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Biomedical subjects

M Azevedo

Publications and source records attributed to M Azevedo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

[An analysis of plasma histaminase in schizophrenic patients and its relationship to clinical parameters].

Previous studies have investigated putative alterations in histamine and histamine receptors in schizophrenia, and evidence in favour of the role of this amine as a neurotransmitter or as a neuromodulator was found. In the present study the activity of plasmatic histaminase was analysed, with histamine and with cadaverine as substrates, in a group of 23 schizophrenic patients and compared with that of healthy controls (n = 32). Plasma histaminase activity was determined using Gordon and Peters spectrophotometric method, and the results were expressed in mumoles of H2O2 transformed/hour/litre of plasma at 25 degrees C. Plasmatic histaminase, using histamine as substrate, was significantly increased in schizophrenic patients as a whole compared with the healthy controls. On the other hand, when cadaverine was used as substrate plasma histaminase was significantly reduced in female schizophrenics but not in males. When patients were divided according to 17 clinical characteristics it was found that the following subgroups were significantly associated to high levels of plasma histaminase (using histamine as substrate): the non mentally deteriorated schizophrenic patients compared with mentally deteriorated schizophrenic patients and those with thymic symptoms as opposed to those without thymic symptoms. An extension of this series and a prospective analysis are required to further define the clinical and biological significance of the alteration of this biochemical parameter in schizophrenia, and particularly in relation with a subgroup of schizophrenia with a more favourable course.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Blood glucose and insulin in arterial hypertension. The elderly hypertensive patient].

The clinical importance of relationship between insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia and high blood pressure is not yet fully understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of age in the relation between hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia and hypertension (HT). Two groups of patients with moderate to severe essential hypertension, aged < 65 (n = 40) and > or = 65 (n = 55) were compared with two other groups of normotensive subjects (NT) matched for sex (n = 14) and age (n = 18). The radioimmunoassay method and glucose oxidase methods were used to evaluate plasma insulin and plasma glucose concentrations. The global analysis shows: The plasma glucose level was significantly lower (p < 0.02) in NT group (n = 32; glycemia: 67.52 +/- 44 mg/dl) than in the HT group (n = 95; glycemia: 86.25 +/- 34.7 mg/dl. Further more the plasma insulin level in NT (3.37 +/- 3.18 microU/ml) was also lower than in HT (4.29 +/- 3.08 microU/ml) although without statistical significance. The patients (HT) aged < 65 years old had higher glycemia (85.76 +/- 26.8 mg/dl) and insulinemia (4.92 +/- 3.56) than NT of same age (glycemia: 59.0 +/- 11.8 mg/dl, insulinemia: 2.86 +/- 1.86), respectively p < 0.001 and p < 0.05. In HT aged > or = 65 the glycemia (82.38 +/- (9.67 mg/dl) was higher than in the NT matched group (65.5 +/- 20.36 mg/dl), p < 0.01, but plasma insulin was not different in the two groups (3.88 +/- 2.63 and 3.80 +/- 2.27 microU/ml).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Double-blind comparison of levocabastine eye drops with sodium cromoglycate and placebo in the treatment of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis.

The efficacy and tolerance of topical administration (one drop in each eye q.i.d.) of levocabastine (0.5 mg/ml) was compared with that of sodium cromoglycate (20 mg/ml) and placebo in a 4-week double-blind trial in patients with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. The investigator rated the treatment as globally good or excellent in significantly more patients treated with levocabastine (89%) than with cromoglycate (67%, P = 0.03) or placebo (48%, P = 0.007). The patients felt that the treatment was more efficacious in 95% (levocabastine), 35% (cromoglycate) and 36% (placebo) of the cases in which they had taken previous antiallergic medication. Total symptom severity according to the patients' diary data was consistently lower with levocabastine than with cromoglycate or placebo for all ocular symptoms. The difference was mainly apparent at the beginning of treatment. The percentage of symptom-free days was higher in the levocabastine group (53%) than in the cromoglycate (31%, P = 0.02) and the placebo group (34%, P = 0.08). Particularly at high-pollen days, levocabastine was superior to cromoglycate in eliminating moderate or severe symptoms. Adverse effects did not occur more frequently with levocabastine or cromoglycate than with placebo. It is concluded that levocabastine is an efficacious, fast-acting and well-tolerated drug in the management of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Decreased plasma benzylamine oxidase in a subgroup of schizophrenia.

