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Biomedical subjects

F L Geola

Publications and source records attributed to F L Geola.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1983

Biological effects of various doses of vaginally administered conjugated equine estrogens in postmenopausal women.

To determine whether vaginal administration of conjugated equine estrogens (VCE) could provide physiological replacement while avoiding effects on hepatic function, as occurs with oral administration, a study was conducted in which 20 postmenopausal women were evaluated before and after the vaginal administration of CE. The dosages studied were 0.3, 0.625, 1.25, and 2.5 mg/day for 4 weeks. Twenty premenopausal women were also studied, and their values were presumed to reflect normal physiological function. The findings in the postmenopausal women were compared with previously reported results obtained in a similar group of subjects given oral CE (OCE). Vaginal cytology returned to premenopausal values with 0.3 mg VCE. This response was similar to that exerted with 1.25 mg OCE. Stepwise increases in circulating estrone and estradiol occurred with increasing dosages. The 2.5-mg dosage of VCE raised estrone levels to values similar to those in premenopausal women in the late follicular phase, and estradiol concentrations were similar to early follicular phase concentrations. Limited or no responses of the systemic markers of estrogen action occurred with all doses of VCE. Small decreases in LH and FSH levels occurred, but no dosage significantly reduced the level of either gonadotropin. Although the urinary calcium to creatinine ratio was significantly reduced by the two largest dosages of VCE, the effect of the 2.5-mg dosage was less than that observed with 0.625 mg OCE, the lowest dosage that protects against osteoporosis. Hepatic protein synthesis was significantly increased only by the higher dosages tested. No dosage had a significant effect on circulating levels of triglycerides or total or fractionated cholesterol levels. These data suggest that the vaginal administration of CE exerts mainly a local effect, with limited or no measurable changes in systemic markers of the action of estrogen.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1982

A comparison of methods for assessing thyroid function in nonthyroidal illness.

We studied various tests of thyroid function in sick patients with nonthyroidal illness (NTI) in order to determine the utility of each test for differentiating these patience from a group with hypothyroidism. We evaluated each test in 22 healthy volunteers who served as controls, 20 patients with hypothyroidism, 14 patients admitted to medical intensive care unit whose serum T4 was less than 5 micrograms/dl, 13 patients with chronic liver disease, 32 patients on chronic hemodialysis for renal failure, 13 ambulatory oncology patients receiving chemotherapy, 16 pregnant women, 7 women on estrogens, and 20 hyperthyroid patients. On all samples, we measured serum T4, the free T4 index by several methods, free T4 by equilibrium dialysis, free T4 calculated from thyronine-binding globulin (TBG) RIA, free T4 by three commercial kits (Gammacoat, Immophase, and Liquisol), T3, rT3, and TSH (by 3 different RIAs). Although all of the methods used for measuring free T4 (including free T4 index, free T4 by dialysis, free T4 assessed by TBG, and free T4 assessed by the 3 commercial kits) were excellent for the diagnosis of hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and euthyroidism in the presence of high TBG, none of these methods showed that free T4 was consistently normal in patients with NTI; with each method, a number of NTI patients had subnormal values. In the NTI groups, free T4 measured by dialysis and the free T4 index generally correlated significantly with the commercial free T4 methods. Serum rT3 was elevated or normal in NTI patients and low in hypothyroid subjects. Serum TSH provided the most reliable differentiation between patients with primary hypothyroidism and those with NTI and low serum T4 levels.

Alpha-Globulins↗
PubMed1982

Biologic effects of various doses of ethinyl estradiol in postmenopausal women.

To determine which dosage of estrogen might provide physiologic replacement while minimizing adverse effects, 20 postmenopausal women were studied before and after oral administration of ethinyl estradiol. Twenty premenopausal women studied in the early and late follicular phases of the menstrual cycle were presumed to reflect normal physiologic function. Variable responses of the different biochemical and biologic markers to the actions of ethinyl estradiol were observed. Liver protein synthesis was the most sensitive measure of the action of ethinyl estradiol. In comparing the relative potencies of ethinyl estradiol with previously reported results observed with the usage of conjugated equine estrogens, the actions of 10 micrograms ethinyl estradiol were approximately equivalent to the biologic effects of 1.25 mg conjugated estrogens. The results suggest that ethinyl estradiol is far more potent than previously believed and that the daily administration of 10 micrograms, a dose lower than currently available commercial preparations, may be adequate for relief of symptoms of vaginal atrophy and may provide protection from the occurrence of osteoporotic fractures.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1981

Regional distribution of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity in the human brain.

The regional distribution and chromatographic characteristics of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SLI) were studied in autopsy specimens of 8 human brains. SLI concentrations in 8 different regions of these brains ranged from (mean +/- S.E.) 756.3 +/- 363.4 pmol/g tissue in anterior hypothalamus to 1.6 +/- pmol/g in cerebellum. Chromatography of the extracts of human brain cortex, anterior hypothalamus, thalamus and amygdala on Sephadex G-50 disclosed one major peak which corresponded to the elution peak of synthetic somatostatin. Since the human brains were obtained at autopsy 11-36 h after death, the effects of temperature and time lapse between death and tissue extraction on SLI concentration and chromatographic pattern in rat brain were examined. After storage at 4 degrees C or 23 degrees C for 2 h and 8 h, a significant increase in SLI concentration was noted, although by 24 h in increase was no longer observed. A gradual loss in the eluting forms of SLI on gel chromatography was observed with storage at 4 degrees C or 23 degrees C.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Biological effects of various doses of conjugated equine estrogens in postmenopausal women.

To determine which dosage of estrogen might provide physiological replacement and also avoid possible harmful side effects, 21 postmenopausal women were studied before and after the oral administration of conjugated equine estrogens. The dosages studied were 0.15, 0.30, 0.625, and 1.25 mg/day, with each being given for 6 weeks. Fifteen premenopausal women were also studied, and their values were presumed to reflect normal physiological function. Variable responses of the different biochemical and biological markers of the action of estrogen were observed. Both LH and FSH levels showed stepwise decreases with increasing amounts of estrogen, but even 1.25 mg/day did not suppress these hormones to the range found in premenopausal women, suggesting a subphysiological response. The lower dosages of conjugated estrogen had minimal effects on vaginal cytology, with only the 1.25-mg dose changing the maturation index to values similar to those found in premenopausal subjects. The 0.3-mg dose of conjugated estrogen was the lowest amount that resulted in a significant reduction (P < 0.05) of the urinary calcium to creatinine ratio (an index of bone resorption). Liver protein synthesis was the most sensitive parameter to the action of estrogen. Hepatic resoponses were variable depending on which protein was assessed. These data indicate that the oral administration of conjugated equine estrogens results in inconsistent effects. All doses exerted subphysiological, physiological, and pharmacological responses at the different sites of action.

Animals↗