Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H Heidrich

Publications and source records attributed to H Heidrich.

136 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Blood glucose and serum insulin levels following acute and chronic pentoxifylline administration.

Twenty-two patients with normal carbohydrate metabolism and 16 diabetic patients, all 38 having peripheral occlusive arterial disease, took part in an investigation into the effect of pentoxifylline on blood glucose and serum insulin following an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Pentoxifylline was administered by the i.v. route and the investigation took the form of an acute study (200 mg) and a 14-day chronic study (400 mg). Neither acute nor chronic medication elicited any change in blood glucose or serum insulin. Pentoxifylline does not affect blood glucose.

Blood Glucose↗

Capillary microscopy of the nailfold in healthy subjects.

In a total of 100 healthy subjects (36 males, 64 females) aged between 5 and 58 years, capillary microscopy of the nailfold was performed in all the fingers of both hands. The aim of this study was to determine whether capillary abnormalities, hitherto regarded as pathological, were to be found, and if so, to establish their frequency and nature. Capillary branchings - on average 4-5/person - were seen in 78% of the subjects investigated, and proved to be most common in digits IV and V of both hands. Of the subjects investigated, 94% showed meandering, 64% tortuous loops, 25% hemorrhagic extravasations, and 19% apical dilatations of the capillaries. Only a single case of a giant loop was seen. Neither avascular fields, stasis nor reversion of blood flow were seen. Maricq's venule index was increased in 3 subjects. These findings clearly indicate that the significance of deviating capillary patterns need to be reconsidered, for branchings or hemorrhagic extravasations can certainly be found in healthy subjects.

Adolescent↗

Frequency of malignant diseases in deep venous thrombosis of the lower extremities.

A retrospective investigation was carried out in a total of 200 patients (100 women, 100 men) with an average age of 61.0 years (19-97 years) with a phlebographically verified deep vein thrombosis of the lower limbs. It was examined whether and how frequently acute phlebothromboses are associated with a malignant underlying disease not detected up to that time. Specific diagnostics showed that a malignancy could be detected in 11.5% of all patients. As expected, the number of freshly discovered malignant diseases rose with increasing age. Seventy-one percent of all patients with a phlebothrombosis and a simultaneous tumor condition were more than 60 years old. The results clearly show that screening for occult malignant diseases should be carried out systematically and routinely in patients with etiologically unclear acute deep vein thromboses, at least from the 50th year of life onwards.

Acute Disease↗

Age-specific doses of lormetazepam as a night sedative in cases of chronic sleep disturbance.

Lormetazepam, a new benzodiazepine derivative, was tested under double blind conditions in order to find the optimal dosage for different age groups of out-patients. 120 patients suffering from chronic sleep disturbance were included in the study: a younger group (age 20 to 55) and an older group (age 56 to 85 years). Four different doses were given to each age group: 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 mg to the younger group and 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mg to the older group. A pre-placebo week (i.e. when all patients received placebo) in which baseline data were recorded preceded the two verum weeks, and these were followed by a post-placebo or withdrawal week (again all patients receiving placebo). The level of significance accepted for statistical decisions was alpha = 0.05. No differences in effects between the different doses were observed with regard to sleep pattern variables (sleep latency, sleep duration, frequency of awakenings, sleep quality, occurrence of 'bad' dreams) with the exception of sleep quality which was better in the older group than in the younger group after 0.5 mg in week 2. Considerable differences with regard to hangover feelings the next morning and during the next day (morning feelings, tranquility, alertness, and concentration), comparison of the effects of discontinuing therapy upon the above-mentioned sleep pattern variables and small differences in side effects--which were few--led to the following conclusion: --0.5 mg stood out as the best dose for the older group. --None of the dosages given to the younger group emerged clearly as superior. However, it would seem that the 1 mg dose should be the dose recommended, since fewer unfavourable scores and side effects appeared after this dose.

Adult↗