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Biomedical subjects

M Perpiña

Publications and source records attributed to M Perpiña.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Effect of montelukast added to inhaled budesonide on control of mild to moderate asthma.

BACKGROUND: Proinflammatory leukotrienes, which are not completely inhibited by inhaled corticosteroids, may contribute to asthmatic problems [corrected]. A 16 week multicentre, randomised, double blind, controlled study was undertaken to study the efficacy of adding oral montelukast, a leukotriene receptor antagonist, to a constant dose of inhaled budesonide. METHODS: A total of 639 patients aged 18-70 years with forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) > or =55% predicted and a minimum predefined level of asthma symptoms during a 2 week placebo run in period were randomised to receive montelukast 10 mg (n=326) or placebo (n=313) once daily for 16 weeks. All patients received a constant dose of budesonide (400-1600 microg/day) by Turbuhaler throughout the study. RESULTS: Mean FEV(1) at baseline was 81% predicted. The median percentage of asthma exacerbation days was 35% lower (3.1% v 4.8%; p=0.03) and the median percentage of asthma free days was 56% higher (66.1% v 42.3%; p=0.001) in the montelukast group than in the placebo group. Patients receiving concomitant treatment with montelukast had significantly (p<0.05) fewer nocturnal awakenings and significantly (p<0.05) greater improvements in beta agonist use and morning peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR). CONCLUSIONS: For patients with mild airway obstruction and persistent asthma symptoms despite budesonide treatment, concomitant treatment with montelukast significantly improves asthma control.

Acetates↗
PubMed2000

Prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux in asthma.

A high prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GER) in asthma patients has been shown in several reports from North America and Europe. However, no data from Southern Europe are available. This paper evaluates the prevalence of abnormal reflux in asthmatics, the pattern of acid reflux when present, and the relationship between asthma and GER. Eighty-one consecutive ambulatory patients with clinically stable asthma (41 women; median age 40 years, range 17-69 years) were prospectively evaluated. All patients had a thorough digestive history; baseline pulmonary function studies, including bronchoprovocation methacholine test; and ambulatory 24-hr esophageal pH monitoring. Reflux symptoms were present in 40 patients (49%). Twelve patients had abnormal GER as defined by pH testing, giving a prevalence rate of 15% (95% confidence interval 8%-24%). The presence of acid reflux was not associated with a more severe respiratory disease. Abnormal GER seems not to be a clinically significant problem in many patients with asthma in our area.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Effect of serotonin and calcium in normal and sensitized guinea pig isolated trachea.

Tracheal strips from normal and actively sensitized guinea pigs were studied to determine the responses to serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT; 1 nM-0.1 mM) and ouabain (0.1 microM-0.1 mM), and the effects of increasing the extracellular calcium (Cao) concentration on tonic contractions elicited by 5-HT. Sensitized trachea exhibited an increased responsiveness and sensitivity to 5-HT and ouabain. Increases in Cao to achieve final concentrations of 5, 10 and 20 mM caused concentration-related relaxations of normal and sensitized tissues contracted to a similar plateau level with 5-HT. Inhibition of the Na+/K(+)-ATPase by ouabain (10 microM) reversed the effects of Cao from relaxation to contraction in normal and sensitized tissues contracted with 5HT. Sensitized preparations showed reduced relaxations in response to Cao (10-20 mM), and sensitized, ouabain-treated, trachea showed augmented contractions to Cao (10-20 mM) when compared to normal tissues. These results demonstrate a decreased membrane-stabilizing effect of Cao in sensitized trachea and the implication of the Na+/K(+)-ATPase in the regulation of membrane stability by Cao, suggesting a possible relevance to those mechanisms underlying airway hyperreactivity.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Hemidiaphragmatic paralysis caused by cervical herpes zoster.

Although herpes zoster virus usually affects sensory nerves, it can also damage motoneurons. Injury to the phrenic nerve has been described previously, but only anecdotally. We report on a case of left hemidiaphragmatic paralysis with severe axonal degeneration secondary to cervical herpes zoster, and describe its clinical, radiological, pulmonary function and electromyographic evolution during an 18-month follow-up.

Acyclovir↗
PubMed1995

[Current use, methodology and evaluation of nonspecific bronchial provocation tests in our country].

