Clinical therapeutics
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Clinical therapeutics · Mar 1999
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialTreatment of menstruation-associated migraine with the nonprescription combination of acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine: results from three randomized, placebo-controlled studies.
This retrospective study sought to examine the benefits of the nonprescription combination of acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine (AAC; Excedrin Migraine, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, New York, New York) for the treatment of menstruation-associated migraine compared with migraine not associated with menses. Data were derived from 3 double-masked, randomized, placebo-controlled, single-dose trials enrolling subjects who met the International Headache Society's diagnostic criteria for migraine with or without aura. Subjects with incapacitating disability (attacks requiring bed rest >50% of the time) and those who usually experienced vomiting > or =20% of the time were excluded. ⋯ The proportion of subjects who had 1 or more adverse experiences was significantly higher among those receiving AAC than among those receiving placebo (menstruation-associated migraine: AAC 26.4%, placebo 12.6%, P = 0.025; nonmenstruation-associated migraine: AAC 18.6%, placebo 11.4%, P = 0.005). Adverse experiences were similar in type and severity to those previously associated with single doses of acetaminophen, aspirin, or caffeine. Thus the nonprescription combination of AAC was highly effective in treating the pain, disability, and associated symptoms of both menstruation-associated migraine and migraine not associated with menses.
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Clinical therapeutics · Jan 1999
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialEfficacy and safety of a loading-dose regimen versus a no-loading-dose regimen of metrifonate in the symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer's disease: a randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial. Metrifonate Study Group.
This prospective, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study assessed the safety and efficacy of 2 dosage regimens of once-daily metrifonate in patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) of mild-to-moderate severity. A total of 395 patients were randomized to receive placebo (n = 134) or metrifonate in 1 of 2 regimens. The loading-dose group (n = 133) received a daily loading dose of metrifonate 100 mg or 150 mg (by weight) for 2 weeks, followed by a daily maintenance dose of metrifonate 50 mg for 4 weeks; the no-loading-dose group (n = 128) received the daily maintenance dose of metrifonate 50 mg for 6 weeks. ⋯ For the MMSE, CIBIS-Plus, and ADAS-Noncog, treatment differences for both groups versus placebo did not reach statistical significance at either week 4 or 6. Assessment of the frequency of adverse events in metrifonate-treated patients revealed that the no-loading-dose regimen was better tolerated than the loading-dose regimen. Given the overall similar efficacy and more favorable safety profile associated with the no-loading-dose regimen versus the loading-dose regimen observed in this study, the no-loading-dose regimen appears to be the better strategy for initiating metrifonate treatment in patients with probable AD of mild-to-moderate severity.
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Clinical therapeutics · Mar 1998
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical TrialMometasone furoate 0.1%-salicylic acid 5% ointment versus mometasone furoate 0.1% ointment in the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis: a multicenter study.
Topical corticosteroids and keratolytics are both used widely in the management of patients with psoriasis. A combination of the two types of agents may provide enhanced relief. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of the combination ointment mometasone furoate 0.1% plus salicylic acid 5% with that of mometasone furoate 0.1% ointment in the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis vulgaris. ⋯ Similarly, the combination was more effective beginning on day 15, as indicated by the global evaluation of overall clinical response and individual scores for erythema and induration. Both treatments were well tolerated. Mometasone furoate-salicylic acid ointment provides more effective treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis than does mometasone furoate ointment alone and is safe and well tolerated.
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Clinical therapeutics · Jan 1998
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical TrialComparison of ceftibuten once daily and amoxicillin-clavulanate three times daily in the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis.
In medical practice, antibiotics are generally given empirically for the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (AECB). To be effective, antibiotic therapy should be broad in spectrum, and it should also cover the common beta-lactamase-producing pathogens. In this multicenter, randomized, investigator-masked study, 469 patients with AECB were randomized (in a ratio of 2:1) to receive 400-mg oral ceftibuten capsules once daily or 500-mg amoxicillin-clavulanate tablets three times daily for 5 to 15 days. ⋯ The most frequently reported treatment-related adverse events were gastrointestinal disturbances, which occurred in 15% (47 of 316) and 24% (36 of 152) of patients treated with ceftibuten and amoxicillin-clavulanate, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the ceftibutenfed and ceftibuten-fasted groups in overall clinical assessments of the clinical efficacy population and safety population. In conclusion, 400 mg oral ceftibuten once daily has a similar clinical success rate to 500 mg amoxicillin-clavulanate three times daily, with a trend toward fewer gastrointestinal side effects, in the treatment of patients with AECB.
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Clinical therapeutics · Sep 1997
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical TrialSparfloxacin versus cefaclor in the treatment of patients with community-acquired pneumonia: a randomized, double-masked, comparative, multicenter study.
Community-acquired pneumonia remains an important infectious disease problem, with more than 4 million cases occurring in the United States annually. Although Streptococcus pneumoniae remains the most commonly identified organism, a variety of bacterial and nonbacterial pathogens may be involved. Hospitalization is unnecessary in most cases, and oral antibiotic therapy is common. ⋯ There was no difference in the incidence of recurrence of infection or superinfection. Adverse events thought to be due to study drug occurred equally in both groups (14.3% in the sparfloxacin group vs 14.8% in the cefaclor group). Results show that sparfloxacin is a safe and effective empiric therapy for patients with community-acquired pneumonia and is comparable to cefaclor.