Biomedical subjects

C C Huang

Publications and source records attributed to C C Huang.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources

PubMed1997

Detection of serum transforming growth factor-alpha in patients of primary epithelial ovarian cancers by enzyme immunoassay.

Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) is a potent mitogenic polypeptide. It is secreted by a variety of transformed cells and tumors, modifying tumor growth through autocrine or paracrine mechanism. In the present study, serum levels of TGF-alpha were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 27 normal females, 116 patients with benign ovarian tumors, and 42 patients with epithelial ovarian cancers (10 with stage I, 7 with stage II, 19 with stage III, and 6 with stage IV). The ELISA assay could detect a minimum level of serum TGF-alpha concentration at 10 pg/ml. Serum samples were obtained from normal females and from patients with benign or malignant ovarian tumors before initial surgery. The detectable rates were 11% (3/27) in normal females, 28% (32/116) in benign ovarian tumors, and 62% (26/42) in ovarian cancers. The detectable rates in serous and endometrioid ovarian cancers were 71 and 70%, respectively, which were higher than the rate of 33% in mucinous type. However, there was no obvious relationship between the detectability of serum TGF-alpha and the stages of ovarian cancers. The mean concentration of TGF-alpha in ovarian cancer was 159.8 pg/ml, which was significantly higher than 27.7 pg/ml in benign ovarian tumors (P < 0.001) as well as 15 pg/ml in normal females (P < 0.001). The mean concentrations of serum TGF-alpha in stages I to IV ovarian cancers were 133.5, 96.2, 194.8, and 178.3 pg/ml, respectively. The mean concentration of serum TGF-alpha in any two stages of ovarian cancers was not statistically different. In conclusion, measurement of serum TGF-alpha can be used as a supplementary tumor marker to differentiate a malignant ovarian tumor from a benign one. However, the concentration of serum TGF-alpha has no special relation with the stage of ovarian cancer itself. Because of the small number of stage I ovarian cancers with detectable TGF-alpha in the present investigation, it would probably not be feasible to differentiate a stage I ovarian cancer from a benign ovarian tumor based only on the level of TGF-alpha in serum.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗

PubMed1997

Level of transforming growth factor beta 1 is elevated in cerebrospinal fluid of children with acute bacterial meningitis.

We investigated the levels of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in children with meningitis, with a view to prognostic relevance. CSF TGF-beta 1 levels on admission were measured by a sandwich enzyme immunoassay in children with bacterial meningitis (n = 16), aseptic meningitis (n = 12), and control subjects without evidence of central nervous system (CNS) infection (n = 16). Patients were followed up for a mean duration of 13 months, and neurodevelopmental sequelae was determined for those with bacterial meningitis. On admission, CSF TGF-beta 1 levels were significantly higher in children with bacterial meningitis (mean, standard error, 32.92, 2.36 pg/ml) as opposed to those with aseptic meningitis (25.26, 1.72 pg/ml) (P = 0.0155), or control subjects (20.53, 1.05 pg/ml) (P < 0.0001). The CSF TGF-beta 1 levels in children with aseptic meningitis were higher than those in the control group, but without significance (P = 0.02). No apparent correlation existed between CSF TGF-beta 1 levels and CSF protein or cell counts in patients with bacterial meningitis. No significant difference in CSF TGF-beta 1 levels was found between patients with or without major sequelae following bacterial meningitis.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1997

Autonomic involvement in Wilson's disease: a study of sympathetic skin response and RR interval variation.

Autonomic nervous system involvement in Wilson's disease (WD) was studied in 25 patients by sympathetic skin response (SSR) and RR interval variation (RRIV). The control group consisted of age-matched healthy subjects. Palmar SSRs were obtained by central activation from median nerve stimulation and by activation of sympathetic trunk from magnetic stimulation of the neck. Electric SSRs were prolonged in 11 patients and absent in 2; magnetic SSRs were delayed in 4 and absent in 1; and the sympathetic central conduction time was prolonged in 3. The mean latencies and mean central conduction of the SSRs were all significantly prolonged in WD when compared to the control group. On the other hand, parasympathetic function was abnormal in 3 patients only during forced deep breathing, and as a group only mean D% was significantly reduced. The present findings suggest that autonomic dysfunction may occur in WD, and that sympathetic function is predominantly affected, mainly due to central involvement.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Conantokin-T selectively antagonizes N-methyl-D-aspartate-evoked responses in rat hippocampal slice.

