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Biomedical subjects

Helmut Niederhofer

Publications and source records attributed to Helmut Niederhofer.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

Tianeptine: a novel strategy of psychopharmacological treatment of children with autistic disorder.

OBJECTIVES: Many autistic children have problems of eye contact and expressive language that limit the effectiveness of educational and behavioural interventions. Few controlled psychopharmacological trials have been conducted in autistic children to determine which agents may be effective for these associated features. METHODS: Twelve male children (7.3 +/- 3.3 years) with autistic disorder, diagnosed by ICD-10 criteria, completed a placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover trial of tianeptine, which lasted for 12 weeks. Subjects were included in the study if their eye contact and expressive language was inadaequate for their developmental level. Subjects had not tolerated or responded to other psychopharmacological treatments (neuroleptics, methylphenidate, clonidine or desipramine). RESULTS: Teacher ratings on the aberrant behaviour checklist irritability, stereotypy and inappropriate speech factors were lower during treatment with tianeptine than during treatment with placebo. Clinician ratings (children's psychiatric rating scale autism, anger and speech deviance factors; children's global assessment scale; clinical global impressions efficacy) of videotaped sessions were not significantly different between tianeptine and placebo. DISCUSSION: Tianeptine were modestly effective in the short-term treatment of irritability in some children with autistic disorder.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

An open trial of buspirone in the treatment of attention-deficit disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Medications such as clonidine have been shown to facilitate calming, to enhance frustration tolerance, and to reduce aggression in attention deficit disorder (ADD) patients. The use of buspirone was studied as an alternative because of its longer excretion half-life, decreased sedative side effects and more selective binding profile. METHOD: Eight psychiatric outpatients diagnosed with ADD were rated at baseline and while taking buspirone to determine its efficacy as a treatment for ADD. Comparisons of Wender-Utah ratings within subject were used to measure behavioural changes in the subjects. RESULTS: During buspirone treatment, the patients' mean scores improved significantly overall and in hyperactivity, inattention and immaturity factors. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study indicates that buspirone might be a beneficial and useful treatment of ADD, reducing hyperactive behaviours and enabling greater attentional ability with minimal side effects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Acamprosate and its efficacy in treating alcohol dependent adolescents.

BACKGROUND: About 50 % of adult alcoholic patients relapse within 3 months of treatment. Previous studies have suggested that acamprosate may help to prevent such relapse. The aim of our study was to assess the efficacy and safety of long-term acamprosate treatment in alcohol dependence of adolescents. METHODS: In this, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we recruited 26 patients, aged 16-19 years, with chronic or episodic alcohol dependence. Patients were randomly allocated treatment with acamprosate (1332 mg daily) or placebo for 90 days. Patients were assessed on the day treatment started and on days 30, and 90 by interview, self report, questionnaire, and laboratory screening. FINDINGS: 13 acamprosate-treated and 13 placebo-treated patients completed the treatment phase: of those withdrawn, 11 (1 vs 6) relapsed, 5 (3 vs 2) refused to continue treatment, 3 (1 vs 2) had concurrent illness, and 2 (1 vs 1) had adverse side-effects. At the end of treatment, 7 acamprosate treated and 2 placebo-treated patients had been continuously abstinent (p = 0.0076). Mean cumulative abstinence duration was significantly greater in the acamprosate group than in the placebo group (79.8 [SD 37.5] vs 32.8 [19.0] days; p = 0.012). INTERPRETATION: Acamprosate is an effective and well-tolerated pharmacological adjunct to psychosocial treatment programmes.

Acamprosate↗
PubMed2003

[Therapy resistant major depression: improvement of symptomatology after combining antidepressants with Tianeptine (Stablon)].

OBJECTIVES: In common, depressive disorders are treated with various antidepressants, the number of which is enormously increasing. Nevertheless, in some cases therapy resistance is observed. In these cases, neuroleptics are used as an alternative. Recently, Tianeptin (Stablon) has also been used for the treatment of depressive disorders. METHOD: We report a 32-year old "therapy resistant" depressive female. Monotherapy with antidepressants and Tianeptin (Stablon) was ineffective. RESULTS: Finally, a combination of antidepressants and Tianeptin (Stablon) was effective and lowered the HAMD-Score significantly. DISCUSSION: A combination of antidepressants and Tianeptin (Stablon) seems to be an effective new Option for the treatment of "therapy resistant" major depressions.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Comparison of disulfiram and placebo in treatment of alcohol dependence of adolescents.

