Cognitive impairments among patients in a long-COVID clinic: Prevalence, pattern and relation to illness severity, work function and quality of life.

BACKGROUND: A considerable proportion of people experience lingering symptoms after Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency, pattern and functional implications of cognitive impairments in patients at a long-COVID clinic who were referred after hospitalisation with COVID-19 or by their general practitioner. METHODS: Patients underwent cognitive screening and completed questionnaires regarding subjective cognition, work function and quality of life. Patients' cognitive performance was compared with that of 150 age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy controls (HC) and with their individually expected performance calculated based on their age, sex and education. RESULTS: In total, 194 patients were assessed, on average 7 months (standard deviation: 4) after acute COVID-19.44-53 % of the patients displayed clinically relevant cognitive impairments compared to HC and to their expected performance, respectively. Moderate to large impairments were seen in global cognition and in working memory and executive function, while mild to moderate impairments occurred in verbal fluency, verbal learning and memory. Hospitalised (n = 91) and non-hospitalised (n = 103) patients showed similar degree of cognitive impairments in analyses adjusted for age and time since illness. Patients in the cognitively impaired group were older, more often hospitalised, had a higher BMI and more frequent asthma, and were more often female. More objective cognitive impairment was associated with more subjective cognitive difficulties, poorer work function and lower quality of life. LIMITATIONS: The study was cross-sectional, which precludes causality inferences. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the need to assess and treat cognitive impairments in patients at long-COVID clinics.

No difference in antidepressant prescription in rheumatoid arthritis and controls. Results from a population-based, matched inception cohort.

OBJECTIVE: Depression occurs at least two times more often in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients than in controls, but little is known about the treatment of depression in RA. The primary objective of this study was to compare the 1 year period prevalence of antidepressant prescription in patients with RA versus controls. METHOD: We included a retrospective inception cohort of 509 patients with incident RA and 2545 frequency-matched population controls ascertained from 1995 to 2002. The cohort was followed until 31 December 2017 and linked with nationwide Danish registers. From the Danish National Prescription Register, we obtained information on redeemed prescriptions of antidepressants (Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical code N06A). RESULTS: We did not demonstrate significant differences in the 1 year period prevalence ratios and the incidence rate ratios for either antidepressant prescription or the frequency of hospital admissions with depressive episode. The most frequent indication for antidepressant prescription in patients with RA was depression. Cox regression analyses showed no association between RA and antidepressant prescription. CONCLUSION: We found no significant differences in the occurrence of antidepressant prescription in patients with RA versus matched controls. The main indication for antidepressant prescription in RA was depression.

Mortality and its predictors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a Danish population-based inception cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate mortality and its predictors in a retrospectively defined population-based rheumatoid arthritis (RA) inception cohort Method: We included patients ascertained with incident RA from a region in the southern part of Denmark from 1995 to 2002. All patients fulfilled the 1987 American College of Rheumatology criteria for RA. The patients were followed from RA classification until death, emigration, or end of follow-up on 31 December 2013. We used personal record linkage with national public registers to obtain information on education, employment, cohabitation, comorbidity, and vital status. RESULTS: The cohort comprised 509 patients, of whom 200 (39%) died during 6079 person-years. The most frequent underlying causes of death were cardiovascular disease (34%), neoplasms (26%), and respiratory disease (12%). In rheumatoid factor (RF)-positive males, the standardized mortality ratio (95% confidence interval) from all causes was 1.47 (1.15-1.88), from cardiovascular disease 1.63 (1.09-2.46), from respiratory disease 2.03 (1.06-3.90), and from neoplasms 2.26 (1.02-5.03) in the age group < 70 years, and 2.45 (1.23-4.90) in the age group > 79 years. On applying Cox models after multiple imputations by chained equations, we found that RF modified the effect of age. Employment status, comorbidity, and gender were independent baseline predictors of subsequent mortality. CONCLUSION: In this cohort, significant excess mortality was confined to RF-positive males. The effect of age was modified by RF, and employment status and comorbidity were independent predictors of mortality.

Galectin-3 is Persistently Increased in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Associates with Anti-CCP Seropositivity and MRI Bone Lesions, While Early Fibrosis Markers Correlate with Disease Activity.