This study investigated the mode of action of conantokin-T, a 21 amino acid peptide toxin isolated from the venom of the fish-hunting cone snail Conus tulipa, on excitatory synaptic transmission in rat hippocampal slices using intracellular recording techniques. Superfusion of conantokin-T (1-500 nM) specifically and irreversibly decreased the pharmacologically isolated N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA)-mediated excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSPNMDA) in a concentration-dependent manner but had no effect on normal excitatory synaptic transmission (EPSP). The sensitivity of postsynaptic neurons to NMDA but not to alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid was also antagonized by conantokin-T pretreatment. In addition, the conantokin-T-induced depression of EPSPNMDA could be antagonized by prior treatment of hippocampal slices with either DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleate (10 microM) or ifenprodil (20 microM). However, 7-chlorokynurenic acid (1 microM) had no effect on the action of conantokin-T. These findings indicated that conantokin-T modulates the NMDA receptor by an interaction with its glutamate binding site and polyamine recognition site.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Cutaneous sinus tract caused by vertical root fracture.

This report presents a rare case of odontogenic cutaneous sinus tract caused by a vertical root fracture. The root-fractured molar was probably caused by an accidental blow by a cow 3 years ago. Despite all treatments by physicians and surgeons for nearly 1 year, the sinus tract recurred repeatedly. After diagnosis and extraction of the fractured molar by the dentist, the sinus tract healed uneventfully in a month.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Leptospirosis: an ignored cause of acute renal failure in Taiwan.

Leptospirosis, caused by a spirochete, is the most common zoonosis in domestic or wild animals. Animals excrete infected urine in soil or water and may cause human infections through abrased wound, mucosa, conjunctiva, or by swallowing contaminated water. Clinical presentations of leptospirosis are mostly subclinical. Five to ten percent of leptospirosis are fatal, causing fever, hemorrhage, jaundice, and acute renal failure (Weil's syndrome). Leptospirosis has been ignored as a cause of acute renal failure in Taiwan. We report two patients with leptospirosis who presented with high fever, abdominal pain, jaundice, and acute renal failure. Patient 1 died on day 12 of admission of multiple organ failure associated with pancytopenia, hypogammaglobulinemia, and reactive hemophagocytosis. Leptospirosis was recognized after death. Patient 2 was admitted with similar presentations 2 weeks later. Penicillin and doxycycline were given early in the course, and azotemia, jaundice, respiratory failure, and aseptic meningitis gradually improved. Renal biopsy showed interstitial nephritis. Several tubular clearance tests showed proximal tubular defect with severe bicarbonate wasting (FeHCO3- 20.9%) and incomplete type II renal tubular acidosis without affecting the distal nephron. After 80 days of treatment, this patient was discharged with recovery of conscious level and renal function. This is the first leptospirosis patient with detailed tubular functional and morphological studies of the kidney. Diagnosis of leptospirosis was made by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) for antibody to leptospira and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for leptospira DNA in blood and urine (interrogans serogroup australis in case 1 and Leptospira borgpetersenii serogroup ballum in case 2). Because active surveillance has resulted in 13 cases diagnosed as leptospirosis islandwide thereafter, underestimation and ignorance of leptospirosis as a cause of acute renal failure may occur in Taiwan. Therefore, an area with a low leptospirosis incidence may actually have a very high incidence. Leptospirosis should be suspected in febrile patients with jaundice and renal failure when pathogens cannot be identified by traditional culture for microorganisms.

Abdominal Pain↗

PubMed1997

Risk factor of complications requiring neurosurgical intervention in infants with bacterial meningitis.

