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Biomedical subjects

B Kapp

Publications and source records attributed to B Kapp.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

[Interventional endovascular therapy (stenting) for residual stenosis after lysis of the basilar artery].

Despite the introduction of local thrombolytic therapy, there is still a very high mortality rate in basilar thrombosis. We report three cases of successful intra-arterial thrombolysis of acute basilar artery occlusion and consecutive interventional endovascular therapy. In all cases, the acute thrombosis of the basilar artery probably developed from preexisting atherosclerotic stenoses. The clinical outcomes were excellent. We discuss early consecutive stenting as a possible therapeutic option in cases of residual stenosis after successful intra-arterial lysis of basilar artery occlusion.

Basilar Artery↗

[Do low-threshold detoxification units reach new groups of the drug dependent?].

The conventional form of detoxication for illicit drug users in German psychiatric hospitals is an inpatient treatment approach connected with high admission prerequisites. These demand a high stage of motivational compliance from of the patients, e.g. the determination to continue with long-term treatment aiming at a life free of drugs. This strategy is termed "high-threshold" approach. A new form of inpatient treatment is the "low-threshold" approach offering intervals of some days or weeks free of drugs to illicit drug users, supported by professional detoxication strategies. This study compares client characteristics of illicit drug users treated at "high-threshold" vs. "low-threshold" units. A new subpopulation of clients could be reached who are more advanced in their drug intake careers and less influenced by social pressure to enter treatment. The differences in clients treated can be explained rather by differences in admission prerequisites than by a more balanced distribution of sexes in the newly introduced detoxication programme.

Adult↗

Controlled clinical trials and cross-sectional studies with plasma histamine measurements and histamine receptor antagonists: solving the problem of preoperative H1- + H2-prophylaxis by asking new questions?

The problem of a preoperative histamine H1- + H2 - prophylaxis was tackled by a group of new studies including randomized controlled clinical trials and cross-sectional studies with plasma histamine measurements and administration of H1- + H2 - antagonists to a control group. The first study demonstrated serial histamine release in the induction of anaesthesia up to 4 times in a single patient. Basal plasma histamine levels in resting subjects fell below 100 pg/ml during the time necessary for preparation of the surgical patient. Hence, spikes of elevated plasma histamine concentrations corresponded to histamine release. Although this histamine release very often was less than 1 ng/ml plasma histamine, it created systemic reactions after atracurium. The cut-off point of 1 ng/ml for such anaphylactoid reactions does no longer exist, also lower plasma levels are of patho-physiological significance. The clinical signs of histamine release in the induction of anaesthesia vary from drug to drug. Sometimes tachycardia and hypertension produce the highest likelihood ratio, sometimes tachy- and bradycardia, but no changes in blood pressure as in the case of atracurium. It is concluded that the reasons why histamine release in anaesthesia and surgery is so much underreported and under-estimated include the present paradigms about plasma histamine levels and the "classical picture" of histamine release. Both are no longer valid and need a re-assessment.

Adolescent↗

Incidence of hypothyroidism after irradiation of the neck with special reference to lymphoma patients. A retrospective and prospective analysis.

Twenty-eight patients were studied prospectively in order to determine the incidence of hypothyroidism after mantle irradiation for malignant lymphoma. This group was compared with a historical group of 65 patients, among them 36 patients with malignant lymphoma. The mean follow-up was 30 months for the prospective group and 46 months for the retrospective group. The mean thyroid dose for irradiated malignant lymphomas in the prospective and the retrospective group was 45 Gy and 43 Gy respectively. For other tumors with neck irradiation (retrospective group) the mean thyroid dose was 53 Gy. There were no cases of clinical hypothyroidism in our study. As for subclinical hypothyroidism which is characterised by elevated TSH, the incidence was 22% in the prospective group and 3% in the retrospective group, i.e. 8/93 patients showed a hypothyroid dysfunction. Three of the 8 patients with subclinical hypothyroidism had undergone lymphangiography before radiotherapy. Due to the elevated iodine pool a lymphangiogram is considered as a risk factor for hypothyroidism as well as for hyperthyroidism, which we observed twice in the prospective group. Evaluation of the thyroid function before lymphangiography and irradiation as well as regular thyroid function studies during the follow-up are recommended in order to detect hypothyroidism in time.

