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Biomedical subjects

K Hackenberg

Publications and source records attributed to K Hackenberg.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

RTIME: a program for time-series measurements and evaluation in electrophysiology with the AT-PC.

This work describes a program which uses a standard RS232-serial interface of an IBM-AT-compatible microcomputer to receive via four data lines input from any laboratory equipment (spike discriminators, stimulus equipment, etc.) generating pulses between 0 to -15 V (low) and +5 to +15 V (high). Therefore, program operation is independent from any hardware extensions of the computer. The time of occurrence of input pulses is recorded with a resolution of 10 microseconds. Depending on processor speed and optional on-line display of interval histograms, a maximum sampling rate of 1.3-6 kHz is attained. Designed primarily for electrophysiological applications, the program comprises an extensive set of functions for off-line analysis of data either in the time- or in the phase-domain. The program is controlled by menu-selectable commands with detailed on-line explanation and is therefore suited for use even by operators without computer experience, e.g., students on courses in experimental physiology. Elaborate schemes of evaluation can be defined as macro commands to speed up and simplify complex data analysis in actual research.

Action Potentials

Carbamazepine monotherapy in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal.

More than 135 different strategies for medical treatment have been described for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndromes. The substances used most frequently (benzodiazepines, barbiturates, or clomethiazol) themselves pose some risk for abuse or addiction. Anticonvulsants, especially carbamazepine (CBZ), have been discussed for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal since the early seventies. Various studies report favourable results with CBZ, usually combined with sedative agents. Nineteen out-patients and 19 in-patients took part in an open study of CBZ in alcohol withdrawal. The dose of CBZ was adjusted individually and ranged from a mean dose of 761 mg on day 1 to 616 mg on day 3 and to 388 mg on day 7 in the group of out-patients, and from 789 mg on day 1, 694 mg on day 3 to 562 mg on day 7 in the sample of in-patients. The "Objective Clinical Scale in Assessment and Measurement of Alcohol Withdrawal" (OCSAMAW) was used for treatment evaluation. Statistical analysis showed a significant improvement on the 5%-level in both groups; four in-patients needed concomitant treatment with oxazepam. Nausea and pruritus were the most common side-effects of CBZ treatment.

Adult

Sucralfate in the treatment and prevention of gastric ulcer: multicentre double blind placebo controlled study.

A randomised controlled multicentre trial was performed in 160 patients with gastric ulcer, proved by endoscopy and biopsy, to compare ulcer healing with sucralfate and ranitidine (double blind double dummy design) and to assess the effect of maintenance treatment with sucralfate on ulcer recurrence (double blind placebo controlled design). The healing rates were similar with 4 g sucralfate suspension per day and 300 mg ranitidine per day (82% and 88% after 12 weeks, respectively). Of the 109 patients with healed ulcers, 92 were entered into the maintenance trial and treated with sucralfate tablets (2 g per day) or placebo tablets. Maintenance treatment with sucralfate delayed symptoms of gastric ulcer recurrence. Lifetable analysis showed significant differences between sucralfate and placebo, both after six months (p = 0.018) and after 12 months (p = 0.044). The rates of symptom recurrences were 13% and 34% after six months and 34% and 55% after 12 months for sucralfate and placebo, respectively. The rate of asymptomatic recurrences after 12 months was similar in the two groups (9% and 10%, respectively). The recurrence rate was higher in patients who had never taken non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs than in those who had but had stopped on admission to the study. It was also higher in patients with recurrent ulcer and in those with scarring deformation and narrowing of the pylorus. Maintenance treatment with sucralfate slowed the appearance of symptom recurrences of gastric ulcer.

Adult

[Effect of a 2 mg thyroxine bolus on the hypophyseal-thyroid axis (author's transl)].

