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Biomedical subjects

F Thomas

Publications and source records attributed to F Thomas.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

[The laryngeal mask].

The laryngeal mask (LM) is a new concept developed by Brain. Easily inserted, the LM allows appropriate ventilation without the disadvantages of either the facial mask or the endotracheal intubation with its own complications. The limits of its use concern all the cases of reduction of thoracopulmonary compliance and full stomach. The LM offers no protection against regurgitation and aspiration. Airway obstruction may occur following laryngospasm (light anaesthesia) or down folding of the epiglottis. Trauma to the uvula and the posterior pharyngeal wall have been reported. The LM may be useful in all cases of surgery in which intubation is not absolutely required. Moreover, the LM is widely used for ENT and ophthalmic surgeries, in paediatric and adult procedures. Many cases of foreseeable or unforeseeable difficult intubation have been resolved by the insertion of a LM, allowing secondary intubation through the mask. Further investigations are required in order to evaluate the real limits and indications for its extended use.

Anesthesiology↗

Recurrent deletion in the human antithrombin III gene.

Eight unrelated patients with recurrent thromboembolism, a family history of thrombosis, and plasma antithrombin III (ATIII) activity/antigen levels consistent with a diagnosis of heterozygous type I ATIII deficiency were studied by polymerase chain reaction/direct sequencing of ATIII gene exon-coding regions. Frameshift mutations of one base and two bases, respectively, were found to have occurred in two unrelated patients at the same GAG codon (Glu 245) within exon 4 of the ATIII gene. A literature search showed six further hitherto unrecognized deletion "hotspots" in four other human genes. These deletion-prone sites exhibited sufficient sequence homology with each other to derive a consensus sequence (T G A/G A/G G A/C), suggesting that deletion in human genes may not only be non-random but also sequence-directed.

Antithrombin III↗

A phase II study of the combination of carboplatin and ifosfamide in previously untreated metastatic small cell lung carcinoma.

This Phase II study evaluated the combination of two active agents in small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC): carboplatin and ifosfamide. Thirty previously untreated patients (27 men and 3 women) with a median age of 59 years were included in this study. Twelve patients had one metastatic site and 18 had two or more metastatic sites. The median performance status was 80%. The chemotherapy (CT) regimen administered during the course of this study consisted of carboplatin (300 mg/m2) and ifosfamide (4 g/m2) plus mesna every 4 weeks. All 30 patients were evaluable: 1 achieved a complete remission (CR) and 18 achieved a partial remission (PR) (objective response rate, 63%). The median response time was 3 months and the median survival time was 8 months (range, 1 to 25+ months). Bone marrow toxicity was Grade III in three patients and Grade IV in four patients. The carboplatin and ifosfamide combination was well tolerated. No cross-resistance with the doxorubicin and etoposide regimen was established because 4 of 11 patients responded to this combination (+/- cisplatin) after failing to respond to the ifosfamide and carboplatin regimen. The ifosfamide and carboplatin combination may be considered for inclusion in non-cross-resistant alternating CT schedules.

Adult↗

An evaluation of potential prognostic indicators in cardiac patients.

Cardiovascular disease results in more deaths and higher medical costs than any other medical problem. Cardiac patients may be transported to centers for specialized care. We evaluated historical, current event, and physiologic items (n = 32) for ability to predict use of specialized care and hospital costs. For 199 patients studied, seven items were prognostic. A model classifying patients by presence of predictors was developed. For the group without predictors and the group with multiple predictors, sensitivity and specificity were respectively very good. For 125 (63%) of the patients in middle categories, the model was not sufficiently sensitive to be prognostic. A scoring system for all cardiac patients could not be developed. Patients requiring only diagnostics were responsible for financial deficits, as were all Medicare patient groups. Patients staying longer than seven days, or having surgery, or both, were responsible for the largest deficits (if on Medicare) and the highest profits (if not on Medicare). Advance validation of the need to transport is difficult, with far-reaching medical and financial implications.

Adult↗

Growth of human breast cancer cell lines is inhibited by the somatostatin analog BIM23014.

Somatostatin has been shown to lower plasma levels of various hormones and growth factors involved in regulation of the growth of human breast cells. In the present study we examined the ability of the somatostatin octapeptide analog BIM23014 to modulate the in vitro growth of five human breast cell lines: HBL100, Hs578T, MDAMB231, T47D, and MCF7. BIM23014 inhibited the growth of the two steroid-dependent cell lines, MCF7 and T47D, in a dose-related manner. This inhibitory effect was only observed when MCF7 and T47D cells were cultivated in medium containing steroid-depleted serum. The growth of a MCF7 variant capable of growth in serum-free medium was also inhibited by BIM23014, indicating that serum factors are not required for this inhibition. In the serum-free medium, the addition of estradiol before or during treatment with BIM23014 abolished its inhibitory effects on cell growth. The studies including time course, competitive inhibition, and cross-linking of iodinated BIM23014 to its receptor revealed a specific binding on MCF7 cells and showed a single 57,000 mol wt protein band in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These results support the hypothesis that BIM23014 inhibits the growth of steroid-receptor positive cells of human breast cancers through its own receptor in estradiol-free conditions.

Binding, Competitive↗

Improved xenograft survival with continuous infusion deoxyspergualin and RATG.

The critical shortage of available donor organs is the major limit to current allogeneic transplantation. Xenografting has the potential to overcome this difficult problem. Suppressing the vigorous rejection response remains a major obstacle to the clinical application of xenografting, 15-Deoxyspergualin (DOSP), a potent new immunosuppressive agent has been shown to be effective in allogeneic and xenogeneic experimental models. This study tests DOSP in combination with rabbit antithymocyte globulin (RATG) in the hamster-to-rat cardiac xenograft. Results show that combination therapy with DOSP/RATG was superior to treatment with either agent alone (p less than .05). Optimal graft prolongation (20.9 days versus control of 3.1 days, p less than .05) was achieved with combination therapy of RATG and DOSP 2.5 mg/kg day-1 by continuous infusion.

Animals↗