Efficacy and safety of safinamide in Parkinson's disease patients with motor fluctuations without levodopa dosage escalation over 18 weeks: KEEP study.

This multicentre, prospective, single-arm study evaluated safinamide as add-on therapy to levodopa in Korean patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) with motor fluctuations with ≥ 1.5 h of "off" time daily, who took levodopa ≥ 3 times/day (n = 199). Baseline levodopa and dopamine agonist doses were maintained without escalation during the 18-week treatment period.

A Two-Year Observational Study to Evaluate Conversion Rates from High- and Low-Risk Patients with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment to Probable Alzheimer's Disease in a Real-World Setting.

Background: Predicting conversion to probable Alzheimer&s disease (AD) from amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is difficult but important. A nomogram was developed previously for determining the risk of 3-year probable AD conversion in aMCI.

Objective: To compare the probable AD conversion rates with cognitive and neurodegenerative changes for 2 years from high- and low risk aMCI groups classified using the nomogram.

A Multinational, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Active Comparator, Phase III Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Donepezil Transdermal Patch in Patients With Alzheimer's Disease.

Background And Purpose: Oral administration of cholinesterase inhibitors is often associated with adverse gastrointestinal effects, and so developing an alternative administration route, such as transdermal, is urgently needed. The primary objective of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of the IPI-301 donepezil transdermal patch compared with donepezil tablets (control) in mild-to-moderate probable Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: This prospective, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, two-arm parallel, multicenter trial included 399 patients, among whom 303 completed the trial.

A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Phase IIb Clinical Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of DHP1401 in Patients with Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease Treated with Donepezil: DHP1401 Randomized Trial in Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease (DRAMA).

Background: Preclinical studies in transgenic models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) suggest that DHP1401 has neuroprotective and memory-enhancing effects.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of DHP1401 in AD patients treated with donepezilMethods:Methods: In a double-blind study, patients with mild-to-moderate AD were randomized (1:1:1) to receive a twice daily total dose of 500 mg or 1000 mg DHP1401 or placebo for 24 weeks. Tolerability and safety were monitored at baseline and weeks 12 and 24.

Erratum: Validation Study of the Official Korean Version of the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale.

This corrects the article on p. 633 in vol. 16, PMID: 33029970.

Scientific review of the aesthetic uses of botulinum toxin type A.

Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A), onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for temporary improvement of glabellar lines in patients 65 years and younger in 2002, and has also been used widely for aesthetic purposes such as hyperhidrosis, body shape contouring, and other noninvasive facial procedures. BoNT-A inhibits presynaptic exocytosis of acetylcholine (ACh)-containing vesicles into the neuromuscular junction at cholinergic nerve endings of the peripheral nervous system, thereby paralyzing skeletal muscles. ACh is the most broadly used neurotransmitter in the somatic nervous system, preganglionic and postganglionic fibers of parasympathetic nerves, and preganglionic fibers or postganglionic sudomotor nerves of sympathetic nerves.

Validation Study of the Official Korean Version of the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale.

Background And Purpose: The Movement Disorder Society-Sponsored Revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) is widely used for estimating the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Translation and validation of the MDS-UPDRS is necessary for non-English speaking countries and regions. The aim of this study was to validate the Korean version of the MDS-UPDRS.

Subtypes of Sleep Disturbance in Parkinson's Disease Based on the Cross-Culturally Validated Korean Version of Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale-2.

Background And Purpose: This study aimed to determine the clinimetric properties of the Korean version of Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale-2 (K-PDSS-2) and whether distinct subtypes of sleep disturbance can be empirically identified in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) using the cross-culturally validated K-PDSS-2.

Methods: The internal consistency, test-retest reliability, scale precision, and convergent validity of K-PDSS-2 were assessed in a nationwide, multicenter study of 122 patients with PD. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to derive subgroups of patients who experienced similar patterns of sleep-related problems and nocturnal disabilities.

Observational Study of Clinical and Functional Progression Based on Initial Brain MRI Characteristics in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a useful tool to predict the diagnosis and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), especially for primary physicians. However, the correlation between baseline MRI findings and AD progression has not been fully established.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between hippocampal atrophy (HA) and white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on initial brain MRI images and the degree of cognitive decline and functional changes over 1 year.

Comparison of botulinum neurotoxin type A formulations in Asia.

Results: All protein-based therapeutics, such as botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT/A), are potentially immunogenic and can lead to anaphylaxis, autoimmunity, or diminished or complete absence of therapeutic efficacy, especially if administered repeatedly. Therefore, the protein quantity in BoNT/A products is an important consideration when selecting products for treatment. However, essential formulation data are not always publicly accessible.

Validation of the Korean Version of the Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson's Disease-Sleep.