The effect of a single dose of 2 mg L-thyroxine on central and peripheral parameters of the hypophyseal-thyroid axis was studied on ten euthyroid and ten hypothyroid patients, and ten with euthyroid goitre. Without the occurrence of hyperthyroid symptoms, the T4 serum level was raised for five days in the euthyroid group, for 11 days in the hypothyroid ones. During this time the T3 serum level did not alter. Suppression of iodine uptake by the thyroid and TSH secretion of the hypophysis persisted longer, both for basal and TRH-stimulated liberation, than the substitution effect. Even when the T4 bolus has to be at a higher total T4 dose for the same therapeutic effect than with daily small single doses, it is a comparable alternative to present-day forms of treatment. It is of particular advantage where there are medical reasons for widely spaced drug intake or rapid normalisation of the T4 serum level is deemed desirable.

Female

Binding of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone to human serum proteins--influence of a chronic treatment with a more potent analogue of LH-RH.

Binding of 125I-LH-RH and its analogue, 125I-6-D-Leu-10-Des-Gly-Ethylamide-LH-RH (6-D-LH-RH) in male serum was studied in 10 healthy males and in 11 patients with idiopathic gonadotropin deficiency (IGD) before and during treatment with 6-D-LH-RH. Using either equilibrium dialysis (A) or ethanol precipitation (B) 13.57 +/- 0.69% (A) or 19.32 +/- 1.73% (B) of LH-RH and 7.12 +/- 0.86% (A) or 14.56 +/- 1.06% (B) of the analogue were in the bound form, without difference between normal subjects and IGD. Capacity of this binding was high (greater than 9 less than 18 mu-Mol LH-RH/0.06 mMol of protein), affinity very low, and the binding almost completely disappeared following removal of albumins by affinity chromatography. Chronic treatment with 6-D-LH-RH did not alter these binding characteristics. These observations suggest non specific albumin binding of LH-RH in male serum and stress the role of this decapeptide as a rapid modulating regulator of gonadotropin secreting system.

Blood Proteins

Immunoreactive somatomedin B in acromegaly and in Turner's syndrome.

Serum somatomedin B was measured by radioimmunoassay in forty-seven normal subjects, twenty-nine patients with acromegaly before and twenty-four after treatment, and eighteen patients with Turner's syndrome. Somatomedin B levels were significantly elevated in untreated acromegaly and in Turner's syndrome compared with the control group; they decreased following treatment of acromegaly. Because of the overlap between the groups, little information could be obtained from single somatomedin B estimations, which could, therefore, not replace dynamic tests of growth hormone secretion. No correlation between growth hormone and somatomedin B in acromegaly was detected; however, somatomedin B appeared to be related to the insulin response during the oral glucose tolerance test. In Turner's syndrome, no relationship between somatomedin B and insulin production, urinary oestrogen excretion, growth hormone secretion, gonadotrophin levels, age or height was found. The reason for the raised somatomedin B levels in Turner's syndrome remains at present unknown.

Acromegaly

Gel filtration studies of serum growth hormone in acromegaly following bromocriptine administration.

Sera of 7 patients with active acromegaly were fractionated by Sephadex G-100 chromatography and the effects of bromocriptine on the concentrations of total growth hormone (hGH) and its different molecular forms studied. Three immunoreactive peaks were observed, corresponding to molecular weights of about 20,000 ('little hGH'), 40,000 ('big hGH'), and more than 100,000 ('big big hGH') Following bromocriptine administration, there was significantly more reduction of 'little hGH' than of 'big big hGH'. Careful interpretation of these changes is required in view of the possible influences of sample storage and handling on hGH heterogeneity. We suggest that either bromocriptine acts differentially on the release of 'little' and 'big big hGH', or that these components differ in their metabolic half-life. However, even the suppression of 'little hGH' is insufficient to explain the clinical response of the disease to bromocriptine.

Acromegaly

[Combined doxorubicin and bleomycin treatment of metastasising thyroid carcinoma: results in 21 patients (author's transl)].

The effectiveness of combined cytostatic treatment with doxorubicin and bleomycin was analysed in 21 patients with metastasising thyroid carcinoma which had progressed despite both surgical and radiotherapy. Tumour histology (anaplastic carcinoma in 50%), age and general condition of all patients pointed to a poor prognosis. Significant success (full or partial remission) occurred in eight patients. It is possible that these results can be improved if chemotherapy is started earlier and other cytostatic drugs are used in case of failure of treatment.

Adult