The relationship between living arrangement and adherence to antiepileptic medications among individuals with developmental disabilities.

Background: Non-adherence to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality in the general population but little is known about adherence in individuals with intellectual disability (ID).

Method: Using the records of a closed pharmacy billing system over a 30 month period, we examined the medication non-adherence rates for AEDs among 793 individuals with ID. We calculated the medication possession ratio (number of days each participant was in possession of an AED), and defined non-adherence as 25% or more of the exposure days without the possession of an AED.

The beta-hCG+erythropoietin in acute stroke (BETAS) study: a 3-center, single-dose, open-label, noncontrolled, phase IIa safety trial.

Background And Purpose: Animal data suggest the use of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin followed by erythropoietin to promote brain repair after stroke. The current study directly translated these results by evaluating safety of this sequential growth factor therapy through a 3-center, single-dose, open-label, noncontrolled, Phase IIa trial.

Methods: Patients with ischemic stroke 24 to 48 hours old and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of 6 to 24 started a 9-day course of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (once daily on Days 1, 3, and 5 of study participation) followed by erythropoietin (once daily on Days 7, 8, and 9 of study participation).

Alpha EEG predicts visual reaction time.

Studies have suggested that consciousness is encoded discretely in time and synchronously in space of the brain. The present study was to model the alpha EEG as a brain clock to carry out the functions and to test whether the quality and rate of the oscillation could predict behavioral timing. Results showed that the alpha peak frequency was correlated with the conflict reaction time, and the selectivity was associated with the simple reaction time.

Longitudinal prescribing patterns for psychoactive medications in community-based individuals with developmental disabilities: utilization of pharmacy records.

Background: Little is known about longitudinal prescribing practices for psychoactive medications for individuals with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities (IDDD) who are living in community settings.

Methods: Computerized pharmacy records were accessed for 2344 community-based individuals with IDDD for whom a total of 3421 prescriptions were written during a 17-month period of study. Forty-two psychoactive medications were rank ordered in terms of prescription frequency.

S-adenosylmethionine blood levels in major depression: changes with drug treatment.

Introduction: The relationship between plasma levels of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), an endogenous methyl donor, and clinical response were studied in patients with a DSM-III-R diagnosis of major depression.

Material And Methods: A double-blind randomized protocol comparing oral SAMe with oral desipramine, involving a total of 26 patients, was employed.

Results: At the end of the 4-week trial, 62% of the patients treated with SAMe and 50% of the patients treated with desipramine had significantly improved.