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Biomedical subjects

A Morice

Publications and source records attributed to A Morice.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Efficacy and tolerability of budesonide Clickhaler and Turbuhaler in adult asthma.

New dry powder inhalers should be clinically comparable with established devices to ensure the continuity of effective therapy for asthma patients. This randomized, open, parallel group study compared the clinical efficacy and tolerability of budesonide delivered via Clickhaler or Turbuhaler dry powder inhalers in adults with mild to moderate stable asthma. Following a 4-week stabilizing period using budesonide Turbuhaler adults aged 18 years or older, who had been treated with inhaled corticosteroids for at least the previous 12 weeks, were randomized to receive budesonide twice daily (<or=1600 microg/day) via either Clickhaler (n=110) or Turbuhaler (n=112) for 12 weeks. Morning peak expiratory flow (PEF), evening PEF, asthma symptoms, and use of inhaled short-acting beta2-agonist were recorded daily by the patients on diary cards. Lung function and tolerability data were recorded at clinic visits following 4, 8, and 12 weeks' treatment. Efficacy was measured primarily by mean change from the run-in baseline in weekly morning PEF. Of the 222 patients randomized to treatment, 167 completed the study according to the protocol. Repeated-measures analysis of covariance indicated that the devices were clinically equivalent; a treatment difference of--2.3 L/min separated the group mean changes in weekly morning PEF (95% confidence interval--7.9 to 3.3). Secondary analyses also supported clinical comparability. This study demonstrates the comparable clinical efficacy and tolerability of budesonide Clickhaler and Turbuhaler devices in adult patients with stable asthma.

Administration, Inhalation↗

Assessing the burden of respiratory disease in the UK.

This review explores the health and social burden of some of the main respiratory diseases (asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis, cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, obstructive sleep apnoea and tuberculosis) in order to increase awareness of these diseases and highlight areas where improvements in care are required. The overall impact of respiratory diseases in the U.K. in terms of prevalence, mortality, morbidity and economic costs, with particular reference to secondary care has been considered and comparisons made with the rest of Europe where data are available. Respiratory diseases are responsible for a significant proportion of serious morbidity and premature death among the population of the U.K. and they will continue to present a growing challenge; special support is needed to tackle this burden.

Adolescent↗

Exercise increases the release of atrial natriuretic peptide in heart transplant recipients.

It is known that atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is synthesized, stored and released from the myocytes of mammalian heart, but the role of cardiac autonomic nerves in triggering the release of ANP has not been fully assessed. We have therefore measured plasma ANP concentrations in the right atrium and the main pulmonary artery, together with pulmonary haemodynamics in 10 heart transplant (HT) recipients who underwent graded submaximal bicycle exercise during right-heart catheterisation. Pulmonary arterial blood samples and haemodynamic measurements were obtained at rest, on peak of exercise, and after ten minutes of recovery. A radioreceptor of alpha-human ANP was used to measure ANP levels. Exercise significantly increased ANP levels in both the right atrium from 24 pM (resting values) to 48.5 pM, and the main pulmonary artery from 27.1 pM (resting values) to 58.4 pM. We conclude that HT recipients still retain the ability to increase ANP release in response to graded submaximal dynamic exercise, and that the mechanisms underlying ANP release depend on other factors than the integrity of cardiac innervation in man.

Adult↗

Pulmonary fibrosis associated with nabumetone.

A patient is described who developed a rapid onset of pulmonary fibrosis following treatment with a new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, nabumetone. Resolution of symptoms, physical signs and radiographic changes followed drug withdrawal and steroid therapy.

Aged↗

Low dose infusion of atrial natriuretic peptide causes salt and water excretion in normal man.

1. The effects of low dose infusion of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) were observed in double-blind, placebo-controlled study in six fluid-loaded volunteers. After baseline observations, hourly increments of 0.4, 2 and 10 pmol min-1 kg-1 were infused with continuous observation of heart rate, blood pressure and cardiac output. Plasma ANP, aldosterone, and catecholamines, and urinary volume and sodium excretion, were estimated at half-hourly intervals. 2. ANP infusion resulted in an increase of 35, 98 and 207% in urinary sodium excretion and of 10, 20 and 71% in urinary volume when compared with placebo. Plasma ANP was markedly elevated above placebo levels only during infusion of 10 pmol of ANP min-1 kg-1. 3. No change in heart rate of blood pressure was noted during the study, but a significant fall in stroke volume index was observed during active treatment. Plasma levels of aldosterone and catecholamines were not significantly different on the 2 treatment days. 4. The potent natriuretic and diuretic effects of this peptide at plasma concentrations not significantly elevated from physiological suggest a hormonal role for ANP in the homoeostasis of salt and water balance.

Adult↗

Pulmonary clearance of vasoactive intestinal peptide.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide causes bronchodilatation when given intravenously but is less effective in both animals and man when given by inhalation. This difference may be due to poor transit of the peptide across the bronchial epithelium. To test this hypothesis pulmonary clearance of radiolabelled vasoactive intestinal peptide was measured in Sprague Dawley rats and compared with that of pertechnetate (TcO4-) and diethylene triamine pentaacetate (DTPA). Despite a molecular weight (MW) of 3450, iodinated vasoactive intestinal peptide was cleared rapidly from the lungs, with a mean half time (t1/2) of 19 minutes after an initial slower phase. This compares with a t1/2 of 10 minutes with TcO4- (MW 163) and a t1/2 of 158 minutes with DTPA (MW 492). The possibility that vasoactive intestinal peptide mediates a non-specific increase in permeability was discounted by the fact that the combination of vasoactive intestinal peptide and DTPA did not alter DTPA clearance significantly. Chromatography and radioimmunoassay of blood taken after intratracheal administration of vasoactive intestinal peptide demonstrated a metabolite but no unchanged peptide. An intravenous injection of the peptide disappeared on first pass through the lung. It is concluded that inhaled vasoactive intestinal peptide lacks efficacy as a bronchodilator not because of slow diffusion to airway smooth muscle but because it is metabolised at an early stage of its passage through the respiratory epithelium.

Animals↗

The 100 m walk: a simple and reproducible exercise test.

In a modification of conventional walking tests in respiratory disease patients were asked to walk successive 50 m lengths of a corridor and the time taken over the third 100 m was taken as the walking pace. This pace was highly correlated (r = 0.994) with the 12-minute distance and was highly reproducible (r = 0.98).

Adult↗