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Biomedical subjects

F Ballet

Publications and source records attributed to F Ballet.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Is ursodeoxycholic acid an effective treatment for primary biliary cirrhosis?

The effects of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA, 13-15 mg/kg body weight daily) were prospectively evaluated in fifteen patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). The mean concentration of UDCA in serum expressed as the percentage of total bile acids rose from 0% at baseline to 58% (SEM 9%) after 2 years' treatment, whereas total serum bile acid levels did not change significantly. The proportion of patients with pruritus necessitating the use of cholestyramine was significantly lower at 2 years than at baseline. Standard liver function tests improved in all the patients. At 2 years the average activities of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase, alkaline phosphatases, and alanine aminotransferase and bilirubin levels were reduced (respectively 78%, 65%, 68%, and 36% of pretreatment values). In three patients who agreed to interrupt the ingestion of UDCA for 3 months after 2 years' treatment there was clear deterioration in liver function tests, which again improved after reinstitution of UDCA. These results suggest that long-term UDCA might be a safe and effective treatment for PBC, but a randomised, controlled, double-blind trial is urgently needed.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Hepatic extraction, metabolism and biliary excretion of doxorubicin in the isolated perfused rat liver.

The hepatic extraction, metabolism, and biliary excretion of doxorubicin (DX) were studied in the isolated perfused rat liver. Three doses of DX equivalent to 2, 20, and 100 mg/kg in rats were studied over a period of 3 h after bolus injection into the reservoir. DX and metabolites concentration in perfusate, bile, and liver were determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography. The hepatic extraction ratio was low (less than 0.24) and decreased progressively over the 3 h. The hepatic extraction and clearance were significantly lower at the highest dose. Doxorubicinol (DX-OL) was the only metabolite detected in the perfusate, accounting for less than 4% of the total AUC. Thirty-one to thirty-three percent of the dose was excreted into bile over 3 h as unchanged DX. This was reduced to 22% at the highest dose. Only 0.35%-1.33% of the dose was excreted as DX-OL. DX aglycones were found only in the liver, where they represented 20%-30% of the total fluorescence at 3 h. In conclusion, in this model DX has a low extraction ratio, is poorly metabolized and extensively excreted into bile.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Hepatic uptake of sex steroids in men with alcoholic cirrhosis.

We attempted to determine to what extent the degree of liver function impairment might affect the hepatic uptake and, as a consequence, alter the systemic plasma levels of endogenous sex steroids in male patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. The plasma levels and hepatic uptake of the steroids dehydroepiandrosterone, androstenedione, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, estrone, estradiol, progesterone, and 17-hydroxyprogesterone were assessed. Systemic plasma levels of testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone were significantly (p less than 0.05) reduced, whereas those of androstenedione, estrone, and estradiol were significantly (p less than 0.05) elevated in men with alcoholic cirrhosis when compared to controls. Sex hormone binding globulin levels were also significantly elevated (p less than 0.01). The hepatic uptake of sex steroids depended on the degree of liver function impairment as shown by the linear significant relationship between their hepatic extractions and that of indocyanine green (r = 0.74-0.92, p less than 0.05; except for dihydrotestosterone, r = 0.17, not significant). In addition, the hepatic uptake of sex steroids depended on the binding affinity to sex hormone binding globulin. The higher the affinity for sex hormone binding globulin, the lower the hepatic uptake influenced by liver function impairment. It was estimated that hepatic clearances accounted for only 20%-50% of the metabolic clearance of sex steroids. No significant relationship between plasma levels of sex steroids and their hepatic clearance was found. We show here that in alcoholic cirrhosis the extent of hepatic uptake of sex steroids depends partly on the degree of liver function impairment and partly on the degree to which they are bound to sex hormone binding globulin. Production rate or peripheral metabolism, or both, rather than hepatic uptake alone may account for the altered circulating levels of sex steroids.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Norepinephrine: a potential modulator of the hepatic transport of taurocholate. a study in the isolated perfused rat liver.

The effects of norepinephrine on portal blood flow hepatic extraction and intrinsic clearance of taurocholate were studied in the isolated perfused rat liver. Livers were perfused at a constant pressure. [14C]Taurocholate was infused continuously at a rate of 0.6 mumol/min. Then, three increasing doses of norepinephrine were added to the perfusate. Norepinephrine induced a significant dose-dependent reduction in portal blood flow. In spite of this reduction, taurocholate extraction did not increase and intrinsic clearance decreased significantly. When portal blood flow was decreased mechanically, intrinsic clearance was, as expected, flow-independent. The effects of norepinephrine on portal blood flow and intrinsic clearance were antagonised by phentolamine but not by propanolol. Norepinephrine decreases independently both portal blood flow and the vectorial transport of taurocholate. These effects are mediated by alpha adrenergic receptors.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Metabolism of doxorubicin and epirubicin in adult human hepatocytes in culture.

Epirubicin is the only anthracycline to be metabolized in humans through a glucuronidation pathway which is not observed in laboratory animals. In search of a model for the experimental study of this metabolism, we have observed that human hepatocytes in culture exhibited this pathway and could be of interest for the understanding of the metabolism of this new drug.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1985

[Extensive liver cancer of undetermined origin. Diagnostic procedure].

In patients with isolated malignant tumoral hepatomegaly, the investigations performed should aim at excluding a primary carcinoma of the liver and concentrate on the search for primary tumours belonging to 2 main groups: tumours responsive to hormonal treatment or chemotherapy, and obstructive tumours amenable to local palliative measures. In all cases where simple, essentially clinical examinations fail to indicate the cause of the tumoral liver enlargement, further investigations should be based on the histopathological features of the metastases.

Hepatomegaly↗
PubMed1985

High-yield preparation of porcine hepatocytes for long survival after transplantation in the spleen.

The creation of an auxiliary liver by autotransplantation of liver parenchymal cells into the spleen has mainly been studied in rats for the treatment of acute liver failure. In order to apply this procedure to humans with chronic liver insufficiency the aim of this work was: To demonstrate that hepatocytes can survive for long periods after autotransplantation into the spleen; to increase the yield of the isolation of hepatocytes obtained from pig livers since this animal has a more fibrous liver than rats or normal humans and consequently one which is more difficult to dissociate. In 21 pigs isolated hepatocytes were obtained with in collagenase dissociation technique, the yield being 1-3 X 10(7) cells per gram of liver and the viability 70-95%. The hepatocytes survived and maintained normal morphological and histochemical characteristics up to 7 months after transplantation, the date of sacrifice of the last animal.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Hepatic extraction of adriamycin in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Adriamycin (ADR) is used in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC frequently occurs in association with cirrhosis of the liver. ADR undergoes an extensive hepatic metabolism and biliary secretion. Therefore ADR elimination could be impaired in patients with HCC. In this study we measured the hepatic extraction of ADR by catheterization of the hepatic veins in five patients with HCC associated with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis. In all patients the hepatic extraction ratio of ADR was very low (less than 0.10) and in four patients it was 10% or less of that of indocyanin green. This suggests that an impairment of ADR hepatic transport exists in these patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

[Hepatocellular carcinoma with cirrhosis: treatment with doxorubicin. Phase II evaluation].

Twelve patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma associated with cirrhosis were treated with Doxorubicin which was given intravenously (30 to 50 mg/m2) every three weeks. Six patients were given only one dose of Doxorubicin. No clinical response was observed. Five patients has serum alphafoetoprotein (AFP) determination during the treatment. AFP concentration rose in 4 patients and fell in 1 patient. Survival rate after 3 and 8 months of treatment was 58 and 33 per cent. These results suggest that Doxorubicin is not an effective treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