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Biomedical subjects

P Berthelot

Publications and source records attributed to P Berthelot.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

[Prospective comparative study of HCV serologic status in and AIDS population].

OBJECTIVE: Study the influence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) serology on the course of HIV disease in AIDS patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study of survival prognosis in HIV infected patients who had reached the AIDS stage was conducted in the Saint-Etienne, Clermond-Ferrand and Lyons infectious disease centers to compare patients with positive and negative HCV serology. Data were collected using the clinico-epidemiological software DMI II. The effect of HCV ìco-infectionî defined by RIBA II or III confirmed seropositivity, was studied using Kaplan-Meier survival plots. RESULTS: Among the 1,005 HIV-infected subjects included in the study, 219 had AIDS and 43 of them (19.6%) were HCV positive. Survival curves in HIV/HCV positive patients with AIDS were not significantly different from those of HCV-negative AIDS patients (median 17.8 versus 18.6 months respectively, p = 0.93). This result was confirmed by univariate Kaplan-Meier analysis. Only 2 patients were treated with interferon and no deaths were attributed to liver disease. CONCLUSION: HCV positivity in AIDS patients does not appear to influence survival. The longer survival obtained with the new anti-retroviral treatments may have an effect on the HIV-HCV interaction.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1999

Soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors in chronic hepatitis C: a correlation with histological fibrosis and activity.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) is a mediator of inflammation and cellular immune response. Soluble TNF receptors (sTNFR) sTNF-R55 and sTNF-R75, which compete with cellular receptors for the binding of TNF, have been detected at high levels in infectious diseases including human immunodeficiency virus and HBV infection. In order to investigate the activation of the TNF system in HCV infection, we have analyzed the balance between TNF and sTNF-R in 60 HCV-infected subjects according to their clinical, biological, virological and histological characteristics. METHODS: Serum TNF, sTNF-R55 and sTNF-R75 levels were determined by ELISA before any therapy and were compared to a control group of 60 healthy subjects and a group of 34 HBV-infected patients. RESULTS: Mean TNF levels were 50.5+/-4.5 pg/ml in HCV patients, and undetectable (<5 pg/ml) in the control subjects. sTNF-R55 and sTNF-R75 levels were significantly higher in HCV-infected patients than in the controls: 2.88+/-0.14 ng/ml vs. 1.30+/-0.05, (p = 0.0001), and 9.54+/-0.58 ng/ml vs. 4.19+/-016, (p = 0.0001), respectively. sTNF-R55 and TNF-alpha levels in HCV patients were not significantly different from levels in HBV patients. sTNF-R75 levels were slightly lower than in HBV patients (9.54+/-0.58 vs. 11.4+/-0.79 ng/ml, p = 0.03). In contrast to other infectious diseases, there was no correlation between levels of sTNF-R and TNF. sTNF-R75 but not TNF levels were correlated with aminotransferases levels (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0015 for aspartate and alanine aminotransferase, respectively), while sTNF-R55 levels were significantly correlated only with aspartate aminotransferase levels (p = 0.003). sTNF-R75 levels were significantly correlated with the Metavir activity index (p = 0.01), and sTNF-R55 and sTNF-R75 levels were significantly higher in patients with vs. without cirrhosis (3.22+/-0.21 vs. 2.54+/-0.17 ng/ml (p<0.02) and 11.6+/-0.86 vs. 7.5+/-0.53 ng/ml (p<0.001), respectively). sTNF-R55, sTNF-R75 and TNF levels were not correlated with viral load, genotype or response to interferon therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Levels of soluble TNF receptors, and particularly sTNF-R75, are significantly correlated with the severity of the disease but not with virological parameters such as quantitative viremia and genotype. High TNF-R production could thus suggest that HCV-related liver disease involves immunological mechanisms, including activation of the TNF system.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