Background: Sleep problems commonly occur in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), and are associated with a lower quality of life. The aim of the current study was to translate the English version of the Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson's Disease-Sleep (SCOPA-S) into the Korean version of SCOPA-S (K-SCOPA-S), and to evaluate its reliability and validity for use by Korean-speaking patients with PD.

Methods: In total, 136 patients with PD from 27 movement disorder centres of university-affiliated hospitals in Korea were enrolled in this study.

Sleepiness and Depression in Parkinson's Disease Patients Treated with Ropinirole and Levodopa.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the effect of ropinirole on excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and depression in Parkinson's disease (PD) with a large population.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional observational study at nine hospitals in Korea between April 24, 2013, and April 22, 2015. We analyzed the demographic and clinical features, other medical history, history of antiparkinsonian medication within 6 months, Hoehn and Yahr stage (HY stage), Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) part II and III, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-30).

Efficacy and tolerability of rivastigmine patch therapy in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's dementia associated with minimal and moderate ischemic white matter hyperintensities: A multicenter prospective open-label clinical trial.

Background And Objective: Studies investigating the impact of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) on the response of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have presented inconsistent results. We aimed to compare the effects of the rivastigmine patch between patients with AD with minimal WMHs and those with moderate WMHs.

Methods: Three hundred patients with mild to moderate AD were enrolled in this multicenter prospective open-label study and divided into two groups.

Erratum to: The KMDS-NATION Study: Korean Movement Disorders Society Multicenter Assessment of Non-Motor Symptoms and Quality of Life in Parkinson's Disease NATION Study Group.

This corrects the article on p. 393 in vol. 12, PMID: 27819413.

Validation of the Korean Version of the Scale for Outcomes in Parkinson's Disease-Autonomic.

Objective: Autonomic symptoms are commonly observed in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and often limit the activities of daily living. The Scale for Outcomes in Parkinson's disease-Autonomic (SCOPA-AUT) was developed to evaluate and quantify autonomic symptoms in PD. The goal of this study was to translate the original SCOPA-AUT, which was written in English, into Korean and to evaluate its reliability and validity for Korean PD patients.

The KMDS-NATION Study: Korean Movement Disorders Society Multicenter Assessment of Non-Motor Symptoms and Quality of Life in Parkinson's Disease NATION Study Group.

Background And Purpose: Nonmotor symptoms (NMS) in Parkinson's disease (PD) have multisystem origins with heterogeneous manifestations that develop throughout the course of PD. NMS are increasingly recognized as having a significant impact on the health-related quality of life (HrQoL). We aimed to determine the NMS presentation according to PD status, and the associations of NMS with other clinical variables and the HrQoL of Korean PD patients.

Weight Change Is a Characteristic Non-Motor Symptom in Drug-Naïve Parkinson's Disease Patients with Non-Tremor Dominant Subtype: A Nation-Wide Observational Study.

Despite the clinical impact of non-motor symptoms (NMS) in Parkinson's disease (PD), the characteristic NMS in relation to the motor subtypes of PD is not well elucidated. In this study, we enrolled drug-naïve PD patients and compared NMS between PD subtypes. We enrolled 136 drug-naïve, early PD patients and 50 normal controls.

Clinical Heterogeneity of Atypical Pantothenate Kinase-Associated Neurodegeneration in Koreans.

Objective: Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) represents a group of inherited movement disorders characterized by iron accumulation in the basal ganglia. Recent advances have included the identification of new causative genes and highlighted the wide phenotypic variation between and within the specific NBIA subtypes. This study aimed to investigate the current status of NBIA in Korea.

Current Status of Huntington's Disease in Korea: A Nationwide Survey and National Registry Analysis.

Objective: Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare neurological disorder, and its current status in Korea is not well investigated. This study aims to determine the prevalence and incidence of HD and to investigate the clinical features of HD patients in Korea.

Methods: We estimated the crude prevalence and annual incidence of HD based on the databases of the Rare Diseases Registry (RDR) and the National Health Insurance (NHI).

Effect of the refrigerator storage time on the potency of botox for human extensor digitorum brevis muscle paralysis.

Background And Purpose: It is recommended that Botox be used within 5 hours of reconstitution, which results in substantial quantities being discarded. This is not only uneconomic, but also inconvenient for treating patients. The aim of this study was to determine the potencies of Botox used within 2 hours of reconstitution with unpreserved saline, the same Botox refrigerated (at +4℃) 72 hours after reconstitution, and during the next 4 consecutive weeks (weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4).

Heme oxygenase-1 attenuates epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of human peritoneal mesothelial cells.

Background: Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of peritoneal mesothelial cells has been regarded as an early mechanism of peritoneal fibrosis. A substantial and rapidly growing literature indicates that HO-1 provides the provenance for pathways that can interrupt virtually all major mechanisms of tissue injury. The effects of HO-1 expression on EMT, which plays a critical role in the development of peritoneal membrane (PM) fibrosis, are unknown and its roles in peritoneal fibrosis has not been studied, yet.