In this randomized double-blind, placebo controlled, multicentre study on 108 elderly patients with mild to moderate mental deterioration of vascular origin, idebenone - a benzoquinone derivative with a hydroxyalkyl side chain - proved to be therapeutically effective in the treatment of multi-infarct dementia. The oral administration of idebenone 45 mg/day b.i.d. for 120 days significantly improved the scores of the following test in comparison with placebo: Mini Mental State, Randt Memory Test, Gottfries Rating Scale, Token Test, Toulouse Piéron Test, indicating improvements in memory attention and cognitivity. The drug was well tolerated and effective in patients with multi-infarct dementia. No changes in laboratory parameters were observed either before or after treatment.

Clinical Trial↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Idebenone in senile dementia of Alzheimer type: a multicentre study.

Idebenone is a new cerebro-active drug, effective in dementia disorders, particularly indicated in primary degenerative dementias, i.e. Alzheimer's disease. This new molecule acts as an electron trapper and a free radical scavenger protecting mitochondrial membranes from lipid peroxidation. A multicentric, double-blind trial of idebenone (45 mg twice daily orally) vs. placebo was carried out on 102 elderly patients affected by Alzheimer-type dementia of mild or moderate severity. Idebenone was administered for 4 consecutive months, 45 mg twice daily. Clinical evaluations were performed at the time of enrollment (t0) and monthly thereafter (t30, t60, t90 and t120) and at follow-up (t150 ). Tolerability to idebenone treatment was good and was associated with a statistically significant improvement of memory, attention and behaviour. It is worthwhile noting that these cognitive and behavioral findings were observed after the first month of treatment with enhancement evident in the following period.

Clinical Trial↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The impact of radiation therapy on quality of life in patients with cancer.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to evaluate the physical and mental status change during and after a course of radiation treatment in patients with cancer. DESCRIPTION OF STUDY: Twenty-four patients with various malignant diseases were enrolled, including 9 men and 15 women, whose median age was 64.5, to receive radiation therapy. All patients also received psychosocial support from nurses, social workers, and/or organized support groups. The Rand 36-item survey 1.0 (SF-36) was completed at the beginning, the second week, the completion of treatment, and 1 and 3 months after treatment for the evaluation of physical component scores and mental component scores. Karnofsky performance scale and toxicity scores were determined by the treating nurses and physicians. RESULTS: The physical component scores of evaluated patients before treatment were approximately 20% lower than those of the general U.S. population, whereas mental component scores were similar to those of the general U.S. population. After treatment started, Karnofsky performance scale decreased concurrently with an increased rate of toxicity. Both physical and mental component scores were relatively stable throughout the course of evaluation. Mental component scores were the only predictor of toxicity during the treatment. Karnofsky performance scale dropped to their lowest point at the completion of treatment and then improved at 1-month follow-up. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The patients who had higher mental component scores before treatment appeared to have higher, and improving, physical component scores throughout the course of evaluation. Along with complementary social support, the implementation of psychosocial support early and throughout the course of treatment may result in physical benefits and improving overall quality of life. Care should also be taken to make psychosocial support available to patients after the completion of treatment.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Modification of cardiovascular risk factors during antihypertensive treatment: a multicentre trial with quinapril.

A large multicentre study involving 6003 [3044 males, 2959 females; mean (+/- SD) age 59 +/- 11 years] mild-to-severe hypertensive patients was carried out to evaluate the effects of the angiotension converting enzyme inhibitor quinapril on blood pressure and on metabolic cardiovascular risk factors during 3-6 months' treatment (mean follow-up 90.4 days). The study population included 551 elderly [mean (+/- SD) age 71.9 +/- 9.3 years] patients, 1314 subjects with diabetes mellitus and 154 non-diabetic patients with hyperlipaemia; 4% of patients were lost to follow-up. Diastolic blood pressure decreased from 102 to 87 mmHg (intent-to-treat analysis) and 62% of patients were normalized (diastolic blood pressure below 90 mmHg) at the last evaluable visit. Overall, serum lipids were favourably affected during quinapril treatment; when corrected for changes in body weight, a significant improvement in total, low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides was detected. Quinapril treatment in elderly patients was efficacious and well tolerated, and quinapril appears to be an effective antihypertensive drug devoid of untoward effects on metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Hypercholesterolemia: a picture of the situation].

Serum cholesterol exceeding 200 mg/dl or LDL-cholesterol above 140 mg/dl are considered hypercholesterolemic values. 20% of hypercholesterolemias are attributable to genetic disorders of lipoproteins or lipoprotein receptors while diet-induced hypercholesterolemia accounts for more than 60%. Fatty acids and cholesterol content of the diet play an important role in the regulation of serum cholesterol level. Saturated fatty acids increase serum cholesterol level by reducing the synthesis of LDL receptor-protein while unsaturated fatty acids have the opposite effect. Dietary cholesterol has been demonstrated to play a variable influence of serum cholesterol level, depending upon the efficiency of cholesterol absorption from the intestine and conversion of cholesterol to bile acids in the liver.

Cholesterol↗

PubMedDate not supplied