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Biomedical subjects

G Biesenbach

Publications and source records attributed to G Biesenbach.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

[Chronic ethylene glycol poisoning].

Over a six-week period a 60-year-old patient had several unexplained intoxication-like episodes. He finally had severe abdominal cramps with changes in the level of consciousness and oligoanuric renal failure (creatinine 4.7 mg/dl). The history, marked metabolic acidosis (pH 7.15, HCO3- 2.2 mmol/l, pCO2 6.6 mmHg) as well as raised anion residue (43 mmol/l) and the presence of oxalates in urine suggested poisoning by ethylene glycol contained in antifreeze liquid. Intensive haemodialysis adequately eliminated ethylene glycol and its toxic metabolites (glycol aldehyde, glycolic acid). Renal function returned within 10 days, although the concentrating power of the kidney remained impaired for several weeks because of interstitial nephritis. The intoxication had been caused by a defective heating-pipe system from which the antifreeze had leaked into the hot-water boiler (the patient had habitually prepared hot drinks by using water from the hot-water tap). Gas chromatography demonstrated an ethylene glycol concentration of 21 g per litre of water.

Chronic Disease↗

[The lipid lowering effect of a new guar-pectin fiber mixture in type II diabetic patients with hypercholesterolemia].

The lipid-lowering effect of a new mixture of fiber consisting in guar and apple-pectin in combination with apple-pomaces has been estimated in 15 female type 2-diabetics [age mean = 62 (52-70) yr] with hypercholesterolemia (total-chol > 240 mg/dl and LDL-chol > 130 mg/dl). After a dietetic run-in-phase of 3 weeks the patients received the fiber mixture (1 package of 17 g with about 5.9 g water-soluble fiber) dissolved in 250 ml water for the next 9 weeks: during the first 3 weeks 2 portions per day, the next 3 weeks twice 1/2 portion and the last 3 weeks one 1/2 portion daily. The fiber mixture had to been consumed 30 minutes before taking a main meal. Regular intake of the fiber product led to a significant decrement in blood lipids, and this improvement under 2 portions daily has been maintained for the most part with the reduced dosage. The total-chol levels decreased by 11.3% during the first 3 weeks of fiber intake (p < 0.05) and by -12.6% during the next 3 weeks (p < 0.05), the decrease during the last 3 weeks under the reduced fiber intake was -9.6% (ns). The HDL-chol levels remained approximately the same during the whole period of observation. The triglyceride concentrations in serum could be lowered by -15.5% during the first 3 weeks of fiber intake, and by -19.2% during the next 3 weeks (p < 0.05), finally the decrease was -12.3% (ns). The atherogenic index (Chol-/HDL-chol) could be reduced on an average of 14.3% in relation to the initial value.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

Influence of pregnancy on progression of diabetic nephropathy and subsequent requirement of renal replacement therapy in female type I diabetic patients with impaired renal function.

The influence of pregnancy on the progression of diabetic nephropathy in diabetic women with pre-existing moderate renal insufficiency is a subject of considerable controversy in the literature. In four of five female patients with type I diabetes mellitus with pre-existing impaired renal function (creatinine clearance less than 80 ml/min), significant proteinuria (greater than 2 g/24 h urine) and hypertension we have found a further decline in renal function during pregnancy, with an increased deterioration rate of creatinine clearance in comparison to the time before and after pregnancy. The mean decline of the glomerular filtration rate was 1.8 ml/min per month during pregnancy and 1.4 ml/min per month postpartum until the start of dialysis treatment. The difference in the progression of diabetic nephropathy during and after pregnancy can be explained by increased hypertension during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester, despite an intensified antihypertensive therapy. The long-term effect of pregnancy on renal function in our patients was therefore an earlier requirement for renal replacement therapy than would have been expected without pregnancy.

Adult↗

Improvement in prognosis of patients with acute renal failure over a period of 15 years: an analysis of 710 cases in a dialysis center.

In order to evaluate the changes in causes and outcome of acute renal failure (ARF) during the years 1975-1989, 710 patients treated in our dialysis center were analyzed. We compared the etiology, the severity and catabolic state of ARF, the techniques of renal replacement therapy, which were employed and the ages and mortality rates of these patients, who received dialysis therapy during the years 1975-79 (n = 227), 1980-84 (n = 240) and 1985-89 (n = 243). The number of postoperative, posttraumatic and non-traumatic cases of ARF was approximately the same in all three 5-year periods, only the frequency of postrenal failure decreased from 7% in the years 1975-79 to 3% in the years 1985-89. The incidence of sepsis as a major cause of ARF and the most important risk factor was comparably high in the surgical and medical patients during all of the periods, but it increased in the traumatic patients from 7% in the years 1975-79 to 28% during the last 5-year period. The prevalence of respiratory failure and jaundice as additional organ failures, the severity of ARF (oligonanuric-nonoliguric) and the metabolic state were not different in the three patient groups. The magnitude of rise in serum creatinine before the start of renal replacement therapy was significant lower in the last 5-year period in comparison to the years 1975-79 (p < 0.05). Hemodialysis was the treatment in choice of 98 and 93% of the cases during the first two periods, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute Kidney Injury↗

Severe tubulopathy and kidney graft rupture after coadministration of mannitol and ciclosporin.

