PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

D E Drayer

Publications and source records attributed to D E Drayer.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

Hydromorphone levels and pain control in patients with severe chronic pain.

To better understand the use of narcotic analgesics, the hydromorphone concentration was measured in serum samples from 43 patients with chronic severe pain who were receiving this drug. At the time of blood sampling, pain intensity, mood, and cognitive performance were assessed. There was large individual variation in the dose-drug level relationship. Seven patients with bone or soft tissue pain and drug levels of greater than or equal to 4 ng/ml had good pain control, whereas 10 did not. None of 15 patients with levels less than 4 ng/ml had pain control, despite drug doses similar to those given patients with higher levels. Thus 60% of the patients without control of their pain had hydromorphone levels below the lowest level that produced pain control. No patient with pain from nerve infiltration or compression had good pain control, irrespective of the drug level or dose. Poor mood correlated with high pain intensity and low drug level. Impaired cognitive performance was not related to drug level. Knowing that there is a low concentration of narcotic in the blood of a patient with chronic severe pain who is receiving high drug doses and who shows lack of both efficacy and side effects may reassure health care professionals that further narcotic dosage escalation is appropriate.

Adult

Procainamide, N-acetylprocainamide, antinuclear antibody and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Long-term therapy with procainamide (PA) leads to the systemic lupus erythematosus syndrome (SLE) in about 30% of patients and 80% develop antinuclear antibodies. Acetylation of procainamide results in the formation of N-acetylprocainamide (NAPA) the propensity of which to induce SLE and to increase antinuclear antibodies is negligible while its antiarrhythmic properties remain. Slow acetylators of PA have a greater tendency to induce SLE consistent with the observation that it is the level of PA that is responsible for the observed immunologically-mediated side effects of the compound. This is also suggested by the remission of PA-induced SLE when PA is replaced with NAPA for the control of cardiac arrhythmias. Thus, NAPA, compared to the parent compound, has little tendency to induce SLE.

Acecainide

Effect of acetylator phenotype on the rate at which procainamide induces antinuclear antibodies and the lupus syndrome.

To investigate the relation between acetvlator phenotype and the development of procainamide-induced lupus, we determined the rate of development of antinuclear antibodies in 20 patients of known acetylator phenotype receiving chronic procainamide therapy. The duration of therapy required to induce antibodies in 50 per cent of slow (11) and rapid (nine) acetylators was 2.9 and 7.3 months respectively. The median total dose that produced ant;bodies was 1.5 g per kilogram and 6.1 g per kilogram respectively. After one year antibodies had developed in 18 patients. Retrospective studies of patients in whom procainamide lupus had developed revealed that the duration of therapy required for induction in 14 slow and seven rapid acetylators was 12 +/- 5 and 48 +/- 22 months respectively (P less than 0.002). We conclude that acetylator phenotype influences the rate at which procainamide induces antinuclear antibodies and probably the lupus syndrome. Antibody production is probably related to the parent compound or a non-acetylated metabolite.

Acetylation

Steady-state serum levels of quinidine and active metabolites in cardiac patients with varying degrees of renal function.

The concentrations of quinidine, (3S)-3-hydroxyquinidine (3-OH), and 2'-oxoquinidinone (2'-OXO) in serum samples from 25 patients on long-term quinidine therapy were determined by a high-pressure liquid chromatography assay. Large individual variation in the levels of each of the compounds measured was observed. After correcting for differences in protein binding, the ratio of 3-OH/quinidine in serum water is 0.61 +/- 0.31 (SD) and the ratio of 2'-OXO/quinidine is 0.39 +/- 0.44. Seven of the 25 patients had serum water levels of one of these metabolites similar to or greater than that of quinidine. The quinidine levels, after normalizing for dose, are significantly higher in hemodialysis patients (about twice) than in nonazotemic patients; azotemic patients have mean values intermediate between them. Quinidine, 3-OH, and 2'-OXO are equally potent antiarrhythmic drugs (ED50 = 0.18, 0.17, and 0.21 mmoles/kg, respectively) when tested against chloroform- and hypoxia-induced ventricular fibrillation in mice. O-Desmethylquinidine, a new metabolite detected in urine of quinidine-treated patients, is less active. Quinidine and 2'-OXO are equally potent (ED50 = 0.010 mmoles/kg), while 3-OH seems less potent and more toxic when tested against BaCl2-induced ventricular arrhythmias in rabbits. Thus, these metabolites appear to contribute to the effects of quinidine and may make a significant contribution in some cases.

