C Cornaggia

Publications (10)24.92 Total impact

• Article: Allopurinol as Add‐on Therapy in Refractory Epilepsy: A Double‐Blind Placebo‐Controlled Randomized Study Italy, on his retirement.

  P. G. Zagnoni, A. Bianchi, P. Zolo, R. Canger, C. Cornaggia, P. D'Alessandro, P. DeMarco, F. Pisani, M. Gianelli, L. Verzé, F. Viani, G. Zaccara
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  ABSTRACT: The antiepileptic effect of allopurinol was assessed in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial in 84 patients with epileptic seizures refractory to standard antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). During a retrospective baseline period, patients experienced at least four seizures of any type per month. The effects of allopurinol and matching placebo were examined for 4-month periods. Allopurinol dosage was 150 mg daily for children weighing <20 kg and 300 mg daily for other patients. Efficacy analysis based on the Wilcoxon rank-sum test was conducted for the 80 patients who completed the study. No significant period effect or treatment-period interaction was noted. Allopurinol significantly reduced total seizures (p = 0.00S), and secondarily generalized seizures (p = 0.0015). Median seizure reduction for total seizures was 10.5 and 27.9% for secondarily generalized seizures. Subjective preferences by clinicians evaluated blindly significantly favored allopurinol. No significant change occurred in the plasma concentration of concomitant AEDs between treatment periods, but serum urate decreased by 32% during allopurinol treatment. No clinically relevant side effects or changes in routine laboratory clinical chemistry or hematology were ascribed to allopurinol.
  Epilepsia 09/2006; 35(1):107 - 112. · 3.96 Impact Factor
• Article: Direct costs of schizophrenia in Italian community psychiatric services.

  L Garattini, C Rossi, F Tediosi, C Cornaggia, G Covelli, C Barbui, F Parazzini
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  ABSTRACT: To estimate resource utilisation and direct costs of treatment for patients with schizophrenia in Italian Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs). Multicentre, retrospective observational study. CMHCs recruited all patients who attended a follow-up consultation during the period September to December 1998. At enrollment, psychiatrists completed a questionnaire on consumption of resources in the 2 months before recruitment. 14 CMHCs. Italian National Health Service (INHS). 702 patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, defined according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-fourth edition. These patients had been followed by the CMHCs for at least 2 years and attended a follow-up consultation either during the period September to December 1998 or on randomly selected days during this period. Patients were classified into seven groups according to their diagnosis. The mean direct cost of patients with schizophrenia in the 2-month observation period was 2,234,475 Italian lire [L] (1154.01 Euro; EUR); direct costs ranged from L.1,545,818 to L.2,775,658 (EUR798.35 to EUR1433.51) by prognostic group. There was wide variability for prognostic groups in the impact of most cost components on total cost. Admissions accounted for between 11.4 and 56.3% of the total cost, daycare centre days for between 11.3 and 35.5%, home visits for 7.8 to 16.4%, and day-hospital days for 5.4 to 32.8%. Antipsychotics and anxiolytics were the most prescribed drugs and also the most costly. Despite the limitations of the study related to the short period considered, we believe this study offers some interesting information on the burden of schizophrenia, a disease for which its cost has received limited attention so far in Italy.
  PharmacoEconomics 02/2001; 19(12):1217-25. · 2.66 Impact Factor
• Article: Epilepsy and everyday life risks. A case-referent study: rationale, study design, and preliminary results. Risk in Epilepsy Study Group.

  E Beghi, C Cornaggia
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  ABSTRACT: Despite its favorable outcome in up to 90% of patients, epilepsy is still considered to carry a higher than normal risk of morbidity and accidents. Knowledge of the everyday life risks (illnesses, accidents) in patients with epilepsy is mostly anecdotal. For these reasons, a multinational cohort study has been started in 9 European countries to investigate the incidence and number of medical events and accidents in children and adults with unprovoked epilepsy (diagnosed in the recruiting centers in the previous 10 years) and in age- and sex-matched controls (relatives or friends). The 2 groups are being followed for at least 12 months. Using patients' diaries, data are being collected regarding the number and type of illnesses and accidents, the number of medical contacts and the actions taken, the number of hospital admissions, and the total number of days off work/school. In a preliminary report on 833 patients and 833 controls, the cases reported slightly less illnesses, medical contacts, and actions taken by doctors. Accidents and related events occurred in similar proportions in the 2 groups. Based on the results of the pilot study, idiopathic, cryptogenic and remote symptomatic epilepsy may be compatible with an at least fairly normal social life.
  Neuroepidemiology 02/1997; 16(4):207-16. · 2.31 Impact Factor
• Article: Epilepsy, risks and insurance. Risk in Epilepsy Study (RESt-1) Group Commission on Epilepsy, Risks and Insurance.

  E Beghi, C Cornaggia
  Seizure 07/1995; 4(2):85-6. · 1.80 Impact Factor
• Article: Monotherapy and polytherapy for intractable epilepsies.

