Stabbing headache in patients with autoimmune disorders

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0303846711004367 

http://www.clineu-journal.com/article/S0303-8467(11)00436-7/abstract 

Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2012 Jan 11, Rampello L, Malaguarnera M, Rampello L, Nicoletti G, Battaglia G, Dept of Neurosciences, U of Catania, Italy

Stabbing headache is a relatively rare type of chronic "primary" headache with distinctive features with respect to more common forms of paroxysmal headache, such as cluster headache and trigeminal neuralgia. Drug treatment is empirical because of the lack of knowledge on the pathophysiology of stabbing headache. We examined 26 patients recruited over 10years, who met the diagnostic criteria for stabbing headache. Interestingly, more than half of these patients had autoimmune disorders, including multiple sclerosis, Sjögren's disease, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Behçet's disease, autoimmune vasculitis, and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. We speculate that stabbing headache may develop as a result of neuroinflammation and, at least in some cases, may be an epiphenomenon of focal demyelinating lesions of the upper or lower brain stem.

A systematic review of validated methods for identifying anaphylaxis, including anaphylactic shock and angioneurotic edema, using administrative and claims data

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pds.2343/full 

Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2012 Jan;21 Suppl 1:240-7, Schneider G, Kachroo S, Jones N, Crean S, Rotella P, Avetisyan R, Reynolds MW, United BioSource Corporation, Lexington, MA, USA. gary.schneider@unitedbiosource.com

Is magnesium citrate treatment effective on pain, clinical parameters and functional status in patients with fibromyalgia?

http://www.springerlink.com/content/n316872q402572m6/ (excerpts follow) 

Rheumatol Int. 2012 Jan 22, Bagis S, Karabiber M, As I, Tamer L, Erdogan C, Atalay A, Dept of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Acıbadem U Medical School, Istanbul

The patients were divided into three groups. The magnesium citrate (300 mg/day) was given to the first group (n = 20), amitriptyline (10 mg/day) was given to the second group (n = 20), and magnesium citrate (300 mg/day) + amitriptyline (10 mg/day) treatment was given to the third group

The serum and erythrocyte magnesium levels were significantly lower in patients with fibromyalgia than in the controls. Also there was a negative correlation between the magnesium levels and fibromyalgia symptoms. The number of tender points, tender point index, FIQ and Beck depression scores decreased significantly with the magnesium citrate treatment. 

combined amitriptyline + magnesium citrate treatment proved effective on all parameters except numbness. 

magnesium citrate treatment was only effective tender points and the intensity of fibromyalgia. However, it was effective on all parameters when used in combination with amitriptyline.

Identification of proapoptotic Bim as a tumor suppressor in neoplastic mast cells: role of KIT D816V and effects of various targeted drugs

http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/content/114/26/5342.long

Karl J. Aichberger1, Karoline V. Gleixner1, Irina Mirkina1,2, Sabine Cerny-Reiterer1, Barbara Peter1,3, Veronika Ferenc1, Michael Kneidinger1, Christian Baumgartner1, Matthias Mayerhofer1,4, Alexander Gruze5, Winfried F. Pickl5, Christian Sillaber1, and Peter Valent1,2

+ Author Affiliations

1Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna;

2Ludwig-Boltzmann Cluster Oncology, Vienna;

3Department of Small Animals and Horses, Clinic for Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna;

4Clinical Institute for Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna; and

5Institute of Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

Abstract

Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is a myeloid neoplasm involving mast cells (MCs) and their progenitors. In most cases, neoplastic cells display the D816V-mutated variant of KIT. KIT D816V exhibits constitutive tyrosine kinase (TK) activity and has been implicated in increased survival and growth of neoplastic MCs. Recent data suggest that the proapoptotic BH3-only death regulator Bim plays a role as a tumor suppressor in various myeloid neoplasms. We found that KIT D816V suppresses expression of Bim in Ba/F3 cells. The KIT D816–induced down-regulation of Bim was rescued by the KIT-targeting drug PKC412/midostaurin. Both PKC412 and the proteasome-inhibitor bortezomib were found to decrease growth and promote expression of Bim in MC leukemia cell lines HMC-1.1 (D816V negative) and HMC-1.2 (D816V positive). Both drugs were also found to counteract growth of primary neoplastic MCs. Furthermore, midostaurin was found to cooperate with bortezomib and with the BH3-mimetic obatoclax in producing growth inhibition in both HMC-1 subclones. Finally, a Bim-specific siRNA was found to rescue HMC-1 cells from PKC412-induced cell death. Our data show that KIT D816V suppresses expression of proapoptotic Bim in neoplastic MCs. Targeting of Bcl-2 family members by drugs promoting Bim (re)-expression, or by BH3-mimetics such as obatoclax, may be an attractive therapy concept in SM.

Bortezomib OK'd for SQ Delivery

http://www.medpagetoday.com/ProductAlert/Prescriptions/30806?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=WC&email=mjheadley@earthlink.net&eun=g360238d0r&userid=360238&mu_id=5353732

FDA information on Bortezomib

http://www.velcade.com/FiveYear.aspx

Inflammation and Coagulation in Urticaria and Angioedema

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22272913 (excerpt follows)

Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2012 Jan 20, Cugno M, Asero R, Tedeschi A, Lazzari R, Marzano AV, Dept of Internal Medicine, U Milan, Italy

An increase in the plasma markers of thrombin generation, fibrinolysis and inflammation has been documented during exacerbations of urticaria and angioedema, with the marker levels decreasing to normal during remission. However, the hypercoagulable state in chronic urticaria and angioedema has not been reported to be associated with any increased risk of thrombosis, although there have been a number of reports of cardiovascular events occurring during episodes of acute urticaria. These observations have provided the rationale for the clinical evaluation of anticoagulant and antifibrinolytic drugs, the efficacy of which has sometimes been demonstrated.

Mast cells in the human dura: effects of age and dural bleeding

http://www.springerlink.com/content/7513276g32310215/ (excerpt follows)

Childs Nerv Syst. 2012 Jan 22, Varatharaj A, Mack J, Davidson JR, Gutnikov A, Squier W, Dept of Neuropathology, John Radcliffe Hospital, UK

Hemorrhage is associated with an increase in dural mast cell density, and the density increases as the haematoma ages. We hypothesise that dural mast cells may contribute to neurogenic inflammation and the clinical features of subdural haemorrhage.

Serotonin and its 5-HT1 receptor in human mastocytosis

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22268664 (excerpt follows)

Imunopharmacol Immunotoxicol. 2012 Jan 23, Ritter M, El-Nour H, Hedblad MA, H Butterfield J, Beck O, Stephanson N, Holst M, Giscombe R, Azmitia EC, Nordlind K, Dermatology and Venereology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska U Hospital,Stockholm Sweden

These findings indicate that 5-HT and its 5-HT1AR are expressed in human mastocytosis and that an agonist of the 5-HT1AR might be of value in the treatment of these patients.