Adult

Alterations in state in apneic pre-term infants receiving theophylline.

The present study is a report on 9 premature infants treated with aminophylline for relief of apnea. With serum theophylline levels of 2 to 10 microgram/ml, all infants experienced significant decrease of apneic episodes in association with increased wakefulness and increased amounts of active (REM) sleep. These effects may occur independently, but it is possible that the alteration of sleep states may be partially responsible for the decrease in apneic episodes in these infants.

Aminophylline

Cumulation of N-acetylprocainamide, an active metabolite of procainamide, in patients with impaired renal function.

N-Acetylprocainamide (NAPA) accumulated in the plasma of 6 cardiac patients with renal failure taking procainamide chronically for therapy (4 were undergoing hemodialysis) and contributed to the therapeutic and toxic effects of the procainamide. NAPA plasma levels ranged from 14.0 to 28.0 microgram/ml 3 hr after a dose of procainamide which is well above the 3-hr NAPA plasma levels of nonazotemic cardiac patients (range 1.9 to 6.3 microgram/ml; p = 0.002) on larger doses of procainamide. There was almost no decline in NAPA plasma levels on interdialysis days. In one of the patients with renal failure NAPA was still present 15 days (13.8 microgram/ml) and 38 days (0.9 microgram/ml) after procainamide was stopped, indicating a half-life of several days. Measurement of procainamide plasma concentrations by the usual fluorometric or colorimetric methods does not detect NAPA. Since NAPA accumulates in patients with impaired renal function, the concentrations of both this active metabolite and procainamide should be determined in these patients if drug level monitoring is to be helpful.

Acetylation

Clinical consequences of polymorphic acetylation of basic drugs.

The clinical consequences (therapeutic and toxic) of drug acetylation polymorphism are reviewed for procainamide, hydralazine, phenelzine, isoniazid, and salicylazosulfapyridine. Genetic slow acetylators are more likely than rapid acetylators to experience the following adverse drug reactions: (1) earlier development of procainamide-induced antinuclear antibody; (2) earlier and more frequent development of procainamide-induced systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); (3) hydralazine-induced SLE; (4) spontaneous SLE; (5) drowsiness and nausea from phenelzine; (6) cyanosis, hemolysis, and transient reticulocytosis from salicylazosulfapyridine; and (7) polyneuropathy after isoniazid therapy. The incidence of isoniazid hepatitis may, however, be more common in rapid than than in slow acetylators. Genetic slow acetylators are also more likely than rapid acetylators to experience greater therapeutic responses from similar doses of the following: phenelzine, hydralazine provided beta blockers are concurrently used, and isoniazid if once weekly therapy is used. Thus, knowledge of the acetylator phenotype of a patient can help determine the relative risk for some drug-related toxic and therapeutic responses.

Acetylation

Active drug metabolites and renal failure.

Drugs that are administered to man may be biotransformed to yield metabolites that are pharmacologically active. These metabolites may accumulate in patients with end-stage renal disease if renal excretion is a major elimination pathway for the metabolite. This is true even if the active metabolite is a minor metabolite of the parent drug as long as the minor metabolite is not further biotransformed but is mainly excreted in the urine. Minor metabolite accumulation may also occur if it is further biotransformed by a pathway that is inhibited in uremia. Some clinical consequences of accumulation of the active drug metabolites of procainamide, meperidine, clofibrate, allopurinol, sulfadiazine and nitrofurantoin in patients with renal failure are discussed. The high incidence of adverse drug reactions seen in renal failure may be explained, in part, by the accumulation of active drug metabolites. Examples of active drug metabolites that do not accumulate in patients with renal failure because of further biotransformations are also included.

