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Biomedical subjects

B Fleury

Publications and source records attributed to B Fleury.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Total amounts of circulating human chorionic gonadotrophin alpha and beta subunits can be assessed throughout human pregnancy using immunoradiometric assays calibrated with the unaltered and thermally dissociated heterodimer.

The aim of the present study was to determine the variations in the balance between total (free plus combined) circulating alpha and beta subunits of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) throughout human pregnancy. The equivalence between the International Units (IU) of hCG (IRP 75/537) and those assigned to the alpha (IRP 75/569) and beta (IRP 75/551) free subunits was experimentally determined by using intact and thermally dissociated hCG. Heat exposure (2 min at 100 degrees C) of hCG preparations resulted in a complete dissociation of hCG into free, soluble and intact alpha and beta subunits. The hCG and alpha and beta subunit contents of unaltered and heated hCG preparations were assessed by specific immunoradiometric assays. The amount of immunoreactive subunits dissociated by heat from hCG could then be evaluated on a molar basis. Circulating hCG and its free alpha and beta subunits were immunoassayed in 836 blood samples collected from healthy pregnant women at different gestational ages. After conversion of hCG and its subunits into a common IU system, the gestational profiles of the total amounts (free plus combined) of alpha- and beta hCG subunits increased together and peaked at 9-10 weeks of gestation. Thereafter, total alpha and beta subunits decreased and subsequently remained stable until term. The decline in total alpha hCG subunit was less marked than that of total beta hCG subunit. The alpha- to beta hCG ratio was equimolar until 10 weeks of gestation when it increased almost fourfold until term (P < 0.0001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Chorionic Gonadotropin↗
PubMed1994

Alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase genotypes, alcoholism and alcohol related disease.

There is evidence for a genetic component to the aetiology of alcohol related problems. An important way of elucidating this is to search for candidate genes which may show an association with these problems. We have examined for associations between ADH and ALDH polymorphisms, and alcoholism and alcohol related diseases. In Asian populations the ALDH2-2 allele appears protective against alcohol abuse and alcoholism, but may favour alcoholic liver disease. The ADH2-2 allele and the ADH3-1 allele seem to play a similar role. These findings deserve confirmation. Improved clinical methodology will be important in future studies.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗
PubMed1993

Free triiodothyronine (FT3) EIA-BioMerieux. Analytical and clinical evaluation.

We tested a new immuno-enzymatic kit: FT3-EIA BioMerieux, for direct measurement of FT3. Precision is good, with coefficients of variation below 10%. Detection limit is 0.4 pmol/l. We tested some anticoagulants and the specificity of the antibody. Results appear to be independent of plasmatic concentration of albumin and TBG. Reference range was determined to be 3.7 to 8.7 pmol/l. A clinical study, in comparison with isotopic method FT3-Coat-RIA BioMerieux shows that this non-isotopic kit is available, even for low concentrations.

Albumins↗
PubMed1992

Polymorphism of alcohol dehydrogenase, alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase activities: implication in alcoholic cirrhosis in white patients. The French Group for Research on Alcohol and Liver.

Two types of factors can theoretically modulate alcohol metabolism toward increased acetaldehyde production. These factors are the following: (a) individual, genetically determined isoenzymes with distinct catalytic properties, and (b) modifications of enzyme activity induced by alcohol itself or liver damage. To investigate the respective roles of these factors in white individuals, we studied the alcohol dehydrogenase phenotype, together with liver alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase activities, in 161 patients. Patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (n = 31) were compared with three types of controls: patients with nonalcoholic cirrhosis (n = 25) and excessive (n = 62) and moderate drinkers (n = 43) without liver disease. No association between alcohol dehydrogenase-3 phenotype and alcoholic cirrhosis was found. The prevalence of atypical alcohol dehydrogenase in the four groups was less than 1%. Patients with cirrhosis, regardless of its cause, had significantly lower alcohol dehydrogenase activity than the patients without cirrhosis (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.01 vs. excessive and moderate drinkers, respectively). Among the noncirrhotic patients, alcohol dehydrogenase activity was significantly lower in the excessive drinkers than in the moderate drinkers (p less than 0.001). Aldehyde dehydrogenase activity was not different between cirrhosis-free excessive and moderate drinkers; in contrast, compared with these two groups, it was significantly lower in the two cirrhosis groups (p less than 0.01). These results suggest that no phenotypic pattern of alcohol dehydrogenase-3 associated with alcoholic cirrhosis in white patients exists, that liver alcohol dehydrogenase activity falls as a consequence of both alcohol abuse and cirrhosis and that liver aldehyde dehydrogenase activity is unaffected by alcohol abuse and only falls after the onset of cirrhosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Sleep apnea syndrome in the elderly.

Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) is a well established sleep disorder with high morbidity and mortality. Patients are most often middle-aged men. SAS occurs in at least 1% of the adult population. Several studies have suggested that SAS is extremely frequent in the elderly, its prevalence ranging from 18 to 73% in this group. However, the generalization of these results to elderly cohorts is questionable because of several limitations of these studies, including lack of standard selection criteria, variation in recording techniques, the night to night variability of sleep apnea and the use of a moderate level of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) to define SAS (5 apneas per hour). The study best designed for valid extrapolation to the whole aged population estimates the frequency of SAS at 18%. However, most of these patients reported satisfactory sleep, and epidemiologic criteria for a causal association between SAS in the elderly and cardiovascular disease have not been satisfied. The conclusions of numerous studies dealing with impairment in cognitive function and SAS in the elderly are controversial. In fact, if the diagnostic threshold is increased from 5 apneas to 10 apneas plus hypopneas per hour, elderly SAS patients have more sleep disturbances, are more depressed and have cognitive deficits as compared to normal old persons. When an appropriate diagnostic index is used, SAS in the elderly resembles SAS described in the middle-aged population. In addition, a high apnea plus hypopnea index is an ominous predictor of mortality in the elderly population, and a very high level of SDB is an extremely significant risk factor for mortality during sleep phase in these patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗
PubMed1992

[Treatment of simple snoring. Surgical pharyngoplasty vs. laser CO2 pharyngotomy].

CO2 laser pharyngotomy is a newly described technique used in treatment bronchopathy without sleep apnea syndrome. Retrospective results of 70 CO2 laser pharyngotomies and 63 surgical pharyngoplasties are studied and compared. All patients were SAS free snoring patients. The results were rated satisfactory by 54% of the CO2 Laser treated patients against 78% for classical surgery. CO2 laser pharyngotomy is an easy procedure done in the office. The complication rate is very low. The predictive criteria upon which one can select the best procedure for each particular patient remain largely unknown.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Effects of celiprolol, a cardioselective beta-blocker, on respiratory function in asthmatic patients.

The aim of this study was to compare the pulmonary effects of a single dose of celiprolol 400 mg, versus bisoprolol 20 mg and the combination of celiprolol 400 mg plus propranolol 40 mg versus placebo plus propranolol 40 mg. We conducted a double-blind randomized cross-over study in 10 stable asthmatic patients (mean age +/- SD 31 +/- 7 yrs) with forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1): 2.5 +/- 0.7 l. A three-day washout period preceded each treatment period. Measurements of respiratory function were done before treatment and after 90, 120 and 180 min. There was a significant increase of FEV1 (+12%) and forced vital capacity (FVC) (+8%) after celiprolol (p less than 0.05) and a decrease of FEV1 (-9%) after propranolol. Concerning the combination, celiprolol inhibits the bronchoconstrictor effects of propranolol. We conclude that celiprolol has bronchosparing properties in asthmatic patients, and even improves some of the ventilatory parameters.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed1992

Polymorphism of class I alcohol dehydrogenase in French, Vietnamese and Niger populations: genotyping by PCR amplification and RFLP analysis on dried blood spots.

