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Biomedical subjects

P G Higgins

Publications and source records attributed to P G Higgins.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

The common cold, pattern sensitivity and contrast sensitivity.

Results from two studies involving challenge with respiratory syncytial viruses showed that volunteers who developed colds were more sensitive to a visually distracting pattern presented prior to virus challenge than were volunteers who did not get a cold. Volunteers with sub-clinical infections reported more illusions after virus challenge than they had done before, whereas uninfected volunteers and those with colds tended to report fewer illusions on the second test. These effects did not occur when volunteers were challenged with either a coronavirus or rhinovirus. Overall, the results confirm that behavioural measures may be related to susceptibility to subsequent illness, and that viral infections may influence visual perception. They also show that the effects vary according to the nature of the infecting agent, which agrees with results from studies looking at other aspects of behaviour.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Bronchial reactivity to histamine and bradykinin is unchanged after rhinovirus infection in normal subjects.

We investigated the effects of rhinovirus (RV) infection on airways reactivity. Twenty seven normal volunteers (11 atopic) were inoculated with RV 2 or RV EL. The provocative concentrations of histamine and bradykinin required to produce a 15% fall in the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (PC15FEV1) were measured before, 7 and 21 days after inoculation. Infection was determined by a fourfold rise in anti-viral antibody titre and by viral culture from nasal washings. Peak expiratory flow rate (PEF) was recorded three days before and for 21 days after inoculation. All subjects underwent the first two bronchial challenges, and 22 the third challenge. For the whole group and for atopic subjects, there were significant correlations between the PC15 values for bradykinin and histamine (r = 0.82 and r = 0.85, respectively). Twenty subjects were infected; six had clinical colds. For the 16 infected subjects who had all three challenges, the median (range) PC15FEV1 for the histamine challenges was 36 (0.89-64), 62 (1.5-64) and 34 (0.94-64) mg.ml-1, respectively, and 32 mg.ml-1 for each bradykinin challenge (range: 0.015-32, 0.088-32 and 0.033-32). There were no significant differences between study days for PC15FEV1 histamine or bradykinin for the whole group, the infected subjects, those with clinical colds or for those infected with either RV subtype. There was no significant change in mean daily PEF after viral infection. We conclude that airways reactivity to histamine and bradykinin is unchanged after experimental RV infection in normal volunteers.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1990

The efficacy of intranasal interferon alpha-2a in respiratory syncytial virus infection in volunteers.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, self-administered intranasal interferon alpha-2a or placebo was given both before and after challenge with respiratory syncytial virus. The incidence of colds and the severity of signs and symptoms were reduced in those receiving interferon alpha-2a as compared with those given placebo. In a further double-blind, placebo-controlled study, self-administered interferon alpha-2a or placebo was given only to those volunteers who developed colds following challenge with respiratory syncytial virus. There was no evidence that interferon alpha-2a reduced the severity of the signs and symptoms or shortened the duration of the illness. The similarity of these results to the effect of interferon alpha-2a in rhinovirus infections in volunteers is discussed.

Administration, Intranasal↗
PubMed1990

Measurement issues in the use of the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory with Navajo women.

In this article the authors describe the measurement error associated with the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory when used with a population of Navajo women. This instrument was used with 29 Navajo women to determine if the questions were culturally acceptable. The results showed that this instrument has some content validity issues when used with Navajo women. More research is needed using this instrument as well as other psychometrically sound self-esteem measures with cultural and racial groups other than whites.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

The effect of intranasal nedocromil sodium on viral upper respiratory tract infections in human volunteers.

