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Biomedical subjects

C Reid

Publications and source records attributed to C Reid.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Cost-efficiency of a long-acting cephalosporin agent.

In a prospective longitudinal study of patients in a general surgical ward, the relative cost-efficiencies of a long-acting third generation cephalosporin (ceftriaxone--mean plasma elimination t 1/2 390 min) and a short-acting second generation cephalosporin (cephamandole: mean plasma elimination t 1/2 32 min) were determined. The total cost of therapy for 24 h was +32.88 for cephamandole and +22.78 for ceftriaxone, that is, a reduction of 31%. Considerable cost containment can be achieved by using third generation cephalosporin agents that only require the administration of one intravenous injection per day.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1988

Efficacy and mechanism of action of a calcium channel blocker after global cerebral ischemia in rats.

Dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers such as nicardipine are under evaluation for treating acute cerebral ischemia because they may increase cerebral blood flow by causing vasodilation and because they may be cytoprotective in part by limiting production of arachidonic acid metabolites. We demonstrated in a previous study that nicardipine improves postischemic neuronal function, as measured by somatosensory evoked potentials, without reducing the extent of light-microscopic CA-1 hippocampal histologic damage. To characterize further the effect of nicardipine on global ischemic injury, we administered the drug beginning 24 hours before 30 minutes of four-vessel ischemia in Wistar rats. We then measured hippocampal ATP, phosphocreatine, and glucose contents immediately and 2 hours after ischemia, and measured learning ability (working and reference errors) on an eight-arm radial maze beginning 30 days after ischemia. To gain insight into the possible mechanism of action, we measured production of arachidonic acid metabolites (eicosanoids: TXB2 and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha) and hemispheric and hippocampal cerebral blood flow by the [14C]butanol indicator fractionation technique immediately and 2 hours after ischemia. Nicardipine was associated with fewer working errors (p less than 0.02) but no difference in reference errors. The drug had no effect on energy metabolites, cerebral blood flow, or eicosanoids immediately after ischemia, but ATP, phosphocreatine, and cerebral blood flow all returned to normal levels significantly more rapidly during reperfusion in treated rats. Nicardipine improves behavioral, electrophysiologic, and mitochondrial function after ischemia without preventing cellular damage and improves postischemic reperfusion. The drug's positive effect appears to occur during reperfusion.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1987

Brain extraction of a calcium channel blocker.

Dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers may be effective treatment for acute cerebral ischemia, but the uptake of these drugs into the brain is unknown. A 0.2-ml bolus of [14C]nicardipine hydrochloride and [3H]water was injected into the common carotid arteries of 7 normal and 7 ischemic rats. The corrected first-pass extraction of nicardipine, compared to water, was calculated to be 30.7% into the hemispheres and 42.3% into the hippocampi. The uptake was greater into the ischemic hemispheres (p less than 0.001). These data suggest that dihydropyridines are available to binding sites and calcium channels in neurons.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Does colchicine work? The results of the first controlled study in acute gout.

We have performed the first controlled study of colchicine in acute gout, to determine its efficacy and toxicity, and to define the natural history of acute gout. Two-thirds of colchicine-treated patients improved after 48 hours, but only one-third of the patients receiving placebo demonstrated similar improvement. The colchicine-treated patients responded earlier; significant differences from placebo were shown after 18-30 hours. All patients given colchicine developed diarrhea after a median time of 24 hours (mean dose of colchicine 6.7 mg). This side effect occurred before relief of pain in most patients.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1987

Cardiac glycoside poisoning in sheep caused by Urginea physodes (Jacq.) Bak. and the isolated physodine A.

