A clinical trial of four weeks duration was conducted involving a total of thirty depressed patients, of both sexes, aged between twenty and thirty-four years. The total number of patients was divided into three groups of ten patients each. One group received amitriptyline, the second group was administered noxiptyline and the third group was given dibenzepine. All drugs were administered orally. Patients were submitted to psychometric testing before and after drug administration. The tests used included the 'Hamilton Rating Scale for depression', the 'Hildreth Feeling Scale' and the 'D Scale' and the 'Trail Making Test' for the evaluation of psychomotor retardation. It was concluded that the Hamilton Rating Scale was the most relatively sensitive test utilized in assessing the depressive state and its improvement. Amitriptyline was found to be mostly anxiolytic; noxiptyline controlled both depression and anxiety to approximately the same extent; and dibenzepine was found to be a mood-elevating drug with an energizing action.
Background
Arterial stiffness is considered as an emerging new important risk factor for stoke development. Measuring carotid stiffness is easy and non-invasive and thus can be widely applicable.
Purpose
To evaluate the carotid stiffness indices in patients with ischemic stroke compared to normal healthy subjects.
Methods
Included in this study are 60 patients (group 1) with ischemic stroke and 60 healthy control subjects (group 2). Participants were exposed to routine clinical examination and Duplex assessment of both carotid arteries. A specific wall tracking system was used for the semiautomatic calculation of the carotid stiffness indices, which included; compliance coefficient (CC), distensibility coefficient (DC), carotid pulse wave velocity (PWV) and carotid intima media thickness (IMT). Results from both carotid arteries were averaged and data from group 1 patients were compared to group 2 subjects.
Results
The mean age was (60.1±6.9 years) in group 1 compared to (60.1±6.6 years) in group 2 (p=0.9). A significant difference was found between both groups in all carotid stiffness indices; including average CC (0.64±0.29 vs 0.82±0.36 m2/kpa, p=0.004); average DC (11.69±5.42 vs 18.61±11.87 1/kpa, p<0.001); average PWV (16.5±0.6 vs 12.5±3.7 m/s, p<0.001) and average IMT (0.78±0.13 vs 0.68±0.18 mm, p=0.001). Only the carotid PWV was found to be a predictor of vascular stroke (p=0.001)
Conclusion
Patients with vascular stroke have higher carotid stiffness indices than age matched control subjects. Measuring carotid stiffness indices in patients who have atherosclerotic risk factors may help predict those at risk of vascular stroke and thus guide a tighter and a more efficient risk factors control.
Background: Diabetic retinopathy is a serious diabetic complication as it is considered the most common cause of blindness in diabetes. There is a link between chronic hyperglycemia and the occurrence and progression of diabetic retinopathy. Aim of Study: To investigate for the effect dapagliflozin, Sodium-Glucoseco-Transporter2 (SGLT2) inhibitor in reduction of diabetic retinopathy. Material and Methods: Thirty (30) male albino rats (120-150) were randomly divided into control (n=6); DM (diabetic non treated group, n=10), DM + DAPA (diabetic treated with dapagliflozin for 8 weeks, n=10). Blood samples and retinal tissues were collected to assess glycated hemoglobin (HbA 1 c), serum Interleukin 6 (IL-6), lipid profile and retinal expression levels of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) and Brain Derived Nerve Growth (BDNG) moreover histological assessment was performed. Results: Diabetes increased all measured parameters while decreased the expression of BDNG. Supplementation of dapagliflozin improved all measured parameters. Conclusion: This study showed the harmful effect of diabetes on retina which could be mediated by oxidative stress and inflammation. On the other hand, dapagliflozin improved diabetic retinopathy via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions also it improved retinal regeneration via increasing the expression of brain derived nerve growth factor.
The effect of six antidepressants has been investigated in six groups of twenty patients suffering from depressive states. The over-all response of the six groups, as well as the response of the individual target symptoms of depression according to the Hamilton Rating Scale are reported.
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