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Biomedical subjects

G Milavetz

Publications and source records attributed to G Milavetz.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Evaluation of a scheme for establishing and maintaining dosage of theophylline in ambulatory patients with chronic asthma.

To assess the utility of a dose-titration scheme for determining maintenance theophylline requirements, dose requirements and stability of serum concentrations were examined using 3537 serum determinations from 1073 patients with chronic asthma during a 5-year period. When the dosing scheme was followed, 78% of initial serum concentrations were within the target range of 10 to 20 micrograms/ml; the mean number of measurements to attain this range was 1.3. Among 404 of these patients prospectively questioned, adverse effects were not present in all 41 whose initial serum concentration was less than 10 micrograms/ml, occurred in eight of 296 patients when serum concentrations were between 10 and 20 micrograms/ml, and were present in 21 of 67 when concentrations were greater than 20 micrograms/ml. After final dose adjustment, mean dose requirements among those who attained serum concentrations of 10 to 20 micrograms/ml averaged 22 mg/kg/day in 1- to 9-year-old children, 20 mg/kg/day in 9- to 12-year-old children, 18 mg/kg/day in 12- to 16 year-old children, and 13 mg/kg/day in the 94 patients older than 16 years of age. Repeat serum concentrations after 3 months to 2 years showed 66% remaining within the 10 to 20 micrograms/ml range and another 15% between 7.5 and 10 micrograms/ml; 9% were greater than 20 micrograms/ml, and none greater than 30 micrograms/ml. Thus the dosing scheme produces serum concentrations in the usual therapeutic range with a minimum of samples and few side effects; most patients maintained acceptably stable blood levels.

Adolescent↗

Evaluation of the Ames Seralyzer for therapeutic drug monitoring of theophylline.

Dry reagent technology and reflectance photometry are combined in the Ames Seralyzer to offer a solid-phase plastic strip assay methodology. Light reflected from serum placed on the antibody-impregnated strip is quantitated with a two-point standard curve to display a theophylline result in 90 seconds. The accuracy and precision of the Seralyzer for serum theophylline are compared to the enzyme-multiplied immunoassay technique (Emit) which is commonly used to determine drug concentrations. Liquid calibrators (5 and 25 micrograms/ml) and liquid-spiked sera (10, 15, and 20 micrograms/ml) were measured six times daily simultaneously by both methods for twenty days. Eighty patient samples (theophylline range: 0-33 micrograms/ml) were measured twice each during the twenty days. Acceptable assay limits were established and maintained by measuring 15 micrograms/ml spiked sera prior to and during the evaluation period. All within-run and between-run means for the Seralyzer and Emit were within +/- 1 microgram/ml of the spiked value. All ranges of within-run and between-run means were within +/- 2 micrograms/ml of the spiked value. Mean between-run coefficients of variation for the Seralyzer at the 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 micrograms/ml values were 11.5, 6.7, 4.9, 4.6, and 4.9 percent, respectively. Linear regression on the 80 patient samples gave a slope of 1.02, intercept of -0.28, and correlation of 0.984. The Seralyzer's accuracy and precision compare favorably with Emit for theophylline determinations greater than 7.5 micrograms/ml.

Humans↗

The long-term outcome of nonsuppurative otitis media with effusion.

Seventy-four children were enrolled in a double-blind placebo-controlled study to define the outcome of nonsuppurative otitis media with effusion (OME) over a 12-week period. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: pseudoephedrine (4 mg/kg/day), chlorpheniramine (0.35 mg/kg/day), or placebo. The children were reexamined at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after enrollment unless earlier dismissed from the study because OME resolved or acute suppurative otitis media developed. Of the 66 children completing the study protocol, 44 percent had resolved OME, 38 percent developed acute suppurative otitis media, 14 percent had unresolved OME, and 4 percent developed severe hearing loss or medication side effects by the end of 12 weeks. The greatest incidence of both suppurative otitis media and resolution of OME occurred by 2 weeks of follow-up. There was no significant difference in resolution of effusion between treatment groups. Children who were 18 months of age or older with unilateral effusion had the best likelihood of resolution.

