Biomedical subjects

L Bojić

Publications and source records attributed to L Bojić.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1998

Comparison of chlorthalidone, propranolol and bopindolol in six-month treatment of arterial hypertension.

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that prolonged treatment of mild to moderate hypertension with low-dose thiazide diuretics or beta blockers does not induce any of the major untoward biochemical changes, such as hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, hyperuricemia and electrolyte imbalances. The effect of these drugs was analyzed in 100 outpatients (52 males and 48 females) aged 52.0 +/- 7.9 years with mild to moderate hypertension, in a prospective 6-month study. After an appropriate workup, the patients were randomized to either 25 mg chlorthalidone (40 patients), 120 mg propranolol (30 patients), or 2 mg per day bopindolol (30 patients). A significant reduction of approximately 10% in systolic and diastolic blood pressure was recorded in all the groups. At the end of the 6th month, in the chlorthalidone group triglycerides increased to 3.0 +/- 2.1 mmol/l from 2.8 +/- 1.6 mmol/l, while cholesterol after an initial increase to 6.6 +/- 1.6 from 6.4 +/- 1.6 mmol/l returned to the baseline level. Uricemia and serum potassium concentration decreased by 4%. The body weight was reduced to 83.8 +/- 13.4 kg from 86.1 +/- 13.4 kg. There was no change in serum glucose level. In the propranolol group, as expected, heart rate decreased by 20%, but there were no significant changes in glucose and potassium plasma concentration. Triglycerides did not change significantly, while cholesterol, after a small increase, returned to the initial levels. Similar results were obtained in the bopindolol group, apart from the triglycerides, which increased significantly (to 2.5 +/- 1.1 from 2.2 +/- 0.4 mmol/l), probably because of the lower baseline concentration. We conclude that in prolonged treatment, chlorthalidone, propranolol and bopindolol do not induce significant untoward biochemical changes that alone might increase cardiovascular risk.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Intraocular pressure and visual field defects.

During a five-year study period, therapeutic levels of intraocular pressure (IOP) and visual field defects were assessed in 108 patients with open-angle glaucoma. In a group of 53 glaucoma patients with non-progressive visual field changes (mean age 65.2 +/- 6.3 years), the IOP level was 15.8 +/- 2.6 mm Hg, whereas in a group of 58 patients with progressive visual field changes (mean age 68.7 +/- 8.3 years) the IOP level was 19.9 +/- 2.9 mm Hg. Study results suggested that preservation of the visual field in glaucoma patients requires therapeutic IOP levels of < 16 mm Hg.

Disease Progression↗

PubMed1997

Venous tone in glaucoma and hypertension.

The aim of this study was the assessment of physiological venous reflexes in systemically hypertensive and normotensive subjects with primary open-angle glaucoma. The experimental group consisted of 20 normotensive and 20 untreated systemically hypertensive patients with open-angle glaucoma. The control group consisted of 31 volunteers divided into two subgroups: 16 control normotensives and 15 untreated hypertensives. The assessment of venous tone changes was performed by testing venous reflexes. Venoconstriction responses to physiological stimuli were significantly decreased in normotensive glaucoma patients, compared to normotensive controls [for the Valsalva manoeuvre 93.4 +/- 80.2 vs. 413.3 +/- 335.4 venoconstrictive units (VCUs), p = 0.02, and for a deep breath 89.1 +/- 100.1 vs. 316.8 +/- 343.2 VCUs, p = 0.03]. The intensity of venous reflexes in hypertensive glaucoma patients did not differ significantly from that seen in hypertensive controls, due to a significantly weaker flex venoconstriction in hypertensive controls when compared to normotensive controls subjects. This study confirmed the presence of venous dysregulation in subjects with primary open-angle glaucoma and visual field loss as a part of an autonomic dysfunction. Systemic hypertension does not make this condition worse.

Aged↗

PubMed1997

Venous reflex testing in glaucoma.

