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Biomedical subjects

G Perna

Publications and source records attributed to G Perna.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Alpha-2-adrenoceptor sensitivity in heroin addicts with and without previous attention deficit disorder/hyperactivity and conduct disorder.

Growth hormone (GH) and beta-endorphin (beta-EP) responses to clonidine stimulation were examined in 18 male heroin addicts, 9 with and 9 without previous histories of attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADD-H) and conduct disorder (CD). Ten psychophysically healthy volunteers were used as controls. ADD-H/CD addicts had blunted GH and beta-EP responses as compared to controls while those of non-ADD-H/CD addicts were normal. This suggests that postsynaptic adrenoceptor sensitivity is decreased and, possibly, that presynaptic noradrenaline secretion is increased in ADD-H/CD patients with heroin addiction.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[The prevention of nitrate tolerance in angina patients treated with transdermal nitroglycerin: a comparison of 2 therapeutic regimens (therapeutic outlook versus dosage reduction)].

We studied the long-term antianginal and anti-ischemic effects of two dosage regimens designed to prevent tolerance to transdermal nitroglycerin (TNTG): (1) 10 mg TNTG applied for 16 h with a 'nitrate-free' interval of 8 h; (2) 10 mg TNTG applied for 16 h followed by a 'nitrate-low' interval of 5 mg applied for 8 h. 129 patients completing a 3-month study period were evaluated by repeated exercise tests. Both regimens significantly increased maximum exercise duration at 3 months, from 699.1 +/- 23.4 to 833 +/- 21.9 s and from 686.1 +/- 20 to 789.6 +/- 22.6 s, respectively, reduced the number of patients with 1 mm S-T segment depression and increased the time duration to 1 mm S-T segment depression. Marked reductions in anginal attacks was observed in both groups: from 6.5 to 0.15 attacks per week and from 6.0 to 0.15 attacks per week, respectively. No statistically significant differences were found between the groups, and both regimens were well tolerated. In conclusion, our results demonstrate sustained antianginal efficacy, without tolerance, of either 'nitrate-free' of 'nitrate-low' interval therapy with transdermal nitroglycerin.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed1994

Pharmacologic effect of toloxatone on reactivity to the 35% carbon dioxide challenge: a single-blind, random, placebo-controlled study.

The effect of a short treatment (7 days) with the reversible monoamine oxidase type A inhibitor toloxatone on the reactivity to the inhalation of 35% CO2 was evaluated in 18 panic patients who responded to 35% CO2 inhalation with panic before treatment. A single-blind, placebo-controlled design was applied. Panic patients were randomly assigned to the toloxatone (N = 10) or placebo (N = 8) groups and were given the 35% CO2 challenge on days 1 (before starting the treatment), 3, and 7. Patients on placebo did not report any significant changes in their reactivity to 35% CO2 during the three sessions, whereas patients on toloxatone reported a significant attenuation of the reactivity on day 7. These results indicate that (1) anxiety provoked by the inhalation of 35% CO2 is reproducible; (2) placebo has a negligible effect on 35% CO2 reactivity; and (3) reactivity to 35% CO2 is significantly attenuated by short treatment with toloxatone, possibly related to its antipanic activity.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1993

Lymphocyte cholecystokinin concentrations in panic disorder.

Since cholecystokinin (CCK) is known to be anxiogenic in experimental animals and to induce panic attacks in humans, lymphocyte CCK-8 concentrations were measured in 15 patients with panic disorder and 15 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. The patients' levels were measured again after a 30-day course of alprazolam therapy, 1.5 mg/day. The CCK-8 concentrations were significantly lower in the patients than in the control subjects and did not change after alprazolam therapy. There was no correlation between the peptide values and levels of anxiety or frequency and severity of panic attacks.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

EEG power modifications in panic disorder during a temporolimbic activation task: relationships with temporal lobe clinical symptomatology.

Computerized EEG activity derived from the temporal lobes was investigated in normal subjects and panic disorder patients with and without depersonalization and/or derealization, in a resting condition and during an odor stimulation task. Panic patients without depersonalization or derealization showed an increase of fast and a decrease of slow activities independent of odor stimulation. Panic patients with depersonalization and/or derealization showed an increase of slow activity and bilateral lack of responsiveness in the fast alpha frequency band during odor stimulation. Findings suggest there are different EEG patterns in the temporal regions of the two different groups of panic patients during rest and activating conditions.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Psychoimmunoendocrine aspects of panic disorder.

