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Biomedical subjects

C Pedersen

Publications and source records attributed to C Pedersen.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Survival differences in European patients with AIDS, 1979-89. The AIDS in Europe Study Group.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the pattern of survival and factors associated with the outcome of disease in patients with AIDS. DESIGN: Inception cohort. Data collected retrospectively from patients' charts. SETTING: 52 clinical centres in 17 European countries. SUBJECTS: 6578 adults diagnosed with AIDS from 1 January 1979 to 31 December 1989. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Survival after the time of diagnosis. RESULTS: The median survival after diagnosis was 17 months, with an estimated survival at three years of 16% (95% confidence interval 15% to 17%). Patients diagnosed in southern Europe had a shorter survival, particularly immediately after the time of diagnosis, compared with patients diagnosed in central and northern Europe (survival at one year (95% confidence interval) 54% (52% to 56%) 66% (64% to 68%), 65% (63% to 66%), respectively. The three year survival, however, was similar for all regions. The regional differences in survival were less pronounced for patients diagnosed in 1989 compared with earlier years. Improved survival in recent years was observed for patients with a variety of manifestations used to define AIDS but was significant only for patients diagnosed with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. The three year survival, however, remains unchanged over time. CONCLUSIONS: Survival of AIDS patients seems to vary within Europe, being shorter in southern than central and northern Europe. The magnitude of these differences, however, has declined gradually over time. Short term survival has improved in recent years, but the long term prognosis has remained equally poor, reflecting the fact that the underlying infection with HIV and many of the complicating diseases remains essentially uncontrolled.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Comparison of long-term prognosis of patients with AIDS treated and not treated with zidovudine. AIDS in Europe Study Group.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between elapsed time since starting zidovudine and survival in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). DESIGN: Inception cohort and observational study of patients treated and not treated with zidovudine. SETTING: Fifty-one centers in 17 European countries. PATIENTS: A total of 4484 patients diagnosed as having AIDS from 1979 to 1989 who survived their initial AIDS-defining event and who had not started zidovudine before AIDS diagnosis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Use of zidovudine and mortality. RESULTS: Among patients who did not receive zidovudine, the death rate was approximately constant for the first 5 years after AIDS diagnosis. For patients treated with zidovudine, the death rate within the first year since starting zidovudine was markedly lower than for untreated patients who had developed AIDS at the same time (relative rate, 0.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.42 to 0.51). For longer times since starting zidovudine, the association with reduced mortality rate was diminished, and for patients surviving more than 2 years since starting zidovudine, the death rate was greater than for untreated patients who had developed AIDS at the same time (relative rate, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.58). Adjustment for other prognostic factors failed to substantially affect this observation. CONCLUSIONS: When initiated after the time of AIDS diagnosis, zidovudine was associated with improved prognosis but for no more than 2 years after starting therapy.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Chromosomal locations of four minor rDNA loci and a marker microsatellite sequence in barley.

Four minor rDNA loci have been mapped physically to barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) chromosomes 1 (7l), 2 (2l), 4 (4l), and 5 (1l) by a two-step in situ hybridization procedure including a GAA microsatellite sequence. Reprobing with the microsatellite resulted in a distinct banding pattern, resembling the C-banding pattern, which enabled unequivocal chromosome identification. This study suggests that gene mapping accuracy may be improved by using probes with well-characterized and narrow hybridization sites as cytological markers which are situated close to the gene locus. One of the rDNA loci is located about 54% out on the short arm of chromosome 4 and it has not previously been reported in barley. We have designated the new locus Nor-l6. rDNA loci on homoeologous group 4 chromosomes have not yet been reported in other Triticeae species. The origin of these 4 minor rDNA loci is discussed in relation to their equilocal distribution on the chromosomes.

