Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · May 2015
Randomized Controlled Trial Pragmatic Clinical TrialBrief intervention for medication-overuse headache in primary care. The BIMOH study: a double-blind pragmatic cluster randomised parallel controlled trial.
Medication-overuse headache (MOH) is common in the general population. We investigated effectiveness of brief intervention (BI) for achieving drug withdrawal in primary care patients with MOH. ⋯ The BI method provides GPs with a simple and effective instrument that reduces medication-overuse and headache frequency in patients with MOH.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Mar 2015
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudySerum neurofilament light chain is a biomarker of human spinal cord injury severity and outcome.
Neurofilaments (Nf) are major structural proteins that occur exclusively in neurons. In spinal cord injury (SCI), the severity of disease is quantified by clinical measures that have limited sensitivity and reliability, and no blood-based biomarker has been established to further stratify the degree of injury. We aimed to examine a serum-based NfL immunoassay as predictor of the clinical outcome in SCI. ⋯ Serum NfL concentrations in SCI patients show a close correlation with acute severity and neurological outcome. Our data provide evidence that serum NfL is of prognostic value in SCI patients for the first time. Further, blood NfL levels may qualify as drug response markers in SCI.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jan 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialFish oil (n-3 fatty acids) in drug resistant epilepsy: a randomised placebo-controlled crossover study.
n-3 fatty acids inhibit neuronal excitability and reduce seizures in animal models. High-dose fish oil has been explored in two randomised trials in drug resistant epilepsy with negative results. We performed a phase II randomised controlled crossover trial of low-dose and high-dose fish oil in participants with drug resistant epilepsy to explore whether low-dose or high-dose fish oil reduces seizures or improves cardiovascular health. ⋯ In this phase II randomised crossover trial, low-dose fish oil was effective in reducing seizures compared with placebo. The magnitude of improvement is similar to that of recent antiepileptic drug trials in drug resistant epilepsy (DRE). The results indicate that low-dose fish oil may reduce seizures and improve the health of people with epilepsy. These findings justify a large multicentre randomised trial of low-dose fish oil (n-3 fatty acids <1080 mg/day) in drug resistant epilepsy.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Nov 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyLong-term impact of interferon beta-1b in patients with CIS: 8-year follow-up of BENEFIT.
To examine the long-term impact of early treatment initiation of interferon beta-1b (IFNB1b, Betaferon/Betaseron) in patients with a first event suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS). ⋯ These 8-year results provide further evidence supporting early initiation of treatment with IFNB1b in patients with a first event suggestive of MS.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Nov 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialOral ponesimod in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a randomised phase II trial.
This double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-finding phase IIb study evaluated the efficacy and safety of ponesimod, an oral selective S1P1 receptor modulator, for the treatment of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). ⋯ Once-daily treatment with ponesimod 10, 20 or 40 mg significantly reduced the number of new T1 Gd+ lesions and showed a beneficial effect on clinical endpoints. Ponesimod was generally well tolerated, and further investigation of ponesimod for the treatment of RRMS is under consideration.