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Biomedical subjects

F W Casper

Publications and source records attributed to F W Casper.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Concentrations of inhibins and activin in women undergoing stimulation with recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone for in vitro fertilization treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of human recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) on circulating serum concentrations of the ovarian proteohormones inhibin A, inhibin B, pro alpha-C, and activin A and serum levels of estradiol after down-regulation with GnRH analogue. DESIGN: Serum concentrations of ovarian proteohormones and estradiol. SETTING: Academic clinical practice. PATIENT(S): 30 women who underwent assisted reproductive techniques. INTERVENTION(S): Blood samples were analyzed for inhibin A, inhibin B, pro alpha-C, activin A, and estradiol during IVF treatment at points coinciding with pituitary down-regulation, stimulation with recombinant FSH, ovulatory triggering, and the luteal phase of the cycle. RESULT(S): Activin A levels did not change with recombinant FSH stimulation. In women with a sonographically detected leading follicle >17 mm in diameter, levels of inhibin A, pro alpha-C, and estradiol increased significantly (P<.05). The increase in inhibin B level was not statistically significant. In patients without adequate follicle development during FSH stimulation, serum levels of inhibins remained low and did not significantly deviate from values measured before stimulation. CONCLUSION(S): Inhibin A and pro alpha-C are effective markers of follicular development and may be effective additions to estradiol as a marker.

Activins↗
PubMed2000

Inverse correlation between baseline inhibin B and FSH after stimulation with GnRH: a study of serum levels of inhibin A and B, pro alpha-C and activin A in women with ovulatory disturbances before and after stimulation with GnRH.

OBJECTIVE: Interest has focused recently on the influences of the polypeptide factors inhibin and activin on the selective regulation of the pituitary secretion of gonadotropins. DESIGN: Measurement of the concentrations of inhibin-related proteins in relation to the changes in pituitary gonadotropin (FSH, LH) parameters, after GnRH stimulation with a bolus injection of 100 microg gonadorelin, in 19 women with ovulatory disturbances. METHODS: Serum levels of inhibin A and B, activin A, and pro alpha-C were measured using sensitive ELISA kits. RESULTS: Within 60 min after GnRH stimulation, FSH values doubled from 5 to 10 mU/ml (P < 0.001). LH increased 12-fold from 2 to 24 mU/ml (P < 0.001). Activin A showed a significant decrease from 0.47 to 0.36 ng/ml (P < 0.001), whereas pro alpha-C increased from 127 to 156 pg/ml (P = 0.039). The median inhibin A concentration did not show a significant change between baseline and the 60 min value, whereas inhibin B was characterized by a minor, but not significant, increase in the median from 168 to 179 pg/ml (P = 0.408). A significant inverse correlation (P = 0.014) with a mean coefficient of correlation of 0.5516 was found, demonstrating a strong relationship between high inhibin B baseline levels and a small increase of FSH after 60 min. CONCLUSION: Our results show an interesting correlation between the baseline inhibin B and the change in FSH before and after GnRH stimulation. A high baseline inhibin B implies only a minor increase of FSH after 60 min.

Activins↗
PubMed1999

Obstetrical management following incontinence surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze in a retrospective fashion our experiences with obstetrical management following previous incontinence surgery. METHODS: Between 1990 and 1997 4 women presented to our institution in the third trimester of pregnancy with a history of colposuspension performed 3 months to 4 years before onset of pregnancy for second degree stress incontinence. Three of 4 patients experienced recurrent incontinence during the third trimester. RESULTS: A cesarean section was performed before the onset of labor in all 4 patients. Postpartal pelvic floor exercises were prescribed and a follow-up ensued after 6 and 11 months in the form of a questionnaire. While incontinence persisted in 2 patients for 6 months, all 4 patients demonstrated complete continence after one year. CONCLUSIONS: We consider an elective cesarean section to be the optimal mode of delivery in women with a history of incontinence surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Urinary excretion of 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1 alpha and 11-dehydro-TXB2 by the gravid spontaneously hypertensive rat.

Little is known about the pathophysiological processes leading to superimposed preeclampsia. We present an animal model where the uteroplacental blood flow in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) was reduced by a silver clip. Thus, a superimposed preeclampsia-like syndrome could be studied under defined conditions. Urinary excretion of 2,3-dinor-6-keto PGF1 alpha and 11-dehydro-TxB2 were measured by enzyme immunoassays at day 16 and 20 of pregnancy. In gravid, sham-operated animals excretion of 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1 alpha was largely elevated compared to non gravid control animals (day 16: 1259 vs. 258 ng/kg 24h; day 20: 471 vs. 269 ng/kg.24h). However, in the gravid rats with reduced uteroplacental blood flow urinary excretion of 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1 alpha decreased to non gravid levels (day 16: 335 ng/kg.24h; day 20: 238 ng/kg.24h). By antihypertensive therapy with dihydralazin this effect was largely abolished. Only minor alterations were found in the excretion of 11-dehydro-TxB2. Our findings suggest, that a reduction of uteroplacental blood flow in the spontaneously hypertensive rat decreases the systemic prostacyclin synthesis.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗
PubMed1995

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in preeclampsia-like syndrome in a rat model.