A randomized trial of ribavirin and interferon-alpha vs. interferon-alpha alone in patients with chronic hepatitis C who were non-responders to a previous treatment. Multicenter Study Group under the coordination of the Necker Hospital, Paris, France.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Fifty percent of patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) show no response to alpha-interferon, and no alternative therapy has thus far proven to be effective. Therapeutic combination with ribavirin and alpha-interferon has shown promising results in naive patients and in relapsers, but based on limited series, it was reported to be inefficient in non-responders. The aim of our study was therefore to explore and compare, in a randomized trial, the tolerance and potential efficacy of alpha-interferon alone with a sequential combination of ribavirin and the same alpha-interferon regimen in those patients. METHODS: Sixty-four non-responder patients were randomized in the alpha2b-interferon group (a 6-month course at a dosage of 6 MU followed by a 6-month course of 3 MU three times weekly subcutaneously) and 62 in the "combination" group (sequential combination of the same alpha2b-interferon therapy preceded by a 2-month course of ribavirin which was then associated for 2 months with alpha2b-interferon at a daily dosage of 1.0 or 1.2 g). RESULTS: Treatment withdrawal was necessary for six patients from the alpha-interferon and eight patients from the combination group. Normalization of aminotransferase activities was significantly more frequent after the 4-month course of ribavirin with 2 months of interferon than after 2 months of interferon alone (52.8 vs. 26.2%, p<0.01), but this difference was not maintained after ribavirin withdrawal. Disappearance of serum HCV RNA (PCR) was significantly more frequent at the end of treatment in the combination group (24.5 vs. 7.7%, p=0.02), but did not differ 6 months after the end of therapy (9.8 and 8.3%, respectively). The long-term response was not associated with liver status (cirrhosis vs. absence of cirrhosis) or genotype. Mean viremia was significantly lower in long-term responders than in non-responders or relapsers in both groups (p<0.001 for the interferon group and p<0.05 for the combination group), but the large extent of viral load precluded reliable prediction. The pre- and post-treatment hepatitis activity index did not differ between the two groups. While a crude histopathological improvement in the hepatitis activity index for a given patient was more frequently observed in the combination group (69.2 vs. 35.9%, p<0.01), improvement as defined by a decrease of at least 2 in the hepatitis activity index was significant only for lobular necrosis and degeneration. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the efficacy of the combination of ribavirin/alpha-interferon in non-responders. Indeed, (i) it is fairly tolerated; (ii) it increases the rate of the initial biological response, and of the virological response by decreasing breakthrough, though this benefit is not sustained; and (iii) it induces a significant histological improvement in necrosis. A simultaneous and prolonged combination of ribavirin/alpha-interferon should be further evaluated in non-responders.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed1999

Investigation of a nosocomial outbreak due to Serratia marcescens in a maternity hospital.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate an outbreak of Serratia marcescens in a maternity hospital (November 1994 to May 1995). DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of epidemiological data and prospective study of systematic bacteriological samples from patients and environment, with genotyping of strains by arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction. SETTING: A private maternity hospital, Saint-Etienne, France. RESULTS: In the neonatal unit, 1 newborn developed a bacteremia, and 36 were colonized in stools with S marcescens. As the colonization of some newborns was shown to occur only a few hours after delivery, the inquiry was extended to other maternity wards, where 8 babies and 4 mothers were found to be colonized. Environmental sampling led to the isolation of S marcescens from a bottle of enteral feed additive in the neonatal unit and from the transducers of two internal tocographs in the delivery rooms. The genotyping of 27 strains showed two different profiles: a major epidemic profile shared by 22 strains (18 from babies of the neonatal unit, 2 from babies of other units, and 2 from breast milk) and another profile shared by 5 strains (2 from transducers of internal tocographs, 2 from babies, and 1 from a mother). The strain isolated from lipid enteral feeding was not available for typing. Although this source of contamination was removed soon from the neonatal unit, the outbreak stopped only when infection control measures were reinforced in the delivery rooms, including the nonreuse of internal tocographs. CONCLUSIONS: In delivery rooms, the quality of hygiene needs to be as high as in surgery rooms to prevent nosocomial colonization or infection of neonates at birth.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed1999

Significance of repeatedly normal aminotransferase activities in HCV-infected patients.

