Biomedical subjects

P Moser

Publications and source records attributed to P Moser.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1991

Randomized comparative study of hemaccel vs. albumin infusion after total paracentesis in cirrhotic patients with refractory ascites.

Fifty-four cirrhotic patients with refractory ascites were treated with one-session large-volume paracentesis and randomly assigned to two groups. The first group was infused with human albumin, and the second group was infused with hemaccel at doses with comparable oncotic power. The two groups were compared for incidence of complications, recurrence of massive ascites after hospital dismissal and survival rate. The incidence of complications traditionally related to paracentesis, the probability of requiring readmission to the hospital for ascites (p = 0.48) and the probability of survival after entry into the study (p = 0.85) were the same for the two groups. A multivariate analysis of 16 parameters, including treatment modality, identified absolute unresponsiveness to diuretics as the only independent predictor of mortality. These results indicate that hemaccel infusion may safely replace albumin infusion after total paracentesis for cirrhotic patients with refractory ascites.

Aldosterone↗

PubMed1990

Atrial natriuretic factor in cirrhotic patients with tense ascites. Effect of large-volume paracentesis.

The plasma levels of atrial natriuretic factor in liver cirrhosis can be affected by various factors, such as ascites, renal function, use of diuretics drugs and dietary sodium intake. Moreover, the influence of high intra-abdominal pressure on cardiac atrial natriuretic factor release in patients with tense ascites has not been investigated. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the circulating levels of atrial natriuretic factor and their relationships to plasma renin activity, aldosterone concentration, and urinary sodium excretion in 45 cirrhotic patients divided into 4 groups: (a) cirrhotics without ascites; (b) nonazotemic cirrhotics with ascites; (c) cirrhotics with ascites and functional renal failure; and (d) cirrhotics with ascites taking diuretics. In some patients with tense ascites, atrial natriuretic factor was also measured after rapid abdominal relaxation by large volume paracentesis. Plasma levels of atrial natriuretic factor obtained in 13 healthy control subjects after 5 days on a 40-50 mEq sodium daily intake were 22.8 +/- 3.3 pg/ml. Mean plasma atrial natriuretic factor levels were normal in patients without ascites (35.1 +/- 11.4 pg/ml) and in those with ascites taking diuretics (27 +/- 9.2 pg/ml), but elevated in patients with ascites not taking diuretics (59.6 +/- 12 pg/ml) and in those with ascites and functional renal failure (58.5 +/- 16.6 pg/ml). These data show that plasma atrial natriuretic factor levels are elevated only in cirrhotic patients who are ascitic and not taking diuretics. In these patients atrial natriuretic factor levels were directly correlated with urinary sodium excretion, even though sodium balance was positive. This could be the consequence of the contrasting effects of antinatriuretic factors, as suggested by the inverse relationships between atrial natriuretic factor and urinary sodium on the one hand and plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone concentration on the other. Twenty-six patients with tense ascites (12 taking diuretics and 14 not) were treated with rapid large-volume paracentesis (6500 +/- 330 ml of ascitic fluid removed in 168 +/- 16 min). At the end of the procedure, plasma atrial natriuretic factor levels had increased in all patients (from 45.5 +/- 10.1 to 100 +/- 17 pg/ml), whereas plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone concentration had decreased (from 10.3 +/- 1.6 to 7 +/- 1.3 ng/ml/h, and 1160 +/- 197 to 781 +/- 155 pg/ml, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Aldosterone↗

PubMed1990

Synthesis and quantitative structure-activity relationships of diclofenac analogues.

The synthesis of a series of 2-anilinophenylacetic acids, close analogues of diclofenac, is described. These compounds were tested in two models used for evaluating the activity of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID's), inhibition of cyclooxygenase enzyme activity in vitro, and adjuvant-induced arthritis (AdA) in rats. Statistically significant correlations were found between the inhibitory activities of the compounds in these two models, indicating that cyclooxygenase inhibition seems to be the underlying mechanism for the antiinflammatory activity of these compounds. Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis revealed that the crucial parameters for activity in both models were the lipophilicity and the angle of twist between the two phenyl rings. Optimal activities were associated with halogen or alkyl substituents in both ortho positions of the anilino ring. Compounds with OH groups in addition to two ortho substituents or compounds with only one or no ortho substituents were less active.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Utility of ascitic fluid analysis in patients with malignancy-related ascites.