Urginea physodes (Jacq.) Bak., a species closely related to or possibly synonymous with U. pusilla, is described and its distribution given. Four bufadienolides were isolated from U. physodes and the approximated LD50 and cumulative effect of some of them determined in guinea pigs. The most toxic one proved to be mildly cumulative. Typical signs of acute cardiac glycoside poisoning, involving the locomotory, gastro-intestinal, respiratory and cardiac system, were seen in the field cases and/or were experimentally induced by the plant. Similar signs could also be induced by injecting the isolated bufadienolide, physodine A, to a sheep.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Effect of human erythropoietin derived from recombinant DNA on the anaemia of patients maintained by chronic haemodialysis.

Ten patients with end-stage renal failure and anaemia (mean haemoglobin 6.1 g/dl, range 4.6-8.8 g/dl) on thrice-weekly haemodialysis were treated with human erythropoietin derived from recombinant DNA (rHuEPO). This was given as an intravenous bolus after each dialysis in rising doses within the range 3-192 IU/kg. All patients showed increases in reticulocyte numbers and haemoglobin concentration and after the first week of treatment none of the four previously transfusion-dependent patients needed further transfusions. In nine patients treated for 12 weeks haemoglobin rose to a mean of 10.3 g/dl, range 9.5 to 12.8 g/dl. Thereafter the dose of erythropoietin was adjusted to avoid a further rise in haemoglobin. During treatment one patient had an episode of hypertensive encephalopathy and two had clotting in their arteriovenous fistulas (complete in one). rHuEPO is an effective treatment for the anaemia of end-stage renal failure but longer-term observations are needed on the consequences of increasing the haematocrit.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Determination of serum immunoreactive erythropoietin in the investigation of erythrocytosis.

We assessed the diagnostic value of determinations of serum levels of immunoreactive erythropoietin in 90 patients referred for the investigation of a raised packed red-cell volume (hematocrit) and possible erythrocytosis (a red-cell volume greater than that predicted by weight, body-surface area, or both). The mean values for erythropoietin were 16 mIU per milliliter (range, 8 to 22) in patients with polycythemia rubra vera (n = 24), 30 mIU per milliliter (range, 14 to 123) in patients with secondary erythrocytosis (n = 12), 27 mIU per milliliter (range, 13 to greater than 400) in patients with erythrocytosis of unknown origin (n = 19), and 25 mIU per milliliter (range, 18 to 35) in normal controls (n = 25). The values in the patients with polycythemia rubra vera were lower than those in the other three groups (P less than 0.01, P less than 0.05, and P less than 0.0001, respectively). In subjects with an increased packed red-cell volume but without erythrocytosis (n = 35), the levels of serum erythropoietin were the same as those in normal controls. Among patients with erythrocytosis with an unknown cause, abnormally high serum erythropoietin levels were found in 3 of 19 subjects, and in 1 of these 3 the abnormality was intermittent. Thus, measurement of serum erythropoietin in a single sample may be misleading and may not have high discriminatory value in distinguishing between polycythemia rubra vera and secondary erythrocytosis. This assay is useful in identifying patients with secondary erythrocytosis who have inappropriate erythropoietin secretion.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Crystal shedding in septic arthritis: case reports and in vivo evidence in an animal model.

Two cases of coexisting septic and crystalline joint disease are reported. In one patient polyarticular septic arthritis occurred simultaneously with gout and pseudogout. In a second patient septic arthritis preceded the appearance of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystals in the joint fluid, supporting an earlier postulate that lysosomal enzymes released during sepsis lead to shedding of crystals from cartilage and synovium into the joint space. This sequence was demonstrated in a rat air pouch model of synovium, in which CPPD crystals embedded in facsimile synovial tissue were released after injection of pyogenic bacteria. Coexisting septic arthritis should always be considered when crystals are identified in inflamed joints, particularly in elderly patients with concurrent infections.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

Chronic fatigue.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Anxiety↗
PubMed1985

Clinical importance of the renin-angiotensin system in chronic heart failure: double blind comparison of captopril and prazosin.

