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Biomedical subjects

I Pollock

Publications and source records attributed to I Pollock.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Efficacy and acceptability of a new topical skin lotion of sodium cromoglicate (Altoderm) in atopic dermatitis in children aged 2-12 years: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory allergic disease of children. The primary anti-inflammatory therapy is topical steroids. An effective treatment without the topical and systemic adverse effects of corticosteroids would be useful. Topical formulations of sodium cromoglicate have been researched in the past, but without consistent results. We report a trial of a new aqueous skin lotion of sodium cromoglicate (Altoderm) in children with AD. OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy, safety and acceptability of Altoderm lotion with a placebo control in the treatment of AD in children. METHODS: A double-blind, controlled study in which children aged 2-12 years with AD were randomized to 12 weeks of treatment with a lotion containing 4% sodium cromoglicate (Altoderm) or the lotion base. To be included subjects had to have a SCORAD score of > or = 25 and < or = 60 at both of two clinic visits 14 days apart. Subjects continued using existing treatment which included emollients and topical steroids. The primary outcome was the change in the SCORAD score. The two groups were compared for the change in the SCORAD score from the second baseline visit to the visit after 12 weeks of treatment using an analysis of variance. Secondary outcome measures included parents' assessment of symptoms, usage of topical steroids recorded on daily diary cards, and final opinions of treatment by parent and clinician. Parents were asked about adverse effects at each clinic visit and the responses recorded. RESULTS: Fifty-eight children were randomized to Altoderm and 56 to placebo and all were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. The mean +/- SD SCORAD scores at baseline were 41.0 +/- 9.0 (Altoderm) and 40.4 +/- 8.73 (placebo). These scores were reduced after 12 weeks by 13.2 (36%) with Altoderm and by 7.6 (20%) with placebo. The difference of 5.6 (95% confidence interval 1.0-10.3) is statistically significant (P = 0.018). Diary card symptoms improved with both treatments but the improvement was greater in the Altoderm-treated patients. Topical steroid usage was reduced in both groups and was larger in the Altoderm-treated patients. The differences were statistically significant for the mean of all symptoms, the overall skin condition and use of topical steroids. Those for itching and sleep loss were not. Treatment-related adverse events were reported in 11 subjects (Altoderm seven, placebo four). Most of these referred to irritation, redness and burning at the site of application. There were four reports of erythema and pruritus (Altoderm three, placebo one), and three reports of application site burning (Altoderm two, placebo one). None was reported as severe or very severe. CONCLUSIONS: These results show a clinically useful benefit of this sodium cromoglicate lotion in children with moderately severe AD.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed1992

Prison medicine.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Ethics, Medical↗
PubMed1991

Plasma histamine and clinical tolerance to infused histamine in normal, atopic and urticarial subjects.

Five subjects with a recent history of urticaria (U), five atopic (A) subjects and a non-atopic (NA) control group were given intravenous infusions of histamine starting at 0.05 micrograms/kg/min, increasing by 0.05 micrograms/kg/min every 30 minutes to a maximum of 0.35 micrograms/kg/min. Plasma histamine levels were monitored every 15 minutes. The infusion was stopped when an objective clinical endpoint was reached, involving either evidence of peripheral vasodilatation (rise of skin temperature by at least 1 degree C) or a 20% fall of peak expiratory flow rate. There were no significant differences in resting plasma histamine in the three groups. Those with urticaria reached the clinical endpoint at a lower infusion rate than non-atopic subjects (U 0.22 +/- 0.02 micrograms/kg/min; A 0.26 +/- 0.02 micrograms/kg/min; NA 0.32 +/- 0.2 micrograms/kg/min. p less than 0.008) they also received a lower total histamine dose (U 1.12 +/- 0.33 mg; A 1.42 +/- 0.38 mg, NA 2.2 +/- 0.51 mg, p less than 0.008). Atopic subjects with a history of asthma, eczema or rhinitis also tolerated histamine poorly, some subjects reaching a clinical endpoint while the plasma histamine level was still relatively low (U 1.52 +/- 0.4 ng/ml, A 0.85 +/- 0.19 ng/ml, NA 1.4 +/- 0.44 ng/ml, p = 0.05). After the histamine infusion was stopped, the fall in the blood level of histamine was slower in urticarial subjects than in the other two groups, with a half-life of 6.2 +/- 1.3 min (A 3.0 +/- 1.2 min, NA 4.0 +/- 0.7 min, p less than 0.02). There were thus differences in the metabolism of histamine in our non-atopic urticarial subjects and increased histamine sensitivity in atopic subjects which require further study.

Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing)↗
PubMed1990

Measurement of airborne mite antigen in homes of asthmatic children.

The airborne concentration of major house dust mite antigen Der p1 was measured by low volume sampling (2 litres/min) in the homes of 68 allergic, asthmatic children. The presence of detectable airborne antigen was strongly associated with sensitivity to the mite, whereas there was no significant relation between sensitivity and the previously recommended threshold level of 2 micrograms Der p1 per g carpet dust. There was a significant association with lower threshold levels in carpet dust (0.5 microgram/g) but at no level was the association as strong as that with air measurements. Concentrations of airborne antigen were higher in rooms with wool carpets than in those with synthetic carpets or hard floors, but there was no significant difference between the dust levels of Der p1 in the two carpet types. Air sampling is a more appropriate method of assessing antigen exposure than dust sampling for asthmatic patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Effect of artificial food colours on childhood behaviour.

We performed an objective evaluation of 39 children whose behaviour was observed by their parents to improve on an artificial food additive free diet and to deteriorate with dietary lapses. Only 19 children completed a double blind placebo controlled challenge study with artificial food colours. In these children food colours were shown to have an adverse effect on a daily Conners' rating of behaviour, but most parents could not detect these changes. A pharmacological mechanism of food additive intolerance is proposed to explain these effects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Survey of colourings and preservatives in drugs.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of colourings and preservatives in drug formulations in the United Kingdom. DESIGN: Postal survey. PARTICIPANTS: All pharmaceutical manufacturers in the United Kingdom were requested to supply data on drug formulations with particular regard to the content of colourings and preservatives. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Prevalence in proprietary drugs of colourings or preservatives, or both, that have been implicated in adverse reactions. Computation of a list of formulations of bronchodilators, antihistamines, and antibiotics that are free of such additives. RESULTS: A total of 118 out of 120 pharmaceutical companies supplied the data requested. In all, 2204 drug formulations were analysed and found to contain 419 different additives, of which 52 were colourings and preservatives that have been implicated in adverse reactions; 930 formulations contained such an additive. Tartrazine was the fourth most commonly occurring colouring, being present in 124 drug formulations. CONCLUSION: Many drugs contain additives that help to identify them and prolong their shelf life but are implicated in adverse reactions in some people. Some form of labelling of drug additives would enable these people to avoid drugs containing such additives.

Chemistry, Pharmaceutical↗
PubMed1985

Ceftazidime in the treatment of neonatal infection.

The efficacy of ceftazidime in the treatment of neonatal sepsis was studied in 42 low birthweight premature babies. Forty-nine courses of ceftazidime (25 mg/kg bd, iv or im were administered. In 19 babies, treatment was stopped after 48 h, the remainder were treated for 5 days or more. Six neonates had bacteriological evidence of infection, one other was pyrexial and 29 had radiological evidence compatible with respiratory tract infection. Eight of the study population died. Only one death was attributed to infection which arose 3 days after completion of a 5-day course of ceftazidime. Two babies developed clinical signs of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Clostridium difficile (7) and Cl. perfringens (2) were isolated from 34 post-treatment faecal samples but not from the two babies with NEC. No faecal sample contained Cl. difficile toxin. Post-treatment cultures from 12 neonates yielded ceftazidime-resistant micro-organisms. Ceftazidime therapy was not associated with significant alteration in serum alanine aminotransferase, urea, creatinine, protein or albumin. Four babies had an eosinophilia, three transient and one following two intrauterine transfusions. Coombs' tests were performed on 17 babies. There were no false positives. The abnormal clotting studies observed in one baby were not due to ceftazidime. In a concurrent pharmacokinetic study, the half-life of ceftazidime was 7.4 (SD +/- 4.1) h following iv administration. Other pharmacokinetic values were C max 74 (SD +/- 20) mg l-1 trough concentration 20 (SD +/- 10) mg l-1. Total body clearance ranged from 0.13 to 2.10 ml min-1 per kg and increased with increasing postnatal age.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bacteria↗