ISSN 1473-9348 Volume 8 Issue 1 March/April 2008 ACNRwww.acnr.co.uk Advances in Clinical Neuroscience & Rehabilitation Paul Reading The Neurological Sleep Clinic – Part 1 – The Sleepy Patient Maurice Curtis, Andrew Naylor, Richard Faull Manipulation of Neural Stem Cells as a Rehabilitative Therapy Emma Matthews, Mike Hanna Possible New Treatments in Muscular Dystrophy Conference News • Journal Reviews • Book Reviews • Diary of Events Pen & Pump Ad V2 210x297 4/9/07 12:12 Page 1 ON &ON&ON&ON &ON&ON&ON& APO-go: treatment for both PREDICTABLE and UNPREDICTABLE symptoms of Parkinson’s disease Predictable symptoms: Use APO-go Pen early in treatment plan for rapid reversal of impending “off’s”. Simple, easy to use sc injection Positive NICE review: “Intermittent apomorphine injections may be used to reduce “off” time in people with PD with severe motor complications.” Unpredictable symptoms: Use continuous APO-go infusion for full waking-day cover. Continuous dopaminergic stimulation – reduces pulsatile treatment-related complications including “on-off” fl uctuations Positive NICE review: “Continuous subcutaneous infusions of apomorphine may be used to reduce “off” time and dyskinesia in people with PD with severe motor complications.” Make the switch and turn their “off’s” to “on” ABRIDGED PRESCRIBING INFORMATION in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Patients must be informed of this and advised to exercise caution while Consult Summary of Product Characteristics before prescribing. Uses The treatment of disabling motor driving or operating machines during treatment with apomorphine. Haematology tests should be undertaken fluctuations (‘’on-off’’ phenomena) in patients with Parkinson’s disease which persist despite individually titrated at regular intervals as with levodopa when given concomitantly with apomorphine. Pathological gambling, treatment with levodopa (with a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor) and/or other dopamine agonists. increased libido and hypersexuality have been reported in patients treated with dopamine agonists, including Dosage and administration Apomorphine hydrochloride is administered subcutaneously either as an apomorphine Side Effects Local induration and nodules (usually asymptomatic) often develop at intermittent bolus injection or by continuous subcutaneous infusion. Its rapid onset (5–10 mins) and subcutaneous site of injection leading to areas of erythema, tenderness, induration, and (rarely) ulceration. duration of action (about 1 hour) may prevent an “off” episode which is refractory to other treatments. Pruritus may occur at the site of injection. Drug-induced dyskinesias during “on” periods can be severe, and Hospital admission under appropriate specialist supervision is necessary during patient selection and when in a few patients may result in cessation of therapy. Postural hypotension is seen infrequently and is usually establishing a patient’s therapeutic regime. Please refer to the Summary of Product Characteristics for full transient. Transient sedation following each dose of apomorphine may occur at the start of therapy, but this details before initiating therapy. Treatment with domperidone (typical dosage 20mg three times a day) before usually resolves after a few weeks of treatment. Nausea and vomiting may occur, particularly when APO-go and during apomorphine HCl therapy is essential. The optimal dosage of apomorphine HCl has to be determined treatment is initiated, usually as a result of the omission of domperidone. Neuropsychiatric disturbances on an individual patient basis; individual bolus injections should not exceed 10mg and the total daily (including transient mild confusion and visual hallucinations) have occurred during apomorphine therapy, and dose should not exceed 100mg. Contraindications Children and adolescents (up to 18 years of age). neuropsychiatric disturbances may be exacerbated by apomorphine. Positive Coombs’ tests and haemolytic Known sensitivity to apomorphine or any other ingredients of the product. Respiratory depression, dementia, anaemia have been reported in patients receiving apomorphine and levodopa. Local and generalised rashes psychotic diseases or hepatic insufficiency. Intermittent apomorphine HCl treatment is not suitable have been reported. Eosinophilia has occurred in only a few patients during treatment with apomorphine HCl. for patients who have an “on” response to levodopa which is marred by severe dyskinesia or dystonia. Patients treated with dopamine agonists, including apomorphine, have been reported as exhibiting signs of Pregnancy and lactation Caution should be exercised if prescribing apomorphine to pregnant women pathological gambling, increased libido and hypersexuality (especially at high doses). Apomorphine is and women of childbearing age. Breast-feeding should be avoided during apomorphine HCl therapy. associated with somnolence. Breathing difficulties have been reported. Prescribers should consult the Interactions Patients should be monitored for potential interactions during initial stages of apomorphine Summary of Product Characteristics in relation to other side effects. Presentation and Basic NHS Cost: therapy. Particular caution should be given when apomorphine is used with other medications that have a APO-go ampoules contain apomorphine hydrochloride, 10mg/ml, as follows: 20mg in 2ml – basic NHS cost narrow therapeutic window. It should be noted that there is potential for interaction with neuroleptic and £37.96 per carton of 5 ampoules. 