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Biomedical subjects

L Brownell

Publications and source records attributed to L Brownell.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Age-related morphine kinetics.

The kinetic disposition of morphine was compared in 13 young and 7 older healthy subjects after a single intravenous dose of 10 mg/70 kg morphine. The apparent volume of distribution at steady state in elderly subjects was only half of that in young subjects. This difference was derived from reductions in both central and peripheral kinetic compartment volumes in the older subjects. The beta elimination phase for morphine was more rapid, but its plasma clearance was reduced in older subjects. Calculation of the peripheral compartment morphine concentration for these subjects indicated that drug concentration in this kinetic space was higher in older subjects for 1.5 hr after dosing.

Adult↗

Breathing during sleep in parents of sudden infant death syndrome victims.

Some children with "aborted" sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and parents of SIDS victims have abnormal control of ventilation. Because apnea during sleep occurs in some children who go on to die of SIDS, and because the abnormality in ventilatory control may be familial, we examined breathing during sleep in parents of SIDS victims to determine whether breathing pattern abnormalities were common in them. We studied 12 patients (6 couples) of SIDS victims and 12 age-matched control parents with healthy children. We failed to demonstrate significant differences in the incidence of apneas or breathing pattern irregularities between the SIDS and control parents. However, 2 SIDS parents, 1 male and 1 female, had 44 and 31 apneic episodes, respectively, exceeding the number conventionally used to document excessive apneic episodes during sleep. Neither of these parents had the hundreds of apneic episodes usually seen in the sleep apnea syndrome. Although these 2 SIDS parents support the notion that a sleep breathing abnormality may exist in SIDS parents, most of the SIDS parents had normal breathing during sleep. Because the abnormalities in the two SIDS parents were minor, and because the remainder of the subjects were normal, we conclude that polysomnographic recordings fail to reveal a "marker" that might identify potential SIDS parents.

Adult↗

Diagnosis of sleep breathing disorders in a general hospital. Experience and recommendations.

In the 24 months after a sleep breathing laboratory opened in a general hospital, 48 patients thought to have a primary sleep breathing disorder were referred for study. Evaluation of breathing during sleep was most useful in those having excessive daytime sleepiness or unexplained polycythemia. The sleep apnea syndrome was documented in 19 of 24 patients with excessive daytime sleepiness. Of 15 patients with unexplained polycythemia, ten were found to have severe hypoxemia during sleep. This experience suggests that facilities for evaluation of sleep breathing disorders should be available in larger medical centers.

Electrocardiography↗