Among 50 consecutive cases of bacterial meningitis in infants aged 6 months or less, 9 (Group I) were confirmed to have complications requiring neurosurgery during the first 2 weeks of antibiotic treatment. Neurosurgery was performed in 40, 33, and 30% of cases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli, respectively. There were 5 cases of subdural empyema, 1 case of brain abscess, 1 case of subdural empyema and brain abscess, and 2 cases of ventriculitis with severe hydrocephalus. All complications requiring neurosurgery were initially detected by cranial ultrasonography. The other 41 patients who did not undergo neurosurgery were classified as Group II. Comparison of clinical presentations and laboratory findings between the two groups showed that Group 1 contained more patients with a history of inadequate treatment, and longer duration of illness before diagnosis. Except for prolonged disturbance of consciousness, there was no difference between the two groups in clinical and laboratory data on admission or in clinical course during therapy. Due to the high incidence of complications requiring neurosurgical treatment, cost-effective cranial ultrasound is recommended for screening every young infant with bacterial meningitis, especially in cases caused by S. pneumoniae.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed1997

Activity concentrations and population dose from radium-226 in food and drinking water in Taiwan.

The purpose of this study was to determine the radioactivity of 226Ra in environmental samples in Taiwan. Fish, pork, rice, flour, chicken, vegetable, milk, fruit, egg and water samples were collected and pretreated by radiochemical procedure to extract the 226Ra, and the activity concentrations of 226Ra were determined using a liquid scintillation counter. The 226Ra content of groundwater was 12.0 mBq l-1. The 226Ra contents of the food ranged from 0.02 Bq kg-1 fresh to 0.17 Bq kg-1 fresh. The annual internal dose from ingestion of 226Ra from food and drinking water per caput was evaluated to be 7.5 microSv.

Environmental Exposure↗

PubMed1997

Micropatterning gradients and controlling surface densities of photoactivatable biomolecules on self-assembled monolayers of oligo(ethylene glycol) alkanethiolates.

BACKGROUND: Bioactive molecules that are covalently immobilized in patterns on surfaces have previously been used to control or study cell behavior such as adhesion, spreading, movement or differentiation. Photoimmobilization techniques can be used, however, to control not only the spatial pattern of molecular immobilization, termed the micropattern, but also the surface density of the molecules--a characteristic that has not been previously exploited. RESULTS: Oligopeptides containing the bioactive Arg-Gly-Asp cell-adhesion sequence were immobilized upon self-assembled monolayers of an oligo(ethylene glycol) alkanethiolate in patterns that were visualized and quantified by autoradiography. The amount and pattern of immobilized peptide were controlled by manipulating the exposure of the sample to a UV lamp or a laser beam. Patterns of peptides, including a density gradient, were used to control the location and number of adherent cells and also the cell shape. CONCLUSIONS: A photoimmobilization technique for decorating surfaces with micropatterns that consist of variable densities of bioactive molecules is described. The efficacy of the patterns for controlling cell adhesion and shape has been demonstrated. This technique is useful for the study of cell behavior on micropatterns.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1997

Characterization of the anoxia-induced long-term synaptic potentiation in area CA1 of the rat hippocampus.