Acetylation

Antiarrhythmic activity of p-hydroxy-N-(2-diethylaminoethyl) benzamide (the p-hydroxy isostere of procainamide) in dogs and mice.

p-Hydroxy-N-(2-diethylaminoethyl)benzamide (2), the p-hydroxy isostere of procainamide (1), shows antiarrhythmic activity against acontine-induced atrial arrhythmia and lowers mean arterial blood pressure after iv infusion in dogs. In isolated canine Purkinje fibers, phenolic 2 in a bath concentration of 20 mug/ml significantly reduced the rate of phase O depolarization, prolonged the repolarization time, and reduced automaticity. These in vitro and the above in vivo activities of phenolic 2 were similar to those observed for procainamide (1). Bioisosters, phenolic 2 and procainamide (1), have almost identical respective 13C NMR chemical shifts indicating that electron densities on the respective carbons are very similar. This may explain their similar antiarrhythmic and hypotensive effects. Phenolic 2 and procainamide (1) therapeutic ratios in ICR male mice (acute LD50/ED50 against chloroform hypoxia induced ventricular fibrillation) are 2.1 and 1.8, respectively. Procainamide analogues with electron-donating groups [OH, NH2, NHC(=O)CH3] on the aromatic ring possess more antiarrhythmic activity in mice than the analogue with an electron-withdrawing group (NO2). This indicates that a shift in electron density toward the amide region in the former analogues, as determined by 13C NMR spectroscopy, is one of the factors influencing antiarrhythmic potency in this series.

Action Potentials

Specific determination of quinidine and (3S)-3-hydroxyquinidine in human serum by high-pressure liquid chromatography.

A sensitive and selective HPLC assay was developed to measure quinidine and (3S)-3-hydroxyquinidine in the serum of patients receiving quinidine. The method involves analysis of a benzene extract of alkalinized serum by a high-pressure liquid chromatograph containing a reverse phase column and a fluorescence detector. The lower limit of sensitivity of this method for these compounds is 5 ng/ml. The coefficients of variation of the assay for quinidine and (3S)-3-hydroxyquinidine are 2% and 6%, respectively. Samples of serum from 10 cardiac patients were found to contain (3S)-3-hydroxyquinidine and quinidine in ratios ranging from 0.18 to 1.0 (mean, 0.38 +/- 0.28 [S.D.]). Quinidine serum levels in these patients determined by HPLC averaged 80% of those determined on the same samples by the routinely used fluorometric assay. The reason for the discrepancy is that this latter assay, involving a double extraction with quantitation in sulfuric acid by fluorometry, is nonspecific for quinidine. The (3S)-3-hydroxy metabolite, having a fluorescence intensity similar to that of quinidine, is 60% extracted under the fluorometric assay conditions.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid

Correlation of the electrophysiological and antiarrhythmic properties of the N-acetyl metabolite of procainamide with plasma and tissue drug concentrations in the dog.

N-acetylprocainamide (NAPA), a major metabolite of procainamide (PA) in man, has been reported recently to be biologically active. The present study compares the electrophysiological and antiarrhythmic effects of NAPA and PA and correlates their activity with plasma and tissue drug concentrations. In isolated canine Purkinje fibers, NAPA, in bath concentrations of 10 and 20 mg/l reduced automaticity and prolonged repolarization time. These effects were similar to those observed with similar concentrations of PA. Tissue concentrations of NAPA (77 +/- 2 mug/g) were significantly greater than those of PA (43+/-2 mug/g). Neither drug was metabolized by the fibers. In in vivo studies, NAPA (140-220 mg/kg) significantly suppressed the incidence of arrhythmias following coronary occlusion and digitalis intoxication. Similar protection was obtained with 40 to 60 mg/kg of PA. This difference in potency could not be attributed to differences in plasma and tissue concentrations of the drugs. These results show that NAPA is equally efficacious but less potent than PA as an antiarrhythmic drug in dogs.

