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Biomedical subjects

G Egger

Publications and source records attributed to G Egger.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

The lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxynonenal is formed by--and is able to attract--rat neutrophils in vivo.

4-Hydroxynonenal (HNE), a major aldehydic product of lipid peroxidation, is a chemoattractant for neutrophilic polymorphonuclear granulocytes in vitro. The question was studied, whether HNE is formed during the ingress of neutrophils in the Sephadex model of inflammation. The polydextrane Sephadex G-200, which causes an acute aseptic traumatic inflammation, was injected subcutaneously into rats. The implants were excised 6-36 hours later, and the neutrophils separated from the exsudate by centrifugation. After extraction with dichloromethane HNE was identified in the exsudate by non-derivative reversed phase HPLC in combination with on-line uv-spectroscopy. The concentration of HNE in the inflammatory focus did not correlate with the number of neutrophils present. While the peak of HNE coincided with the time point of the highest turnover rate of neutrophils (0.13 microM at 6 hrs after implantation), the highest number of neutrophils (about 100 million cells) occurred not earlier than 18 hrs later (24 hrs after onset of inflammation). When neutrophils were isolated from the inflammatory focus and stimulated with Zymosan, they were able to produce HNE in vitro depending on the time of isolation. The highest production of HNE (0.17 microM) by phagocyting neutrophils was observed at the shortest inflammation time studied (3 hrs). In order to compare these results with the oxidative burst of neutrophils the formation of superoxide was also measured by the cytochrome c reduction assay in vitro. The maximum of the production rate of superoxide anion was observed at the same inflammation time (6 hrs), when the HNE maximum occurred.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aldehydes↗
PubMed1994

Can the increasing weight of Australians be explained by the decreasing prevalence of cigarette smoking?

In Australia there has been a recent increase in the body mass index (BMI) of the population and a decrease in smoking prevalence. Data from the three risk factor prevalence surveys conducted by the National Heart Foundation of Australia in 1980, 1983 and 1989 were analysed to determine if the increase in BMI could be explained by the decrease in smoking. For men in all age groups and for women aged 50 years or over, there were parallel increases in mean BMI for current smokers, ex-smokers and never smokers. For women under 50 years, the pattern of increasing BMI over time was less clear. Mean BMI increased over time within each five-year age group and in age 'cohorts' and the pattern was independent of smoking status. For men and for both groups of women there were similar changes in mean BMI over time for most categories of employment status, education and physical activity. Thus the increase in body weight cannot be explained by the decrease in smoking rate, or by the other factors investigated in this paper.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Quit and win smoking cessation contests: how should effectiveness be evaluated?

BACKGROUND: In societies where there are both multiple influences on smoking cessation and a downward secular cessation trend, the attribution of cessation effects to particular interventions poses challenging evaluation problems. Quit smoking lotteries are gaining popularity as mass-reach smoking cessation strategies. Most published evaluations of the lotteries have reported impressive cessation rates within samples of entrants. However, none has considered the possibility that the lotteries merely concentrate a secular quitting trend around a researched event or whether they increase the cessation rate of the whole community from which entrants derive. RESULTS: Results from a lottery run in a smoking population (n = 101,277) are presented. Of the 1,167 people who entered, 29.2% self-reported being smoke-free at 4 months. These results are considered against a prediction that the campaign might increase the cumulative background 4-month quit rate (708/101,277 or 0.7%) by a minimum of 10%. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that such a realistic hope, even if achieved, could in practice never be measured. Implications for evaluating the impact of discrete health promotion evaluations in large communities are discussed in terms of the dilemmas posed by the case study.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

The case for using waist to hip ratio measurements in routine medical checks.

