PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

M Pedersen

Publications and source records attributed to M Pedersen.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Immediate and prolonged clinical efficacy of ceftazidime versus ceftazidime plus tobramycin in chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in cystic fibrosis.

20 patients with cystic fibrosis and chronic bronchopulmonary infection due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa entered a randomized cross-over study comparing ceftazidime (150 mg/kg body weight/24 h) plus tobramycin (10 mg/kg body weight/24 h) to ceftazidime alone (150 mg/kg body weight/24 h), both given intravenously for 2 weeks. 17 patients completed the study; both treatment regimens improved lung function and decreased the WBC count. No difference in clinical efficacy was found between the treatments. Pulmonary function returned to pre-treatment levels 3 months later with no difference between the treatments. No changes were seen in minimal inhibitory concentrations during treatment. None of the patients developed hypersensitivity or experienced serious adverse reactions to the drugs.

Adult

A comparative study of amoxycillin and pivampicillin in persistent Haemophilus influenzae infection of the lower respiratory tract in children with chronic lung disease.

A double-blind cross-over study was undertaken to compare the efficacy of amoxycillin and pivampicillin on Haemophilus influenzae infection of the lower respiratory tract in children. 20 patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) due to other causes were included in the study. All patients had a history of regularly harbouring H. influenzae in sputum and repeated treatment failures with pivampicillin. 18 completed two 14-day courses in random order with equimolar doses of pivampicillin (80 mg/kg/day) and amoxycillin (62 mg/kg/day). Both drugs were well tolerated with no serious side effects, but pivampicillin was associated with more pronounced nausea. In steady state the mean serum concentrations of antibiotics 2 and 4 h after medication were 9.7 and 3.7 micrograms/ml for pivampicillin and 19.1 and 7.9 micrograms/ml for amoxycillin (p less than 0.01). Eradication of H. influenzae and clinical improvement was seen in one-third of the courses with both drugs. Betalactamase producing ampicillin-resistant strains emerged during 58% of the amoxycillin courses, but only in 16% of the pivampicillin courses (p less than 0.001). The high number of treatment failures and the development of resistant strains indicate that betalactamase inhibitors may possibly improve the efficacy of these drugs, especially of amoxycillin, in these patients.

Adolescent

Major or local surgery for cure in early rectal and sigmoid carcinoma--a prospective evaluation.

The results of different types of treatment for early cancer in 158 out of 1,300 patients with rectal and sigmoid cancer were evaluated in a prospective study from 1979 to 1984. Radical surgery was performed in 121 patients (mean age 66 years) with cancer Dukes' A (median diameter 3 cm), while 37 patients (mean age 71) with smaller cancers (median 2 cm) had polypectomy or local excision. Post-operative complications were significantly more frequent in the first group. No patients in any of the two groups with carcinoma in pedunculated adenomas or within the upper half of the submucosa or above 9 cm from the anal verge had recurrent cancer. CEA-measurements had no prognostic value. No difference was found in crude or cancer-related death between the two groups. The overall results support the use of local treatment in elderly patients with complicating disease, having small cancers, not penetrating the tunica muscularis externa of the rectosigmoid wall.

Adenoma

Testicular seminoma in Denmark 1976-1980. Results of treatment.

Over a five-year period the DATECA Study included 554 consecutive patients with seminoma, representing practically all cases in the country. The stage distribution was: stage I 424 patients, stage II 110 patients, and stage III 17 patients. Typical seminoma was registered in 515 patients, anaplastic seminoma in 26 patients, and spermatocytic seminoma in 13 patients. The treatment was post-operative irradiation except in a few very advanced cases who received chemotherapy. Three-year corrected survival was: stage I 99 per cent, stage II 89 per cent, and stage III 65 per cent. Anaplastic seminoma showed a significantly higher rate of metastatic spread than typical seminoma and the prognosis was worse. Treatment-related complications were few, but adjuvant bleomycin combined with irradiation of advanced seminoma resulted in 2 deaths from pneumonitis.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols

Safety and effectiveness of weight reduction using a very-low-calorie formulated food.

Careful medical and laboratory monitoring of 27 subjects during a 28-day use of a 330-calorie (Cal)/day liquid formula, with weight loss averaging 9.1 kg (range, 3.2 to 19.1 kg), included a 22-factor automated blood chemistry analysis, BP, hematology, urine analysis, lipid profile, delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity, differential cell count, ECG, and Holter monitoring. Results suggest that very-low-calorie diets can be an effective and safe means of substantial weight reduction. Cautions for specific individuals are noted. The possible beneficial effects on hypertension and on serum cholesterol and triglycerides levels are discussed.

Blood Proteins

Defective neutrophil motility in patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia.

Microtubules are important in the regulation of the motile functions of a variety of cells, including leukocytes, ciliated cells and spermatozoa. Polymorphonuclear leukocyte function was studied in ten patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia, an inherited disorder of microtubules in sperm tails and cilia. Neutrophil chemotaxis in Boyden chambers was slightly reduced, but only one patient showed a migration below normal values. In vivo mobilization of polymorphonuclear leukocytes into skin windows was also slightly decreased. In contrast, neutrophil polarization and orientation was normal. The bactericidal activity of neutrophils from patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia was normal, while the ingestion of bacteria was decreased. The abnormalities of neutrophil function in patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia are related to motility. It is suggested that the microtubule defect responsible for the abnormal pattern of ciliary beating is a general abnormality also responsible for the depression of polymorphonuclear leukocyte motility.

