Psychological and behavioral therapies produce reliable changes in several sleep parameters of insomniacs, and are, therefore, considered an effective treatment for insomnia. This finding confirms a review paper published in 1999 by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) regarding the efficacy of psychological and behavioral treatments for insomnia.
On 30 October 2006, Dr Brian Gibbons, Health Minister for Wales, announced an additional ?700,000 funding for the beta interferons and glatiramer acetate. This should help to ensure that everyone with MS who lives in Wales and meets the prescribing criteria will be able to start treatment as soon as possible.
A Durham GP is calling for people to be routinely screened for B12 deficiency as he believes that this is the cause of symptoms that are often ascribed to other conditions.
Last week, in one of TV ad Actor Michael J. Fox appeared with his disturbingly uncontrolled movements. And, his opponents in the stem-cell debate accused him of either acting or purposefully not taking his medications, in an effort to gain sympathy, quoted by news agencies worldwide. Nothing could be further from the truth, according to Parkinson’s experts. In fact, Fox’s disordered movement — a condition called dyskinesia — was mainly due to his taking medication to help control his Parkinson’s, they said.
GlaxoSmithKline plc [NYSE:GSK, LSE:GSK] announced results from a global Phase II study of eltrombopag, an investigational non-peptide oral platelet growth factor. In this study of 74 hepatitis C patients with thrombocytopenia, (a condition where the blood has low platelet levels) more than 95% (p< 0.001) of patients treated with the highest dose of eltrombopag (75mg) had increased platelet counts. In addition, 71% - 91% of patients in all treatment groups were able to initiate antiviral therapy with pegylated interferon-α (IFN) and ribavirin, and 65% were able to be maintained on therapy.1 Full results from this Phase II study are being presented today at the 57th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) in Boston, Massachusetts.
Proteins found in the blood can indicate an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to groundbreaking new research published today (30 October) in the journal Brain. It is the first time markers for the development of Alzheimer’s have been identified in blood. The findings take researchers a step closer to knowing whether a blood test can be used to diagnose and measure progression of the Alzheimer’s disease.
Osteoarthritis (OA) has a major impact on patients’ mobility and quality of life but the anti-inflammatory drugs used to treat it are associated with a number of side effects. In recent years, patients have turned increasingly to acupuncture to relieve the chronic pain associated with OA. A new study published in the November 2006 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism examined the use of acupuncture as an extension of routine medical care and whether the effects of treatment last after therapy is discontinued.
A research team has identified a key enzyme responsible for triggering a chain of events that results in allergic reaction, according to new study findings published this week in Nature Immunology. The work by researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University, the Hospital for Special Surgery and Weill Cornell Medical College in New York sets the stage for development of new strategies and target therapies that control allergic disease – the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in the United States.
Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY, TSX: SHQ) announced that its Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) patch, DAYTRANA tm (methylphenidate transdermal system), has significant efficacy in reducing the symptoms of ADHD in children aged 6 to 12 years, even when the ADHD patch is taken off earlier than the recommended nine hours. The ability to remove the patch earlier than the recommended nine-hour wear time allows physicians the opportunity to manage the potential for late-day side effects, such as lack of appetite or difficulty sleeping. These phase IIIb clinical trial results were reported today at a major scientific and educational meeting of child and adolescent psychiatrists in San Diego, Calif.
Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY, TSX: SHQ) and its collaborative partner New River Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: NRPH) announced today that their investigational ADHD treatment, lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (also known as NRP104 or LDX), yielded a 60 percent improvement in the primary rating scale scores for symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children aged 6 to 12 years who received six months of treatment in an open-label phase III study. Results also demonstrated that at 6 months, 95 percent of children taking lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (NRP104/LDX) produced a “much improved” or “very much improved” rating on the Clinical Global Impressions ? Improvement score. These results were presented last weekend at a national meeting of child and adolescent psychiatrists.