Chromosome Mapping↗

A sex comparison of rates of new AIDS-defining disease and death in 2554 AIDS cases. AIDS in Europe Study Group.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the development rate of new AIDS-defining diseases between 566 women and 1988 men with AIDS who were infected with HIV via the same routes (mainly by sharing drug injecting equipment and heterosexual sex). DESIGN: Information on patient follow-up after AIDS diagnosis was obtained by retrospectively reviewing case notes. METHODS: The 2554 men and women were followed from the time of AIDS diagnosis as part of the multicentre AIDS in Europe study, which examined AIDS cases diagnosed at 52 centres in 17 European countries between 1979 and 1989. Incidence of AIDS-defining diseases and demographic variables were recorded for all patients and CD4 lymphocyte count at the time of AIDS diagnosis for approximately half the patients. RESULTS: Only toxoplasmosis and herpes simplex virus ulceration showed statistically significant differences in occurrence rate between women and men [relative risks (RR), 1.51 and 3.44; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.51 1.09-2.08 and 3.44 1.92-6.23, respectively] which remained after adjusting for imbalances in other variables. For both diseases, the additional absolute rate in women was approximately three per 100 person-years at risk. Survival after AIDS diagnosis was also similar between the two sexes (RR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.86-1.08). CONCLUSION: There appears to be little difference between women and men in the clinical course of AIDS.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Effect of chronic thromboembolism on the pulmonary artery pressure-flow relationship in dogs.

To understand the hemodynamic alterations associated with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, the large pulmonary arteries of mongrel dogs were chronically obstructed with lysis-resistant thrombi. Pulmonary hemodynamics were experimentally measured and described by multipoint pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) vs. flow plots. In nine anesthetized chronically embolized dogs, but not in six control dogs, the PAP-flow line shifted significantly upward in a parallel fashion by 4.2 +/- 0.7 mmHg. The postembolic pulmonary circulation was further characterized by predictions from a morphometric-based elastic tube and sheet flow model of the canine pulmonary circulation. After model validation with the preembolic PAP-flow data, the derived postembolic PAP matched the in vivo results to within 1 mmHg. A detailed analysis of the model-derived PAP drop revealed that the PAP-flow line shift can be accounted for by a novel fixed resistor in the largest obstructed pulmonary artery.

Animals↗

Suppression of thrombolysis in a canine model of pulmonary embolism.

BACKGROUND: The brisk fibrinolytic response of canines has impaired efforts to develop a canine model of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Difficulties in retaining chronic embolic residuals were partially overcome by administration of tranexamic acid (TXA) (Circulation. 1991;83:1272-1279.). In this study, we used type 1 plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1), a major inhibitor of the endogenous fibrinolytic system, to determine its efficacy in the suppression of thrombolysis in canines. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thrombus was induced in the inferior vena cava of anesthetized mongrel dogs with thrombin and a special double-balloon catheter; 2 hours later, the thrombus was embolized. In one group of dogs, activated type 1 plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) (130 micrograms) was delivered directly into the forming thrombus; in another, TXA (110 mg/kg) was given intravenously before thrombus formation; in controls, thrombus was induced without inhibitors. Cross-linked fibrin degradation product (D-dimer) appeared in the blood of control animals within 1 hour of thrombus induction (176 +/- 62.5 versus 1.02 +/- 0.39 ng/mL baseline; mean +/- SEM), was maximal by 4 hours (413 +/- 110 ng/mL) and remained elevated at 24 hours (90.8 +/- 19.5 ng/mL). Compared with controls, PAI-1 and TXA suppressed D-dimer release by 80% and 85%, respectively, over the first 24 hours. One week later, animals were killed, and residual emboli were harvested. Perfusion scan defects persisted in all animals at this time, but there were no scan defect differences among groups. However, emboli recovered from animals receiving PAI-1 still harbored immunoreactive PAI-1 and were, on average, more than twofold greater in mass (393 +/- 56 mg) than emboli recovered from either controls (183 +/- 76 mg) or animals receiving TXA (180 +/- 80 mg). CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous TXA and intrathrombus PAI-1 effectively suppress thrombolysis for 24 hours in canines. Thromboemboli enriched with PAI-1 appear to resist lysis for longer periods of time (up to 1 week). These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that PAI-1 remains associated with the embolus, where it continues to inhibit lysis, whereas TXA eventually diffuses out of the embolus, allowing lysis to ensue.

Animals↗

Malonofungin: an antifungal aminomalonic acid from Phaeoramularia fusimaculans.

In screening for antifungal metabolites, a novel compound, malonofungin, exhibiting growth inhibitory activity against Botrytis cinerea (grey mould), has been isolated from fermentations of Phaeoramularia fusimaculans CBS 616.87. Its structure is established as (E)-(3R,4S,5S)-5-acetoxy-2-amino-2-carboxy-3,4-dihydroxy-14-oxoicos++ +-6-enoic acid, representing an addition to the rare class of naturally occurring aminomalonic acids. 1H NMR data and extensive use of CD spectroscopy have been utilized to establish the absolute stereochemistry of malonofungin. The structural and biological relationship of malonofungin to previously reported fungal metabolites is discussed.

