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Biomedical subjects

H Rasmussen

Publications and source records attributed to H Rasmussen.

358 records · Page 20Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Control of food intake in older men.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of aging on mechanisms of body energy regulation and thereby determine the causes of unexplained weight loss in older persons, a factor predisposing to premature death and disability. DESIGN: Dietary intervention study. SETTING: Metabolic ward and outpatient. PARTICIPANTS: The subjects were 35 healthy younger and older men of normal body weight consuming a diet of typical composition and performing usual activities. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Subjects were either overfed by a mean (+/- SD) of 4.09 (+/- 0.26) MJ/d (n = 17) or underfed by 3.17 (+/- 0.68) MJ/d (n = 18) for 21 days. Measurements were made of changes in body weight, body composition, and energy expenditure during overfeeding or underfeeding, and of subsequent voluntary nutrient intakes and changes in body weight. RESULTS: There was no significant effect of aging on changes in body composition, body weight, or energy expenditure with overfeeding or underfeeding. However, following overfeeding, younger men exhibited spontaneous hypophagia, whereas the older men did not (mean [+/- SD] changes in energy intake relative to control values were -2.11 [+/- 2.18] and 1.55 [+/- 2.11] MJ/d, respectively; P = .006). As a result, the younger men lost the excess body weight gained during overfeeding but the older men did not. Similarly, following underfeeding, the younger men exhibited hyperphagia while the older men did not (mean [+/- SD] changes in energy intake relative to control values were 1.88 [+/- 2.31] and -0.52 [+/- 1.54] MJ/d, respectively; P = .02), and as a result the older men failed to regain the weight lost during underfeeding. CONCLUSIONS: These results in 35 men suggest that aging may be associated with a significant impairment in the ability to control food intake following overeating or undereating. Since overeating and undereating occur routinely as part of the normal pattern of energy regulation, the findings reported herein may help to explain the vulnerability of older persons to unexplained weight gain and weight loss.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Incisional morphine has no analgesic effect on postoperative pain following inguinal herniotomy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Opioids induce antinociceptive effects after peripheral administration in experimental and clinical studies. The results of the clinical studies are conflicting. The objective of this study was to examine a possible analgesic effect of incisionally administered morphine on postoperative pain in patients undergoing inguinal herniotomy during general anesthesia. METHODS: Forty-six consecutive outpatients were included in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. At conclusion of herniotomy 5 mg morphine was injected incisionally in 11 patients, intravenously in 10, and subcutaneously in 13. The placebo group of 12 had saline injected in the incision. Postoperative pain at rest and during mobilization was assessed with a visual analog scale. Assessments were made immediately before and after herniotomy, at 2, 4, and 6 hours after surgery, and on the second and seventh postoperative day. Postoperative morphine and acetaminophen consumptions were recorded within the same period. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in visual analog scores between the groups at any time during the study. Overall differences in postoperative acetaminophen and morphine consumptions were insignificant. CONCLUSIONS: The analgesic effect of a single 5 mg dose of morphine injected in a herniotomy wound is not superior to saline or to morphine given subcutaneously or intravenously.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bone mineral analysis using single-energy computed tomography.

We present a new method for evaluating in vivo changes in bone mineralization in the peripheral skeleton, using computed tomography (CT). A set of bone mineralization indices are generated from numerous CT images of the patient's distal radius. The cross-sectional anatomy displayed by the CT scan allows for separate evaluation of the cortical and trabecular bone. Correction for possible drift of the CT number scale (Hounsfield scale) is achieved by scanning standard solutions of dipotassium hydrogen phosphate simultaneously with the forearm. Preliminary data indicate that this is a precise method for evaluating in vivo changes in bone mineralization.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Azithromycin versus pivampicillin in the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis: a single-blind, double-dummy, multicentre study.

