Current medical research and opinion
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Multi-centre, double-blind trial of a novel antispastic agent, tizanidine, in spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis.
A multi-centre, double-blind study was carried out in 100 patients suffering from chronic spasticity due to multiple sclerosis to compare the effectiveness of tizanidine hydrochloride with that of baclofen. Patients were allocated at random to receive treatment initially with daily doses of either 6 mg tizanidine or 15 mg baclofen and the dose was increased during the first 2 weeks up to a maximum of 24 mg tizanidine or 60 mg baclofen per day. Patients were then treated with the optimum dose for 6 weeks. ⋯ The antispastic efficacy of tizanidine was greater after 8 weeks than after 2 weeks, whereas the efficacy of baclofen decreased slightly with time. Both drugs showed good overall tolerability in more than 60% of patients. Thus, tizanidine is a well tolerated and effective muscle relaxant, the antispastic efficacy of which is well maintained over time, and it promises to be particularly useful in the treatment of spasticity due to multiple sclerosis.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A double-blind comparison of ibuprofen, placebo and ibuprofen with meptazinol in soft tissue rheumatism.
The administration of ibuprofen potentiates and prolongs the analgesic effect of meptazinol when the two drugs are given simultaneously to mice. A double-blind three-way crossover study of placebo, ibuprofen (1600 mg/day) and ibuprofen (1600 mg/day) plus meptazinol (400 mg/day) was carried out in 45 patients with soft tissue rheumatism to see if the same potentiation could be demonstrated in man. ⋯ Assessments were made, on entry and after each treatment period, of pain parameters using visual analogue or verbal rating scales. Patients' overall impression and final preference showed both active treatments to be better than placebo and demonstrated a slight preference for the combination.
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One hundred and eight patients who had been taking phenytoin for a year or more, either alone or in combination with other drugs, were examined for gum hypertrophy by three observers independently. Approximately 90% of the patients showed either mild or no gum hypertrophy and severe swelling occurred in only 1%. ⋯ A tendency for higher serum phenytoin levels to be associated with greater gum hypertrophy was observed. Because the condition was causing no problems in over 90% of patients, it is considered that gum hypertrophy per se should not deter a physician from using phenytoin in the treatment of epilepsy.
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The prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in Karachi, Pakistan, was examined in a group of 100 children, aged 2 to 6 years, and 200 adult females, aged 17 to 35 years. Anaemia, defined as a haemoglobin level less than 11.5 g/dl, was present in 47% of the children and 30% of the adult females. The majority of subjects had normal red cell counts and MCV, but haematocrit and MCH were below normal in one-quarter of the children and one-third of the adult females. ⋯ Many also had elevated iron binding capacity and reduced serum iron levels. Iron deficiency may be superimposed on folate deficiency in this population. The potentially serious consequences and higher prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in children and women of childbearing age demand greater efforts toward diagnosis and eradication in developing countries.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Comparison of diabetic control in type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetic patients treated with different sulphonylureas.
Diabetic control was compared in groups of Type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetic patients treated concurrently for 1 year with five different sulphonylurea drugs: chlorpropamide (21), glipizide (24), gliquidone (22), gliclazide (22) and glibenclamide (23). Glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1) levels decreased in all groups over the first 2 months, but tended to level off or increase thereafter. ⋯ Only the glibenclamide group had a significant change in weight (p less than 0.05). There may be differences between different sulphonylureas which could be of clinical advantage in certain patients.