Acetylation↗

Albaflavenone, a sesquiterpene ketone with a zizaene skeleton produced by a streptomycete with a new rope morphology.

A novel antibiotic alpha,beta-unsaturated sesquiterpene ketone, albaflavenone with a zizaene skeleton was isolated from a morphologically novel, highly odorous Streptomyces species which was identified with the species group S. albidoflavus, cluster 1. The new compound, partly responsible for the odour, was assigned the structure of 2R',6,7,7-tetramethyl-1S',8R'- tricyclo-[6.2.1.0(1,5)]undec-5-en-4-one based on spectroscopic studies including 2D NMR (COSY, HETCOR, ROESY, NOE-difference) experiments.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

In situ demonstration of Epstein-Barr virus small RNAs (EBER 1) in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related lymphomas: correlation with tumor morphology and primary site.

Some acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related lymphomas (ARLs) are infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), although the frequency and importance of this association is disputed. Using paraffin section RNA in situ hybridization (ISH) with digoxigenin-labeled riboprobes, we screened 16 central nervous system (CNS) non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs), 101 systemic NHLs, and 11 Hodgkin's disease cases arising in human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive individuals for EBV-encoded small RNA (EBER 1) expression, an EBV gene product transcribed in abundance during latent infection. Tumor cells contained EBV in 85 of 128 ARLs (66%), but infection rates differed with lymphoma type. EBER 1 was expressed in tumor cells in 11 of 11 Hodgkin's disease cases (100%), 15 of 16 CNS NHLs (94%), and 46 of 60 systemic immunoblast-rich/large-cell lymphomas (77%), but in only 12 of 35 Burkitt-type (small noncleaved cell) (34%) and 1 of 6 monomorphic centroblastic (diffuse large noncleaved cell) (17%) lymphomas. In most EBV-positive ARLs, all recognizable viable tumor cells expressed EBER 1. We conclude that (1) EBV infects tumor cells in all AIDS-related Hodgkin's disease cases, in virtually all primary CNS ARLs, and in most systemic immunoblast-rich/large-cell ARLs; (2) only a minority of Burkitt-type and monomorphic centroblastic lymphomas are associated with EBV; and (3) EBER-ISH is ideal for the histopathologic detection of latent EBV in routine tissue specimens.

B-Lymphocytes↗

Cerebral atrophy in AIDS: a stereological study.

Stereological estimates of mean volumes, surface areas, and cortical thicknesses were obtained on formalin-fixed brains from 19 men with AIDS and 19 controls. Volumes of neocortex, white matter, central brain nuclei, ventricles and archicortex were estimated using point counting and Cavalieri's unbiased principle for volume estimation. In AIDS, the mean volume of neocortex was reduced by 11%, and that of the central brain nuclei by 18%. Mean ventricular volume was increased by 55%. Mean neocortical thickness was reduced by 12%. The mean volume of white matter was reduced by 13%. The findings in 6 clinically demented AIDS patients were not statistically different from the rest of the group.

AIDS Dementia Complex↗

Neonatal stimulation of beta-cells reduces the incidence and delays the onset of diabetes in a barrier-protected breeding colony of BB rats.

The off-spring in a barrier maintained colony of spontaneously type 1 diabetic BB/Wor/Mol-BB rats was treated with a daily injection of either saline, forskolin, arginine, glucose or both glucose and arginine for the first six days after birth. The incidence was reduced from 88% to 72% by the neonatal stimulation with arginine and glucose in combination, which also delayed the onset time from 76.0 +/- 2.2 days to 88.1 +/- 2.3 days. No such effect was observed after stimulation with either one of the compounds. Neonatal stimulation with forskolin also delayed the onset to 87.9 +/- 3.8 days, however without reducing the incidence. A higher incidence of diabetes was observed in the barrier-protected rats taking part in this study than in an earlier study using BB rats of the same origin, but kept under conventional conditions.

