PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

U Baumhackl

Publications and source records attributed to U Baumhackl.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of oral hydrolytic enzymes in relapsing multiple sclerosis.

Oral administration of hydrolytic enzymes (HE), such as bromelain, trypsin and rutosid, may have beneficial effects on the clinical course of neurological symptoms related to multiple sclerosis (MS). This is supported by a complete protection by HE from experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, an animal model related to MS. Three hundred and one patients with relapsing MS were enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. No treatment effect between the placebo and the HE groups was found either for clinical or MRI parameters.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2004

Escalating immunotherapy of multiple sclerosis--new aspects and practical application.

Recent clinical studies in multiple sclerosis (MS) provide new data on the treatment of clinically isolated syndromes, on secondary progression, on direct comparison of immunomodulatory treatments and on dosing issues. All these studies have important implications for the optimized care of MS patients. The multiple sclerosis therapy consensus group (MSTCG) critically evaluated the available data and provides recommendations for the application of immunoprophylactic therapies. Initiation of treatment after the first relapse may be indicated if there is clear evidence on MRI for subclinical dissemination of disease. Recent trials show that the efficacy of interferon beta treatment is more likely if patients in the secondary progressive phase of the disease still have superimposed bouts or other indicators of inflammatory disease activity than without having them. There are now data available, which suggest a possible dose-effect relation for recombinant beta-interferons. These studies have to be interpreted with caution, as some potentially important issues in the design of these studies (e. g. maintenance of blinding in the clinical part of the study) were not adequately addressed. A meta-analysis of selected interferon trials has been published challenging the value of recombinant IFN beta in MS. The pitfalls of that report are discussed in the present review as are other issues relevant to treatment including the new definition of MS, the problem of treatment failure and the impact of cost-effectiveness analyses. The MSTCG panel recommends that the new diagnostic criteria proposed by McDonald et al. should be applied if immunoprophylactic treatment is being considered. The use of standardized clinical documentation is now generally proposed to facilitate the systematic evaluation of individual patients over time and to allow retrospective evaluations in different patient cohorts. This in turn may help in formulating recommendations for the application of innovative products to patients and to health care providers. Moreover, in long-term treated patients, secondary treatment failure should be identified by pre-planned follow-up examinations, and other treatment options should then be considered.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed2003

Effects of psychological group therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate a psychological therapy program used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and including cognitive/behavioral strategies, relaxation training and physical exercise. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The participants were 29 patients with MS recruited from an outpatient unit; 14 patients were assigned to the 7-week psychological therapy group (one session per week), the remainder formed a control group. Before and immediately after the course of therapy and after a 2-month follow-up, the participants completed a series of questionnaires measuring factors such as depression, anxiety, coping and body image. RESULTS: Compared with the control group the therapy group showed long-term improvements in depressive stress coping style and a short-term improvement in "vitality and body dynamics". CONCLUSION: Further studies should investigate the differential effects of specific units of the therapy program and how the short-term improvements in "vitality and body dynamics" could be maintained for longer periods.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

One-year prevalence of migraine in Austria: a nation-wide survey.

This study presents the first nation-wide survey of migraine in Austria. A sample of 997 Austrian > or = 15 years old were interviewed personally (face-to-face) in a random sample in the whole country. Diagnosis of migraine was based on the International Headache Society (IHS) classification. Of the Austrian adult population 10.2% were identified to suffer from IHS migraine, 5.6% from migraine without aura, 2.3% from migraine with aura and 2.3% from borderline migraine. Another 8.5% have possible migraine. Other primary headaches were reported in 30.7%. Sex, age, working status and region were found to be the main demographic influencing factors. Further influences were stress, spinal column problems or weather changes. The most used acute medications were over-the-counter drugs, doctor attendance rate was very low. Working people with migraine dropped out of work 14 days per year, which adds up to 6.8 million working days per year. This remains a substantial economic factor. The findings indicate that migraine sufferers in Austria need to be more informed about their illness and what to do against it, especially encouraging doctor visits.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

[Relationship between symptoms of depression and anxiety and the quality of life in multiple sclerosis].