Plasma benzylamine oxidase (BzAO) activity was analysed in a group of 40 schizophrenic patients and compared with that of healthy controls. Although plasma BzAO was significantly decreased in schizophrenics as a whole, when patients were divided into type I (favourable course) and type II (poor course) it was found that the reduced BzAO activity was only observed in type I. Several clinical features were associated with a low BzAO level. The clinical and biological significance of the identification of a biochemical alteration in a subgroup of schizophrenic patients is discussed, and we suggest that the possibility of BzAO being a marker for prognosis in schizophrenia should be further investigated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Superoxide radical generation by Amadori compounds.

Several D-sugars were incubated with L-lysine or with L-arginine for 10 days. The resulting compounds are able to reduce nitrobluetetrazolium (NBT). This is prevented by superoxide dismutase (SOD), indicating that the superoxide radical is generated by the resulting Amadori compounds. The formation of superoxide radical in vivo, as a result of nonenzymatic glycosylation of proteins, may be considered to be a contributory factor to the appearance of chronic complications of diabetes.

Carbohydrate Metabolism↗
PubMed1986

Allergic angiitis and granulomatosis (Churg-Strauss syndrome): report of a case with massive thymic involvement in a nonasthmatic patient.

A 14-year-old nonasthmatic boy who presented with multiple skin lesions and a mediastinal tumor was found to have allergic angiitis and granulomatosis (AAG) (Churg-Strauss syndrome), with prominent involvement of the thymus. The occurrence of AAG in the thymus merits recognition because of possible confusion with a variety of other lesions characterized by proliferation of histiocytes and tissue eosinophilia that affect this organ. In addition, this case illustrates that the absence of asthma should not be used as a definitive criterion for exclusion of the diagnosis of AAG.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Inhibitory effect of drugs used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease on plasma monoamine oxidase activity.

The plasma amine oxidase (benzylamine oxidase, BzAO) of patients with Parkinson's disease is sometimes decreased in activity, when compared to normal controls. This is the result of therapy with DOPA decarboxylase inhibitors. The Authors suggest that complications due to prolonged therapy with these drugs may be, at least in part, the result of an interference with BzAO capacity to catabolize circulating amines.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Glomerular hyperfiltration in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: no evidence for enhanced activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.

Glomerular hyperfiltration is a characteristic functional abnormality in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) patients, but the underlying mechanisms remain controversial. Supine and ambulant plasma renin activity (PRA) and aldosterone were measured in ten IDDM patients with normal glomerular filtration rate (GFR), in ten IDDM patients with elevated GFR and in ten nondiabetic controls. Basal and stimulated PRA or aldosterone did not differ significantly between the three groups. These results suggest that in insulin-dependent diabetes the glomerular hyperfiltration is not causally related to hyperactivity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of terfenadine and ipratropium bromide on ultrasonically nebulized distilled water-induced asthma.

Inhalation of ultrasonically nebulized distilled water was used to evaluate non-specific bronchial reactivity and to investigate nonimmunologically mediated asthma. Release of histamine and other mediators from mast cells and stimulation of lung irritant receptors are mechanisms that may be involved in nebulized distilled water-induced bronchoconstriction. To investigate the contribution of these mechanisms the effect of terfenadine and ipratropium bromide on the bronchial response to this stimulus was assessed. A total of 30 asthmatics (mean 28.7 years) were submitted on three different days to distilled water challenge with or without prior treatment with oral terfenadine or inhaled aerosolized ipratropium bromide. The decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 s induced by the same dose of distilled water was significantly (P less than 0.001) reduced from 35.6 +/- 15.8% to 19.5 +/- 16% with terfenadine and to 23.9 +/- 19.7% with ipratropium bromide. The results suggest that histamine release and reflex bronchoconstriction are mechanisms involved in asthma induced by ultrasonically nebulized distilled water.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Activity of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase in chronic alcoholic liver disease].

Serum N-acetyl-B-glucosaminidase (NAG) activity was determined in a control group of 76 normal people and in 23 patients with hepatic cirrhosis: 15 non-compensated patients and 8 with compensated chronic liver fibrosis. NAG is significantly increased in the non-compensated group--mean value of 931.67 units vs 637.71 units for the controls (p less than 0.001). There is no significant elevation regarding the compensated group. No significant correlations were observed between NAG activity and hepatic functional tests. In the follow-up of the non-compensated group, NAG activity returned to normal with the clinical improvement; in 7 cases where this goal was not achieved there was elevation of NAG activity, with higher values in photo-systemic encephalopathy.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