One-hundred and thirty-three consecutive ascitic patients hospitalized in our Liver Unit were prospectively investigated, to define the accuracy of ascitic fluid analysis in identifying malignancy. Patients with extrahepatic cancer and peritoneal carcinomatosis were characterized by positive cytology and higher ascitic levels of fibronectin, lactic dehydrogenase, carcinoembryonic antigen, and total protein than both patients with uncomplicated cirrhosis and patients with cirrhosis and liver cancer. Ascitic cytology, fibronectin, and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) were the most sensitive and specific markers of extrahepatic malignancy. In contrast, none of these markers was useful in identifying patients with primary liver cancer complicating cirrhosis. For them, the only alteration of the ascitic fluid was an elevated alpha-fetoprotein concentration. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of ascitic alpha-fetoprotein for detecting liver cancer were 87%, 95%, and 94%, respectively. Combining cytology with the determinations of fibronectin (or LDH) and alpha-fetoprotein in ascitic fluid satisfactorily differentiated 28 of 32 cases of malignancy-related ascites, with very low incidence of false-positives (4-6%). Therefore, in view of the frequent difficulties in detecting liver cancer as a complication of cirrhosis in patients with ascites, it is advisable to determine all these three markers in the same ascitic sample.

Ascitic Fluid↗

PubMed1990

Paracentesis: a re-evaluated procedure in the management of cirrhotic patients with ascites.

Paracentesis is the oldest method for treating patients with ascites, but the fear of serious side-effects and the coincident introduction of effective non-toxic diuretic drugs led to its abandonment during the fifties. In recent years, several studies have investigated whether abdominal evacuation of ascitic fluid is truly dangerous for cirrhotic patients. The results of some randomized controlled trials comparing paracentesis with a traditional diuretic therapy showed that the rate of complications after paracentesis, particularly when the procedure was combined with a sufficient plasma expansion, was equal to or lower than that of diuretic treatment. Moreover, the ability of paracentesis to resolve tense ascites, both in terms of number of successes and of time required to obtain ascites resolution, was similar or even higher. These data and the recent new interest of several investigators in employing ascitic fluid examination for diagnostic purposes have increased the use of this procedure in the clinical practice.

Ascites↗

PubMed1990

[Hemoglobin niosomes. II. In vitro interactions of plasma proteins and phagocytes].

We have studied the in vitro interactions versus some blood components of the hemoglobin niosomes whose preparation and physicochemical and oxyphoric properties have been published in a precedent paper (this journal, 1989, No. 7, p. 192). This work was devoted to the research of 1) Agglutination phenomena with ABO blood group substances, plasma, some of its components and three plasma expanders, finally main erythrocytic phenotypes. 2) Adsorption of plasma proteins by immunoelectrophoresis. 3) Effects of niosomes on blood coagulation by thromboelastography. 4) Interactions between niosomes and phagocytes by electron microscopy, chemotactic migration, oxygen consumption, superoxide generation and oxydases function. These assays allow to observe and conclude that: 1) The agglutination phenomena are almost constant except with red blood cells. The agglutinates are dissociable by shaking. The agglutination appears to be nonspecific of a niosome component but is not observed with "classical" DPPC-chol-DCP liposomes. 2) Albumin and eventually transferrin are adsorbed at the surface of niosomes but without destabilizing them. 3) The vesicules show no important effects on coagulation factors, the enhancement of clotting time appearing essentially the consequence of blood dilution. 4) Niosomes phagocytosis is important but all the measurements fail to show any cellular metabolism activation: cell oxygen consumption, oxygenated metabolites generation and oxydases activity are not enhanced whatever the "electric" charge or the niosomes/phagocytes ratio used.

Blood Proteins↗

PubMed1989

[Hemoglobin niosomes. I. Preparation, functional and physico-chemical properties, and stability].

