Current medical research and opinion
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A double-blind, randomised comparative trial of amisulpride versus olanzapine in the treatment of schizophrenia: short-term results at two months.
To compare the efficacy and safety of the atypical antipsychotics amisulpride and olanzapine in the treatment of acute psychotic exacerbations of schizophrenia. ⋯ Amisulpride and olanzapine show equivalent efficacy at 2 months in the treatment of acute psychotic exacerbations of schizophrenia. Amisulpride offers a significant advantage in preserving body weight.
-
Existing oral insulin secretagogues, sulphonylureas, are associated with hyperinsulinaemia, risk of hypoglycaemia and weight gain. Furthermore, they are not able to offer durable glycaemic control in patents with type 2 diabetes and are associated with progressive decline of beta-cell function. New insulin secretagogues offer an exciting opportunity. ⋯ Early data, both in monotherapy and in combination with metformin, show that it is an effective agent in terms of lowering HbA1c, has a low risk of hypoglycaemia and potentially less risk of significant weight gain. These characteristics mean that it may be the ideal agent to be used very early in the disease process, or even in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance, in whom early-phase insulin response is already lost. However these concepts, at the present time, are unproven.
-
Headache has a significant impact on public health in terms of quality of life and economic consequences, but in primary care, needs often remain unmet in terms of recognition, diagnosis and treatment. Our aim was to measure the prevalence of headache sufficient to affect the quality of life of undergraduate students who were entering the University of Exeter. ⋯ Headache has a considerable impact on the quality of life of students entering University which we speculate may have a deleterious effect on educational attainment. This study has confirmed the findings of other population groups that morbidity from headache is often unrecognised and under treated.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Efficacy and tolerability profile of etoricoxib in patients with osteoarthritis: A randomized, double-blind, placebo and active-comparator controlled 12-week efficacy trial.
To evaluate the efficacy of 12 weeks of treatment with etoricoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee or hip. ⋯ Etoricoxib showed rapid and durable treatment effects in patients with OA of the knee or hip. Etoricoxib was generally well tolerated.
-
Neuroprotective agents inhibit reactions in the brain ischaemic injury cascade which lead to neuronal death. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a naturally occurring inhibitory neurotransmitter that increases chloride influx into the neuron and counteracts the toxic effects of glutamate. ⋯ Promising results in animal models resulted in clinical trials conducted in humans. However, large randomized placebo controlled trials in Europe, Canada and North America did not show the superiority of clomethiazole over placebo that was seen in animal models.