Neurology Alert – April 1, 2003
April 1, 2003
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Amantadine for Painful Diabetic Neuropathy
Almost all patients with diabetes eventually develop neuropathy. New therapeutic options for the control of painful diabetic neuropathy are constantly being investigated. -
Hashimoto Encephalopathy: Syndrome or Coincidence?
Taylor and associates report a case of Hashimoto encephalopathy in an adolescent girl with a 9-month history of what was initially diagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome. -
Gluten Ataxia: Fact or Fiction?
This population report investigated the prevalence of gluten sensitivity amongst a large cohort of patients with both sporadic and familial ataxia. -
Muscle Biopsy in Benign HyperCKemia
Benign hyperckemia may be defined as serum elevation of creatine kinase (CK) in an asymptomatic patient or in a patient with nonspecific symptoms, including muscle pain, fatigue, cramps, stiffness, normal neurological examination, and normal or nondiagnostic electrodiagnostic (nerve conduction studies and electromyography) studies. -
New Treatment for Overactive Bladder
On February 26th, the FDA approved a transdermal formulation of oxybutynin for the treatment of overactive bladder and urinary incontinence. Oxytrol Patch (Watson Pharmaceuticals) provides 3.9 mg/d and can be administered twice per week. -
Are GABAergic Agents Toxic to the Retina?
Vigabatrin (VGB) is an antiepileptic drug (AED) whose putative mechanism of action is to increase inhibitory tone in the brain by blocking the metabolism of gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) by irreversibly binding to GABA transaminase. -
Statins for Stroke: Treating More Than Just Cholesterol
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) are known to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke. Statins are effective not only as cholesterol lowering agents but also have beneficial effects on endothelial cell function, as well as antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory effects. -
New Gene for Familial Parkinson’s Disease Located
Mutations in a-synuclein and parkin have been described in families with Parkinsons disease, and both gene products are involved in the function of the proteosome, a major pathway for degradation of proteins within the cell. -
Pharmacology Watch: Warfarin Effectively Prevents Venous Thromboembolism
Low intensity warfarin therapy effectively prevents recurrent venous thromboembolism, according to a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine.