Pilomotor function is impaired in patients with Parkinson's disease: A study of the adrenergic axon-reflex response and autonomic functions.

Introduction: Autonomic nervous system disturbances including sweating abnormalities and cardiovascular symptoms are frequent in Parkinson's disease (PD) and often precede motor involvement. Cholinergic vasomotor and sudomotor skin nerves are impaired in patients with PD even at early disease stages. We hypothesized that adrenergic pilomotor nerve function is similarly impaired in early PD and might constitute a novel diagnostic target.

Assessing the eligibility of a non-invasive continuous blood pressure measurement technique for application during total intravenous anaesthesia.

Objective: To assess the eligibility for replacement of invasive blood pressure as measured "within" the arterial vessel (IBP) with non-invasive continuous arterial blood pressure (cNIP) monitoring during total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA), the ability of cNiP to track fast blood pressure changes needs to be quantified. A new method of statistical data analysis is developed for this purpose.

Methods: In a pilot study on patients undergoing neurosurgical anaesthesia, mean arterial pressure MAPIBP measured with IBP was compared to MAPCNP measured by the CNAP Monitor 500 in ten patients (age: 63±13 a).

Accident Proneness in Children and Adolescents Affected by ADHD and the Impact of Medication.

Objective: This study aims to ascertain once and for all whether children and adolescents affected by ADHD show a higher risk for accidents, as well as investigating a possible association between the administration of ADHD-specific medication and the occurrence of accidents.

Method: Two exceptionally large sets of data were implemented in this analysis. Participants included children and adolescents representative of the entire German population.

Influence of a fat-rich meal on bioavailability of extended-release and immediate-release propiverine.

The muscarinic receptor antagonist propiverine is unique insofar as extended-release (ER) tablets are of higher bioavailability than immediate-release (IR) tablets; this is caused by lower "first-pass" elimination of propiverine via CYP3A4 and efflux transporters in the distal small intestine and colon. Food may influence gastrointestinal transiting and, in turn, may affect regional absorption of propiverine IR and ER. Therefore, food effects on disposition of 30 mg IR and 45 mg ER were measured in a randomized, open, 4-period interaction study in 24 healthy participants.

Pandemic influenza control in Europe and the constraints resulting from incoherent public health laws.

Background: With the emergence of influenza H1N1v the world is facing its first 21st century global pandemic. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and avian influenza H5N1 prompted development of pandemic preparedness plans. National systems of public health law are essential for public health stewardship and for the implementation of public health policy.

[Cost-benefit analysis of [224Ra] radium chloride therapy for ankylosing spondylitis (Bekhterev's disease)].

Background And Purpose: Cost-benefit analyses are helpful in setting priorities for funding health-care programs. The authors studied the cost/benefit of treatment with radium-224 compared to the treatment without radium-224 in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Material And Methods: The data of a 2-year retrospective observational study were used to estimate cost/benefit of [224Ra] therapy.

The acute orbit: etiology, diagnosis, and therapy.

Purpose: Extension of dental abscesses to distant areas of the head and neck has been repeatedly reported in the medical literature. Subsequent involvement of the orbit still remains a rarity, resulting in protracted onset of therapy because of inaccurate diagnosis. Considering the possible lasting damage that can result from insufficient therapy, like blindness or even death, the need to extensively educate practicing physicians becomes evident.