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Biomedical subjects

R Frances

Publications and source records attributed to R Frances.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Pharmacokinetic variations of acetaminophen according to liver dysfunction and portal hypertension status.

AIM: To study the pharmacokinetic and metabolism profiles of a single dose of acetaminophen in patients with cirrhosis. METHODS: Oral acetaminophen (1000 mg) was administered to seven healthy subjects and 14 patients with cirrhosis (nine Child-Pugh A or B and five Child-Pugh C grade), being five without and nine with oesophageal varices. Plasma levels of acetaminophen and its metabolites were determined by HPLC. RESULTS: Patients showed a higher mean area under the curve concentration-time (67.4 +/- 22.4 mg h/L vs. 38.8 +/- 4.3 mg h/L; P = 0.01), a lower clearance (166.7 +/- 85.0 mL/min vs. 367.8 +/- 62.5 mL/min; P = 0.01) and higher elimination half-life (3.8 +/- 1.1 h vs. 2.0 +/- 0.4 h; P = 0.01) of acetaminophen than healthy volunteers. The appearance in blood and the urinary excretion of metabolites in patients did not differ from healthy subjects. Absorption profile was faster in patients. Patients with lower mean and systolic arterial pressure had lower AUC of acetaminophen, independently of liver dysfunction stage. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with cirrhosis had a higher AUC and lower clearance of acetaminophen. Acetaminophen attained earlier therapeutic concentrations in patients with oesophageal varices. Mean and systolic arterial pressures were significantly associated with AUC suggesting the importance of the haemodynamic function on the pharmacokinetics of acetaminophen in patients with cirrhosis.

Acetaminophen↗

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia and anterior polar cataract.

Arrythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) is an autosomal dominant inherited cardiomyopathy with incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity. Recently, the gene was mapped to 14q23-24. It is being increasingly investigated as a major cause of sudden death at a young age. Anterior polar cataract (APC) is a rare hereditary form of lens opacity. The locus for an APC gene was located tentatively on 14q24qter. We describe a patient with a severe form of ARVD in whom asymptomatic APC was detected by an ophthalmologic examination. His sister had ARVD and similar cataracts. Parents were second cousins but were healthy. This is the first report of possible autosomal recessive inheritance of ARVD. This is also the first time that the combination of ARVD and APC is reported. Three possibilities may explain this concurrence: pleiotropy, contiguous gene syndrome, or coincidence. Our findings suggest placement of an APC gene at 14q23-24.

Adult↗

Addiction medicine.

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Cost-Benefit Analysis↗

Psychiatrists and the treatment of addictions: perceptions and practices.

4,657 out of a total APA membership of 28,000 expressed a particular interest in alcoholism and substance abuse. 1,705 of these responded to a questionnaire studying their attitudes and practices. Most of these do part-time work in the field with 9.9% being subspecialists. Self-report responses indicated that psychiatrists have incorporated a disease concept, abstinence orientation, utilized AA, education, supportive therapy, and a range of other modalities, think of addictions as treatable psychiatric disorders, and very infrequently use maintenance minor tranquilizers. Most became interested because of community need. However, 41.4% had a training experience including 36.1% who had a rotation on a substance abuse service. Psychiatrists are becoming aware that substance use disorders are an important component of psychiatry, and they are growing more assertive about their role in it.

Alcoholism↗

Lawyers' alcoholism.

Twelve lawyers with alcoholism admitted to an inpatient alcohol treatment service were studied. The group tended to have many additional psychiatric problems, the most frequent of which were affective disorders. Most of the admissions were precipitated by work-related problems. All patients were initially highly resistant to treatment and evoked negative feelings in staff, who perceived them as poor prognostic cases. However, the treatment outcome as measured by abstinence, improved job performance, and shifts in attitude towards treatment was better than expected.

Adult↗

Plasma immunoreactive beta-endorphin levels in depression. Effect of electroconvulsive therapy.

Immunoreactive (ir) plasma beta-endorphin level was assayed in ten symptomatic patients with a unipolar major depressive disorder and in 16 psychiatrically normal controls matched for age and sex. Plasma ir-beta-endorphin level in depressed patients was similar to that in controls. All depressed patients was similar to that in controls. All depressed patients had a transient, approximately threefold increase in ir-beta-endorphin after each use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The increase of plasma ir-beta-endorphin level after ECT parallels the transient elevation of adrenocorticotropic hormone level reported by others and probably reflects a hypothalamic response to ECT.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

Pemoline in attention deficit disorder and alcoholism: a case study.

Diagnosis of attention deficit disorder in a 35-year-old man and treatment with pemoline substantially improved his response to alcoholism treatment and aftercare. The authors conclude that treatment of attention deficit disorder may aid in rehabilitation of alcoholic patients.

Adult↗

Platelet MAO during the alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

The authors explored platelet MAO activity in alcoholism and focused on the impact of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome on MAO values. They found that platelet MAO activity is relatively increased in alcoholic patients who are experiencing withdrawal symptoms from alcohol and that it does not appear to be stable during the period of withdrawal.

Adult↗