50mg in 5ml – basic NHS cost £73.11 per carton of 5 ampoules. APO-go pens antihypertensive agents. Precautions Use with caution in patients with renal, pulmonary or cardiovascular (disposable multiple dosage injector system) contain apomorphine hydrochloride 10mg/ml, as follows: 30mg disease, or who are prone to nausea and vomiting. Extra caution is recommended during initiation of therapy in 3ml – basic NHS cost £123.91 per carton of 5 pens. APO-go Pre-filled Syringes contain apomorphine in elderly and/or debilitated patients. Since apomorphine may produce hypotension, care should be exercised hydrochloride, 5mg/ml, as follows: 50mg in 10ml – basic NHS cost £73.11 per carton of 5 syringes. in patients with cardiac disease or who are taking vasoactive drugs, particularly when pre-existing Marketing Authorisation Numbers: APO-go Ampoules: 05928/0020 APO-go Pens: 05928/0021 APO-go postural hypotension is present. Neuropsychiatric disturbances are common in Parkinsonian patients. Pre-filled Syringes: 05928/0025 Legal Category: POM. Date of Last Revision: August 2007. For further APO-go should be used with special caution in these patients. Apomorphine has been associated with information please contact: Britannia Pharmaceuticals Limited 41-51 Brighton Road, Redhill, Surrey RH1 6YS somnolence, and other dopamine agonists can be associated with sudden sleep onset episodes, particularly Version Number: APG.API.V6 Information about adverse event reporting can be found at www.yellowcard.gov.uk www.APO-go.co.uk Adverse events should also be reported to Medical Information at Britannia at the above address or telephone: 01737 773741 or e-mail [email protected] APG.AD.BLPump.V2 Date drawn up: August 2007 Contents Editorial board and contributors Roger Barker is co-editor of ACNR, and is Honorary Consultant in Neurology at The Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair. His main area Contents of research is into neurodegenerative and movement disorders, in particular parkinson's and Huntington's disease. He is also the univer- March/April 2008 sity lecturer in Neurology at Cambridge where he continues to devel- op his clinical research into these diseases along with his basic research into brain repair using neural transplants. 4 Editorial Alasdair Coles is co-editor of ACNR. He has recently been appoint- ed to the new position of University Lecturer in Neuroimmunology 6 Review Article at Cambridge University. He works on experimental immunological The Neurological Sleep Clinic – Part 1 – The Sleepy Patient therapies in multiple sclerosis. Paul Reading 8 Review Article Manipulation of Neural Stem Cells as a Rehabilitative Therapy Stephen Kirker is the editor of the Rehabilitation Section of ACNR Maurice Curtis, Andrew Naylor, Richard Faull and Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine in Addenbrooke's NHS Trust, Cambridge. He trained in neurology in Dublin, London and 10 Rehabilitation Article Edinburgh before moving to rehabilitation in Cambridge and Current Understanding of Dysautonomia After Severe Acquired Norwich. His main research has been into postural responses after Brain Injury stroke. His particular interests are in prosthetics, orthotics, gait train- ing and neurorehabilitation. Ian Baguley, Iain Perkes David J Burn is the editor of our Conference News Section and is 14 Neurophysiology Article Professor in Movement Disorder Neurology & Honorary Consultant, Single Pulse Electrical Stimulation in Presurgical Newcastle General Hospital. He runs Movement Disorders clinics in Assessment of Epilepsy: A New Diagnostic Tool Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Research interests include progressive Antonio Valentín, Gonzalo Alarcón supranuclear palsy and dementia with Lewy bodies. He is also involved in several drugs studies for Parkinson's Disease. 20 Neuropathology Article Pathology of Intracerebral Haemorrhage Andrew Larner is the editor of our Book Review Section. He is a Consultant Neurologist at the Walton Centre for Neurology and Aditya Shivane, Arundhati Chakrabarty Neurosurgery in Liverpool, with a particular