[Converging opinions of a multidisciplinary group of French experts on diagnostic and therapeutic modalities for Alzheimer type dementia].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J M Vetel.
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METHODS: A multicentre, randomized, double-blind, double-placebo, parallel-group study was carried out to compare the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of racecadotril (100 mg three times daily) and loperamide (2 mg after each diarrhoeic stool) in 157 adults with acute diarrhoea. Patients were treated for 7 days or until recovery, if this took place earlier. RESULTS: Both groups of patients passed similar numbers (mean +/- S.E.M.) of stools before recovery (3.5 +/- 0.5 for racecadotril vs. 2.9 +/- 0.4 for loperamide), and the duration of diarrhoea (mean +/- S.E.M.) was similar in both groups (14.9 +/- 2.0 h for racecadotril and 13.7 +/- 2.2 h for loperamide). Both treatments reduced the incidence of associated symptoms and signs during the study, and both were similarly well tolerated. However, more patients on loperamide reported rebound constipation during treatment (18.7% vs. 9.8% with racecadotril). CONCLUSIONS: The enkephalinase inhibitor, racecadotril, and the intestinal transit inhibitor, loperamide, were similarly and rapidly effective in resolving the symptoms and associated signs of diarrhoea.
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A group of French expert met on the 7th and 8th of February 1998 in order to establish a consensus attitude for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and treatment. Members were drawn from primary care, geriatrics, neurology and psychiatry. They used the consensus statement of the American Association for Geriatrics, the Alzheimer's Association and the American Geriatrics Society published in JAMA, in October 1997 as a source of data for further consideration. Alzheimer's disease in the most common etiology of dementia. Main clinical features are cognitive impairment and psycho-behavioral disorders. Diagnosis must be one of inclusion and not exclusion. It is based on interviews of informants and family members and office-based clinical assessment. After a physical examination, cognitive function must be evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination. A laboratory evaluation should include a complete blood cell count, blood chemistry and determination of thyroid-stimulating hormone. In addition, noncontrast computed tomography head scans are adequate in most cases. Available pharmacologic treatments are not curative but are given to improve quality of life and enhance cognition and behavior. Two cholinesterases inhibitors, tacrine and donepezil, are the only agents officially authorized for treatment of the cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease. Mood and behaviour disorder also have to be treated by both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic strategies. Only pharmacologic treatments will be detailed here. The consensus statements established by this group of experts will be reevaluated each year, considering the new available data on Alzheimer's disease.
Acetorphan is an orally active inhibitor of enkephalinase (EC 3.4.24.11) with antidiarrhoeal activity in rodents apparently through protection of endogenous enkephalins and a purely antisecretory mechanism. Its antidiarrhoeal activity in man was assessed in an experimental model of cathartic induced secretory diarrhoea as well as in acute diarrhoea of presumed infectious origin. In six healthy volunteers receiving castor oil and pretreated with acetorphan or placebo in a crossover controlled trial, the drug significantly decreased the number and weight of stools passed during 24 hours. About 200 outpatients with severe acute diarrhoea (more than five stools per day) were included in a randomised double blind study of acetorphan against placebo. The significant antidiarrhoeal activity of acetorphan was established using a variety of criteria: (i) the duration of both diarrhoea and treatment were diminished; (ii) no acetorphan treated patient withdrew from the study whereas five dropped out because of worsening in the placebo group; (iii) the frequency of symptoms associated with diarrhoea--for example, abdominal pain or distension, nausea and anorexia--remaining after two weeks was nearly halved; (iv) using visual analogue scales acetorphan treatment was found more effective than placebo by both investigators and patients. There was statistically no significant difference between acetorphan and placebo in respect of side effects, particularly constipation, which often accompanies the antidiarrhoeal activity of mu opioid receptor agonists this difference is attributable to the lack of antipropulsive activity of acetorphan in man. The efficacy and tolerance of acetorphan suggest that enkephalinase inhibition may represent a novel therapeutic approach for the symptomatic management of acute secretory diarrhoea without impairing intestinal transit.
Nowadays (and prior to any hospital reform), geriatric hospital structures rest on medium or long length stay units and on acute geriatry departments when these are available. However, to limit relations between hospital and the elderly to these three structures would be an oversimplification. The organization of emergency admission units for the elderly, the medico-social preparation of these patients before they return home, the setting up of geriatric consultations in both out-patient clinics and specialized hospital departments are all major topics not to be neglected. Moreover, geriatric day-hospitals offer hospital treatment without accommodation which is a solution desired by many old people. What can be suggested for the mentally deficient or demented old patient admitted to a hospital, if not the cooperative efforts of geriatric and psychiatric teams working in suitable architectural structures? Finally, we must insist on the need for coordination between hospital and non-hospital structures, so that the entire "geriatric network" becomes reality without any break in care between structures.
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Clinical trials conducted in general practice are more especially interesting as they enable to test a drug in the real conditions of use. On the other hand, these trials are beneficial to the G.P. (new image, rupture of his loneliness, change in his prescription habits, contact with hospitals). The methodology, as for hospital studies, must be rigorous. As a matter of fact, these two types of studies are additional and the cooperation between the G.P.'s and the pharmaceutical industry can conduct to the solution of specific problems: drug interaction--long-term therapeutic effect--new indications. This double blind cross over study comparing triazolam and nitrazepam conducted by G.P.'s on insomniacs is the first French clinical study intended for the registration application and done according to this methodology. This work is an exemple of the new opportunity offered to G.P.'s in future. The results have shown that: on 54 patients (23 male and 31 female) of an average age: 48, 32 have preferred triazolam, 13 have preferred nitrazepam, 9 have had no preference.
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