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Biomedical subjects

A Jaeger

Publications and source records attributed to A Jaeger.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Sleep disorders and use of psychotropic drugs in 6-year-old children].

The purpose of this prospective survey, conducted over a two years period, was to study the use of psychoactive drugs among six year-old children in the Bas-Rhin administrative "département", of eastern France. The factors analysed were family environment, after-school time, the child's sleep, the locality where the child lived and the drugs used. The child was examined by school doctors, in the presence of the parents, at the compulsory consultation at the start of first-year infant school. The study was exhaustive. Of the 11,274 children examined, 12.1% used a psychoactive drug, although only 1% were considered by their parents to be suffering from insomnia. Of the children using drugs, 32% had used them for more than a year, 24% for more than two years and 11% for more than three years. Consumption was also shown to vary greatly between different localities; in some areas the proportion of children using drugs was more than 50%.

Child

Lung and blood superoxide dismutase activity in mercury vapor exposed rats: effect of N-acetylcysteine treatment.

Rats were exposed to mercury vapors (30 mg/m3) for either 1 or 2 h. Histological lesions like alveolar oedema, hyaline membranes and sometimes fibrosis were observed. The lesions were more significant after 2 h of exposure, with about 50% of the animals dying within 2 weeks. The mercury level and the superoxide dismutase activity in the blood and the lungs demonstrated differences according to the time of exposure. In the animals exposed for 2 h to mercury vapors, N-acetylcysteine treatment increased survival time and the percentage of living animals. The lung superoxide dismutase was lower than in the non-treated animals indicating an antioxidant effect. Mercury levels were decreased in blood and lung, suggesting some chelating effect of N-acetylcysteine. The exact mechanism of its action must be further elucidated.

Acetylcysteine

Toxicokinetics in clinical toxicology.

Toxicokinetics is an essential step in clinical toxicology. The methodology is based on the same parameters which are used in pharmacokinetics. However, the interpretation and the aims are different. For each toxicon, the interpretation of kinetic data needs to take account of the spontaneous toxicokinetics, the factors of variation, the relationship kinetic data and symptoms, the severity and prognosis criteria. The evaluation of treatment has to take account of the global kinetic action of the toxicon during the intoxication and the effects on the symptomatology. The mechanism of toxicity, is an essential item in the interpretation of toxicokinetic data. By the exact knowledge of toxicokinetics, it is possible to determine for each toxicon, the relevant parameters which will be of use in clinical practice.

Biological Availability

Tolerability and pharmacokinetics of L-648,051. A leukotriene D4-receptor antagonist, in healthy volunteers.

Two formulations of L-648,051 (L) were studied [intravenous (i.v.) and aerosol (A)] in two separate trials. Study I (i.v.) involved 4 normal male subjects in a single blind dose ranging study where good systemic tolerability and safety was shown. However, dose dependent local irritation at the injection site was observed at all dose levels (35, 52.5 and 70 mg/5 min infusion). L has a high systemic clearance rate (1.2 1/min), a small volume of distribution (4.41) and a short plasma half-life (2.4 min). Study II (A) involved 16 normal male volunteers who received incremental aerosolized doses of L from 0.1 to 1.6 mg in a double-blind, placebo controlled, dose ranging study. Complaints of mild local irritation or discomfort in the upper respiratory tract were the only significant findings. No dose relationship of these complaints could be shown. In conclusion, L is a safe and well tolerated drug when administered by aerosol. It causes dose related local, but not systemic, adverse experiences when administered i.v. In view of this tolerability and of its demonstrated activity against LTD4-challenge in animals, clinical efficacy studies with the aerosol formulation are warranted.

Adult

[Teicoplanin and Gram-positive coccus infections. Results of a multicenter study on 66 cases].

Sixty-six cases of Gram positive infections were treated with teicoplanin in an open multicenter study, comprising 7 centers in Eastern France. There were 38 male patients and 28 females. Teicoplanin was given at a dose of 400 mg daily for a mean duration of 18.4 days. The most common infections were due to Staphylococcus aureus, found in 43 out of 56 documented cases. 69 (89.9%) of the 78 Gram + strains isolated had an MIC for teicoplanin of less than or equal to 2 mg/l. There were 44 serious infections (30 septicemia, 10 endocarditis, 1 joint and bone infection, 2 mediastinitis, 1 toxic shock syndrome) and 22 less serious infections (4 urinary infections, 14 skin and soft tissue infections, 3 lower respiratory infections, 1 hepatic abscess). In 42 cases concurrent medication was given: beta-lactamase in 11 cases, rifampicin in 10 cases, aminoglycosides in 22, phosphomycin in 3, pefloxacin in 5. The clinical cure and improvement rate was 90.10%. Adverse events were reported in 11 patients, and in only 3 cases was the therapy stopped. All were reversible on stopping therapy. Teicoplanin was found to be well tolerated and effective in the treatment of Gram positive infections in this study.

Adolescent

[IE and IgG antibodies against flavonoids following therapy with flavonoid-containing drugs].

