We assessed effectiveness, safety and tolerability of betahistine in neurologic outpatients with dizziness. We examined 200 patients treated with 48 mg/d of betahistine during 60 days. Common state was assessed on visual and analog scale. Severity of dizziness was assessed with questionnaire and DHI (Dizziness Handicap Inventory) scale. In all groups treatment was associated with positive changes in neurologic status: decrease of nistagm, improvement of digitonasal test and Romberg test. We found a significant decrease in dizziness severity and improvement of common state. Treatment with Betaserc resulted in significantly faster appearance of results vs treatment with Vestibo or Betaver.

The open 6-month study (the MIRAG study) on the effect of D2/D3 dopamine agonist pramipexole (mirapex) on tremor, affective disorders and quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) was carried out. Ninety-eight patients, aged from 42 to 75 years (mean age 63.2+/-10.2 years) were included in the study. Scores on the Hoehn and Yahr scale varied from 1 to 4 (mean 2,5+/-0,8). Seventy percent of patients received levodopa in average dose 351.2+/-279.4 mg; 62% of patients had motor fluctuations and 43% had dyskinesias. Pramipexole was titrated to the effective dose (maximum 3 mg/d, mean 2.1 mg/d). In the end of the study, resting tremor was reduced by 54%, postural and kinetic tremor, as assessed with UPDRS and spirography, by 50% and 15%, respectively. The severity of depressive symptoms measured with the Montgomery-Asberg Scale and a modified version of the Geriatric-Depression Scale (GDS-15) was reduced by 56%. Motor fluctuations and dyskinesias were significantly reduced while cognitive functions were not changed. The clinically significant effect reflected in the reduction of motor and non-motor symptoms was observed in 83% of patients, regardless of disease duration, severity of motor deficit, affective and cognitive disorders,. The drug was well tolerated in all patients, including those older than 70 years. Pramipexole improved quality of life in PD patients due to the attenuation of cardinal motor parkinsonian symptoms as well as symptoms, which were relatively resistant to levadopa, e.g. postural and kinetic tremor, and depression. The therapeutic effect remained for at least 6 months.

The open 3-month study of influence of D2/D3 dopamine agonist pramipexole on of Parkinson's disease (PD) features, which are relatively resistant to traditional dopaminergic therapy: tremor, affective and cognitive impairment, has been conducted. Ninety-eight patients with PD, aged from 42 to 75 years (mean age 63,2+/-10,2 years), have been included in the study. Twenty percents of patients included were older than 70 years. The Hoehn and Yahr stage varied from 1 to 4 (men stage 2,5+/-0,8). Seventy percents of patients received levodopa (mean dosage 351,2+/-279,4 mg); 62% had motor fluctuations and 43% - dyskinesias. Pramipexole was titrated to effective dose (maximum 3 mg/d, mean 2,1 mg/d). The decrease of resting tremor by 50% and postural and kinetic tremor (assessed with the UPDRS and spiralography) by 37% was noticed to the end of 3 month. The severity of depressive symptoms measured with the Montgomery-Asberg scale and a modified version of the Geriatric Depression scale was reduced by one third. The statistically significant decrease of motor fluctuations and dyskinesias, increase of verbal fluency (but not other cognitive functions) were also found. The clinically significant effect of reducing of motor and non-motor symptoms was seen in 86% patients regardless of their age, illness duration, severity of motor deficit and affective and cognitive disturbances. The fair tolerability of the drug was shown including patients older than 70 years.

An open comparative study of efficacy and tolerability of velaxin (venlafaxine with prolonged action), which has been prescribed in a single dosage of 75 mg daily during 8 weeks, included 47 patients with subacute and chronic spondylogenic dorsopathy (SD). Degree of pain chronisation and its intensity (The Visual Analogous Scale - VAS and the Verbal Pain Scale - VPS) and levels of daily activity restriction (the modified Pain Disability Questionnaire - PDQ), anxiety and depression were measured. The comparison group consisted of 32 patients with SD matched for clinical characteristics with the main group, who did not receive antidepressants and antiepileptics in the complex treatment of pain syndrome. Scores of VAS, VPS and PDQ in the main group were 69+/-2.9; 2.8+/-0.1 and 44.2+/-3.2 respectively, at baseline; 38.8+/-3.3 (p<0.01); 1.6+/-0.2 (p<0.01) and 26.2+/-2.5 (p<0.01) after 4 weeks and 15.8+/-2.5 (p<0.05); 0.6+/-0.1 (p<0.05) and 11.2+/-1.6 (p<0.01) to the end of treatment. To the 8th week, scores on VAS, VPS and PDQ were significantly low in the main group compared to the controls (p<0.5) and the intensity of pain was reduced by 50% in 40 (85%) patients. No serious side-effects were observed.