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- Almqvist, Elisabeth W., 1958-
(author)
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A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of coenzyme Q10 and remacemide in Huntington's disease
- 2001
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In: Neurology. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 0028-3878 .- 1526-632X. ; 57:3, s. 397-404
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: To determine whether chronic treatment with coenzyme Q10 or remacemide hydrochloride slows the functional decline of early Huntington's disease (HD).METHODS: The authors conducted a multicenter, parallel group, double-blind, 2 x 2 factorial, randomized clinical trial. Research participants with early HD (n = 347) were randomized to receive coenzyme Q10 300 mg twice daily, remacemide hydrochloride 200 mg three times daily, both, or neither treatment, and were evaluated every 4 to 5 months for a total of 30 months on assigned treatment. The prespecified primary measure of efficacy was the change in total functional capacity (TFC) between baseline and 30 months. Safety measures included the frequency of clinical adverse events.RESULTS: Neither intervention significantly altered the decline in TFC. Patients treated with coenzyme Q10 showed a trend toward slowing in TFC decline (13%) over 30 months (2.40- versus 2.74-point decline, p = 0.15), as well as beneficial trends in some secondary measures. There was increased frequency of nausea, vomiting, and dizziness with remacemide and increased frequency of stomach upset with coenzyme Q10.CONCLUSIONS: Neither remacemide nor coenzyme Q10, at the dosages studied, produced significant slowing in functional decline in early HD.
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| 2. |
- Almqvist, Elisabeth W., 1958-
(author)
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Dosage effects of riluzole in Huntington's disease : a multicenter placebo-controlled study.
- 2003
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In: Neurology. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 0028-3878 .- 1526-632X. ; 61:11, s. 1551-6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Riluzole retards striatal glutamate release and pathologic consequences in neurotoxic animal models of Huntington's disease (HD).OBJECTIVE: To determine the dosage-related impact of riluzole on chorea in HD.METHODS: An 8-week double-blind dose-ranging multicenter study of riluzole was conducted in 63 subjects (32 women, 31 men) with HD who were randomized to receive placebo, riluzole 100 mg/day, or riluzole 200 mg/day. The prespecified outcome measure was change in the total maximal chorea score of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS).RESULTS: Fifty-six (89%) subjects completed the study. A reduction (p < 0.01) in chorea at 8 weeks was found using a linear trend test with dose. Comparing the groups individually, the reduction in chorea for the riluzole 200-mg/day group (-2.2 +/- 3.3) was different (p = 0.01) from placebo (+0.7 +/- 3.4), but the riluzole 100-mg/day group (-0.2 +/- 2.9) was not. Riluzole did not improve other motor, cognitive, behavioral, or functional components of the UHDRS. Alanine aminotransferase was elevated in a dosage-dependent fashion (p = 0.01).CONCLUSIONS: Over 8 weeks of treatment, riluzole 200 mg/day ameliorated chorea intensity in HD without improving functional capacity or other clinical features of illness. Riluzole 200 mg/day was attended by reversible liver transaminase abnormalities that would require monitoring in long-term studies.
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| 3. |
- Kremer, B, et al.
(author)
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Influence of lamotrigine on progression of early Huntington disease : a randomized clinical trial.
- 1999
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In: Neurology. - 0028-3878 .- 1526-632X. ; 53:5, s. 1000-11
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of lamotrigine, a novel antiepileptic drug that inhibits glutamate release, to retard disease progression in Huntington disease (HD).BACKGROUND: Excitatory amino acids may cause selective neuronal death in HD, and lamotrigine may inhibit glutamate release in vivo.METHODS: A double-blinded, placebo-controlled study was conducted of 64 patients with motor signs of less than 5 years' duration who were randomly assigned to either placebo or lamotrigine and assessed at 0 (baseline), 12, 24, and 30 months. The primary response variable was total functional capacity (TFC) score. Secondary response variables included the quantified neurological examination and a set of cognitive and motor tests. Repeated fluorodeoxyglucose measurements of regional cerebral metabolism using PET also were included.RESULTS: Fifty-five patients (28 on lamotrigine, 27 on placebo) completed the study. Neither the primary response variable nor any of the secondary response variables differed significantly between the treatment groups. Both the lamotrigine and the placebo group deteriorated significantly on the TFC, in the lamotrigine group by 1.89 and the placebo group by 2.11 points. No effect of CAG size on the rate of deterioration could be detected.CONCLUSIONS: There was no clear evidence that lamotrigine retarded the progression of early Huntington disease over a period of 30 months. However, more patients on lamotrigine reported symptomatic improvement (53.6 versus 14.8%; p = 0.006), and a trend toward decreased chorea was evident in the treated group (p = 0.08). The study also identified various indices of disease progression, including motor tests and PET studies, that were sensitive to deterioration over time.
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| 4. |
- Marder, K, et al.
(author)
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Dietary intake in adults at risk for Huntington disease : analysis of PHAROS research participants.
- 2009
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In: Neurology. - 0028-3878 .- 1526-632X. ; 73:5, s. 385-92
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To examine caloric intake, dietary composition, and body mass index (BMI) in participants in the Prospective Huntington At Risk Observational Study (PHAROS).METHODS: Caloric intake and macronutrient composition were measured using the National Cancer Institute Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) in 652 participants at risk for Huntington disease (HD) who did not meet clinical criteria for HD. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between macronutrients, BMI, caloric intake, and genetic status (CAG <37 vs CAG > or =37), adjusting for age, gender, and education. Linear regression was used to determine the relationship between caloric intake, BMI, and CAG repeat length.RESULTS: A total of 435 participants with CAG <37 and 217 with CAG > or =37 completed the FFQ. Individuals in the CAG > or =37 group had a twofold odds of being represented in the second, third, or fourth quartile of caloric intake compared to the lowest quartile adjusted for age, gender, education, and BMI. This relationship was attenuated in the highest quartile when additionally adjusted for total motor score. In subjects with CAG > or =37, higher caloric intake, but not BMI, was associated with both higher CAG repeat length (adjusted regression coefficient = 0.26, p = 0.032) and 5-year probability of onset of HD (adjusted regression coefficient = 0.024; p = 0.013). Adjusted analyses showed no differences in macronutrient composition between groups.CONCLUSIONS: Increased caloric intake may be necessary to maintain body mass index in clinically unaffected individuals with CAG repeat length > or =37. This may be related to increased energy expenditure due to subtle motor impairment or a hypermetabolic state.
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