Biomedical subjects

S Sas

Publications and source records attributed to S Sas.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2002

Gastric emptying of solids in cirrhotic and peritoneal dialysis patients: influence of peritoneal volume load.

INTRODUCTION: A delay in gastric emptying rate has been reported in peritoneal dialysis patients, often normalizing after evacuation of the dialysate. To evaluate the effect of the intraperitoneal volume, we compared this finding with a cirrhotic model in which gastric emptying was studied before and after a large-volume paracentesis. METHODS AND DESIGN: We used the 13C-octanoic acid breath test to measure gastric half-emptying time (T1/2) for solids in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, non-diabetic peritoneal dialysis patients, and a control population (asymptomatic volunteers). Cirrhotic patients underwent the test on two consecutive mornings before and after an evacuating paracentesis. Peritoneal dialysis patients were studied twice on consecutive days: once with the dialysate present intra-abdominally ("full"), and once with an emptied abdomen ("empty"). Biochemical analysis was carried out on blood samples before the first test. All cirrhotics underwent a 13C-aminopyrine breath test to assess residual liver function. RESULTS: Gastric emptying in cirrhotics showed no difference before or after paracentesis (median T1/2 108.0 min v. 117.9 min), but it was delayed significantly versus normal in both tests. There was no correlation with biochemical parameters, Child-Pugh score, or 13C-aminopyrine breath test results. Gastric half-emptying times of "full" peritoneal dialysis patients (median T1/2 103.1 min) were significantly higher than those of "empty" peritoneal dialysis patients (median T1/2 68.9 min) and asymptomatic volunteers (median T1/2 60.1 min). "Empty" peritoneal dialysis patients showed no gastroparesis. CONCLUSION: In alcoholic cirrhotic patients with ascites, gastric emptying of solids is delayed, independently of the volume of ascites. In peritoneal dialysis patients, gastric emptying was delayed when "full" and normalized after drainage of the dialysate.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Distinctive activated cellular subsets in colon from patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND: Activated lymphocytes are considered to play a pathogenic role in Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), although only a limited fraction of the gut-residing lymphocytes in these diseases may be pathogenetically involved, due to active recruitment from the peripheral circulation. Our aim was to characterize in situ preactivated lymphocytes in inflammatory bowel disease mucosa by expansion with interleukin-2. METHODS: Flow cytometry was performed on T cells expanded from the colon of patients with CD (7), UC (16), and controls (20), with special reference to T-cell activation markers and adhesion molecules. RESULTS: In CD a decrease in alpha4beta7 integrin expression was associated with an increase in alphaEbeta7. In UC a similar increase in alphaEbeta7 was observed. Moreover, L-selectin and CD30 were overexpressed on T helper cells in UC versus CD. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate different immunopathogenic pathways for CD and UC.

Biomarkers↗

PubMed1991

Relaxant effect of capsaicin in the rat gastric fundus.

The effect of capsaicin was studied in precontracted longitudinal muscle strips of the rat gastric fundus. Capsaicin induced a relaxation in the concentration range 10(-7)-10(-6) M. The relaxation induced by 10(-6) M capsaicin was completely prevented by extrinsic denervation of the stomach. The adrenoceptor antagonists phentolamine and propranolol did not influence the effect of capsaicin while hexamethonium potentiated it; this potentiation was not observed with another nicotinic receptor antagonist trimethaphan. Tetrodotoxin did not have a consistent effect as it reduced the capsaicin-induced relaxation in some but not all tissues. The peptidase trypsin consistently reduced the action of capsaicin but vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) antiserum, desensitization to calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and CGRP antiserum had no influence. The neuropeptide involved in the relaxant effect of capsaicin in the rat gastric fundus has thus still to be determined.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Effect of apamin on the responses to VIP, ATP and NANC neurone stimulation in the rat and cat gastric fundus.

1. The influence of apamin on non-adrenergic non-cholinergic (NANC) relaxation and on the effect of the putative transmitters VIP and ATP was examined in the rat and cat gastric fundus. 2. In longitudinal muscle strips of the rat gastric fundus, ATP induced a biphasic effect, relaxation followed by contraction. The relaxant effect of ATP was blocked by apamin, whereas the relaxations induced by VIP and NANC neurone stimulation were not influenced by apamin. 3. In circular and longitudinal muscle strips of the cat gastric fundus, ATP only induced relaxation at high concentrations. The ATP-induced relaxation was increased in the presence of apamin, whereas the VIP-induced and NANC relaxations were not influenced. 4. It is concluded that the relaxant effect of ATP might be related to activation of apamin-sensitive Ca(2+)-dependent K(+)-channels in the rat gastric fundus. In the cat gastric fundus, apamin did not antagonize the relaxant effect of ATP so that it cannot be used to investigate an ATP involvement in inhibitory NANC neurotransmission in this tissue. No evidence for a presynaptic inhibitory action of apamin on VIP-ergic NANC neurones was obtained.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1990

[Mirizzi syndrome].

Obstruction of the common hepatic duct due to pressure from an impacted stone in the cystic duct or in the gallbladder infundibulum is known as Mirizzi's syndrome. The obstruction is due to direct impression of the stone on the common hepatic duct or to the concomitant inflammatory infiltrate. The diagnostic features are illustrated by 6 recently observed cases. Clinical features, sonography and CT scan do not always contribute to a correct diagnosis. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography usually provides the diagnosis but confusion with gallbladder carcinoma, metastatic malignancies at the porta hepatis and even cholangiocarcinoma is possible. The therapy of the Mirizzi syndrome is essentially surgical. In obstructive jaundice preoperative direct cholangiography is always warranted even with a history suggestive of cholelithiasis. Especially in case of associated cholangitis non-surgical biliary drainage procedures are a valuable temporary treatment facilitating surgery. If, however, in a probably malignant obstruction of the common hepatic duct biliary stenting is considered as the only treatment, careful exclusion of Mirizzi's syndrome is required.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Relaxant effect of rat PHI, PHI-Gly and PHV(1-42) in the rat gastric fundus.

It was previously shown that porcine PHI is 30 times less potent than VIP in relaxing the rat gastric fundus; the relaxant potency of rat PHI and its 2 C-terminally extended forms PHI-Gly and PHV(1-42) in the rat gastric fundus was compared here with that of VIP, porcine PHI and PHM. The rank order of potency in relaxing the precontracted fundus tissues was VIP greater than rat PHI greater than PHM greater than PHV greater than PHI-Gly greater than porcine PHI, rat PHI being only 2 times less potent than VIP. In the presence of antioxidants, the potency and efficacy of porcine PHI increased, but the peptide was still the least potent of the series tested. The results illustrate the importance of using species-related peptides and are compatible with a cotransmitter role of rat PHI in nonadrenergic noncholinergic neurotransmission of the rat gastric fundus.

Animals↗