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Biomedical subjects

G Benker

Publications and source records attributed to G Benker.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

[Results of chemotherapy in thyroid cancer].

Doxorubicin chemotherapy was performed in 52 patients with thyroid malignancies. Data from 47 patients could be evaluated. 16 remissions and partial remissions were seen, 15 cases had a progressive course, and in 16 patients there was no change of tumour size during the period of treatment. Results of treatment were worse in locally invasive tumour growth and reduced general state of health as well as in anaplastic carcinomas. Results were best in follicular and C-cell carcinomas. The mean survival time of patients responding to treatment was longer than in non-responders. The main indication for treatment is alleviation of tumour symptoms (bone pain, threatening fractures, pressure due to tumour); further indications are anaplastic carcinomas because of their bad prognosis and C-cell carcinomas because of their comparatively satisfactory response.

Adenocarcinoma↗

[Therapy of hormone-active hypophyseal tumors from a neurosurgical viewpoint].

Perioperative hormone determinations were performed in 16 patients with acromegaly, in 12 patients with prolactinomas and in 4 patients with tumours producing ACTH. These determinations are an essential basis for assessing the results of the operation. Surgical treatment is the method of choice in hormone-active tumours if reduction of the elevated hormone values cannot be achieved with drug treatment. An exponential lowering of the hormone level can be obtained in acromegaly and in tumours producing ACTH. Although levels above 100 ng/ml could be reduced, it was not possible to restore them to standard values. In some cases, it was possible to lower the prolactin level, but normal values could never be obtained because of the size of tumours. The consequences resulting from these findings (drug treatment and radiotherapy) are discussed.

Acromegaly↗

Thyroid function after bronchography with propyliodone.

Thyroid function was studied in 27 subjects who underwent bronchography with propyliodone (18-70 ml, containing 30% of organic iodine). Sustained elevations of serum non-hormonal iodine were observed, indicating that significant amounts of propyliodone were absorbed from the bronchial tree and also that elimination may take several weeks. During the period of anaesthesia, there was an increase in thyroxine-binding globulin and all thyroid hormones which was transient and probably reflected vascular response to the anaesthetic. T4-T3 conversion was inhibited with a nadir of T3 and a peak of rT3 occurring on the 2nd day after propyliodone exposure. FT4 increased gradually during the 2 weeks after bronchography, but remained within the normal range. 6 out of the 27 patients developed pathologic T4 levels, 3 elevated T3 levels, and 2 an abnormal response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone; these changes might have been confused with hyperthyroidism. None of the patients developed clinical thyrotoxicosis; however, in patients with autonomous thyroid tissue, the same precautions should be taken with propyliodone as with other iodine-containing agents which are known to induce hyperthyroidism in this situation.

Adult↗

[The Houssay phenomenon in man (author's transl)].

Marked insulin sensitivity, accompanied by unusual hypoglycaemic symptoms, was observed in three patients with juvenile diabetes mellitus. All three had anterior hypopituitarism, developing post-partum in two, a craniopharyngioma being the cause in the third. These are thus three examples of the Houssay phenomenon of which only 37 cases have previously been described.

Adult↗

[Pharmacokinetics of prednisolone in adrenal insufficiency ].

Prednisolone was measured in serum and urine after oral and intravenous administration of prednisone and prednisolone in 16 patients with adrenal insufficiency and after bilateral adrenalectomy. Thus, the problem of cross-reactivity with endogenous steroids, the main factor disturbing the measurement of prednisolone, was completely eliminated. Prednisolone was detected by a simple competitive protein-binding radioassay. Distribution, elimination and other bioavailability parameters were calculated from the obtained data. No significant differences between serum levels were detected after oral administration of these drugs. Peak levels were reached after 2-3 h. After 5, 7.5 and 10 mg prednisone peak serum levels averaged 11.9 +/- 2.2, 15.9+/-3.4 and 21.5+/-5.9 microgram/dl, respectively. Prednisolone was still detectable 24 h after administration of 10 mg. The plasma half-time of approximately 5 1/2 h suggests that prednisolone is present in serum far about 2 days after application of higher doses. Since prednisolone interferes in most assays for cortisol, prednisone therapie has to be stopped at least 2 days before cortisol determinations. Urinary excretion was proportional to the applicated doses. The metabolic clearance rate of prednisolone was decreased (56.0+/-7.2 1/24 h/m2) in patients with adrenal insufficiency. This can be attributed to alterations in corticosteroid metabolism, probably due to an increased transcortin production.

Administration, Oral↗

Sensitive three-parameter flow-cytometric detection of abnormal cells in human cervical cancers: a pilot study.

The cell volume, the DNA, and the carcino-embryonic (CEA) or epithelial-membrane (EMA) antigen of formaldehyde-fixed human cervical cells from 21 malignant cervix tumors and 11 normal patients were measured simultaneously with a Fluvo-Metricell flow cytometer. The simultaneous cell volume and DNA measurement provided the distinction of morphologically intact cells from cell debris, the determination of the cell cycle phase combined with the detection of aneuploid cells, and the distinct of inflammatory cells from parenchymal and tumor cells. Malignant samples were recognized because they contained more than 0.5% CEA positive cells which were of intermediate size. CEA and EMA expression in the malignant samples was not linked. The false positive rate in a total of 32 samples was 6.3% when the sum of CEA and EMA positive cells of each cell sample was calculated. No false negative malignant sample was observed.

Adult↗

The metabolic serum clearance of GnRH. Relationship to age, sex and male puberty.