Galectin-3 has been suggested as a pro-inflammatory mediator in animal arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We aimed to study the serum level of galectin-3 in patients with newly diagnosed RA and associations with disease profile, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and seromarkers of synovial matrix inflammation. One hundred and sixty DMARD naïve patients newly diagnosed with RA were included (CIMESTRA study). Clinical, serological and imaging data were recorded before treatment and at 6 weeks, 3 and 12 months. Galectin-3 and hyaluronan (HYA) were measured by ELISA (R&D and Corgenix, USA), and the N-terminal propeptide of type III collagen (PIIINP) by radioimmunoassay (Orion Diagnostica, Finland). One hundred and nineteen, 87 and 60 blood donors served as controls for galectin-3, HYA and PIIINP, respectively. Baseline galectin-3 was significantly elevated in anti-CCP positive (4.2 µg/l IQR [3.6;6.1]) patients as compared with anti-CCP negatives (4.0 µg/l [2.6;4.9], P = 0.05) and controls (3.8 µg/l [3.0;4.8], P < 0.01). During treatment, galectin-3 remained elevated, but increased transiently with peak values at 6 weeks. Galectin-3 correlated with baseline smoking, anti-CCP, and with MRI erosion score after 1 year of follow-up. HYA and PIIINP were elevated (P < 0.001) irrespective of anti-CCP status and correlated positively with synovitis assessed clinically and by MRI. HYA and PIIINP did not correlate with galectin-3. These observations indicate that HYA and PIIINP mainly reflect expansive synovitis proliferation while galectin-3 is more closely linked to autoimmunity, smoking and joint destructive processes.

Effect of a treat-to-target strategy based on methotrexate and intra-articular betamethasone with or without additional cyclosporin on MRI-assessed synovitis, osteitis, tenosynovitis, bone erosion, and joint space narrowing in early rheumatoid arthritis: results from a 2-year randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial (CIMESTRA).

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether a treat-to-target strategy based on methotrexate (MTX) and intra-articular (IA) betamethasone suppresses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-determined measures of disease activity and reduces joint destruction in early rheumatoid arthritis (eRA) patients, and to investigate whether concomitant cyclosporin A (CyA) provides an additional effect. METHOD: In the 2-year randomized, double-blind, treat-to-target trial CIMESTRA, 160 patients with eRA (< 6 months) were randomized to MTX, intra-articular betamethasone and CyA, or placebo CyA. A total of 129 patients participated in the MRI substudy, and had contrast-enhanced MR images of the non-dominant hand at months 0, 6, 12, and 24. MR images were evaluated for osteitis, synovitis, tenosynovitis, bone erosion, and joint space narrowing (JSN), using validated scoring methods. RESULTS: Significant reductions were seen at 6 months in all inflammatory parameters [synovitis, mean change -1.6 (p < 0.001, Wilcoxon), tenosynovitis, -3.5 (p < 0.001), and osteitis, -1.3 (p < 0.05)] and at 12/24 months in synovitis and tenosynovitis [-1.6/-2.2 and -3.6/-3.8, respectively; all p < 0.001]. MRI signs of inflammation were not fully eliminated, and increases in erosion and JSN scores were observed at 6 months [0.4 (p < 0.01)/0.1 (p < 0.05)], 12 months [0.8 (p < 0.001)/0.3 (p < 0.01)], and 24 months [1.0 (p < 0.001)/0.4 (p < 0.001)]. Clinical measures decreased significantly (p < 0.001) at all time points. There were no consistent statistically significant differences between treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this eRA treat-to-target trial, MTX and intra-articular glucocorticoids markedly reduced, but did not eliminate, MRI osteitis, synovitis, and tenosynovitis. Accordingly, minimal but statistically significant increases in bone erosion and JSN were observed. No additional effect of CyA was demonstrated.

School performance in cholesteatoma-operated children in Denmark: a nationwide population-based register-study.

