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Biomedical subjects

L Hendeles

Publications and source records attributed to L Hendeles.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The effect of inhaled gallopamil, a potent calcium channel blocker, on the late-phase response in subjects with allergic asthma.

The effect of gallopamil on the late-phase response to inhaled allergen was evaluated in six young adults with allergic asthma in a crossover manner. During 2 study days, subjects received 20 mg of inhaled gallopamil or placebo 30 minutes before challenge with the same dose of allergen. In addition, a histamine challenge was performed 1 1/2 hours before and 24 hours after allergen challenge. On 2 additional study days, in the absence of allergen, basal airway responsiveness to histamine was measured before and after gallopamil or placebo administration. During the early phase, the mean +/- SD decrease in FEV1 was 28.0% +/- 11.3% after placebo and 25.1% +/- 8.4% after gallopamil administration (p greater than 0.05; beta = 0.14). During the late phase, the maximum decrease in FEV1 was 26.9% +/- 11.9% after placebo and 25.3% +/- 10.3% after gallopamil administration (p greater than 0.05; beta = 0.21). Airway reactivity to histamine 24 hours after allergen challenge could not be measured in three subjects after gallopamil administration and in one subject after placebo administration because of persistent bronchospasm. In contrast, basal responsiveness to histamine in the absence of allergen was modestly decreased by gallopamil. Since gallopamil is one of the most potent calcium channel blockers when it is administered by the inhaled route, it is unlikely that this group of drugs will be clinically useful for allergic asthma.

Administration, Inhalation

Relative amount of albuterol delivered to lung receptors from a metered-dose inhaler and nebulizer solution. Bioassay by histamine bronchoprovocation.

The results of previous studies comparing bronchodilatation from beta agonists administered by metered-dose inhaler (MDI) and nebulizer solution have been conflicting. We therefore evaluated a range of albuterol doses administered by these two methods, using histamine bronchoprovocation as a bioassay for the amount of drug reaching the beta 2 receptors in the lung. Twelve stable asthmatic volunteers received, in a double-blind, randomized, crossover design on different days, placebo or one, two, four, or six puffs from an MDI attached to an InspirEase device (90 micrograms per puff) or 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, or 5.0 mg of solution delivered in 2 ml of buffered saline through a Hudson Updraft II nebulizer. The histamine concentration required to decrease FEV1 by 20 percent (PC20) was measured 1 h before and 30 min after administration of each treatment and expressed as the increase in PC20 from baseline. The dose-response curves for change in PC20 indicated that the higher doses of the nebulizer solution delivered more drug to beta 2 receptors in the lung than the lower doses from the MDI. For example, the geometric mean increase in PC20 was 1.1 +/- 1.6 (SD) after placebo, 7.5 +/- 2.7 after two puffs from the MDI, and 20.0 +/- 2.1 after 2.5 mg of nebulizer solution (p less than 0.05). Using this bioassay method and administration technique, we estimated that ten puffs from the MDI (0.9 mg) would deliver approximately the same amount of albuterol to lung receptors as 2.5 mg of the nebulizer solution. Taking into account previously published reports and the results of the present study, we conclude that differences in dose, administration technique, nebulizer system efficiency, and severity of airway obstruction can alter the amount of drug reaching the beta 2 receptors in the lungs and, thus, the clinical response.

Adult

Evaluation of a generic albuterol metered-dose inhaler: importance of priming the MDI.

