Delirium Associated With Donepezil in a Patient With Alzheimer’s Disease: A Case Report.

Delirium associated with donepezil in a patient with Alzheimer’s disease: a case report.

Iran J Psychiatry. 2013 Mar; 8(1): 59-60
Mollazadeh-Moghaddam K, Jamali A, Adili-Aghdam F, Akhondzadeh S

Donepezil, a member of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor family, is approved for management of cognitive impairments as well as behavioral complications in patients with neurodegenerative Alzheimer’s disease. Generally, donepezil is regarded as a safe medication in patients with Alzheimer’s disease although there have been reports of several minor adverse events including gastrointestinal disturbances. Herein we describe a patient with Alzheimer’s disease who demonstrated delirious behavior upon treatment with donepezil. HubMed – drug

Synephrine-containing dietary supplement precipitating apical ballooning syndrome in a young female.

Korean J Intern Med. 2013 May; 28(3): 356-60
Chung H, Kwon SW, Kim TH, Yoon JH, Ma DW, Park YM, Hong BK

Apical ballooning syndrome (ABS) is a unique reversible cardiomyopathy that is frequently precipitated by emotional or physical stress. In addition, the few drugs reported to precipitate ABS were either illegal or strictly controlled for medical use. This paper reports a case of ABS precipitated by a dietary supplement. Our case accentuates the potential risk of dietary supplements containing synephrine, which is uncontrolled and available to the general public. Therefore, the Korea Food and Drug Administration should regulate these dietary supplements, and warn healthcare workers and the general public of the potential hazards of the indiscriminate abuse of dietary supplements. HubMed – drug

Survival Benefit With Radium-223 Dichloride in a Mouse Model of Breast Cancer Bone Metastasis.

J Natl Cancer Inst. 2013 May 16;
Suominen MI, Rissanen JP, Käkönen R, Fagerlund KM, Alhoniemi E, Mumberg D, Ziegelbauer K, Halleen JM, Käkönen SM, Scholz A

BACKGROUND: Bone metastases are associated with increased morbidity and poor prognosis in breast cancer patients. Radium-223 dichloride is a calcium mimetic that localizes to bone, providing targeted therapy for skeletal metastasis. METHODS: We investigated the mode of action of radium-223 dichloride using breast cancer cell, osteoclast, and osteoblast cultures as well as a mouse model of breast cancer bone metastasis. A single dose of radium-223 dichloride was used in three different settings mimicking the prevention or treatment of bone metastasis. Disease progression was monitored using fluorescence and radiographic imaging and histological analyses. The effect of radium-223 dichloride alone and in combination with doxorubicin or zoledronic acid on survival of mice was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier methods. All statistical tests used were two-sided. RESULTS: Radium-223 dichloride incorporated into bone matrix and inhibited proliferation of breast cancer cells and differentiation of osteoblasts and osteoclasts (all P values < .001) in vitro. In an established bone metastasis setting, radium-223 dichloride prevented tumor-induced cachexia (0/14 vs 7/14 control mice) and decreased osteolysis by 56% and tumor growth by 43% (all P values < .05). Radium-223 dichloride induced double-strand DNA breaks in cancer cells in vivo. Finally, radium-223 dichloride extended survival as a monotherapy (29.2 days, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 26.6 to 31.8 days, P = .039) and in combination with zoledronic acid (31.4 days, 95% CI = 28.8 to 34.0 days, P = .004) or doxorubicin (31.5 days, 95% CI = 29.5 to 33.5 days, P < .001) compared to the vehicle group (24.9 days, 95% CI = 23.4 to 26.4 days). Similar but even more pronounced effects were observed when radium-223 dichloride was administered in a preventive or micrometastatic setting. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings strongly support the development of radium-223 dichloride for the treatment of breast cancer patients with or at high risk of developing bone metastases. HubMed – drug

Reply to “Calibration Technologies for Correct Determination of Epstein-Barr Virus, Human Herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), and HHV-8 Antiviral Drug Susceptibilities by Use of Real-Time-PCR-Based Assays”.

J Clin Microbiol. 2013 Jun; 51(6): 2014
Bounaadja L, Piret J, Goyette N, Boivin G

HubMed – drug