrawn from dopamine agonist treatment, … Continue reading Dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome frequency determined prospectively

Criteria identify mild cognitive impairments in Parkinson’s

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From Clinical Neur0logy News, 21 June 2013: Patients with mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease often show memory impairment and problems with visuospatial function, attention, and executive function, according to a study attempting to characterize the condition. A cohort study assessed 219 patients newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease but without dementia and 99 age-matched controls … Continue reading Criteria identify mild cognitive impairments in Parkinson’s

Improved presurgery impulse control screening needed in Parkinson’s

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From Clinical Neurology News, 19 June 2013: Many Parkinson’s disease centers performing deep brain stimulation surgery are not using formal, standardized screening for impulse control disorders in pre- or postsurgical patients, according to a large survey of Parkinson Study Group centers. Deep brain stimulation surgery is known to increase impulsivity, and standard practice is to … Continue reading Improved presurgery impulse control screening needed in Parkinson’s

Osteoporosis, osteopenia appear common in Friedreich’s ataxia

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From Clinical Neurology News, 21 June 2013: Friedreich’s ataxia patients may be at greater risk of osteopenia and osteoporotic fractures, according to a study showing significant decreases in bone mineral density at key sites such as the femoral neck. Data presented in a poster at the international congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders also … Continue reading Osteoporosis, osteopenia appear common in Friedreich’s ataxia

Degrees of learning in the genes

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From ABC News in Science, 31 May 2013: It’s not quite the ‘smart gene’ but researchers have identified a small number of genetic markers associated with educational attainment. A genome-wide association study using genetic data from more than 100,000 individuals found three genetic markers that were significantly linked to an individual’s numbers of years of … Continue reading Degrees of learning in the genes

Obesity linked to prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia

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From Oncology Practice, 23 April 2013: Obesity was associated with an increased risk of precursor lesions among men with an initial benign prostate biopsy result, according to a nested study of nearly 500 prostate cancer cases and matched cancer-free controls. Further, obese men also were more likely to have benign findings on initial core needle … Continue reading Obesity linked to prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia

Schizophrenia adherence therapy improves symptoms, not adherence

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From Clinical Psychiatry News, 23 April 2013: Adherence therapy improves symptoms in patients with schizophrenia but does not appear to affect adherence, treatment attitudes. or functioning, according to results of a randomized controlled trial. “We observed a small effect of AT [adherence therapy] on patient symptoms but not adherence, treatment attitudes, or functioning following an … Continue reading Schizophrenia adherence therapy improves symptoms, not adherence