Spontaneous allograft rupture after kidney transplantation is a rare complication usually due to an acute rejection of the interstitial type. In a 32-year-old man kidney transplantation was performed under immunosuppression with prednisolone and ciclosporin (CS). The dose of CS was 5 mg/kg body weight intravenously for the first 24 h, on the 2nd day 10 mg/kg/day orally, with gradually decreasing doses thereafter. The patient remained oliguric in the postoperative period and received additionally 600 ml mannitol solution intravenously for osmodiuresis within a period of 6 days. On the 8th postoperative day, 48 h after the last intravenous infusion of mannitol, spontaneous renal rupture occurred. The CS concentrations in the blood during the days before the rupture were within the upper normal range for effective immunosuppression (300-600 ng/ml). Intraoperatively the kidney appeared enlarged due to edematous swelling of the graft, but it showed no signs of rejection. The histological finding was a toxic tubulopathy with extensive isometric vacuolization and peritubular congestion, a known side effect of both of CS and of mannitol. The rupture was successfully repaired. Thirty-four days after the transplantation diuresis increased and hemodialysis therapy could be discontinued. In a second biopsy of the kidney the signs of toxic tubulopathy with isometric vacuolization were reduced. On the following days the serum creatinine dropped below 160 mumol/l. It can be assumed that the combination of CS therapy and administration of massive and continued doses of mannitol in an oliguric patient with allograft kidney may potentiate severe tubulopathy with concomitant edematous swelling of the graft. This can result in an increasing danger of spontaneous renal rupture.

Adult↗

[Microalbuminuria in essential hypertension and normal kidney function].

In patients with essential hypertension increased albumin excretion in the urine compared to healthy controls is well known. In 38 patients (age: Mean +/- SD = 37 +/- 16 yr, f: m = 19:19) with benign essential hypertension and normal renal function (creatinine clearance: Mean +/- SD = 99 +/- 16 ml/min) we found a mean urinary albumin excretion of 79 +/- 61 mg/24 h in comparison to 14 +/- 13 mg/24 h (p less than 0.01) in 10 healthy controls (age: Mean +/- SD = 35 +/- 14 yr, f: m = 5:5). In 13 patients with hypertension urinary albumin excretion was increased (greater than 25 mg/24 h) in a subclinical range (microalbuminuria), the other 25 hypertensive patients had normoalbuminuria. Comparing the hypertensive patients with and without microalbuminuria, those with elevated albumin excretion were older (age: Mean +/- SD = 42 +/- 12 yr vs. 32 +/- 19 yr), had a longer average duration of hypertension (8 +/- 5 yr vs. 5 +/- 4 yr) and a higher prevalence both of hypertensive retinopathy (77% vs. 28%) and of abnormalities in the electrocardiogram (23% vs. 4%) than those with normal albumin excretion. The difference in the prevalence of hypertensive retinopathy (grade I and II) was statistically significant (p less than 0.05). Furthermore the patients with microalbuminuria required a more intensive antihypertensive therapy than those with normoalbuminuria, 46% requiring triple drug therapy as opposed to 24% in the latter group. Thus the demonstration of microalbuminuria in patients with benign essential hypertension is associated with a higher prevalence of funduscopic and electrocardiographic abnormalities, and therefore can be considered as an indicator of early vascular damage in essential hypertension.

Adult↗

Lovastatin in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia in nephrotic syndrome due to diabetic nephropathy stage IV-V.