Animals↗

The efficacy and safety of zidovudine alone or as cotherapy with acyclovir for the treatment of patients with AIDS and AIDS-related complex: a double-blind randomized trial. European-Australian Collaborative Group.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of zidovudine (ZDV) at a maintenance dose of 250 mg every 6 h alone or as cotherapy with acyclovir (ACV; 800 mg every 6 h) as treatment for AIDS and AIDS-related complex (ARC). DESIGN: Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of up to 1 year's therapy. SETTING: Teaching hospital ambulatory clinics in eight European countries and Australia. SUBJECTS: A total of 131 patients with AIDS and 134 with ARC were enrolled and followed from 1986 to 1988. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Time to development of AIDS-defining opportunistic infections and AIDS-associated neoplasms, survival assessed at 1 year after entry, performance status, body weight, CD4+ cell counts. RESULTS: During the study period, 46 (36%) ZDV recipients and 37 (27%) cotherapy recipients developed opportunistic infections. The probability of an ARC patient progressing to AIDS (1982 Centers for Disease Control criteria) was 0.18 and 0.15 [95% confidence interval (CI) for difference, -0.17 to 0.11] for the ZDV alone and cotherapy recipients, respectively. After excluding patients who experienced an opportunistic infection during the first 4 weeks of therapy, the probability was 0.13 and 0.099 (95% CI for difference, -0.16 to 0.10) for the ZDV and cotherapy recipients, respectively. Thirty-six patients treated with single-agent therapy [28 (41%) AIDS and eight (12%) ARC patients] and 15 cotherapy recipients [13 (21%) AIDS and two (3%) ARC patients] died during the study. There was a significant difference in time to death between the cotherapy and ZDV alone groups for both AIDS (P = 0.014) and ARC (P = 0.045) patients, with cotherapy patients surviving longer. Infections related to herpesviruses, but not cytomegalovirus, were reduced in patients receiving ACV therapy. CD4+ cell counts in both arms generally increased initially and then declined. Forty-six per cent of patients in the ZDV group (59% of AIDS and 31% of ARC patients) and 52% of patients in the cotherapy group (69% of AIDS and 34% of ARC patients) experienced bone-marrow suppression. Red cell transfusions were administered to 33% of ZDV alone recipients and 34% of cotherapy recipients. CONCLUSION: These data show that the addition of high-dose ACV cotherapy to ZDV for patients with AIDS and advanced ARC results in a statistically significant improvement in survival with minimal increase in the risk of toxicity.

AIDS-Related Complex↗

Biological properties of HIV isolates in primary HIV infection: consequences for the subsequent course of infection.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the biological properties of HIV isolates obtained at the time of primary infection, and relate this to the subsequent course of the infection. METHODS: Syncytium-inducing (SI) capacity, tropism for cell lines (MT4 and H9) and replication rate were determined in 49 HIV isolates obtained from 17 HIV seroconverters. Thirteen of the 17 patients had a symptomatic primary HIV infection. Correlation between biological phenotype and clinical progression was analysed. RESULTS: SI isolates were recovered in six patients from the first sample taken during primary infection, non-SI (NSI) isolates only were identified in 10 of the patients and isolation culture was negative in one patient. For all patients from whom SI virus was initially isolated, this phenotype persisted during the follow-up period (range, 17-219 weeks). The duration of fever during primary infection was longer for patients with SI isolates than for patients with NSI isolates (P = 0.05). Both types of isolates were associated with a significant fall in CD4 lymphocytes during follow-up (P < 0.05). Patients with SI isolates developed HIV-related immune deficiency more rapidly than patients with NSI isolates (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The biological phenotype of HIV strains isolated during the time of seroconversion may be an important determinant of the subsequent course of the infection.

CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes↗

Prevention of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia relapse in AIDS patients. The efficacy and tolerability of low-dose sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim.

The effectiveness and tolerability of Sulfamethoxazole with Trimethoprim (SMX-TMP), a dose of 400mg/80mg given twice a day as secondary prophylaxis (SP) against Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) was assessed retrospectively in 166 AIDS patients. The mean observation period was 9.7 months (range 1.0-1.4). Relapse of PCP occurred in eight patients; four episodes were histologically verified and four episodes were clinically assumed. The relapse rate after one year of prophylaxis was 5.1% (95% CI 0.0%-11.0%) using the log-rank test. Intolerance of secondary prophylaxis, defined as adverse effects necessitating cessation of SP with SMX-TMP, was reported in eight patients (5%) (95% CI 2.1%-9.3%).

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