BACKGROUND: Health-related Quality of Life (QoL) is gaining increasing influence as a relevant evaluation criterium in clinical research. Several studies have investigated QoL in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) and the impact of therapeutic interventions on QoL. However, the influence of psychiatric complications, which occur frequently in MS (e.g. depression and anxiety disorders), on the autoassessment of QoL are hardly ever considered. METHODS: Symptoms of depression and anxiety were rated in 74 outpatients with definite MS. The health-related QoL was assessed and set into relation to physical disability (measured with the Expanded Disability Status Scale) and duration of the disease. The results were compared with 74 normal controls of the same age. RESULTS: A highly significant relationship between emotional state (Zerssen-scale), depression (Zung-depression-scale), anxiety (Zung anxiety scale) and Quality of Life was evident. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical trials assessing Quality of Life in MS patients should consider the frequency of psychiatric comorbidity and the influence of depression and anxiety disorders on self-rated Quality of Life.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Depression and quality of life in multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVES: Health related quality of life (QoL) has gained increasing influence as a relevant evaluation criterion in multiple sclerosis. The high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity in MS is, however, hardly ever considered in studies concerning QoL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 60 patients of a MS outpatient clinic, symptoms of anxiety (Zung Anxiety Scale) and depression (Zung Depression Scale), as well as the health-related quality of life were rated and set into relation to the EDSS and to the duration of illness, respectively. RESULTS: There was a highly significant correlation between depression as well as anxiety and the self-assessed quality of life. Depression was the by far strongest predictor for reduced QoL. CONCLUSION: Clinical studies, which seek to register the increasingly important evaluation criterion of health-related quality of life in MS, should consider the prevalence of depressive disorders and the decisive effect of depression on the self-assessed quality of life of affected patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Relationship between depression, anxiety and quality of life: a study of stroke patients compared to chronic low back pain and myocardial ischemia patients.

The prevalence of anxiety disorders and depression is assessed as between 20 and 50% following stroke. Depressive persons tend to give their overall life situation a worse rating than their relatives or physicians because of negative cognitions. Nevertheless, research concerning Quality of Life (QoL) after stroke hardly ever takes into account the methodological bias of assessing QoL only by self-rating. The aim of this study was to point out the important relationship between depression, anxiety and the autoassessment of QoL. QoL was markedly affected in the poststroke patients and in the chronic low back pain and myocardial ischemia patients, and it was rated worst by the most seriously depressed subjects. Clinical studies focusing on the ever more significant evaluation criterion 'health-related QoL' after stroke should take into account the high prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms and their major influence on the patients' self-evaluated QoL.

Anxiety Disorders↗
PubMed2000

[Bilateral anterior operculum syndrome].

Characteristically, patients with anterior operculum syndrome (AOS), also known as Marie-Foix-Chavany syndrome cannot perform voluntary movements of the face, jaw, tongue, and pharynx. As a result, they are unable to speak, swallow, grimace, smile, or carry out any other voluntary facial masticatory or linguopharyngeal movement. At the same time, involuntary movements of the aforementioned muscles are fully preserved. Laughing, yawning, and coughing, as well as mimicking movements accompanying emotions, eye closure during sleep, or the blink reflex are unaffected. The pathoanatomic substrate of this voluntary-involuntary dissociation is a bilateral lesion of the frontoparietal operculum usually caused by ischemic strokes. The prognosis is usually poor, especially concerning the ability to speak and eat. The name Marie-Foix-Chavany for this syndrome is fully established, although the characteristic voluntary-involuntary dissociation is not mentioned in the original French publication of 1926. We present a case and discuss clinical features, pathophysiology, and differential diagnosis of AOS. In a 7-year follow-up, we observed better functional outcome than is commonly described in the literature.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

[Depression after cerebrovascular injury. Review and differentiation from other psychiatric complications].

In spite of the high incidence and prevalence of psychiatric complications after cerebrovascular injury few results have remained uncontradicted so far. This article focuses on the variety of psychiatric disorders after stroke reviewing recent literature and concentrating in particular on Post-stroke Depression. The prevalence of depressive disorders following stroke is assessed between 20 and 50%. Serious consequences for post-stroke depressed subjects are their increased mortality, poor rehabilitation outcome and long-term affected quality of life. Nevertheless, depressive disorders following stroke usually remain untreated. To this date the effectiveness of only a few drugs has been studied in controlled clinical trials (Nortriptylin, Citalopram, Imipramin, Mianserin). Besides describing clinical presentation, epidemiology, pathogenesis and consequences of post-stroke depressive disorders for the patient different authors' statements are listed and critically commented. Finally recommendations concerning therapeutic intervention are mentioned.

Cerebrovascular Disorders↗
PubMed1994

Type-specific diagnostic analysis of first epileptic seizure in adults.

327 adults patients presenting with a first epileptic seizure were evaluated in respect to underlying causes. The majority suffered from alcohol-related seizures, in the elderly patients vascular pathology dominated. Remote symptomatic seizures raise the question of anticonvulsant therapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[Huntington chorea: (CAG)n repeats on gene IT 15 in Austria].

