Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0026838 (spasticity)
 6,471 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Skin tears in the elderly are a common alteration of aging skin integrity. Very little is found in the literature on the prevention, identification, and treatment of skin tears. During a six-month period, 154 skin tears were studied in a convenience sample of residents in a VA Nursing Home Care Unit and nine community nursing homes. Data were collected on demographics, medication use, laboratory tests, cognitive function, and activities of daily living (ADLs). Descriptive data on the skin tears were also collected and these tears were graded according to the Payne-Martin Classification System. Data analysis revealed an at-risk sample of very old, frail elderly who are predominantly women, dependent in ADLs, nutritionally compromised, and suffering from dementia. Risk factors associated with the occurrence of skin tears included stiffness and spasticity, sensory loss, limited mobility, poor appetite, polypharmacy, use of an assistive device, presence of ecchymosis, and a history of previous skin tears. Skin tears were small, occurred more frequently on the upper extremities, and half had no tissue loss. Most skin tears occurred in patient care bedrooms. The findings of this study provide an outline for the development of an at-risk profile, and establish the basis for educational programs for caregivers.
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PMID:Skin tears in institutionalized elderly: an epidemiological study. 962 95

A retrospective review was undertaken at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center regarding the use of modafinil for the treatment of spasticity associated with cerebral palsy. Neurology clinic records were reviewed from January 1, 2000, until October 1, 2001. Thirty pediatric patients with cerebral palsy were identified who were treated empirically with modafinil during this time period. Twenty-three (76%) patients reported diminished spasticity with treatment, which was confirmed by physical examination; these patients had improved joint mobility. Seventeen (56%) patients continued treatment with modafinil by the end of the formal review period (September 30, 2001). Twenty-three percent (seven) of the patients stopped taking modafinil during the study owing to one of the following: decreased sleep time (four), decreased appetite (one), hyperactivity, and irritability (two). Thus, this retrospective review shows a reduction in spasticity from cerebral palsy, with only minor and reversible side effects noted from modafinil. A blinded, crossover study using modafinil for spastic cerebral palsy is planned.
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PMID:Retrospective review of modafinil use for cerebral palsy. 1570 68

Many patients with chronic medical illnesses use cannabinoids. There are two FDA-approved cannabinoid products, whereas medical marijuana purchased at legal dispensaries is not FDA regulated and may contain uncertain concentrations of various compounds. Cannabinoids have shown efficacy in treating chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting, poor appetite in advanced HIV, some pain states, and multiple sclerosis-associated spasticity. Recreational cannabinoid use has many known potential serious harms. Physicians should be knowledgeable about cannabinoids and should inquire with their patients about cannabinoid use. Practical suggestions for clinical approaches are included.
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PMID:Cannabinoids in Medical Practice. 2886 78