Efficacy and safety of apomorphine pump infusion in Filipino patients insufficiently controlled on oral anti-Parkinson medications: an open-label, pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Apomorphine hydrochloride is used in the management of advanced Parkinson disease (PD), either as a rescue medication for off periods during levodopa therapy or as a maintenance pump medication. This is the first study to describe the effects of apomorphine in Filipino patients with PD. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of apomorphine ampules (APO-go®) pump infusion in the treatment of motor fluctuations in patients inadequately controlled on oral anti-Parkinson medications. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with PD who developed motor fluctuations with levodopa were evaluated at baseline and at the end of the study using the Modified Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) Scale, the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). After initial assessment, patients were administered 20 ampules of apomorphine hydrochloride 10 mg/mL by infusion pump over 20 days. Intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis included all patients who completed at least one posttreatment assessment. Motor disability based on modified H&Y scores, motor function and complications of therapy pre- and posttreatment were compared using Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. Chi-squared test was used to compare outcomes by age and sex. Frequencies of adverse reactions were recorded to evaluate the tolerability of the medication. RESULTS: Ten patients (mean age 63 ± 9.7 years), 3 male and 7 female, were enrolled in the study. Patients were given apomorphine for at most 16 days. The doses used were 2.5 mg/0.50 mL (n = 2), 3 mg/0.60 mL (n = 6), 4 mg/0.80 mL (n = 1) and 7 mg/1.40 mL (n = 1). After obtaining the threshold dose, two patients discontinued treatment. Eight of nine patients showed significant improvement in H&Y scores after treatment (p < 0.017). There was marked improvement after 10 days of treatment in at least five of 10 patients in terms of motor function using UPDRS, which included tremor (p < 0.034), rigidity (p < 0.002), facial expression (p < 0.014), finger taps (p < 0.008), foot taps (p < 0.014) and gait (p < 0.006). Significant changes from pre- to posttreatment scores in the frequency of dyskinesias (p < 0.010) and dystonia (p < 0.025) were observed. Nine focus areas of AIMS showed significant improvements in the muscles of facial expression (p < 0.020), upper (p < 0.016) and lower extremities (p < 0.010), incapacitation by abnormal movement (p < 0.010) and patients' awareness of abnormal movements (p < 0.039). Six patients experienced adverse events, none of which were related to the study drug. CONCLUSION: Apomorphine hydrochloride pump infusion therapy is potentially effective and safe in the treatment of motor fluctuations in Filipino patients with PD. This pilot study springboards safe engagements of Filipino PD patients in multicenter, large-scale trials.

Botulinum toxin therapy in established post-stroke upper limb spasticity

Amongst stroke patients, more than a third will develop spasticity, especially those that involve the paretic upper limbs. Despite establish intensive rehabilitaion programs in place, spasticity still affect a post-stroke patient's quality of life and create significant economic and caregiver burdens. The rationale for botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) use in spasticity is hinged on the toxin's ability to reduce muscle overactivity via a dual cholinergic blockede of extrafusal and intrafusal muscle. Efficacy and safety of BoNT-A in established post-stroke spasticity have been widely published, effectively establishing robustness of data and first line recommendation. Consensus guidelines and algorithms on the clinical use of BoNT-A for symptomatic upper limb spasticity are now also available. While BoNT-A has been universally shown to reduce muscle tone in spasticity, optimizing therapy requires judicious use of the toxin, while raising one's consciousness of adverse event, including muscle weakness, unwanted or desired in therapy. BoNT-A should not be administered alone in post-stroke spasticity, and its effects are best optimized in concert with a comprehensive neurorehabilitation program.

Anxiety symptoms among cognitively-intact, community dwelling Filipino patients with Parkinson disease

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of anxiety and its correlation with the quality of life among cognitively-intact, community dwelling Filipino patients with idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD) seen at the Movement Disorders Clinic of a tertiary hospital.STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, cross-sectional study. METHODS: Seventy six (76) Filipino outpatients fulfilling the United Kingdom Parkinson Disease Society Brain Bank Clinical Diagnostic Criteria for PD were included in the study. Demographic data were obtained including: age, sex, onset of disease, disease duration and medication intake. The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was done to exclude significant cognitive impairment. The Hamilton Anxiety scale (HAM-A) was administered to quantify anxiety. The degree of anxiety was correlated with the quality of life instrument, Short form health survey (SF 36); and the functional and motor severity using the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scales (UPDRS).FINDINGS: Our cohort of patients had a mean: age of 61 years (range: 42 - 81 years), and disease duration of 1.3 years (33 months). Out of the 76 patients, 37( 48.6%) probably had significant anxiety symptoms based on the the HAM A. Anxiety greatly impacts scores on SF 36.CONCLUSION: The prevalence of anxiety among this Filipino cohort of patients is 48.6% which is higher than commonly reported worldwide. The presence of anxiety significantly correlated with poorer quality of life.

