Biomedical subjects
V U Fritz
Publications and source records attributed to V U Fritz.
Sinemet (CR4): an open-label study in moderately severe Parkinson's disease.
Almost all patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease respond to levodopa and progress steadily, requiring an increased overall dosage with time. Sinemet CR4 offers a theoretically attractive method of achieving gradual sustained release of levodopa over time which may be more physiological to striatal dopamine receptors in the early stages of the disease. This study evaluated 20 patients with moderate to severe Parkinson's disease who were treated with Sinemet CR4 over a 1-year period. Eleven patients completed the full year on therapy, and nine subjects withdrew. Of the withdrawals, two subjects died from non-Parkinson's disease-related illness, three showed no therapeutic benefit, and four responded well for a minimal 6-month period, but then lost therapeutic benefit and developed more severe dystonias. A higher overall levodopa dosage was required by all patients, and side-effects of levodopa were still present in most patients. However, the nocturnal benefit of this long-acting preparation was observed by all the patients in the study. Slow onset of action of Sinemet CR4 resulted in early-morning immobility. Sinemet CR4 cannot replace standard Sinemet, but appears to be a useful form of adjunct therapy in selected patients.
Pure word deafness.
Two cases of pure word deafness, both with bilateral temporal lobe lesions due to cerebrovascular disease, are presented. This rare disorder is briefly discussed.
Adjunctive therapy with bromocriptine in Parkinson's disease.
Patients with moderately severe Parkinson's disease complicated by the adverse effects of chronic levodopa use benefited from the addition of bromocriptine (Parlodel; Sandoz) in doses up to 26 mg daily, which allowed an approximate 30% reduction of levodopa dose. This resulted in a significant decrease in the amount of levodopa side-effects while maintaining or improving the original parkinsonian clinical stage. Increased effectiveness in these patients was not associated with increased dosage beyond 25-30 mg daily. When the doses of bromocriptine were increased slowly, the adverse reactions were minor and usually transient.
Recommendations regarding driving after a single seizure.
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Bacillus cereus endocarditis. A case report.
Bacillus cereus may cause infective problems in compromised patients. No previous record of infective endocarditis due to this organism could be found. A 51-year-old White woman with B. cereus endocarditis after prosthetic mitral valve replacement is described. The problems of interpreting the significance of B. cereus bacteraemia, delayed diagnosis, and the inherent resistance of the organism are discussed.