Riluzole for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)/motor neuron disease (MND)
Cochrane Database of Systematic ReviewsPublished 22 April 2002Open access
R G Miller, JD Mitchell, Mary Lyon, DH Moore
Citations910
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TL;DR
Riluzole 100 mg daily is reasonably safe and probably prolongs survival by about two months in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Abstract
Riluzole 100 mg daily is reasonably safe and probably prolongs survival by about two months in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. More studies are needed, especially to clarify its effect in older patients (over 75 years), and those with more advanced disease.
Keywords
ChemistryMedicine
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Though this dosage had no major toxic effect, Cronassial treatment did not significantly benefit ALS patients and was not effective in any of the outpatients.
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It is suggested that riluzole can induce acute hepatitis with associated hepatocellular damage and microvesicular steatosis and liver enzymes should be monitored during treatment with rILuzole.
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The neurophysiological contribution to the assessment of the effect of riluzole on the motor cortical inhibitory property in ALS may be considered a setting for controlled trials in extended patient series, even in a pre-clinical phase.
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A patient who developed severe neutropenia in association with a standard dose (100 mg/d) of riluzole is reported, which is an extremely rare, not well-described, life-threatening adverse reaction of the drug.
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The coincidence in time, lack of response to antibiotic treatment, remission of symptoms following withdrawal of the drug without initiating any other treatment except 40 mg/d of methylprednisolone for 6 days, absence of alternative diagnoses, and suggestive clinical and radiologic findings all together point to toxicity due to riluzole.
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