ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The usefulness of posatirelin (L-pyro-2-aminoadipyl-L-leucyl-L-prolinamide), a synthetic peptide having modulatory activity on the monoaminergic and cholinergic systems and neurotrophic effects, was evaluated in vascular dementia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A multicentre, parallel groups, double-blind clinical study vs placebo was carried out with patients suffering from probable vascular dementia according to the NINDS-AIREN criteria. The study consisted of a two-week run-in of a once daily, orally administered, placebo phase, followed by 12 weeks of intramuscular treatment with posatirelin 10 mg/ml or placebo given once a day and a follow-up after one month's withdrawal. Efficacy was assessed using the Gottfries-Bråne-Steen (GBS) Rating Scale for dementia, the Randt Memory Test and the Toulouse-Piéron Attention Test. Data were evaluated using analysis of variance and covariance. RESULTS: As regards GBS scores, patients treated with posatirelin showed a significant improvement in intellectual performance, in orientation, motivation and memory as compared to controls. The improvement of memory performance was also confirmed by the acquisition score and memory index of the Randt Memory Test. At the end of the follow-up period the differences between treatments were still maintained. Tolerability was good. CONCLUSIONS: The significant improvement observed in cognitive functions, attention and motivation of demented patients treated with posatirelin suggests the potential usefulness of this drug in vascular dementia. Furthermore, the presence of a long-lasting effect after drug withdrawal suggests the possibility of administering the drug cyclically.
Subject(s)
Dementia, Vascular/drug therapy , Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone/analogs & derivatives , Aged , Dementia, Vascular/psychology , Double-Blind Method , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone/therapeutic useABSTRACT
A total of 30 patients (27 males and 3 females) with a mean age of 62.6 +/- 3.9 years, suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were recruited into this open study to evaluate the clinical efficacy and the safety of a short course of treatment with 100 mg acebrophylline, twice daily for 14 days. To assess the effectiveness of the drug, symptoms and signs, such as cough intensity and frequency, auscultatory pattern, dyspnoea, cyanosis, difficulty of expectoration, sputum quantity, appearance and density, were evaluated at baseline and after 1, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 days of therapy. In addition the rheological properties of the bronchial mucus (viscosity and spinnability) were measured and respiratory function tests were performed before and after treatment. There was a progressive improvement of all evaluated symptoms and signs, resulting in improvement of the auscultatory pattern, as well as dyspnoea. This was accompanied by improvement or normalization of the respiratory function indices, which showed statistically significant differences (P < 0.01) between the baseline and the endpoint values, apart from total lung capacity. Blood-gas analysis demonstrated a significant increase of PaO2 and a significant decrease of PaCO2 values at the end of the treatment period (both P < 0.01). In general, acebrophylline was well tolerated. No clinically relevant or significant changes in any of the routine laboratory parameters were found on comparing the values obtained before and after treatment. Only three patients complained of epigastric pain, but this was not so severe or long-lasting as to require the discontinuation of the treatment.
Subject(s)
Ambroxol/analogs & derivatives , Bronchodilator Agents/therapeutic use , Lung Diseases, Obstructive/drug therapy , Mucus/drug effects , Theophylline/analogs & derivatives , Aged , Ambroxol/adverse effects , Ambroxol/therapeutic use , Bronchodilator Agents/adverse effects , Evaluation Studies as Topic , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Respiratory Function Tests , Rheology , Theophylline/adverse effects , Theophylline/therapeutic useABSTRACT
This double-blind study of dihydroergocristine (DHEC, CAS 17479-19-5) versus placebo was performed in 240 elderly patients affected by chronic cerebrovascular disease or organic brain syndrome. The therapy was carried on for one year. Results pointed out a decrease of SCAG total score and a significant improvement of the target items "confusion, mental alertness and memory performance" after DHEC versus placebo. Furthermore the data show that DHEC maintained its activity throughout the 12-month trial period. Very few and mild side-effects were reported for both groups, thus confirming the well known good safety of the compound. Based on results of this 1-year investigation, it is concluded that DHEC treatment should not be abruptly interrupted, but continued for as long as possible.
Subject(s)
Cognition Disorders/drug therapy , Dihydroergotoxine/therapeutic use , Memory Disorders/drug therapy , Aged , Cognition Disorders/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Memory Disorders/psychology , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Cardiac hypertrophy in weaning beagle dogs was obtained by a loose aortic banding with a 10-mm Dacron-Teflon band, positioned 1 cm distal from the aortic valve 9 months later all animals developed left ventricular hypertrophy without signs of heart failure. Sarcoplasmic reticulum proteins as well as their calcium-exchanging properties were measured in hypertrophic heart and in those from sham-operated control animals. The calcium exchangeable fraction for hypertrophic heart was found to the higher than for controls, while sarcoplasmic reticulum proteins obtained from hypertrophic hearts were lower than those obtained from control animals. It is probable that the increase in the calcium exchangeable fraction could represent a mechanism of compensation in an early stage of the development of the hypertrophic heart whose sarcoplasmic reticulum fraction is not adequately developed.
