Clinical trial of acetazolamide in SCA6, with assessment using the Ataxia Rating Scale and body stabilometry.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of acetazolamide on spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6).


METHODS
Acetazolamide (250-500 mg/day) was administered orally for 88 weeks to 6 patients with SCA6, and its effect was quantitatively monitored using the Ataxia Rating Scale (ARS) and body sway analysis by stabilometry.


RESULTS
During administration of acetazolamide, the ARS score and the amplitude of body sway were significantly reduced compared with before administration. However, the response became weaker after 1 year of treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Although this was an open trial, the results suggested that acetazolamide can temporarily reduce the severity of symptoms during the progression of SCA6.
Yabe
I
I
Department of Neurology, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan.
Sasaki
H
H
Yamashita
I
I
Takei
A
A
Tashiro
K
K
D000086:Acetazolamide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011187:Posture; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020754:Spinocerebellar Ataxias / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000086:Acetazolamide