title: A clinical trial of dextromethorphan in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although the cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is unknown, excitotoxicity mediated by glutamate has been implicated. Dextromethorphan is a NMDA-glutamate receptor antagonist with neuroprotective properties.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effect of treatment with dextromethorphan (150 mg daily) in ALS patients was evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Forty-five patients were included in the analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of the treatment period, 12 months after randomization, 15 patients (65%) in the placebo group and 12 patients (55 %) in the dextromethorphan group were still alive (log rank test, P=0.49). Rates of disease progression, as expressed by rates of decline in pulmonary function and in functional disability, were similar in both groups except for a significantly less pronounced rate of decline in the ability scores for the lower extremities in the dextromethorphan group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with a relatively low dose of dextromethorphan did not result in an improvement in 12-month survival in ALS.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Biological Psychiatry, St Hans Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gredal
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Werdelin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bak
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Boysen
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Kristensen
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jespersen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Regeur
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Hinge
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Jensen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003915:Dextromethorphan / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D010919:Placebos; D003915:Dextromethorphan