New and Noteworthy Information—September 2018
Insulin Resistance in Nondiabetics With Parkinson’s Disease
Insulin resistance is prevalent in Parkinson’s disease and correlates with BMI, according to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease. The investigators included 154 nondiabetic patients with Parkinson’s disease in the study. Participants were tested for fasting insulin, fasting glucose, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and underwent a battery of clinical tests. Investigators recorded participants’ Parkinson’s disease medications, height, weight, and other demographic features. Ninety (58.4%) participants had abnormal insulin resistance. Insulin resistance was more prevalent in overweight and obese participants than in participants with a normal weight. BMI was the only significant predictor of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance did not correlate with cognition, functioning, or nonmotor symptoms.
Hogg E, Athreya K, Basile C, et al. High prevalence of undiagnosed insulin resistance in non-diabetic subjects with Parkinson’s disease. J Parkinsons Dis. 2018;8(2):259-265.
FDA Approves Galafold for Fabry Disease in Adults
The FDA has approved Galafold (migalastat), the first oral medication for the treatment of adults with Fabry disease. The drug is available in a 123-mg capsule. The efficacy of Galafold was demonstrated in a six-month, placebo-controlled clinical trial in 45 adults with Fabry disease. Patients treated with Galafold over six months had a greater reduction in globotriaosylceramide in blood vessels of the kidneys, compared with patients taking placebo. Investigators studied the safety of Galafold in four clinical trials. The most common adverse drug reactions in patients taking Galafold in clinical trials were headache, nasal and throat irritation, urinary tract infection, nausea, and fever. Amicus Therapeutics, which markets the capsules, is headquartered in Cranbury, New Jersey.
Binge Drinking Increases Cardiovascular Risk in Men
Young adults who frequently binge drink are more likely to have higher blood pressure, higher cholesterol, and higher blood sugar at a younger age than nonbinge drinkers, according to a study published June 27 in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Researchers analyzed data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 4,710 adults from ages 18 to 45. After controlling for diet and physical activity, men who binge drank as many as 12 times per year, compared with nonbinge drinkers, had higher systolic blood pressure (121.8 mm Hg vs 117.5 mm Hg) and total cholesterol (215.5 mg/dL vs 207.8 mg/dL). Binge drinking did not affect systolic blood pressure or total cholesterol in women. The effects of binge drinking on glucose parameters in men and women varied.
Piano MR, Burke L, Kang M, Phillips SA. Effects of repeated binge drinking on blood pressure levels and other cardiovascular health metrics in young adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011-2014. J Am Heart Assoc. 2018;7(13).
Brain SPECT Predicts Brain Aging and Psychiatric Disorders
Brain SPECT predicts chronologic age, and brain aging varies as a function of common psychiatric disorders, according to a study published online ahead of print August 3 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. A psychiatric cohort of 31,227 participants underwent brain SPECT at rest and during a concentration task for a total of 62,454 scans. Analysis of variance identified the mean age trends over the population’s age range (ie, nine months to 105 years). Researchers studied 128 brain regions to predict the chronologic age of each participant. Older age predicted from the scan, compared with actual chronologic age, was considered accelerated aging. Childhood, adolescence, and late life were associated with variations in perfusion. Alcohol use, cannabis use, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and ADHD were associated with increased brain aging.
Amen DG, Egan S, Meysami S, et al. Patterns of regional cerebral blood flow as a function of age throughout the lifespan. J Alzheimers Dis. 2018 Aug 3 [Epub ahead of print].
Folic Acid May Prevent Language Delays Associated With AED Exposure
Folic acid use early in pregnancy may prevent language delay associated with in utero antiepileptic drug (AED) exposure, according to a study published online ahead of print August 1 in Neurology. The study included 335 AED-exposed children of mothers with epilepsy and 104,222 children of mothers without epilepsy. For children with no maternal periconceptional folic acid supplementation, the fully adjusted odds ratios for language delay in AED-exposed children, compared with controls, were 3.9 at 18 months and 4.7 at 36 months. When mothers took folic acid, the corresponding odds ratios for language delay were 1.7 and 1.7, respectively. The effect of folic acid supplementation on language delay in AED-exposed children was significant only when supplementation began four weeks before pregnancy and continued until the end of the first trimester.
Husebye ESN, Gilhus NE, Riedel B, et al. Verbal abilities in children of mothers with epilepsy: association to maternal folate status. Neurology. 2018 Aug 1 [Epub ahead of print].
—Kimberly Williams
