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Biomedical subjects

A N Howard

Publications and source records attributed to A N Howard.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1977

A double-blind trial of mazindol using a very low calorie formula diet.

Thirty-eight obese patients, resistant to conventional diet therapy, agreed to consume a 1.09 MJ (260 kcal)/day semi-synthetic diet consisting of 25 g egg albumin, 40 g oligosaccharides, vitamins and minerals, and were seen weekly as outpatients for eight weeks. At the beginning, the semi-synthetic diet was given with either the anorectic drug, mazindol (2 mg/day) or a placebo for four weeks and then changed over for the remaining four weeks; the study being conducted on a double-blind basis. The final treatment was a 4.2 MJ (1000 KCAL) conventional diet for a further four weeks without drug or placebo. Twenty-five patients completed the first eight weeks and 21 patients the final four weeks of the trial. The total mean weight losses were as follows: week 4, 9.3 kg; week 8, 13.7 kg; week 12, 12.2 kg. There was no significant difference in weight loss between mazindol treatment and placebo but the former group reported feeling less hungry. The chief side-effects observed were dizziness, nausea, dry mouth, insomnia and depression which were more frequent with mazindol. Six patients had to stop mazindol because of side-effects, but were able to continue the diet alone. It is concluded that a semi-synthetic diet containing 1.09 MJ (260 kcal) daily can be successfully employed in the treatment of obese outpatients, and is a practical therapeutic alternative to admission to hospital. There is no clinical advantage to be gained by the additional use of the anorectic drug, mazindol.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

A long-term evaluation of very low calorie semi-synthetic diets: an inpatient/outpatient study with egg albumin as the protein source.

Fifty-two obese patients were studied initially for two weeks as inpatients on very low calorie diets, containing 0.76-1.34 MJ (180-320 kcal) as 15-40 g egg albumin, 30-40 g oligosaccharides, vitamins and minerals. Patients were seen weekly after discharge from hospital. Forty-one patients were able to continue treatment for more than eight weeks, and 29 for more than 16 weeks. In terms of weight loss, 41 patients lost at least 10 kg body weight, 29 at least 15 kg, and 14 at least 20 kg; 17 patients came within 15 kg of their ideal body weight. With 40 g/day carbohydrate, the quantity of egg albumin required to give nitrogen equilibrium was estimated to be about 25 g/day. All patients were able to resume their normal activities on discharge from hospital and had no major side-effects from treatment. Routine clinical, biochemical and haematological examinations showed no significant changes. In particular, serum proteins, electrolytes, uric acid, cholesterol and blood haemoglobin and haematocrit were unaffected. Ketosis was minimal or absent. It is concluded that the use of very low calorie semi-synthetic diets is a feasible and safe method of weight reduction for obese patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

The baboon in atherosclerosis research: comparison with other species and use in testing drugs affecting lipid metabolism.

Despite the deomnstration of spontaneous atherosclerosis in the wild state, the baboon is not the best species for the production of atherosclerosis experimentally since it develops only a mild hypercholesterolaemia when fed cholesterol. Nevertheless, it is useful for the study of mild lipid deposition in the aorta and the effect of drugs thereon, particularly if protein antigens are also employed in addition. For studies of the hypocholesterolaemic effect of potential therapeutic compounds in man, the baboon fed a high protein commercial diet, with and without cholesterol, is a useful second species to smaller laboratory animals.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

A randomized controlled trial of vitamin C in the prevention and amelioration of the common cold.

A randomized controlled trial of the effect of 1 g ascorbic acid per day in the prevention of the common cold was conducted on 688 adult women. There is evidence of a small reduction by vitamin C in the mean number of chest colds, but no evidence of any effect on simple colds. The existence of a subgroup of vulnerable women in the community who benefit from vitamin C was considered but further examination of the data gives no support to this conclusion.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Effects of heparin on lipolytic enzyme activities in vivo and in vitro.

The in vivo and in vitro effects of heparin on the lipolytic enzyme activities of normal rabbit serum and tissues were investigated. An acute intravenous injection of heparin produced the following changes in enzyme activities: in serum, phospholipase and lipase were increased, cholesterol esterase unchanged; in tissues phospholipase was increased, lipase was increased in heart and liver but decreased in aorta, cholesterol esterase was increased in heart but decreased in liver and aorta. In vitro phospholipase and lipase were increased by low concentrations of heparin, but decreased by high concentrations. Cholesterol esterase was decreased irrespective of heparin concentration. It is suggested that heparin may affect lipolytic enzyme activities by influencing the ionic state of the enzyme and substrate.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Gemfibrozil treatment: a comparison with clofibrate.

Gemfibrozil was found to be an effective hypotriglyceridaemic agent in types IV, IIb and V hyperlipoproteinaemia. When given at a dose level of 800 mg/day its activity was nearly of the same order of magnitude as 1.5 g/day of clofibrate.

Cholesterol↗