RESUMO
The pharmacotherapy for pain is dominated by conventional analgesics such as the opioids and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Recent advances in the understanding of the mechanisms of pain in general and chronic pain in particular, opened the field of analgesic therapy to newer pharmacological targets, which are aimed at improved efficacy and enhanced tolerability over conventional antipain treatments. Many novel targets are still in preclinical development, but some have made it into human trials and have shown promise. Newer anticonvulsants, new generation cyclooxygenase inhibitors, better tolerated glutamate modulators and balanced serotonin/noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitors are some targets that have shown promise in the clinic. These and other compounds that are in advanced phases of development for chronic pain are reviewed in this paper. It is hoped that the decade of pain control and research will lead us to an arsenal of effective and safe analgesics that will conquer the problem of chronic pain.
Assuntos
Analgésicos/uso terapêutico , Dor/tratamento farmacológico , Animais , Anti-Inflamatórios/uso terapêutico , Bloqueadores dos Canais de Cálcio/uso terapêutico , Canabinoides/uso terapêutico , Doença Crônica , Humanos , Dor/metabolismo , Bloqueadores dos Canais de Sódio/uso terapêuticoRESUMO
Andersen's syndrome is characterized by periodic paralysis, cardiac arrhythmias, and dysmorphic features. We have mapped an Andersen's locus to chromosome 17q23 near the inward rectifying potassium channel gene KCNJ2. A missense mutation in KCNJ2 (encoding D71V) was identified in the linked family. Eight additional mutations were identified in unrelated patients. Expression of two of these mutations in Xenopus oocytes revealed loss of function and a dominant negative effect in Kir2.1 current as assayed by voltage-clamp. We conclude that mutations in Kir2.1 cause Andersen's syndrome. These findings suggest that Kir2.1 plays an important role in developmental signaling in addition to its previously recognized function in controlling cell excitability in skeletal muscle and heart.
Assuntos
Arritmias Cardíacas/genética , Cromossomos Humanos Par 17 , Fácies , Paralisias Periódicas Familiares/genética , Canais de Potássio Corretores do Fluxo de Internalização , Canais de Potássio/genética , Alelos , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Animais , Canais de Cálcio/genética , Primers do DNA , Saúde da Família , Feminino , Expressão Gênica , Ligação Genética , Genótipo , Humanos , Masculino , Mutação de Sentido Incorreto , Canal de Sódio Disparado por Voltagem NAV1.4 , Oócitos/fisiologia , Técnicas de Patch-Clamp , Linhagem , Fenótipo , Canais de Sódio/genética , XenopusRESUMO
An epidemiological study was performed on a lot of 505 adult subjects (over 20 years old) diagnosed with E.granulosus hydatidosis and operated in surgery units in hospitals from such towns as Timisoara, Arad and Resita (1985-1992). The incidence of hydatid infection was almost uniformly distributed by sexes, being a little higher in rural areas (52.0%); the highest number of cases was reported in Timis County (63.6%), followed by Caras-Severin County (21.2%). Hydatidosis was most frequently found in liver (67.5%) and lungs (23.7%) and more rarely in kidneys (0.4%), brain (0.2%), pancreas (0.2%), ovary (0.2%). Secondary hydatidosis was reported on 12.7% of cases and multiple cyst forms in 12.7% of cases. The distribution of cases by age group was relatively balanced, a slightly increased incidence being found in the 20-29 years age group (23.2%), about 1/3 of pulmonary localizations being reported in the age group. Post-surgery complications were reported in 13.5% of the total hepatic localizations and in 30% of the pulmonary localizations. The average number of days in hospital was 29.5 days/case. The average morbidity in the adult population in Banat over an eight years time interval was 5.36%ooo, being higher in Timis county-7.8%ooo where a peak (11%ooo) was reported in 1987.
