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Biomedical subjects

A N Lieberman

Publications and source records attributed to A N Lieberman.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

The use of pergolide, a potent dopamine agonist, in Parkinson's disease.

Pergolide, a semisynthetic ergoline and a potent long-acting adenylcyclase-linked dopamine agonist, was given to 40 patients with advanced Parkinson's disease whose response to levodopa had diminished considerably. The group included 31 patients with marked diurnal oscillations in performance ("wearing off" and/or "on-off" phenomena). Pergolide alone (7 patients) or combined with levodopa (33 patients), resulted in a reduction in disability (P less than or equal to 0.01) as assessed in both the patients' "on" and "off" periods. Pergolide also resulted in an increase (P less than or equal to 0.001) in the number of hours in which patients were on from 3.8 (+/-0.4) to 11.9 (+/-0.9). The mean daily dose of pergolide was 2.4 mg (range 0.1 to 10.0). The mean duration of the study was 12 mo (range 1 to 24). Pergolide is effective in Parkinson's disease and will change the management of patients whose response to levodopa has diminished.

Adult↗

The use of lisuride, a potent dopamine and serotonin agonist, in the treatment of progressive supranuclear palsy.

Seven patients with progressive supranuclear palsy were treated with lisuride. Mean age was 62 years (range, 52 to 68 years), and duration of disease was 4.4 years (range, 1 to 7 years). All seven had been treated with levodopa/carbidopa and three with bromocriptine; four had, at one time, shown a partial response to levodopa. One patient had also shown a partial response to bromocriptine. Lisuride was used alone in four patients, and combined with levodopa/carbidopa in three patients. Mean dose of lisuride was 2.5 mg (range, 1.5 to 5.0 mg). Mean duration of treatment was 4 months (range, 1 to 10 months). While two patients showed a reduction in rigidity, one in tremor and two in bradykinesia, in only one of them was there an overall improvement. It is postulated that the relative lack of response to lisuride may be due to a loss of both the dopaminergic and serotonergic receptors in progressive supranuclear palsy.

Aged↗

Further studies with pergolide in Parkinson disease.

Pergolide was administered to 56 patients with advanced Parkinson disease who were no longer satisfactorily responding to levodopa. The group included 45 patients with on-off phenomena. Pergolide, when combined with levodopa, resulted in a 44% decrease in disability as assessed in the on period, a 15% decrease in disability as assessed in the off period, and a 148% increase in the number of hours in which patients were on (from 4.6 +/- 0.3 hours to 11.4 +/- 0.6 hours). All these changes were significant at 1%. Forty-one of the 56 patients (59%) improved when pergolide was added to levodopa. Mean dose of pergolide was 2.5 mg (range, 0.2 to 10.0 mg). Mean duration of the study was 13 months (range, 1 day to 34 months). Maximum improvement occurred within 2 months and began to decline, usually after 6 months. The major adverse effects necessitating discontinuing pergolide were the occurrence of an organic confusional syndrome (six patients), increased dyskinesias (four patients), and cardiovascular abnormalities (three patients). Nine patients discontinued pergolide because of a lack of effect or declining effect.

Adult↗

Long term survival among patients with malignant brain tumors.

Eight of 57 patients (14%) with malignant astrocytomas lived at least 2 years. The mean survival time was 143 weeks (range, 104 to 250 weeks). All of the patients were treated with operation, radiation, and chemotherapy. Four of the 8 patients died because of tumor recurrence, 1 died from a second primary tumor, 2 died of cases unrelated to the tumor, and 1 is still alive. Diffuse cortical dysfunction associated with cortical atrophy that could not be related to tumor regrowth and was not explained by focal deficits, psychotic of depressive thought disorders, metabolic or endocrine abnormalities, or hydrocephalus developed in the 3 longest-surviving patients. The diffuse dysfunction was initially apparent only through psychometric testing, but eventually became so disabling as to result in 2 of the 3 patients retiring from work. Although small, but gratifying, gains have been made in the treatment of patients with malignant brain tumors, accompanying these gains have been problems of a magnitude that is only now beginning to be appreciated.

