Neurology
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Review Comparative Study
Practice parameter: medical treatment of infantile spasms: report of the American Academy of Neurology and the Child Neurology Society.
To determine the current best practice for treatment of infantile spasms in children. ⋯ ACTH is probably an effective agent in the short-term treatment of infantile spasms. Vigabatrin is possibly effective.
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Review
Detection of electrographic seizures with continuous EEG monitoring in critically ill patients.
To identify patients most likely to have seizures documented on continuous EEG (cEEG) monitoring and patients who require more prolonged cEEG to record the first seizure. ⋯ CEEG monitoring detected seizure activity in 19% of patients, and the seizures were almost always nonconvulsive. Coma, age <18 years, a history of epilepsy, and convulsive seizures prior to monitoring were risk factors for electrographic seizures. Comatose patients frequently required >24 hours of monitoring to detect the first electrographic seizure.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Placebo-controlled phase I/II studies of minocycline in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Two double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled feasibility trials of minocycline in ALS were conducted. In Trial 1, 19 subjects received 200 mg/day or placebo for 6 months; there were no significant differences in adverse events (AE). ⋯ The mean tolerated dose was 387 mg/day, there was a trend toward more gastrointestinal AE (p = 0.057), and blood urea nitrogen and liver enzymes became elevated (p < 0.05). Using these data, the authors have designed and launched a phase III trial.
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Editorial Comment Comparative Study
Improving the responsiveness of rating scales: the challenge of stepping twice into the same river.