Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Silverman

Publications and source records attributed to A Silverman.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Cyclosporine therapy for psoriasis: serum creatinine measurements are an unreliable predictor of decreased renal function.

With increasingly widespread use of cyclosporine for the treatment of psoriasis, it is imperative to identify reliable markers of cyclosporine-induced nephrotoxicity. Five patients with extensive psoriasis and no significant preexisting renal disease were treated with oral cyclosporine (average dosage, 5 mg/kg per day; average duration of treatment, 9 weeks). Changes in serum creatinine measurements made immediately before and at the end of treatment were compared with changes in glomerular filtration rate as determined by 125I-iothalamate clearance. During treatment, the average serum creatinine value only increased from 1.0 +/- 0.2 to 1.1 +/- 0.3 mg/dl (+/- standard deviation), whereas iothalamate-based estimates of glomerular infiltration rate decreased from 100 +/- 22 to 63 +/- 37 ml/min/1.73 m2 (p less than 0.02). Simultaneous 125I-iothalamate and 24-hour creatinine clearances were obtained in two patients at the end of treatment and at 2 weeks after cyclosporine therapy. Glomerular filtration rates determined by iothalamate clearance were 14% to 30% lower than those calculated by 24-hour creatinine clearances. Neither serum creatinine measurements nor creatinine clearances (whether calculated or measured) accurately reflect the cyclosporine-induced decline in renal function as determined by glomerular filtration rate. In contrast, 125I-iothalamate clearance is a more accurate measurement of glomerular filtration rate, which provides a sensitive marker for monitoring potential cyclosporine-induced nephrotoxicity.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Effects of ursodeoxycholic acid and aspirin on the formation of lithogenic bile and gallstones during loss of weight.

We attempted to determine whether the administration of aspirin or ursodeoxycholic acid during loss of weight could prevent the development of lithogenic changes in bile and the formation of gallstones. Sixty-eight obese subjects without gallstones who were entered in a program (520 kcal per day) to lose weight were randomly assigned to receive ursodeoxycholic acid (1200 mg per day), aspirin (1300 mg per day), or placebo in double-blind fashion for up to 16 weeks. At entry, at four weeks of treatment, and at three weeks after the completion of treatment, the subjects underwent ultrasonography to detect gallstones and duodenal drainage of bile to detect cholesterol crystals and to determine the bile saturation index and glycoprotein concentration. No gallstones or cholesterol crystals formed in the patients treated with ursodeoxycholic acid. Among the patients given placebo, gallstones formed in five (P less than 0.05 vs. ursodeoxycholic acid) and cholesterol crystals in six (P less than 0.001 vs. ursodeoxycholic acid); among those given aspirin, gallstones formed in two and cholesterol crystals in one (no significant difference from ursodeoxycholic acid treatment). By the fourth week, the bile saturation index increased in the placebo group (from 1.07 +/- 0.26 to 1.29 +/- 0.27; P less than 0.001), decreased in the ursodeoxycholic acid group (from 1.11 +/- 0.34 to 0.91 +/- 0.24; P less than 0.001), and did not change significantly in the aspirin group. The concentration of glycoprotein in bile increased in the placebo group (27.9 +/- 14.5 percent; P less than 0.001) but did not change significantly in the groups treated with ursodeoxycholic acid or aspirin. We conclude that ursodeoxycholic acid prevents lithogenic changes in bile and the formation of gallstones in obese subjects during loss of weight.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Lack of correlation between infection with reovirus 3 and extrahepatic biliary atresia or neonatal hepatitis.

Infection with reovirus 3 (Reo-3) has been suggested as the cause of extrahepatic biliary atresia and idiopathic neonatal hepatitis, but confirmation has been lacking. Therefore we have searched for a specific anti-Reo-3 antibody response in the sera of patients with biliary atresia or neonatal hepatitis and for Reo-3 antigens in their hepatobiliary tissues. Sera from 23 infants with extrahepatic biliary atresia, 12 with neonatal hepatitis, 30 age-matched control patients with other liver diseases, and 55 control patients without liver disease were tested by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for total (IgA, IgG, and IgM) anti-Reo-3 antibodies; sera of infants younger than 6 months of age were tested also for IgM anti-Reo-3 antibodies alone. There was no difference between either total or IgM anti-Reo-3 antibody levels in infants with extrahepatic biliary atresia or neonatal hepatitis and levels in control infants. Reo-3 antigens were not detected in the hepatobiliary tissues of 19 infants (18 with biliary atresia, one with neonatal hepatitis) by an immunoperoxidase method that readily demonstrated Reo-3 in control infected HEp-G2 cells. Our data do not support a relationship between neonatal liver diseases and infection with Reo-3.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed1988

The short arm of chromosome 11 is a "hot spot" for hypermethylation in human neoplasia.

Inactivation of normally expressed genes may play a role in the formation and/or progression of human cancers. Methylation of cytosine in DNA could potentially participate in such alterations of gene expression. Abnormalities in DNA methylation are a consistent feature of human neoplasms, and we now show that these include not only previously recognized widespread genomic hypomethylation, but also regional increases in gene methylation. A hot spot for abnormal methylation of C + G-rich areas has been detected on the short arm of chromosome 11 in an area known to harbor tumor suppressor genes. This change occurs consistently in common forms of human cancer and appears early during the transformation of cells with viruses including members of the human T-cell leukemia (HTLV) family. Furthermore, in one chromosome 11 gene examined, calcitonin, the increased methylation in somatic tumor cells coincides with the presence of an "inactive" chromatin pattern in the transcriptional regulatory area. The increased regional DNA methylation demonstrated may then participate in or mark chromosomal changes associated with gene inactivation events that are central to the genesis and/or progression of human cancers.

Calcitonin↗
PubMed1988

Colorectal cancer. Scope of the problem.

The extent of the problem of colorectal cancer is discussed. The need for early identification of the disease for cure is emphasized. The need for research into markers for early detection of disease as well as research into therapy for patients with established nonresectable cancer are also emphasized.

Colorectal Neoplasms↗
PubMed1987

Efficacy of nadolol in preventing supraventricular tachycardia after coronary artery bypass grafting.

To investigate the efficacy of nadolol in the prevention of supraventricular arrhythmias after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, 148 patients undergoing elective CABG were randomized in double-blind, placebo-controlled fashion to receive either nadolol or placebo. The test medication was started on the first postoperative morning and maintained as a single daily dose for 6 weeks. Aside from routine daily clinical evaluation and postoperative electrocardiographic monitoring, patients underwent 24-hour Holter recording once preoperatively and 3 times postoperatively. Seven patients were excluded from the evaluation of efficacy analysis because of insufficient postoperative data. There were no significant differences between the patients receiving nadolol (n = 67) and those receiving placebo (n = 74) with respect to age, preoperative heart rate, previous medications (including beta blockers), incidence of previous myocardial infarction, frequency of preoperative ventricular and supraventricular arrhythmias, concomitant valvular heart disease, mean cardiopulmonary bypass time, mean aortic cross-clamp time, use of blood and crystalloid cardioplegia, mean number of bypass grafts placed, postoperative use of inotropic agents and catecholamines and incidence of perioperative myocardial infarction. Analysis of postoperative Holter recordings showed that the heart rate was consistently and significantly higher in the placebo group throughout the period of the study (p less than 0.001). The average number of premature atrial contractions was significantly smaller in the nadolol group (p less than 0.05), and nadolol patients had fewer ventricular premature complexes, couplets and non-sustained ventricular tachycardias during the first week postoperatively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Coronary Artery Bypass↗