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Biomedical subjects

G M Cochrane

Publications and source records attributed to G M Cochrane.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

The pharmacokinetics of uniphyllin in nocturnal asthma.

Three consecutive doses of approximately 10 mg/kg of a once daily slow-release theophylline preparation (Uniphyllin) were given at 22.00 hours to 15 patients with nocturnal asthma who were recovering from an acute exacerbation of their asthma. Twenty-four hour plasma theophylline profiles were obtained after the first and third doses. Following the first dose, the mean peak level was 12.5 mg/litre, mean time to peak was 8.1 hours and mean apparent elimination half-life was 6.6 hours. Pharmacokinetic data were similar following the third dose. In nocturnal asthma, Uniphyllin should be given at about 20.00 hours to coincide peak levels with the time of maximum airflow obstruction.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1985

Atopy and rheumatoid arthritis.

The prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was studied among 266 atopic patients attending an allergy clinic. Two patients had definite RA, a prevalence similar to that seen in the general population. We also studied the prevalence of atopy (positive skin-prick tests) and diseases associated with atopy among forty patients with RA and forty age- and sex-matched controls. The two groups had a similar prevalence of atopy (5 RA patients, nine controls) and atopic diseases (fourteen RA patients, fourteen controls) and they did not differ with respect to blood eosinophil counts or total serum IgE. Positive RAST tests to inhaled allergens were found in three RA patients and five controls and all patients had negative RAST tests to milk and egg. It was concluded that patients with rheumatoid arthritis have a normal prevalence of atopy and atopic diseases and we found no evidence that allergic factors contributed to the arthritis of the forty RA patients in the study.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Patterns of drug taking in patients with chronic airflow obstruction.

A questionnaire on the pattern of drug taking was completed by 185 patients with chronic airflow obstruction. Of these, 49% admitted to taking their prescribed therapy regularly and 33% could be regarded as being fully compliant. The use of increasing numbers of drugs was not accompanied by a fall in compliance. Regular drug taking was better in patients (particularly females) with asthma than in patients with chronic bronchitis and emphysema. During acute exacerbations of airflow obstruction, excessive use of bronchodilators beyond the recommended increase in medication was rare; indeed, underuse of therapy in this situation was commoner. These conclusions must be regarded as tentative since the questionnaire was not validated by repeat interviewing or measurement of drug usage.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Ventilatory changes during exercise and arterial PCO2 oscillations in chronic airway obstruction patients.

Ventilatory kinetics during exercise (30 W for 6 min) were studied in 3 asthmatics, 14 patients with chronic airway obstruction (11 with bronchial or type B disease, 3 with emphysematous or type A disease), and in 5 normal age-matched controls. The measure of ventilatory increase during early exercise, alpha 1-3%, was calculated as (avg minute ventilation over 1st-3rd min of exercise--resting minute ventilation)/(avg minute ventilation over 4th-6th min of exercise--resting minute ventilation) X 100. Arterial pH, PO2, and PCO2 (PaCO2) were measured in vitro at rest and within 20 s of termination of exercise. Respiratory PaCO2 oscillations had previously been monitored at rest in the patients (indirectly as in vivo arterial pH, using a fast-response pH electrode) and quantified by upslope (delta PaCO2/delta t). alpha 1-3% was normal in asthmatics (whose respiratory oscillations as a group showed least attenuation) and in type A patients (whose respiratory oscillations as a group were most attenuated). In type B patients reduction in alpha 1-3% correlated with attenuation of delta PaCO2/delta t (r = 0.75; P less than 0.01). There was no significant correlation between delta PaCO2/delta t and change of in vitro PaCO2 from rest to the immediate postexercise period. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that attenuation of delta PaCO2/delta t slows ventilatory kinetics during exercise in type B but not type A patients. Intact respiratory oscillations are not necessary for CO2 homeostasis after the first few minutes of exercise.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Theophylline.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Ventilatory control in diabetes mellitus.

The ventilatory control system was evaluated in a group of 40 diabetic patients (20 with autonomic neuropathy (AN), and 20 without autonomic neuropathy) and 20 controls. The ventilatory increase in response to transient hypoxia was less in diabetics without AN than in controls, but even weaker in diabetics with AN. This pattern was repeated in the ventilatory response to hypercapnia. There was no correlation between the presence of abnormal respiratory responses and the duration of diabetes.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Subcutaneous terbutaline and control of brittle asthma or appreciable morning dipping.

In a pilot study two patients with brittle asthma and two with morning dipping received terbutaline or a placebo administered subcutaneously either by continuous infusion or in injections every six hours. In two patients brittle asthma was completely suppressed by terbutaline 1 mg/day given by either method. In the two others early morning dipping responded only to continuous subcutaneous infusions of terbutaline 12 mg/day. Terbutaline administered subcutaneously may be an effective treatment in asthmatic patients who show important diurnal variations in air flow.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Inhaled therapy reduces morning dips in asthma.

14 asthmatic patients with nocturnal symptoms and morning dips in peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were treated with regular inhaled salbutamol for 1 or 2 weeks, followed by regular inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate, in addition to salbutamol, for a further 2 weeks. Mean PEFR rose to normal values in all but 1 patient. Morning dips in PEFR were substantially reduced in 8 patients. There was an equivalent rise in mean PEFR in the other 6 patients, but their morning dips did not improve. Inhaled salbutamol reduced the dips in the responsive patients, but addition of inhaled steroid produced further improvement. Inhaled beta agonist alone improved mean PEFR in these patients, but inhaled steroids produced most of the improvement in the other subgroup. No patient experienced side-effects. Thus mean PEFR can be improved and morning dips in PEFR reduced in a high proportion of asthmatic patients by the use of regular inhaled therapy without resorting to less-well-tolerated oral agents.

Adolescent↗