The aim of this study was the assessment of physiological venous reflexes in open angle glaucoma. The study was carried out by a controlled clinical experiment. The experimental group consisted of 17 glaucoma patients with controlled intraocular pressure. The control group consisted of 15 healthy volunteers. The assessment of venous tone changes was performed by means of the test of "venous reflexes". Venoconstriction responses to physiological stimuli were significantly decreased in glaucoma patients (p < 0.05). The results suggested venous dysregulation as part of sympathetic dysfunction in glaucoma.

Glaucoma, Open-Angle↗

PubMed1996

Vinylchloride monomer exposure by the plastic industry workers basic condition for liver angiosarcoma appearance.

The retrospective study of vinylchloridemonomer (VCM) exposure at 37 workers in the period from 1969 till 1987 was done, average time of exposition was 1.843 +/- 1.105 h, average VCM concentration was 543 +/- 228 ppm and average total exposure amount ("cumulative concentration of VCM") was 1.103811 +/- 1.050 766 ppmh at the time of autoclave cleaning 0.4 +/- 0.1 h. According updata investigations, high VCM concentration is essential for liver angiosarcoma (ASL) occurrence although the length of exposure is of concern. The possibility of new cases of angiosarcoma of liver is warned about.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Hyperbaric oxygen for the treatment of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.

This clinical study tackled the problem of hyperbaric oxygen in patients with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. Twenty-one patients were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups: experimental and control. Experimental group consisted of 10 patients, who had been previously treated with corticosteroids, without significant success. In four patients with a clinical picture of PNO atrophy, medical steroid treatment failed to any significant improvement in visual acuity. In 6 patients, however, this treatment resulted in a significant improvement of both visual acuity and field of vision. These patients showed further improvement on control testing performed six month later. All patients from the control group were treated with corticosteroids per os and by local application, but without any significant improvement as revealed by visual acuity and visual field testing. Authors' results pointed the possibility of conservative treatment of patients with anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, especially those in whom steroid therapy had proved inefficient.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

[Relation between the quantity, type and duration of alcohol drinking and the development of alcoholic liver cirrhosis].

Patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis in Dalmatian region are presented in this paper and their social and medical characteristics are reviewed. The alcohol drinking habits of 211 patients with established clinical-laboratory criteria of alcoholic liver cirrhosis were investigated. The obtained results have been compared with the results of the control group. The average age of the patients was 51.6 years. Males were more numerous (2/3 of all examinees), while the average duration of alcohol consumption was 25.4 years. Wine was the most frequently consumed beverage (about 90% of cases) and the average daily intake was 151 g of pure alcohol. The authors prove by mathematical model that the occurrence of liver cirrhosis increases exponentially with the increase of the amount of alcohol consumed. Relative risk of the development of alcoholic liver cirrhosis increases many fold with the increase of the amount of alcohol consumed.

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMed1994

The effects of hyperbaric oxygen on visual functions in ischaemic optic neuropathy.

The effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy were studied in nine patients with non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy, who had been unsatisfactorily treated with corticosteroids. In four patients with signs of optic disc atrophy there was no improvement of visual functions after hyperbaric oxygen treatment, whereas in the other five patients, who had no signs of optic disc atrophy, visual acuity and visual field improved. The achieved improvements were maintained at a control examination six months later. Results suggest that hyperbaric oxygen might be a new remedy for the selected cases of non-arteritic ischaemic optic neuropathy and call for a controlled clinical study aiming to accurately assess its efficacy.

Aged↗

PubMed1993

The effect of hyperbaric oxygen breathing on the visual field in glaucoma.

Following the hypothesis that chronic ischemia is the main cause of functional deficiency in glaucoma, a double blind clinical experiment was carried out to study the effect of hyperbaric oxygenation in 51 glaucoma subjects, of which 31 were in the experimental group and 20 in the control group. In the experimental group there was a significant improvement of visual fields (p < 0.05), whereas there was no change in the subjects in the control group. Hyperbaric oxygen did not have any influence on intraocular pressure. The achieved visual field improvements remained stable for 3 months (p < 0.05), except for I3 and I4 isopters of the left eye and I4 isopter of the right eye, while they were considerably reduced after 6 months (p > 0.05).

Aged↗

PubMed1993

Cardiovascular reflex testing and pupil cycle time in open-angle glaucoma.