OBJECTIVE: To provide a rationale for using waist:hip ratio (WHR) measurements in clinical practice. DATA SOURCES: The article reviews the literature on body fat distribution back to the mid 1950s. STUDY SELECTION: Studies are reviewed which show a clear association between abdominal obesity and a range of ailments including coronary events, hypertension, blood lipid levels, cholecystectomy, diabetes and gallbladder disease. DATA EXTRACTION: Key data on the correlation of body fat distribution and health risks are summarised. DATA SYNTHESIS: Abdominal fat measured by a WHR may be a better single predictor of many diseases than other risk factors such as overall obesity, hypertension, smoking, or hypercholesterolaemia. CONCLUSIONS: The association between WHR and risk indicators appears to be "dose" related, and independent of sex, race and age. High WHRs, however, are more characteristic of men with lower socioeconomic status, whereas weight control programs are more commonly developed for women. A reorientation of weight control initiatives based on health rather than aesthetic priorities is needed. Measurement of WHR should be a routine part of clinical assessments. The predictability of the measure can be improved by combining it with a measure of body mass.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1992

Possible involvement of myeloperoxidase in lipid peroxidation.

1. Exposure of liposomes to the MPO-H2O2-Cl- system results in oxidation of lipids. Malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxynonenal are formed. 2. Oxidation of liposomes by stimulated rat neutrophils, assessed by malondialdehyde formation, is inhibited by KCN. This indicates involvement of MPO in the process. 3. The MPO-H2O2 system oxidizes mildly LDL but in the presence of chloride a propagation phase, with a rapid increase of conjugated diene formation, was observed.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Nephrotoxicity of fumaric acid monoethylester (FA ME).

The nephrotoxic actions of high single oral doses of fumaric acid monoethylester (FA ME) have been investigated in the rat. Fifty mg of this substance produced morphologic lesions of the glomeruli without reducing GFR. Following 100 mg, the lesions were more pronounced and GFR was diminished by about 40%. Despite of hemorrhages in kidney cortex the urines did not contain erythrocytes. Urinary protein was augmented in single cases only. Fifty to 100 mg FA ME induced a marked concentration defect after water deprivation. In parallel FA ME reduced lactate production from glucose by kidney inner medulla in vitro. After in vivo application, however, no morphologic lesions were found in this zone of the kidney. FA ME had no effect on oxygen consumption of kidney slices despite of proximal tubular lesions observed histologically after 100 mg orally. Thus, 100 mg of FA ME have distinct nephrotoxic effects in the rat.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Characteristics of ingress and life span of neutrophils at a site of acute inflammation, determined with the Sephadex model in rats.

Neutrophils labelled in vivo with 3H-thymidine accumulate in subcutaneously injected Sephadex, which causes an acute inflammation. Cells die and disintegrate within the Sephadex implants, leaving behind labelled nuclear fragments representing the number of dead cells. The total of immigrated cells and their life span can be calculated from the number of intact cells along with disintegrated cells found in a Sephadex implant. Intensive neutrophil ingress starts after 5 h, and after 6.5 h reaches a maximum of 52 x 10(6) cells per hour. After 11 h, a total of 137 x 10(6) cells has entered a Sephadex implant. The life span varies during the course of the experiment. The shortest life span of 20 min was measured during the period of intensive neutrophil ingress 5.5 h after onset of inflammation. Cellular death and disintegration is evidently due to self-destruction of the cells by peroxidation.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

[The use of sustained-release preparations for eye-platelet diagnosis for noninvasive determination of leukocyte migration in the eye].

An in vivo method for measuring leukocyte migration in man involves the insertion of membrane filter platelets into the lower conjunctival sac. Before insertion, the filter platelets were soaked in solutions of chemotactic test substances and dried. The chemotactic gradient formed by a dissolving test substance stimulates leukocytes from the conjunctival mucosa to immigrate into a filter platelet. The number and the distribution of immigrant cells within the filter platelet yield information on pathological processes. To obtain reliable results, the chemotactic substance used has to show a defined solubility inherent in only a minority of all substances in question. In order to stabilize liberation, the chemotactic test substance is introduced together with a hydrogel-forming substance into a filter platelet. Among a series of tested hydrogel-forming substances, the Guar derivative Meyprogat 90 proved to have the best stabilizing capacity. For an exact measurement of liberation, a new in vitro model was developed that simulates the conditions of drug liberation within the conjunctival sac. In vitro as well as in vivo tests with this type of filter platelets proved their qualification for human medicine.