Conclusion Cholesteatoma in childhood had no long-term effect on school performance for the majority who completed lower secondary school. Aim To investigate whether individuals operated on for cholesteatoma in childhood have impaired school performance in adolescence. Methods All children born in Denmark between 1986-1991 with cholesteatoma surgery performed before the age of 15 years were included (cholestetaoma group). A control group consisting of a 5% random sample of all children born in Denmark during the same period was used for comparison. Final marks (average, mathematics, Danish, and English) achieved upon completion of lower secondary school (9th grade; age 15 or 16 years) were compared between groups. Results A total of 549 individuals met the inclusion criteria for the cholesteatoma group and 15 106 for the control group. High parental education and female sex were strongly associated with high 9th grade marks. The cholesteatoma group did equally as well as the control group in all outcome-measures except from in English (1st foreign language), where children with ≥2 cholesteatoma surgeries scored 0.26 marks lower (95% confidence interval = 0.03-0.48). In the cholesteatoma group, though, the odds ratio for not attaining a 9th grade exam was 1.33 (95% confidence interval = 1.03-1.72%) when compared with the control group.

Interactions between smoking, increased serum levels of anti-CCP antibodies, rheumatoid factors, and erosive joint disease in patients with early, untreated rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: To determine to what extent shared epitopes, smoking, and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies are associated with disease activity and erosive disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at disease onset. METHOD: RA patients not previously treated with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and with a disease duration of < 6 months (CIMESTRA study) were examined for shared epitopes, anti-CCP antibodies, immunoglobulin M rheumatoid factor (IgM-RF) and IgA-RF, radiographic erosive changes in hands and feet, and clinical disease activity. RESULTS: The study comprised 153 patients, of whom 104 (68%) were ever-smokers. The prevalence of patients with 0, 1, or 2 shared epitopes was 40 (48%), 71 (49%), and 33 (23%), respectively. Anti-CCP antibodies, IgM-RF, and IgA-RF were present in 89 (58%), 99 (65%), and 82 (54%) patients, respectively. Among smokers, erosive disease was associated with anti-CCP antibodies [odds ratio (OR) 3.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6-9.3], IgM-RF (OR 4.9, 95% CI 1.9-12), and IgA-RF (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.2-6.4) but absent with regard to shared epitopes. Among never-smokers, erosive disease was not associated with either shared epitopes or antibodies. All antibody levels measured were associated with smoking and shared epitopes. CONCLUSIONS: Shared epitopes and smoking were associated with the production of anti-CCP antibodies and rheumatoid factors of IgM and IgA isotypes, which again were associated with erosive disease at presentation only in smokers. As shared epitopes and smoking were not directly associated with erosive disease, smoking may enhance the development of erosive disease in RA at different levels or through separate pathways.

Periarticular and generalised bone loss in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis: influence of alendronate and intra-articular glucocorticoid treatment. Post hoc analyses from the CIMESTRA trial.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to investigate the influence of alendronate and intra-articular betamethasone treatment on bone mineral density (BMD) changes in hand, lumbar spine and femoral neck during 1 year of a treat-to-target study (Cyclosporine, Methotrexate, Steroid in RA (CIMESTRA)). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A hundred and sixty patients with early, active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) received methotrexate, intra-articular betamethasone and ciclosporin /placebo-ciclosporin. Patients with Z-score ≤0 also started alendronate 10 mg/day. BMD of the hand (digital x-ray radiogrammetry (DXR-BMDhand)), BMD of lumbar spine and femoral neck (dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA-BMDlumbar spine and DXA-BMDfemoral neck)) and x-rays of hands, wrists and forefeet (modified Sharp-van der Heijde score) were measured at baseline and 1 year, with complete data available in 107 patients. RESULTS: The change in BMD in hand, lumbar spine and femoral neck was negatively associated with the dose of intra-articular betamethasone (p<0.01 for all), but the bone loss in hand was modest and in the axial skeleton comparable with that of healthy individuals. Alendronate did not influence changes in DXR-BMDhand, which averaged -2.8%, whereas significant changes were observed in DXA-BMDlumbar spine and DXA-BMDfemoral neck in alendronate-treated patients (1.8% and 0.8%) compared with untreated patients (-1.8% and -2.2%) (p<0.01 and 0.02). Alendronate did not affect the radiographic progression (alendronate-treated patients: 0 (range 0-19), non-alendronate: 0 (0-18)). CONCLUSIONS: In early active RA, intra-articular betamethasone injections added to disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) treatment led to minimal loss of hip and lumbar BMD, and the loss could be prevented by treatment with alendronate. Alendronate treatment did not affect radiographic progression.

