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Biomedical subjects

A Studer

Publications and source records attributed to A Studer.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Control of plasma aldosterone during chronic hemodialysis.

To investigate the effect of chronic hemodialysis (CH) on adrenal aldosterone release plasma aldosterone (PA), plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma cortisol (PC) and the serum concentrations of potassium (K) and sodium (Na) were measured before and at monthly intervals up to 26 months after initiation of CH in 42 patients with terminal renal failure. Body weight (BW), systolic (BPs) and diastolic (BPd) blood pressure were determined simultaneously. With 2 exceptions PA, PRA and PC as well as BW, BPs and BPd showed no significant changes. Following month 2 K was always significantly higher than the starting value while significantly higher Na values were observed in 12 of 26 different test periods (P less than 0.05--less than 0.001). Correlation analysis between the various parameters determined in this study revealed in 16 of 26 different months a significant relationship between PA and PRA (P less than 0.05--less than 0.001) and as expected in 20 of 26 between BPs and BPd (P less than 0.05--less than 0.001). Only at times were punctual correlations seen between any of the remaining parameters. Our results demonstrate that the prime influence of the renin angiotensin system on PA remains unaltered during CH. We conclude that the observed punctual correlations between the various parameters determined in this study are random and do not reflect a true relationship.

Adult↗

[Hypertension in unilateral (non-vascular) nephrosclerosis: renin activity in the venous kidney blood and effect of nephrectomy].

13 patients (9 females, 4 males) with hypertension and unilateral (non-vascular) small kidney underwent nephrectomy. Before surgery, renin activity (PRA) was measured in renal vein blood before and/or 15 and 30 minutes after intravenous stimulation with 40 mg furosemide. From these PRA values renin rations (PRA affected side/PRA unaffected side) were calculated. A ratio of greater than or equal to 1.5 was considered to be significant. After a mean postoperative observation period of 3.9 +/- 1.3 years 6 patients (46%) were cured and 6 were improved. In only 1 patient (8%) did hypertension remain unchanged. No differences could be observed between the renin ratios of cured and improved cases. Furthermore, in no patient was a correlation found between preoperative renin ratios and the degree of postoperative blood pressure reduction. Finally, both patients with renin ratios less than or equal to 1.4 were cured by surgery. Marked differences between cured and improved patients were seen in preoperative blood pressure values, age, duration of hypertension and renal function. Cured patients were younger and had much lower mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure values, shorter duration of hypertension and better renal function than improved patients. These results show that the diagnostic and prognostic validity of renal venous renin ratios is very limited in patients with a unilateral (non-vascular) small kidney. In these patients the effect of nephrectomy can already be predicted by analyzing simple anamnestic, clinical and chemical data.

Adolescent↗

[Minoxidil in treatment resistant hypertension].

22 patients (4 female, 18 male, mean age 47 +/- 10.7 years) with severe essential hypertension (n = 21) and renovascular hypertension (n = 1) were treated with a mean daily dosage of 16.3 +/- 5.1 mg minoxidil for up to 42 weeks. In addition, all patients received a diuretic (hydrochlorothiazide or furosemide) and a beta-blocker (pindolol or propranolol). 8 patients were treated simultaneously with alpha-methyl-dopa. Within one week minoxidil led to a significant reduction in both systolic and diastolic supine blood pressure (p less than or equal to 0.005) from 201.3 +/- 29.0/125.4 +/- 19.2 mm Hg to 172.8 +/- 28.3/106.0 +/- 19.9 mm Hg. The maximum initial blood pressure response was observed after 3 weeks with a mean daily dosage of 12.2 +/- 9.4 mg of minoxidil (160.5 +/- 20.7/99.4 +/- 13.8 MM Hg, p less than or equal to 0.001). Throughout the remaining period a constant and significant reduction in supine systolic and diastolic and upright diastolic blood pressure was achieved (p less than 0.005-less than 0.001) whereas at times systolic blood pressure values could not be lowered significantly. Body weight and pulse rate showed no significant changes throughout the study. In some cases furosemide had to be added by up to 500 mg/day to counteract minoxidil induced water and salt retention. Only moderate doses of beta-blockers were required to prevent a drug induced rise in pulse rate. In these patients a significant change in renal function was not observed. The results show that minoxidil is a potent drug in the treatment of severe essential hypertension.