The significance of repeatedly normal serum aminotransferase activities in antihepatitis C virus (anti-HCV)-positive patients is not clear. To address this issue, the authors analyzed clinical, virologic, histopathologic, and biological characteristics of such subjects. Among their active file of 1,200 anti-HCV-positive immunocompetent patients, they identified 36 subjects (3%) with repeatedly normal aminotransferase activities, as defined by at least four normal values of aminotransferase over a minimum period of 6 months without any abnormal value (mean of this period, 31 +/- 21 months). The 36 patients included 11 men and 25 women with a mean age of 45 +/- 15 years. Twenty-three of these 36 subjects (64%) had detectable HCV viremia by polymerase chain reaction. Their genotype distribution was as follows: genotype 1a or 1b, 57%; genotype 2, 26%; and genotype 3, 17%. Of the HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA)-positive and HCV RNA-negative subjects, 17 and 5 had a liver biopsy respectively. In the former, the mean Knodell score was 5.6 +/- 3.5 (range, 1 to 14), and was < 5 in 9 patients (53%) and > or = 5 in 8 (47%), including extensive fibrosis (n = 2) or cirrhosis (n = 2). In the HCV RNA-negative subjects, one patient had a Knodell score > or = 5. Comparing the 23 immunocompetent viremic subjects with repeatedly normal serum aminotransferase activities with our group (n = 564) of immunocompetent viremic patients with abnormal aminotransferase activities, there was a significant predominance of women (70% versus 44%, p < 0.05) and of genotype 2 in the former (26% versus 7%, p < 0.05), but no differences according to quantitative viremia, alcohol consumption, or distribution of risk factor were observed. Most of viremic HCV-infected patients with long-term and repeatedly normal aminotransferase values have indeed chronic active hepatitis, including extensive fibrosis or cirrhosis in as many as 20% of patients. This emphasizes the need for serum HCV RNA determination in anti-HCV-positive patients with normal aminotransferase activities. In these patients liver biopsy may be necessary and should be discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Epidemiological and virological analysis of couples infected with hepatitis C virus.

BACKGROUND: If transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection through parenteral exposure is well documented, sexual transmission of HCV is still debated. AIMS: To perform extensive epidemiological and virological analysis in 24 couples in which each spouse was anti-HCV positive in order to delineate more precisely potential sexual transmission of HCV. PATIENTS: Twenty four couples in which each partner was anti-HCV positive. These 48 spouses were recruited in a liver unit by regular screening of spouses of index patients. METHODS: All 48 spouses completed an epidemiological questionnaire on risk factors for HCV. Qualitative detection of serum HCV RNA and determination of HCV type by genotyping and serotyping were performed. Sequence analysis of HCV strains by phylogenetic analysis was carried out in seven couples with concordant genotypes. RESULTS: The mean (SD) partnership duration was 12 (10) years. Serum HCV RNA was detected in both partners in 18 of the couples (75%) and in only one partner in six of the couples (25%). HCV typing showed concordant genotypes in 12 couples (50%), discordant genotypes in seven (29%), and in the other five couples (21%) only one spouse could be genotyped. Of the 48 spouses, 33 had a major risk factor for HCV transmission such as transfusion (n = 6) and intravenous drug use (n = 27). Eleven of the 12 couples infected with the same HCV genotype had at least one parenteral risk factor for viral transmission in both spouses. Whatever the genotype concordance, in most couples (75%), both spouses showed parenteral risk factors for viral transmission. Sequence analysis of HCV strains was possible in seven of 12 couples with identical genotype and showed different and identical isolates in four and three couples respectively. CONCLUSION: The study emphasises the risk of overestimating the importance of a very low sexual HCV transmission risk as against other, mainly parenteral, risk factors.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Prevalence of GBV-C/hepatitis G virus RNA and E2 antibody among subjects infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 after parenteral or sexual exposure.

