European neurology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Effect of vigabatrin (gamma-vinyl-GABA) on visual, brainstem auditory and somatosensory evoked potentials in epileptic patients.
Visual (V), somatosensory (S) and brainstem auditory (BA) evoked potentials (EPs) were determined in 22 epileptic patients, mostly with partial seizures, who received add-on treatment with vigabatrin (1-3 g/day, stratified according to body weight) and placebo, each given for 7 weeks according to a double-blind, randomized cross-over design. At pretreatment assessment, BAEPs and SEPs were found to be within normal limits in most of the patients tested, while for VEPs several abnormal responses were found, including a marked prolongation of P100 latency values in the majority of cases. ⋯ These results support the evidence that enhancement of GABA-ergic transmission does not substantially affect the functional state of afferent sensory pathways as assessed by EP analysis. The significance of these findings with respect to the safety of vigabatrin therapy is discussed.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A double-blind study of bromocriptine and L-dopa in de novo Parkinson's disease. Short-term results.
The first phase of a longitudinal multicenter study comparing bromocriptine and L-dopa (as Sinemet) as de novo therapy for Parkinson's disease using a double-blind randomized design has recently been completed. Over a period of 5.5 months, bromocriptine and L-dopa were equipotent in reducing functional and neurological disability. These observations complement and extend earlier studies and suggest a role for bromocriptine as de novo therapy of Parkinson's disease.