Adolescent↗

[Radiotherapy of glomus jugulare and tympanicum tumors].

Glomus jugulare tumors are difficult to manage therapeutically due to their localisation. Operation may be successful in small tumors but can be hazardous in larger lesions mainly because of bleeding and palsy of cranial nerves. In these cases there should be used radiation therapy under the condition that it is planned by use of computed tomography. Moreover reproducibility of radiation treatment set-up is vital. In this way tumor regression may be achieved. Four own illustrative cases are demonstrated. According to the stage of disease a modified treatment strategy is presented which integrates surgical procedures, angiographic embolization and radiotherapy.

Adult↗

Comparison of the histamine-releasing activity of cremophor E1 and some of its derivatives in two experimental models: the in vivo anaesthetized dog and in vitro rat peritoneal mast cells.

Histamine release caused by drugs and/or their solvents in clinical conditions is a well documented observation but the mechanism of this reaction is poorly understood. Hence in this study, the histamine releasing ability of cremophor E1 and six derivatives of 12-hydroxystearic acid (12-HSA) were compared in two models: the in vivo anaesthetized dog and the in vitro isolated rat peritoneal mast cells. The results obtained in both systems differed markedly. Only one compound DH (the diester of 12-HSA with polyethylene glycol) released histamine in both systems. The two substances, which exhibited the weakest histamine releasing ability in the dog model (almost inactive at the doses given) were powerful releasers of histamine from rat peritoneal mast cells (TN, 12-HSA polymerized with ethylene oxide; and ME, the monoester of 12-HSA esterified with polyethylene glycol). The release of histamine from rat peritoneal mast cells was potentiated as the temperature was elevated above 37 degrees C. Due to the heterogeneity of mast cells from both different species and different tissues in the same animal, it is important to choose the appropriate predictive model for clinically important adverse reactions to drugs and/or their solvents. Agents which release histamine by non-specific mechanisms are not uninteresting for the clinical situation.

Animals↗

Histamine release and hypotensive reactions in dogs by solubilizing agents and fatty acids: analysis of various components in cremophor El and development of a compound with reduced toxicity.

Anaphylactoid reactions in man following administration of drugs solubilized with cremophor El (polyethylenglycolglycerol riconoleate) are a considerable clinical problem. Since these reactions occur in dogs on first exposure and in pigs on second exposure, the 'dog model' was used in this communication to analyse components and chemical modifications of cremophor El and its components for their clinical effects, their hypotensive actions and their histamine-releasing capacity. Two series of experiments in 1978 and 1980 were performed in 144 adult mongrel dogs of both sexes. In these studies histamine release was not related to the effect of the solubilizing agents as tensides and was elicited by rather low doses (about 10--100 mg/kg i.v.). The effect of these substances on blood pressure and on blood histamine levels was connected with distinct chemical features: the most potent compounds were oxethylated and additionally esterified unsaturated or hydroxylated fatty acids. Several phases in hypotensive reactions were observed, including an immediate response, a delayed blood pressure response and a late response about 15--20 min after injection. Only the delayed response was associated with histamine release. The combination of cardiovascular effects and histamine release was fatal on some occasions indicating that histamine release can be dangerous. Compared to cremophor El, the tenside effect was equal, but the toxicity was reduced in oxethylated 12-hydroxystearic acid. It is recommended that this solubilizer should be used in further extended studies in animals and - if these are successful - in clinical trials.

Animals↗

[Histamine level and histamine metabolism of the human liver in biliary tract diseases].

In a control group (n = 12) the histamine content of the liver was 1.42 microgram/g tissue and the activity of the histamine-degradating enzyme, HMT, 421.5 pmol/(min . mg protein). In patients with affections of the biliary tract (n = 12) the histamine content was significantly raised to 3.09 microgram/g tissue and the HMT activity slightly diminished [349 pmol/(min . mg protein)]. The lowest values of HMT activity were found in the livers of those patients with histologically proven damage of liver cells.

Biliary Tract Diseases↗