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Biomedical subjects

G Beaumont

Publications and source records attributed to G Beaumont.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Trazodone and mianserin in general practice.

In a double-blind, noncrossover study, general practice patients suffering from depression were treated with either trazodone (100-200 mg, nocte ) or mianserin (60-120 mg, nocte ) for 6 weeks. For entry into the study, a minimum score of 14 on the 17-point Hamilton Depression Rating Scale ( HDRS ) was necessary. By random allocation, 125 patients (61 on trazodone and 64 on mianserin) entered the study. Altogether there were 43 withdrawals, of whom 31 (72%) had received mianserin. At least one of the reasons for 22 withdrawals from the mianserin group was an unacceptable side effect, frequently being daytime drowsiness. In contrast, only 5 of the trazodone group withdrew because of side effects. These differences in the withdrawal rates for those patients entering the study were statistically significant (p less than 0.001). A total of 82 patients completed treatment and entered the analysis for efficacy; 49 on trazodone and 33 on mianserin. Results show that both treatments were equally effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety. Thus, the mean HDRS score was 21.3 and 21.5 for trazodone and mianserin, respectively, at the start of treatment which decreased to 6.2 and 5.9, respectively, at the end of 6 weeks. The mean Zung self-rating anxiety scores for trazodone and mianserin were 45.6 and 44.4 at the start of treatment and 33.6 and 31.1 at the end of the study. The results suggest that, on the basis of fewer significant side effects, trazodone is more acceptable to mianserin in treating depression, with or without anxiety, in general practice patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

A comparison of the hypnotic activity of loprazolam, temazepam and placebo in general practice.

One hundred and ninety-seven patients exhibiting a disturbed sleep pattern were recruited by thirty-five general practitioners into this single-blind randomized parallel group multicentre study. There were twelve patient withdrawals or drop-outs leaving sixty-one, sixty-three and sixty-one patients who, following 2 nights on placebo as baseline, completed 5 consecutive nights of treatment on loprazolam (1 mg), temazepam (20 mg) and placebo, respectively. Loprazolam and temazepam were found to have similar hypnotic activity with both treatments being superior to placebo. There was no statistical difference in the side-effect profile of the three treatment groups.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

ADP-ribosylation of rye histones.

Chromatin from etiolated rye seedlings synthesized protein-bound, acid-insoluble material from [3H]NAD, presumably poly(ADP-ribose). [3H]ADP-ribosylated histone fractions were isolated from crude chromatin and characterized by gel electrophoresis and exclusion chromatography. It was found that histone H2B was the main acceptor, that H2A and H1 were modified to a lesser extent, and that H3 and H4 were only slightly modified. The average chain length on purified histones was 2.5 units of polymer.

Chromatography, Gel↗
PubMed1980

A comparative trial of clomipramine and placebo as adjunctive therapy in arthralgia.

Several studies have reported that both imipramine and clomipramine are valuable adjuncts in the management of chronic pain, in particular that associated with the arthritides. A double-blind between-patients clinical trial of clomipramine and placebo was performed in general practice in patients suffering from arthralgia and who had stable regular predictable pain in the joints without the immediate prospect of natural remission. Clomipramine (25 mg daily) or placebo was administered in addition to standard analgesic or anti-inflammatory therapy. Twenty-eight general practitioners recruited seventy-four patients. Forty-nine patients satisfactorily completed the study and twenty-five 'dropped out'. Twenty-three completers received active medication and twenty-six received placebo. The trial failed to demonstrate any difference between the two adjunctive treatments. These results are in marked contrast to those obtained in other studies. Possible reasons are discussed. The dose may have been inadequate and the consumption of 'rescue analgesics' was inadequately controlled. Previous 'positive studies' had been within-patients designs as opposed to between-patients studies. This methodological difference may be important.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Comparative trial of clomipramine and placebo in the treatment of terminal pain.

