[The safety of rosiglitazone - Lessons from the RECORD study]
HALMOS Tamás
MARCH 20, 2010
Lege Artis Medicinae - 2010;20(03-04)
HALMOS Tamás
MARCH 20, 2010
Lege Artis Medicinae - 2010;20(03-04)
[The international RECORD study team evaluated the safety of the oral antidiabetic drug rosiglitazone, after contradictory reports of its unfavourable cardiovascular adverse effects, in combination with sulfonyureas and metformin. The drug didn’t increase cardiovascular morbidity and overall mortality compared with standard blood sugar lowering drugs. However, it increased the risk of heart failure, and, in women, the risk of limb fractures. Keeping in mind the strict contraindications, the drug can still be prescribed, as glitazones have effective blood sugar lowering and insulin-sensitizing effects.]
Lege Artis Medicinae
Lege Artis Medicinae
Lege Artis Medicinae
Lege Artis Medicinae
Lege Artis Medicinae
Clinical Neuroscience
[In this paper we present the Comprehensive Aphasia Test-Hungarian (CAT-H; Zakariás and Lukács, in preparation), an assessment tool newly adapted to Hungarian, currently under standardisation. The test is suitable for the assessment of an acquired language disorder, post-stroke aphasia. The aims of this paper are to present 1) the main characteristics of the test, its areas of application, and the process of the Hungarian adaptation and standardisation, 2) the first results from a sample of Hungarian people with aphasia and healthy controls. Ninety-nine people with aphasia, mostly with unilateral, left hemisphere stroke, and 19 neurologically intact control participants were administered the CAT-H. In addition, we developed a questionnaire assessing demographic and clinical information. The CAT-H consists of two parts, a Cognitive Screening Test and a Language Test. People with aphasia performed significantly worse than the control group in all language and almost all cognitive subtests of the CAT-H. Consistent with our expectations, the control group performed close to ceiling in all subtests, whereas people with aphasia exhibited great individual variability both in the language and the cognitive subtests. In addition, we found that age, time post-onset, and type of stroke were associated with cognitive and linguistic abilities measured by the CAT-H. Our results and our experiences clearly show that the CAT-H provides a comprehensive profile of a person’s impaired and intact language abilities and can be used to monitor language recovery as well as to screen for basic cognitive deficits in aphasia. We hope that the CAT-H will be a unique resource for rehabilitation professionals and aphasia researchers in aphasia assessment and diagnostics in Hungary. ]
Clinical Neuroscience
Background: This overview provides a summary of the applications of transcranial Doppler (TCD) in ischemic stroke. Results: A fast-track neurovascular ultrasound protocol has been developed for detecting occlusion or stenosis. The technique is more reliable in the carotid area than in the posterior circulation. By monitoring the pulsatility index the increased intracranial pressure can be diagnosed. TIBI score was developed for grading residual flow. TCD has been shown to accurately predict complete or any recanalization. Regarding recanalization, TCD has a sensitivity of 92%, a specificity of 88%, a positive predictive value of 96%, a negative predictive value of 78% and an overall accuracy of 91%, respectively. Sonothrombolysis seemed to be a promising application but randomized controlled trials have shown that it does not improve clinical outcome. TCD examination can detect microembolic signals (MES) which are associated with an increased risk of stroke. Microemboli were detected in symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis and during carotid endarterectomy. The number of microemboli can be decreased by antithrombotic therapy. Contrast enchanced examination and Valsalva maneuver with continuous TCD monitoring can accurately screen for right-to-left shunt.
Clinical Neuroscience
Background and purpose - Migraine is a risk factor for ischemic stroke in women of childbearing ages. Previous researches revealed a higher prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia in migraineurs. Possible differences on the frequencies of hyperhomocysteinemia between migraine with aura and migraine without aura could contribute the established variances in stroke risk between these migraine types. Therefore, we aimed to search if the frequency of hyperhomocysteinemia was different between these subtypes of migraine or not. Methods - We analyzed the findings of serum homocysteine levels in female migraineurs of 16-49 years old who admitted to our outpatient clinic. Results - Homocysteine level was elevated in 13.3% of study population. There were not any significant differences on median serum homocysteine levels between migraine with aura (8.0 mikromol/L) and without aura (8.5 mikromol/L). (p=0.426) The frequencies of hyperhomocysteinemia were also similar (9.1% versus 16.7%, respectively; p=0.373). Correlation analyses did not reveal any linear correlation between ages and homocysteine levels either in group of migraine with aura or in group of migraine without aura (p=0.417 and p=0.647, respectively). Similarly, any linear correlation between disease ages and homocysteine levels either in group of migraine with aura or in group of migraine without aura was not detected (p=0.359 and p=0.849, respectively). Conclusion - The median serum homocysteine levels and the frequencies of hyperhomocysteinemia are similar between migraine with aura and without aura in women of childbearing ages. Therefore, the variances on stroke risk ratios between these types of migraine are probably not originated from the differences of serum homocysteine status.
Hypertension and nephrology
[Diuretics (especially thiazide derivatives and indapamide that also has vasodilator efficacy) are considered as first line treatment in hypertension. They are particularly favourable in the treatment of overweight, elderly, isolated systolic hypertensive patients suffering from type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome or in mild renal and cardiac insufficiency. They can be ideally combined with other antihypertensive agents (primarily with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blocking agents és béta-blockers). If hypertension is associated with left ventricular hypertrophy or stroke indapamide is the appropriate choice. In case of left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure thiazide and/or furosemide is the adequate option. Low dose diuretics have no clinically relevant side effects and reduce cardiac mortality to the same extent as other pharmaceutical interventions.]
LAM Extra for General Practicioners
[In 60-70% of patients with hypertension, a significant decrease in blood pressure can only be achieved by a combination of antihypertensive drugs. International as well as national guidelines emphasise the numerous advantages and the importance of combination treatment. Fixed combinations are particularly advantageous, as their use improves patients’ compliance. This paper summarises the available information on the possible combinations of the nine major antihypertensive drug groups distributed in Hungary, and for details the results published on the recently approved and introduced fixed combination of telmisartan and amlodipine.]
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Clinical Neuroscience
Alexithymia is associated with cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson’s disease3.
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Clinical Neuroscience
Cases of inborn errors of metabolism diagnosed in children with autism2.
Clinical Neuroscience
[The first Hungarian patient with Guillain-Barre syndrome after COVID-19]3.
Clinical Neuroscience
Retinal morphological changes during the two years of follow-up in Parkinson’s disease4.
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