About 50% of alcoholic patients relapse within 3 months of treatment. Previous studies have suggested that disulfiram may help to prevent such relapse. The aim of our study was to assess the efficacy and safety of long-term disulfiram treatment in alcohol dependence of adolescents. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study we recruited 26 adolescents, aged 16-19 years, with chronic or episodic alcohol dependence. Patients were allocated treatment randomly with disulfiram (200 mg daily) or placebo for 90 days. Patients were assessed on the day treatment started and on days 30 and 90 by interview, self-report, questionnaire and laboratory screening. Patients were classified as abstinent, relapsing or non-attending. Time to first treatment failure (relapse or non-attendance) was the primary outcome measure. The disulfiram (n=13) and placebo (n=13) groups were well matched in terms of baseline demographic and alcohol-related variables. Thirteen disulfiram-treated and 13 placebo-treated patients completed the treatment phase; seven (1 vs. 6) relapsed, five (3 vs. 2) refused to continue treatment, three (1 vs. 2) had concurrent illness and two (1 vs. 1) had adverse side effects. At the end of treatment, seven disulfiram-treated and two placebo-treated patients had been abstinent continuously (p=0.0063). Mean cumulative abstinence duration was significantly greater in the disulfiram group than in the placebo group [68.5 (SD 37.5) vs. 29.7 (19.0) days; p=0.012]. Apart from occasional diarrhoea, there was no difference in side effects between groups. In some cases, disulfiram may be an effective and well-tolerated pharmacological adjunct to psychosocial and behavioural treatment programmes for treatment of adolescent alcohol-dependent patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

A placebo-controlled study of lofexidine in the treatment of children with tic disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of Lofexidine in treating children with tic disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Subjects from a specialty tic disorders clinic were randomly assigned to receive 8 weeks of treatment with lofexidine or placebo under double-blind conditions. Follow-up visits occurred every 2 weeks for safety monitoring and dose adjustment. Fourty-four medication-free subjects (41 boys and three girls; mean age of 10.4 years) with ADHD, combined type, and a tic disorder participated. After 8 weeks of treatment, lofexidine was associated with a mean improvement of 41% in the total score on the teacher-rated ADHD Rating Scale compared to 7% improvement for placebo. Eleven of 22 subjects who received lofexidine were blindly rated on the Clinical Global Scale-Improvement as either much improved or very much improved compared to none of 22 subjects who received placebo. The mean score on the parent-rated hyperactivity index improved by 29% in the lofexidine group and 18% in the placebo group, which was not a significant difference. On the Continuous Performance Test, commission errors decreased by 25% and omission errors by 20% in the lofexidine group, compared with increases of 33% in commission errors and of 36% in omission errors in the placebo group. Tic severity decreased by 27% in the lofexidine group, compared to 0% in the placebo group. One lofexidine subject with sedation withdrew at week 4. Lofexidine was associated with insignificant decreases in blood pressure and pulse. Lofexidine appears to be a safe and effective treatment for children with tic disorders and ADHD.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of cyanamide and placebo in the treatment of alcohol dependence of adolescents.

AIMS: About 50% of alcoholic patients relapse within 3 months of treatment. Previous studies have suggested that cyanamide may help to prevent such relapse. The aim of our study was to assess the efficacy and safety of long-term cyanamide treatment in alcohol dependence of adolescents. METHODS: In this, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we recruited 26 patients, aged 16-19 years, with chronic (frequent and regular) or episodic (frequent, but irregular) alcohol dependence. Patients were randomly allocated treatment with cyanamide (200 mg daily) or a placebo for 90 days. Patients were assessed on the day the treatment was started, and on days 30 and 90, by interview, self-report, questionnaire and laboratory screening. Patients were classified as abstinent, relapsing or non-attending. Time to first treatment failure (relapse or non-attendance) was the primary outcome measure. RESULTS: The cyanamide (n = 13) and placebo (n = 13) groups were well matched in terms of baseline demographic and alcohol-related variables. Mean cumulative abstinence duration was significantly greater in the cyanamide group than in the placebo group. Apart from occasional diarrhoea, there was no difference in side effects between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Cyanamide seems to be an effective and well tolerated pharmacological adjunct to psychosocial and behavioural treatment programmes for the treatment of some adolescent alcohol-dependent patients. Because of reported hepatotoxic, haematological and dermatological side effects, patients should be observed continuously by experienced clinicians. Further studies are necessary to prove the efficacy of cyanamide in adolescents.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prenatal maternal stress, prenatal fetal movements and perinatal temperament factors influence behavior and school marks at the age of 6 years.

Niederhofer showed in 1994 that maternal stress during pregnancy seemed to be associated with temperament in early childhood. This study examined the correlation between maternal stress during pregnancy in 227 women, ultrasound observation of intrauterine fetal movements, the child's temperament in early childhood, and the child's school marks at the age of 6 years. Our results show a significant correlation between prenatal maternal stress, perinatal temperament of the child and his/her school marks at the age of 6 years. Only intrauterine fetal movements were associated neither with stress during pregnancy nor with early personality.

Child↗