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Biomedical subjects

R Azar

Publications and source records attributed to R Azar.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Adenovirus type 8 conjunctivitis outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit.

An outbreak of adenovirus type 8 conjunctivitis occurred in seven premature infants who had undergone ophthalmological examination four to seven days previously. Three of the affected infants, treated with steroids because of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, showed systemic manifestations and deterioration of their respiratory disease. Second and third waves affected nine staff and 12 family members.

Adenovirus Infections, Human↗
PubMed1989

Effects of fish oil rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids on hyperlipidemia of hemodialysis patients.

Hemodialysis (HD) patients have a high incidence of hyperlipidemia. Hypertriglyceridemia is the most frequent abnormality encountered. It results mainly from a defect in the degradation of triglycerides. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a fish oil (Max-EPA) rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), such as eicosapantenoic acid (EPA), on lipid abnormalities of hemodialysis patients. Thirteen hyperlipidemic HD patients were investigated (7 males, 6 females; mean age 57 years; mean duration of HD 72 months). None were diabetic or treated with antihypertensive drugs. All patients had hypertriglyceridemia (greater than 200 mg/dl) and an increase (greater than 1) in the ratio of serum apolipoprotein B to serum apolipoprotein A1 (ApoB/ApoA1). They received for one month, 6 g/day of Max-EPA providing 1 g of EPA. After treatment, serum triglyceride levels fell by 38% from 231 +/- 40 (SD) mg/dl to 140 +/- 38 mg/dl (P less than 0.01). Total cholesterol did not change significantly (before therapy 241 +/- 33 mg/dl, after therapy 249 +/- 38 mg/dl). Apolipoprotein A1 levels (116 +/- 17 mg/dl) were not modified after therapy, 117 +/- 11 mg/dl. Apolipoprotein B decreased significantly from 182 +/- 26 mg/dl to 150 +/- 21 mg/dl after treatment (P less than 0.01). The ApoB/ApoA1 ratio showed a significant decrease from 1.56 +/- 0.26 to 1.3 +/- 0.16 after therapy (P less than 0.01). Also, the greatest reductions were found in the patients who had both the highest serum triglyceride levels and the highest ApoB/ApoA1 ratios. No side effects were observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Plasma fibronectin: a marker of arterial hypertension in pregnancy?].

In a study of 40 pregnant women, Lazarchick and al. Have found that plasma fibronectin concentrations are abnormally elevated in normotensive pregnant women destined to become preeclamptic. We tried to confirm this fact in a larger study with intent to establish a predictive value of fibronectin rise as a sensitive indicator for preeclampsia. 285 pregnant women were included in our study: plasma fibronectin and uric acid were both measured between 14 and 39 weeks. Blood pressure and urinary protein were assessed monthly. 35 patients (12%) became hypertensive. Plasma fibronectin level was significantly higher (greater than 0.4 g/l) in the hypertensive gravid women group (chi 2 test: p less than 0.001; good specificity: 90%, bad sensitivity: 31%). There was a relationship between plasma fibronectin (greater than 0.4 g/l) and uric acid rise (greater than 50 mg/l) (chi 2 test: p less than 0.01). We did not find a relationship between fibronectin level and fetal weight. In conclusion, plasma fibronectin level is higher in hypertensive pregnant women but the absolute value is not statistically significant. It looks like a bad screening test, but it is a very specific test. It does not give information about fetal prognosis. It would be interesting to carry out another study in a larger population with repeated samplings to prove or reject the greater predictive value of fibronectin and its concentration as a sensitive indicator for preeclampsia.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed1982

[Personal experience and considerations on duodenal erosions].

Twenty five hundred esophagogastroduodenoscopies were examined, separating all the duodenal erosions' cases. The most important conclusions refer to two facts in relations to the existence of duodenal erosions (DE) with respect to duodenal erosions when coexisting with gastric erosions (gastroduodenal erosions-GDE). In the duodenal erosions symptomatology dominated frankly, mainly ulcerous syndrome, typical or atypical (P less than 0,01). The GDE had a clear predominancy of bleeding referring to DE (P less than 0,01), suggesting that the DE are to be considered a nosologic entity different as the GDE. The ulcerogenious antecedents (drugs, stress, alcohol, etc.) were frankly positive in both cases when there was bleeding, but of low percentage in the cases without bleeding, suggesting that its presence is important in the causing of bleeding but not in the generating erosions in itself.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Acidosis and nutritional status in hemodialyzed patients. French Study Group for Nutrition in Dialysis.

In a cross-sectional study of more than 30% of French dialysis patients (N = 7,123), we evaluated the relationships between predialysis plasma bicarbonate concentration and nutritional markers. Data including age, gender, cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), time on dialysis, body mass index (BMI), blood levels of midweek predialysis albumin, prealbumin, and bicarbonate were collected. Normalized protein catabolic rate (nPCR), dialysis adequacy parameters, and estimation of lean body mass (LBM) were computed from pre- and postbicarbonate-dialysis urea and creatinine levels according to the classical formulas of Garred. Average values (+/- 1 SD) were age 61 +/- 16 years, BMI 23.3 +/- 4.6 kg/m2, dialysis time 12.4 +/- 2.7 h/week, HCO3 22.8 +/- 3.5 mmol/L, albumin 38.7 +/- 5.3 g/L, prealbumin 340 +/- 90 mg/L, Kt/V 1.36 +/- 0.36, nPCR 1.13 +/- 0.32 g/kg BW/day, and LBM 0.86 +/- 0.21% of ideal LBM. A highly significant negative correlation was observed between predialysis bicarbonate levels (within a range of 16-30 mmol/L, 95% of this population) and nPCR confirmed by analysis of variance using bicarbonate classes (p < 0.0001). Bicarbonate was also negatively correlated with albumin, prealbumin, BMI, and LBM. No relationship was noted between bicarbonate and Kt/V despite a positive correlation between Kt/V and nPCR. It is likely that a persistent acidosis observed despite standard bicarbonate dialysis was caused by a high dietary protein intake which results in an increased acid load, but also overcomes the usual catabolic effects of acidosis.

Acidosis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Delayed onset of uveitis in TINU syndrome.

We report here the clinical features and outcomes of two patients who presented idiopathic tubulo-interstitial nephritis and uveitis syndrome (TINU syndrome) with ocular disease following the onset of nephropathy. The initial symptoms were renal impairment with asthenia, anorexia and weight loss. An increase in urinary beta2-microglobulin was noticed at the initial checkup in both patients. Renal biopsies showed interstitial cellular infiltration without granulomas or tubular atrophy. No glomerular and vascular alterations were seen and immunofluorescent staining was uniformly negative. Systemic steroid therapy was given and renal function returned to normal within three months. Anterior uveitis occurred in both patients eight months later and responded well to local steroid therapy. Renal involvement in TINU syndrome mostly has a favorable outcome. Despite the possibility of spontaneous regression, systemic steroids may be beneficial in reducing the development of interstitial fibrosis.

Acute Disease↗