With the aim of determining the current use of non-specific bronchial inhalation challenge (BIC) testing in Spain, 147 questionnaires were sent to hospitals with pneumology departments or units. The questionnaire covered general, technical and methodological aspects of this diagnostic procedure, as well as its assessment and interpretation. Of the 42 informants who returned questionnaires, mainly from large urban hospitals, 34 reported using BIC. The most widespread criterion applied in deciding to use BIC was the presence of atypical asthma symptoms (33/34). The stimulus most often used was methacholine inhalation (33/34). We found that technical preparation of the drug was highly standardized, but that administration and follow-up protocols differed greatly. There was also great variety in the PC20/PD20 value assigned to indicate bronchial hyperresponsiveness. This study contributes to our better understanding of the current use of BIC in Spain and highlights the need to work toward greater standardization for this diagnostic procedure, to enable us to assess and interpret the results more consistently.

Asthma↗
PubMed1991

Response to noradrenaline and histamine in normal and sensitized guinea pig aorta and its relation to endothelium.

Pharmacological reactivity of sensitized blood vessels has been less studied than that of airways. Aorta rings were obtained from normal and actively sensitized guinea pigs and prepared for isometric recording of tension changes. Noradrenaline (10 nM-10 microM), histamine (0.1 microM-0.1 mM) and KCl (10-100 mM) produced concentration-related contractions of normal tissues. Removal of endothelium resulted in a marked left upward shift of the concentration-response curve to noradrenaline but it did not alter histamine- or KCl-induced responses. Pretreatment with ibuprofen (10 microM) or L-NG-nitroarginine (L-NOARG, 3.3 microM) enhanced noradrenaline-induced responses without affecting those to histamine or KCl. Removal of endothelium or pretreatment with ibuprofen or L-NOARG did not alter agonist-induced responses in sensitized tissues. Neuronal uptake and release of [3H]-noradrenaline did not differ in normal and sensitized tissues. Loss of the modulatory role of endothelium and other mechanisms may be involved in the hyperreactivity of sensitized guinea pig aorta.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Hyperreactivity and 45Ca movements in sensitized guinea-pig tracheal muscle.

Responses to KCl and histamine and 45Ca movements were studied in trachea from normal and actively sensitized guinea-pigs. Sensitized tracheas were hyperresponsive and hypersensitive to KCl and histamine. 45Ca uptake experiments show that sensitized tracheal muscle behaves as normal except that the uptake of 45Ca in low concentration (0.03 mM) Ca2+ solution was higher and the number of binding sites for the high affinity component of 45Ca uptake (as estimated by Scatchard-coordinate plot) was augmented. Additionally, in sensitized tracheal muscle, incubation in low (0.03 mM) Ca2+ solution followed by La3+ wash-out resulted in a greater amount of residual 45Ca than in normal tissues. KCl, but not histamine, increased the La3+ resistant 45Ca content. This increase was greater in sensitized than in normal trachea. This demonstrates the existence of hyperreactivity and altered 45Ca movements in sensitized trachealis muscle.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Sources of calcium for the contraction induced by various agonists in trachealis muscle from normal and sensitized guinea pigs.

Active sensitization of guinea pigs resulted in an increase in the responsiveness and sensitivity of tracheal strips to CaCl2 in K+-depolarized tissue (Emax 0.81 +/- 0.22 g/mm2 and pD2 2.35 +/- 0.10 in normal vs. 0.98 +/- 0.01 g/mm2 and 3.10 +/- 0.08 in sensitized tissue; p less than 0.05), KCl (Emax 0.62 +/- 0.08 g/mm2 and pD2 1.71 +/- 0.03 in normal vs. 0.91 +/- 0.04 g/mm2 and 2.00 +/- 0.01 in sensitized tissue; p less than 0.05) and histamine (Emax 0.70 +/- 0.06 g/mm2 and pD2 5.08 +/- 0.06 in normal vs. 0.94 +/- 0.09 g/mm2 and 5.80 +/- 0.16 in sensitized tissue; p less than 0.05) but not to caffeine 10 mM (20 degrees C, indomethacin 2.8 microM). Generation of responses to these agonists in nonsensitized tissues bathed in a Ca2+-free medium resulted in the abolition of KCl-induced contraction and partial inhibition of the responses to histamine (60% inhibition) and caffeine (40% inhibition). The contraction of sensitized tracheal strips in response to histamine in 0 calcium was greater than that obtained in nonsensitized tissues (0.48 +/- 0.02 g/mm2 vs. 0.28 +/- 0.04 g/mm2, respectively; p less than 0.05). The caffeine-induced contraction of sensitized tracheae was independent of extracellular calcium. These results suggest that a greater calcium entry and/or intracellular calcium release may be an alteration underlying hyperreactivity of sensitized tissues to spasmogens.

Animals↗