The polymorphism of human alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) can contribute to the explanation of the important ethnic differences towards alcohol metabolism. Its assessment at the genomic DNA level with a procedure, excluding labelled probes, consisting of PCR (Polymerase chain reaction) amplification on dried blood spots and analysis of allele-specific RFLP (Restriction fragment length polymorphism) profiles, is well adapted to extensive studies in population samples. It can emphasize the importance of ADH as a genetic marker of population. Three ethnic groups (French Caucasians, Vietnamese Orientals, Black Africans from Niger) were studied. ADH2 and ADH3 genotypes were in equilibrium according to the Hardy-Weinberg law. Important differences were noted in the distribution of ADH2 and ADH3 alleles.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗
PubMed1991

Glutathione S-transferase class mu in French alcoholic cirrhotic patients.

The lack of glutathione S-transferase mu (GST mu) was examined in 45 healthy French Caucasians and 45 alcoholic cirrhotic French Caucasians: microsamples of blood were taken and DNA amplified by the polymerase chain reaction. We have concluded that there is no relationship between this genotype and the development of alcoholic cirrhosis in these heavy consumers of ethanol.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Decreased oxyhemoglobin affinity in patients with sleep apnea syndrome.

Oxyhemogloblin affinity (P50 at pH 7.4, PaCO2 = 40 mm Hg, temperature = 37 degrees C) and 2,3-DPG concentration were assessed in 15 nonsmokers (14 men and one woman 46 to 63 yr of age) with sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) and in 10 normal subjects (eight men and two women 22 to 48 yr of age). In patients with SAS, mean nocturnal apnea index was 46 +/- 20/h, and mean nocturnal SO2 was 86 +/- 6% versus 94.6 +/- 1.8% during the daytime. Daytime mean P50 of the patients was 28.5 +/- 1.2 mm Hg versus 27.1 +/- 0.3 mm Hg in the normal subjects (p less than 0.05). Daytime mean 2.3-DPG was 1.23 +/- 0.25 moles DPG/mole hemoglobin versus 0.80 +/- 0.15 (p less than 0.05). Significant correlations were found in patients between P50 and mean nocturnal SO2 (r = -0.62, p less than 0.01) and between P50 and 2,3-DPG (r = 0.68, p less than 0.01). The measurements were repeated in five patients after surgical or positive-pressure treatment. P50 and 2,3-DPG both decreased and returned to normal values. In conclusion, the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve is shifted to the right in patients with SAS and there is an increase in 2,3-DPG. These could be protective mechanisms against the development of polycythemia, pulmonary hypertension, and cor pulmonale.

2,3-Diphosphoglycerate↗
PubMed1990

Genotyping study of alcohol dehydrogenase class I polymorphism in French patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. The French Group for Research on Alcohol and Liver.

Comparison of alcohol dehydrogenase polymorphism at the loci ADH2 and ADH3 is made in France between 46 alcoholic cirrhotic patients and 39 controls, by genotyping technique using polymerase chain reaction on blood microsample collected on blotting paper. The genotype distributions are similar, with low frequency of the ADH2(2) allele. Polymorphism at the ADH3 locus is not a genetic factor for alcoholic cirrhosis in France.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

The respiratory response to CO2 and O2 in patients with coma due to voluntary intoxication with barbiturates and carbamates.

We have investigated the respiratory response to CO2 and to O2 in comatose subjects self intoxicated with barbiturates and carbamates. The chemical drive of 12 such patients with coma was compared with that of comparable normal subjects. The ventilatory response to CO2 was depressed but the P0.1 response was of the same order of magnitude as in normals. O2 had little effect on the ventilatory parameters and occlusion pressure. There was no difference between the two groups of patients, indicating that the respiratory changes observed were more dependent on the intensity of the intoxication than on the nature of the drugs. In addition, mechanical factors seem mainly responsible for the depressed ventilatory response to CO2.

Adult↗