Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D F Thompson

Publications and source records attributed to D F Thompson.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Tricyclic antidepressant withdrawal syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the evidence pointing to a withdrawal syndrome associated with the discontinuation of tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE searches were conducted. References used in relevant articles were screened for additional published information. STUDY SELECTION: Emphasis was placed on human trials and individual case reports. DATA SYNTHESIS: Symptoms of gastrointestinal and somatic distress, sleep disturbance, and movement disorders and mania have been temporally linked to withdrawal of TCAs. Cholinergic and adrenergic overdrive after TCA discontinuation have been suggested as the proposed mechanism for this syndrome. Reported symptoms may be psychosomatic or related to underlying mental illness. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should be aware that discontinuation of TCA therapy may produce a withdrawal syndrome in some patients.

Adolescent↗

Antineoplastic agents: comparing off-label uses among authoritative drug compendia.

Unlabeled indications for antineoplastic drugs listed in the American Hospital Formulary-Drug Information, United States Pharmacopeia Dispensing Information-Drug Information for the Health Care Professional (Volume 1), and the American Medical Association-Drug Evaluations were evaluated. Specifically, the total number of unlabeled and unique uses (ie, not listed in either of the other two compendia) of 35 antineoplastic drugs were compared. Using a nonparametric analysis of variance to evaluate the results, significant differences in both the average unlabeled indications per drug and unique unlabeled indications per drug were found among the resources checked. The implications of the study results on reimbursement by private insurance carriers of unlabeled antineoplastic drug use is discussed in this article.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Superoxide formed from cigarette smoke impairs polymorphonuclear leukocyte active oxygen generation activity.

Reactive free radicals contained in cigarette smoke (CS) and compromised phagocytic antimicrobial activities including those of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of severe CS-related pulmonary disorders. In CS-exposed buffer solutions, O2-. was the predominant generated reactive oxygen species, as demonstrated by lucigenin-amplified chemiluminescence and electron spin resonance (ESR) spin-trapping with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO). When PMNs were incubated in this buffer, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated active oxygen production and coupled O2 consumption were strongly impaired without appreciably affecting PMN viability (1-min exposure inhibited active oxygen production by 75%). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) totally protected and an iron chelator, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DETAPAC), also protected the CS-exposed PMNs, suggesting that generated O2-. was an initiating factor in the impairment and OH. generation was a subsequent injurious factor. Pretreatment of PMNs with antioxidants such as alpha-tocopherol and dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) was partially protective. The results suggest that (i) O2-. is probably generated in the upper and lower respiratory tract lining fluid when they come in contact with CS; (ii) such generated O2-. can primarily impair PMN capabilities to generate reactive oxygen species; and (iii) since these effects may contribute to the pathogenesis of CS-related lung diseases, prior supplementation with antioxidants such as alpha-tocopherol or DHLA might be successful in preventing these deleterious effects.

Animals↗

The effect of the number of withdrawals on the sterility of multidose medication vials.

Policy development with regard to the shelf life of multidose medication vials is difficult because of a lack of sufficient data. The purpose of this study was to evaluate one factor that may play a role in the contamination of multidose vials. We evaluated the effect that the number of withdrawals had on the potential contamination of multidose medication vials. Thirty multidose vials of heparin and 30 multidose vials of lidocaine (lignocaine) were used in the study. Ten vials from each group (heparin and lidocaine) were used as controls and were deliberately contaminated with Staphylococcus aereus at various concentrations (10 colony forming units per millilitre (CFU/ml) to 10(8) CFU/ml). The 20 test vials remaining from each group were then subjected to varying rates of 1-ml fluid withdrawal. Five test vials were sampled every 2 h, five were sampled twice per day, five were sampled once per day, and five were sampled every other day. Each sample was incubated in trypticase soy broth (24 h at 37 degrees C) and Columbia agar with 5% sheep blood (48 h at 37 degrees C). No multidose vials became contaminated regardless of the rate of withdrawals. Some of the deliberately contaminated multidose vials became sterile with time. Lightly contaminated vials (10(1)-10(2) CFU/ml) generally cleared within 10-15 h after initial contamination. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Drug Contamination↗

Drug-induced hair colour changes.

