For someone with Parkinson’s disease (PD), the simple desire to grasp a glass of water can become an insurmountable task, made impossible by the tremors in their hand or arm. Finding strategies to improve these movement impairments is one of the major goals of rehabilitating people with Parkinson’s disease. At McGill University, Dr. Marc Roig,...
Category: <span>Clinical Practice</span>
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UAB-led study shows drug effectiveness in reducing glucocorticoid-induced bone loss
The drug denosumab was superior to a commonly used drug in a 12-month study enrolling 795 patients UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM IMAGE: KEN SAAG BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – About one in every 100 people in the world takes glucocorticoids long term to treat immune-mediated diseases. However, glucocorticoids, such as prednisone, have a side effect — they...
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Noninvasive spinal stimulation method enables paralyzed people to regain use of hands
Nonsurgical technique allows them to turn doorknobs, open water bottles for the first time in years The ability to perform simple daily tasks can make a big difference in people’s lives, especially for those with spinal cord injuries. A UCLA-led team of scientists reports that six people with severe spinal cord injuries — three of...
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Meningococcal meningitis: Stomach pain should be seen as a warning sign
Patients with meningococcal infection generally develop symptoms including a high temperature, vomiting and a stiff neck… but they might also just have a bad stomach ache. This can be so severe that they are sometimes wrongly operated for appendicitis. Teams from the Institut Pasteur and the Department of Pediatrics at Bicêtre Hospital (AP-HP) decided to...
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Parkinson, Depression Meds Tied to Dementia Risk
Associations persisted up to 2 decades after exposure Long-term use of anticholinergic medications for Parkinson’s disease, bladder conditions, and depression was associated with an increased risk for dementia, a case-control study found. For drugs previously associated with delirium, the highest odds were seen with anticholinergic drugs for Parkinson’s (adjusted OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.11-1.50, P<0.01) and...
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Serlopitant found to be safe, effective for chronic pruritus
Serlopitant has potential as a therapy for the treatment of chronic pruritus, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Gil Yosipovitch, M.D., from the University of Miami, and colleagues assessed the safety and efficacy of the P/neurokinin 1 receptor antagonist serlopitant in treating chronic pruritus...
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Hope for the middle-aged who suffer from hand tremors: Stimulator reduces the shakes by nearly 90% by disrupting key nerves in the wrist
When worn twice a day for a month, at home, tremor severity reduces by 89.5% After wearing the device just once, 65% of patients report tremor improvement One wear is also enough for 27% of sufferers to better carry out daily activities Device stimulates two key nerve networks in the wrist, disrupting tremors No participants...
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Pancreatic cancer: Some blood pressure drugs put women at risk
New research suggests that certain blood pressure drugs may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer in postmenopausal women. pancreatic cancer, a new study suggests. Zhensheng Wang, a postdoctoral researcher at the Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, along with his colleagues, set out to examine the effects...
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Reviewing the association between skin diseases and metabolic syndrome
Metabolic syndrome and the skin: a more than superficial association. Reviewing the association between skin diseases and metabolic syndrome and a clinical decision algorithm for high-risk patients Background There is ongoing scientific interest regarding comorbidities associated with the metabolic syndrome (MeTS). MeTS [1] comprises a combination of parameters that predispose individuals to the development of...
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Aspirin may reduce cardiovascular risk during bereavement
An investigation that has appeared in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics suggests that low-dose aspirin may have a role in the prevention of cardiovascular risk associated with bereavement. In the 24 h following the death of a significant person, the incidence of acute myocardial infarction increases 21.1-fold. Low-dose aspirin could be a suitable prevention strategy...