Immunological, neuroendocrine and psychological parameters were examined in 14 psychophysically healthy subjects and in 17 panic disorder patients before and after a 30-day course of alprazolam therapy. T lymphocyte proliferation in response to the mitogen phytohemagglutinin, lymphocyte beta-endorphin (beta-EP) concentrations, plasma ACTH, cortisol and beta-EP levels were examined in basal conditions and after corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) stimulation. Cortisol inhibition by dexamethasone (DST) and basal growth hormone (GH) and prolactin levels were also examined. Depression, state or trait anxiety, anticipatory anxiety, agoraphobia, simple and social phobias, severity and frequency of panic attacks were monitored by rating scales. The immune study did not reveal any significant difference between patients and controls, or any effect of alprazolam therapy. The hormonal data for the two groups were similar, except for higher than normal basal ACTH and GH plasma levels, lower than normal ratios between the ACTH and cortisol responses to CRH, and blunted DST in some patients. All the impairments improved after alprazolam therapy, in parallel with decreases in anxiety and in severity and frequency of panic attacks.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[One-year therapy with dihydroergocristine for treatment of impaired alertness and memory in elderly patients. Placebo-controlled multicenter study].

This double-blind study of dihydroergocristine (DHEC, CAS 17479-19-5) versus placebo was performed in 240 elderly patients affected by chronic cerebrovascular disease or organic brain syndrome. The therapy was carried on for one year. Results pointed out a decrease of SCAG total score and a significant improvement of the target items "confusion, mental alertness and memory performance" after DHEC versus placebo. Furthermore the data show that DHEC maintained its activity throughout the 12-month trial period. Very few and mild side-effects were reported for both groups, thus confirming the well known good safety of the compound. Based on results of this 1-year investigation, it is concluded that DHEC treatment should not be abruptly interrupted, but continued for as long as possible.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

[Forme fruste of Gorlin's syndrome with a left ventricular neoplasm].

We report on a 25-year-old man, referred for atypical chest pain and negative T waves in leads V5-V6. A cardiac tumor, localized in the posterolateral left ventricular wall was diagnosed in this patient by nuclear techniques and bidimensional echocardiography. A complex form of pluridistrectual dysmorphic disorder (hypertelorism, prognathism, frontal bossing, multiple cysts of the mandible, calcification in falx cerebri, etc) was also present, suggesting a limited form of Gorlin's syndrome (nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome).

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Comparative bioavailability of isoniazid, rifampin, and pyrazinamide administered in free combination and in a fixed triple formulation designed for daily use in antituberculosis chemotherapy. II. Two-month, daily administration study.

The time course of the plasma concentrations of isoniazid, rifampin, and pyrazinamide was assessed in a group of 13 patients with lung tuberculosis treated over a period of 2 months on a continuous daily basis with a fixed triple combination of the same drugs. The blood kinetics of the three antituberculosis drugs were determined on Days 1, 15, 30, and 60 of treatment. The triple combination employed in this study contained 50 mg isoniazid, 120 mg rifampin, and 300 mg pyrazinamide per tablet, the number of tablets ranging from four to seven per day according to the body weight of the patients. Almost superimposable plasma concentration curves for isoniazid were observed during the 4 days of the study. For rifampin, a fall in the plasma concentrations at the time intervals after the peak was observed comparing the data on Day 1 with those on Days 15, 30, and 60, which did not differ from each other. This finding is thought to be due to the well-known phenomenon of self-induction, which leads to an increased rate of disposal of the antibiotic from the blood compartment within the first and second weeks of continuous treatment. For pyrazinamide, an equilibrium in the opposite sense as that of rifampin seemed to take place within the 2 months of the study. Because of the relatively high plasma levels observed 24 h after each administration, an increase in plasma concentrations with respect to those observed on Day 1 was found on Days 15, 30, and 60, the levels on these days no differing from each other.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Pharmacokinetic study on intravenous rifampicin in man.

A pharmacokinetic study was carried out in 18 male patients in order to assess the blood concentrations of rifampicin after intravenous administration of 3 different doses (600, 900 and 1200 mg) over 3 different periods of infusion (1, 2 and 3 hours). The results show that, by increasing the dose and the rate of infusion higher and earlier peak concentrations are obtained. A kinetic analysis based on a one-compartment open model gives a good fitting of the data obtained experimentally. From these data one obtains for the volume of distribution a value of 48.1 +/- 17.2 liters and for the serum disappearance rate the value of 0.212 +/- 0.070 h-1 in adult subjects. It is possible to predict the time course of serum kinetics of the drug by using the equation (formula; see text).

Bilirubin↗