Background/Aims: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of venlafaxine in the treatment of major depression in dementia. Methods: Thirty-one outpatients who had dementia and major depression participated in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 6-week, flexible dose clinical trial. The screening measures were Cornell Scale for depression in dementia, DSM-IV for depression and dementia and Mini-Mental State Examination. The outcome measures were response rate, Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating scale and Clinical Global Impressions. Results: The percentage of patients defined as Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating scale responders was approximately the same in the placebo and in the venlafaxine groups. Clinical Global Impressions showed no significant difference between the groups. The reasons for dropouts show borderline significance between the two groups. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the venlafaxine and placebo-treated groups. Conclusions: Our data do not support the hypothesis that venlafaxine improves mood in elderly demented patients.

We set out to investigate the possible beneficial effects on cognitive function of demented patients with cobalamin deficiency after cobalamin replacement. A total of 181 consecutive, demented or DSM-111-R criteriaand score below 24 on the Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE]) outpatients (mean age 77.5 years) were prospectively evaluated and had their vitamin B,, level measured by radioimmunoassay. The frequency of vitamin B,, deficiency (less than 200 pg/mL) was 25% (46 patients).

No abstract

ou = 65 (média 80±9) anos. Os pacientes foram avaliados através de exame clínico completo, rotina básica de sangue, radiografia simples de tórax, eletrocardiograma e ecocardiograma Doppler. Baseados na avaliação clínica e exames complementares, o uso do digital foi considerado adequado, questionável ou inadequado. RESULTADOS: Estavam em uso de digital 27,6% dos pacientes. A indicação foi considerada adequada em 36,1%, questionável em 11,1% e inadequada em 52,7%. CONCLUSÃO: Uma alta prevalência de prescrição do digital foi detectada nos idosos admitidos, sendo que a maior parte a adotava por razões consideradas inadequadas ou questionáveis. Devido ao risco aumentado de intoxicação digitálica nessa faixa etária, a droga deveria ser prescrita sob indicações mais criteriosas.]]>

No abstract