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Biomedical subjects

C Mertens

Publications and source records attributed to C Mertens.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Interest of a loading dose of milnacipran in endogenous depressive inpatients. Comparison with the standard regimen and with fluvoxamine.

A multicenter controlled study was designed to test the hypothesis that a loading dose of an antidepressant could shorten the latency of its clinical efficacy. Three parallel groups of about 40 endogenous depressive inpatients received either a loading dose of milnacipran (300 mg daily for 2 weeks and 150 mg daily during the 2 following weeks), the standard regimen of milnacipran in severe depression (200 mg daily for 4 weeks), or fluvoxamine (200 mg daily for 4 weeks). The duration of the study was 4 weeks, with assessments at baseline and after 4, 9, 14, 21, and 28 days of therapy by means of Montgomery and Asberg depression scale (MADS), the Hamilton depression scale, the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI), and a checklist of symptoms and side-effects. Results showed very similar evolution in the 3 treatment groups. In addition, the level of side-effects did not exhibit significant differences among the treatment groups, except for excitement-nervousness and akathisia which were more frequently reported with fluvoxamine. These results do not support the usefulness of a loading dose of an antidepressant such as milnacipran. They demonstrate however that milnacipran can be given at a 300 mg daily dose from the very first day of treatment with an excellent tolerance.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

A double-blind comparative study of remoxipride and haloperidol in schizophrenic and schizophreniform disorders.

The antipsychotic effect of remoxipride was compared to that of haloperidol in a randomized double-blind study with parallel group design comprising 98 patients with schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder according to DSM-III. After a 3-7 day placebo washout period, patients received either 150-600 mg of remoxipride or 5-20 mg of haloperidol daily for 6 weeks. No significant differences in efficacy were found between the two treatments. Treatment-emergent checklist symptoms such as hypokinesia, rigidity, and tremor occurred more frequently and were more severe during haloperidol than during remoxipride treatment despite a significantly higher concurrent use of anticholinergic drugs in the haloperidol group. Haloperidol-treated patients reported greater increases in sleep and salivation than remoxipride-treated patients. Shoulder shaking and tremor were reported as occurring more frequently in the haloperidol group according to the Simpson and Angus rating scale for extrapyramidal symptoms. In summary, the two drugs seemed to be equally efficacious, though the tolerability profile favoured remoxipride.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Controlled comparison of two doses of milnacipran (F 2207) and amitriptyline in major depressive inpatients.

A multicenter study compared the antidepressant efficacy and the tolerance of two doses of milnacipran (50 mg and 100 mg/day) and amitriptyline (150 mg/day) in three parallel groups of 45 major depressive inpatients defined by Research Diagnostic Criteria. After a wash-out period of 4-7 days on placebo with lorazepam and/or nitrazepam if necessary, patients were randomly assigned to a daily dose of milnacipran 50 mg, milnacipran 100 mg or amitriptyline 150 mg reached on the 5th day and then stable over a 4-week period, with weekly assessments by means of the Montgomery and Asberg depression scale, the Hamilton depression scale, the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) and the Target Emergent Signs and Symptoms. Results showed significant superiority of both milnacipran 100 mg/day and amitriptyline over milnacipran 50 mg/day at the end of the treatment period. However, amitriptyline induced a nonsignificant trend toward more rapid improvement after 2 weeks of treatment, mainly based on items related to insomnia, supporting more sedative properties of amitriptyline as compared to milnacipran. Anticholinergic side-effects were significantly lower with milnacipran than with amitriptyline, explaining why milnacipran 100 mg exhibited at the end of the treatment period, a nonsignificantly better efficacy index on the CGI. Moreover, in contrast to milnacipran, amitriptyline was responsible for a significant decrease in blood pressure and a significant weight gain.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Paroxetine in the treatment of depression. A double-blind multicenter study versus mianserin.

Paroxetine is a new antidepressant drug. It is a potent and selective 5-HT re-uptake inhibitor with only weak anticholinergic properties and less effect on the cardiovascular system than the classical tricyclics. In this double-blind multicenter study the antidepressant effect of paroxetine was compared with mianserin in 70 patients with unipolar or bipolar depression. Each drug was administered for 6 weeks after a 1 week run-in period at a daily dosage of 30 mg for paroxetine or 60 mg for mianserin. The 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and the physician's global assessment were used to assess efficacy. Both treatment groups showed statistically significant improvement of the HAM-D at Weeks 1 (base-line values: paroxetine mean 28.5; mianserin mean 30.8) through to Week 6 (paroxetine mean 11.5; mianserin mean 17.8) (P less than 0.06). The endpoint differences between treatments however were not statistically different (P = 0.11). The Cleary and Guy factor analysis showed a significant difference (P less than 0.03) at Weeks 2 and 4 for cognitive disturbance and at Weeks 4 and 6 for retardation in favour of paroxetine compared with mianserin. Both drugs were well tolerated with nausea and headache in four patients and somnolence in six patients being reported as the most common side-effect for paroxetine and mianserin respectively.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Citalopram versus mianserin. A controlled, double-blind trial in depressed patients.

