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Biomedical subjects

C Richart

Publications and source records attributed to C Richart.

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

[Application of immunotherapy in Catalonia (Spain)].

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the use of specific immunotherapy (SIT) in public and private hospitals in Catalonia (Spain) in the management of respiratory allergic diseases and opinions about this treatment through a questionnaire. SIT dosage schedules and the creation of immunotherapy units were also investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: A questionnaire containing eight items was sent by post and/or electronic mail to the heads of allergy units in 24 public and private hospitals in Catalonia.A total of 18 hospitals responded. The most commonly used route of administration was subcutaneous (89.4 %, SD 9.05) and the most widely used dosage schedule was the classical schedule (77.2 %, SD 24.9). Most of the hospitals (83.3 %) believed that immunotherapy units were an advantage but only 44 % of them believed that their creation was feasible. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this survey identify the application of SIT in Catalonia and reveal certain features of this treatment that remain to be established such as the optimal dosage schedule and the precautions that should be followed when administering SIT.

Appointments and Schedules↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: influence of blood pressure and humoral and neurohormonal factors.

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a common finding in hypertensive autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) patients. There are few studies on the influence of blood pressure (BP) and nonhemodynamic factors on LVH in these patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between BP, humoral and neurohormonal factors and left ventricular mass (LVM) in hypertensive ADPKD patients. In 20 hypertensive ADPKD patients, ambulatory BP was monitored for 24 h, left ventricular dimensions were estimated by echocardiography, and plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma noradrenaline (NA), angiotensin II (Ang II), aldosterone, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) were also determined. Twenty age- and sex-matched essential hypertensive subjects served as controls. Ambulatory BP and LVM index were similar in the two groups, although male ADPKD patients had higher LVM indices than their matched controls. Eight ADPKD patients (40%) and 6 essential hypertensives (30%) showed LVH. PRA, Ang II, aldosterone, ANP and IGF-I levels were similar in the two groups, but plasma NA levels were higher in ADPKD patients than in controls (281 +/- 158 vs. 160 +/- 62 pg/ml, p = 0.004). ADPKD patients with LVH did not differ from those without LVH with regard to humoral and neurohormonal parameters, but had higher ambulatory BP levels. In ADPKD patients, correlation analysis revealed a significant association between LVM index and 24-hour systolic and diastolic BP, but not with any of the hormonal factors evaluated. On multiple regression analysis, 24-hour diastolic BP was the only independent variable linked to LVM index. In conclusion, ambulatory BP is one of the most important determinants of LVM in hypertensive ADPKD patients. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the role of nonhemodynamic factors in the pathogenesis of LVH in this population.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Successful treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria associated with thyroid autoimmunity.

The prevalence of thyroid autoimmunity is high in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU), but in few selected patients the possible clinical benefit of levothyroxine sodium or antithyroid drugs has been studied. The objective of the present study was to confirm the prevalence of antithyroid antibodies in patients with CIU and to investigate the clinical response to levothyroxine sodium or methimazole. Antithyroglobulin and antiperoxidase antibodies were measured in 170 consecutive patients with CIU. Twenty-five (14.7%) had an antithyroglobulin or antiperoxidase antibody levels > 180 lU/ml and all but three were women. Twenty patients with CIU and thyroid autoimmunity were treated with levothyroxine sodium if hypothyroidism or normal thyroid function were present (18 patients) and with methimazole if hyperthyroidism was detected (two patients). Clinical response was evaluated by a clinical score. Autologous serum skin test before treatment was performed in 18 patients with thyroid autoantibodies. Urticaria resolved rapidly in two patients with Graves' disease. The clinical response of urticaria to levothyroxine sodium treatment was good in 15 patients and partial in two, whereas only one patient showed no improvement in clinical score (p < 0.0005). No changes in the antithyroglobulin or antiperoxidase levels were detected. Five patients reported adverse effects. The autologous serum skin test was positive in 10 patients and negative in eight. After successful treatment the test was repeated in six patients, proving negative in four and significantly diminished in two. We concluded that patients with CIU and thyroid autoimmunity benefit from treatment with levothyroxine sodium or antithyroid drugs. Antithyroid antibodies and positive autologous serum skin test in these patients could be markers of autoimmune disease with several target organs.

Adult↗