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Biomedical subjects

J Koch-Weser

Publications and source records attributed to J Koch-Weser.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

Skin polyamine levels in psoriasis: the effect of dithranol therapy.

Concentrations of putrescine, spermidine and spermine were determined in biopsies of skin of eight control subjects and of uninvolved skin and skin lesions of eight psoriatic patients before and after topical therapy with dithranol. Mean spermidine and spermine concentrations in uninvolved skin of psoriatic patients were normal, but putrescine concentration was elevated. In psoriatic skin lesions all three amines were significantly elevated. Chemotherapy effectively reduced polyamine concentrations in involved skin touards normal. This decrease in polyamine levels correlated with reduction of the proliferative activity of the epidermis and with clinical improvement of the patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Automated assay of gamma-aminobutyric acid in human cerebrospinal fluid.

We describe an automated amino acid analyzer with fluorescence detection (o-phthalaldehyde) which permits sensitive and rapid determinations of gamma aminobutyric acid in human cerebrospinal fluid. Concentrations as low as 50 nmol/liter can be accurately determined in 100 mul samples at the rate of one sample per hour. Concentrations in untreated cerebrospinal fluid increase rapidly after sampling by lumbar puncture. The concentration in immediately deproteinized samples from 38 patients with intervertebral disc disorders was 220 +/- 81 nmol/liter (mean +/- SD).

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1977

Factors influencing blood concentrations of chlordiazepoxide: a use of multiple regression analysis.

Three groups of male and female subjects aged 24-74 years received 25, 100, or 200 mg of chlordiazepoxide hydrochloride by mouth as a single dose or as two divided doses. The relation of plasma or whole blood concentrations for chlordiazepoxide (CDX) and its metabolite, desmethylchlordiazepoxide (DMCDX), to time since the last dose, weight, age, and sex were determined by simple and multiple regression analyses. Both CDX and DMCDX levels were negatively correlated with weight. Concentrations of CDX decreased, while those of DMCDX increased, with the time since the last dose. Lower levels of both drugs were associated with female sex, and lower levels of DMCDX were noted with increasing age. In the largest sample group, age and weight were more important variables than sex in accounting for CDX and DMCDX. Sex was of significance, and more important than time or age in explaining the variance of CDX in one series of observations. Multiple regression analysis is a useful approach to assessing interrelated factors influencing blood levels of drugs, especially when combined with a consideration of the interactive components of variance. Age and sex, in addition to weight and time, may be important factors that deserve further attention.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Adverse reactions to practolol in hospitalized patients: a report from the Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program.

Adverse reactions to practolol were studied in 198 prospectively monitored hospitalized medical patients. The mean age of the practolol recipients was 57 years; angina and cardiac arrhythmias were the most common indications for therapy. Adverse reactions were attributed to practolol in 20 patients (10%). Fifteen of these twenty reactions involved impairment of cardiac function (bradyarrhythmias, heart block, congestive heart failure, hypotension), and in three instances the reaction was considered life-threatening. Three additional patients had cutaneous reactions attributed to the drug. Adverse reactions to practolol were not dose-related, but toxicity appeared to be more frequent among patients concurrently receiving quinidine. The frequency of cardiovascular complications of propranolol in a similar series of patients was nearly identical. However, no skin reactions were attributed to propranolol. The findings suggest that practolol and propranolol produce unwanted cardiovascular effects with nearly equal frequency among hospitalized patients. Cutaneous reactions to practolol are evident even during short-term use.

Aged↗
PubMed1977

Inhibitory activity of terfenadine on histamine-induced skin wheals in man.