Since the patent on albuterol metered-dose inhalers (MDI) expired in 1989, several manufacturers have developed generic products. In order to determine whether one generic albuterol MDI is equivalent to a reference product (Ventolin MDI), we compared the relative efficacy of two puffs (180 micrograms) of each inhaler in 17 intermittent or mild chronic adult asthmatics (FEV1 48% to 77% predicted) in a randomized, single-blind, crossover manner. The test dose was the first two puffs out of each canister. Pulmonary function was measured before each test dose and at frequent intervals over eight hours. Baseline FEV1 values on both study days were within 20%. The mean +/- SD peak effect was 80.5 +/- 15.5% of maximum achievable improvement in FEV1 after the generic compared with 92.2 +/- 8.8% after Ventolin (P = .006). The area under the curve (AUC) for this same measurement during the first four hours was 242 +/- 75%.hr-1 after the generic compared with 297 +/- 40%.hr-1 after Ventolin, a mean difference of 19% (P = .002). The study was then repeated with the MDI primed prior to the test dose (ie, two puffs were first discharged into a waste basket) in subjects willing to return for re-study (n = 11). There was no significant difference in AUC in the second study: 215 +/- 77%.hr-1 after generic and 228 +/- 82%.hr-1 after Ventolin (P = .65); however, there was only a 35% chance of detecting a 20% difference in AUC with this sample size. These data indicate that, without priming, an MDI may deliver less drug, and thereby less therapeutic effect.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Administration, Inhalation

Inhaled verapamil-induced bronchoconstriction in mild asthma.

Methacholine challenges were performed in ten subjects with mild asthma at 2 h before and 20 min after placebo or 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 mg of inhaled verapamil given in a single-blind randomized crossover manner on different days. While verapamil did not have a bronchodilator effect, the 10-mg dose modestly increased the concentration of methacholine required to decrease FEV1 by 20 percent (PC20). The mean (+/- SEM) increase in PC20 from baseline was 2.1 +/- 0.2 times baseline after 10 mg of verapamil, compared to 1.1 +/- 0.1 times baseline after placebo (p less than 0.001). Unexpectedly, bronchoconstriction (greater than 10 percent decrease in FEV1) associated with cough or wheezing was observed in seven of ten subjects at doses of 20 mg or more. This adverse effect was not related to the osmolarity of the nebulized solutions. Thirty minutes before a standardized exercise challenge, 13 subjects inhaled placebo, 10 mg, or the highest dose of verapamil tolerated during the methacholine study (20 to 160 mg) in a double-blind randomized crossover manner. The exercise challenge was aborted in three subjects because of bronchospasm that occurred after administration of the higher dose. The mean (+/- SEM) maximum change in FEV1 after exercise in the ten subjects completing all three regimens of treatment was -17.1 +/- 4.0 percent after placebo, -12.7 +/- 4.3 percent after 10 mg (p less than 0.05), and -6.4 +/- 3.6 percent after the highest dose (p less than 0.05). We conclude that increasing the dose of verapamil above 10 mg did not provide greater benefit but, paradoxically, induced bronchoconstriction in most of the subjects. Because of this potential bronchoconstrictor effect, high doses of oral or intravenous verapamil should be used with caution in asthmatic subjects.

Administration, Inhalation

Treatment failure after substitution of generic pancrelipase capsules. Correlation with in vitro lipase activity.

Pancreatic enzyme products are formulated, manufactured, and sold without submitting efficacy or bioavailability data to the Food and Drug Administration because of a quirk in the law. We documented therapeutic failures in three patients with cystic fibrosis after pharmacists substituted generic pancrelipase capsules for the Pancrease brand. Gastrointestinal symptoms and fat malabsorption rapidly resolved after therapy was reinstituted with brand name products. In vitro analysis indicated that after 1 hour of exposure to simulated gastric fluid, lipase activity was less than 200 U per capsule from all three generic capsules dispensed to the patients compared with 6820 U per capsule from Pancrease. These data indicate that the enteric coating of the generic product was defective and that the substituted product was not bioequivalent to the prescribed brand. We conclude that the Food and Drug Administration should institute regulations over this group of products.

Adult

Measurement of plasma prednisolone level to evaluate a prednisone treatment failure in an adolescent with Crohn's disease.