Adult↗

[Renovascular hypertension. Prognostic value of renal venous renin determinations (author's transl)].

In the present study the effect of surgery on blood pressure was investigated in 35 patients with renovascular hypertension: 17 patients with fibromuscular hyperplasia (FMD) and 18 with atherosclerosis (ASS) of the renal artery. Patients with FMD were younger (31,8 years), showed a shorter duration of hypertension (1.8 years) and were prevalently female (82%), whereas patients with ASS were markedly older (48.2 years), showed a longer duration of hypertension (2.6 years) and were most often male (78%). In both groups of patients the intravenous urogram was positive in a comparable high percentage (FMD=64%, ASS=61%). Following surgical intervention 47%(n=8) of the 17 patients with FMD were cured, 47% (n=8) were improved and only 6% (n=1) showed insufficient reduction of blood pressure values. In ASS the respective values were 28, 55 and 17%. Consequently a good effect of surgery (cured and improved) was observed in 88.5% of all patients. Patients with ASS who failed to respond to surgery (n=3) showed a remarkable long duration of hypertension (7.0 plus or minus 1.4 years). Plasma renin activity (PRA) was determined preoperatively in both renal veins in all 35 patients. From these values the PRA-ratio (PRA affected/unaffected side) was calculated. In 27 patients PRA determinations were repeated following (15 and 30 min) intravenous injection of 40 mg furosemide. PRA-ratios of larger than or equal to 1.5 were considered to be significant. In 31 patients with unilateral renovascular hypertension PRA-ratios were correlated to the postoperative blood pressure reduction. No significant differences in mean PRA-ratios were observed between cured and improved patients. Furthermore, for the total group of 31 patients no significant correlations were obtained between PRA-ratios and postoperative blood pressure reduction. Our results do not support the widespread opinion that PRA determinations in both renal veins are useful to predict the effect of surgery in patients with unilateral renovascular disease. Therefore, from our experience this method should not be recommended as obligatory in the diagnostic work-up of renovascular hypertension.

Adult↗

Primary aldosteronism: inability to differentiate unilateral from bilateral adrenal lesions by various routine clinical and laboratory data and by peripheral plasma aldosterone.

In 31 patients with primary aldosteronism routine clinical and laboratory data, the effect of orthostasis on plasma aldosterone (PA), plasma renin activity (PRA) and cortisol (PC), effect of fludrocortisone or high sodium intake on basal PA and night-day fluctuations of basal PA and PC with and without suppression of pituitary ACTH by dexamethasone were determined to differentiate patients with a unilateral aldosterone producing tumour (adenoma, APA, n=20; carcinoma, CA, n=1) from those with idiopathic bilateral adrenal hyperplasia (IAH, n=10). Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure, age, serum potassium and urinary excretion of sodium and potassium were not significantly different in both groups of patients. Normokalaemic primary aldosteronism occurred both in patients with APA (n=2) and in patients with IAH (n=1). Mean basal PA and mean urinary excretion rate of aldosterone-18-glucuronide were higher though not significantly different in patients with APA or CA than in those with IAH. A substantial number of the patients with APA (n=5) and with IAH (n=3) showed urinary excretion rates of aldosterone-18-glucuronide less than 13 microgram/24 h. Mean PA and PRA significantly increased (P less than 0.025) in patients with IAH in response to posture. However, these changes also occurred at times in some patients with APA. Both fludrocortisone and high sodium intake produced a variable and no group-specific effect on basal PA. Night-day variations in PA were positively correlated with those in PC in all patients with APA (n=12) and in 5 of 8 patients with IAH. A dissociation of PA and PC, however, was only observed in patients with IAH. Finally, the effect of dexamethasone on plasma aldosterone curves was variable in both groups of patients. Our results indicate that under the described conditions analysis of routine clinical and laboratory data and of peripheral PA, PRA and PC are of limited value in differentiating patients with APA or CA from those with IAH.

Adenoma↗