1. The purpose of the present study was to characterize the mechanisms underlying the anoxia-induced long-term potentiation (LTP) of glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the CA1 region of rat hippocampus by use of intracellular recordings in vitro. 2. In response to superfusion of an anoxic medium equilibrated with 95% N2 - 5% CO2, the initial slope (measured within 3 ms from the onset of the synaptic response) of the excitatory postsynaptic potential (e.p.s.p.) generated in the hippocampal CA1 neurones by stimulation of Schaffer collateral-commissural afferent pathway was significantly decreased by 91.3 +/- 4.9% (n = 10) within 10 min of the anoxic episode. The reduction of the initial slope of the e.p.s.p. was accompanied by a transient membrane hyperpolarization followed by a sustained depolarization (10.8 +/- 1.7 mV, n = 10), along with a reduction in membrane input resistance (69.3 +/- 4.8% of control, n = 10). On return to reoxygenated medium, the e.p.s.p. slope returned to the control value within 8-10 min and was subsequently and progessively potentiated to reach a plateau (195.6 +/- 14.7% of control, n = 10) 15-20 min after return to control ACSF. This anoxic episode-induced persistent potentiation of synaptic transmission lasted for more than 1 h and was termed anoxic LTP. 3. The anoxic episode induced a persistent potentiation of the initial slopes of both pharmacologically isolated alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazola-propionate (AMPA) receptor-mediated e.p.s.p. (e.p.s.p.AMPA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated e.p.s.p. (e.p.s.p.NMDA) with a similar time course and magnitude. The sensitivity of postsynaptic neurones to NMDA (10 microM), but not to AMPA (10 microM) was also persistently potentiated following the anoxic episode. In addition, the anoxia-induced LTP of the initial slope of e.p.s.p.AMPA was accompanied by a decrease in the magnitude of paired-pulse facilitation (PPF; from 106.8 +/- 17.6 to 46.6 +/- 18.4%, n = 6), a phenomenon which was associated with presynaptic transmitter release mechanisms. 4. The induction of the anoxic LTP is dependent on the extracellular Ca2+ concentration. The induction of the anoxic LTP was completely abolished when the external Ca2+ was removed and substituted with equimolar Mg2+. Moreover, the anoxic LTP was completely abolished in neurones intracellularly recorded with Ca2+ chelator bis-(O-aminophenoxy)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA, 500 mM). 5. Occlusion experiments were performed to examine whether the sustained enhancement of the initial slope of the e.p.s.p. produced by tetanic stimulation and the anoxic episode share common cellular mechanisms. Three episodes of tetanic stimulation were delivered to saturate the LTP, following which a long period (15 min) of anoxia failed to cause a further potentiation of the initial slope of the e.p.s.p. Similarly, prior induction of anoxic LTP also significantly attenuated the subsequent synaptic potentiation induced by a high-frequency tetanic stimulation (100 Hz for 1 s duration). These data imply that these two forms of synaptic plasticity may share a common cellular mechanism. 6. These results provide strong evidence that the generation of the anoxia-induced LTP of glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the CA1 region of rat hippocampus probably involves both of the presynaptic and postsynaptic loci. The mechanisms underlying the persistent potentiation are likely to be attributable to an enhancement of presynaptic glutamate release and a selective upregulation of postsynaptic NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic response through the Ca2+-dependent processes.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Dietary fat affects lipids and anti-cardiolipin antibody levels in autoimmune-prone NZB/W F1 mice.

Studies in autoimmune-prone NZB/W F1 mice have demonstrated that the amount of dietary fat can affect autoantibody production and the disease course of autoimmune diseases. Anti-cardiolipin antibodies have been found to play a major role in thrombus formation and the increase of abortion rate in both human lupus patients and murine lupus. The present study investigated further the effect of dietary fat on lipid and anti-cardiolipin antibody production in autoimmune-prone mice. Two groups of NZB/W F1 mice were fed on diets containing 200 g dietary fat/kg and 50 g dietary fat/kg respectively, the fat being composed of equal amounts of lard and soyabean oil. Serum levels of lipids, immunoglobulin (Ig) anti-single stranded DNA and anti-cardiolipin antibodies were followed regularly every month and mice were killed for in vitro experiments after 5 months on the experimental diets. The results showed that serum triacylglycerol concentration was lower in mice fed on the high-fat diet than in those fed on 50 g fat/kg. There was no significant difference in hepatic lipid contents; however, the fatty acid contents were different between these two groups. Hepatic linoleic acid (18:2n-6) and arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) concentrations were higher in mice fed on the high-fat diet. There were no significant differences in serum IgM concentrations or IgM anti-cardiolipin antibody levels between these two groups. However, IgG anti-cardiolipin antibody levels were higher in mice fed on the high-fat diet at the age of 3-4 months. Total serum IgG concentration was noted to be higher, but in contrast, serum IgA was lower, in the high-dietary-fat group. These findings suggest that high dietary fat may affect lipid metabolism and autoantibody levels in autoimmune diseases.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Risk factors for primary lung cancer among non-smoking women in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Although cigarette smoking is considered to be the most important cause of lung cancer, smoking behaviour cannot fully explain the epidemiological characteristics of lung cancer in Taiwanese women, who rarely smoke but contract lung cancer relatively often. There are other causes of lung cancer that have produced variability in lung cancer incidence. METHODS: A case-control study involving interviews with 117 female patients (including 106 non-smoking) suffering from lung cancer and the same number of individually matched hospital controls was conducted in Kaohsiung, Taiwan between 1992 and 1993. The questionnaire administered to cases and controls collected information on cigarette smoking and suspected risk factors for lung cancer. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to assess smoking for all women and suspected risk factors for non-smoking women. RESULTS: The relationship between cigarette smoking and lung cancer was statistically significant although only a small proportion (9.4%) of female patients had smoked. However, the risk of contracting cancer for non-smoking women appears to be associated with certain cooking practices, especially preparing meals in kitchens not equipped with a fume extractor at cooking age of 20-40 years (odds ratio [OR] = 8.3; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.1-22.7. These factors and a history of pulmonary tuberculosis plus low consumption of fresh vegetables explained 78% of the summary attributable risks for non-smoking women in a multivariate logistic regression model. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to fumes from cooking oils, when not reduced by an extractor, may be an important factor in causing lung cancer in non-smoking Taiwanese women.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Poor pre-dialysis glycaemic control is a predictor of mortality in type II diabetic patients on maintenance haemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: In type II diabetic patients, a better glycaemic control has been reported to slow down the progression of nephropathy. The effect of pre-dialysis glycaemic control on the long term prognosis in type II diabetics on haemodialysis is still uncertain. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of glycaemic control before starting maintenance haemodialysis on the clinical outcome in type II diabetic haemodialysis patients. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-seven type II diabetics receiving regular haemodialysis in a single university hospital were enrolled. The patients were classified as either good or poor glycaemic control group according to their glycaemic control within 6 months before starting haemodialysis. Serum albumin, haematocrit, cholesterol, triglyceride, residual renal function, diabetic complications, and patient survival were analysed in both groups. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in age, gender, predialysis albumin level, cholesterol level, triglyceride level, and residual renal function between the two groups. The 1-year (94.5% vs 80.0%), 3-year (82.9% vs 58.1%), and 5-year (75.8% vs 21.8%) cumulative survival rates were lower in the poor glycaemic control group than in the good glycaemic control group (P < 0.001). The poor glycaemic control group also had more cardiovascular morbidity during the period of dialysis (P < 0.001). The increase in cardiovascular complications also accounted for the increased mortality during the course of haemodialysis. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that poor glycaemic control before starting dialysis is a strong predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and survival for type II diabetics on haemodialysis. These results imply that better glycaemic control before dialysis might be important in improving the long-term prognosis in type II diabetics on haemodialysis.