The pathophysiology of preeclampsia has not been fully clarified. A variety of factors have been implicated with this disease including vasoactive peptides and hormones during the last 20 years. Inadequate generation of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) has been one of the mechanisms discussed as to possibly contribute to the development of hypertension. In human pregnancy multiple studies of ANP-plasma-concentration in normal or hypertensive pregnancies showed conflicting results. The complexity of the clinical findings of hypertension in pregnancy makes it very difficult to carry out comparative clinical and biochemical studies in humans. In an animal experience genetic as environmental influences could be excluded. Therefore, the present study shows an experimental preeclampsia-like syndrome in the rat by reduction of the utero-placental flow. We observed a significant increase of plasma ANP in pregnant rats with experimentally induced hypertension. Furthermore, our results suggest that the ventricles could be an important source of ANP gene expression.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Risk weighing in twin pregnancy.

Multiple pregnancies are more often associated with complications than singleton pregnancies. In our retrospective study of 613 twin pregnancies the most important risk factors in twin pregnancies were premature labour before the 37th week of gestation and the premature rupture of the membrane. The increase of perinatal mortality and morbidity for twins might be primary the result of premature delivery.

Female↗
PubMed1994

[Value of prostaglandins in a pre-eclampsia-equivalent animal model].

Pregnancy-induced hypertension is no uniform disease with one cause and one pathophysiologic course. On the contrary it seems to be a multifactorial event with a very different symptomatology and a variable damage of various organs. Because of the heterogeneity of the disease and the difficulty of differentiation these various kinds of courses clinical studies, mostly retrospectively done, have to be criticized. The aim of this study is to examine vasoactive regulation systems by means of a standardized animal model, using wistar rats. A systemic hypertension could be achieved only in pregnant animals with aid a infrarenal aortic stenosis. Non pregnant and simulated operated pregnant animals are the control group. In the normotensive pregnant rats there was an elevation of all renal prostanoids: PGI2, TxB2 and PGE2. On the contrary hypertensive pregnant rats showed a decrease of all eicosanoids, prononcigated of PGE2.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗
PubMed1994

[Prostaglandins in the urine of hypertensive pregnant patients].

Hypertensive diseases represent the most frequent disorders among medical complications of pregnancy. Numerous studies have proven the central role of prostaglandins in these complex diseases. Thus, determination of urinary prostaglandins may lead to a better understanding of the pathomechanismus and may be a basis for therapeutic approaches. Our study included 59 patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension. From these 18 women had a proteinuria > 300 mg/l and were classified as pre-eclamptic. As controls 53 normotensive pregnancies were investigated. Quantification of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1 alpha, TxB2, 11-Dehydro-TxB2 and PGE2 was performed with radio or enzyme immunoassays after purification with solid phase extraction and partly HPLC. In the third trimester of pregnancy following alterations were found in urine concentrations of prostaglandins in preeclamptic women compared to controls: 6-keto-PGF1 alpha - 54%, 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1 alpha - 29%, PGE beta 2-41%, TxB2-29% and 11-Dehydro-TxB2 + 21%. Thus, our results show a disturbed balance between vasodilatory and vasoconstrictive prostaglandins in PIH patients. This imbalance correlated to the severity of the disease and was more pronounced in preeclamptic patients. The decrease of PGI2- and PGE2-production was more distinct than the increase of thromboxane production. We conclude that the endothelial damage, rather than an overproduction of TxA2 predominantly is responsible for some pathophysiological events in PIH.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Urinary excretion of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha TxB2 and PGE2 in a rat animal model for preeclampsia-like syndrome.

The etiology of pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) is still unknown. The pathophysiology must be clarified. In this paper we present an animal model where hypertension in pregnant and non-pregnant rats was induced by an experimental reduction of uteroplacental blood flow. Thus, a preeclampsia-like syndrome could be studied under defined conditions. The eicosanoid system was investigated for pathophysiological alterations of the kidney by measuring urinary excretion of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, TxB2 and PGE2 with radioimmunoassay at day 18 of pregnancy. First, in gravid control animals concentrations of all three prostaglandins were significantly elevated compared to non-gravid controls. However, in hypertensive gravid rats urinary concentrations of these prostaglandins fell even below the levels of non-gravid controls. The observed decrease was more pronounced for the vasodilatory 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and PGE2 than for the vasoconstrictive TxB2. Our results demonstrate that an experimental reduction of uteroplacental blood flow in the rat culminates in symptoms which clinically (hypertension, proteinuria) and pathophysiologically (eicosanoid system) resemble to preeclampsia.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗
PubMed1991

[Breast cancer grading by automated image processing].

Individual oncological therapy of carcinoma of the breast depends on information on the individual prognosis and malignancy. Image processing and analysis of the digital structure of the cellular nucleus adds new prognostic data to standard morphological and biochemical parameters and should be used for further individualisation of oncological therapy.

Breast↗
PubMed1990

[Ultrasonic diagnosis of fetal triploidy].

It can be assumed that among the most frequent pointers to triploidy are the sonographic proof of the existence of a voluminous and vacuolic placenta, early retardation of growth, and the presence of an oligohydramnios. Occasionally, other malformations are also observed, such as hydrocephalus or neural tube defects. Sonographic findings are demonstrated in two cases of triploidy found to exist before the 24 weeks of pregnancy in the living foetus. The clinical signs and patterns are discussed.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