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Biomedical subjects

C P Davies

Publications and source records attributed to C P Davies.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Determinants of intact parathyroid hormone and free 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels in mild and moderate renal failure.

Parameters of calcium and phosphate metabolism were measured in 27 patients with mild renal failure [glomerular filtration rate (GFR) 40-90 ml/min], 12 patients with moderate renal failure (GFR 20-39 ml/min) and in 12 healthy subjects. GFR was determined by technetium-99m diethylenetriamine penta-acetic acid clearance. Intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) was measured by a sensitive immunochemiluminometric assay and somatomedin-C was determined by radioimmunoassay. Both 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D] and vitamin-D-binding protein were measured allowing calculation of the free 1,25(OH)2D index. By linear regression and multivariate analysis, PTH was negatively and independently correlated with GFR, plasma bicarbonate and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] while free 1,25(OH)2D was positively correlated with GFR. Increased PTH secretion and reductions in 1,25(OH)2D were present in mild renal failure patients before any changes in plasma calcium, phosphate and bicarbonate were noted. Plasma alkaline phosphatase was significantly higher in mild chronic renal failure patients compared to normal subjects, possibly indicating early effects of the secondary hyperparathyroidism on the skeleton. Somatomedin-C did not correlate with the free 1,25(OH)2D index or a measure of 1,25(OH)2D production. It is concluded that the secondary hyperparathyroidism which occurs very early in the onset of chronic renal failure may be due to a reduction in the circulating concentration of 1,25(OH)2D consequent upon the renal failure. Low plasma bicarbonate and 25(OH)D also appear to be determinants of a raised PTH concentration. The compensatory increase in PTH presumably maintains extracellular calcium and phosphate levels constant but with possible deleterious effects on the skeleton.

Adult↗

The effects of a beta 2-agonist (clenbuterol), and anti-bacterial drugs (trimethoprim with sulphadiazine; oxytetracycline) on calf mucociliary clearance.

A non-invasive radio-aerosol technique was employed to study mucociliary clearance patterns in three groups of four calves of different ages. The initial clearance pattern, the percentage cleared in 1 h, and the percentage cleared between 1 and 19 h were used as indices of clearance efficiency. (Percentage retention at 19 h was used as an index of alveolar deposition.) These measurements were recorded in a series of experiments designed to investigate the effects of: clenbuterol (given as a single intravenous injection, 0.75 microgram/kg); a combination of trimethoprim and sulphadiazine-TMPS (administered by intramuscular injection twice daily for 3 days: 2.5 mg/kg trimethoprim; 12.5 mg/kg sulphadiazine) alone, or with a supplementary injection of clenbuterol; and oxytetracycline (administered by intramuscular injection twice daily for 3 days; 3 mg/kg). Clenbuterol alone tended to increase clearance rate, although this effect did not achieve statistical significance. The combination of TMPS with clenbuterol produced results similar to those of clenbuterol alone. Neither TMPS nor oxytetracycline had any significant effect on indices of mucociliary clearance. Differences were observed between calves of different age groups, particularly in clearance phases between 1 and 19 h.

Administration, Inhalation↗

Deposition and clearance of monodisperse aerosols in the calf lung: effects of particle size and a mucolytic agent (bromhexine)

Mucociliary clearance and retention of monodisperse aerosols of radiolabelled polystyrene particles of both 3.3 microns and 5 microns diameter were investigated in four healthy calves and two sick calves. The effect of the mucolytic agent bromhexine was also assessed at two dosage levels. There were significant differences (P less than 0.05) in clearance rate constant between calves, but similar patterns of clearance for each calf. These characteristics of mechanical lung clearance did not vary over a two month period. Values of clearance rate constant and percentage retention varied significantly (P less than 0.001) between the two different particle sizes, 5 microns particles giving faster clearance and lower retention of particles than 3.3 microns particles. Bromhexine at the recommended dose of 1.6 mg/kg 0.75 caused a significant (P less than 0.05) increase in clearance rate in both healthy and sick calves, but affected percentage retention only in sick calves. This study illustrates the variation in mucociliary clearance rates shown by individuals and also underlines the importance of particle size in aerosols used for studies of pulmonary deposition and clearance. The work also indicates that bromhexine may be of use in the therapy of respiratory disease in calves.

Aerosols↗