Clinical Trial Tests Diuretic Drug on Neurologic Disorder

(National Institute of Drug Abuse)

A Michigan State University physician is testing a common diuretic as a treatment for a neurological disorder that affects younger, overweight women. The six-month clinical trial is funded by National Institutes of Health and conducted at 50 sites nationwide.

Eric Eggenberger, professor of neurology and ophthalmology, is leading a team focusing on idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), also known as pseudo-tumor cerebri. The disease causes tumor-like pressure around the brain, even though no tumor is present. Symptoms include severe headaches, nausea and double vision, and if left untreated, IIH can lead to vision loss and blindness. IIH occurs more frequently in women, particularly in premenopausal obese women. It is rare in infants.

Eggenberger’s team will test a common diuretic known as acetazolamide — a treatment for glaucoma — in reducing or reversing vision loss in patients with IIH. Diuretics are drugs that increase the rate of urination. The study also will randomly assign patients to one of two groups: those receiving acetazolamide and those receiving a placebo. Patients in the trial will also receive diet information over the telephone and Web to help lose weight.

Another objective of the research is to better understand the as of yet unknown causes of IIH. Subjects will undergo genetic screening, specifically looking at vitamin A and genes that may be risk factors for IIH.

The team will monitor patients for six months to test the impact of acetazolamide, including side effects. The researchers also plan to follow patients for up to four years to observe long-term treatment outcomes and help determine the cause of IIH.

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