Two studies involving double-blind group comparative trials in human volunteers compared the effects of intranasal nedocromil sodium (2.6 mg active drug per nostril, q.i.d.) with placebo on clinical symptoms and performance impairment associated with the common cold. In the first study volunteers were challenged with rhinoviruses (RV9 and RV14), and in the second study with respiratory coronavirus. In both studies, active and placebo groups of volunteers were demographically similar. Infection rates in both groups were also similar. There were no withdrawals resulting from unusual symptoms related to either treatment. In the rhinovirus study (19, placebo; 20, nedocromil sodium) daily symptom scores and daily mean nasal secretion weights were significantly lower in the nedocromil sodium-treated group. In the coronavirus study (26, placebo; 27, nedocromil sodium) there was little difference in the severity of colds between the active and placebo-treated groups, but trends favoured nedocromil sodium. In both studies the impairment of performance in volunteers who developed a cold was significantly less in those treated with nedocromil sodium than in those treated with placebo.

Administration, Intranasal↗
PubMed1990

Effects of experimentally induced colds on aspects of memory.

Four experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of experimentally-induced colds on various aspects of memory of 27, 47, 39, and 30 adults. Free recall, digit span, and retrieval from semantic memory were unaffected by having a cold. Immediate recognition of important information from a story was impaired in subjects with colds, which suggests they were less able to follow the theme of the story. In contrast to this, volunteers with colds had better recognition of information from a story learned prior to the virus challenge.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

von Willebrand factor is an acute phase reactant in man.

Plasma von Willebrand factor antigen (vWfAg) concentrations in 19 patients with acute infectious illnesses of bacterial, viral or parasitic origin were significantly elevated with a mean greater than 3-fold above normal. In individual patients the elevation of vWf correlated strongly with the elevation of serum C-reactive protein (CRP). When patients were studied longitudinally, vWfAg and CRP concentrations both returned to normal values over 3-4 weeks. Similarly, in 14 volunteers infected with cold virus, vWfAg and CRP levels rose significantly and fell together during the course of infection. VWf is thus an acute phase reactant in man.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗
PubMed1989

The time course of the humoral immune response to rhinovirus infection.

The specific humoral immune response of 17 volunteers to infection with human rhinovirus type 2 (HRV-2) has been measured both by neutralization and by ELISA. Six volunteers who had HRV-2-specific antibodies in either serum or nasal secretions before HRV-2 inoculation were resistant to infection and illness. Of the remaining 11 volunteers who had little pre-existing HRV-2-specific antibody, one was immune but 10 became infected and displayed increases in HRV-2-specific antibodies. These antibodies first increased 1-2 weeks after infection and reached a maximum at 5 weeks. All six resistant volunteers who had high pre-existing antibody and eight of the volunteers who became infected maintained their HRV-2-specific antibody for at least 1 year. At this time they were protected against reinfection. Two volunteers showed decreases in HRV-2-specific antibodies from either serum or nasal secretions. They became infected but not ill after HRV-2 inoculation 1 year later.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Suppression of colds in human volunteers challenged with rhinovirus by a new synthetic drug (R61837).

This report describes double-blind placebo-controlled trials of a new synthetic antirhinovirus drug, R61837, which showed it to be effective in suppressing colds in human volunteers challenged with rhinovirus type 9. In one trial, R61837 was given by intranasal spray six times a day, commencing 28 h before virus challenge; treatment continued for 4 days and one dose (total dose, 25 mg). This regimen suppressed symptoms until 48 h after medication ceased, at which time colds developed. In another trial, medication with R61837 commenced at 4 h before virus challenge and continued for a total of 6 days (total dose, 36 mg). The drug produced substantial reductions in both the mean daily clinical score and the mean daily nasal secretion weight compared with patients given the placebo. These differences reached statistical significance for 2 and 4 days, respectively. In a further trial, intranasal R61837 was not effective in treating colds even when given shortly after the onset of symptoms and in doses of up to 15 mg/day.

Administration, Intranasal↗
PubMed1989

Effects and after-effects of the common cold and influenza on human performance.

Volunteers who develop a cold following virus challenge were significantly slower on choice reaction time tasks than those with no illness. This effect was still observed after the clinical symptoms had gone. In contrast to this, influenza illnesses only impaired performance in tasks in which subjects were uncertain where the target stimulus would appear. These results demonstrate that the CNS effects of respiratory virus infections depend on the type of virus, and that performance impairments may remain even after the symptoms of a cold have gone.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Failure to demonstrate synergy between interferon-alpha and a synthetic antiviral, enviroxime, in rhinovirus infections in volunteers.

