Intrdodução: As terapias com anticonvulsivantes de anel aromático (ACA) são freqüentemente associadas a reações adversas. No entanto, reações de hipersensibilidade (RH) não-imediatas (tardias) a estes fármacos são raras, imprevisíveis e geralmente relacionadas à alta morbidade e mortalidade. Foi demonstrado que estas RH aos ACA estão fortemente associadas ao Antígenio de Leucócitos Humanos (HLA)-B*1502 em pacientes chineses e ao HLA-A*3101 em caucasianos. Polimorfismos de genes do metabolismo do Citocromo P450 (CYP)2C9 foram mais associados a estas reações em pacientes orientais. Objetivo: Nosso objetivo é analisar a associação das reações de hipersensibilidade a anticonvulsivantes de anel aromático com os polimorfismos descritos e de interesse, bem como realizar a tipificação de HLA em uma população de São Paulo, Brasil. Métodos: Estudo tipo caso-controle com genotipagem dos polimorfismos de interesse por reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR) em tempo real e tificação de HLA A, B, C, DRB, DQA, DQB por PCR seguido de deteção utilizando método LuminexR. A avaliação fenotípica se baseou em sistemas de escores padronizados, utilizando um questionário adaptado da ENDA (Rede Européia de Alergia a Medicamentos), em registros médicos e no acompanhamento clínico. O teste de contato com o medicamento suspeito foi realizado de acordo com as recomendações da ENDA, nos pacientes que apresentaram reação. Resultados: Foram estudados 506 pacientes, 65% do gênero feminino e a idade média foi de 43,6 anos. Oitenta por cento era de etnia mista. Polimorfismos de HLA-A*3101, HLA-B*1502, CYP2C9, CYP2C19 e CYP3A5 foram analisados de 55 indivíduos com reações de hipersensibilidade (RH) a antiepilépticos, de 85 tolerantes e de 366 controles sadios. Dos 55 casos foram validados como RH, 32 apresentaram Reação a Drogas com eosinofilia e sintomas sistêmicos (DRESS), 12 Síndrome de Stevens-Johnson (SSJ) e 11 exantema maculo-papular. De todos os 46 testes de contato com medicamento, 29 (63%) foram positivos, tanto em SSJ como em DRESS. Houve associação significativa entre polimorfismo de HLA-A*1502 e casos. Nenhum de nossos grupos de estudo apresentou associação positiva com polimorfismos de HLAA* 3101. Verificamos uma forte associação entre a atividade normal do CYP3A5 e indivíduos tolerantes quando comparado com casos (p = 0,0002, OR = 4,8). A tipificação de HLA demonstrou associação significante de HLA-A*31, HLA-A*74, HLA-B*35 e HLA-B*53 com reações graves aos ACA e de HLA-B*44 e HLA-C*03 com indivíduos tolerantes. Conclusão: Estes resultados sugere fortemente a existência de fatores genéticos de risco e/ou de proteção a RH a ACA em indivíduos brasileiros, mas não devem ser considerados de forma isolada. Assim, a relevância deste estudo extrapola o objetivo de estudo caso-controle e sugere um modelo como forma de prevenção primária às RH aos ACA. / Background: Antiepileptics with aromatic ring (AAR) therapies are frequently associated with adverse reactions. Nevertheless non-immediate (late) hypersensitivity reactions (HR) to these drugs are rare, unpredictable and usually related with high morbidity and mortality. A strong pharmacogenetic association has been reported in Chinese patients with these HR and Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA)-B*1502 and with HLA- A*3101 in caucasians. Polymorphism of genes of P450 Cytocrome (CYP)2C9 has been related to these reactions in patients of oriental origin. Objective: Our aim is to analyze the association between hypersensitivity reactions due to AAR and the described polymorphisms, as well as perform the typification of HLA in a population of São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: Case-control study genotyping the polymorphisms of interest by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) real time and typifying HLA A, B, C, DRB, DQA, DQB by PCR followed by LuminexR .The phenotype evaluation was based on standardized scoring systems using an adapted ENDA (European Network of Drug Allergy) questionnaire, medical records and on the clinical follow-up in our Allergy Clinic. The patch test with the culprit drug was performed in patients who experienced HR according to the ENDA recommendations. Results: We studied 506 subjects, 65% female and mean age was 43,6 years. Eighty percent had mixed ethnicity. Polymorphisms of HLA-B*1502, HLA- A*3101, CYP2C9, CYP2C19 e CYP3A5 were studied in 55 subjects with antiepileptics HR, 85 tolerants, and 366 control subjects. Of 55 cases were validated as AHR, 32 presented Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS), 12 Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and 11 maculopapular exanthema. Of all 46 drug patch tests, 29 (63%) were positive, in both SJS and DRESS. A significant association between polymorphism of HLA-A*1502 and cases was found. None of our study groups presented positive association with HLA-A*3101 polymorphisms. We found a strong association between the normal activity of CYP3A5 and tolerants subjects when compared to HR (p=0.0002, OR=4.8). The HLA typification showed a significant association between HLA-A*31, HLA-A*74, HLAB* 35 e HLA-B*53 and severe AAR reactions and HLA-B*44 and HLA-C*03 in tolerants subjects. Conclusion: These results strongly suggests the existence of genetic risk and/or protective factors to the development of HR to AAR AAR in Brazilian subjects, but it should not be considered in a isolated manner. So, the relevance of this study extrapolates the aim of a case-control study and suggests a system of primary prevention to HR due to AAR