  C Cornaggia, M P Canevini, D Giuccioli, P Pinelli, C Pruneri, R Canger
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  ABSTRACT: A retrospective survey on 66 adults with epilepsy who received multiple drug therapy after the failure of single drugs showed: a reduction of seizure frequency of 75% or more in 16.5%, no change in 67% and an increase in seizure frequency of 100% or more in 16.5%. Multiple drug therapy is of limited value in severe epilepsies.
  The Italian Journal of Neurological Sciences 07/1985; 6(2):201-5.
• Article: Epilepsy and Everyday Life Risks

  E. Beghi, C. Cornaggia
  [show abstract] [hide abstract]
  ABSTRACT: Despite its favorable outcome in up to 90% of patients, epilepsy is still considered to carry a higher than normal risk of morbidity and accidents. Knowledge of the everyday life risks (illnesses, accidents) in patients with epilepsy is mostly anecdotal. For these reasons, a multinational cohort study has been started in 9 European countries to investigate the incidence and number of medical events and accidents in children and adults with unprovoked epilepsy (diagnosed in the recruiting centers in the previous 10 years) and in age- and sex-matched controls (relatives or friends). The 2 groups are being followed for at least 12 months. Using patients’ diaries, data are being collected regarding the number and type of illnesses and accidents, the number of medical contacts and the actions taken, the number of hospital admissions, and the total number of days off work/school. In a preliminary report on 833 patients and 833 controls, the cases reported slightly less illnesses, medical contacts, afflictions taken by doctors. Accidents and related events occurred in similar proportions in the 2 groups. Based on the results of the pilot study, idiopathic, cryptogenic and remote symptomatic epilepsy may be compatible with an at least fairly normal social life.
  Neuroepidemiology 08/1970; 16(4):207-216. · 2.31 Impact Factor
• Article: Public attitudes toward epilepsy in Italy: results of a survey and comparison with U.S.A. and West German data.

  R Canger, C Cornaggia
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  ABSTRACT: In May 1983, the Italian Institute of Public Opinion DOXA ran, for the Italian League Against Epilepsy, a survey to evaluate public attitudes toward epilepsy in Italy. Eight questions were addressed to a sample of 1,043 adults. Twenty-seven percent did not know what epilepsy was. The least knowledge was observed among elderly people, in the southern regions and the islands, in villages more than in cities, and, in particular, among the poorest social classes. Sixty-one percent had known someone who had epilepsy, and 52% had seen someone having a seizure. When those familiar with epilepsy were asked if they would object to having their children in school or at play associate with persons with seizures, only 11% replied they would object. Seventy percent thought that persons with epilepsy should be employed in jobs like other people, and only 8% thought epilepsy to be a form of insanity. When those familiar with epilepsy were asked if epilepsy is a curable illness, one-third answered negatively, one-third answered affirmatively, and one-third had no personal opinion. The Italian data seem to fall within the standard of the American (1979) and West German (1978) surveys.
  Epilepsia 26(3):221-6. · 3.96 Impact Factor
• Article: Comparative pharmacokinetic study of chewable and conventional carbamazepine in children.

  C Cornaggia, S Gianetti, D Battino, T Granata, A Romeo, F Viani, G Limido
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  ABSTRACT: Fifteen children (7 boys and 8 girls) with generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) and partial seizures with elementary or complex symptomatology, treated with carbamazepine (CBZ) alone (n = 7) or in combination with either phenobarbital (PB, n = 6) or clobazam (CLB, n = 2) given for at least 3 months at stable individualized doses and regimens, entered an open, within-patient, change-over study of consecutive periods, each lasting 2 weeks. During period 1, conventional CBZ was given; during period 2, a chewable CBZ formulation was substituted for conventional CBZ and given at the same total daily dosage with the same schedule as in period 1. Blood samples for measuring plasma concentration of both total CBZ and CBZ-10,11 epoxide (CBZ-E) were taken on the last day of each period. No significant difference between the two periods was noted in the mean +/- SD of Cmax, Css mean, and area under the curve (AUC) of total CBZ and CBZ-E. The two different CBZ formulations, administered at the same total daily dosage, can be considered bioequivalent.
  Epilepsia 34(1):158-60. · 3.96 Impact Factor
• Article: [Oral hygiene and dental pathology due to hydantoin].

  R Weinstein, E Romeo, S Zandonella Necca, D Giuccioli, C Cornaggia
  Prevenzione & Assistenza Dentale 12(4):7-11.
• Article: Allopurinol as add-on therapy in refractory epilepsy: a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized study.

  P G Zagnoni, A Bianchi, P Zolo, R Canger, C Cornaggia, P D'Alessandro, P DeMarco, F Pisani, M Gianelli, L Verzé
  [show abstract] [hide abstract]
  ABSTRACT: The antiepileptic effect of allopurinol was assessed in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial in 84 patients with epileptic seizures refractory to standard antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). During a retrospective baseline period, patients experienced at least four seizures of any type per month. The effects of allopurinol and matching placebo were examined for 4-month periods. Allopurinol dosage was 150 mg daily for children weighing < 20 kg and 300 mg daily for other patients. Efficacy analysis based on the Wilcoxon rank-sum test was conducted for the 80 patients who completed the study. No significant period effect or treatment-period interaction was noted. Allopurinol significantly reduced total seizures (p = 0.005), and secondarily generalized seizures (p = 0.0015). Median seizure reduction for total seizures was 10.5 and 27.9% for secondarily generalized seizures. Subjective preferences by clinicians evaluated blindly significantly favored allopurinol. No significant change occurred in the plasma concentration of concomitant AEDs between treatment periods, but serum urate decreased by 32% during allopurinol treatment. No clinically relevant side effects or changes in routine laboratory clinical chemistry or hematology were ascribed to allopurinol.
  Epilepsia 35(1):107-12. · 3.96 Impact Factor