Cell Migration Inhibition↗
PubMed1987

The involvement of histamine, the cyclooxygenase system and the kallikrein-kinin system in acute inflammation generation, demonstrated with the Sephadex model in rats.

The involvement of histamine, the cyclooxygenase system and the kallikrein-kinin system in the generation of the Sephadex inflammation was investigated by in vivo-blocking of these systems. The changes of the inflammatory reaction after 12 h estimated by cellular migration and plasma exudation reflected the share of the investigated mediators. Blocking the cyclooxygenase by indomethacine caused a 59.1% reduction of the neutrophil and a 77.6% reduction of the lymphocyte reaction. Blocking the kallikrein-kinin system also had inhibitory effects, whereby the way of action probably works via the cyclooxygenase system. Blocking histamine had, in essence, no effect on cellular migration. In all variations of the experiment, the exudation of plasma components was only slightly reduced. There are indications that the flux of mediator activation can bypass a blocked site.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1987

Presenting characteristics of patients with duodenal ulcer and outcome of medical treatment in controlled clinical trials using cimetidine and diethylamine persilate to treat ulcer attack and diethylamine persilate and placebo to prevent relapses.

A double-blind controlled clinical trial on the medical treatment of the acute episode of duodenal ulcer and the prevention of symptomatic relapses was performed. A total of 164 patients with active duodenal ulcer were either treated with cimetidine 1 g/day (70 patients), diethylaminepersilate (DAP) 1.5 g/day (64 patients) or DAP 2.5 g/day (30 patients). DAP is an allegedly protective agent stimulating mucosal prostaglandin synthesis. Cumulative healing rates after 4 weeks in the 3 groups were 66, 28 and 28% and after 8 weeks 94, 70 and 63%, respectively. One hundred and five patients with healed duodenal ulcer received, in a second double-blind study, either DAP 0.5 g/day or placebo. Thus, ulcer healing was more rapid with cimetidine than with DAP. DAP did not prevent relapses. No presenting characteristic was associated with slow healing. Three presenting characteristics--smoking, teetotalling and bleeding episode in the past--were associated with early symptomatic relapse. The present study was compared with a previous study performed by the same group of investigators using a similar study protocol. In both trials, an early relapse was associated with smoking. No other presenting characteristic was identified which in both trials was associated with slow healing or early symptomatic relapse. Thus, smoking appears to be the only one of the commonly available presenting characteristics which allows a prediction of the course of duodenal ulcer disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Gastric ulcer: a double blind comparison of 800 mcg misoprostol versus 300 mg ranitidine.

Seventy-nine patients with endoscopically confirmed gastric ulcers received either ranitidine (37 patients) or misoprostol (42 patients) in a randomized double-blind manner. Fifty-six percent of the patients treated with ranitidine, and 38% of those treated with misoprostol presented with endoscopically healed ulcers after four weeks of treatment. After eight weeks complete healing had occurred in 86% of the patients receiving ranitidine, and 74% of those on misoprostol. These differences were not statistically significant. In smokers, ranitidine was superior to misoprostol, leading to a higher healing rate at four weeks (73% versus 20%). Thus there was no evidence that in patients with gastric ulcer misoprostol overcomes the negative effect of cigarette smoking.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

[Ranitidine therapy of duodenal ulcer: comparison of once-a-day and twice-a-day administration. A Swiss multicenter double-blind study].

In a Swiss multicenter double-blind trial ranitidine was given in doses of 300 mg nocte and 150 mg b.d. for the treatment of duodenal ulcer. Ninety-seven patients with endoscopically proven ulcer were treated for four, and in cases of non-healing for eight, weeks. Cumulative healing rates with 300 mg and 2 X 150 mg were 77% and 78% after four weeks and 90% and 94% after eight weeks respectively. 60 and 65% of the patients were asymptomatic after four weeks. Smoking did not adversely affect healing. Thus, ranitidine in a dose of 300 mg nocte is as effective as ranitidine in a dose of 150 mg b.d. in the treatment of duodenal ulcer.

Adolescent↗