Botulinum toxin-A targeted for focal/ multifocal dystonias- An open- label application in X-linked Dystonia-Parkinsonism

Targeted for relief of spasms, posturing, pain, impaired function and disfigurement, botulinum toxin type-A (BoNT-A) was injected in dystonias of X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism (XDP). From 1992-2012, focal/ multifocal dystonia combinations were injected in XDP at the following regions: Peri-ocular (21 cases), oromandibular (50 cases), ligual (35 cases), laryngeal (5 cases), cervical (56 cases), truncalaxil (24 cases) upper limbs (13 cases) and lower limbs (18 cases). Pain was frequently reported in 40/50 cases with oromandibular dystonia, 28/56 cases with cervical dystonia, 18/24 cases with truncal-axil dystonia and 16/31 cases with limb dystonia. Outcomes were assessment through the global dystonia rating scale (DRS) at week 4, VAS pain reduction at week 4, duration of BoNT-A effects and safety. Cranial, laryngeal and cervical dystonia showed substantial improvement (DRS median score of 3-4), whereas truncal-axil and limb dystonias showed moderate improvement (DRS median score of 2), following BoNT-A. Pain reduction ranged from 30-100% (VAS), for those dystonias that reported co-morbid pain. BoNT-A effects had a duration ranging from 8-20 weeks. Procedures were generally well tolerated, and the adverse events were most significant in laryngeal injections (voice breathiness, but was eventually followed by a strong voice). The other events were mouth dryness, dysphagia and weekness in oromandibular, cervical and limb dystonias, respectively. Therefore, BoNT-A is a safe and valuable therapeutic option for the dystonias of XDP, especially the disabling and painful dystonias. BoNT-A injection working protocols could be adopted in dystonia that adheres to cost minimization (e.g. lower dose end per selected muscles), yet achieving a substantial benefit, and a reduced adverse event profile. Futhermore, this present study allowed us to recommend a "high potency, low dillution" of BoNT-A in oromandibular, linual, laryngeal, cervical and distal limb dystonias. In dystonias of the abdominal, paraspinal and proximal limb muscles, the "low potency, high dilution" BoNT-A injection protocol could be adopted.

Botulinum toxin therapy as early intervention in post-stroke upper limb spasticity

Pooled systematic studies that compare treatment stragegies for post-stroke spasticity prove that Botulinum toxin-A (BoNT-A) has superior efficacy and safety and has become the first line management in tandem with physiotherapy. The natural evolution of spasticity show that, not only are neural mechanisms of muscle hypertonus come into play, but that biomechanical forces may likely set in 3 months after stroke. Uses of BoNT-A have been driven by pre-defined goals in the established stage of spasticity (i.E. > 6 months from onset of stroke), as well as the practice of repeat cycle injections to reduce muscle tone. About 19-33% of patients develop spasticity within 3 months after the ictus. Early intervention with BoNT-A (i.e.

Untreated depressive symptoms among cognitively-intact, community dwelling Filipino patients with Parkinson disease.

The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms and its correlation with the quality of life among cognitively intact, community dwelling Filipino patients with Parkinson disease (PD) not treated pharmacologically for depression. In this prospective, cross-sectional study 76 PD patients were included. Demographic data were obtained including: age, gender, onset of disease, disease duration, and medication intake. The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was performed to exclude significant cognitive impairment. The Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) was administered to quantify the degree of depressive symptoms. The degree of depressive symptoms was correlated with the SF 36 and UPDRS Parts II and III. Our cohort of patients had a mean age of 61 years (range: 42-81 years), and disease duration of 2.7 years (33 months); 46 (61%) experienced significant depressive symptoms based on the MADRS cutoff score of >14. Depressive symptoms were associated with poorer performance on both UPDRS Parts II and III and SF 36. Untreated depressive symptoms among Filipinos with PD may be higher compared to other PD populations but prospective and age-matched controlled studies will need to be performed to confirm these preliminary observations. The presence of depressive symptoms was significantly correlated with poorer quality of life and level of functioning.