In March 1993 the gene IT 15 was identified on chromosome 4p and it was demonstrated that it contained an unstable (CAG)n trinucleotide repeat that is elongated in patients with Huntington's chorea (HC). Persons with more than 37 (CAG)n repeats tend to have a higher risk of developing the disease. Testing the (CAG)n repeats in Austrian HC patients with PCR techniques shows correspondence between the clinical diagnosis of HC and genotypes [more than 42 (CAG)n repeats]. There was a weak correlation between the number of (CAG)n repeats and age of onset, however, this finding is without diagnostic value due to the scatter of the values.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[Therapy of migraine with special reference to sumatriptan].

A migraine attack results from an inflammatory process of intracranial blood vessels with secondly vasodilation. Sumatriptan activates vascular 5-HT1-receptors to constrict the affected vessels (12, 14) and clinical studies have shown, that it is highly effective in the treatment of migraine and cluster headache. Results from controlled, double-blind studies are discussed, comparing sumatriptan with placebo or standard treatment. Over all it produced faster and greater relief of migraine or cluster headache and was well-tolerated. Advising patients of the risk of side-effects is necessary; it is a safe treatment. Sumatriptan 100 mg tablets or 6 mg in pre-filled syringes for use with autoinjector are available, intranasal administration still needs testing.

Cluster Headache↗
PubMed1990

Efficacy and safety of moclobemide compared with imipramine in the treatment of major depressive disorder. Double-blind multicenter study, Austria.

In a double-blind, 4-week, prospective, randomized multicenter (17 centers) study we checked on the efficacy, tolerability and safety of moclobemide (300-600 mg/d) compared to imipramine (100-200 mg/d) in parallel groups of patients with a Major Depressive Episode (DSM III). The mean % reduction of the HAMD at the end of treatment was 51.7 in the moclobemide group and 52.1 in the imipramine group. The percentage of patients in whom efficacy was globally judged as "good" or "very good" was 62% in the moclobemide group and 60% in the imipramine group. There was no statistically significant difference in the efficacy in both groups but in some factors there was a trend for a better amelioration favoring moclobemide. The final overall physician's judgement of tolerability was "good" or "very good" in 83% of moclobemide patients and in 74% of imipramine patients. Adverse events were reported or observed in 56% of moclobemide patients and in 69% of imipramine patients. The number of mild, moderate and severe adverse events was higher in the imipramine group with a total of 286 versus 189. There was a statistically high significant difference considering the tolerability favoring moclobemide again. In this project the basic goal to find a substance with at least the same efficacy but a much better tolerability for sure got fulfilled.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Efficacy and tolerability of moclobemide compared with imipramine in depressive disorder (DSM-III): an Austrian double-blind, multicentre study.

The antidepressant efficacy, tolerability, and safety of moclobemide, a reversible, monoamine oxidase-A inhibitor, were compared with those of imipramine in parallel groups of patients with a major depressive episode, in a 4-week, multicentre (17 centres), randomised study. A total of 381 patients were randomly allocated to either treatment; they were not required to avoid tyramine-rich foods. Drop-out rates were comparable in both groups at about 17%. Judged primarily on the HRSD, no significant differences in efficacy were observed between the groups, but the number of patients presenting with adverse events, as well as the total number of adverse events, was greater with imipramine. Cardiovascular tolerability was satisfactory and physical examination, body weight, and laboratory values were essentially unaffected in both groups.

Adjustment Disorders↗
PubMed1987

Electrophysiologic findings in meningopolyneuritis of Garin-Bujadoux-Bannwarth.

Previous reports on neuropathy in Lyme disease and related disorders suggest predominant demyelination in most of the few cases investigated. We analysed retrospectively electrophysiologic data in 29 patients with MPN-GBB. In peripheral nerve involvement slowed NCV and/or prolonged DL was the prominent finding, concordant with primary demyelination. Distribution of pathology resembles mononeuritis. Facial nerve palsy was common and often bilateral.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

High-dose penicillin therapy in meningopolyneuritis Garin-Bujadoux-Bannwarth. Clinical and cerebrospinal fluid data.

Clinical data of 19 patients with meningopolyneuritis Garin-Bujadoux-Bannwarth (MPN-GBB), treated with 2 X 10 million units intravenous sodium penicillin for 10 days, were evaluated at the beginning of therapy, 3 weeks thereafter, and 6 months after onset of the neurological disease. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was analysed in 14 patients at the onset of therapy and 3 1/2 weeks thereafter. At the same interval antibodies against B. burgdorferi were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the CSF and sera of 12 patients. Clinical data and all CSF results, with exception of specific antibody titers, were compared with those of patients who had suffered from MPN-GBB between 1979 and 1983, and who had not received antibiotic or corticosteroid therapy. Comparing the clinical data of all treated patients with those of all non-treated controls, no significant difference could be observed. A significant improvement could however be detected in those patients who had their treatment begun 5 weeks within onset of the neurological disease. Changes in CSF 3 1/2 weeks after onset of treatment showed slight differences when compared with controls.

Adolescent↗