Action Potentials

Polymorphic acetylation procainamide in man.

N-Acetylprocainamide (NAPA) and procainamide plasma and urine concentrations were determined by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) densitometry in people of known acetylator phenotype (dapsone phenotyping) taking procainamide for more than 3 days. The plasma NAPA/procainamide ratio 3 hr after the last dose for fast acetylators (mean plus or minus SD) is 1.8 plus or minus 0.59 (N equal to 8) and for slow acetylators, 0.61 plus or minus 0.09 (N equal to 6) P smaller than 0.001). The renal clearance of NAPA averaged 1.2 times the simultaneously measured endogenous creatinine clearance, whereas procainamide clearance was approximately double the creatinine clearance. There was no difference between slow and rapid acetylators in the renal clearance of either drug or the urine pH, indicating that the difference in plasma NAPA/procainamide ratios between these two groups is due to differences in their rates of acetylation. Therefore, procainamide is probably acetylated by the polymorphic N-acetyltransferase in man. Reflecting the blood level differences, the NAPA/procainamide ratio in urine (collected 99 to 180 min after last dose) was found to be higher in rapid than in slow acetylators. The plasma protein binding of NAa and of procainamide are similar. Since NAPA seems to have an antiarrhythmic potency similar to procainamide, NAPA probably contributes to the antiarrhythmic activity of procainamide therapy, especially in genetic rapid acetylators.

Acetylation

Pharmacologically active drug metabolites: therapeutic and toxic activities, plasma and urine data in man, accumulation in renal failure.

Drugs that are administered to man may be biotransformed to yield metabolites that are pharmacologically active. The therapeutic and toxic activities of drug metabolites and the species in which this activity was demonstrated are compiled for the metabolites of 58 drugs. The metabolite to parent drug ratio in the plasma of non-uraemic man and the percentage urinary excretion of the metabolite in non-uraemic man are also tabulated. Those active metabolites with significant pharmacological activity and high plasma levels, both relative to that of the parent drug, will probably contribute substantially to the pharmacological effect ascribed to the parent drug. Active metabolites may accumulate in patients with end stage renal disease if renal excretion is a major elimination pathway for the metabolite. This is true even if the active metabolite is a minor metabolite of the parent drug, as long as the minor metabolite is not further biotransformed and is mainly excreted in the urine. Minor metabolite accumulation may also occur if it is further biotransformed by a pathway inhibited in uraemia. Some clinical examples of the accumulation of active drug metabolites in patients with renal failure are: (a) The abolition of premature ventricular contractions and prevention of paroxysmal atrial tachycardia in some cardiac patients with poor renal function treated with procainamide are associated with high levels of N-acetylprocainamide. (b) The severe irritability and twitching seen in a uraemic patient treated with pethidine (meperidine) are associated with high levels of norpethidine. (c) The severe muscle weakness and tenderness seen in patients with renal failure receiving clofibrate are associated with excessive accumulation of the free acid metabolite of clofibrate. (d) Patients with severe renal insufficiency taking allopurinol appear to experience a higher incidence of side reactions, possibly due to the accumulation of oxipurinol. (e) Accumulation of free and acetylated sulphonamides in patients with renal failure is associated with an increase in toxic side-effects (severe nausea and vomiting, evanescent macular rash). (f) Peripheral neuritis seen after nitrofurantoin therapy in patients with impaired renal function is thought to be due to accumulation of a toxic metabolite. The high incidence of adverse drug reactions seen in patients with renal failure may for some drugs be explained in part, as the above examples illustrate, by the accumulation of active drug metabolites. Monitoring plasma levels of drugs can be an important guide to therapy. However, if a drug has an active metabolite, determination of parent drug alone may cause misleading interpretations of blood level measurements. The plasma level of the active metabolite should also be determined and its time-action characteristics taken into account in any clinical decisions based on drug level monitoring.

Acetaminophen