[Effect of weight bearing symmetry modification on balance and gait function in individuals with chronic stroke]

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of compelled weight bearing with therapeutic exercise on functional test results of balance and gait in individuals with stroke. 32 hemi-paretic patients in experimental and control groups [16 patients in each group] participated in this study. Patients in the experimental group wore shoes for 6 weeks with a lift of 6 mm thickness embedded in non-paretic side to increase weight symmetry and performed balance and gait re-education exercises for 90 minutes daily. Patients of the control group only received therapeutic exercises. Assessments were included percentage of body weight on the affected limb, gait velocity; stride length, timed up and go and Berg Balance Scale tests that were recorded in both groups before and after treatment and 3 months after the end of treatment. All variables showed significant improvement following treatment and improvement effects were maintained during follow up examinations. In the experimental group, percentage of weight bearing on the paretic limb also increased significantly in follow up. The percentage of weight bearing on the paretic limb and BBS score increased more in the experimental group than in the control group [P=0.001]. Compelled weight bearing on the paretic limb and re-education of balance and gait caused more improvement in weight symmetry and functional balance in individuals with chronic stroke

[Comparison of desipramine and sertraline in the treatment of depression in patients suffering from alzheimer disease]

As depression is a common comorbid disorder with Alzheimer disease, it is important to recognize treatments with more effective and less adverse effects. This study has been devised to comparatively evaluate the effects of desipramine and sertraline in this patients. In this single blind clinical trial study, during January 2005 to April 2008, 63 outpatients in Ibn-e-Sina and Ghaem University hospitals in Mashhad city [north eastern part of Iran] were randomly allocated to two groups: 29 cases were treated by desipramine and 34 patients were treated with sertraline [both 25mg/day and if needed up to 150 mg/day]. Patients were assessed at 2, 4, 8 and 12[th] week by PDRS, HRDS and MMSE and side effects of medications. Changes in mood with HRDS and CSDD have shown that sertraline was effective in all weeks [p<0.05]. In contrast, desipramine had no therapeutic effect except in the 12[th] week according to HRDS scale [p<0.05]. Differences between the groups were significant [p=0.02]. Differences between daily activating scales regarding PDRS in 8[th] and 12[th] week in desipramine group were statistically meaningful [p<0.05], but not in the sertraline group and between the two groups. Also, cognitive changes by MMSE were not significant in the two groups and between the two groups. Sertraline is more effective than desipramine in the treatment of depression in patients who suffer from alzheimer disease, but they are ineffective on cognitive problems

Compression of risperidone and olanzapine in behavioral disturbances of Alzheimer: a randomized double blind clinical trial

There are some doubts about therapeutic effects of olanzapine and risperidone two antipsychotic drugs on behavioral disturbances in patients with Alzheimer's disease and concerns about safety have emerged. We assessed the effectiveness of these two atypical antipsychotic drugs in outpatients with Alzheimer's disease. In this double-blind trial, 69 outpatients with Alzheimer's disease and psychosis, aggression, or agitation were randomly assigned to receive olanzapine [dose, 2.5- 7.5 mg per day] or risperidone [dose, 0.5-4.5 mg per day]. Patients were followed for up to 10 weeks. The main outcomes were the scores of the Clinical Global Impression of Change [CGI] scale and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale [BPRS]. There were no significant differences among treatments with regard to improvement in risperidone and olanzapine group on the CGI [3.2 +/- 4.3 vs. 3.5 +/- 5.8 and P Value=0.564] and BPRS scale [8.2 +/- 9.2.vs. 8.8 +/- 9.2 and P Value = 0.522] .Furthermore, although the number of patients who had left the study cause of side effects, was greater in risperidone group, sedation and headache are more common with olanzapine than risperidone. Both risperidone and olanzapine might be useful and reasonable treatment for patients who suffering from behavioral disturbances due to psychosis in Alzheimer disease