A 14-year-old boy experienced multiple hospitalizations because of symptoms due to Crohn's disease involving the stomach, duodenum, and ileum. He maintained that oral corticosteroids were not effective for control of his symptoms. However, i.v. corticosteroids always relieved his symptoms. To resolve the question of noncompliance versus altered corticosteroid absorption or metabolism, our patient underwent an oral prednisone absorption study. Prednisolone, the active metabolite of prednisone, was measured in his plasma using a high-pressure liquid chromatography technique. The results led to the discovery of an elaborate deception by the patient and his subsequent need for psychotherapy. This report documents the importance of measuring plasma prednisolone concentrations to diagnose noncompliance, especially in adolescents who are overly concerned about their body image.

Adolescent

Clinical relevance of the interaction of theophylline with diltiazem or nifedipine.

The results of previously published studies indicate that calcium channel blockers are capable of competitively inhibiting cytochrome P-450 activity in hepatic microsomes, the pathway of theophylline metabolism. In addition, case reports have suggested that theophylline serum concentrations change when a calcium channel blocker has been added to or deleted from a stable theophylline regimen. To determine the clinical relevance of this potential interaction in patients with chronic asthma, we measured a peak steady-state theophylline serum concentration in 21 subjects while receiving theophylline alone (400 to 1,500 mg/day), and again, at least seven days later, after the addition of continuous therapy with maximally tolerated doses of either diltiazem (n = 18) or nifedipine (n = 16). The diltiazem dose was increased in 120 mg/day increments, as tolerated, to a maximum of 240 to 480 mg/day, while the nifedipine dose was increased in increments of 40 mg/day, to a maximum dose of 80 to 160 mg/day. The mean +/- SEM theophylline serum concentrations were 13.6 +/- 1.4 micrograms/ml before and 14.0 +/- 1.2 micrograms/ml during concurrent diltiazem therapy, and 12.6 +/- 1.0 micrograms/ml before and 12.2 +/- 1.1 micrograms/ml during nifedipine (p greater than 0.05). With this sample size there is a 5 percent chance that we missed a 20 percent change in serum concentration (type II error). Thus, maximum tolerated doses of diltiazem or nifedipine do not impair the metabolism of theophylline to a clinically relevant degree and adjustment of theophylline dosage is not required after the addition or discontinuation of diltiazem or nifedipine. In addition, these data suggest that currently available in vitro techniques for evaluating drug interactions in the hepatocyte do not predict the clinical relevance of such an interaction in patients who might require both drugs for different therapeutic indications.

Adolescent

Duration of effect of gallopamil, a calcium channel blocker, on methacholine-induced bronchoconstriction.

We previously demonstrated a modest but significant protective effect of inhaled gallopamil (D600), the methoxy derivative of verapamil, against methacholine-induced bronchoconstriction; however, the duration of the protective effect of this and other calcium channel blockers is unknown. We therefore evaluated the duration of this protective effect in 15 asthmatic subjects in a prospective, placebo-controlled trial. Methacholine challenges (Cockcroft method) were performed 2 hours before and 30 minutes after the administration of placebo, and 1 mg and 10 mg of inhaled gallopamil. Gallopamil did not alter resting airway caliber, but significantly increased the concentration of methacholine required to decrease the FEV1 20% 30 minutes after the dose. Results with both the 10-mg and 1-mg doses were significantly different from placebo, but not from each other. The duration of this protective effect was transient in the group as a whole; the mean drug activity ratios were not significantly different with this sample 2.5 hours after the dose. Thus the short duration of effect limits the potential clinical usefulness of gallopamil in suppressing the signs and symptoms of chronic asthma.

Adolescent

Effect of irrigation and tourniquet application on aminoglycoside antibiotic concentrations in bone.

