PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

U Börngen

Publications and source records attributed to U Börngen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1976

Disparity between clinical and immune responses in a controlled trial of azathioprine in rheumatoid arthritis.

Drugs that interfere with the immune response in vitro, such as azathioprine (AZ), have been used extensively since 1964 in clinical therapeutic trials of autoimmune diseases. However, few adequately controlled studies are available concerning the concurrent effect of AZ on the immune and clinical responses to treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Thirty patients suffering from classical seropositive RA received AZ (1.5 - 2.0 mg/kg/day) and placebo in a controlled clinical cross-over study for two 12-week periods. Other treatments were kept constant throughout the entire 6 months. In terms of the clinical responses of joint count and grip strength patients receiving AZ improved markedly, in contrast to the placebo group. After 2 months, joint scanning revealed no progress of the disease in patients undergoing AZ treatment. Corresponding with the remarkably beneficial clinical effect of AZ, a significant drop in immunoglobulins was observed. However, since AZ failed to suppress in vivo specific antibody synthesis in RA, the question remains as to whether this drug actually does interfere with the autoimmunogenesis of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

[Normal value of ventilatory work of breathing (author's transl)].

Ventilatory work of breathing is defined as a variable referring to the mechanics of the breathing function of the lung, ascertainable from the alveolar pressure-breathing volume diagram. Information on the resistance of the respiratory canal can be obtained. The ventilatory respiration of 93 healthy persons at spontaneous resting breath frequency (15 +/- 3 min) was investigated, with the aid of a body plethysmograph. A mean value of 2.21 g-cm/ml (s = 0.92) was obtained. A dependence on age and sex could not be statistically proved. The value of 4.0 g-cm/ml (= 2s) is discussed as a limit to a pathological increase. With a rise in breath volume, relative weight and also, marginally, the spontaneous resting breath frequency, a significant increase of ventilatory work of breathing in normal persons must be anticipated. A so-called index of ventilatory work of breathing (breath volume/alveolar pressure changes under defined conditions) correlates significantly with ventilatory work of breathing and can thus be regarded as an orientating value for the resistance of the respiratory canal. Its mean value amounts to 3.10 cm/cm, with a SD of 1.12.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

[Breath rate as a function of parameters of pulmonary function in body plethysmography (author's transl)].

Parameters of pulmonary function were measured at resting breathing rates (mean 15-17/min) and at breathing rates of 20-40/min in 238 subjects (79 normals, 44 patients with normal pulmonary function in spite of lung disease, and 115 patients, most of whom had obstructive-emphysematous lesions) in a constantvolume body plethysmograph with a respiratory bag. In the subjects with normal pulmonary function the resistance increased significantly by 25 and 45 percent, resp., with more rapid respiration (p smaller than 0,01). Nevertheless it is assumed that this rarely accounts for false interpretations in everyday routine practice. No relationship of breathing rate to respiratory passage resistance was observed in patients with increased total resistance. By way of contrast, ventilation work of breathing (pV diagram) and the index of ventilation work of breathing (defined Vp ratio) showed a close correlation to breathing rate in all 3 groups. This leads us to conclude that these parameters provide more exact information on the breathing mechanism than does total resistance. Studies on ventilation work of breathing must be conducted under clearly defined breathing rates and consideration of the respiratory volume. intrathoracic gas volume was not correlated to the breath rate.

Adult↗