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Biomedical subjects

J P Moody

Publications and source records attributed to J P Moody.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Biologic variation of serum and salivary lithium.

Within- and between-subject variability in serum and salivary lithium concentrations in nine psychiatric inpatients on stable drug regimens undergoing therapy has been assessed using criteria for determining biologic variation. This allows separation of analytic from other measures of variance. There were marked differences in inter- and intra-subject variance for serum and salivary lithium concentrations for serum/salivary ratios. Moreover, these variances were greater for salivary lithium than for serum concentrations. The results have been used to assess analytical performance, the usefulness of the therapeutic range, and the reference change interval. Despite greater variance for salivary concentrations, predicted serum concentrations from predetermined serum/saliva ratios were in good agreement with actual concentrations in most subjects.

Adult↗

Skin content of 7-dehydrocholesterol in patients with malabsorption.

The mechanism for the development of vitamin D deficiency in patients with malabsorption remains unclear. We wished to examine the hypothesis that one factor was a reduced skin content of 7-dehydrocholesterol, the precursor for the formation of vitamin D in the presence of ultraviolet radiation. We measured 7-dehydrocholesterol in skin samples from 9 patients who had previously had vitamin D deficiency due to malabsorption (6 with Crohn's disease, 2 with primary biliary cirrhosis, and 1 with idiopathic pseudo-obstruction). We found no evidence of reduced levels of 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin in these patients. Lack of 7-dehydrocholesterol does not contribute to vitamin D deficiency in malabsorption.

Adult↗

Persistence of metaldehyde during acute molluscicide poisoning.

A case is presented in which a 37-year-old man took an overdose of Slugit, liquid containing metaldehyde. Significant concentrations were found in his serum and urine for several days afterwards. Acetaldehyde and ethanol were not detected. The significance of these findings is discussed.

Acetaldehyde↗

Determination of 7-dehydrocholesterol in human skin by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A two-stage chromatographic procedure has been devised for the measurement of 7-dehydrocholesterol in human skin. Extracts containing ergosterol as internal standard underwent preparative chromatography on a Spherisorb S5W column using hexane-1% isopropanol as solvent, and an eluted fraction was analysed with an Ultrasphere 5-microns ODS column with methanol-tetrahydrofuran-17.5 mM KH2PO4 (95:1:4, v/v) as solvent and using an amperometric detector at 1.7 V. 7-Dehydrocholesterol could be reliably assayed in human skin samples as small as 5 mm in diameter. In hospital patients skin 7-dehydrocholesterol concentrations ranged from 12 to 81 micrograms/g dry weight.

Aging↗

Fatality due to massive overdose of sodium valproate.

A 40-year-old woman admitted after a massive overdose of sodium valproate was found to have a serum valproate level of 18,900 mumol/1 which is the highest ever reported. She underwent cardio-respiratory failure, bone marrow suppression and neurological depression, subsequently dying. On post-mortem there was haemorrhagic pancreatitis but no histological evidence of hepatotoxicity. Valproate levels measured in various post-portem tissues and fluids indicated a high level in bile (21,375 mumol/1) suggesting that enteral administration of activated charcoal might be of some benefit by decreasing enterohepatic circulation of the drug.

Adult↗

Measurement of valproic acid in serum as the 4-bromophenacyl ester by high performance liquid chromatography.

A method for the analysis of valproic acid in plasma or serum has been developed. The specimen is deproteinized with acetonitrile containing nonanoic acid as internal standard and an aliquot of supernate is heated at 70 degrees C for 15 min with 4-bromophenacyl bromide at pH 7. An aliquot of the reaction mixture is subjected to reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography at ambient temperature and a detector wavelength of 254 nm. Drug and internal standard eluted within 6 min. The method correlated well with a gas chromatographic procedure. Recoveries ranged from 85 to 108% and the day-to-day coefficients of variation ranged from 3.8 to 10.7%.

Acetophenones↗

Alteration of pharmacokinetics after halving a slow-release theophylline tablet.

A study was carried out in 10 healthy volunteers to determine the effects on the bioavailability of theophylline from a biconvex-shaped, slow-release 400 mg theophylline tablet formulation when the tablet was taken whole or as two separate halves in a single dose. The subjects took one or other dosage regimen on different occasions separated by a 7-day washout period. The results showed that absorption was faster and plasma levels were higher when the 400 mg tablet was taken as 2 halves.

