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Biomedical subjects

M L Efthymiou

Publications and source records attributed to M L Efthymiou.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Antidepressants and cardiac side effects. Evaluation trial].

When a new antidepressant is put on the market, everyone is afraid of its possible cardiac effect. The control of unicellular potentials can give an hint about that effect, without being able to assess its severity; the 27 antidepressants commercialized in France have been reviewed. 180 cases of conduction delays from 10,060 overdosage in the Paris poison center were found, 7 times more often than with other drugs. In addition the 30 centers for monitoring of side effects of drugs have collected 38 cardiac side effects, as well arrhythmias or conduction disturbances.

Action Potentials↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Drug-induced aseptic meningitis].

Aseptic meningitis is a very rare drug reaction involving non-steroidal antiinflammatory agents (ibuprofen and sulindac), antibiotics (cotrimoxazole, trimethoprim, ciprofloxacin) and miscellaneous drugs such as carbamazepine, human immune globulin and muromonab CD3. Meningeal symptoms occur a few hours after drug intake and resolve without sequelae within one or two days after drug withdrawal, mainly in young females with systemic lupus erythematosus or mixed connective tissue disease. Biological findings and radiological investigations are not suggestive of an infectious etiology or rheumatological/neurological disturbances. Diagnosis is simple when recurrent episodes coincide with drug ingestion.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

["Eosinophilia-myalgia" syndrome due to L-tryptophan containing products. Cooperative evaluation of French Regional Centers of Pharmacovigilance. Analysis of 24 cases].

By November 17, 1989, the MMWR published the 154 first reports of a syndrome consisting of myalgia and eosinophilia (EMS), occurring with the consumption of L-tryptophan containing products (L-TrpCp) and which might represent a new clinical entity. To standardize reporting over the country, the CDC of Atlanta developed the following case definition: 1) a peripheral blood total eosinophil count of more than 1 x 10(9) cells per liter 2) generalized myalgia sufficiently severe to affect a patient's ability to pursue daily activities 3) the exclusion of infections or neoplastic conditions. The FDA then, announced its intention to seek a nationwide recall of all tryptophan containing products, followed by other european countries (UK, Germany, France). In France, a first decree (January 4th 1990) completed by a decree on May 11th confirms this decision for one year. This measure did not concern the medicinal products or some dietary supplements for newborn or young children. Since December 11th, 1989, 24 cases have been reported to the Regional Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring Centres in France. These cases share the same features as the cases notified previously in the USA: overrepresentation of females, no relationship with the time and the daily intake, clinical similarities to the Shulman syndrome, and unknown prognosis. Now, more than one year after the onset of this illness, it seems that discontinuation of the ingestion of L-TrpCp can resolve or improve the symptoms in most cases, but sometimes the syndrome can persist. The causal relationship between the ingestion of L-TrpCp and this syndrome has been established. Whatever the mechanism for the development of EMS among tryptophan users remains unclear, as well as the role of eosinophilia and the factors for fibroblast proliferation. The epidemic emergence of this syndrome in July 89 raises the possibility of the contamination of tryptophan during the manufacturing process. To confirm this hypothesis, the same unusual peak in HPLC analysis was found both in case-associated L-Trp lots and in implicated-japanese manufacturer L-Trp lots in USA. But this would not explain the previous EMS reports before this contamination. Other hypotheses consist an inabnormality of tryptophan metabolism and/or an autoimmune process.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Glycerol monothioglycolate eczema in a hairdresser. Persistence of the allergen in the hair several weeks after the application of a permanent].

Glyceryl thioglycolate has been used for a pair of years in acid permanent wave solutions. It appears to be much more sensitizing than ammonium thioglycolate which is usually the main component of this kind of cosmetics. A case of allergic contact dermatitis due to glyceryl thioglycolate is reported. The patient was a 43-year old woman with an eczematous dermatitis of both hands. She was a hairdresser and eczematous eruptions were strictly work-related. She had no direct contact with most cosmetics and only used tools (scissors, clips, pins, rollers, combs...) and hair spray. Patch testing was however done with the standard patch-test screening tray and all the products used in the shop. The only positive reaction was due to a permanent wave solution containing only glyceryl thioglycolate and glycerol. Positive patch-test reactions were also obtained with hair treated with the permanent wave solution and cut immediately or several weeks after the application of the preparation. This observation shows that glyceryl thioglycolate may be responsible for allergic contact dermatitis in hairdressers; it emphasizes the long remanence of the allergen in the hair that makes its eviction specially difficult.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Amineptin abuse. Analysis of 155 cases. An evaluation of the official cooperative survey of the Regional Centers of Pharmacovigilance].

One hundred and eighty six cases of amineptine abuse were reported to the Regional Centres of Pharmacovigilance or to the Laboratory Eutherapie during a ten year period, between 1978 and february 1988. The analysis was carried out on 155 cases. The principal characteristics of overconsumption are: a predominance of females; the existence of risk factors in 2 out of 3 cases; the absence of correlations between the prescribed dosage, the duration and the importance of abuse; the constant search of a psychostimulant effect; a good clinical acceptability in most cases, but the risk of acne and psychic disturbances must be emphasized; withdrawal difficulties, obtained in only 48 patients (for at least one month). Psychic symptoms on withdrawal were variable and it was not possible to identify a syndrome. The risk of abuse seems to be rare, nevertheless, one must know this occurrence and respect the recommanded dosage. In patients with certain psychiatric illnesses, and especially in patients with risks factors, drugs with stimulant properties should be prescribed with caution.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Therapeutic high-doses of digoxin with blood level determinations in 31 out of 150 elderly hospitalized patients treated over a year].

The assay by immunoenzymatic method of the blood level of digoxine in 150 old people, (m = 79 years), hospitalized during one year shows a level of more than 2 ng/ml in 31 of them, (m = 2.91 ng/ml). However, the dosage is normal or low, m = 0.206 mg/j. A renal impairment often discussed is not the mechanism: 17 patients with a blood creatinine over 135 mumol/l have a mean blood level of digoxine of 2.98 ng/ml for 2.91 in the 14 another ones without renal impairment. Physicians should be still more cautious when prescribing digoxin.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Acute toloxatone poisoning. Apropos of 122 cases].

Toloxatone is a new monoamine oxidase inhibitor. One hundred and twenty two cases of poisoning with this drug are reported. In this series, the minimal toxic dose was 2 g. The first symptoms appeared about one hour after ingestion. In most cases, only drowsiness and mild adrenergic effects were observed. In a few cases of massive overdose, coma, pyramidal irritation, and myoclonic jerks occurred. In 3 cases of severe poisoning, toloxatone was associated with tricyclic antidepressants. Symptoms were similar to those reported in intoxications associating classical monoamine oxidase inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants: muscular rigidity, hyperthermia and cardiovascular collapse. Two of these patients died.

Acute Disease↗