Background Epilepsy is a heterogeneous disorder, with outcomes ranging from immediate remission after taking a first antiepileptic drug to frequent unremitting seizures with multiple treatment failures. Few prognostic models enable prediction of outcome; we therefore aimed to use data from the SANAD study to predict outcome overall and for patients receiving specific treatments. Methods The SANAD study was a randomised controlled trial in which standard antiepileptic drugs were compared with new treatments. Arm A included patients for whom carbamazepine was considered the first-line treatment, most of whom were newly diagnosed with focal epilepsy. Patients were randomly assigned to receive carbamazepine, gabapentin, lamotrigine, oxcarbazepine, or topiramate. Outcomes were time to treatment failure overall, because of inadequate seizure control, and because of adverse events, and time to 12 months of remission from seizures. In this post-hoc study we used regression multivariable modelling to investigate how clinical factors affect the probability of treatment failure and the probability of achieving 12 months of remission. Findings For time to treatment failure, we identified several significant risk factors: sex (male vs female, hazard ratio [HR] 0·86, 95% CI 0·75—0·99), treatment history (taking non-SANAD antiepileptic drugs [other than those listed above] vs treatment naive, 1·27, 1·05—1·53), age … Continue reading →

27-02-2012 11:53 Acevedo family describe their experience at Interacells with the Autism treatment Read the original here: Acevedo family Autism Treatment testimonial - Video … Continue reading →

HARTFORD, Conn. — When Caleb Geary was diagnosed with autism at age 3, he had never spoken or eaten solid food. Now 6, the boy speaks and tests at his first-grade level — progress that his parents attribute to insurance-based services at home and intensive behavioral intervention at the boy's school in Hamden, Conn. But they worry what will happen to Caleb's diagnosis — and the services that have come with it — if the American Psychiatry Association's proposal to change the definition of autism is adopted. Lori Geary said she has already fought to get her son the help he needs. Tom Zwicker, Caleb's father and the director of an autism center for the Easter Seals of Coastal Fairfield County, Conn., said he believes insurance companies will start requesting annual diagnostic evaluations if the definition is revised. As a result, his son — and many other children — will lose out on services to treat their conditions. "You have an entire group receiving services that would be left out in the cold," said Zwicker, who lives in Branford, Conn. "We're going to lose a whole generation of children." The autism community has been embroiled in a heated debate for … Continue reading →

Newswise — The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center has created a resource with Autism Speaks to help improve sleep for children and teens affected by autism spectrum disorders. This new toolkit, titled “Sleep Strategies for Children with Autism: A Parent’s Guide,” offers strategies to help families whose children with autism have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep through the night. Beth Malow, M.D., M.S., Burry Chair in Cognitive Childhood Development and co-developer of the sleep guide, says that sleep is a common struggle for many children with autism. This new sleep guide can help families select ideas that have the best potential to work well with their lifestyle. Developers of the guide say that with consistent routines and persistent effort, families often see changes in their child’s sleep patterns over several weeks. “My colleagues and I are excited about having the opportunity to develop this parent toolkit for sleep and are appreciative to Autism Speaks for disseminating it to families in need of this information,” Malow said. “Sleep problems in children with autism can be overwhelming for families, and we hope that this information makes a difference in their day-to-day lives.” A professor of Neurology and Pediatrics and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Investigator, … Continue reading →

WASHINGTON — Early diagnosis is considered key for autism, but minority children tend to be diagnosed later than white children. Some new work is beginning to try to uncover why — and to raise awareness of the warning signs so more parents know they can seek help even for a toddler. "The biggest thing I want parents to know is we can do something about it to help your child," says Dr. Rebecca Landa, autism director at Baltimore's Kennedy Krieger Institute, who is exploring the barriers that different populations face in getting that help. Her preliminary research suggests even when diagnosed in toddlerhood, minority youngsters have more severe developmental delays than their white counterparts. She says cultural differences in how parents view developmental milestones, and how they interact with doctors, may play a role. Consider: Tots tend to point before they talk, but pointing is rude in some cultures and may not be missed by a new parent, Landa says. Or maybe mom's worried that her son isn't talking yet but the family matriarch, her grandmother, says don't worry — Cousin Harry spoke late, too, and he's fine. Or maybe the pediatrician dismissed the parents' concern, and they were taught not … Continue reading →

WASHINGTON (AP) — Early diagnosis is considered key for autism, but minority children tend to be diagnosed later than white children. Some new work is beginning to try to uncover why — and to raise awareness of the warning signs so more parents know they can seek help even for a toddler. "The biggest thing I want parents to know is we can do something about it to help your child," says Dr. Rebecca Landa, autism director at Baltimore's Kennedy Krieger Institute, who is exploring the barriers that different populations face in getting that help. Her preliminary research suggests even when diagnosed in toddlerhood, minority youngsters have more severe developmental delays than their white counterparts. She says cultural differences in how parents view developmental milestones, and how they interact with doctors, may play a role. Consider: Tots tend to point before they talk, but pointing is rude in some cultures and may not be missed by a new parent, Landa says. Or maybe mom's worried that her son isn't talking yet but the family matriarch, her grandmother, says don't worry — Cousin Harry spoke late, too, and he's fine. Or maybe the pediatrician dismissed the parents' concern, and they were … Continue reading →

Thrombotech Ltd. has obtained US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for a Phase IIa clinical trial of THR-18, its treatment for ischemic stroke by destroying blood clots. The trial, to be conducted in the US, will test the safety of the drug. Thrombotech began the clinical trial at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem and Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov Hospital) in Tel Aviv. The company is waiting to receive regulatory permits for trials in Europe and India. "Global Data" estimates the global market for stroke medication at $2.8 billion in 2008, and that it will grow by 3.4% a year through 2015. Clal Biotechnology Industries Ltd. (TASE: CBI) owns 46% of Thromobotech, Hadasit Bio Holdings Ltd. (TASE:HDST) owns 24%, and Ofer Hi Tech Ltd. owns 29%. Hadasit Bio's share price rose 9.8% in morning trading to NIS 0.56, giving a market cap of NIS 49 million, and Clal Biotech's share price rose 1.6% to NIS 12.95, giving a market cap of NIS 1.3 billion. Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - http://www.globes-online.com - on February 28, 2012 ? Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2012 Excerpt from: FDA approves Thrombotech stroke study … Continue reading →