Upregulated baseline plasma CCL19 and CCR7 cell-surface expression on monocytes in early rheumatoid arthritis normalized during treatment and CCL19 correlated with radiographic progression.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to measure, in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, the concentration of CC-chemokine ligand 19 (CCL19) in plasma and the cell-surface expression of CC-chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) on circulating monocytes and CD4+ T lymphocytes and to analyse correlations with disease activity and 5-year radiographic progression. METHOD: In disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD)-naïve RA patients (disease duration < 6 months), we measured plasma CCL19 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (n = 160) and CCR7 cell-surface expression on monocytes and CD4+ T lymphocytes by flow cytometry (n = 40) at baseline and after 1 year of treatment with methotrexate (MTX) or methotrexate+cyclosporin A (MTX/CyA). Radiographic progression was scored by the van der Heijde-modified Total Sharp Score (TSS) from 0 to 5 years. RESULTS: Increased baseline CCL19 (median 85 pg/mL, range 31-1008 pg/mL, p = 0.01) decreased after 1 year (median 31 pg/mL, range 31-1030 pg/mL, p < 0.001) and 5 years (median 31 pg/mL, range 31-247 pg/mL, p < 0.001) to a level below the controls (n = 45) (median 60 pg/mL, range 31-152 pg/mL). Baseline plasma CCL19 levels [p = 0.011, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.0030-0.0176], anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibody status (p = 0.002, 95% CI 0.61-2.38), and TSS > 0 at baseline (p < 0.001, 95% CI 1.21-3.16) were independent predictors of 5-year radiographic progression evaluated by multiple logistic regression in contrast to never smoked, C-reactive protein (CRP), gender, age, number of tender (NTJ) and swollen joints (NSJ), and 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28). Increased CCR7 expression on monocytes (p = 0.008) correlated to CRP (p = 0.006, r = 0.52) and normalized (n = 15) after 1 year (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: In DMARD-naïve RA patients, CCL19 plasma level and CCR7 surface expression on monocytes were upregulated and normalized after 1 year of treatment. Increased baseline plasma CCL19 level, anti-CCP antibody status, and TSS > 0 at baseline correlated independently with 5-year radiographic progression.

MRI bone oedema is the strongest predictor of subsequent radiographic progression in early rheumatoid arthritis. Results from a 2-year randomised controlled trial (CIMESTRA).

OBJECTIVE: To identify predictors of radiographic progression in a 2-year randomised, double-blind, clinical study (CIMESTRA) of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Patients with early RA (n = 130) were treated with methotrexate, intra-articular betamethasone and ciclosporin/placebo-ciclosporin. Baseline magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the wrist (wrist-only group, n = 130) or MRI of wrist and metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints (wrist+MCP group, n = 89) (OMERACT RAMRIS), x-ray examination of hands, wrists and forefeet (Sharp/van der Heijde Score (TSS)), Disease Activity Score (DAS28), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP), HLA-DRB1-shared epitope (SE) and smoking status were assessed. Multiple regression analysis was performed with delta-TSS (0-2 years) as dependent variable and baseline DAS28, TSS, MRI bone oedema score, MRI synovitis score, MRI erosion score, anti-CCP, smoking, SE, age and gender as explanatory variables. RESULTS: Baseline values: median DAS28 5.6 (range 2.4-8.0); anti-CCP positive 61%; radiographic erosions 56%. At 2 years: DAS28 2.0 (0.5-5.7), in DAS remission: 56%, radiographic progression 26% (wrist+MCP group, similar for wrist-only group). MRI bone oedema score was the only independent predictor of delta-TSS (wrist+MCP group: coefficient = 0.75 (95% CI 0.55 to 0.94), p<0.001; wrist-only group: coefficient = 0.59 (95% CI 0.40 to 0.77), p<0.001). Bone oedema score explained 41% of the variation in the progression of TSS (wrist+MCP group), 25% in wrist-only group (Pearson's r = 0.64 and r = 0.50, respectively). Results were confirmed by sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: In a randomised controlled trial aiming at remission in patients with early RA, baseline RAMRIS MRI bone oedema score of MCP and wrist joints (and of wrist only) was the strongest independent predictor of radiographic progression in hands, wrists and forefeet after 2 years. MRI synovitis score, MRI erosion score, DAS28, anti-CCP, SE, smoking, age and gender were not independent risk factors. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT00209859.