Aged↗

PubMed1997

Hepatitis in patients with end-stage renal disease.

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C are two common pathogens causing chronic hepatitis in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). With the acceptance of hepatitis B s antigen (HBsAg) screening, infected patients have been identified and isolated over the past 20 years. Consequently, hepatitis B is now being seen less frequently in dialysis units. Even though hepatitis B has become less of a problem, non-A, non-B hepatitis has been recognized as a significant problem since 1979. With the availability of serological testing for hepatitis C virus (HCV), more specific information is now available in regard to HCV infection in dialysis patients. The prevalence of anti-HCV in haemodialysis (HD) patients is quite variable, ranging from 5 to over 50%. Anti-HCV positivity is associated with previous blood transfusions, mode of therapy and duration of haemodialysis. In Spain and Italy, the annual seroconversion rates of HCV antibodies in dialysis patients are 2-9%; this rate was much higher in Taiwan (15%). Whether patients with HCV infection should be identified and isolated during HD treatment is an issue of controversy. Transplantation is associated with increases in hepatitis B virus (HBV) replicative markers. The survival disadvantage in HBsAg-positive recipients usually did not become apparent until 8 years after transplantation. Hepatitis C virus-infected renal transplant recipients are presumably in a similar situation to patients with hepatitis B, although confirmatory data are currently lacking. Coinfection of HBV and HCV may lead to aggressive liver disease and cirrhosis. A hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for all susceptible dialysis patients. Dialysis patients have lower response rates to hepatitis B vaccines than do other people. Currently, no vaccine is available for hepatitis C. To date, there are no effective treatments available for hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Combination therapy with interferon/lamivudine for hepatitis B and interferon/ribavirin for hepatitis C may offer a promise of effective control of viral replication in the future.

Hepacivirus↗

PubMed1997

Nitric oxide signalling is required for the generation of anoxia-induced long-term potentiation in the hippocampus.

