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Biomedical subjects

A Arnaud

Publications and source records attributed to A Arnaud.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

[Use of azlocillin in the treatment of Pseudomonas bronchopulmonary infections].

Eleven patients with severe bronchopulmonary infection due to Pseudomonas were treated with azlocillin in doses of 250 mg/kg/day. Severe preexisting respiratory diseases, such as bronchopulmonary carcinoma, bronchiectasis or respiratory insufficiency were present in all cases. All patients had been unsuccessfully treated with various antibiotics before they received azlocillin. The pathogenicity of the isolates was assessed by germ counts in sputum. Comparative in vitro sensitivities to carbenicillin and azlocillin were determined by the disc method and by measurement of the minimum inhibitory concentrations in liquid medium. All strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated were sensitive to azlocillin with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 0.5 to 64 micrograms/ml. When tested against carbenicillin, 4 of the strains were resistant and 1 had intermediate sensitivity. The carbenicillin/azlocillin minimum inhibitory concentrations ratio was usually equal to 4. Clinical results were satisfactory in 7 cases; inadequate response or failure was observed in 4 cases and attributed to the replacement of Pseudomonas by another pathogen (Proteus morganii or Klebsiella pneumoniae). This study suggests that azlocillin is of value in the treatment of bronchopulmonary infections caused by Ps. aeruginosa.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

A study of cyanide-insensitive respiration in the genus Dekkera and Brettanomyces.

Dekkera intermedia and Brettanomyces custersii were shown to have a respiratory pathway resistant to cyanide, antimycin A, and azide. This respiration remained sensitive to salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM). The "cyanide-resistant" respiration was induced mainly at the end of the growth phase and could reach 50% of total respiratory capacity. The mitochondrial "petite colony" mutation had no effect on this oxidation pathway. The presence of this respiration pathway in these strains constitutes a compensation mechanism for the reducing activity of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. This alternate pathway would thus be a fundamental element of the Custer effect, a characteristic feature of these strains.

Aldehyde Oxidoreductases↗
PubMed1984

Fermentation of cellodextrins by different yeast strains.

The fermentation of cellodextrins by eight yeast species capable of fermenting cellobiose was monitored. Only two of these species, Torulopsis molischiana and T. wickerhamii, were able to ferment beta-glucosides with a degree of polymerization between one and six. These two species showed exocellular beta-glucosidase activity. Four other species were able to ferment cellotriose, and the last two species only fermented cellobiose. These latter six species produced a beta-glucosidase capable of attacking cellodextrins, but this enzyme was endocellular.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1984

[Effect of captopril on pulmonary arterial hypertension in congestive heart failure associated with chronic obstructive bronchopneumopathy].

Acute hemodynamic effects of oral 25 mg of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor captopril were studied in 8 patients suffering from left ventricular failure and severe chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) with pulmonary hypertension. In all the patients left ventricular failure resulted from a dilated cardiomyopathy. No significant change in right or left ventricular function and a decrease of 10% in arterial blood pressure and total systemic resistances were observed after administration of captopril. It is suggested that patients suffering from left ventricular failure and severe chronic obstructive lung disease will not benefit from administration of captopril.

Captopril↗
PubMed1984

[Plasma concentrations of lidocaine in bronchial fibroscopy].

