Having problems with message search?
FDA approves new Alzheimer's skin patch. The CBS Evening News (7/9, story 7, 0:20, Couric) reported, "the FDA has approved the first skin patch to treat Alzheimer's disease. The patch, made by Novartis, delivers the drug Exelon (rivastigmine) used to treat mild-to-moderate dementia. Exelon is already available in capsule form, but Novartis says the skin patch will provide a continuous dose of the drug throughout the day."
The Wall Street Journal (7/10, Greil) reports that "Novartis, based in Basel, said this was the first approval world-wide for the patch." The Exelon patch "was designed with compliance in mind, Novartis said. It was preferred to capsules by more than 70 percent of doctors and nurses as a method of drug delivery according to clinical study data, because it helped them follow the treatment schedule. It also interfered less with daily life and was easier to use overall than the oral medication, Novartis said, citing the company-sponsored study."
But, USA Today /AP (7/10) adds that "rivastigmine isn't a cure. It inhibits the breakdown of a chemical in the brain called acetylcholine, thought important for both learning and memory." Moreover, since the drug "enters the bloodstream directly, the patch also eliminates some of the gastrointestinal side effects associated with the drug when swallowed."
The Washington Times (7/9, Lopes) noted that "by being applied to the patient's back, chest or upper arm, the patch can provide a continuous level of the drug in the bloodstream for 24 hours. The Exelon patch also helps reduce the nausea and vomiting associated with other Alzheimer's drugs, Novartis said."
HealthDay (7/10, Roberts) reports the approval as well, adding, "As with the capsule form, the company recommended that the medicated patch be used with caution in people with a history of so-called 'sick sinus syndrome,' ulcers, asthma and other chronic lung diseases, seizures, or urinary obstruction."
And, WebMD (7/10, Hitti) reports, "Novartis says that the FDA approved Exelon patch based on results from an international study that included nearly 1,200 patients. ... The patients took Exelon capsules, wore the Exelon patch, or got a placebo treatment." According to the company, the Exelon patch "showed similar efficacy to the highest doses of Exelon capsules and the recommended dose (9.5 milligrams per 24 hours)" and it was "generally well tolerated by patients." But, at "higher-than-recommended doses, the patch is associated with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, appetite loss and weight loss." CNN Money (7/10, Smith) also reports the FDA approval.
International consortium proposes new criteria to aid in Alzheimer's disease diagnosis. MedPage Today (7/10, Peck) reports that "episodic impaired memory rather than developing dementia is the crucial clinical symptom pointing to an Alzheimer's disease diagnosis," according to a proposal for revised diagnostic criteria by an international working group headed by Bruno Dubois, M.D., of INSERM and the Université Pierre et Marie Curie. The proposed criteria, "a work in progress," are intended to "permit earlier and 'more specific Alzheimer's disease diagnosis' than the 24-year-old National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Diseases and Stroke and the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association criteria now in use." The new criteria, "which rely on a mix of imaging studies and biomarkers, combined with evidence of memory deficit," appear in today's The Lancet Neurology. Moreover, the group recommends that "memory deficit should be combined with one or more" of the following supportive features: The "presence of medial temporal lobe atrophy including volume loss of hippocampi, entorhinal cortex and amygdale" as determined by MRI; "low amyloid ß42 concentrations, increased total tau concentrations, or increased phospho-tau concentrations or combinations" of the three; and "reduced glucose metabolism in bilateral temporal parietal regions." Another supportive feature noted by the group is "proven Alzheimer's disease autosomal dominant mutation within the immediate family." In addition, the group said that Alzheimer's disease "can be excluded as a diagnosis if there is a sudden onset of memory deficit or early occurrence of gait disturbances, seizures or behavioral changes." Other exclusion criteria include "hemiparesis, sensory loss, visual field deficits; major depression; cerebrovascular disease; toxic and/or metabolic abnormalities; and, MRI FLAIR or T2 signal abnormalities in the medial temporal lobe that are consistent with infectious or vascular insults."
WebMD (7/10, DeNoon) also reports the study and includes excerpts of an interview with Norman Foster, M.D., director of the Center for Alzheimer's Care, Imaging and Research at the University of Utah, whose editorial accompanies the paper by Dubois and colleagues.