The involvement of nitric oxide in anoxia-induced long-term potentiation (anoxic LTP) of synaptic transmission was investigated in CA1 neurons of rat hippocampal slices using intracellular recording techniques in vitro. In response to superfusion of an anoxic artificial cerebral spinal fluid saturated with 95% N2-5% CO2, the excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) generated in hippocampal CA1 neurons by stimulation of the Schaffer collateral/commissural afferent pathway was completely abolished within 10 min of anoxia. On return to reoxygenated medium, the EPSP returned to the control value within 10 min and was subsequently and progressively potentiated to reach a plateau 15-20 min after return to oxygen. This anoxia-induced persistent increase in synaptic transmission lasted for more than 1 h. Application of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitors 7-nitroindazole (7-NI) or L-N(G)-nitroarginine (NOARG) produced no effects on the baseline EPSP amplitude, but effectively attenuated the anoxic LTP. The inhibitory effects of both 7-NI and NOARG on the anoxic LTP were blocked by L-arginine, a substrate for nitric oxide synthase. These results suggest that nitric oxide is required for the generation of anoxia-induced LTP of glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the CA1 region of the rat hippocampus.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Peripheral neuropathy in mitochondrial encephalomyopathies.

Seven patients with mitochondrial encephalomyopathies were studied for peripheral neuropathy by clinical, electrophysiological and pathological examinations. The clinical manifestation of neuropathy varied from asymptomatic to mild and moderate sensorimotor symptoms with painful paresthesia. Five patients (2 with mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes, and 3 with myoclonic epilepsy and ragged-red fibers, MERRF) had clinical symptoms and signs of polyneuropathy associated mainly with decreased amplitudes of the compound muscle or nerve action potentials in an electrophysiological study indicating axonal degeneration. Sural nerve biopsy from 1 MERRF patient, also confirmed an axonal degeneration with reduction of large myelinated fibers. Mitochondrial DNA analysis of the sural nerve from this patient showed a point mutation from A to G transition at the nucleotide position 8344 with 80% mtDNA mutation. The results of this study suggest that peripheral neuropathy is not uncommon in mitochondrial encephalomyopathies and is predominantly due to axonal degeneration.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Coenzyme Q10 treatment in mitochondrial encephalomyopathies. Short-term double-blind, crossover study.

We report a short-term double-blind, crossover study of CoQ10 in 8 patients with mitochondrial encephalomyopathies. Four patients had myoclonus epilepsy with ragged-red fibers syndrome, 3 had mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes syndrome, and 1 had chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia with myopathy. A trend of effectiveness of CoQ10 in several parameters was noted. Fatigability of daily activities was alleviated. The endurance to muscle exercise was augmented. Global muscle strength scored by Medical Research Council scale was increased. The extent of elevation in serum lactate and pyruvate levels after exercise was decreased. However, only the global MRC index score had a statistical significance (p < 0.05). There were no side effects during therapy. The serum CoQ10 levels were significantly lower in patients than in normal controls before CoQ10 treatment and increased significantly after treatment.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1997

Hemostatic and fibrinolytic response to desmopressin in uremic patients.

Desmopressin (DDAVP) 0.3 micrograms/kg was infused in 20 uremic patients with prolong bleeding time. Prior to infusion, the uremic patients had a reduced level of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), normal levels of von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:Ag) and ristocetin cofactor activity (vWF:RCo) and elevated level of factor VIII coagulant activity (FVIII:C). Patients with lower hematocrit or t-PA levels tended to have a longer bleeding time. One hour after DDAVP infusion, the bleeding time was shortened significantly. This improvement was significant in all patient groups irrespective of the high or low initial levels of factor VIII complex components. Plasma levels of FVIII:C, vWF:Ag, vWF:RCo and t-PA all increased significantly. The magnitude of increase in these factors, however, was not significantly correlated with the extent of bleeding time shortening. The multiple regression model for predicting the extent of bleeding time shortening suggested only two variables, viz initial bleeding time and posttreatment FVIII:C activity to be of significance. The present results indicate that the hemostatic response to DDAVP is uniform in uremic patients, regardless of whether the initial activities of factor VIII complex components are high or low. Posttreatment FVIII:C activity appears to play a significant role in the hemostatic action of DDAVP. Furthermore, a depressed fibrinolytic activity was generally observed to concur with the hemostatic defect in uremic patients.

Adolescent↗