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S Fankhauser

Publications and source records attributed to S Fankhauser.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Devices for the control of laser transmission across the sclera during transscleral photocoagulation.

Improving the reproducibility of transscleral photocoagulation necessitates controlling the transmission of the laser beam through the sclera. Two factors make such control problematic: the locally increased transparency of the sclera resulting from the contact procedure and the occurrence of time-related relaxation phenomena. Two instruments have been devised to help control these factors. The first is a mechanical compensation unit comprised of magnets and a spring that allows the force exerted on the sclera to be adjusted to between 0.1 and 0.4 N, the pressure being determined by the outer diameter of the contact tip. The second instrument monitors the portion of the aiming beam reflected by the sclera as a means of determining the exact level of power actually transmitted through it. This information theoretically could be fed back to the treatment laser, allowing the level of power being delivered to be adjusted accordingly.

Ciliary Body↗
PubMed1990

[Are there problems in changing diabetic patients from animal to human insulin?].

In Switzerland it is still a debatable point whether diabetics whose treatment has been changed from animal to human insulin notice premonitory symptoms of hypoglycemia to a lesser degree and whether this could be hazardous for them. In a prospective study, 18 longstanding type 1 and type 2 diabetics, treated with insulin Lente MC, were selected and observed at frequent intervals for three months. This first period was followed by a transfer to human insulin (Protaphan HM) and a close observation for another three months. Before the transfer, all patients were well informed about a possible change in premonitory symptoms of hypoglycemia. The initial dose of Protaphan HM was 10% lower than in the treatment with Lente MC. During the three month period with human insulin, we observed no change with regard to blood-sugar regulation or Hb-A1. The most important observation was that the number of hypoglycemic episodes did not change after the transfer to human insulin. There were only mild to moderate degrees of hypoglycemia, the average being three episodes per patient. The change to human insulin was without any problems for the patients: they all preferred to stay on Protaphan HM for future treatment. Also, in general practice, patients can be changed without difficulties from animal to human insulin, provided that the above-mentioned precautions are respected.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

[New insulins].

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Animals↗
PubMed1987

Comparison of human and porcine insulin therapies in children with newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus.

A multicenter, longitudinal study of children below the age of 16 years with newly diagnosed Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes treated either with porcine monocomponent insulin (n = 26) or semisynthetic human monocomponent insulin (n = 26) was performed during the first 24 months after onset of diabetes. The two groups were carefully matched for age, duration of disease symptoms, initial metabolic values, islet cell antibodies and HLA-DR antigens. During the 24-month observation period there was no significant difference between the two groups in respect to the clinical course, insulin dosage, HbA1 and residual B-cell activity. No child in either group had a real remission without necessitating insulin therapy. The prevalence of insulin antibodies increased slowly and was 62% in the group treated by human insulin and 52% in the porcine insulin-treated group after 24 months. The titres were generally low and there was no statistical difference between the two groups in respect to insulin antibody formation.

Antibody Formation↗
PubMed1986

[Human insulin].

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Animals↗
PubMed1986

[Ultratard HM, a new human insulin. Advantages as compared to current preparations?].

Ultratard HM, a new human insulin, was studied in 10 patients with type II diabetes mellitus not previously treated with insulin. A control group consisted of 12 patients on Protaphane HM and 22 patients on Monotard MC. All patients tolerated the treatment well. After 6 months of therapy antiinsulin antibodies were detectable in only one patient on Ultratard HM. Therefore, in adult diabetics it is difficult to demonstrate a difference of antigenicity between human and porcine insulin. In another study blood glucose profiles were compared in 7 stable diabetics on Ultratard HM and Monotard HM. In our patients there was no significant difference in the activity profile of these 2 insulins.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

[Human insulin].

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Animals↗
PubMed1985

A prospective study of the immunogenicity of porcine insulin in HLA-typed new insulin-treated diabetics.

Fifty-four diabetics were started on insulin therapy with highly purified porcine insulin (Velosulin, Insulatard, Mixtard) and treated for at least 1 yr with blood samples drawn at regular intervals for insulin antibody determinations. In 43 patients the insulin antibody response was correlated with HLA A, B, and DR antigens. Approximately half of the patients formed insulin antibodies within 6 months of treatment, and this incidence remained constant for up till 2 yr. In those patients who developed insulin antibodies a plateau of 12% insulin binding capacity was reached after 9-12 months which remained constant for up till 2 yr. Formation of antibodies to proinsulin and pancreatic polypeptide proved completely avoidable, and no local reactions at the injection sites were observed. There was indication of a positive association between HLA DR4 tissue types and the tendency to immune response to injected insulin (p = 0.07).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

[The antigenicity of various new chromatographically purified depot insulin preparations].

Four groups of adult diabetics who had never received insulin before were treated for 10--12 months with the following insulin preparations: 1. Insulin Lente, purified by conventional methods; 2. Insulin Lente, purified by gel-filtration; 3. Insulin Lente Monocomponent (MC); 4. Insulin Monotard. Insulin antibodies were measured in these four groups at regular intervals and compared. MC Lente is significantly less antigenic than conventional Lente insulin, but Monotard, a pure pork insulin preparation, is even less antigenic than MC Lente (all 3 Lente preparations contain 70% ox insulin). The average insulin requirement in the Monotard group is significantly lower than in the conventional Lente group.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

[Purity and antigenicity of the new insulin preparations].

A short review on new types of insulin preparations purified by chromatography is presented. The purity of these new chromatographed insulins, which have almost completely replaced the conventional types of insulin, has been considerably improved. Our own investigations have revealed significantly lower antigenicity of porcine depot preparations compared with beef or mixed beef-pork insulins. By means of gel filtration and additional anion exchange chromatography the antigenicity of porcine insulin can be significantly reduced. Monocomponent insulins prepared by these methods produce low titers of insulin antibodies in only one third of diabetics treated by insulin for the first time. Mixed beef-pork Lente Insulin purified by single chromatography is also less antigenic than Lente Insulin of conventional purity, but more antigenic than pork insulin (e.g. Monotard). Pork insulin purified by chromatography is indicated in cases of insulin allergy, insulin resistance and lipoatrophy, and also for first insulin treatment in younger and middle-aged diabetics.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

[The diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism and hypoparathyroidism].

Some recent pathophysiologic, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of hyper- and hypoparathyroidism are reviewed. Three clinical forms of hyperparathyroidism can be distinguished: one with symptoms essentially affecting the skeleton, a second with renal symptoms and a third with scant and sometimes atypical symptoms. The most reliable laboratory criteria for diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism are serum levels of calcium and immunoreactive parathormone. Some authors believe that with a combination of these two parameters a diagnosis is possible in almost all cases. Other determinations such as serum phosphorus and 24-h urinary calcium, and most special tests, are less reliable. A new method for preoperative localization of adenoma, involving catheterization of the thyroid veins, should make future operative procedures easier. With regard to pseudohypoparathyroidism, recent work has contributed to a greater understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanism. On the basis of normal or elevated parathormone in these cases and in other investigations, Albright's hypothesis, which assumes resistance of the renal tubules to parathormone is considered to be proven. Hypoparathyroidism is usually fairly easy to treat with vitamin D or AT 10 and calcium supplements, provided that frequent and careful checks on serum calcium levels are made.

Aged↗