Adult↗

Why smoke fewer cigarettes?

Sixteen volunteers were tested when smoking their own brand of cigarettes normally and when smoking half their usual number of cigarettes. While smoking half their usual amount the subjects changed their inhalation behaviour. Over this period the percentages of carboxyhaemoglobin were not significantly different from steady-state values where plasma nicotine concentration rose significantly. With the reduction in cigarettes there were significant falls in haemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, and red cell count. These findings suggest that the advice given to patients to smoke fewer cigarettes should be accompanied by a warning against increasing inhalation. Patients who say that they have reduced their smoking but who have unaltered carboxyhaemoglobin concentrations should not be discredited.

Adult↗

Controlled studies of the acute antidepressant effects of lithium.

In two randomized double-blind controlled trials on 63 depressed female in-patients subject to recurrent affective disorder (bipolar and unipolar manic-depressive psychosis) lithium was shown to have major acute antidepressant effects. At the end of three weeks lithium produced more uniform improvement than did imipramine; lithium in combination with tryptophan (in the form of Optimax) was superior to tryptophan alone--the latter drug having no discernible antidepressant activity in this group of patients. Lithium did not produce an antidepressant effect until the second and third week of both trials.

Adult↗

Attempt to demonstrate an in vivo effect of mianserin hydrochloride on erythrocyte Na+-K+-ATPase activity and cyclic AMP concentration.

1. There is evidence that erythrocyte Na+-K+-ATPase activity and erythrocyte cyclic AMP change on recovery from a depressive illness. Mianserin is a recently introduced antidepressant but its mode of action is unknown. The present study was therefore designed to investigate in vivo the effect of mianserin on erythrocyte Na+-K+-ATPase and cyclic AMP. 2. Biochemical estimations were made on blood from depressed patients before beginning either mianserin or matched placebo treatment, after 1 week, and again after 2 weeks' treatment. 3. Neither the erythrocyte Na+-K+-ATPase, nor the erythrocyte cyclic AMP concentration, changed significantly in either the mianserin- or the placebo-treated group. 4. The study sheds no light on the possible mechanism of action of mianserin.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Pharmacokinetic aspects of protriptyline plasma levels.

Plasma levels of protriptyline have been determined in 30 patients undergoing antidepressant therapy. After 3 1/2 weeks treatment at dosage levels of 40 mg/day, protriptyline plasma levels ranged from 430 to 1430 nmol/l. During this period only two-thirds of the subjects had definitely achieved asymptotic concentrations. Single dose studies in 5 volunteers suggest that the volume of distribution of protriptyline shows little intersubject variation. The half life of the drug, however, may vary appreciably from subject to subject, ranging from 54 to 198 h. The effects of two sedatives on mean protriptyline plasma levels have been determined. Mean plasma levels for nitrazepam recipients are indistinguishable from those for patients receiving no night sedation. The mean plasma levels for a group of patients receiving sodium amylobarbitone were significantly reduced. The problems of choice and early adjustment of dosages in order to achieve satisfactory plasma levels is discussed. For practical purposes it is suggested that early values may be of predictive significance in allowing early dosage adjustments to be made.

Administration, Oral↗

Plasma tryptophan concentration in depressive illness and mania.

Total and free plasma trytophan levels were measured in depressive and manic patients before and after recovery. No change was found in total or free plasma trytophan concentration on recovery from depressive illness. Free plasma tryptophan levels were higher in recovered manics than in active manics, and a group of four manic patients tested before and after recovery showed a significant increase in free plasma tryptophan concentration on recovery.

Adult↗

Plasma concentrations of protriptyline and clinical effects in depressed women.

We studied the relationship between side effects, clinical outcome and the drug plasma levels in 28 female depressed patients treated with protriptyline. After 3 1/2 weeks treatment, patients with plasma levels within a median range (630 to 900 nmol/l) showed better responses to the drug than patients with plasma levels outside this range. There were no statistically signficant correlations between plasma levels and side effect scores or 'corrected' side effect scores (scores after subtracting pretreatment values) for the group at any time after starting the treatment. But we found positive correlations between plasma levels and 'corrected' side effect scores for the neurotic subgroup after 14 and 21 days of treatment. Other correlations between plasma levels and side effect scores were non-significant.

Adjustment Disorders↗