The efficacy and safety of lovastatin, a drug for lowering hypercholesterolemia, have been evaluated in ten adult patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and nephrotic syndrome due to diabetic nephropathy stage IV or V of Mogensen. For the first 8 weeks the patients received only a sugar-free isocaloric diet of which fats supplied approximately 30% of the total caloric intake and with not more than 300 mg cholesterol daily. After this run-in period patients were treated with 20 mg lovastatin once daily for 12 weeks while receiving the same isocaloric diet as previously. Body weights and glycosylated hemoglobin concentrations (HbAlc) did not change significantly during this period. The baseline plasma cholesterol concentrations (mean +/- SD) decreased only by 2% (from 310 +/- 54 to 303 +/- 46 mg/dl) during the 8 weeks with low cholesterol diet and by 25% (from 303 +/- 46 to 228 +/- 38 mg/dl) during the 12-week period on lovastatin therapy (p less than 0.005). The mean concentrations of low-density lipoprotein (LDL-)-cholesterol decreased by 3% (from 218 +/- 53 to 211 +/- 52 mg/dl) during the diet period and by 35% (from 211 +/- 52 to 137 +/- 38 mg/dl) during the period with lovastatin therapy (p less than 0.001). Concentrations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol increased slightly (11%) during the therapy with lovastatin (NS). Baseline plasma triglycerides fell by 22% (from 188 +/- 97 to 146 +/- 59 mg/dl) during the period with fat-restriction (p less than 0.05) and by 13% (from 146 +/- 59 to 127 +/- 54 mg/dl) during the period of lovastatin therapy (NS).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Human adjuvant disease: remission of silicone induced autoimmune disease after explanation of breast augmentation.

Autoimmune diseases following silicone or paraffin implantation are rarely encountered complications of plastic surgery. A 42 year old woman is presented who developed clinical and immunological features of systemic lupus erythematosus 11 years after silicone augmentation. After explanation antinuclear antibody titres decreased from 1/1280 to 1/160, C4 complement fraction and the previously raised angiotensin converting enzyme normalised in step with clinical improvement. It is important that plastic surgeons and rheumatologists should be aware of this possible association.

Adult↗

[Therapy of severe malaria].

Early diagnosis and differentiation of a probably mild course are the first steps in treatment of severe malaria tropica. After confirming the diagnosis by identification of Plasmodium falciparum in blood smears, causal therapy with quinine should be started immediately, followed by a 2. schizontozidal drug (chloroquine or mefloquine depending on the country of origin). To prevent the typical organ failures adjuvant therapies are as important as the causal therapy with quinine: besides continuous monitoring of vital functions and treatment according to the guidelines of intensive care, packed red cells should be given generously as well as fresh-frozen plasma in complex coagulation disturbances. Prophylactic administration of heparine is of questionable value, corticosteroids should not be given any more in cerebral malaria. Early start with renal replacement therapy (hemodialysis, hemofiltration or peritoneal-dialysis) in oligo-anuric renal failure improves the prognosis in severe malaria. In comatose patients and at signs of multi-organ failure plasma exchange by plasmapheresis and/or whole blood exchange should be performed.

Animals↗

[Calcium-free hemodialysis--value in therapy of hypercalcemic crisis].

If conservative treatment of hypercalcemic crises is ineffective, low calcium bath or zero calcium bath hemodialysis represent good alternatives. We report 5 patients (from 54 to 82 years old) treated with calcium free acetate hemodialysis because of hypercalcemic crises due to breast cancer with bone metastases, thiazids' medication and immobilisation, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and hyperparathyroidism. By 3 hours' therapy calcium concentration could be reduced from a mean value of 3.74 mmol/l (3.13-4.46) to 2.47 mmol/l (1.38-3.12). In 3 cases rapid clinical improvement was achieved and in 4 cases the subsequent conservative therapy was sufficient to maintain serum calcium levels within reference range. In accordance to other investigators we consider hemodialysis as an effective method of low risk in hypercalcemic crises. Calcium rebound may occur in patients with hyperparathyrodism.

Aged↗

Calcium free hemodialysis: an effective therapy in hypercalcemic crisis--report of 4 cases.

Hypercalcemic crisis represents a medical emergency. If conservative treatment is ineffective, low calcium bath or zero calcium bath hemodialysis are good alternatives. We report 4 patients treated with calcium free acetate hemodialysis because of hypercalcemic crisis due to breast cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, cirrhosis of the liver and immobilisation with hydrochlorothiazids' medication. Following 3 h of hemodialysis, serum calcium concentrations fell from a mean value of 3.96 (range 3.53-4.46) mmol/l to 2.71 (2.28-3.12) mmol/l. In 2 patients rapid clinical improvement was achieved and in one oliguric patient diuresis started spontaneously during hemodialysis. One patient died from gram-negative sepsis. In 3 cases the subsequent conservative treatment was sufficient to maintain serum calcium levels within the normal range. Together with the previously reported cases (5 patients treated by hemodialysis with low dialysate calcium and 3 patients by hemodialysis with calcium free dialysate) our experience indicates that hemodialysis is an effective and safe therapy for hypercalcemic crisis.

Aged↗