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The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is not associated with the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) or other demyelinating diseases, according to a study published January 6 in JAMA. Researchers examined Danish and Swedish girls and women between ages 10 and 44. Participants were followed up from 2006 to 2013. A total of 3,983,824 girls and women were eligible for inclusion in this study. Of these individuals, 789,082 were vaccinated, and 1,927,581 HPV vaccine doses were administered. At follow-up, 4,322 cases of MS and 3,300 cases of other demyelinating diseases were identified, of which 73 and 90, respectively, occurred within the risk period of two years following vaccination. “These findings do not support concerns about a causal relationship between HPV vaccination and demyelinating diseases,” the researchers stated.
No evidence of disease activity (NEDA) is a difficult outcome for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) to sustain in the long term, even with treatment, according to a study published online ahead of print December 22 in JAMA Neurology. Researchers investigated the sustainability of NEDA over seven years in a group of 219 patients with MS. Patients had seven years of follow-up that included yearly brain MRI and biannual clinic visits. Investigators found that of 215 patients, 99 (46%) had NEDA for clinical and MRI measures at one year. At two years, 60 of 218 patients (27.5%) maintained NEDA, and 17 of 216 patients (7.9%) sustained NEDA after seven years. There was no difference in NEDA status for patients with early MS, compared with patients with more established disease.
Pharnext announced the proof of concept of its pleotherapy research and development approach based on a proprietary network pharmacology platform that identifies synergistic combinations of drugs already approved for other diseases. According to two reports published online December 10, 2014, in the Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases, Pharnext’s lead pleodrug, PXT-3003, has shown positive results in preclinical and phase 2 clinical studies. The first paper shows consistent and synergistic preclinical data for PXT-3003 in two Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 1A (CMT 1A) rodent models. The second paper presents positive phase 2 results of PXT-3003 in 80 patients with mild to moderate CMT 1A.
Patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to tertiary stroke centers during July had similar outcomes to patients admitted during other months, despite receiving slightly less frequent thrombolysis and stroke unit care, according to a study published online ahead of print December 19 in the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases. Researchers examined 10,319 patients with acute ischemic stroke between July 1, 2003 and March 31, 2008. The research team evaluated referrals to long-term care facilities, length of hospital stay, hospital readmissions or emergency department visits within 30 days of hospital discharge, and hospital readmissions within 30 days from discharge due to stroke. “Ischemic stroke patients admitted in July were less likely to receive clot-busting drugs or be admitted to stroke units, but ultimately patients did just as well regardless of the month,” stated the investigators.
Insomnia symptoms are an important factor for explaining the mechanism by which alcohol use increases suicide risk, according to a study published December 15 in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. The study included 375 undergraduate students at a large, public university in the southeastern United States. Participants completed an online questionnaire that examined insomnia symptoms, nightmares, alcohol use, and suicide risk. Alcohol use was significantly associated with suicide risk among women. In addition, further analysis revealed that insomnia symptoms explained a significant proportion of the relationship between alcohol and suicide risk. Investigators found no direct effect of alcohol use on suicide risk in men, but they observed a significant indirect effect of alcohol use increasing suicide risk through insomnia symptoms.
The virtual supermarket (VSM) application correctly identifies 87.30% of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a level of diagnostic accuracy similar to that of standardized neuropsychologic tests, according to a study published online ahead of print November 25 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Two groups, one of healthy older adults and one of patients with MCI, were recruited from day centers for people with cognitive disorders. Participants used the VSM application and underwent a battery of neuropsychologic tests. The VSM application accurately distinguished between patients with MCI and healthy older adults, but it was unable to differentiate between MCI subtypes. Overall, the VSM application is a valid method of screening for MCI in an older adult population, but it cannot be used for MCI subtype assessment.
—Kimberly D. Williams
The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is not associated with the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) or other demyelinating diseases, according to a study published January 6 in JAMA. Researchers examined Danish and Swedish girls and women between ages 10 and 44. Participants were followed up from 2006 to 2013. A total of 3,983,824 girls and women were eligible for inclusion in this study. Of these individuals, 789,082 were vaccinated, and 1,927,581 HPV vaccine doses were administered. At follow-up, 4,322 cases of MS and 3,300 cases of other demyelinating diseases were identified, of which 73 and 90, respectively, occurred within the risk period of two years following vaccination. “These findings do not support concerns about a causal relationship between HPV vaccination and demyelinating diseases,” the researchers stated.
No evidence of disease activity (NEDA) is a difficult outcome for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) to sustain in the long term, even with treatment, according to a study published online ahead of print December 22 in JAMA Neurology. Researchers investigated the sustainability of NEDA over seven years in a group of 219 patients with MS. Patients had seven years of follow-up that included yearly brain MRI and biannual clinic visits. Investigators found that of 215 patients, 99 (46%) had NEDA for clinical and MRI measures at one year. At two years, 60 of 218 patients (27.5%) maintained NEDA, and 17 of 216 patients (7.9%) sustained NEDA after seven years. There was no difference in NEDA status for patients with early MS, compared with patients with more established disease.
Pharnext announced the proof of concept of its pleotherapy research and development approach based on a proprietary network pharmacology platform that identifies synergistic combinations of drugs already approved for other diseases. According to two reports published online December 10, 2014, in the Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases, Pharnext’s lead pleodrug, PXT-3003, has shown positive results in preclinical and phase 2 clinical studies. The first paper shows consistent and synergistic preclinical data for PXT-3003 in two Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 1A (CMT 1A) rodent models. The second paper presents positive phase 2 results of PXT-3003 in 80 patients with mild to moderate CMT 1A.
Patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to tertiary stroke centers during July had similar outcomes to patients admitted during other months, despite receiving slightly less frequent thrombolysis and stroke unit care, according to a study published online ahead of print December 19 in the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases. Researchers examined 10,319 patients with acute ischemic stroke between July 1, 2003 and March 31, 2008. The research team evaluated referrals to long-term care facilities, length of hospital stay, hospital readmissions or emergency department visits within 30 days of hospital discharge, and hospital readmissions within 30 days from discharge due to stroke. “Ischemic stroke patients admitted in July were less likely to receive clot-busting drugs or be admitted to stroke units, but ultimately patients did just as well regardless of the month,” stated the investigators.
Insomnia symptoms are an important factor for explaining the mechanism by which alcohol use increases suicide risk, according to a study published December 15 in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. The study included 375 undergraduate students at a large, public university in the southeastern United States. Participants completed an online questionnaire that examined insomnia symptoms, nightmares, alcohol use, and suicide risk. Alcohol use was significantly associated with suicide risk among women. In addition, further analysis revealed that insomnia symptoms explained a significant proportion of the relationship between alcohol and suicide risk. Investigators found no direct effect of alcohol use on suicide risk in men, but they observed a significant indirect effect of alcohol use increasing suicide risk through insomnia symptoms.
The virtual supermarket (VSM) application correctly identifies 87.30% of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a level of diagnostic accuracy similar to that of standardized neuropsychologic tests, according to a study published online ahead of print November 25 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Two groups, one of healthy older adults and one of patients with MCI, were recruited from day centers for people with cognitive disorders. Participants used the VSM application and underwent a battery of neuropsychologic tests. The VSM application accurately distinguished between patients with MCI and healthy older adults, but it was unable to differentiate between MCI subtypes. Overall, the VSM application is a valid method of screening for MCI in an older adult population, but it cannot be used for MCI subtype assessment.
—Kimberly D. Williams
The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is not associated with the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) or other demyelinating diseases, according to a study published January 6 in JAMA. Researchers examined Danish and Swedish girls and women between ages 10 and 44. Participants were followed up from 2006 to 2013. A total of 3,983,824 girls and women were eligible for inclusion in this study. Of these individuals, 789,082 were vaccinated, and 1,927,581 HPV vaccine doses were administered. At follow-up, 4,322 cases of MS and 3,300 cases of other demyelinating diseases were identified, of which 73 and 90, respectively, occurred within the risk period of two years following vaccination. “These findings do not support concerns about a causal relationship between HPV vaccination and demyelinating diseases,” the researchers stated.
No evidence of disease activity (NEDA) is a difficult outcome for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) to sustain in the long term, even with treatment, according to a study published online ahead of print December 22 in JAMA Neurology. Researchers investigated the sustainability of NEDA over seven years in a group of 219 patients with MS. Patients had seven years of follow-up that included yearly brain MRI and biannual clinic visits. Investigators found that of 215 patients, 99 (46%) had NEDA for clinical and MRI measures at one year. At two years, 60 of 218 patients (27.5%) maintained NEDA, and 17 of 216 patients (7.9%) sustained NEDA after seven years. There was no difference in NEDA status for patients with early MS, compared with patients with more established disease.
Pharnext announced the proof of concept of its pleotherapy research and development approach based on a proprietary network pharmacology platform that identifies synergistic combinations of drugs already approved for other diseases. According to two reports published online December 10, 2014, in the Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases, Pharnext’s lead pleodrug, PXT-3003, has shown positive results in preclinical and phase 2 clinical studies. The first paper shows consistent and synergistic preclinical data for PXT-3003 in two Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 1A (CMT 1A) rodent models. The second paper presents positive phase 2 results of PXT-3003 in 80 patients with mild to moderate CMT 1A.
Patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to tertiary stroke centers during July had similar outcomes to patients admitted during other months, despite receiving slightly less frequent thrombolysis and stroke unit care, according to a study published online ahead of print December 19 in the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases. Researchers examined 10,319 patients with acute ischemic stroke between July 1, 2003 and March 31, 2008. The research team evaluated referrals to long-term care facilities, length of hospital stay, hospital readmissions or emergency department visits within 30 days of hospital discharge, and hospital readmissions within 30 days from discharge due to stroke. “Ischemic stroke patients admitted in July were less likely to receive clot-busting drugs or be admitted to stroke units, but ultimately patients did just as well regardless of the month,” stated the investigators.
Insomnia symptoms are an important factor for explaining the mechanism by which alcohol use increases suicide risk, according to a study published December 15 in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. The study included 375 undergraduate students at a large, public university in the southeastern United States. Participants completed an online questionnaire that examined insomnia symptoms, nightmares, alcohol use, and suicide risk. Alcohol use was significantly associated with suicide risk among women. In addition, further analysis revealed that insomnia symptoms explained a significant proportion of the relationship between alcohol and suicide risk. Investigators found no direct effect of alcohol use on suicide risk in men, but they observed a significant indirect effect of alcohol use increasing suicide risk through insomnia symptoms.
The virtual supermarket (VSM) application correctly identifies 87.30% of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a level of diagnostic accuracy similar to that of standardized neuropsychologic tests, according to a study published online ahead of print November 25 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Two groups, one of healthy older adults and one of patients with MCI, were recruited from day centers for people with cognitive disorders. Participants used the VSM application and underwent a battery of neuropsychologic tests. The VSM application accurately distinguished between patients with MCI and healthy older adults, but it was unable to differentiate between MCI subtypes. Overall, the VSM application is a valid method of screening for MCI in an older adult population, but it cannot be used for MCI subtype assessment.
—Kimberly D. Williams