Aggressive combination therapy with intra-articular glucocorticoid injections and conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in early rheumatoid arthritis: second-year clinical and radiographic results from the CIMESTRA study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether clinical and radiographic disease control can be achieved and maintained in patients with early, active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) during the second year of aggressive treatment with conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and intra-articular corticosteroid. This paper presents the results of the second year of the randomised, controlled double-blind CIMESTRA (Ciclosporine, Methotrexate, Steroid in RA) study. METHODS: 160 patients with early RA (duration <6 months) were randomised to receive intra-articular betamethasone in any swollen joint in combination with step-up treatment with either methotrexate and placebo-ciclosporine (monotherapy) or methotrexate plus ciclosporine (combination therapy) during the first 76 weeks. At week 68 hydroxychlorochine 200 mg daily was added. From week 76-104 ciclosporine/placebo-ciclosporine was tapered to zero. RESULTS: American College of Rheumatology 20% improvement (ACR20), ACR50 and ACR70 levels were achieved in 88%, 79% and 59% of patients in the combination vs 72%, 62% and 54% in the monotherapy group (p = 0.03, 0.02 and 0.6 between groups). The patients globally declined from 50 to 12 vs 52 to 9, with 51% and 50% in Disease Activity Score (DAS) remission, respectively. Mean (SD) progressions in total Sharp-van der Heijde scores were 1.42 (3.52) and 2.03 (5.86) in combination and monotherapy groups, respectively (not significant). Serum creatinine levels increased by 7% in the combination group (4% in monotherapy), but hypertension was not more prevalent. CONCLUSION: Continuous methotrexate and intra-articular corticosteroid treatment resulted in excellent clinical response and disease control at 2 years, and the radiographic erosive progression was minimal. Addition of ciclosporine during the first 76 weeks resulted in significantly better ACR20 and ACR50 responses, but did not have any additional effect on remission rate and radiographic outcome.

[A screening test for depression in general practice. The COOP/WONCA chart]. / Screeningstest for depression i almen praksis. COOP/WONCA-kort.

Depressed patients in general practice may be difficult to identify. Questionnaires may be used for screening but some of the existing instruments are difficult to use and have only to a limited degree been introduced in general practice. In this study 798 patients' answers to the COOP/WONCA chart "Feelings" were compared to GPs' diagnosis according to ICD-10 criteria for depressive single episode (F32). At cut-off2/3 (slight/moderate problems) the chart had a sensitivity of 89% (76-100%) and specificity of 75% (72-78%). The predictive value of a positive test was not higher than 33% for any cut-off point and the predictive value of a negative test never less than 98%. A two-phased diagnostic strategy with the COOP/WONCA chart as step one is suggested as a possible and relatively simple way to optimize recognition of depressive patients in general practice.

Ultrasound biomicroscopy. II. Intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility of measurements.

PURPOSE: To evaluate intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility of measurements in images obtained by the 50 MHz Humphrey Ultrasound Biomicroscope. METHODS: The first stored image of central cornea, central anterior chamber, and angle structures obtained at 50 examinations were measured twice by three observers. Nine different parameters were measured in angle images and two in images of central cornea and anterior chamber. Intraobserver reproducibility was assessed by calculating the coefficient of variation and interobserver reproducibility by a two-ways ANOVA. RESULTS: Intraobserver reproducibility was high for all measurements of central cornea thickness and anterior chamber depth with a coefficient of variation (%) < or = 3.8%. In angle images the intraobserver reproducibility of measurements was often lower (coefficient of variation (%) 1.3-52.6%). The lower reproducibility was most noticeable in measurements involving the less defined structures. Interobserver reproducibility was poor. CONCLUSIONS: Comparison of measurements are best done of well defined structures and by only one observer.

