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Biomedical subjects

I Papageorgiou

Publications and source records attributed to I Papageorgiou.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Late midtrimester medical pregnancy terminations: three different procedures with prostaglandin F2 alpha and laminaria tents.

One hundred twenty eight women underwent midtrimester induced abortion with: 1) combined regimen of intramniotic prostaglandin (PG) F2a injection and intracervical laminaria tents (group A, 50 women), 2) intramniotic PGF2a injection only (group B, 51 women) and 3) laminaria tents followed by intracervical PGF2a tablets insertion (group C, 27 women). The mean induction-abortion time (+/- SE) was 24.9 +/- 1.7 hours for group A, 28.2 +/- 2.2 hours for group B (p greater than 0.05) and 42.1 +/- 3.4 hours for group C, significantly longer than goup A and B (p less than 0.001 and p less than 0.01 respectively). In 48 hours 98% of the patients of group A, 90% of group B (p less than 0.05) and 59% of group C (p less than 0.001) completed the abortion procedure. Parous women of group A and B presented similar induction - abortion time, while in nulliparous the use of laminaria shortened the abortion procedure significantly (p less than 0.05). The complications rate was low. In conclusion, the intracervical PGF2a insertion is a simple but very slow abortion procedure with high failure rates. The intramniotic PGF2a injection is a successful method for late midtrimester medical pregnancy termination and the concurrent use of laminaria tents shortens the abortion procedure, particularly in nulliparous, reduces the number of prostaglandins' reinjections and increases the incidence of successful abortion within 48 hours.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMed1991

Expression of carcinoembryonic antigen and ferritin in normal, hyperplastic, and neoplastic endometrium.

The distribution of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and ferritin was demonstrated by immunohistochemical method in 95 patients with normal, hyperplastic, and neoplastic endometrium in order to distinguish among these conditions. Fifteen patients with normal endometrium (NE), 28 with hyperplasia (AH), 12 with atypical hyperplasia (AAH), and 40 with endometrial carcinoma (CA) were studied. Paraffin section tissues were subjected to immunostaining according to the avidin-biotin complex method. CEA was found in 33% of NE cases, 46% of AH, 75% of AAH, and 83% of CA (P less than 0.01). Ferritin was not detected in any case of NE; however, it was detected in one case (4%) of AH, in one case (8%) of AAH, and in 88% of CAs (P less than 0.001). Both tumor markers exhibited a heterogeneous staining pattern, and for a given histologic hyperplastic or malignant lesion, corresponded to several phenotypes. There was no significant correlation between clinical stage or tumor grade and CEA or ferritin expression. In conclusion, ferritin seems to be a better biological marker than CEA in distinguishing between hyperplastic and neoplastic endometrial lesions and it is also more reliable than CEA for endometrial malignancy since it was absent in normal and hyperplastic endometria.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Assessment of myocardial metabolism with iodine-123 heptadecanoic acid: effect of decreased fatty acid oxidation on deiodination.

Terminally radioiodinated fatty acid analogs are of potential use for the noninvasive delineation of regional alterations of fatty acid metabolism by gamma imaging. Since radioactivity from extracted iodine-123 heptadecanoic acid [( 123I]HDA) is released from the myocardium in form of free radioiodide (123I-) the present study was performed to determine whether deiodination of [123I]HDA is related to free fatty acid metabolism. Myocardial production of free radioiodide was measured in rat hearts in vitro and in vivo both under control conditions and after inhibition of fatty acid oxidation. In isolated rat hearts perfused at constant flow with a medium containing [123I]HDA, release of 123I- was markedly reduced during cardioplegia and pharmacologic inhibition of mitochondrial fatty acid transfer with POCA by 67% (p less than 0.005) and 72% (p less than 0.005), respectively. In fasted rats in vivo, 1 min after i.v. injection of [123I]HDA, 51 +/- 5% of myocardial radioactivity was recovered in the aqueous phase, containing free iodide, of myocardial lipid extracts. Aqueous activity was significantly decreased in fed (20 +/- 2%; p less than 0.002) and POCA pretreated (30 +/- 3.7%; p less than 0.05) animals exhibiting reduced oxidation of [14C]palmitate. Thus, deiodination of [123I]HDA was consistently reduced during inhibition of fatty acid oxidation in vitro and in vivo. The results apply to the interpretation of myocardial clearance curves of terminally radioiodinated fatty acid analogs.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Free fatty acid metabolism in "stunned" myocardium.