Nineteen patients with chronic heart failure participated in a double blind crossover trial of captopril and prazosin--two drugs with differing neuroendocrine effects--to determine whether neuroendocrine changes could explain clinical and haemodynamic responses to treatment. Patients were assessed before and after acute and long term (four weeks') treatment with each drug given in random order. Sixteen patients completed the study. During captopril haemodynamic improvement was maintained by inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system. Breathlessness was relieved in 15 patients and exercise capacity increased. During prazosin a reduction in systemic vascular resistance was maintained, but plasma renin activity and aldosterone and noradrenaline concentrations increased, fluid retention developed, and clinical benefit did not occur. These results suggest that clinical and haemodynamic responses to long term vasodilator treatment for chronic heart failure are related to neuroendocrine changes. In patients with chronic heart failure inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system results in clinical benefit, whereas inhibition of the alpha adrenergic system does not.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Studies on the interaction of rheumatoid factor with monosodium urate crystals and case report of coexistent tophaceous gout and rheumatoid arthritis.

Gout and classical rheumatoid arthritis rarely coexist. We report a patient with strong evidence for both these diseases. Possible reasons for the negative correlation between these diseases are summarised. One hypothesis suggests inhibition of surface activity of monosodium urate crystals (MSU) by binding of rheumatoid factor (RF). This was studied with a purified monoclonal rheumatoid factor (mRF) with specificity for IgG. The mRF bound preferentially to MSU coated with IgG in contrast with the IgM control. Inhibition of the neutrophil chemiluminescence (CL) response to IgG-coated MSU was observed at concentrations of mRF that had no effect on the CL response to uncoated crystals. Neutrophil activation was not altered by coating crystals with an IgM control at the same concentration. These data suggest that RF may bind to antigenic determinants on exposed Fc of adsorbed IgG and block the interaction of crystal-bound IgG with Fc receptors. Although crystal coating by RF may modify the expression of gouty arthritis, it is unlikely to be the sole explanation for the dissociation between gout and RA.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1985

A suspected lipofuscin storage disease of sheep associated with ingestion of the plant, Trachyandra divaricata (Jacq.) Kunth.

Paresis afflicted 85 out of a flock of 770 young Merino ewes kept on old wheat lands in the western Cape during a period of drought. Many of the paretic ewes died. The vegetation was sparse and was dominated by Trachyandra divaricata. At necropsy, yellowish-brown discoloration of the grey matter throughout the brain and spinal cord and mild brown discoloration of the liver, renal cortex and lymph nodes were consistently seen. Light microscopical examination revealed abundant, yellowish-brown pigment granules in the cytoplasm of most of the larger neurons. Similar pigment also occurred in some non-nervous tissues. Shrinkage and loss of a few randomly scattered axons were observed in the white matter of the spinal cord in 2 sheep. Histochemical and ultrastructural features of the pigment were consistent with those of lipofuscin. T. divaricata failed to reproduce the condition when dosed to a sheep, but the paresis and pigmentation shown to be caused by the closely related plant, T. laxa, are strikingly similar. Trachyandra poisoning appears to be the first documented example in farm animals of an acquired lipofuscin storage disease involving nervous and non-nervous tissues for which a specific plant has been causally implicated.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Giant lymph node hyperplasia (Castleman's disease) of the mesentery. Observations on the associated anemia.

A mesenteric mass, histologically characterized as giant lymph node hyperplasia was found in an 18-yr-old man with at least 11 yr of growth retardation and anemia. The anemia was characterized by iron deficiency from selective malabsorption of iron, and by features of the anemia of chronic disorders. In contrast with a previous report, no inhibitor of erythropoietin was found and there was no abnormality of erythropoietin secretion. Resection of the mass was followed by rapid correction of the anemia and catch-up growth. The mass had histologic features of the hyaline vascular and plasma cell types of Castleman's disease with multinucleate giant cells probably of macrophage origin. Immunologic studies of the mass showed that the B lymphocytes were polyclonal and the T lymphocyte helper/suppressor cell ratio was normal, suggesting that giant lymph node hyperplasia is a local inflammatory reaction.

Adolescent↗