Medicine are seeking adults suffering from restless legs syndrome (RLS) for a new clinical trial research study.
According to Dr. Max Bayard, program director at ETSU Family Medicine Associates, approximately 10 percent of the adult population suffers from RLS, which is characterized by an uncomfortable sensation associated with an urge to move the legs, particularly at night. As a result, many RLS sufferers are unable to get a good night’s sleep.
“There are some antidepressants that cause a worsening of RLS, but a small case study reported patients taking Wellbutrin (bupropion) saw an improvement in their symptoms,” Bayard said.
Nearly 100 RLS patients will be recruited for this major ETSU clinical trial which is the first to look at the benefits of Wellbutrin for RLS. Subjects selected to participate in the study will be divided into two groups. One will be prescribed a small dosage (150 milligrams) of Wellbutrin for a period of six weeks while the other group will receive a placebo.
Following the initial screening, subjects will be required to visit the clinic for two follow-up sessions.
Bayard noted that side effects such as sexual dysfunction and weight gain associated with some antidepressants have not been reported by patients taking Wellbutrin.
A previous study led by Bayard that was published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine found that an exercise program that included aerobic and lower body resistance training may improve RLS symptoms.
Interested persons should call 439-6463 or 439-6471 and leave a message. A member of the study team will contact potential subjects to conduct an initial phone screening and to schedule an assessment visit.
Patients suffering from tinnitus experience a worsening of their symptoms if they have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to an article in the current issue of the American Journal of Audiology. The study was led by Dr. Marc Fagelson, interim chair of Communicative Disorders in East Tennessee State University’s College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences.
Tinnitus is a condition characterized by the perception of a sound that does not correspond to an external stimulation. It can be perceived in the head, or in one or both ears, and is usually described as a buzzing or ringing tone. Fagelson says that 10 to 15 percent of the population experiences tinnitus and that some 2.5 million people are severely distressed by the disorder.
While working in the tinnitus clinic at the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Fagelson said he observed that approximately one-third of his patients also had been diagnosed with PTSD.
“For them, the tinnitus was much more handicapping. They were more likely than other patients to be overly sensitive to moderately loud sounds, and exposure to such sounds often would increase the loudness of their tinnitus,” Fagelson explained. “Consequently, many would communicate less often and avoid social settings where noise might become an issue.”
When startled by something, these patients experienced a much more disturbing startle reaction, which may evoke “survival responses” that are difficult to control or suppress, according to Fagelson.
“There are neural mechanisms linked to both tinnitus and PTSD that affect auditory behavior,” he said. “In treating tinnitus, it is important that audiologists know if the patient also has PTSD so that testing protocols can be modified, and referrals can be made to address these powerful responses.

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