Biomedical subjects

M Hernández-Torres

Publications and source records attributed to M Hernández-Torres.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Pimecrolimus 1% cream for the treatment of discoid lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the safety and efficacy of pimecrolimus cream on lesions of discoid lupus erythematosus. METHODS: In an open-label phase II trial, patients with discoid lupus were treated with pimecrolimus 1% cream twice daily for 8 weeks. We assessed skin involvement with a clinical severity score, quality of life, patient improvement and toxicity. The changes were documented by skin biopsy at baseline and at the end of treatment. RESULTS: Ten patients with a mean age of 34 +/- 17 yr and disease duration of 3 yr (range 1-8) were studied; 90% were female and 40% had received prior topical or systemic therapy without response. In all patients, improvement of skin damage was observed after therapy. A significant decrease of 52% was observed in the mean +/- s.d. clinical severity score, from 6.1 +/- 1.4 before treatment to 2.9 +/- 1.5 after treatment (P = 0.005). Quality of life score (0 = no effect, 100 = maximum effect on quality of life) showed a mean improvement of 46%, from 42.8 +/- 23.1 before to 23 +/- 16.5 after treatment (P = 0.008). According to the patients' assessment of the response to treatment, 50% qualified as marked improvement, 40% moderate and 10% slight improvement. The treatment was well tolerated; adverse reactions consisted of minimal erythema and pruritus, which resolved without any further action. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that pimecrolimus cream for discoid lupus erythematosus seems to be a safe and clinically effective option. However, this was an open and uncontrolled study, and double-blind, placebo-controlled studies are needed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Effects of bromocriptine on self-administration of sweetened ethanol solutions in rats.

The effect of bromocriptine (BRO), a D2 receptor agonist, on chronic oral ethanol (ETOH) self-administration was tested in a home-cage environment. Male Wistar rats (n = 77) were food deprived for 24 h. Then, a period of 15 days of limited-access (1 h/day) to food and to a sweetened ETOH solution was started [3% w/v of glucose and several concentrations of ETOH depending upon the group: 0% (control group). 1.5%, 5% or 10% v/v]. Later, another period started in which rats were maintained in a free-choice, two-bottle situation with food, tap-water and the sweetened solution available for 24 h/day, for 14 days. Following this period, BRO (5 mg/kg, SC) was administered, once daily, for 5 days, in the same continuous free-access conditions. ETOH consumption was also studied for 4 days after the last BRO injection. BRO increased ETOH self-administration throughout the 5-day period, regardless of the ETOH concentration available, in the rats with previous higher ETOH intake, without effect in the control animals. In the control rats, water intake was increased, whereas in the group that had access to the lowest ETOH concentration a decrease in water consumption was found. The enhanced ETOH drinking was maintained after BRO treatment for the animals with previous higher ETOH intake. BRO effects on water consumption were also maintained. These data suggest that BRO can potentiate ETOH intake and provide further support for the role of dopamine (DA) systems in mediating volitional oral intake of ETOH.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Persistence of the omphalomesenteric duct. Childhood differential diagnosis of umbilical granuloma].

The omphalomesenteric duct is an embryonic structure which communicates the vitelline duct with the midgut. It normally disappears between the fifth and ninth weeks of intrauterine life. Anomalies related with the total or partial absence of this involution are show in 2 % of the population. We report a case of persistence of the omphalomesenteric duct and review the bibliography to establish the differences between this anomaly and umbilical granuloma, which is the main differential diagnosis.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

PubMedDate not supplied

EtOH self-administration on shuttle box avoidance learning and extinction in rats.

The effects of ethanol on the acquisition and extinction of the two-way active avoidance response were examined in adult, male Wistar rats from two treatment groups, oral self-administration of alcohol solution (10% v/v ethanol and 3% w/v glucose in distilled water) and oral self-administration of control solution (3% w/v glucose in distilled water). Alcohol or control solutions were available 1 h per day during 15 days simultaneously with food, with free water for the rest of the day. Blood was drawn in the last day of this phase to evaluate blood ethanol levels (BEL). After this period, rats were tested in a two-bottle paradigm for 1 h per day and placed in a shuttle box immediately afterwards. This phase went lasted for 10 days. Subjects were trained to avoid an electric foot shock in the first 5 days (15 trials per day). Following this, half of the subjects were tested in an "easy extinction with punishment" (EEP) and the other half in a "difficult extinction with punishment" (DEP) of the avoidance response for the last 5 days. Alcohol accelerates the avoidance responding acquisition, and no significant effects of alcohol were seen in the extinction phase. Data are discussed in terms of the specificity of the effects of alcohol on learning.

Animals↗