Researchers discover dementia gene. HealthDay (7/10, Vann) reports that researchers have discovered a new gene mutation "linked to frontotemporal dementia," which is the "second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer's disease," according to findings published in today's issue of Neurology. The mutation is "in a gene on chromosome 17, which leads to a loss of progranulin, a protein growth factor that helps brain cells survive. The mutation limits production of the protein to half the normal amount, because only one copy of the gene is active. While reduced production of progranulin is related to dementia, an excess has been tied to cancer."
The Wall Street Journal (7/10, Greil) reports that "Novartis, based in Basel, said this was the first approval world-wide for the patch." The Exelon patch "was designed with compliance in mind, Novartis said. It was preferred to capsules by more than 70 percent of doctors and nurses as a method of drug delivery according to clinical study data, because it helped them follow the treatment schedule. It also interfered less with daily life and was easier to use overall than the oral medication, Novartis said, citing the company-sponsored study."
But, USA Today /AP (7/10) adds that "rivastigmine isn't a cure. It inhibits the breakdown of a chemical in the brain called acetylcholine, thought important for both learning and memory." Moreover, since the drug "enters the bloodstream directly, the patch also eliminates some of the gastrointestinal side effects associated with the drug when swallowed."
The Washington Times (7/9, Lopes) noted that "by being applied to the patient's back, chest or upper arm, the patch can provide a continuous level of the drug in the bloodstream for 24 hours. The Exelon patch also helps reduce the nausea and vomiting associated with other Alzheimer's drugs, Novartis said."
HealthDay (7/10, Roberts) reports the approval as well, adding, "As with the capsule form, the company recommended that the medicated patch be used with caution in people with a history of so-called 'sick sinus syndrome,' ulcers, asthma and other chronic lung diseases, seizures, or urinary obstruction."
And, WebMD (7/10, Hitti) reports, "Novartis says that the FDA approved Exelon patch based on results from an international study that included nearly 1,200 patients. ... The patients took Exelon capsules, wore the Exelon patch, or got a placebo treatment." According to the company, the Exelon patch "showed similar efficacy to the highest doses of Exelon capsules and the recommended dose (9.5 milligrams per 24 hours)" and it was "generally well tolerated by patients." But, at "higher-than-recommended doses, the patch is associated with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, appetite loss and weight loss." CNN Money (7/10, Smith) also reports the FDA approval.
International consortium proposes new criteria to aid in Alzheimer's disease diagnosis. MedPage Today (7/10, Peck) reports that "episodic impaired memory rather than developing dementia is the crucial clinical symptom pointing to an Alzheimer's disease diagnosis," according to a proposal for revised diagnostic criteria by an international working group headed by Bruno Dubois, M.D., of INSERM and the Université Pierre et Marie Curie. The proposed criteria, "a work in progress," are intended to "permit earlier and 'more specific Alzheimer's disease diagnosis' than the 24-year-old National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Diseases and Stroke and the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association criteria now in use." The new criteria, "which rely on a mix of imaging studies and biomarkers, combined with evidence of memory deficit," appear in today's The Lancet Neurology. Moreover, the group recommends that "memory deficit should be combined with one or more" of the following supportive features: The "presence of medial temporal lobe atrophy including volume loss of hippocampi, entorhinal cortex and amygdale" as determined by MRI; "low amyloid ß42 concentrations, increased total tau concentrations, or increased phospho-tau concentrations or combinations" of the three; and "reduced glucose metabolism in bilateral temporal parietal regions." Another supportive feature noted by the group is "proven Alzheimer's disease autosomal dominant mutation within the immediate family." In addition, the group said that Alzheimer's disease "can be excluded as a diagnosis if there is a sudden onset of memory deficit or early occurrence of gait disturbances, seizures or behavioral changes." Other exclusion criteria include "hemiparesis, sensory loss, visual field deficits; major depression; cerebrovascular disease; toxic and/or metabolic abnormalities; and, MRI FLAIR or T2 signal abnormalities in the medial temporal lobe that are consistent with infectious or vascular insults."
WebMD (7/10, DeNoon) also reports the study and includes excerpts of an interview with Norman Foster, M.D., director of the Center for Alzheimer's Care, Imaging and Research at the University of Utah, whose editorial accompanies the paper by Dubois and colleagues.