UNLABELLED: The MCR of constantly infused synthetic GnRH (1.53 micrograms/min) was studied in relation to age, sex, and male sexual maturation. GnRH was determined by a radioimmunoassay using a specific GnRH antiserum and 125I-GnRH, prepared by the chloramine T technique and purified on Sephadex G 25. Serum LH and FSH were measured by RIA. The results (mean values +/- SEM) of MCR expressed here as ml/min/1.86 m2 showed a statistically significant difference: infants (6-13 yrs) 1170 +/- 79, sexually mature males (22-29 yrs) 639 +/- 28, elderly men (64-79 yrs) 520 +/- 38, sexually mature females (20-24 yrs) follicular phases: 1354 +/- 90, luteal phases: 1736 +/- 242, postmenopausal women (53-74 yrs) 598 +/- 45. We found a linear negative correlation between serum LH and MCR of GnRH in both sexes. During male puberty the MCRLH-RH decreased simultaneously to the stages of pubic hair development. IN CONCLUSION: 1) The MCR of GnRH is a function of age, sex, and sexual maturation, 2) its negative linear correlation with LH in both sexes indicates that the MCR presumably reflects endogenous GnRH levels, 3) the MCRGnRH seem to be subject to endocrine regulation.

Adolescent↗

Basal ganglia calcification in pseudohypoparathyroidism type II.

The case history of a patient with basal ganglia calcifications found by computerised tomography is presented. Calcium and phosphorus metabolism showed a pattern suggesting lack of parathyroid hormone (PTH). Further studies revealed increased endogenous PTH levels and urinary cAMP excretion. However, endogenous and exogenous PTH could not elicit the cAMP-mediated phosphaturic response, indicating pseudohypoparathyroidism type II. The responses of prolactin to TRH and chlorpromazine was impaired. Basal ganglia calcification in pseudohypoparathyroidism type II may represent the only somatic abnormality in this disease apart from the biochemical abnormalities.

Adolescent↗

Effects of prolactin suppression on hypogonadism im patients on maintenance haemodialysis.

UNLABELLED: The effects of prolactin (Prl) suppression by bromocriptine (BC) on impaired sexual function were studied in 47 male patients on maintenance haemodialysis (HD). All patients had normal serum zinc levels. Before treatment, 14 of 47 patients had moderate hyperprolactinaemia (not due to medication), 24/39 patients had elevated LH levels, 13/34 patients had elevated FSH levels, 26/44 patients had decreased serum testosterone levels and 18/24 patients were oligo-/azöospermic. Bromocriptine was given in doses of 1.25 to 2.5 and 5.0mg/day and each of these doses was maintained for two weeks. Seventeen patients discontinued treatment within the first few days of BC treatment, because of postural hypotension and/or nausea. Fourteen other patients had to be excluded because of poor compliance. On treatment, as little as 1.25mg of BC/day normalised serum Prl, and 2.5mg of BC/day decreased Prl below the lower limit of normal. Neither gonadotrophins nor serum testosterone levels changed significantly during the six weeks of BC treatment. IN CONCLUSION: 1. neither normalisation of moderate hyperprolactinaemia in patients on HD, nor 2. suppression of serum Prl into the subnormal range affects serum gonadotrophin and testosterone levels. 3. These results do not support the hypothesis that moderate hyperprolactinaemia in our patients on HD is an important factor in the development of hypogonadism.

Adult↗

Binding of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone to human serum proteins--influence of a chronic treatment with a more potent analogue of LH-RH.

Binding of 125I-LH-RH and its analogue, 125I-6-D-Leu-10-Des-Gly-Ethylamide-LH-RH (6-D-LH-RH) in male serum was studied in 10 healthy males and in 11 patients with idiopathic gonadotropin deficiency (IGD) before and during treatment with 6-D-LH-RH. Using either equilibrium dialysis (A) or ethanol precipitation (B) 13.57 +/- 0.69% (A) or 19.32 +/- 1.73% (B) of LH-RH and 7.12 +/- 0.86% (A) or 14.56 +/- 1.06% (B) of the analogue were in the bound form, without difference between normal subjects and IGD. Capacity of this binding was high (greater than 9 less than 18 mu-Mol LH-RH/0.06 mMol of protein), affinity very low, and the binding almost completely disappeared following removal of albumins by affinity chromatography. Chronic treatment with 6-D-LH-RH did not alter these binding characteristics. These observations suggest non specific albumin binding of LH-RH in male serum and stress the role of this decapeptide as a rapid modulating regulator of gonadotropin secreting system.

Blood Proteins↗

Immunoreactive somatomedin B in acromegaly and in Turner's syndrome.

Serum somatomedin B was measured by radioimmunoassay in forty-seven normal subjects, twenty-nine patients with acromegaly before and twenty-four after treatment, and eighteen patients with Turner's syndrome. Somatomedin B levels were significantly elevated in untreated acromegaly and in Turner's syndrome compared with the control group; they decreased following treatment of acromegaly. Because of the overlap between the groups, little information could be obtained from single somatomedin B estimations, which could, therefore, not replace dynamic tests of growth hormone secretion. No correlation between growth hormone and somatomedin B in acromegaly was detected; however, somatomedin B appeared to be related to the insulin response during the oral glucose tolerance test. In Turner's syndrome, no relationship between somatomedin B and insulin production, urinary oestrogen excretion, growth hormone secretion, gonadotrophin levels, age or height was found. The reason for the raised somatomedin B levels in Turner's syndrome remains at present unknown.

Acromegaly↗