Lancet neurology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Safety and efficacy of satralizumab monotherapy in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: a randomised, double-blind, multicentre, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial.
Satralizumab, a humanised monoclonal antibody targeting the interleukin-6 receptor, reduced the risk of relapse in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) when added to immunosuppressant therapy. This study assessed the safety and efficacy of satralizumab monotherapy in patients with the disorder. ⋯ Chugai Pharmaceutical (Roche).
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Debate is ongoing regarding when, why, and how to initiate pharmacotherapy for Parkinson's disease. Early initiation of dopaminergic therapies does not convey disease-modifying effects but does reduce disability. Concerns about the development of motor complications arising from the early initiation of levodopa, which led to misconceived levodopa-sparing strategies, have been largely mitigated by the outcomes of the PD MED and Levodopa in Early Parkinson's Disease (LEAP) studies. ⋯ Until more effective methods of providing stable dopamine concentrations are developed, current evidence supports the use of levodopa as initial symptomatic treatment in most patients with Parkinson's disease, starting with low doses and titrating to therapeutic threshold. Monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors and dopamine agonists can be reserved as potential adjunct treatments later in the disease course. Future research will need to establish effective disease-modifying treatments, address whether patients' quality of life is substantially improved with early initiation of treatment rather than a wait and watch strategy, and establish whether new levodopa formulations will delay onset of dyskinesia.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Safety and efficacy of tocilizumab versus azathioprine in highly relapsing neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (TANGO): an open-label, multicentre, randomised, phase 2 trial.
Azathioprine is used as a first-line treatment to prevent relapses of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Tocilizumab has been reported to reduce NMOSD disease activity in retrospective case reports. We aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of tocilizumab and azathioprine in patients with highly relapsing NMOSD. ⋯ Tianjin Medical University, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, National Key Research and Development Program of China, National Science Foundation of China.
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CSF and PET biomarkers of amyloid β and tau accurately detect Alzheimer's disease pathology, but the invasiveness, high cost, and poor availability of these detection methods restrict their widespread use as clinical diagnostic tools. CSF tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (p-tau181) is a highly specific biomarker for Alzheimer's disease pathology. We aimed to assess whether blood p-tau181 could be used as a biomarker for Alzheimer's disease and for prediction of cognitive decline and hippocampal atrophy. ⋯ Alzheimer Drug Discovery Foundation, European Research Council, Swedish Research Council, Swedish Alzheimer Foundation, Swedish Dementia Foundation, Alzheimer Society Research Program.
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Symptomatic intracranial stenosis was perceived to convey a high risk of recurrent stroke, but two previous trials (SAMMPRIS and VISSIT) did not show superiority of intracranial stenosis stenting over intensive medical management alone. These findings were partly due to a lower than expected risk of recurrent stroke without stenting, possibly reflecting the young age of recruits (median age <60 years), and raise questions about generalisability to routine clinical practice. We therefore studied the age-specific prevalence, predictors, and prognosis of symptomatic intracranial stenosis in a population-based cohort of patients with transient ischaemic attack and minor stroke on intensive medical management. ⋯ Wellcome Trust, Wolfson Foundation, British Heart Foundation, National Institute for Health Research, National Institute for Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Association of British Neurologists.