Hemoglobin niosomes. I, Preparation, functional and physical properties and stability. Hemoglobin niosomes (non ionic liposomes) obtained from L'Oréal synthetic lipids by solvents vaporization appear as unilamellar spherical red vesicles, isolated from each other and with heterogeneous size (0.5 to 4 microns). Their suspensions show a visible spectra superimposable to that of free hemoglobin which is incorporated at a rate of 0.3 to 0.5 g per lipid gram. Vesicles are permeable to oxygen and the hemoglobin dissociation curve can be modified similarly to non-encapsulated hemoglobin. Niosomes appear physically stable while hemoglobin undergoes a progressive oxidation to methemoglobin reaching 30% after 5 months at 4 degrees C. Even in the absence of dicetylphosphate (DCP), niosomes possess a negative charge confering to them an electrophoretic mobility. 5% DCP allows to obtain a zeta potential near to that of erythrocytes. The niosomes suspensions are more viscous than red blood cells but their rheological behavior is similar and the vesicles may have some deformability.

Chemical Phenomena↗

PubMed1987

The limits of bioaccumulation of organic pigments in fish: their relation to the partition coefficient and the solubility in water and octanol.

A reliable experimental determination of the partition coefficient Pow of organic pigments is met with serious difficulties due to the extremely low water solubilities of these compounds. Therefore, the Pow values and the water solubilities were calculated for 11 typical organic pigments and some disperse dyes as well. The calculated Pow values of the pigments were very high predicting bioaccumulation factors (BF) several orders of magnitude above 100. Based on recent studies confirming that n-octanol simulates lipids in their solubilizing effect on organic chemicals, the solubilities of these organic pigments in n-octanol were measured in order to estimate their potential for lipid storage. The very low solubility values indicate that in spite of the very high predicted BF such pigments cannot build up concentrations in lipids (hence in fish) which could be of concern considering their generally low toxicity and the extremely small amounts entering the environment. Therefore, there should be no need to perform a fish bioaccumulation test for assessing the bioaccumulation potential of such compounds, provided they show comparable solubility characteristics as the pigments investigated in this study.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Effect of nitroglycerin on blood rheology in healthy subjects.

Transdermal nitroglycerin (Nitroderm TTS 5) and a placebo were applied to 10 healthy male volunteers for 10 days. Before the first application and 6, 24, 48, 96, and 240 h thereafter, the viscosity of plasma and whole blood was measured and the packed-cell volume determined. During nitroglycerin application, the viscosity of plasma and whole blood was significantly diminished, and after 10 days it averaged 5% below the initial value. The greater the initial viscosity, the more marked was the drug-induced reduction: in 5 subjects with plasma and whole-blood viscosities near the lower limit of the normal range, there was only a temporary decrease and the values reverted to their initial levels after 4 days; in the other 5 subjects, whose whole-blood viscosities were near the upper limit of the normal range, a 10% reduction was still demonstrable after 10 days. In those subjects all values measured throughout the 10-day observation period were significantly below the initial values. The haematocrit readings followed the same pattern as the alterations in viscosity. It can be assumed, therefore, that the decrease in viscosity induced by nitroglycerin results from "internal haemodilution". The clinical relevance of the changes observed is discussed. The improvement in the rheological properties of the blood may contribute to the anti-anginal effect of Nitroderm TTS.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

Effects of acute administration of zetidoline, a new antidopaminergic drug, on plasma prolactin and aldosterone levels in man.

The neuroendocrinological effects of acute oral administration of 20 mg zetidoline, a new antipsychotic drug with antidopaminergic properties, were evaluated in 8 healthy volunteers, by a double-blind, crossover comparison with placebo. Zetidoline significantly increased serum prolactin (p less than 0.01 at 1-3 h; p less than 0.05 at 4-6 h). No significant change was observed in blood levels of aldosterone, renin, cortisol, growth hormone and electrolyte, or in blood pressure and heart rate. The data suggest that the drug increases prolactin through blockade of dopaminergic receptors. The lack of change in the aldosterone levels may be evidence against the hypothesis of dopaminergic control of aldosterone secretion.

Adult↗

PubMed1982

Iron intakes and serum ferritin levels in developmentally delayed children. An assessment of maternal knowledge and attitudes.

A survey conducted on a quota sample of 42 developmentally delayed children included assessment of maternal nutrition knowledge and attitudes. A 24-hour recall was combined with a two-day food record for calculation of dietary iron intakes of the children. Serum ferritin levels were used to assess subjects' iron stores. Maternal education was positively correlated with maternal nutrition knowledge, attitude toward meal planning, and stricter attitudes toward feeding children. Maternal nutrition knowledge and strictness attitudes significantly correlated with dietary iron intake. Relative feeding skills and age correlated with serum ferritin levels.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1979