During treatment with flavonoid drugs a number of patients developed adverse reactions such as fever, various skin eruptions and intravascular hemolysis. The appearance of flavonoid-specific IgE and IgG antibodies and its possible relation to the observed side effects was studied on a total of 168 individuals treated with flavonoid drugs: 71 patients received troxerutin (Venoruton) parenterally to improve tolerance of radiation therapy, 12 patients were treated intravenously with silymarin (Legalon) for amanita intoxication and 77 patients received various flavonoid drugs for other indications. Flavonoid treatment often induced specific IgG antibodies and less frequently IgE antibodies. After short treatment IgE antibodies were more frequently detected than after treatment of longer duration which nearly always induced IgG antibodies. Patients with hemolysis had the highest IgG titers. In cases with fever and skin eruptions no correlation with antibody titers became evident. Antibody production in patients undergoing radiation therapy appeared to be lower than in non-irradiated patients. Both the IgE and IgG antibody test show a remarkable cross-reactivity between four different flavonoids. Prospective studies will be necessary to decide whether or not this method for the detection of anti-flavonoid antibodies will be suitable for recognizing increased risk of side reactions upon reexposure to flavonoid drugs.

Catechin

[Immunoallergic acute haemolysis, thrombocytopaenia and acute renal insufficiency due to treatment with catechines (author's transl)].

The authors report the case of a 25-year-old patient who during discontinuous treatment with a venotropic agent containing catechines suffered from intravascular haemolysis, thrombocytopaenia and acute renal failure, the course of which was favourable with treatment by haemodialysis. Renal biopsy revealed lesions of acute tubulonephritis with a slight interstitial reaction but without immune deposits. The demonstration in the serum and on the red cells of the patient of anti-catechine antibodies confirmed the immunoallergic nature of the haemolysis. The existence of crossed allergy with another venotropic agent, leucocyanide, led to suspicion of the localisation of the antigenic site on the 3-4 dihydroxyphenyl portion of the catechine molecule.

Acute Kidney Injury

Acute immunoallergic hemolysis with acute renal failure induced by catechin.

A young woman, 25 years old, being treated for her veinous system with EucatexR (a drug including catechins) presented an acute intravascular hemolysis with an acute renal failure. The finding of anti-Eucatex and anti-catechins antibodies in the serum and on the red cells of the patient proved the immuno-allergic nature of this hemolysis. A renal biopsy showed lesions of acute tubular nephritis but no immune depots. The patient recovered after a treatment by hemodialysis.

Acute Kidney Injury

Accidental acute mercury vapor poisoning.

Accidental acute mercury vapor poisoning in three persons is reported. Three hours after exposure, symptomatology began by chills, vomiting, diarrhea and chest pain. Two patients, respectively 67 and 77 year old, presented severe pulmonary edema, then neurological symptoms with tremor and coma. This toxic pulmonary edema, which entailed artificial ventilation, was followed in both cases by an acute interstitial pulmonary fibrosis which led to death respectively after six and sixteen days. In the third case (a thirty eight year old patient) a skin rash, erythematous and pustuliform was observed. Analysis for total mercury by flameless atomic absorption showed very high mercury levels in blood and urine of the three patients. The effect of treatment by Dimercaptopropanol on renal excretion of mercury was studied. Optic and electron microscopy of the lung of the two patients who died showed the pulmonary changes of acute interstitial fibrosis.

Adult

[Inappropriate secretion of anti-diuretic hormone in a case of intermittent acute porphyria (author's transl)].

The authors report the case of a patient who presented, during two exacerbations of intermittent acute porphyria, a grave psychiatric syndrome secondary to severe hyponatraemia. The later was due to inappropriate secretion of anti-diuretic hormone confirmed by laboratory tests and the stimation of anti-diuretic activity in the urine. The course was favourable under the effects of symptomatic treatment including sodium supplements and fluid restriction. The anti-diuretic syndrome disappeared on each occasion without sequelae at the time of regression of the exacerbation of porphyria.

Acute Disease

Acute interstitial pulmonary fibrosis. Comparative light and electron microscopic study of 19 cases. Pathogenic and therapeutic implications.

Comparative light and electron microscopic studies of the lung were performed in 19 cases of diffuse acute interstitial fibrosis with various etiologies. Our observations emphasize the relation between hyaline membranes (HM) and the evolution of fibrosis. HM formation is due to fibrinous exudates and epithelial necrosis. This phenomenon recurs during the evolution of the disease and appears to be responsible for new waves of fibrosis. Its pathogenesis (humoral or neurovascular ...) remains hypothetical. Modifications of the alveolar epithelium consecutive to septal fibrosis can be clearly distinguished from "fibrinoid necrosis" -type lesions, which results in HM. The formation of HM is accompanied by fibroblastic stimulation which proceeds in spite of epithelial regeneration. The exact stimulus for the proliferation and collagen hypersecretion of fibroblasts remains to be determined. The use, in association with corticosteroid treatment, of a structural analogue of L lysine, acexamic acid, to impede collagenesis reveals encouraging perspectives for improved therapy.

Acute Disease