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Biomedical subjects

H Hakkarainen

Publications and source records attributed to H Hakkarainen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Eimeria-parasites are associated with a lowered mother's and offspring's body condition in island and mainland populations of the bank vole.

This study, based on correlative data, tests the hypothesis that infections with Eimeria spp. parasites exert a significant loss of fitness of bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) reflected in lower reproductive success and survival, declining host population densities and are associated positively with population size. The study was conducted in 20 mainland and 27 island populations in central Finland during May-September in 1999. Faecal samples showed that 28% of 767 individuals were infected with Eimeria spp. The presence of Eimeria parasites was higher in dense mainland populations than in sparsely populated islands. Eimerian infections increased during the course of the breeding season, probably as a result of the high infection rate of young individuals. Accordingly, the body masses of bank voles were negatively related to the presence of Eimeria spp. Reproductive output, as measured by the breeding probability of females and litter size, was not associated with the presence of eimerian infection. Interestingly, the body condition of the infected mothers appeared to be low. Moreover, mother's body condition was the single most important variable studied that showed a positive correlation to pup's body condition at birth. On small islands (< or =3.2 ha) that were comprehensively trapped, the mean number of Eimeria spp. in the bank vole population was negatively related to density changes of the bank vole population during the study. Our data are consistent with the idea that infection with coccidian parasites may be one of the factors responsible for declining host populations in small, isolated populations.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Phase IV research by pharmaceutical companies.

The paper reviews the objectives and methods of phase IV studies performed by a pharmaceutical company with psychoactive drugs. After the introduction of a new drug additional information is needed especially regarding the safety of the drug. The term Post-Marketing Surveillance (PMS) covers all the methods used to collect this tolerability data. They include spontaneous monitoring by physicians, monitored release and related techniques, intensive monitoring typically in a hospital setting, case-control studies and cohort studies. Typical examples of new patient populations which are not usually studied extensively during the premarketing phases of drug development and which therefore need to be studied in more detail in phase IV are children and the elderly. In both of these groups certain special aspects have to be taken into consideration when planning and conducting clinical trials. Extension of the drug to new indications often starts spontaneously as observations of alert clinicians which then lead to systematic controlled trials. The methods used in the monitoring of physicians' prescription habits include the use of available commercial statistics, ad hoc physician surveys and the collecting of information through the medical representatives of the company.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Timolol vs propranolol vs placebo in common migraine prophylaxis: a double-blind multicenter trial.

Common migraine sufferers (25 males, 71 females) with a history of 2-6 attacks per month participated in a 4-centre trial comparing the prophylactic effect of timolol (10 mg b.i.d.) and propranolol (80 mg b.i.d.) to placebo. After a pretreatment period of 4 weeks they entered a double-blind 3-way cross-over trial with 3 treatment periods of 12 weeks each. 83 patients received all 3 treatments. The mean frequency of attacks per 28 days was 3.35 on timolol, 3.69 on propranolol and 4.83 on placebo. Mean severity of attacks (0-3) was 1.75 on timolol, 1.83 on propranolol, and 1.93 on placebo. Mean duration of attacks was 7.41 h on timolol, 7.38 on propranolol and 7.95 on placebo. The headache index (frequency times severity) was 5.71 on timolol, 6.66 on propranolol and 9.03 on placebo (P less than 0.05, P less than 0.01 compared to placebo). The difference between propranolol and timolol was non-significant: frequency of attacks 0.34 (95% confidence limits - 0.26; 0.89). Headache index 0.95 propranolol and 23 patients on placebo experienced side effects (P less than 0.05). It is concluded that timolol and propranolol are equally effective in the used doses (1:8) for common migraine prophylaxis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Tolfenamic acid and caffeine: a useful combination in migraine.