Certain accidents related to local anaesthesia during bronchial fibroscopy may be due to overdosage of local anesthetic drugs. In view of the various techniques employed, the various doses used and the different serum levels obtained, we decided to study the passage of lidocaine into the systemic circulation during bronchial fibroscopy in order to confirm that the doses required for good anaesthesia are not toxic. We studied the kinetics of lidocaine on 10 occasions in 9 patients. All patients had normal renal, hepatic and cardiac function. The anaesthetic was administered in standardized doses (by pharyngo-laryngeal spray of a 5% solution followed by injection via a laryngeal syringe and finally by the operating lumen of the fibroscope with a 1% solution). The total dose of anaesthetic was administered at the beginning of the examination in order to avoid contamination of the aspirated secretions after connection of the traps. The mean dose administered was 9.2 +/- 0.5 mg/kg (range of 380 to 800 mg). The maximal serum levels never attained toxic levels (9 mcg/ml). The highest levels (7 mcg/ml and 5.7 mcg/ml) were observed in a patient with a bronchial epithelioma, normal biochemistry and normal liver ultrasonography, who died two months later with hepatic metastases. The mean maximal serum levels for this group of patients was 2.8 +/- 0.6 mcg/ml between the 5th and 45th minute, which is equivalent to anti-arrhythmic doses (therapeutic level of 1.2 to 5 mcg/ml). The levels obtained are not negligible, but they achieve very good quality anaesthesia with a good margin of safety, apart from the one case with hepatic metastases.

Anesthesia, Local↗
PubMed1983

Anaphylactic reactions to modified fluid gelatins.

Use of modified fluid gelatins as a plasma expander is of interest in human clinical medicine due to osmotic pressure similarities with plasma proteins. However, adverse reactions such as urticaria, edema, and/or anaphylactic shock occur and can lead to diagnostic problems. In addition, mechanisms of these reactions are poorly understood. We report three cases of anaphylactic shock studied by skin tests and, for the first time, in vitro leukocyte histamine release (LHR). Intradermal skin tests were significantly positive for concentrations of 1:1000 to 1:10 of the commercial preparation used before the reaction in each patient. Thirty control subjects were negative even for the undiluted preparation. Positive LHR was obtained from patients' leukocytes washed and then incubated in Tris-albumin Ca++ Mg++ buffer with serial dilutions of fluid gelatins; controls were negative. Addition of D2O (50%) caused significant increase of LHR in patients but had no effect on controls. In conclusion, skin tests and LHR might be valuable in diagnosis of patients reactive to gelatins. Furthermore, these findings suggest release of mediators from mast cells or basophils, but discrimination between immunologic and idiosyncratic pharmacologic mechanism was not obtained.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Adverse reactions to suxamethonium and other muscle relaxants under general anesthesia.

The mechanisms of anaphylactic reactions to muscle relaxants under general anesthesia are not completely understood. Extending an earlier study, we report 41 cases of anaphylactic shock investigated by intradermal skin tests with muscle relaxants (suxamethonium, pancuronium, gallamine, nortoxiferine), in vitro leukocyte histamine release, and Prausnitz-Küstner tests. Intradermal tests were significantly positive at concentrations ranging from 10 to 10(5) times less than those in controls. Reproducibility tested for suxamethonium at a 1-year interval in five patients was good. Histamine release induced by muscle relaxants in Tris-albumin-Ca++-Mg++ buffer showed positive results in 8/25 instances and was inhibited by antigen excess in seven cases. Addition of 50% deuterium oxide (D2O) caused significant increase of histamine release in positive cases and induced release in all five negative cases studied. Muscle relaxant-induced histamine release was inhibited by in vitro anti-IgE leukocyte desensitization. The mean maximal histamine release dropped from 58.2% +/- 9.7 to 5.8% +/- 2 (p less than 0.01). Similarly, leukocyte desensitization also inhibited histamine release induced by anti-IgE but not by formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine or poly-L-arginine. Prausnitz-Küstner tests were positive in five out of 21 cases studied and became negative after heat inactivation. These results confirm the usefulness of intradermal skin tests in diagnosis of patients' reaction to muscle relaxants and suggest an IgE-mediated rather than an idiosyncratic mechanism.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Current data of occupational asthma].