Preoperative antibiotics are an important measure taken to prevent infection in joint replacement surgery. The local availability of these antibiotics in the operative site is absolutely necessary to ensure adequate prophylaxis against contaminant bacteria. Because pulsatile-lavage rapid-recovery systems have become a routine technique of bone preparation in joint reconstruction, we chose to study the effect of these systems on local antibiotic concentrations. We further investigated the effect of irrigation with and without use of a limb tourniquet. For our study, we obtained 23 bone specimens in 16 patients undergoing joint reconstruction (14) or amputation (2). The patients were classified into one of four groups based on whether a tourniquet was applied during the procedure and whether the bone specimens were irrigated. In addition, matched blood samples were obtained to establish that therapeutic serum levels were achieved. Nine patients contributed 13 bone specimens, which underwent vigorous irrigation in vitro. None of these specimens had detectable levels of antibiotics, regardless of whether a tourniquet was used. Seven patients yielded 10 bone specimens, which were not irrigated. Five of these seven patients had detectable levels of antibiotics. In addition, the specimens from limbs without tourniquets had levels that averaged 0.51 microgram/ml while those with tourniquets averaged below 0.2 microgram/ml. Therefore, the use of vigorous irrigation in bone preparation has a significant deleterious effect on the local presence of previously administered systemic antibiotics. This effect is compounded if the operative site is isolated from continuous blood flow by use of a tourniquet. We therefore recommend that additional measures be taken to ensure that adequate antibiotic levels are present.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged

Duration of protection of calcium channel blockers against exercise-induced bronchospasm: comparison of oral diltiazem and inhaled gallopamil.

The present study was conducted to determine the duration of the positive effect of oral diltiazem and inhaled gallopamil in mild asthmatic volunteers, ages 18-37 years, with a history of exercise-induced asthma and a 25-56% decrease in FEV1 after a standardized exercise challenge. Oral diltiazem 120 mg, inhaled gallopamil 10 mg, and placebo were administered in a double blind, randomized, crossover manner on different days 48 h apart. Diltiazem was administered 90 min and gallopamil 30 min before the first exercise challenge. Challenges were then repeated 3 and 6 h later. Neither diltiazem nor gallopamil significantly altered baseline FVC, FEV1, or FEF25-75. The mean maximum decrease in FEV1 after the first challenge was 16.8% after gallopamil, 25.2% after diltiazem and 30.1% after placebo. The mean post-exercise decrease in FEV1 after gallopamil was significantly smaller than after placebo. There were no significant differences in the post-exercise decreases in FEV1 between the three treatment regimens 3 and 6 h later. Thus, inhaled gallopamil provided significant protection against exercise-induced bronchospasm, but the beneficial effect was modest and short in duration.

Administration, Inhalation

Evaluation of an office method of measuring theophylline serum concentrations.

A strip test for theophylline, with an immunoassay with a colorimetric indicator, has been developed for use in the physician's office (Seralyzer, Ames Division, Miles Laboratories, Elkhart, Ind.). Diluted serum is applied to the plastic reagent strip, which is then inserted into a reflectance photometer that quantitates the color change and displays the serum concentration in 80 seconds. To determine the reliability of this method, control sera (5.0, 10.0, 15.0, 20.0, and 25.0 micrograms/ml of theophylline) and 78 specimens, each from a different patient, were analyzed by Seralyzer and a reference method (EMIT, Syva Co., Palo Alto, Calif.). Nine replicate measurements of a 15.0 micrograms/ml control serum were performed on one day, an all five control sera were analyzed once daily for 20 days. Patient specimens were analyzed at the rate of eight per day. The coefficient of variation (mean/SD X 100) for within day precision of the 15 micrograms/ml control was 5.2% for Seralyzer and 4.1% for EMIT (p less than 0.05). Coefficients of variation for between-day precision of the Seralyzer were less than 10% at concentrations greater than 5 micrograms/ml, but were significantly greater than EMIT measurements at 5 and 10 micrograms/ml (p less than 0.05). There was a strong correlation between the two methods for the 78 patients' specimens (r2 = 0.95). The Seralyzer demonstrated a positive bias of 0.9 microgram/ml. Results analyzed by the two methods differed by greater than 25% in 10 of the 78 specimens (mean error, 3.3 micrograms/ml over the range of 2.9 to 22.2 micrograms/ml).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Asthma