Marked synergy between the antirhinoviral effect of rHuIFN alpha and enviroxime has been observed in vitro but an attempt to demonstrate it in volunteers was unsuccessful. The sub-optimal intranasal dose of rHuIFN alpha (0.18 Mu four times daily for 4 1/4 days) used prophylactically in the trial did reduce the severity of colds induced by RV9 and 14, but the difference did not reach statistical significance and was not enhanced by the administration of enviroxime (0.28 mg six times daily for six days). The main reason for failure is thought to be the rapid removal of enviroxime from the nose when given intranasally.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

The effects of experimentally induced respiratory virus infections on performance.

Studies of experimentally induced respiratory infections and illnesses showed that influenza impaired performance on a visual search task but had no effect on a simple motor task, whereas colds impaired the motor task but not the search task. The effect of influenza on the search task was observed in both volunteers with significant clinical symptoms and volunteers who were shown, by virological techniques, to be infected but who had no significant clinical illness. Performance was also impaired during the incubation period of this illness, which confirms that subclinical influenza virus infections can have behavioural effects. In contrast to influenza, the effects of colds were restricted to volunteers who had significant clinical symptoms, and the impairments in performance were observed only when the symptoms were apparent.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Recombinant human interferon-gamma as prophylaxis against rhinovirus colds in volunteers.

The first evaluation of intranasal (i.n.) recombinant human interferon-gamma (rHuIFN-gamma) as prophylaxis against experimental rhinovirus (RV) infection and illness in volunteers is reported. In two studies, 7 of 27 (26%) of the volunteers who received rHuIFN-gamma (2 Mu i.n. 3 x /day) had either blood stained nasal secretions or nose bleeding which was not observed in any of the 26 placebo recipients. Some volunteers given rHuIFN-gamma showed increased nasal secretion and the majority complained of slight nasal stuffiness, whereas only a few of those receiving placebo complained of these symptoms. In the prophylactic study, 17 volunteers were given the above regimen of rHuIFN-gamma and 17 placebo; after the fourth dose all were challenged with RV9, followed 1 h later with RV14 (100 TCID50 of each virus). Compared with the placebo-treated controls, interferon recipients showed no significant reduction in the proportion who developed colds or became infected, and there was an increase in both their mean clinical scores and mean nasal secretion weights. Thus i.n. rHuIFN-gamma did not prevent rhinovirus infection or illness and may enhance the symptoms.

Administration, Intranasal↗
PubMed1988

Biometric outcomes of a geriatric health promotion programme.

A geriatric health promotion programme was conducted to determine biometric changes in cardiovascular, nutritional and musculoskeletal status. Sixty-seven older adults participated in the study. The experimental group of 34 elderly subjects showed statistically significant increases in flexibility and high density lipoprotein with significant decreases in resting pulse rate, blood pressure, total cholesterol, weight and skinfold measures. The overall results of the wellness programme showed significant improvements in the physical health status of older adults.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Failure of intranasally administered 4', 6-dichloroflavan to protect against rhinovirus infection in man.

4',6-Dichloroflavan, a potent inhibitor of rhinovirus replication in tissue culture systems was tested in a double-blind, placebo-controlled volunteer trial for its protective efficacy against experimental rhinovirus infection. Dichloroflavan was administered intranasally as a 5 per cent w/v aqueous suspension (40 mg; 5 times per day) for 5 doses before and 21 doses after intranasal challenge with rhinovirus type 9, a virus type known to be highly sensitive to the drug when tested in tissue culture. A total of 49 volunteers were included in the efficacy analysis. Dichloroflavan did not produce any consistent or significant reduction in clinical or laboratory parameters of infection. Indeed there was some indication that treatment with the drug may have been associated with increased severity of clinical signs and symptoms. Dichloroflavan administered intranasally is not, therefore, of value in the prevention of human rhinovirus infection.

Administration, Intranasal↗