The problem of occupational asthma is in state of change as evidenced by the official reports: The official Journal of the 23 January 1982 contains important alterations in the lists of occupational asthma, changing some and creating others, as with table 66 in which numerous occupational allergies are listed. The authors discuss current diagnostic methods in which realistic provocation tests play an important part; current causes are considered and are duly allocated between natural animal or vegetable products or chemicals produced by industry. The authors strive to define which aetiologies are declining and which remain every day problems. Occupational asthma should be treated at source though the offending agent is not always apparent. The mechanism may be allergic, or often non allergic histamine-liberation or other pharmacodynamic mechanisms. Finally, the understanding of occupational asthmas throws light on the mechanism of asthma itself.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Acute intrahepatic lithiasic cholecystitis. Apropos of a case].

Pre-operative diagnosis in a case of acute intrahepatic lithiasic cholecystitis was an intrahepatic cystic formation. Treatment was by cholecystectomy. A review of the published literature demonstrated that the usual pre-operative diagnosis in these cases was either a cystic formation or an intrahepatic tumor. When cholecystectomy is not possible, therapy involves extraction of all gallbladder stones and main biliary tract drainage.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1982

Interaction between corticosteroids and beta 2-agonists in acute asthma.

Fourteen patients with acute asthma were randomly distributed between two equally large groups. They received a two-hour intravenous infusion twice a day. Group 1 was treated with corticosteroids and group 2 with corticosteroids and the beta 2-adrenergic agonist terbutaline. The effects of treatment were evaluated by clinical examination and measurement of FEV1 on four consecutive days; in the morning before treatment and then hourly for six hours. The mean FEV1 remained statistically unchanged in group 1. In group 2, mean FEV1 showed a slight but significant improvement on the first day, then a more and more marked increase on the second, third and fourth days. Comparison between the two groups showed that differences in mean FEV1 were significant at the first, second and third hour of the first day and from the first to the sixth hour on the other three days. An additional group of seven patients was treated with beta 2-adrenergic agonist alone. In this group, only a slight increase in FEV1 was noted. This work might suggest an advantage in combining bronchodilators and corticosteroids in the treatment of severe acute asthma.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1981

Influence of anxiolytic drugs (Prazepam and Diazepam) on respiratory center output and CO2 chemosensitivity in patients with lung diseases.

Occlusion pressure at 0.1 s (P0.1) and its evolution during progressive hyperoxic hypercapnia (CO2 chemosensitivity) were measured in 40 patients. Most of them (26) were affected by asthma and /or chronic bronchitis and had mild obstruction and hypoxemia. Measurements were made after 2 days of oral prazepam, diazepam or a placebo (single-blind study). Diazepam induced a significant decrease in P0.1 without affecting CO2 chemosensitivity. In contrast, prazepam did not significantly modify P0.1 or CO2 chemosensitivity. However, P0.1 decreased in 5/18 individual cases. 1 week of treatment by prazepam has advantages over diazepam by not depressing respiratory center output.

Asthma↗
PubMed1980

A prospective national study of the safety of immunotherapy.

A prospective study was made in France to determine the frequency, nature, causes and consequences of systemic reactions occurring during specific immunotherapy. One hundred and fifty five reactions were recorded in 151, 997, injections given to 19,739 patients; a percentage of 0.1. It was higher with pollen extracts (0.2%) and practically nil with other extracts (house dust, Dermatophagoides, insect body, bacteria). Asthma, spasmodic rhinitis and urticaria were the most frequent, 80% of systemic reactions. In 59% no explanation could be found. The main known causes of adverse reactions were excessive doses of antigen, improper timing of treatment or incorrect technique of injection. After appropriate treatment the immunotherapy was continued in nearly 90% of the cases. Specific immunotherapy with the majority of extracts now being used, namely adsorbed extracts, is not dangerous but it must be precisely and cautiously done because errors are responsible for nearly 50% of the recorded systemic reactions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

[Spectrum of amidase activity in a mutant of Brevibacterium].

Brevibacterium R 312 has a fairly non-specific amidase. Following the loss of this enzyme by mutation, the following enzymatic activities could be demonstrated: hydrolysis of urea, formamide, nicotinamide, L-glutamine, glycinamide and L-alpha-amino amids.

Amidohydrolases↗