Biomedical subjects

H R Christensen

Publications and source records attributed to H R Christensen.

50 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1990

PEEP-masks in patients with severe obstructive pulmonary disease: a negative report.

Positive pressure during expiration by face masks applied by the patient has gained wide acceptance in the treatment of chronic bronchitis, but the efficacy is still unproven. The effect of 6 months of treatment with PEEP-masks (positive end-expiratory pressure) was therefore studied in 47 patients with severe irreversible obstructive pulmonary disease (forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) about 1 l), and mucus hypersecretion. Patients were double-blindly randomized to at least 45 min daily treatment with PEEP-masks with either 10 or 0 cm water pressure. After 6 months of treatment, no statistical difference was found between the two groups in change of median values (month 6 - month 0) of FEV1, forced vital capacity (FVC), arterial oxygen tension (PaO2), amount of sputum or dyspnoea. Median values of arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) decreased significantly (0.03 kPa) in the placebo group. Cough intensity and dyspnoea during walking on staircases improved significantly in the placebo group. No difference among groups was found in number of days bedridden, hospitalized, number of exacerbations or antibiotic consumption. We conclude, that the use of PEEP-masks in these patients is without clinical documentation and cannot be recommended.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

Antitrophic properties of antihypertensive drugs may depend solely on their blood pressure-lowering capability. A comparative study of isradipine, hydralazine, and metoprolol.

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of antihypertensive treatment on the structure of intramyocardial resistance vessels in spontaneously hypertensive rats. The rats were divided into four groups: one was used as control and the other three were treated from the age of four to 24 weeks with isradipine, hydralazine, and metoprolol, respectively. Half of the animals in each group were examined at the end of active treatment and the rest were examined three weeks later. The rats were anesthetized and killed during constant flow perfusion with 1 percent glutaraldehyde. The media index was determined by point counting. The media indices of rats treated with isradipine and hydralazine were significantly smaller than those of age-matched spontaneously hypertensive rat controls, whereas the media indices of rats in the metoprolol group did not differ significantly. Three weeks after treatment withdrawal, the media index tended to increase in all three groups, but the values for the isradipine and hydralazine groups were still significantly reduced. Non-invasive blood pressure measurements taken at the same time demonstrated a significant blood pressure reduction in all groups, although differences within each treatment group were evident. All pressures had stabilized on the level of spontaneously hypertensive rats three weeks after withdrawal. Thus, it is evident that both isradipine and hydralazine were able to prevent hypertrophy of intramyocardial vascular structure and continue to do so even after treatment withdrawal. This finding is consistent with previous findings, suggesting a close relationship between the extent of blood pressure reduction and the degree of prevention of vascular hypertrophy.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

Effect of theophylline and salbutamol on hepatic drug metabolism.

Fifteen otherwise healthy asthmatics with reversible airway obstruction were treated with salbutamol (8 mg slow release twice daily) and theophylline (300 mg twice daily). Each drug was administered for 4 weeks in a double-blind randomized crossover trial. Irrespective of which drug was given first, salbutamol increased antipyrine clearance significantly by a factor of 1.10 and 1.15 after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment, respectively. Theophylline did not change antipyrine clearance. There was no correlation between the extent of change in antipyrine clearance during either of the drug treatments and alterations in lung function as assessed by changes in peak flow, forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in first second.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

Influence of rifampicin on thyroid gland volume, thyroid hormones, and antipyrine metabolism.

The influence of rifampicin (450 mg/day for 28 days) on the hepatic microsomal enzymes and thyroid function variables were investigated in 13 healthy male volunteers. After 14 and 28 days of treatment a significant increase in median thyroid volume (determined ultrasonically) was demonstrated (20 ml, range 13-28 before; 26 ml, range 18-48 at day 14, and 24 ml, range 17-40 at day 28) (p less than 0.01). A significant decrease in median serum free T4 index levels was seen (94.1 arbitrary units, range 80.1-123.4 before treatment; 86.8, range 71.7-102.0 at day 14, and 85.3, range 65.5-131.3 at day 28) (p less than 0.01). Serum T4, T3, T3 resin uptake, free T3 index and TSH levels were not significantly altered. Hepatic microsomal enzyme activity assessed by antipyrine clearance was significantly increased (approximately by 85%) at day 14 and 28, whereafter it normalized. The study supports the hypothesis that the increase in thyroid volume after treatment with rifampicin and other hepatic enzyme system inducers (e.g. phenytoin and carbamazepine) is a compensatory mechanism caused by an increased hepatic degradation of thyroid hormones.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Long-term hypotensive effects of an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor in spontaneously hypertensive rats: is there a role for vascular structure?

Male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were treated from 4 to 24 weeks of age with perindopril, an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, in doses of 0.4 and 0.8 mg/kg per day; we investigated the effects of these doses on blood pressure during and after withdrawal of treatment, and on the structural and functional characteristics of the resistance vessels. During treatment, mean blood pressure was maintained close to the level of normotensive control Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). At the age of 24 weeks, a resistance vessel segment was taken as a biopsy from the third branch of the superior mesenteric artery, and the structural and functional parameters were determined using an isometric myograph. Taken together with previous results the measurements showed that perindopril had a dose-dependent effect on both blood pressure and resistance vessel media thickness. Treatment was then withdrawn. Twelve weeks later, the mean blood pressure in both groups was still significantly reduced compared to that of age-matched SHR controls, but was no longer dose-related, nor was it related to the resistance vessel media thickness at age 24 weeks. The results suggest that the continuing reduction in blood pressure after withdrawal of treatment with perindopril may not be directly related to the drug's effect on resistance vessel structure.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗

PubMed1987

Influence of prednisolone on antipyrine elimination in patients with obstructive lung disease.

The influence of prednisolone on the elimination of antipyrine has been investigated. The one-sample antipyrine clearance was estimated in 23 outpatients with obstructive lung disease before and after treatment with prednisolone 30 or 50 mg/day for 7 days. During prednisolone administration antipyrine clearance decreased from 54.9 +/- 14.8 to 51.7 +/- 14.6 ml/min (mean +/- SD; p less than 0.05). The results indicate that prednisolone decreases the rate of antipyrine elimination, but not to an extent suggesting a clinically important change in hepatic drug metabolism.

Antipyrine↗

PubMed1987

Reproductive performance and productive traits of beef bulls selected for different levels of testosterone response to GnRH.

In two separate studies, one with four Hereford-Shorthorn and one with three Zebu x British crossbred bulls, the efficacy of using the testosterone response to gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH; Lutal, Hoechst) to predict differences in reproductive performance was assessed. Young bulls (17 or 29 months of age) selected for low to high (3.1 to 10.3 ng/ml) peak plasma testosterone 2 to 2.5 hours after the intramuscular injection of GnRH (62.5 to 2000 ng/kg LWT) were each later individually joined with groups of 19 to 30 cows in which estrus had been synchronized. In both studies, the rankings of bulls for overall fertility (capable cows pregnant), for libido (estrous cows mounted), and for fertilizing ability (mounted cows pregnant) were in close agreement with rankings for testosterone responses to GnRH. In the Bos indicus bulls rankings for both reproductive performance and testosterone response to GnRH were repeatable when measured at two and four years of age. Other reproductive measurements (semen quality, scrotal circumference, pen-type serving capacity tests) were less reliable predictors of reproductive performance. Measurements of liveweight gains and parasite resistance indicated that bulls superior for these characteristics do not always have satisfactory reproductive performance. These studies suggest that the testosterone response to GnRH could be a useful test to ensure that bulls selected for productive traits have adequate reproductive potential.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1986