Drug-induced hair colour changes are not a common adverse effect from medications. A wide variety of drugs have been implicated in causing hair colour changes but very few have data to support a true relationship. Of the drugs reported, chloroquine and cancer chemotherapeutic agents have the best evidence to support an association. Other drugs, such as p-aminobenzoic acid, calcium pantothenate, anthralin, chinoform, mephenesin, minoxidil, propofol, valproic acid, and verapamil await confirmatory data. Drug-induced causes should be considered in any patient with unexplained hair colour changes.

4-Aminobenzoic Acid↗

Taurine: an essential amino acid to prevent cholestasis in neonates?

OBJECTIVE: To review the evidence that taurine can prevent cholestasis in neonates. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE and EMBASE searches were conducted to identify both animal and human data regarding taurine's role in bile acid conjugation and liver disease (key terms: taurine, children less than two years old). STUDY SELECTION: Emphasis was placed on human data supplemented by relevant animal data. DATA SYNTHESIS: Taurine appears to more effectively conjugate bile acids than glycine, and the end-products of conjugation are more soluble. Taurine deficiency may increase glyco-conjugates of bile acids and result in cholestasis. Although the cause of neonatal cholestasis probably is multifactorial, there are data indicating that adequate taurine may prevent cholestasis in neonates. CONCLUSIONS: Taurine should be considered an essential amino acid for neonates and should be included in total parenteral nutrition solutions for these patients.

Amino Acids, Essential↗

Citation analysis of selected clinical pharmacology journals.

Perceptions of pharmacy and medical journal quality vary widely. One objective measure of the quality of a scientific journal is the impact factor that can be defined as "a measure of the frequency with which the 'average article' in a journal has been cited in a particular year." The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical pharmacology journals available through the Science Citation Index and determine those that have the greatest impact. From these data, it appears that the premier primary literature journal in clinical pharmacology is Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics while the premier review journal has been Clinical Pharmacokinetics. Possible explanations for impact factor fluctuations over time are also discussed.

Abstracting and Indexing↗

Nafarelin acetate: a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist for the treatment of endometriosis.

Nafarelin acetate is a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist proven as effective as danazol in treating endometriosis. Its proposed mechanism of action is the desensitization of pituitary GnRH receptors leading to a decrease in gonadotropin release, and ovarian hormone serum concentrations similar to those achieved in postmenopausal women. Nafarelin decreases or ablates the physical symptoms associated with endometriosis, and pregnancy rates following therapy with this drug are comparable to rates observed after danazol therapy. Nafarelin is administered by nasal inhalation and has been generally well tolerated. It is associated with a high incidence of adverse effects but they are rarely severe enough to cause withdrawal from treatment, and those occurring most frequently--hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and decreased libido--are a consequence of the hypoestrogenemia induced by the drug. Increased bone turnover occurs in women on nafarelin but biochemical parameters return to pretreatment concentrations by six months after termination of treatment. This agent's place in the therapy of endometriosis will be determined as clinical experience accumulates.

Danazol↗

Temperature of refrigerated i.v. fluids and admixtures during infusion.

The effects of infusion rate, drop size, and solution composition on the infusion temperature of i.v. fluids and admixtures that had been stored at refrigerated temperatures were determined. Polyvinyl chloride bags containing 5% dextrose injection, 0.9% sodium chloride injection, cefazolin 20 mg/mL in 5% dextrose injection, or total parenteral nutrient (TPN) solution were removed from the refrigerator after 12 hours and hung from i.v. poles. An administration set was attached to each bag, and the distal end of the administration tubing was placed in a beaker-funnel-flask apparatus that served as a collection vessel for effluent during simulated i.v. infusions. Thermo-couples were inserted into each i.v. bag and positioned under the distal end of each administration set to monitor the temperatures of the solution in the bag and of the effluent. 5% Dextrose injection and 0.9% sodium chloride injection were studied at two flow rates (125 and 60 mL/hr) using two different administration sets (60-drops/mL microdrip set and 15-drops/mL primary set); the cefazolin admixture and the TPN solution were studied at both flow rates using the primary set only. The temperatures at each probe were measured in triplicate at the start of each infusion and at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 25 minutes during the infusion; each infusion was repeated three times. All of the solutions warmed significantly as they passed through the administration sets. Throughout all time intervals, the cefazolin admixtures had the smallest proximal-distal temperature increase, and the TPN solutions had the greatest increase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cefazolin↗