Adult↗

Bilateral vocal cord paralysis in Parkinson's disease.

We report two cases of bilateral vocal cord paralysis in patients with Parkinson's disease and review the possible causes of this condition. We suggest that the vocal cord muscle paralysis is a manifestation of advanced disease. Bilateral vocal cord paralysis in Parkinson's disease may be seen more commonly in the future as therapy enables more patients to live longer.

Aged↗

Lisuride combined with levodopa in advanced Parkinson disease.

Lisuride, a semisynthetic ergoline and potent central dopamine and serotonin agonist, was combined with levodopa in 20 patients with advanced Parkinson disease who were no longer responding satisfactorily to levodopa, including 14 patients with "on-off' phenomena. Every patient who completed the 8-week trial improved significantly (p greater than or equal to 0.01), with a decrease in all symptoms. The mean dose of lisuride was 2.4 mg per day. The dose of levodopa (mg of levodopa in Sinemet) was reduced from 1030 to 920 mg. Among the patients with "on-off' phenomena, there was a significant increase in the time in which they were 'on' (mobile) from 4.6 to 9.6 hours. In 5 of 10 patients who have been on lisuride for at least 1 year, there has been no decline in efficacy.

Adult↗

Lergotrile in Parkinson disease: further studies.

Lergotrile was administered to 53 patients with advanced Parkinson disease (PD), who had increasing disability despite optimal treatment with levodopa/carbidopa (Sinemet). Thirty-nine patients who could tolerate at least 20 mg per day lergotrile (thus considered "adequately treated") had significant descreases in rigidity, tremor, bradykinesia, gait disturbance, and total score without increased involuntary movements. Twenty-one of these 39 patients improved by at least one stage. Among the 39 patients, 23 had "on-off" effects, and in 13 of these the "on-off" effects decreased on lergotrile. The mean daily dose of lergotrile in adequately treated patients was 49 mg, permitting a 10 percent reduction in the dose of levodopa. Lergotrile was discontinued in 33 of the 53 patients because of adverse effects, including hepatotoxicity (11 patients), mental changes (12 patients) and orthostatic hypotension (8 patients). Although lergotrile, when added to levodopa, has a definite antiparkinsonian effect, the incidence of adverse effects, particularly hepatotoxicity, makes it unlikely that this ergot alkaloid will become widely available for the treatment of PD. Analogues of lergotrile have been synthesized, and it is hoped that they will duplicate the antiparkinsonian effect of this drug without its toxicity.

Aged↗

Bromocriptine in Parkinson disease: further studies.

Bromocriptine was administered to 66 patients with advanced Parkinson disease (PD) and increasing disability despite optimal treatment with levodopa/carbidopa (Sinemet). Forty-five patients tolerated at least 25 mg per day of bromocriptine (the "adequately treated" group) in addition to Sinemet and had significantly decreased rigidity, tremor, bradykinesia, gait disturbance, and total score, but increased involuntary movements. Twenty-five of these 45 patients improved by at least one stage. Among the 45 patients, 27 had "on-off" effects, and in 19 the "on-off" effects decreased on bromocriptine. The mean dose of bromocriptine in adequately treated patients las 47 mg, permitting a 10 percent reduction in the dose of levodopa. Twelve adequately treated patients received bromocriptine for at least 1 year, and 8 continued for longer than this. Bromocriptine was discontinued in 29 of 66 patients because of adverse effects, including mental changes (14 patients) and involuntary movements (9 patients). All adverse effects were reversible. Despite adverse effects, expense, and scarcity, bromocriptine, when added to levodopa, is useful in patients with advanced disease who no longer respond satisfactorily to levodopa, and for whom no other treatment is available.

Adult↗

Acute clonidine withdrawal syndrome following open-heart operation.

A patient who underwent cardiopulmonary bypass developed a syndrome of malignant hypertension with agitated delirium, unresponsive to antihypertensive agents, following abrupt withdrawal of clonidine. The literature on this syndrome is reviewed with emphasis placed on prompt recognition. The syndrome can be reversed by resumption of clonidine administration and can be prevented by maintenance of clonidine levels through the perioperative period.

Cardiopulmonary Bypass↗