These British Association for Psychopharmacology guidelines cover the range and aims of treatment for anxiety disorders. They are based explicitly on the available evidence and are presented as recommendations to aid clinical decision making in primary and secondary medical care. They may also serve as a source of information for patients and their carers. The recommendations are presented together with a more detailed review of the available evidence. A consensus meeting involving experts in anxiety disorders reviewed the main subject areas and considered the strength of evidence and its clinical implications. The guidelines were constructed after extensive feedback from participants and interested parties. The strength of supporting evidence for recommendations was rated. The guidelines cover the diagnosis of anxiety disorders and key steps in clinical management, including acute treatment, relapse prevention and approaches for patients who do not respond to first-line treatments.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Posttraumatic epilepsy, the development of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) following traumatic brain injury, accounts for 20% of symptomatic epilepsy. Reorganization of mossy fibers within the hippocampus is a common pathological finding of TLE. Normal mossy fibers project into the CA3 region of the hippocampus where they form synapses with pyramidal cells. During TLE, mossy fibers are observed to innervate the inner molecular layer where they synapse onto the dendrites of other dentate granule cells, leading to the formation of recurrent excitatory circuits. To date, the molecular mechanisms contributing to mossy fiber sprouting are relatively unknown. Recent focus has centered on the involvement of tropomycin-related kinase receptor B (TrkB), which culminates in glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) inactivation. As the neurite outgrowth promoting collapsin response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2) is rendered inactive by GSK3β phosphorylation, events leading to inactivation of GSK3β should therefore increase CRMP2 activity. To determine the involvement of CRMP2 in mossy fiber sprouting, I developed a novel tool ((S)-LCM) for selectively targeting the ability of CRMP2 to enhance tubulin polymerization. Using (S)-LCM, it was demonstrated that increased neurite outgrowth following GSK3β inactivation is CRMP2 dependent. Importantly, TBI led to a decrease in GSK3β-phosphorylated CRMP2 within 24 hours which was secondary to the inactivation of GSK3β. The loss of GSK3β-phosphorylated CRMP2 was maintained even at 4 weeks post-injury, despite the transience of GSK3β-inactivation. Based on previous work, it was hypothesized that activity-dependent mechanisms may be responsible for the sustained loss of CRMP2 phosphorylation. Activity-dependent regulation of GSK3β-phosphorylated CRMP2 levels was observed that was attributed to a loss of priming by cyclin dependent kinase 5 (CDK5), which is required for subsequent phosphorylation by GSK3β. It was confirmed that the loss of GSK3β-phosphorylated CRMP2 at 4 weeks post-injury was likely due to decreased phosphorylation by CDK5. As TBI resulted in a sustained increase in CRMP2 activity, I attempted to prevent mossy fiber sprouting by targeting CRMP2 in vivo following TBI. While (S)-LCM treatment dramatically reduced mossy fiber sprouting following TBI, it did not differ significantly from vehicle-treated animals. Therefore, the necessity of CRMP2 in mossy fiber sprouting following TBI remains unknown.

In the last decade, prescription of anticonvulsants for treatment of low back pain (LBP) increased 4-fold. Among them, topiramate has frequent side effects and a mechanism of action that is not fully understood. The authors describe a 65-year-old woman with dependence on topiramate prescribed for chronic LBP and discuss how she was successfully weaned off topiramate using duloxetine. A significant agonistic effect by topiramate on α-2 adrenergic receptors in the brain likely accounts for the symptoms of withdrawal that were seen. We attribute the resolution of her topiramate withdrawal symptoms to reduced norepinephrine (NE) release, a known effect of duloxetine administration.

This revision of the 2005 British Association for Psychopharmacology guidelines for the evidence-based pharmacological treatment of anxiety disorders provides an update on key steps in diagnosis and clinical management, including recognition, acute treatment, longer-term treatment, combination treatment, and further approaches for patients who have not responded to first-line interventions. A consensus meeting involving international experts in anxiety disorders reviewed the main subject areas and considered the strength of supporting evidence and its clinical implications. The guidelines are based on available evidence, were constructed after extensive feedback from participants, and are presented as recommendations to aid clinical decision-making in primary, secondary and tertiary medical care. They may also serve as a source of information for patients, their carers, and medicines management and formulary committees.