To assess whether myocardial lipid metabolism is altered in the "stunned" myocardium we have studied the metabolism of (1-14C)-palmitate during reperfusion in a modified rat heart preparation. Hearts were perfused retrogradely at a physiological flow rate (2 ml/min) in a non-recirculating system with erythrocyte-enhanced Krebs-Henseleit buffer containing albumin 0.4 mM, glucose 11 mM, palmitate 0.4 mM and trace amounts of (1-14C)-palmitate. Left ventricular pressure was measured by a latex balloon in the left ventricular cavity. Control hearts were perfused at constant flow for 120 min. To achieve reversible ischaemic damage, myocardial perfusion was reduced by 95% for 40 min, followed by reperfusion at the control flow rate for 60 min (reperfusion group). For comparison, irreversible damage was produced by calcium free perfusion (calcium paradox group). In the reperfusion group, the developed pressure was severely depressed 5 min after reperfusion to 23% of the value in the control group (p less than 0.05) but recovered to 84% (NS) at 60 min. In the calcium paradox group, mechanical activity ceased completely without recovery. Myocardial uptake of (1-14C)-palmitate in the reperfusion group was similar to the control experiments for the entire reperfusion period, whereas a marked depression was observed in the calcium paradox group. 14CO2 production was severely depressed at the onset of reperfusion in both the reperfusion and calcium paradox group to 42% (p less than 0.05) and 29% (p less than 0.05) respectively. In contrast to the calcium paradox group, 14CO2 production in the reperfusion group recovered progressively to 70% (NS) of the control value during the 60 min of reperfusion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of magnesium administered during postischemic reperfusion on myocardial oxidative metabolism in isolated rat hearts.

To determine the effect of magnesium on myocardial function and oxidative metabolism after reperfusion, isolated rat hearts perfused retrogradely with erythrocyte-enriched medium (0.4 mM palmitate bound to 0.4 mM albumin, 11 mM glucose) were subjected to 60 minutes of no-flow ischemia followed by 60 minutes of reperfusion. Untreated postischemic hearts exhibited after 15 minutes of reperfusion recovery of myocardial oxygen consumption to 65% of the preischemic value despite persistent depression of left ventricular isovolumic pressure development to 21%. Magnesium (15 mM) administered during the initial 30 minutes of reperfusion reduced myocardial oxygen consumption of reperfuse myocardium by 35%. Oxidation of [1-14C]palmitate was slightly more reduced (-55%) than oxidation of [U-14C]glucose (-42%). Magnesium did not influence ultimate recovery of contractile function and cumulative myocardial release of creatine kinase. Thus, 15 mM magnesium administered during reperfusion elicited a reduction of oxidative metabolism. However, magnesium did not modify myocardial injury.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Epinephrine-stimulated contractile and metabolic reserve in postischemic rat myocardium.

Recovery of contractile function and of fatty acid oxidation may be delayed in viable postischemic myocardium. To determine whether a metabolic reserve is preserved after reperfusion of reversibly injured myocardium, we studied the effect of epinephrine on myocardial fatty acid oxidation in isolated rat hearts perfused retrogradely with erythrocyte enriched buffer containing albumin 0.4 mM, palmitate 0.4 mM, and glucose 11 mM. Hearts were subjected to 60 min of low-flow ischemia (5% of control flow) followed by 60 min of reperfusion. Five minutes following the onset of reperfusion, developed left ventricular pressure (DLVP) and oxidation of palmitate were reduced to 53% (p less than 0.01) and 46% (p less than 0.01), respectively, of values measured in nonischemic control hearts. Subsequently, DLVP and oxidation of palmitate gradually recovered to 78% (NS) and 91% (NS) by 60 min of reperfusion. Epinephrine 5.10(-1) M elicited an immediate stimulation of both contractile function and palmitate oxidation. Early after reperfusion stimulated DLVP and palmitate oxidation were still lower compared to values measured in control hearts exposed to the same concentration of epinephrine. Later than 15 min after the onset of reperfusion the response of DLVP and of palmitate oxidation to epinephrine no longer differed between control and reperfused hearts. These results indicate that viable postischemic myocardium exhibits a remarkable oxidative metabolic reserve. The observation provides further evidence for the view that impairment of myocardial energy production is not responsible for contractile dysfunction early after reperfusion.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Determination of N-acetylation phenotyping in a Greek population using caffeine as a metabolic probe.