This single-blind, double-dummy, multicentre study compared oral azithromycin, administered as tablets, 500 mg once daily for 3 days, versus oral pivampicillin, 700 mg twice daily for 10 days, in adults with acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (not needing parenteral antibiotic therapy, hospitalization or oxygen support). Clinical success (cure + improvement) rates were similar for both groups at the end of treatment (day 10; azithromycin, 124 of 133 [93%]; pivampicillin, 79 of 92 [86%]) and at follow-up (day 52; 98 of 126 [78%] versus 66 of 81 [81%]). The treatments produced similar levels of pathogen eradication at the end of treatment (49 of 54 [91%] versus 32 of 37 [86%]). Azithromycin-treated patients had significantly reduced chest discomfort at the end of treatment, and a trend towards improved lung function. The two groups were similar with respect to improvements in other clinical symptoms and patient well-being, and to the incidences of adverse events and treatment discontinuations. This oral azithromycin regime is an effective treatment for acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, similar in efficacy to the longer pivampicillin regime and may offer superior patient compliance.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Synarchic regulation and sensitivity modulation in hormone action.

The present discussion has been concerned with an analysis of experimental data gathered largely in the past decade concerning the relationship of intracellular calcium ion to cAMP. From this analysis, the hypothesis developed is that Ca2+ and cAMP serve as interrelated second messengers when differentiated cells are called upon to perform their particular work function (contraction or secretion, etc.) by extracellular messengers (peptide or amine hormones, neurotransmitters) acting via specific cell surface receptors. To characterize and emphasize this duality the term synarchic regulation is introduced to convey the notion that these messengers act together to rule the intracellular domain. Although this duality appears to be nearly universal, the pattern of Ca2+-cAMP interaction varies from cell type to cell type. At least five variations on the universal theme can be recognized: coordinate, hierarchical, redundant, antagonistic, and sequential. By viewing hormone action as a process of information transfer, it is possible to analyze the sequential steps in hormone action. The key features of cell activation are the rise in concentration of a second messenger (Ca2+ or cAMP) in the cell cytosol, recognition of this rise by a specific receptor protein leading to a binding of messenger to protein, and then the binding of this complex in turn to one or more response elements. The molecular basis of this process in the calcium messenger system has been described and the very important relationship of change in cellular calcium metabolism to the messenger role of (Ca2+)c has been emphasized. A distinction has been made between this process of amplitude modulation of cell function in the calcium messenger system, and the process of sensitivity modulation. This occurs by a mechanism that involves the activation of a calcium-calmodulin-dependent enzyme by changing its sensitivity to activation by Ca2+ rather than a change in (Ca2+)c. A common means by which sensitivity modulation takes place in the calcium messenger system is by a cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of a subunit of a calmodulin modulated response element. This type of sensitivity modulation provides molecular evidence in support of the concept of synarchic regulation.

Calcium↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Analgesic effect of incisional morphine following inguinal herniotomy under spinal anesthesia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Opioids have been shown to possess antinociceptive effects after peripheral administration in experimental and clinical studies. The results of clinical studies on intra-articularly administered morphine are, however, conflicting. The objective of this study was to examine a possible analgesic effect of incisionally administered morphine on postoperative pain in patients undergoing inguinal herniotomy. METHODS: Forty outpatients were included in a double blind randomized, placebo-controlled study. The patients had spinal anesthesia with 1.5-2.0 mL hyperbaric 5% lidocaine. At conclusion of herniotomy morphine 5 mg was injected incisionally in 10 patients, intravenously in 10, and subcutaneously in 10. The placebo group of 10 patients had saline injected in the incision. Postoperative pain was assessed with a visual analog scale at rest and during mobilization. Assessments were made immediately before and at 0, 2, 4, and 6 hours after herniotomy and on the second and seventh postoperative days. At the same times morphine and acetaminophen consumptions were recorded. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in postoperative visual analog scores between the groups. Except for the cumulative morphine requirement from the second to the seventh postoperative day, which was significantly higher in the placebo group than in other groups, no significant differences in cumulative morphine and acetaminophen requirements were found between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: A single 5-mg dose of morphine injected in the herniotomy wound did not affect pain scores or supplementary analgesic requirements, which argues against a role of peripheral opioid receptors in mediating analgesia.

Acetaminophen↗