Tolfenamic acid is a potent inhibitor of prostaglandin biosynthesis, which has been proved effective in the treatment of acute migraine attacks. The usefulness of caffeine, metoclopramide and pyridoxine as adjuncts to tolfenamic acid was tested in acute migraine attacks in ten patients. A combination of tolfenamic acid (200 mg) with either caffeine (100 mg), metoclopramide (10 mg) or pyridoxine (300 mg) was given twice to each patient in random order. Thus 60 attacks were treated. The tolfenamic acid-caffeine combination proved the most effective as judged by duration and intensity of attacks, working ability, vigilance, and overall evaluation of the drugs by the patients. Metoclopramide was somewhat better than pyridoxine as an additive.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Ergotamine vs. metoclopramide vs. their combination in acute migraine attacks.

The effect of ergotamine tartrate was compared with that of the antiemetic agent metoclopramide and with those of two combinations in a double-blind trial of 24 adult female patients with migraine. The following combinations of the drugs were used in oral administration in a total of 176 acute migraine attacks: (a) Ergotamine 1 mg, (b) Metoclopramide 20 mg, (c) Ergotamine 1 mg + metoclopramide 20 mg, (d) Ergotamine 2 mg + metoclopramide 20 mg. The duration of attacks was significantly shorter on both of the combinations compared with the single drugs. The intensity of the pain was somewhat weaker and the appearance of nausea and vomiting somewhat but not significantly less during the combination treatments. In their overall opinion the patients favored the 2 mg + 20 mg combination significantly more than the others. Both ergotamine and metoclopramide are efficient in acute migraine attacks. Their combination seems to enhance the therapeutic response in some respects.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1980

Mild analgesics as an alternative to ergotamine in migraine. A comparative trial with acetylsalicylic acid, ergotamine tartrate, and a dextropropoxyphene compound.

The effect of ergotamine tartrate was compared with that of acetylsalicylic acid and a dextropropoxyphene compound (Doleron novum) on 525 acute migraine attacks in a double-blind crossover study of 25 adult female patients. Ergotamine tartrate and the dextropropoxyphene compound were equally effective and significantly superior to acetylsalicylic acid in preventing the attacks entirely. If the attacks were only partially prevented, the dextropropoxyphene compound was significantly superior to acetylsalicylic acid in making the attacks shorter and milder, while ergotamine tartrate did not differ significantly from acetylsalicylic acid or the dextropropoxyphene compound. The incidence of nausea and vomiting was lowest during treatment with the dextropropoxyphene compound. In the patients' overall preference, the dextropropoxyphene compound and ergotamine tartrate were significantly superior to acetyl-salicylic acid. In acute migraine the combination of dextropropoxyphene, a centrally acting analgesic, with acetylsalicylic acid and phenazone gives an alternative to ergotamine tartrate that is equally effective and causes less nausea and vomiting.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Tolfenamic acid is as effective as ergotamine during migraine attacks.

Tolfenamic acid (a potent inhibitor of prostaglandin biosynthesis), ergotamine tartrate, acetylsalicylic acid, or placebo was administered during 160 migraine attacks in twenty women in a double-blind, cross-over study. Tolfenamic acid and ergotamine were equally effective in reducing the duration and intensity of attacks, but side-effects, especially nausea, were less common with tolfenamic acid. This probably accounted for the patients' preference for tolfenamic acid. The effectiveness of tolfenamic acid in acute migraine attacks accords with the postulated role of prostaglandins in migraine.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Piracetam in the treatment of post-concussional syndrome. A double-blind study.

The effect of piracetam, a cyclical derivative of GABA, was compared with that of a placebo in a double-blind study of 60 patients with post-concussional syndrome of 2-12 months' duration. The daily dose of piracetam was 4,800 mg. After 8 weeks of treatment piracetam significantly reduced the occurrence and severity of the following symptoms: vertigo, headache, tiredness, decresed alertness, increased sweating and neurasthenic symptoms. No significant effect was observed on the following symptoms: tremor, orthostatic symptoms, and memory disorders. Side effect were reported by 64% of the patients under piracetam and by 32% under placebo. In the author's opinion, piracetam seems to be a promising new drug for the treatment of post-concussional syndrome.

Brain Concussion↗