Adolescent

Blind quantitative electron microscopy of cilia from patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia and from normal subjects.

Cilia from the nasal cavity of 27 patients with congenital ciliary dyskinesia (immotile cilia syndrome) and of 15 normal persons were examined by transmission electron microscopy. The patients had on average a significantly higher number of cilia with absent or markedly reduced numbers of outer or inner dynein arms, of cilia with various types of abnormal configuration of the microtubules, except for compound cilia, and of cilia with an abnormally large variation of the beating axis. Compound cilia were equally frequent in patients and controls. The main structural defect in 9 patients was absent or abnormality low number of outer dynein arms in 4 in conjunction with an abnormally large axis variation and in 1 with a markedly reduced number of inner dynein arms also in 1 with supernumerous axonemal microtubules also. In 9 patients the main defects were abnormal configuration of the axonemal microtubules and a large axis variation. Seven of these had eccentrically located central pairs of microtubules and radial spoke defects, 5 in conjunction with abnormally low numbers of inner dynein arms. In one patient there were various types of abnormal configuration of the axonemal microtubules together with absent inner dynein arms, in another cilia with supernumerous microtubules only were present. The only abnormal finding in 1 patient was an extreme variation in the ciliary axes. Completely normal ciliary ultrastructure was found in 8 patients.

Adolescent

Specific types of abnormal ciliary motility in Kartagener's syndrome and analogous respiratory disorders. A quantified microphoto-oscillographic investigation of 27 patients.

Twenty seven patients with clinical evidence of lack of mucociliary activity of cilia, which include Kartagener's syndrome and termed in recent years immotile cilia syndrome or primary ciliary dyskinesia, were studied by a newly developed microphoto oscillografic technique, to determine different qualities in the ciliary motility pattern in vitro. Abnormal ciliary motility was compared to the findings at transmission electron microscopy. The patients could be allocated to groups, characterized by different abnormalities in ultrastructure and function. One patient who lacked both inner and outer dynein arms, and had total ciliary immotility. Eight who only lacked outer dynein arms had a low beating frequency, reduced number of cells with motile cilia and ciliary asynchrony. Seven with microtubular disarrangement (spoke defect) had cilia which beat asynchroneously and with short, stiff strokes. Two patients had random orientation of ciliary axes and one supernumerous microtubules, all were characterized by slight ciliary asynchrony. Eight patients had normal cilia ultrastructure, but an abnormal beating pattern, usual characterized by hyperfrequent and trembling ciliary movements (hypermotile). These groups seem to constitute separate types of congenital ciliary defects.

Adolescent

Nasal mucociliary transport, number of ciliated cells, and beating pattern in naturally acquired common colds.

Repeated samples of nasal epithelium were taken for in vitro study of the number and motility of ciliated cells (microphoto-oscillographic technique), and nasal mucociliary clearance transport rate was measured (saccharin test) in 26 subjects with naturally acquired common colds. The transport rate was markedly reduced during the disease, and a slight impairment remained even after 32 days. There was a considerable fall in the number of ciliated cells, and regeneration was slow. A moderate and shortlasting change in beating frequency and intracellular synchrony was also observed. It is concluded, that a common cold, as a rule, results in marked and long-lasting impairment of nasal mucociliary clearance function, and this may be the cause of some otherwise unexplainable symptoms from the nose and throat.

Adult

Bronchopulmonary symptoms in primary ciliary dyskinesia. A clinical study of 27 patients.

Lower airway symptoms in 27 patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia (Kartagener's syndrome, "immotile cilia syndrome") are presented. Nine of the patients had reduced ciliary beating (defective dynein arms), ten asynchroneous ciliary beating pattern (7 spoke defects and 3 other microtubular abnormalities) and eight a newly described type of abnormal bearing "hypermotile cilia" (normal cilia ultrastructure). Seventeen (63%) had partial or total situs inversus. All had absent or markedly reduced mucociliary transport in the nose and chronic rhinosinusitis since early childhood, whereas lower airway symptoms had a tendency to start later on in life. This was especially found in patients with hypermotile cilia, who also had less pronounced pulmonary disease. The most characteristic feature of the disease was a slow chronic course with a daily productive cough. Half of the patients were not even affected in their daily activities. Fifteen (56%) had bronchiectasis, and atelectasis occurred in 12 (44%). With a few exceptions the lung function was normal or only slightly reduced. Haemophilus influenzae was the most common pathogen found in sputum, but some had chronic pulmonary pseudomonas or coli infection. Improvement was seen in the patients who were regularly given antibiotics and prophylactic treatment against mucus accumulation.

Activities of Daily Living

Nose-, sinus- and ear-symptoms in 27 patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia.

Nose-, sinus- and ear-symptoms, signs and tests were studied in 27 patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia. All subjects had had daily nasal discharge since birth or early childhood. X-ray examination showed sinusitis, and most patients had frequent episodes of sinusitis symptoms. The frequency of common colds was apparently not increased. As a general rule, the patients had chronic secretory otitis media, but few episodes of acute otitis media. Repeated suctions, punctures, and insertion of tubes had been disappointing, but more radical surgery of the nose and sinuses had helped some of the patients. It is concluded that knowledge of the very characteristic ENT symptoms is important in respect of an early diagnosis and starting preventive treatment in order to inhibit the development of lung damage. The ENT symptoms, on the other hand, are more often overtreated than the reverse.

Adolescent