GB virus C (GBV-C) or hepatitis G virus (HGV) is transmitted by the parenteral route but the importance of sexual transmission needs to be ascertained. GBV-C/HGV infections were investigated using RNA and E2-antibody detection methods in 80 subjects infected by the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) divided into 4 groups of 20 individuals each according to their main risk factor for HIV-1 infection: blood product recipients (group 1), intravenous drug users (group 2), homosexuals (group 3), or heterosexual exposure (group 4). The overall prevalence of GBV-C/HGV infection was 66.3%. No significant difference was observed in GBV-C/ HGV prevalence among the four groups: 75, 75, 55, and 60% in groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies, used as a control for parenteral exposure, were found in 70% and 90% of the subjects in groups 1 and 2 versus only 15% and 20% of the subjects in groups 3 and 4, respectively (P< .001). Similarly, coinfections with GBV-C/HGV and HCV were significantly associated with the parenteral route (P <.001). These data emphasized the usefulness of combining the detection of RNA and the E2 antibody to determine the actual prevalence of GBV-C/HGV infection. The high prevalence of the GBV-C/HGV markers among the HIV-1-infected subjects, especially those with sexual exposure, provides additional evidence that this route of transmission plays a key role in the epidemiology of GBV-C/HGV. The potential influence of GBV-C/HGV infection on the course of HIV-1 disease needs further evaluation.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Pretreatment with prednisolone enhances the effect of human lymphoblastoid interferon in chronic hepatitis B].

Patients (n = 213) with chronic hepatitis B were randomised to prednisolone (two weeks of 0.6 mg/kg/day, one week of 0.45 mg/kg/day and one week of 0.25 mg/kg/day) or placebo followed by two weeks rest, and were then given human lymphoblastoid interferon 10 MU daily for five days followed by 10 MU thrice weekly for 11 weeks. There were statistically significant effects of prednisolone pre-treatment on both HBeAg disappearance and HBeAg to anti-HBe seroconversion (log rank test statistics 5.43; p = 0.02 and 4.75; p = 0.03). HBeAg disappearance and HBeAg to anti-HBe seroconversion rates were 28 vs. 44% and 23 vs. 38% (placebo vs. prednisolone). Fifteen patients (7.5%) lost HBsAg. Three out of 22 cirrhotic patients (14%), one of whom received prednisolone pre-treatment, developed hepatic decompensation with a fatal outcome. Prednisolone pre-treatment, enhances the effect of lymphoblastoid interferon in chronic hepatitis B. Interferon treatment (with and without prednisolone) should be used with caution in patients with cirrhosis and avoided in patients with evidence of hepatic decompensation.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Predictive factors for development of cirrhosis in parenterally acquired chronic hepatitis C: a comparison between immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the host immune status and of virological and environmental parameters on the development of cirrhosis during chronic hepatitis C virus infection. METHODS: Liver histology (cirrhosis or not, Knodell score) was evaluated according to age, sex, route and age of contamination, alcohol consumption and immune status in a large series of 553 HBsAg-negative patients (whose duration of hepatitis C virus infection could be precisely evaluated) divided into three groups: group 1 consisted of 462 immunocompetent subjects (46.1% intravenous drug users, 53.9% transfused), infected for a mean of 12.5+/-6.7 years, including 16.6% of alcohol abusers (>80 g/day); groups 2a and 2b consisted of 91 immunocompromised patients, 52 human immunodeficiency virus-coinfected patients corresponding to group 2a and 39 kidney recipients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy for group 2b, having been infected by hepatitis C virus for a mean of 12.6+/-5.3 and 11.5+/-5.3 years, respectively. RESULTS: Group 1: cirrhosis was present in 11.0% of group 1 patients and in 23.6% of immunocompetent patients with a duration of hepatitis C virus infection of 20 years or more. Forty-three percent of patients with cirrhosis and with hepatitis C virus infection for more than 20 years were alcohol abusers. The time taken to develop cirrhosis was 14+/-7 years in patients infected before the age of 40 years as compared to 8+/-5 years in those infected after 40 years (p<0.001). Groups 2a and 2b: cirrhosis was present in 19.8% of immunocompromised patients, a significantly higher rate than in immunocompetent patients (p<0.01). Alcohol abuse did not increase the risk of cirrhosis in this group. All patients but one were infected by hepatitis C virus before the age of 40 and the calculated time elapsed until the occurrence of cirrhosis was 12.4+/-5.5 years. In groups 1, 2a and 2b, there was no relation between histological severity, hepatitis C virus genotype and viral load. Four variables were independently associated with the occurrence of cirrhosis in the multivariate analysis: age over 40 at time of contamination (RR=9.3 in age range 40 to 59 and 91.2 in > or =60 years); long duration (> or =20 years) of hepatitis C virus infection (RR=15.4); alcohol consumption over 80 g/d (RR=2.9); and human immunodeficiency virus-coinfection (RR=2.6). CONCLUSIONS: Our study on a large series of well-characterized patients provides an accurate evaluation of the risk of cirrhosis in parenterally-contaminated immunocompetent hepatitis C virus-infected patients, with an overall figure of 11%. It also demonstrates the impact of the host immune status on the risk of severe histological lesions during chronic hepatitis C virus infection. It finally establishes the importance of age at the time of viral infection in the occurrence of cirrhosis, as well as the importance of alcohol consumption. Thus, at least following parenteral infection, both host-related and environmental cofactors play a major role in the severity of the liver lesions associated with hepatitis C virus infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) hypervariable region 1 complexity does not correlate with severity of liver disease, HCV type, viral load or duration of infection.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Several studies have suggested that infection with a highly heterogeneous population of hepatitis C virus correlates with a low response rate to interferon. It is still debated, however, whether or not this heterogeneity might be associated with liver disease severity. The aim of this study was to analyse hepatitis C virus genome complexity in patients with various stages of liver disease. METHODS: We used polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis to estimate the degree of complexity of the hypervariable region (HVR1) in 95 anti-HCV and serum HCV-RNA positive patients. They were divided into two groups according to Knodell's histological activity index (HAI) grading: 22 with HAI <4 and 73 with HAI> or =4, including 19 with cirrhosis. RESULTS: The number of visible SSCP bands ranged from 1 to 7. There was no significant difference in the number of SSCP bands between patients with HAI <4 and patients with HAI> or =4 (median number of bands was 4 in both groups). The number of SSCP bands was not correlated to the biochemical activity, the genotype, the HCV-RNA titre or the duration of hepatitis C virus infection. CONCLUSIONS: The HCV-HVR1 complexity profile alone does not correlate with the severity of liver disease, whatever the biological and virological profile of the viral infection.

