Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for children and adolescents with major depression: current controversies and recommendations

Recent warnings about potential serious adverse effects with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in children and adolescents with depression raises questions about the risk-benefit ratio of these drugs in this population. Published safety and efficacy trials of SSRIs for the treatment of youth with depression are critically reviewed. These data were augmented by information from regulatory hearings in 2003-2004 and selected open-label reports. Based on this review, recommendations for medication treatment and monitoring of children and adolescents with major depression on SSRIs are provided. Emerging data from several clinical trials show that the SSRIs provide moderate benefits for youth with depression. In addition, SSRI treatment may be associated with increased risk of behavioral activation, self-harm, and suicidal ideation. Appropriate use of the SSRIs in children and adolescents requires careful diagnostic assessment, evaluation of comorbidity, and close monitoring, especially early in treatment.     

Leg ulcerations due to livedo vasculitis: successful combined therapy with pentoxifylline and nifedipine

We report a patient with livedo vasculities with painful leg alterations in whom prolonged combined therapy with pentoxifylline and nifedipine of 2 years duration induced a remarkable and long-lasting improvement of the disease. During the period no occurrence of the ulcerations has been observed.     

Study of human influenza viruses isolated in 1982 which are antigenically related to the swine flu virus

Influenza A viruses (H1N1 serovariant) antigenically related to swine influenza viruses were isolated in March, 1982, from two sick adolescents in a rural area of Bulgaria who had had contacts with each other and with animals. The isolates, A/PRB/120/82 and A/PRB/121/82, were found to have hemagglutinin containing antigenic regions typical of hemagglutinin of both A/New Jersey/8/76 strain and A/swine/Finister/HG/82 strain. Because of the unusual structure of hemagglutinin, it is assumed that these viruses have not been introduced into Europe from the American continent. The limited nature of the outbreak is associated with the presence in virions of A/PRB/120/82 and A/PRB/121/82 strains of NP-protein typical of animal influenza viruses.     

Effect of nicergoline on learning and memory

The anti-amnestic action of nicergoline was studied using the following experimental methods for learning and memory impairment, based on passive avoidance response: amnesia induced by maximal electroshock in mice, scopolamine-induced amnesia in mice and amnesia by paradoxical sleep deprivation in rats. Piracetam, meclofenoxate, pyritinol, deanol and phenazepam were used as reference drugs. The results show that nicergoline demonstrates well-expressed anti-amnestic effect manifested by reducing the amnestic effect of maximal electroshock, scopolamine or paradoxical sleep deprivation, its effect being equal to or more pronounced than piracetam, meclofenoxate, pyritinol, deanol and phenazepam.     

Antigenic characteristics of different variants of influenza virus A(H3/N2) and their circulation in the USSR and People's Republic of Bulgaria in 1968-1980

Influenza A (H3N2) virus strains isolated in 1968-1980 in the USSR (1908 strains), PRB (1413 strains) and in other countries were studied comparatively. Among 15 drift variants described in the literature only 6 were found to have sequential epidemic spread. In all the instances the epidemics occurred after importation of the virus from abroad, the interval between the emergence of a new drift variant and its detection in the study areas ranged from 2 1/2 months to 1 1/2 years and was not synchronous for the USSR and PRB. A progressive decrease of the antigenic determinant typical of the prototype A/Hong Kong/1/68 in hemagglutinin and neuraminidase of the drift variants was observed. The strains isolated in 1979-1980 were not directly related to the A/Hong Kong/1/68 strain but were connected with it through intermediate variants circulating in 1974-1975.