The aim of the study is to assess the value of function tests of the autonomic nervous system in open-angle glaucoma by testing the cardiovascular reflexes and pupil cycle time. The experimental group consisted of 19 glaucoma subjects with controlled intraocular pressure. The control group consisted of 20 healthy volunteers. The Valsalva test has proven to be considerably accurate in the assertion of autonomic dysfunction (p < 0.05). Pupil cycle time was significantly prolonged (p < 0.001). These results confirm the role of autonomic dysfunction in open-angle glaucoma.

Autonomic Nervous System Diseases↗

PubMed1993

Hyperbaric oxygen dose of choice in the treatment of glaucoma.

The subjects in the study were 111 patients with open angle glaucoma who were submitted to treatment by hyperbaric oxygenation. Two groups were formed at random, an experimental one of 91 patients and a control group of 20 patients. The experimental group consisted of four subgroups classified according to the course of treatment they received: 30 sessions (31 patients), 20 sessions (20 patients), 15 sessions (20 patients) and 10 sessions (20 patients). For the treatment a large walk-in recompression chamber was utilized, once a day, at a pressure of 2.0 bars, for 90 minutes. Visual acuity and mean intraocular pressure values taken before and after hyperbaric oxygen treatment did not show a statistically significant difference either between the treated and control subjects, or at control examinations after three and six months. During the follow-up period, changes in the visual field area in control subjects were discrete and statistically not significant. At the same time the visual field values increased after the therapy in all the subgroups. In the 10-session course subgroup the increase was not statistically significant. In all other subgroups, statistical significance was at the level of P < 0.01. Control after three months demonstrated the same level of statistical significance; control at the end of six months failed to show a statistically significant difference. The 20-session course is recommended for initial treatment. When visual field values return to 50 percent of the improved values achieved during initial treatment, it is suggested that hyperbaric oxygen treatment be repeated.

Double-Blind Method↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Two new cases of liver angiosarcoma: history and perspectives of liver angiosarcoma among plastic industry workers.

In this report of two new cases of liver angiosarcoma (ASL) among plastic industry workers, the authors present the history and perspectives of this problem. The first cases of ASL have been registered since 1974, and in 1984, the European register of angiosarcoma was founded. In this register, 11 cases of ASL and one case of haemangiopericytoma have been registered from Croatia, all from a single plastics plant near Split. Two new cases of ASL (in retired autoclave cleaners, who were exposed to a concentration of 500-1000 ppm vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) during the working process) in the same plant are represented. They were detected with combined techniques of ASL detection, and both are still alive. The diagnoses have been histologically confirmed: one of them was surgically treated with segmental liver resection. The appearance of new cases of ASL confirms the perspective presented in the last report by the same authors.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Biochemical changes in hypertensive patients during a 1-year cross-over study of treatment with hydrochlorothiazide and propranolol].

A prospective, randomized, cross-over trial comparing the antihypertensive efficacy and biochemical changes during treatment with either hydrochlorothiazide (HTZ: 25 mg o.d.) or propranolol (PRO: 40 mg t.i.d.), included 55 mild to moderate hypertensives (diastolic blood pressures ranged from 90 to 110 mmHg), aged 25-65 years. Forty patients completed the study; during the first six months 20 of them (12 males and 8 females) were taking HTZ, and the remaining 20 (13 males and 7 females) PRO. After a one-week wash-out period, for the next six months the alternative drug was administered. Antihypertensive efficacy of both drugs was nearly equal: systolic and diastolic blood pressure significantly decreased already after the first month (approximately by 10%), and kept unchanged until the end of the study. The analyzed biochemical parameters, i.e. blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides did not increase significantly, while serum potassium level remained almost unchanged during the trial. Furthermore, during PRO in group B, cholesterol significantly decreased (3rd month), as well as blood glucose during HTZ treatment (10th month). Only the uric acid level, although unsignificantly, increased in group A (from 326.2 to 365.3 +/- 125.2 on HTZ, and to 391.4 +/- 120.0 mumol/l on PRO). It is concluded that HTZ and PRO are comparably effective antihypertensives. During the long-term treatment in small doses these drugs do not induce significant biochemical disturbances.

Adult↗