In a double-blind trial, comprising 60 endogenously depressed patients, citalopram was compared with mianserin. Fifty-eight patients completed the 6-week trial period with ratings and side effect recordings at weeks 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6. Both drugs were administered as a single evening dose, 20-80 mg (most frequently 40 mg) for citalopram and 60-120 mg (most frequently 90 mg) for mianserin. CPRS (Subscale for Depression) total scores showed a highly significant reduction in both groups with a significant difference in favour of citalopram after 1 and 2 weeks. Based on the Global Evaluation of the Severity of Illness there were 18 complete and three partial responders on citalopram and 13 complete and four partial responders on mianserin. Six patients on citalopram and one patient on mianserin showed mild or moderate side effects, but no cardiovascular side effects were recorded. The authors conclude that citalopram is a safe antidepressant drug, presumably better than mianserin.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

[Meningoradiculitis caused by a spirochete (Borrelia burgdorferi) after arthropod bite].

Eight cases of meningoradiculitis (Garin-Bujadoux-Bannwarth's syndrome) are presented; the first case followed an "unidentified insect" bite and erythema chronicum migrans, whereas the second and third cases were not preceded by any documented insect bite or erythema; they occurred during summer in 1984 and 1985 and were characterized by cranial or radicular neuritis, lymphocytic meningitis, positive serology by immunofluorescence against Borrelia Burgdorferi and a good response to Penicillin (20 000 000 U during 14 days I.V.). Five other cases were observed in the same area as the first and second cases (Walloon Brabant) during the preceding summers; in two, serological proof of Borrelia Burgdorferi infection was obtained retrospectively. Lyme disease and Garin-Bujadoux-Bannwarth syndrome are both tick-born spirochetosis, due to two slightly different subtypes of Borrelia Burgdorferi. Their early neurological manifestations differ mainly by focalised pain on the bitten region in Garin-Bujadoux-Bannwarth's syndromes. This could be due to direct aggression of the peripheral nerve in Garin-Bujadoux-Bannwarth syndrome.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1983

Clinical trials of fluvoxamine vs chlorimipramine with single and three times daily dosing.

1 Two double-blind, randomised studies were performed to compare the efficacy of fluvoxamine and chlorimipramine in depressed patients. In the first study the effects of a single daily dosage of between 100 and 300 mg of fluvoxamine were compared with those of chlorimipramine at a dosage of 50-150 mg daily in 43 out-patients with endogenous depression. 2 In a second study using three times daily dosing with a daily dosage of 150-300 mg for both fluvoxamine and chlorimipramine, 30 in-patients with unipolar depression were assessed. 3 Four weeks of treatment with single daily dosing resulted in a mean improvement of 61.4% (+/- s.d. 31.7) on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) for fluvoxamine and of 65.3% (+/- s.d. 25.8) for chlorimipramine. In the study with three times daily dosing the mean results were 72.9% (+/- s.d. 22.3) improvement for fluvoxamine and 62.1% (+/- s.d. 28.5) for chlorimipramine. 4 At similar dosages, fluvoxamine had significantly less untoward effects on blood pressure than chlorimipramine. Anticholinergic effects were also fewer in the fluvoxamine group, as were nervous system symptoms, with the latter difference reaching statistical significance (P = 0.02). 5 We conclude that fluvoxamine, given in a single daily dose of 150-250 mg, provides antidepressant efficacy similar to chlorimipramine. At this dosage it may be expected to produce less anticholinergic effects and have less influence on blood pressure than chlorimipramine.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

[Comparison of carotid pulse in normal subjects and coronary patients].

A comparison of the values of R-R, S1S2, QS1, QS2, LVET, PEP, and ICT recorded from the carotid pulse of 40 coronary patients and 40 normal subjects has shown that the coronary group, when compared with the normals, show: --A significant lengthening of the QS2, PEP and ICT values, and a tendency towards lengthening of the S1S2 interval. --A tendency towards shortening of the LVET period. The ratio of PEP/LVET is a particularly good discriminant factor between the two groups. Because of these differences, assessment of the carotid pulse, which is an easy and non-invasive investigation, has become a good means of diagnosing coronary arterial disease. The results of this study have been compared with those from previous studies, and the clinical significance of the different findings has been analysed.

Adult↗