Child↗

Food-induced "dose-dumping" from a once-a-day theophylline product as a cause of theophylline toxicity.

Three slow-release preparations of theophylline have received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for "once-daily" dosing indications, amid controversy regarding the appropriateness of this decision. Because of specific concerns regarding data submitted to the FDA in support of the first of these products to be approved, Theo-24, we examined the absorption characteristics of this newly marketed formulation. Eight healthy volunteers received, in a crossover manner, single doses of a theophylline reference solution and Theo-24, taken both fasting and after a breakfast of bacon and eggs. The concentrations of theophylline were measured up to 60 hours after the dose. Absorption of Theo-24 after an overnight fast was very slow, with only 71 +/- 6 percent (mean +/- SE) of the dose ultimately absorbed. In contrast, food caused precipitous "dose-dumping," resulting in dose-normalized peak levels in the serum that averaged 2.3 times higher than after a fasting dose. About half of the dose was absorbed in a four-hour period, generally beginning six to eight hours after the postprandial dose, and complete absorption was then attained within 24 hours (p less than 0.001). Toxic effects of theophylline occurred in four subjects when they took the dose with food whereas no toxic effects occurred during the fasting regimen. Consequently, doses of Theo-24 that would have attained a predicted peak concentration of 15 micrograms/ml after multiple dosing taken without food would, if taken with food, have resulted in larger fluctuations and in peak concentrations in the potentially toxic range for six of the eight subjects.

Adult↗

Dose dependency for absorption and elimination rates of theophylline. Implications for studies of bioavailability.

Dose dependency for absorption and elimination rates of theophylline were examined by administering 2-mg/kg and 6-mg/kg doses of a theophylline solution to 8 adult volunteers. The area under the concentration-time curve extrapolated to infinity after the lower dose was 84% of that calculated after the higher dose. This is associated with a decrease in the slope of the terminal portion of the elimination curve to varying degrees after the higher dose in all 8 patients (p less than 0.001). A significantly smaller fraction of the higher dose was absorbed at 15 minutes (0.46 vs. 0.77, p less than 0.002), but the differences were trivial by 30 to 45 minutes. Dose dependency for elimination may cause changes in a steady-state serum concentration during multiple dosing that is disproportionately larger than changes in dosage. In addition, the slower elimination at higher serum concentrations may confound the assessment of bioavailability of slow-release formulations when the doses used result in a substantial disparity in the range of serum concentrations attained for the slow-release formulation and the reference. The use of unequal doses adjusted to provide similar peak serum concentrations appears to minimize this potential error.

Absorption↗

Evaluation of a noninstrumented disposable method for quantifying serum theophylline concentrations.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the performance of a new point-of-care theophylline assay (AccuMeter) with that of a standard laboratory assay (TDx), and another point-of-care method (AccuLevel). DESIGN: Prospective evaluation of consecutive patients receiving theophylline. SETTING: University-based, ambulatory, allergy-pulmonary clinic. PATIENTS: Forty subjects receiving maintenance theophylline therapy for asthma. INTERVENTIONS: Theophylline concentrations obtained from AccuMeter, TDx, and AccuLevel were compared. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The error, or difference, between TDx and AccuMeter results in 40 subjects on maintenance theophylline described accuracy. Mean error, an estimate of bias, was 1.1 (95% CI 0.72-1.5), 0.67 (0.34-1.0), and 0.98 (0.79-1.2) microg/ml for AccuMeter capillary, serum, and heparinized blood samples. Square root of the mean squared error, an estimate of precision, was 1.6 (1.2-2.0), 1.22 (0.90-1.5), and 1.14 (0.96-1.3) microg/ml for AccuMeter capillary, serum, and heparinized samples. Difference between AccuMeter and AccuLevel ME, an estimate of relative bias, was 0.59 (0.04-1.1) microg/ml. The difference in mean squared errors, an estimate of relative precision, was 0.86 (-0.54-2.3) microg/ml. CONCLUSIONS: AccuMeter demonstrated good precision and minimal bias compared with TDx and AccuLevel . Method of sample collection had no effect on its accuracy.

Adolescent↗