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Biomedical subjects

A Franke

Publications and source records attributed to A Franke.

190 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Penetration of ceftazidime into human pancreas.

The use of antibiotics in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (stage II and III) is indicated since bacterial complications are the most common cause of death in these patients. In the present study the penetration of ceftazidime into pancreatic juice, into healthy and chronically inflamed pancreatic tissue as well as into necrotic regions in cases of severe acute pancreatitis was investigated. A peak concentration of 12.9 +/- 5.9 mg/l was found 60 min after intravenous administration of 35 mg/kg of the drug, which is 32% of the corresponding serum levels. Pancreatic tissue concentrations varied between 9 and 79% of the corresponding serum levels, depending on the stage of inflammation. After five days of antibiotic treatment with doses of 2 g t.i.d., concentrations between 1.8 and 6.9 mg/kg were detected even in pancreatic necroses. This suggests that sufficient antibacterial levels of ceftazidime were present in all pancreatic compartments analyzed following administration of common therapeutic dosages. Therefore, from a pharmacokinetic point of view, ceftazidime could be a potentially effective drug for the treatment of pancreatitis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Does multiplane transesophageal echocardiography improve the assessment of prosthetic valve regurgitation?

Assessment of prosthetic valve regurgitation by echocardiography remains difficult. To study the value of the newly introduced multiplane transesophageal technology for this purpose, prosthetic valve regurgitation was examined in 63 consecutive patients with 35 mitral and 33 aortic prostheses (23 bioprostheses and 45 mechanical prostheses). Transvalvular, paravalvular and, in mechanical valves, normal or pathologic transvalvular regurgitation were identified first with 0 degrees (transverse) and 90 degrees (longitudinal) planes combined with flexion of the echoscope tip and then additionally with multiple intermediary planes by transducer rotation. In a subgroup of 20 patients interobserver variability was evaluated. Both methods showed regurgitation in 56 of 68 valves; one additional case of regurgitation was seen by multiplane imaging only. However, 19 cases of regurgitation were not clearly classifiable by biplane transesophageal echocardiography compared with only three with multiplane transesophageal echocardiography. Grading of severity was concordant by both modalities in 66 and discordant in only two cases. Observers disagreed on severity in two of 20 cases based on biplane imaging but in none based on multiplane imaging; classification of regurgitation differed in six of 20 (biplane) and one of 20 (multiplane), respectively. Multiplane transesophageal imaging improves classification of prosthetic regurgitation but has little effect on severity grading.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ceftriaxone monotherapy in the treatment of low-risk febrile neutropenia.

UNLABELLED: Febrile neutropenia in patients who have undergone chemotherapy is usually treated with a combination of broad-spectrum antibiotics. There are no exactly defined protocols for single-agent treatment because a clear definition of low risk febrile neutropenia is lacking. This paper examines the safety and efficacy of once-daily ceftriaxone in 376 cases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a prospective observational study carried out between February 1992 and January 1996, 959 febrile episodes at 48 hospitals were recorded. Inclusion criteria were neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count, ANC <1,000/ microl) with fever (>/=38.5 degreesC) or a C-reactive protein concentration >1 mg/dl and suspected infection. Nine hundred and one episodes (acute leukemia n = 396, lymphoma n = 220, solid tumors n = 272 and other disorders n = 13) in 828 patients aged between 1 and 97 years were analyzed, of which 876 episodes were evaluable for response. All patients initially underwent empirical treatment with ceftriaxone (adults: 2 g/day; children: 80 mg/kg/day), either alone (376) or in combination with other agents (525). RESULTS: The mean ANC was 423/ microl (SD +/- 316) and the median duration of neutropenia 10 days. Of the 363 episodes treated initially with ceftriaxone alone, 70.8% responded versus 56.9% in the combination therapy group. The favorable response to the initial monotherapy treatment was explained by a low-risk population in the monotherapy group. A KI >6 (p < 0.0001), ANC >/=500/ microl (p = 0.0001) and a duration of ANC <5 days (p < 0.05) were significantly more frequent in the monotherapy arm and were predictive of lower risk at the commencement of treatment. CONCLUSION: Ceftriaxone is effective in febrile neutropenia. Treatment with ceftriaxone alone was safe and highly effective in low-risk patients. Single-agent regimens appear to be a suitable treatment option in low-risk febrile neutropenia.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Endotoxins and allergy: lessons from the murine model.

Exposure early in life to organic dusts containing immunomodulatory components such as endotoxins and immunizing components such as aeroallergens may greatly influence whether subsequent encounters with allergens lead rather to sensitization or unresponsiveness. We investigated the effects of endotoxin in the context of allergen-mediated immune responses in a murine model of allergen sensitization. Systemic sensitization with ovalbumin induced high serum levels of allergen-specific IgE, predominant Th2-type cytokine production, eosinophilic airway inflammation and in vivo airway hyperreactivity. Endotoxins were either applied systemically prior to sensitization, or via the airways prior to airway challenges, or by repeated inhalation during the first weeks of life prior to subsequent sensitization. Different effects of endotoxins on allergen-induced immune responses may be attributed to differences in dosing, route of application, time relationship with allergen sensitization and the concurrent exposure to endotoxin and allergen. The results of these studies may help to define the effects of endotoxin on allergen-mediated immune reactions and to further delineate the important interrelationships between environment and disease development. Finally, this may lead to new strategies in the prevention and treatment of allergic diseases.

Allergens↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Increased plasma level of cholesterol-5 beta,6 beta-epoxide in endometrial cancer patients.

Plasma levels of alpha- and beta-isomers of cholesterol-5, 6-epoxides were quantitated in a pilot study of 9 women with endometrial cancer and 9 race- and age-matched control women by isotope dilution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Endometrial cancer cases had significantly higher cholesterol-5 beta,6 beta-epoxide levels than the controls (P = 0.01). The mean plasma beta-epoxide level was 0.71 +/- 0.46 ng/ml for the cases and 0.35 +/- 0.25 ng/ml for the controls. No significant differences were found between the plasma alpha-epoxide levels of the cases and the controls. Plasma levels of various carotenoids, tocopherols, and ascorbic acid were also quantitated by high performance liquid chromatography. An inverse correlation was present between the plasma levels of cholesterol-5 beta,6 beta-epoxide and cis-lutein/zeaxanthin (P = 0.01). These data suggest a possible role for cholesterol-5 beta,6 beta-epoxide as a biomarker of endometrial cancer risk. Further studies are warranted to investigate the possible association between the oxidation products of cholesterol and endometrial cancer and to determine the interactive role of antioxidants.

Ascorbic Acid↗