Female↗
PubMed1998

Retrospective analysis of the impact of HIV infection and alcohol use on chronic hepatitis C in a large cohort of drug users.

BACKGROUND/AIM: This retrospective study aimed to better define the respective biological and pathological impact of human immunodeficiency virus infection and chronic alcohol consumption on the course of hepatitis C virus infection in intravenous drug users. METHODS: Two hundred and ten consecutive anti-HCV positive intravenous drug users, among whom 60 were also anti-HIV positive, took part in the study at the University Hospital, Paris, France. RESULTS: The activity of aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase was significantly increased in serum from anti-HIV positive patients. The mean hepatitis activity index was significantly higher in anti-HIV positive patients (p<0.05), among whom there was also a higher proportion of patients with cirrhosis as compared to anti-HIV negative patients (30.0 vs 15.3%, p<0.0001). Excessive alcohol drinking (recorded in around 35% of the patients, whatever their HIV status), as compared to non-excessive drinking, was more often associated with cirrhosis in anti-HIV negative (24.5 vs 11.3%, p<0.05) than in anti-HIV positive patients (30.4 vs 29.7%, not significant). In a multivariate analysis, HIV infection (relative risk 2.2, confidence interval 1.1-4.5) and excessive alcohol drinking (relative risk 1.9, confidence interval 1.0-3.9) were the variables independently associated with the risk of cirrhosis. CONCLUSION: Human immunodeficiency virus infection worsens the course of chronic hepatitis C in intravenous drug users. Excessive alcohol drinking also appears to be a crucial negative cofactor, and therefore alcohol withdrawal should be proposed as an integral part of the therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Hepatitis G virus infection in hepatitis C virus-positive patients co-infected or not with hepatitis B virus and/or human immunodeficiency virus.

