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Parkinson’s: New Clues to Alleviating Gait Disorders and Falls (ScienceDaily)

MediNewsDigest: A promising avenue of research for the difficult issue of Parkinson's falls

Quoting ScienceDaily  ,Journal of Clinical Investigation, via EurekAlert  "…Chantal François and Etienne Hirsch, at Université Pierre et Marie Curie — Paris 6, France, has now determined that the presence of gait disorders in patients with Parkinson disease and in aged monkeys with Parkinson-like disease was associated with loss of nerve cells that produce the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in a region of the brain known as the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN).."

About Multiple Sclerosis, simvastatin, and other statins treatments

Simvastatin has been mentionned as a possible treatment for Multiple Sclerosis.  Here we provide some links to relevant studies on the topic.

First an article gathered by ScienceDirect in the Lancet about oral simvastatin and RRMS results seem promising, but the article is dated 2004

Another, more recent study mentionned in ScienceDaily  Statins May Have A Negative Impact In Multiple Sclerosis Patients, is negative. Quoting

"….The results of our study indicate that simvastatin has in fact, a slightly deleterious effect on myelin under non-pathological conditions, adds Dr. Miron…."

However, a UCSF study posted in Eurekalert, claims Statins may slow progression of multiple sclerosis ……..

So what is an MSer to think?

Seems to us the jury is still out, but, as always, talk to your doctor….

Advice to rest in bed versus advice to stay active for acute low-back pain and sciatica (MDLinx)

MediNewsDigest:  Study says lying down or slighly active does not make a lot of difference for Lower Back Pain or Sciatica. Follow link MDLinx  and talk to your doctor.

Glatiramer acetate [Copaxone] exposure in pregnancy: preliminary safety and birth outcomes (sciencedirect)

MediNewsDigest:: Quoting the sciencedirect article:

"….our early experience suggests that when considering the risks and benefits of treatment withdrawal prior to pregnancy, it may be reasonable to continue GA in those patients with previously highly active disease…." A soft, provisional, safety conclusion for the use of copaxone during pregnancy.. More data needed.

New device developed for Diastolic Chronic Heart Failure patients (Ivanhoe)

MediNewsDigest: This link to an Ivanhoe interview with Dr Matar offers a very clear discussion on diastolic vs. systolic CHF. Dr Matar,director of the Cardiac Care Unit at Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, Fla, is developing a an implanted device, the Rheo., to help Diastolic Chronic Heart Failure patients. The device is continuous stimulating the baro-receptors – the signal that comes back from the brain stem to the heart to help it relax. Device, the “Rheos”, is at various stages of clinical trial.

Anemia in Chronic Heart Failure (sciencedirect)

MediNewsDigest:: From this study, impaired iron metabolism and inflammatory stress appear to be the key mediators [agents] of the anemia of CHF.

Multiple Sclerosis: Natalizumab [Tysabri] induces a rapid improvement of disability status and ambulation (pubmed)

MediNewsDigest: Clearly the research team liked Natalizumab (Tysabri).
Quoting:
“…Sixty-two per cent of patients showed no clinical and no radiological signs of disease activity, and 29% showed a rapid and confirmed EDSS improvement over 44 weeks of natalizumab therapy…. A clinically meaningful improvement in ambulation speed was observed in approximately 30% of patients…”
Translating: 62% were stabilized,and 30% improved. This is over 44 weeks. Short term in our book, what is needed now is medium to long term evaluation. say 5-10 years? The risk of PML ( progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy) has been accepted by the FDA as just that, a risk. At that point, it is the warning is only for legal purposes, since it does not cover a specific subset of MSr’s. CLICK HERE for link to article.

However, Bloomberg reports that Biogen is working on a test to determine just who among MS patients is most at risk of PML, CLICK HERE for bloomberg

Brain-Computer-Interface Enables Coma Patients To Communicate (medicalnewstoday)

MediNewsDigest: The “Coma” is much less inert state than thought. CLICK HERE for link to medicalnewstoday.

CLICK HERE for link to wikipedia on the major tool to assess the depth of the coma.note the scale was created in 1974! outdated? Scale is based of responses to unassisted stimuli…..What would happen to the scale if bioelectronics devices were put in the evaluation?

MediNewsDigest: This is a link to an interesting website “coma care” who purports to work for the rights of patients in coma. Note that it is based in South Africa

MediNewsDigest: see our post of Feb 5, 2010: “Vegetative State and Brain Function: COVERT COGNITION IN THE PERSISTENT VEGETATIVE STATE (sciencedirect)”

Leukemia drug Tasigna wins wider U.S. approval (Reuters)

MediNewsDigest: Tasigna is part of new class of leukemia drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors. This drug can now be used for earlier stages of the disease. quoting Reuters:
“…transformed CML from a death sentence to a manageable disease for most patients…..”
Big news indeed

Multiple Sclerosis: Predictors and prevalence of low bone mineral density in ambulatory persons (pubmed)

MediNewsDigest: This is probabably even more true for wheelchair bound MSers.
quoting:
“…Bone health should receive attention in care for persons with MS…”