No abstract

Background-The objective of this study was to identify the prognostic indicators in patients with suspected myocarditis who underwent endomyocardial biopsy. Methods and Results-Between 1994 and 2007, 181 consecutive patients (age, 42Ϯ15 years) with clinically suspected viral myocarditis were enrolled and followed up for a mean of 59Ϯ42 months. Endomyocardial biopsies were studied for inflammation with histological (Dallas) and immunohistological criteria. Virus genome was detected by polymerase chain reaction. The primary end point was time to cardiac death or heart transplantation. In 38% of the patients (nϭ69), the Dallas criteria were positive. Immunohistological signs of inflammation were shown in 50% (nϭ91). Genomes of cardiotropic virus species were detected in 79 patients (44%). During follow-up, 22% of the patients (nϭ40) reached the primary end point. Three independent predictors were identified for the primary end point, namely New York Heart Association class III or IV at entry (hazard ratio, 3.20; 95% confidence interval,

No abstract

Recently targeted disruption of Omi/HtrA2 has been found to cause neurodegeneration and a parkinsonian phenotype in mice. Using a candidate gene approach, we performed a mutation screening of the Omi/HtrA2 gene in German Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. In four patients, we identified a novel heterozygous G399S mutation, which was absent in healthy controls. Moreover, we identified a novel A141S polymorphism that was associated with PD (P<0.05). Both mutations resulted in defective activation of the protease activity of Omi/HtrA2. Immunohistochemistry and functional analysis in stably transfected cells revealed that S399 mutant Omi/HtrA2 and to a lesser extent, the risk allele of the A141S polymorphism induced mitochondrial dysfunction associated with altered mitochondrial morphology. Cells overexpressing S399 mutant Omi/HtrA2 were more susceptible to stress-induced cell death than wild-type. On the basis of functional genomics, our results provide a novel link between mitochondrial dysfunction and neurodegeneration in PD.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders affecting about 1% of Western populations older than age 50. The pathological hallmark of PD are Lewy bodies, that is, intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies in affected neurons of the substantia nigra. Recently, α‐synuclein (α‐SYN) has been identified as the main component of Lewy bodies in sporadic PD, suggesting involvement in neurodegeneration via protein accumulation. The partially overlapping pathology of PD and Alzheimer's disease, as well as striking structural similarities of α‐SYN and apolipoprotein E, which is a major risk factor for late‐onset Alzheimer's disease, prompted us to investigate the influence of different α‐SYN and apolipoprotein E alleles for developing sporadic PD. We performed association studies in 193 German PD patients and 200 healthy control subjects matched for age, sex, and origin. A polymorphism in the promoter region of the α‐SYN gene (NACP‐Rep1) as well as of the closely linked DNA markers D4S1647 and D4S1628 revealed significant differences in the allelic distributions between PD patients and the control group. Furthermore, the Apoε4 allele but not the Th1/E47 promoter polymorphism of the apolipoprotein E gene was significantly more frequent among early‐onset PD patients (age at onset, <50 years) than in late‐onset PD. Regarding the combination of the Apoε4 allele and allele 1 of the α‐SYN promoter polymorphism, a highly significant difference between the group of PD patients and control individuals has been found, suggesting interactions or combined actions of these proteins in the pathogenesis of sporadic PD. PD patients harboring this genotype have a 12.8‐fold increased relative risk for developing PD during their lives. Ann Neurol 1999;45:611–617

Objective. To accurately differentiate nonbacterial osteitis (NBO) from other bone lesions by applying a clinical score through the use of validated diagnostic criteria.Methods. A retrospective study was conducted to assess data on patients from a pediatric clinic and an orthopedic tertiary care clinic, using administrative International Classification of Diseases codes as well as laboratory and department records from 1996 to 2006. Two hundred twenty-four patients older than age 3 years who had either NBO (n ‫؍‬ 102), proven bacterial osteomyelitis (n ‫؍‬ 22), malignant bone tumors (n ‫؍‬ 48), or benign bone tumors (n ‫؍‬ 52) were identified by chart review. Univariate logistic regression was used to determine associations of single risk factors with a diagnosis of NBO, and multivariable logistic regression was used to assess simultaneous risk factor associations with NBO. Conclusion. The proposed scoring system helps to facilitate the diagnostic process in patients with suspected NBO. Use of this system might spare unnecessary invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Results. NBO was best predicted by a normal blood cell count (odds ratio

The objective of this study is to conduct a dose-finding study of sarizotan in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with dyskinesia to identify a safe dose and to identify a sensitive dyskinesia rating measure. Sarizotan is a novel compound with full 5-HT(1A) agonist properties and additional high affinity for D(3) and D(4) receptors. An open label study documented improvements in PD patients with levodopa-induced dyskinesia. There is no precedent for study designs or outcome measures in pivotal trials of antidyskinesia therapies. The approach used here was a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel study. Included were PD patients optimized to levodopa and dopaminergic drugs with moderately disabling dyskinesias present greater than or equal to 25% of the waking day. Interventions included sarizotan 2, 4, or 10 mg/day or matching placebo, given in two doses. There were two outcome measures: the primary measure was change from baseline in diary-based on time without dyskinesia; the secondary measures were change from baseline in scores on the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS), the composite score of Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) Items 32+33 (dyskinesia duration and disability) and total UPDRS. A total of 398 subjects were randomized, with 381 included in the intention-to-treat population. No significant changes occurred on sarizotan compared to placebo on any diary-based measure of dyskinesia or the AIMS score. The composite score of UPDRS Items 32+33 was significantly improved with 2 mg/day sarizotan, with a trend at 10 mg/day. Adverse events were not significantly different in sarizotan- and placebo-treated patients, but off time significantly increased with sarizotan 10 mg/day. Sarizotan 2 mg/day is a safe agent in PD patients with dyskinesia. To test its role in abating dyskinesia, future studies should focus on this dose and will use the composite score of UPDRS Items 32+33 as the primary outcome.

Inhibitors of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) are commonly used as an adjunct to levodopa in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) for the amelioration of wearing-off symptoms. This narrative review aims to discuss the role of COMT inhibitors on peripheral levodopa metabolism and continuous brain delivery of levodopa, and to describe their metabolic properties. Oral application of levodopa formulations with a dopa decarboxylase inhibitor (DDI) results in fluctuating levodopa plasma concentrations, predominantly due to the short half-life of levodopa and its slowing of gastric emptying. Following transport across the blood-brain barrier and its metabolic conversion to dopamine, these peripheral 'ups and downs' of levodopa are reflected in fluctuating dopamine levels in the synaptic cleft between presynaptic and postsynaptic dopaminergic neurons of the nigrostriatal system. As a result, pulsatile postsynaptic dopaminergic stimulation takes place and results in the occurrence of motor complications, such as wearing-off and dyskinesia. More continuous plasma behaviour was observed after the combination of levodopa/DDI formulations with COMT inhibitors. These compounds also weaken a levodopa/DDI-related homocysteine increase, as biomarker for an impaired methylation capacity, which is involved in an elevated oxidative stress exposure. These findings favour the concept of chronic levodopa/DDI application with concomitant inhibition of COMT and monoamine oxidase, since deamination of dopamine via this enzyme also generates free radicals. This triple combination is suggested as standard levodopa application in patients with PD who need levodopa, if they will tolerate it.