This was a retrospective study to evaluate the prevalence and impact of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive drug addicts, according to the serological status of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection. Two hundred and thirty-five randomly selected intravenous drug addicted patients (147 French, 88 Italian) were studied. All patients were positive for antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV). HGV RNA positivity was measured by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Comparisons of HCV RNA positivity rate, and biological and histopathological variables, were made between HGV RNA-positive and negative patients, according to their HBV and HIV status. HGV prevalence was around 30% in both French and Italian groups. No clear association between HGV infection and a particular HCV genotype was observed. The rate of HCV RNA positivity did not differ between HGV-positive and HGV-negative patients after stratification for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and HIV positivity. Histological severity of the underlying chronic hepatitis did not differ according to the HGV status; however, in HIV-positive HBsAg-negative patients, the hepatitis activity was moderately increased in HGV-positive patients. A striking negative influence of HBsAg positivity on HCV replication was observed in HIV-negative patients; an HCV RNA-positive rate of 25% was found in HBsAg-positive patients vs 86% in HBsAg-negative patients; similar significant results were observed in HIV-positive patients, although to a lesser extent. The underlying chronic hepatitis was significantly more severe in HBsAg-positive than in HBsAg-negative HIV-negative patients. Hence, HGV infection is highly prevalent in anti-HCV positive drug addicts but the co-infection with HCV does not seem to influence HCV replication nor to worsen the underlying chronic hepatitis, in HIV-negative patients at least. Reciprocal influence between HBV, HCV and HIV appears rather complex, HBsAg carriage seeming to exert per se a negative effect on HCV replication, particularly in HIV-negative patients, suggesting that interactions between hepatitis viruses should always be analysed in the light of HIV status.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

The relationship between MIB-1 proliferation index and outcome in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

The expression of the cell-cycle-associated Ki-67 antigen by MIB-1 monoclonal antibody was retrospectively assessed in 35 surgically resected neuroendocrine tumor specimens of the pancreas embedded in paraffin. The MIB-1 proliferation index was correlated with the classification of the neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas proposed by Klöppel et al. Four prognostic factors showed a significant correlation with MIB-1: local invasion, metastases, tumor differentiation, and production of insulin. However, analysis by the Cox Proportional Hazards Regression Model showed that only local invasion was an independent predictor of outcome. Finally, our study showed a statistically significant increase in the number of deaths and a statistically significant decrease in survival time when the MIB-1 proliferation index was higher than 4%. We conclude that MIB-1 proliferation index is a simple and reliable tool to predict the clinical outcome of the neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas. The index might be useful for determining the prognosis for an individual because of the significant decrease in survival when the index is higher than 4%.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Catheter infection in intensive care: influence of systematic replacement of central venous catheters on a guide wire every 4 days].

OBJECTIVES: Determine whether systematic replacement of central venous catheters on a guide wire every 4 days leads to a lower rate of catheter infection. METHODS: We conducted a prospective randomized study comparing systematic catheter replacement with the standard procedure where one-way catheters are left in situ as needed. RESULTS: The study included 150 patients and 170 catheters. Catheter replacement on a guide wire was performed 169 times. The rate of infection was not significantly different between the group of patients with replacement (3.7 for 1000 catheter days) and the group with systematic replacement (5.4 for 1000 catheter days). No mechanical complications occurred during the replacement procedures on guide wires. CONCLUSION: We do not recommend systematically replacing catheters on a guide wire for the prevention of catheter infection. This procedure may however be indicated in case of suspected catheter infection as no mechanical of infectious complications occurred.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Actions of thienyl analogs of baclofen at GABA(B) receptors in rat neocortical slices.

In rat neocortical slices maintained in Mg2+-free Krebs medium, baclofen and its thienyl analogs, 4-amino-3-(5-chlorothien-2-yl)-butanoic acid (5h), 4-amino-3-(5-methylthien-2-yl)-butanoic acid (5d), 4-amino-3-(5-bromothien-2-yl)-butanoic acid (5f) and 4-amino-3-(thien-3-yl)-butanoic acid (5j) dose-dependently suppressed the spontaneous discharges, antagonised by the GABA(B) receptor antagonist 2-hydroxysaclofen (200 microM). Their relative potencies were baclofen > 5h > 5d > 5f > 5j. These heterocyclic analogs may prove useful as GABA(B) receptor agonists in functional studies.

Animals↗