ABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: A member of a family with an autosomal dominant pattern of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) with a TDP-43 pathological substrate in other members and no mutations in FTD-associated genes developed behavioral variant FTD followed by Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. Autopsy revealed a pure tauopathy of PSP pattern. CONCLUSIONS: The findings raise the possibility of shared pathogenic pathways and a proximal genetic abnormality between PSP and FTLD-43.
Subject(s)
Brain/pathology , Frontotemporal Dementia/complications , Frontotemporal Dementia/pathology , Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive/complications , Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive/pathology , DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism , Family , Female , Frontotemporal Dementia/genetics , Humans , Middle Aged , Pedigree , tau Proteins/metabolismABSTRACT
Forty patients with disciform keratitis were randomly assigned to double-blind treatment with 3% acyclovir and 0.01% betamethasone drops or acyclovir and matching placebo. All patients who received the combination healed in a median time of 21 days, while 11 of 19 patients who received acyclovir alone were withdrawn because their condition remained static or worsened (p less than 0.001). The combination therapy produced a faster rate of healing (p = 0.004); other clinical parameters also improved more favourably in the combination treatment group. Three patients had mild transient punctate keratopathy, but no serious adverse effects were seen despite treatment for a median duration of 28 days in the acyclovir group and 38 days in the combined therapy group. A combination of acyclovir and dilute steroid drops is effective in the management of disciform keratitis.
Subject(s)
Acyclovir/therapeutic use , Keratitis, Dendritic/drug therapy , Adult , Betamethasone/therapeutic use , Clinical Trials as Topic , Double-Blind Method , Drug Therapy, Combination , Humans , Keratitis, Dendritic/physiopathology , Middle Aged , Time Factors , Visual AcuityABSTRACT
Herpes simplex keratitis accounts for 50 percent of patients presenting at our corneal clinic. Studies of the use of acyclovir in dendritic and geographic ulceration and disciform keratitis are presented. In a double-blind study of acyclovir and idoxuridine in 60 patients with dendritic keratitis, acyclovir was shown to be superior and produced no serious side effects. Patients with geographic ulcers have been treated on an open basis with acyclovir and the drug was found to be effective. A combination of acyclovir and dilute steroid drops appeared to be as effective as currently available treatments in the management of disciform keratitis. Double-blind studies are now in progress to evaluate acyclovir in geographic and disciform keratitis.
Subject(s)
Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , Guanine/analogs & derivatives , Keratitis, Dendritic/drug therapy , Acyclovir , Adult , Betamethasone/therapeutic use , Double-Blind Method , Drug Evaluation , Drug Therapy, Combination , Female , Guanine/therapeutic use , Humans , Idoxuridine/therapeutic use , MaleABSTRACT
The results of a double-blind clinical trials of acyclovir and adenosine arabinoside (ara-A) in 93 patients with herpetic keratitis demonstrated a significantly faster healing rate for acyclovir (p less than 0.01). Ulcers in 45 (94 percent) of acyclovir-treated patients and 37 (82 percent) of ara-A-treated patients healed within 14 days. No serious side effects were observed.
Subject(s)
Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , Guanine/analogs & derivatives , Keratitis, Dendritic/drug therapy , Vidarabine/therapeutic use , Acyclovir , Clinical Trials as Topic , Double-Blind Method , Female , Guanine/therapeutic use , Humans , Male , Ulcer/drug therapyABSTRACT
A double-blind clinical trial of 3% acyclovir (Zovirax) and 3% adenosine arabinoside (ara-A, Vidarabine) in 93 patients with herpetic corneal ulceration is presented. Ulcers in 45 (94%) of acyclovir-treated patients and 37 (82%) ara-A-treated patients healed within 14 days. Patients treated with acyclovir healed more rapidly than those treated with ara-A (p less than 0.01). No serious adverse effects were observed.
Subject(s)
Corneal Ulcer/drug therapy , Guanine/analogs & derivatives , Keratitis, Dendritic/drug therapy , Vidarabine/therapeutic use , Acyclovir , Clinical Trials as Topic , Double-Blind Method , Female , Guanine/therapeutic use , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Random AllocationABSTRACT
A review of the literature on acyclovir (Zovirax), a new antiherpes drug, with particular activity against herpes simplex virus types I and II and also against varicella-zoster, Epstein-Barr, cytomegalo and herpes B viruses, is presented. The article deals with 'in vitro' and 'in vivo' efficacy in animals, animal toxicity, latency and resistance, the mechanism of action and early clinical experience.
