Yet another study adds to the growing body of evidence of fluoride toxicity, shedding light on how it potentially contributes to degenerative eye diseases

PMID: 

Neurology. 1999 Jul 22 ;53(2):396-401. PMID: 10430433

Abstract Title: 

Encephalitis after hepatitis B vaccination: recurrent disseminated encephalitis or MS?

Abstract: 

OBJECTIVE: To describe clinical and MRI features of patients with a disease suggestive of CNS inflammation after hepatitis B vaccination.METHODS: Eight patients with confirmed CNS inflammation occurring less than 10 weeks after hepatitis B vaccination are described. They received follow-up clinically and on MRI for a mean period of 18 months.RESULTS: Clinical and MRI findings were compatible with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. However, clinical follow-up, repeated MRI, or both showed the persistence of inflammatory activity, which makes this encephalitis more suggestive of MS than of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis.CONCLUSION: The persistent inflammatory activity observed clinically and on MRI in these patients is comparable with that usually observed in MS. Epidemiologic studies are currently testing the hypothesis of a triggering role of hepatitis B vaccination in CNS demyelination.

read more

PMID: 

Rev Neurol (Paris). 2001 Sep ;157(8-9 Pt 2):929-34. PMID: 11787357

Abstract Title: 

[Borderline forms of multiple sclerosis].

Abstract: 

Multiple sclerosis (MS) has been described for more than a century, but its cause remains unknown and no simple diagnostic marker is available. Therefore, it is not surprising that numerous articles were written on closely related diseases, borderline forms of multiple sclerosis. Different forms have been distinguished: a clinical form of MS (Devic's neuromyelitis optica), pathological forms (Balo, Schilder, Maburg), forms associated with MS (peripheral neuropathy, autoantibodies) and closely related disorders (acute disseminated encephalomyelitis).

read more

PMID: 

Neuroepidemiology. 2002 Jul-Aug;21(4):180-6. PMID: 12065880

Abstract Title: 

Hepatitis B vaccination and first central nervous system demyelinating event: a case-control study.

Abstract: 

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between hepatitis B (HB) vaccination and a first central nervous system (CNS) demyelinating event in adults.METHODS: In 1998, we conducted a multicentre, hospital-based case-control study which enrolled 402 cases of first CNS demyelinating event occurring between 1994 and 1995 and 722 controls matched for centre, age, sex and date of admission. An independent expert committee validated the diagnoses of cases and controls. Data on vaccinations were obtained from a standardized phone interview. Forty percent of eligible cases and 50% of eligible controls could not be localized or were excluded because they did not satisfy inclusion or matching criteria.RESULTS: Conditional logistic regression performed on 236 and 355 matched controls showed that adjusted odds ratios for the first CNS demyelinating event within 2 months following an injection of HB vaccine were 1.8 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.7-4.6] in the whole group and 1.4 (95% CI, 0.4-4.5) in the subgroup of cases (n = 152) and controls (n = 253) referring to vaccination certificates during the phone interview. Restricting the analyses to the cases with definite or probable multiple sclerosis, these odds ratios were 2.0 (95% CI, 0.8-5.4) and 1.6 (95% CI, 0.4-5.6), respectively. Odds ratios tend towards 1 for a longer interval between HB vaccine and demyelinating event.CONCLUSIONS: This study was sufficiently powerful to rule out a strong association between HB vaccine exposure and a subsequent demyelinating event. However, it could not provide a clear indication of a moderately increased risk of a CNS demyelinating event shortly after HB vaccination in adults.

read more

PMID: 

. PMID: The nature of multiple sclerosis.

Abstract Title: 

The nature of multiple sclerosis.

Abstract: 

[n/a]

read more

PMID: 

Am J Epidemiol. 2009 May 15 ;169(10):1260-6. Epub 2009 Mar 27. PMID: 19329530

Abstract Title: 

Clinically observed chickenpox and the risk of childhood-onset multiple sclerosis.

Abstract: 

The authors conducted a population-based case-control study to investigate whether clinically observed chickenpox, linked with a level of intensity for clinical expression, increases the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) in childhood. The cases were MS patients whose disease onset occurred between 1994 and 2003, before age 16 years, in France. Each case was matched for age, sex, and geographic origin with as many as 12 controls randomly selected from the general population. Information about clinically observed chickenpox in cases and controls before the index date regarding onset of MS was collected with a standardized questionnaire and was checked against health certificates. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio for an association between MS and chickenpox. The 137 MS cases were matched with 1,061 controls. Clinically observed chickenpox had occurred in 76.6% of the cases and 84.9% of their matched controls. The adjusted odds ratio of MS onset associated with chickenpox occurrence was 0.58 (95% confidence interval: 0.36, 0.92). The authors concluded that clinically observed chickenpox was associated with a lower risk of childhood-onset MS in a French population.

read more

PMID: 