Researchers discover dementia gene. HealthDay (7/10, Vann) reports that researchers have discovered a new gene mutation "linked to frontotemporal dementia," which is the "second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer's disease," according to findings published in today's issue of Neurology. The mutation is "in a gene on chromosome 17, which leads to a loss of progranulin, a protein growth factor that helps brain cells survive. The mutation limits production of the protein to half the normal amount, because only one copy of the gene is active. While reduced production of progranulin is related to dementia, an excess has been tied to cancer."
Study suggests that smokers have lower risk for Parkinson's disease. The CBS Evening News (7/9, story 8, 0:20, Couric) reported, "Could smoking actually have a health benefit? UCLA researchers are reporting tonight that smokers are less likely to develop Parkinson's than non-smokers. One theory is that the
carbon monoxide in tobacco may help produce dopamine in the brain." MedPage Today (7/10, Osterweil) reports that "data gathered in large cohort studies suggested that current smokers had a 77-percent lower risk for Parkinson's disease compared with never smokers," according to findings in the July issue of the Archives of Neurology. Moreover, the "protective effect of smoking increased with pack-years smoked, and decreased with years since quitting."
Co-morbidities may cause some early Parkinson's symptoms. MedPage Today (7/10, Osterweil) reports that "somnolence, edema and hallucinations in patients with early-stage Parkinson's disease may be related as much to co-morbid disease and other factors as they are to medication," according to findings reported in today's issue of Neurology. The authors looked "at the association of baseline patient characteristics with the onset or worsening of somnolence and edema, and with the development of hallucinations" and found that "35 percent of the patients developed or had worsening of somnolence during the study, 45 percent developed or had worsening of edema, and 17 percent developed hallucinations." Risk factors for somnolence included "initial therapy with pramipexole, male gender and having more than five systems with a comorbid illness." Risk factors for edema were "pramipexole treatment, female gender and comorbid cardiac disease." Initial therapy with either pramipexole or levodopa "was not associated with increased risk for hallucination, but age 65 and older was."
Co-morbidities may cause some early Parkinson's symptoms. MedPage Today (7/10, Osterweil) reports that "somnolence, edema and hallucinations in patients with early-stage Parkinson's disease may be related as much to co-morbid disease and other factors as they are to medication," according to findings reported in today's issue of Neurology. The authors looked "at the association of baseline patient characteristics with the onset or worsening of somnolence and edema, and with the development of hallucinations" and found that "35 percent of the patients developed or had worsening of somnolence during the study, 45 percent developed or had worsening of edema, and 17 percent developed hallucinations." Risk factors for somnolence included "initial therapy with pramipexole, male gender and having more than five systems with a comorbid illness." Risk factors for edema were "pramipexole treatment, female gender and comorbid cardiac disease." Initial therapy with either pramipexole or levodopa "was not associated with increased risk for hallucination, but age 65 and older was."
Anti-smoking pill may treat other addictions as well. The Chicago
Tribune /AP (7/10, Bridges) reports that a "single pill appears to hold promise in curbing the urges to both smoke and drink, according to researchers trying to help people overcome addiction by targeting a pleasure center in the brain. The drug, called varenicline, already is sold to help smokers kick the habit. New but preliminary research suggests it could gain a second use in helping heavy drinkers quit, too." The findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. AHN (7/10, Sharma) adds that the research also suggests that "the tablets might be considered as a treatment for many more addictions or in the cure of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's." The drug is currently manufactured by Pfizer under
the brand name Chantix.
New studies further dispute antidepressant link to suicidality. The New York Times (7/10, Bakalar) reports that "two large new studies in the American Journal of Psychiatry suggest that treatment of depression, either with psychotherapy or drugs, reduces the risk of suicide attempts in all age groups, especially during the first months of treatment. The findings raise further questions
about possible links between antidepressant drugs and suicide." In one study, researchers "reviewed the records of 109,356 people being treated for depression in a large prepaid health plan." They found that suicide attempts were "most common in the month before treatment began, declined sharply in the month after it began, and tapered off in the following six months. All treatments -- psychotherapy, medication or both -- showed the same pattern, suggesting that treating depression reduced suicide risk regardless of technique." In the second study, researchers "found that among 226,866 adults with depression, the overall rate of suicide attempts after beginning treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor was about one-third the rate of those who received no antidepressant at all. This was true for men 18 to 25 as well as for older adults."
Park yourself in front of a world of choices in alternative vehicles.
Visit the Yahoo! Auto Green Center.
Offline 
Send Email