A group of 23 proteins was identified that correctly identified 32 of the 34 Alzheimer's cases and 32 of the 34 non-Alzheimer's samples, according to a report in the Annals of Neurology.

The protein profile identified was then applied to a validation group of 28 other patients. It accurately identified 9 of 10 patients with suspected Alzheimer's disease and 15 of 18 patients with other forms of dementia.

While encouraging, the new findings need to be replicated in a larger study, the researchers note.

"There's a federally funded, multicenter trial going on right now that involves many more patients, in which many enrollees will undergo spinal taps and brain imaging," Lee noted. "We hope to link into that effort to expand on these findings."

SOURCE: Annals of Neurology, December online issue, 2006.

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Botulinum toxin eases swallowing problems

Last Updated: 2006-12-12 10:59:32 -0400 (Reuters Health)

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Swallowing difficulties experienced by some people with nerve damage resulting from diabetes can be relieved by injections of botulinum toxin, better known as Botox, Italian doctors report.

"We believe that botulinum toxin may be a first-line intervention" in such cases, Dr. Damiano Gullo told Reuters Health.

Gullo, from the Garibaldi Hospital in Catania, and his colleagues assessed the safety and efficacy of botulinum toxin injected into the upper sphincter of the esophagus in 12 people with type 2 diabetes who had severe swallowing impairment.

A single injection completely resolved the problem for 10 patients while the other two were significantly improved, the team reports in the medical journal Diabetes Care.

The beneficial effect of the injection appeared within a week in all patients and lasted up to 12 weeks, the results indicate.

By 24 weeks, all the patients had a return of swallowing problems, but with a repeat injection they all had another good improvement. Treatments thereafter were given every 3 to 4 months, depending on the response of each patient.

The report indicates that the treatment was well tolerated, with no relevant side effects.

Botulinum toxin injections "can be performed in an outpatient clinic, needing neither hospitalization nor anesthesia," the investigators point out. "It can be repeated when the symptoms reappear, retains the same efficacy, and requires no specific follow-up."

The team has found the treatment helpful for people with swallowing problems related to other disorders, Dr. Gullo said. "We intend to further investigate the use of botulinum toxin for (swallowing problems) associated with other neurological disorders such as stroke and multiple sclerosis."

SOURCE: Diabetes Care, December 2006.

Copyright © 2006 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.