Studies of isoniazid, the well known antituberculosis drug, have revealed that N-acetylation polymorphism, is of great clinical importance. In humans, N-acetylation is one of the most important pathways in the inactivation of isoniazid. Caffeine, which is also biotransformed by N-acetylation, has been widely used as an in vivo probe for the assessment of N-acetyltransferase polymorphism. The activity of N-acetyltransferase can be estimated from the urinary metabolic ratio of two caffeine metabolites, namely, 5-acetylamino-6-formylamino-3-methyluracil (AFMU), and 1-methylxanthine (1X) after the ingestion of caffeine. In the present study caffeine was used as a metabolic probe to determine N-acetyltransferase polymorphism in 83 healthy Greek volunteers by means of the molar ratio of AFMU and IX determined in urine following ingestion of 200 mg caffeine. Frequency distribution analysis of the metabolic ratios AFMU/1X revealed two distinct groups with 66.3% (n = 55) slow acetylators and 33.7 % (n = 28) rapid acetylators. No statistically significant difference was detected between slow and fast acetylators in terms of gender, smoking habits and caffeine-intake habits. These results are in agreement with previous studies on N-acetyltransferase activity in Caucasians using caffeine as a metabolic probe. They also agree with reports on N-acetyltransferase activity in Greek tuberculosis patients using isoniazid as a metabolic probe. Thus, the use of caffeine as a metabolic probe is a reliable method for the assessment of N-acetyltransferase activity in the Greek population.

Acetylation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Absence of transplacental passage of the low molecular weight heparin enoxaparin.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) during pregnancy and puerperium remains a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. The use of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) constitutes a promising alternative for the prevention of VTE instead of unfractionated heparin as it can be administered subcutaneously once daily and without coagulation measurement. Unfortunately, the safety of LMWHs administration for the mother and fetus has not been well established. STUDY DESIGN: In order to examine the safety of enoxaparin to the fetus, 24 women were recruited and 40 mg of enoxaparin was administered in 14 of them. All 24 women were going to have an early termination of pregnancy due to major fetal malformations. Maternal blood samples were drawn before and after the injection of enoxaparin, while fetal blood samples were taken only after the drug administration. Anti-IIa and anti-Xa activities were measured. RESULTS: A statistically significant increase of anti-Xa activity in the mothers studied was pointed out, while there was no detection of anti-IIa and anti-Xa activities in the fetuses. CONCLUSIONS: Since no anti-IIa and anti-Xa activities were detected in the fetuses' blood samples, it is concluded that enoxaparin does not cross the placenta and therefore appears safe for the fetus.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Systemic lupus erythematosus - associated acute severe thrombocytopenia and leukopenia first presented in pregnancy.

We report a rare case of acute severe thrombocytopenia and leukopenia, which first presented at 37 weeks' gestation. Based on clinical as well as on laboratory findings the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus was made. The patient was successfully managed with an emergency transfusion of 6 units of platelets and intravenous immunoglobulin infusion followed by methylprednisolone administration. A caesarean section was performed at 39 weeks. The neonate was not thrombocytopenic at birth, nor at the age of 1 month.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Conservative treatment after miscarriage of one fetus in multifetal pregnancies. Report of three cases and review of the literature.

One triplet and two twin pregnancies, with a delayed delivery of 70, 98 and 85 days, respectively, are presented. In all cases one neonate survived. Regarding both the literature and our own cases, we can make the following management suggestions: (a) the cord should be ligated as high as possible; (b) fetal growth, cervical length and dilatation should be observed by weekly ultrasound scans, and (c) it seems that both cervical cerclage and tocolysis prolong the delivery interval, while prophylactic antibiotics have no beneficial effect. Triplet pregnancy in a single uterus and with a 70-day interval between the delivery of the first and that of the remaining 2 fetuses is a rare occurrence. Moreover the delay of 98 days, in our second case, represents the fourth longest delivery interval reported in the literature.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