PLoS One. 2011 ;6(8):e22766. Epub 2011 Aug 10. PMID: 21853047

Abstract Title: 

Comparative brain stem lesions on MRI of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, neuromyelitis optica, and multiple sclerosis.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: Brain stem lesions are common in patients with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), neuromyelitis optica (NMO), and multiple sclerosis (MS).OBJECTIVES: To investigate comparative brain stem lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) among adult patients with ADEM, NMO, and MS.METHODS: Sixty-five adult patients with ADEM (n = 17), NMO (n = 23), and MS (n = 25) who had brain stem lesions on MRI were enrolled. Morphological features of brain stem lesions among these diseases were assessed.RESULTS: Patients with ADEM had a higher frequency of midbrain lesions than did patients with NMO (94.1% vs. 17.4%, P

read more

PMID: 

Am J Physiol. 1977 Mar ;232(3):H331-4. PMID: 842689

Abstract Title: 

Cardiovascular effects of radioactive microsphere suspensions and Tween 80 solutions.

Abstract: 

The cardiovascular effects of two concentrations of Tween 80 (polyoxyethylene sorbitan mono-oleate), a surface-active agent commonly used to prevent aggregation of radionuclide-labeled microspheres, were examined in conscious dogs. Two types of adverse reactions were noted. The first (Type A) consisted of reductions in cardiac dimensions as well as hypotension and tachycardia. The second (Type B) was less severe and involved only a decrease in cardiac dimensions with no change in left ventricular systolic pressure or heart rate. A 10% dextran solution with .05 +/- .02% Tween 80 injected into the left atrium caused systemic and/or cardiac alterations in all four dogs studied. Administration of a lower concentration of Tween 80 (0.01 +/- 0.005%), which was the minimum concentration necessary to prevent aggregation of microspheres, induced adverse reactions in 6 of 41 dogs studied. Subsequent administration of this concentration of Tween 80 on the same day rarely induced adverse reactions. Thus, care must be exercised in application of microsphere techniques to organ blood flow measurements when Tween 80 is used to prevent microsphere aggregation, since this surface-active agent causes profound alterations in cardiac dynamics in concentrations normally employed in experiments involving microsphere techniques.

read more

PMID: 

Anticancer Drugs. 2007 Feb ;18(2):95-103. PMID: 17159596

Abstract Title: 

Alternative drug formulations of docetaxel: a review.

Abstract: 

The anticancer drug docetaxel (Taxotere) is formulated in the nonionic surfactant polysorbate 80 (Tween 80). Early in the clinical development of docetaxel, it became clear that docetaxel administration is associated with the occurrence of unpredictable (acute) hypersensitivity reactions and cumulative fluid retention. These side-effects have been attributed, in part, to the presence of polysorbate 80 and have consequently initiated research focused on the development of a less-toxic, better-tolerated polysorbate 80-free formulation of docetaxel. More recently, there is an increasing interest in developing a (polysorbate 80-free) docetaxel formulation that selectively targets malignant tissue, thereby increasing efficacy while decreasing the occurrence of side-effects related to wide and nonspecific body distribution. This review aims to discuss the preclinical and clinical results of pharmaceutical strategies [PEGylated (immuno)liposomal docetaxel, docetaxel-fibrinogen-coated olive oil droplets, docetaxel encapsulated nanoparticle-aptamer bioconjugates, submicronic dispersion formulation] to develop an alternative, solvent-free, delivery form for docetaxel characterized by increased efficacy and decreased toxicity.

read more

PMID: 

Reprod Toxicol. 2008 Jan ;25(1):89-99. Epub 2007 Aug 25. PMID: 17961976

Abstract Title: 

Evaluation of developmental neurotoxicity of polysorbate 80 in rats.

Abstract: 

The developmental neurotoxicity of polysorbate 80 (PS80) was evaluated in rats. Crl:CD(SD) rats were given drinking water containing PS80 at 0, 0.018, 0.13, 1.0, or 7.5% (0, 0.035, 0.245, 1.864, or 16.783ml/kgbw/day) on day 0 of pregnancy through day 21 after delivery. Pregnant rats were allowed to deliver spontaneously. Potential adverse effects of pre- and post-natal exposure on the development and function of the nervous system in offspring of rats given PS80 were examined. Maternal body weight was lowered at 7.5%. Number of pups born was lowered at 7.5%. There were no compound-related effects on locomotor activity of offspring on postnatal days (PNDs) 14-15, 17-18, 20-21 and 33-37. No compound-related changes were found in developmental landmarks, sexual maturation, or reflex responses. Although decreased rate of avoidance responses was noted on PNDs 23-27 in male and female offspring at 7.5%, no compound-related changes were found in performance in the conditioned avoidance response on PNDs 60-67. Histopathological examinations of the brain revealed no toxicological changes. Lowered body weight was observed in male and female offspring at 7.5%. The NOAEL in this study was considered to be 1.0% (1.864ml/mg/kgbw/day).

read more