Biomedical subjects

B Guitton

Publications and source records attributed to B Guitton.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

A follow-up study of a population of schizophrenic patients treated with clozapine.

1. Clozapine is a dibenzodiazepine neuroleptic which presents the advantage of not having undesirable neurological side-effects. Its efficacy for the treatment of the symptoms of schizophrenia is known, but the use of clozapine is limited to treatment-resistant schizophrenic patients as it induces agranulocytosis with a higher incidence than that of other neuroleptic drugs. 2. The present study was designed in order to evaluate the benefit/risk of chronic treatment. The analysis was performed using the files of schizophrenic patients. These patients were not stabilized by a classical neuroleptic treatment and/or presented individual secondary effects. 3. Clozapine induced neutropenia and 1 case of agranulocytosis in 3 females. Analysis of leukocyte expression highlighted some premonitory symptoms in patients who presented neutropenia. The observation of 2 to 3 early successive peaks in leukocyte expression (between the third and tenth week of treatment) could be predictive of neutropenia in the 3 to 4 months of treatment. 4. The patients who presented a lower leukocyte base-line following a peak had a higher risk, of developing neutropenia. This might explain some late accidents beyond the first six months of treatment. 5. The present study confirmed the advantages of clozapine treatment and demonstrated that the risk of neutropenia may be diminished by the detection of premonitory symptoms and the early monitoring of patients at risk i.e. female patients and subjects with a lower leukocyte base-line.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Alprazolam 0.125 mg twice a day improves aspects of psychometric performance in healthy volunteers.

The effects of alprazolam (0.125 mg) taken twice a day on several cognitive and performance tasks (Pictures test, Digit-Symbol Substitution Test, Choice Reaction Time [CRT], Critical Flicker Fusion [CFF]) were investigated in healthy students. A double-blind, independent group design was used to compare placebo with alprazolam (32 volunteers in each group). After random assignment, all subjects received placebo for 3 days (D) followed by 14 days of treatment with either alprazolam or placebo. Subjects completed a battery of tests at D0, D3, D7, D10, and D14. D3 performance was poorer in the alprazolam group except for CFF values (ascending values and total values), and the only significant improvement was in total reaction time on the CRT test. However, a significant improvement in performance (except in recognition reaction time) was shown at D7, D10, and D14 in the alprazolam group compared with the control group results. This study shows that repeated low doses of alprazolam produce small improvements in some aspects of psychomotor and cognitive functions. Training effect, tolerance effect, anxiolytic effect, and changes in receptor function and/or number are discussed to explain the performance improvement.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

A combination of plant extracts in the treatment of outpatients with adjustment disorder with anxious mood: controlled study versus placebo.

Euphytose (EUP) is a combination of six extracts: Crataegus, Ballota, Passiflora and Valeriana, which have mild sedative effects, and Cola and Paullinia, which mainly act as mild stimulants. This multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled general practice study was carried outpatients with adjustment disorder with anxious mood. The study was coordinated by psychiatrists. Ninety-one patients were included in the EUP group and 91 patients in the placebo group. They all received two tablets three times a day over 28 days (D). Evaluation using the Hamilton-anxiety (HAM-A) rating scale were carried out on D0, D7, D14 and on D28. Comparing the two groups, 42.9% of the patients (EUP group) had a HAM-A score of less than 10 at D28 versus 25.3% in the placebo group (P = 0.012). Changes in the HAM-A score between D0 and D28 were as follows: D0 (EUP: 26.12 +/- 4.0, placebo: 26.27 +/- 4.5), D7 (EUP: 19.65 +/- 5.7, placebo: 21.37 +/- 5.6), D14 (EUP: 15.36 +/- 5.7, placebo: 17.48 +/- 6.7), D28 (EUP: 12.63 +/- 7.3, placebo: 15.2 +/- 8.1). From D7 to D28 there was a statistically significant difference (P = 0.042) between the two treatments, indicating that EUP is better than placebo in the treatment of adjustment disorder with anxious mood.

Adjustment Disorders↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Provocative agents in panic disorder.

The pharmacological challenge strategy involves giving a provoking agent under controlled rules to clarify some aspect of behavioural or biological function. Various agents such as sodium lactate, carbon dioxide, caffeine, yohimbine, isoprenaline and now cholecystokinin have been used as provoking agents in healthy volunteers as well as in panic patients. Results obtained in this field are updated, with emphasis on the potential mechanisms of action. It is concluded that there may be a final pathway between carbon dioxide, sodium lactate, and cholecystokinin inducing panic attacks.

Caffeine↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Double-blind study of mianserin and fluoxetine in ambulatory therapy of depressed patients].

A double blind controlled trial was carried out in 65 depressed out-patients to compare the efficacy and tolerance of mianserin with fluoxetine. The two compounds present very different pharmacological activities. Mianserin is an antagonist of the alpha 2-adrenergic receptors, while fluoxetine is an inhibitor of recapture specific to serotonin. Requirements for inclusion were: depressive episode of less than 2 months duration, meeting the criteria for one of the sub-types of depression described in DSM III, with a minimum score of 25 on the Montgomery Asberg Depressive Rating Scale (MADRS). The patient's ages ranged from 18 to 65. The only psychotropic medication allowed in association to the treatment was prazepam (up to 40 mg/day). Patients gave their written consent to the study. Assessment, using the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), the HARD diagram, the check list for somatic symptoms and side-effects was carried out before treatment and at the end of weeks 2, 4, 8. Assessment of anxiety using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS) and of sleep disturbances using a sleep questionnaire was carried out before treatment and at week 4. The 8 items of the sleep questionnaire covers the complaints listed in criteria for insomnia disorders (307.42 DSM III-R). Clinical Global Impression (CGI), Therapeutic Index (TI), Tolerance Global Impression were assessed at end-point. The 2 groups were strictly comparable in respect to the clinical status at base line (diagnosis, history and duration of the depressive illness, MADRS and HARD diagram scores).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