Biomedical subjects

C Saab

Publications and source records attributed to C Saab.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1996

[Turner syndrome: spontaneous growth of stature, weight increase and accelerated bone maturation].

BACKGROUND: Since growth hormone is effective in increasing the height of girls with Turner's syndrome, it is important to dispose of growth and bone maturation curves in a large number of untreated patients. POPULATION AND METHODS: Data on growth and bone maturation were collected from 160 patients with Turner's syndrome (50 have reached final height), born 1965-1991, untreated with growth hormone or anabolic steroids. X monosomy was found in half of the patients, mosaicism or X abnormality was present in the other half. Spontaneous puberty occurred in 25% (n = 25) of patients older than 13 years, 38 patients received estrogen after 13 years. Final heights were compared to predicted height according to Lyon's method. RESULTS: Forty-five percent of patients were small for date. Height velocity decreased from 2 years of age and decreased faster during adolescence, when gonadal dysgenesis occurred. Bone maturation velocity decreased also during adolescence. Excessive weight appeared after the age of 5 years. Patients with partial deletion of the long arm of X (n = 6) were taller than the other girls (n = 44) (mean +/- DS) 152.5 +/- 3.1 cm, range 150-158 cm versus 142.5 +/- 4.9 cm, 130-150 cm (P < 0.0001). Final height was not modified by spontaneous puberty. Final height was correlated with birth weight (r = 0.7), maternal height (r = 0.5) and mid parental height (r = 0.5). Finally, the Lyon's method for predicted final height seemed to be suitable for this population, (r = 0.8, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Appropriate growth curve is an essential clinical tool in evaluating treatment aimed at increasing final stature in patients with Turner's syndrome.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

Nutritional status and growth hormone-binding protein.

To study the effects of nutrition on growth hormone (GH) receptor status, the plasma GH-binding protein was evaluated under conditions of poor nutrition, anorexia nervosa, celiac disease, and obesity. Nine patients, aged 12-30 years, presented anorexia nervosa and had a mean weight loss of -19% of their initial weight at the time of the study. Ten patients with celiac disease, aged 3-14 years, had a mean height at -4.2 SD, and normal body weight for height. Fourteen severely obese children, aged 3-10 years, had a mean body mass index (BMI) of 25.7 +/- 0.9. GH-binding protein was low in patients with anorexia nervosa (16.8 +/- 1.9% of radioactivity) and in patients with celiac disease (16.1 +/- 2.2%) whereas it was very high in obese children (57.2 +/- 3.3%). A strong correlation was found between GH-binding protein and BMI. GH-binding protein was also correlated with insulin-like growth factor-1 plasma levels. Nutrition is an important regulator of the GH receptor/binding protein. The growth failure presented by undernourished children is associated with partial GH resistance and low GH receptor level. On the contrary, children with obesity and normal growth have a high GH receptor level.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Preemptive intrathecal ketamine injection produces a long-lasting decrease in neuropathic pain behaviors in a rat model.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Ketamine is an N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, which has been found to effectively treat somatic and neuropathic pain. This study examines the effect (on neuropathic pain) of preemptive ketamine using different routes of administration (intrathecal versus intraperitoneal). METHODS: The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approved the study. Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats (250-275 g) were divided into three treatment groups [intrathecal saline/intraperitoneal saline or Control (CTL), intrathecal ketamine/intraperitoneal saline (ITK), and intrathecal saline/intraperitoneal ketamine (IPK)] prior to undergoing surgery to induce neuropathic pain by tight ligation of the left L5 and L6 spinal nerves. All drugs were given 15 minutes before nerve ligation. The ITK group received intrathecal ketamine (0.5% solution, 1 mg/kg), the IPK group received intraperitoneal ketamine (0.5% solution, 1 mg/kg), saline was given in equal volume (approximately 0.05 mL). Mechanical allodynia, cold allodynia, and ongoing pain behaviors indicative of neuropathic pain were assessed on postoperative days 1, 3, 7, and 14 using validated methods. RESULTS: Compared with the CTL group, the ITK group showed a state of decreased mechanical allodynia, cold allodynia, and ongoing pain as revealed by the von Frey hair, acetone, and cold plate testing, respectively. Further, this decrease was sustained for at least 2 weeks. The IPK group showed intermediate results between the CTL and ITK. CONCLUSIONS: Neuropathic pain behaviors were significantly reduced for at least 2 weeks after intrathecal ketamine was preemptively administered to animals undergoing surgery to induce neuropathic pain. The mechanism of action is thought to be prevention of spinal cord sensitization.

Analgesics↗