The inhibitory effect of orally administered terfenadine on the area of histamine-induced skin wheals was studied by single dose and multiple dose trials in 12 normal male volunteers. Single doses of 20, 60 and 200 mg of terfenadine produced dose-dependent decreases in histamine wheal area that reached a maximum by the fourth hour after dosing. The 60 and 200 mg doses blocked almost 90% of histamine whealing, and significant reduction of the wheal area persisted for 8 h. During the multiple dose trial histamine whealing was markedly inhibited after the fifth and sixth dose of terfenadine 20, 40 or 60 mg every 8 h and of 60 mg every 12 h. On the last three dosage schedules inhibition persisted for at least 12 h after the final dose. Inhibition of histamine-induced skin whealing appears to be a quantitative index of the time course of histamine H1-receptor antagonist action.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1977

The ambiguity of adverse drug reactions.

Three clinical pharmacologists independently evaluated 500 untoward clinical events reported by physicians as adverse drug reactions (ADRs). They often disagreed with the reporting physicians and with each other. They judged 14.4-28.2% of the events to be definite, 26.4-38.0% probable, 21.4-31.0% possible and 15.8-28.2% of the events to be definite, 26.4-38.0% probable, 21.4-31.0% possible and 15.8-28.2% unlikely ADRs. In their opinion 19.1-32.4% of the drugs blamed were definitely, 29.8-34.4% probably, 24.9-36.7% possibly and 8.4-14.5% not responsible for the adverse reactions. Evaluators disagreed among themselves about the drug most likely to have been responsible in 36.4% of the events, about ADRs causing hospital admission in 56.8%, about severe ADR morbidity in 55.8%, about ADR prolongation of hospitalization in 67.3% and ADR prolongation of hospitalization in 67.3% and about ADR contribution to death in 71.0%. The divergence of judgements suggests that suspected ADRs are usually ambiguous clinical events, and that incidence, severity, medical consequences and cost of ADRs can only be estimated.

Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions↗
PubMed1977

Clinical toxicity of furosemide in hospitalized patients. A report from the Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program.

Of 17,068 hospitalized medical patients monitored in a drug surveillance program, 2,367 (13.9 per cent) received furosemide. Of these patients, 53 per cent were hospitalized with a primary (first) diagnosis of cardiovascular disease; many other patients had cardiovascular disorders coincident with other diseases. In 78 per cent of cases the indication for furosemide therapy was congestive heart failure. Adverse reactions were attributed to furosemide in 239 patients (10.1 per cent), but in only 14 instances were the unwanted effects considered life-threatening. The most common adverse reactions were: intravascular volume depletion (4.6 per cent of furosemide recipients), hypokalemia (3.6 per cent), and other eletrolyte disturbances (1.5 per cent). Many patients experienced more than one manifestation of toxicity. The over-all frequency of adverse reactions increased progressively with higher daily doses of furosemide, but was not correlated with total furosemide dose. Among furosemide recipients who also recieved potassium-supplements or potassium-sparing diuretics, hypokalemia was less frequent, less severe, and of slower onset. Coadministration of other diuretics with furosemide was associated with a higher frequency of volume depletion. The findings indicate that furosemide is a relatively safe diuretic in a wide range of clinical situations. Serious adverse reactions are uncommon, and occur primarily in the seriously ill.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Absorption rate, blood concentrations, and early response to oral chlordiazepoxide.

Ten healthy male volunteers received chlordiazepoxide (CDX) hydrochloride or matching placebo with Maalox or water in a four-way single-dose crossover trial. Coadministration of CDX with Maalox did not change the completeness of CDX absorption but significantly slowed its rate of absorption and the rate of desmethylchlordiazepoxide (DMCDX) appearance. Self-rating of feeling "spacey" at 1.0 and 2.5 hours were significantly increased over baseline for CDX taken with water but not with Maalox. Increases in "spacey" feelings at 1.0 hours were highly correlated with 0.5-hour but not with 1.0-hour blood levels. Similar findings were observed for self-ratings of "thinking" slowed down. Thus certain subjective effects of antianxiety agents after oral dosage may depend on the rate of drug absorption and may be attenuated or eliminated if the absorption rate is reduced.

Administration, Oral↗