The use of antidepressants, and other psychotropic drugs, in the management of terminal pain is well established in clinical practice. However, few attempts have been made to test the value of such treatment in the setting of the double-blind controlled clinical trial. This paper describes an attempt, using clomipramine and a matching placebo, which failed. The difficulties encountered and possible reasons for failure are discussed.

Clomipramine↗
PubMed1980

Clomipramine and oral contraceptives: an interaction study--clinical findings.

Forty-six depressed females were admitted to a study primarily designed to investigate the steady-state plasma levels of clomipramine and desmethyl-clomipramine in two groups of patients--one taking oral contraceptives, and one not. Twenty-one patients were taking oral contraceptives and twenty-five were not. Six 'pill'-takers dropped out of the study, two for drug-related reasons, and five non-'pill'-takers, two of whom also developed side-effects. Oral contraceptive takers were found to be significantly more depressed initially than controls, overall. Moreover, when the control group was examined in detail it was found to contain two sub-groups--one moderately depressed and one severely depressed. This latter sub-group was similar to the 'pill'-taking group. Both groups of patients improved similarly. There was no difference in the side-effects experienced. Clinically the study did not suggest that taking oral contraceptives had any influence on the effects of antidepressant medication. It did, however, suggest that either oral contraceptives cause depressed mood and loss of libido or, more likely, that when oral contraceptive takers become depressed these two factors interact to particularly influence mood and libidinous desire.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Suicide, attempted suicide and antidepressant drugs.

The concepts of depression and hostility are reviewed. The relationship between the two has been clarified by the use of psychometric tests. Hostility levels are high in depressive illness, especially on the intropunitive scales. Both total hostility and the degree of intropunitiveness are reduced as the patient recovers from his illness. Suicidal acts are seen as aggression directed towards the self. In some patients a tendency to recurrent drug overdosage or other forms of self-punitive behaviour may be the result of pathological character traits caused in turn by abnormal development in infancy. Looking at the possibility of cutting down the incidence of suicidal behaviour we conclude that we must look at the influence of depression, total hostility and direction of hostility in precipitating self-damaging acts. It is possible that antidepressants vary in the extent to which they act on these various factors, as well as having different rates of action on the several components of the depressive syndrome. There are thus a priori grounds for predicting that the incidence of self-damaging behaviour will vary from drug to drug. We describe the results of a study of suicidal behaviour carried out in general practice. A differential association with the major antidepressant drug was observed. In particular low rates were seen with the imipramine group, and there was a tendency towards high rates with the dothiepin-doxepin group. We propose to investigate this relationship further.

Antidepressive Agents↗
PubMed1980

Clomipramine and age: an interaction study.

The metabolism of an appreciable number of drugs has been shown to be influenced by age. In a study designed to assess plasma levels of clomipramine in twenty-eight patients aged between 65 and 75 years and fourteen patients over 75 years of age and compare them with the levels achieved by a control group of patients aged between 18 and 40 years, the severity of depression was assessed initially and after 7, 14, 21 and 28 days using the General Practitioner Clinical Research Group Scale. Clomipramine was administered in a single dose of 25 mg either in the morning or in the evening. In general there were similar improvements in total score and in individual items on the rating scale in all three groups of patients. More drug related drop-outs occurred in the group of elderly subjects and in extreme age the response to treatment was slower although the end result of treatment was the same as that seen in younger subjects. Some side-effects such as constipation, tremor, ataxia and vertigo were commoner in older subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Practical considerations on the use of clomipramine (Anafranil) in general practice: an updated review.

The subject of dosage of clomipramine (Anafranil) in depression and in obsessional and phobic disorders is discussed. The expectation of success is reported and a recommendation made to adopt flexible dosage. Some side-effects are considered and stress is laid on distinguishing between unwanted pharmacological effects and serious toxic effects. Serious adverse reactions are rare. Contra-indications, both relative and absolute, are discussed. The importance of possible drug interactions is emphasized.

Clomipramine↗