Automatisms in non common law countries.

The distinction made in the common law tradition between sane and insane automatisms, and in particular the labelling of epileptic automatisms as insane, are legal concepts which surprise and even astonish lawyers of other traditions, whether they work within a civil law system or one with elements both from civil law and common law. It could be useful to those lawyers, doctors and patients struggling for a change in the common law countries to receive comparative material from other countries. Thus, the way automatisms are dealt with in non-common law countries will be discussed with an emphasis on the Norwegian criminal law system. In Norway no distinction is made between sane and insane automatisms and the plea Not Guilty by virtue of epileptic automatism is both available and valid assuming certain conditions are met. No. 44 of the Penal Code states that acts committed while the perpetrator is unconscious are not punishable. Automatisms are regarded as "relative unconsciousness", and thus included under No. 44. Exceptions may be made if the automatism is a result of self-inflicted intoxication following the consumption of alcohol or (illegal) drugs. Also, the role and relevance of experts as well as the law of some other European countries will be briefly discussed.

Experience with a broth culture technique for diagnosis of bacterial keratitis.

PURPOSE: To determine if a broth culture technique is a practical means for bacteriological investigation of keratitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-seven eyes of 27 patients with a clinical diagnosis of bacterial keratitis were included in a prospective and non-comparative study at a Danish referral hospital. A corneal scrape was inoculated directly into broth medium which was transferred to the diagnostic laboratory for incubation and subculture. RESULTS: Culture was negative in 4 patients, and 19 of the remaining 23 patients had a pure growth of either Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 8), Staphylococcus aureus (n = 2), Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 2), Haemophilus influenzae biotype III (n = 1), Moraxella species (n = 1), Corynebacterium species (n = 1), or coagulase-negative staphylococci (n = 4). In 4 patients there was a mixed gram-positive growth. There was no association between microbiological findings and previous topical antibiotic therapy. Contamination and lack of quantitative assessment of growth proved not to be a problem. CONCLUSIONS: By broth culture technique we identified a definite pathogen (P. aeruginosa, S. aureus or S. pneumoniae) in 44% of patients (95% binomial confidence limits: 25-65%). The technique may replace the standard technique of direct plate culture under circumstances where it is difficult to keep a supply of fresh media or transport inoculated plates.

[Monosymptomatic pupillary dilatation caused by scopolamine patch]. / Monosymptomatisk pupildilatation forårsaget af scopolaminplaster.

A case of monosymptomatic unilateral mydriasis caused by scopolamine patches is presented. The same symptom caused by pressure from an aneurysm on the oculomotor nerve is exceptionally rare.

Comparison of an ephedrine/caffeine combination and dexfenfluramine in the treatment of obesity. A double-blind multi-centre trial in general practice.

In previous separate studies, dexfenfluramine (DF) and ephedrine/caffeine (EC) have been shown to promote weight loss in obese patients as compared with placebo. In order to compare the efficacy and safety of these two anorectic drugs, 103 patients with 20-80% overweight were included in a 15-week double-blind study in general practice. Patients were randomized to either 15 mg DF twice daily (n = 53), or 20 mg/200 mg ephedrine/caffeine three times a day (n = 50), supplementary to a 5 MJ/day diet. Forty-three patients from the DF group and 38 from the EC group completed the study. After 15 weeks of treatment, the DF group (n = 43) had lost 6.9 +/- 4.3 kg and the EC group (n = 38) had lost 8.3 +/- 5.2 kg (mean +/- s.d., P = 0.12). In the subgroup of patients with BMI > or = 30 kg/m2 (n = 59), the mean weight loss was 7.0 +/- 4.2 kg in the DF group (n = 29) and 9.0 +/- 5.3 kg in the EC group (n = 30), P < 0.05. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressures were reduced similarly during both treatments. Twenty-three patients in the DF group (43%) and 27 in the EC group (54%) complained of side-effects. Central nervous system side-effects, especially agitation, were more pronounced in the EC group (P < 0.05), whereas gastro-intestinal symptoms were more frequent in the DF group (P < 0.05). The side-effects declined markedly during the first month of treatment in both groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)