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J R Cockcroft

Publications and source records attributed to J R Cockcroft.

79 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Augmentation of sympathetic venoconstriction by angiotensin II in human dorsal hand veins.

The constriction produced by a single deep breath was measured simultaneously in two adjacent hand veins in normal subjects. One vein was infused with saline or angiotensin II; the other acted as a control. A dose of angiotensin II (1 pmol/min) that did produce venous constriction directly significantly augmented the constriction caused by deep breath in eight subjects (P less than .01). In a further six subjects the same dose had no effect on venoconstriction caused by infused noradrenaline. We conclude that angiotensin II causes venoconstriction indirectly by augmenting sympathetically mediated responses, possibly by a presynaptic mechanism.

Adult↗

Differential effect of aspirin on thromboxane and prostaglandin biosynthesis in man.

1. Effects of a single intravenous dose of aspirin (600 mg) on bradykinin-stimulated prostaglandin (PG) and on thromboxane (TX) biosynthesis were determined in nine healthy male volunteers. Plasma concentrations of 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha and 13,14-dihydro-15-oxo-PGF2 alpha were measured in samples obtained during repeated 10 min intravenous infusions of bradykinin before and up to 6 h after the dose of aspirin. TXB2 was measured in serum from blood allowed to clot at 37 degrees C. 2. Aspirin inhibited bradykinin stimulated PG and platelet TX biosynthesis 0.5 h after the dose. Serum TXB2 remained low, whereas PG synthesis recovered within 6 h. 3. Effects of intravenous sodium salicylate (600 mg) were studied identically in eight subjects. Prostanoid biosynthesis was not inhibited. 4. Biosynthesis of prostacyclin and TXA2 under basal conditions was studied in eight subjects by measuring 2,3-dinor-6-oxo-PGF1 alpha and 2,3-dinor-TXB2 in hourly urine samples obtained during and after intravenous infusion of aspirin and, on a separate occasion, of vehicle. 5. Aspirin infusion reduced urinary excretion of both metabolites greater than 90%, but excretion of 2,3-dinor-6-oxo-PGF1 alpha recovered more rapidly than did that of 2,3-dinor-TXB2. 6. We conclude that cyclo-oxygenase is rapidly synthesised in bradykinin-responsive tissues in vivo and that this reflects similarly rapid enzyme biosynthesis in tissues that produce PGI2 under basal conditions.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗

Local inhibition of converting enzyme and vascular responses to angiotensin and bradykinin in the human forearm.

1. The function of angiotensin converting enzyme was investigated in twenty-four healthy men. Forearm blood flow was measured under basal conditions and during administration of enalaprilat (a converting enzyme inhibitor) and/or peptide substrates of converting enzyme into the left brachial artery. Blood flow was compared in the two arms. 2. Enalaprilat had no effect on basal blood flow. The concentration of enalaprilat in venous blood from the control arm was low, and plasma renin activity was not increased, indicating that systemic inhibition of converting enzyme did not occur. 3. Effects of angiotensin and of bradykinin, administered intra-arterially, were limited to the infused arm. Enalaprilat (13 nmol min-1) inhibited converting enzyme in the infused arm, in which it caused approximately a 100-fold reduction in sensitivity to angiotensin I, while having no effect on the vasoconstriction caused by angiotensin II. Enalaprilat increased vasodilatation caused by bradykinin. 4. Aspirin, an inhibitor of cyclo-oxygenase, did not inhibit vasodilatation caused by bradykinin whether infused alone or with enalaprilat, indicating that these responses are not mediated by prostaglandins. 5. We conclude that under basal conditions neither conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II nor degradation of bradykinin determines resistance vessel tone in the human forearm. Converting enzyme may affect vascular tone in situations in which intravascular concentrations of peptides are increased over those present under basal conditions.

Adult↗

The effect of local angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition on the action of atrial natriuretic peptide in the human forearm.

It has been suggested that angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) may play a role in the metabolism of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), and that ANP may interfere with angiotensin-induced vasoconstriction. This has been investigated within the forearm vascular bed during local ANP infusion and ACE inhibition. Six normotensive volunteers were studied, each on two occasions. On both occasions, after saline infusion, volunteers were given initially a 20 min infusion of ANP at 0.1 microgram/min via the brachial artery. This was followed, after 20 min, by a second infusion of ANP at the same dose, co-infused with enalaprilat (5 micrograms/min) on one occasion, and placebo (saline) on the other (in random order). Forearm blood flow was measured using venous occlusion plethysmography with mercury-in-silastic strain gauges. Blood flow in the cannulated arm increased significantly during the first ANP infusion; by 52 +/- 15% before placebo (P less than 0.05), and by 41 +/- 8% before enalaprilat (P less than 0.005). This increase was similar with the second ANP infusion during co-infusion of either placebo (40 +/- 10%) or enalaprilat (45 +/- 11%). Enalaprilat did not affect the half-life of vasodilatation produced by ANP (t1/2 = 5 min). These studies in healthy subjects demonstrate no effect of local ACE inhibition on resting blood flow, or on the vasodilatation produced by ANP in the human forearm, and provide no evidence of a role of ACE in the metabolism of ANP in this vascular bed.

Adult↗

Vascular responses to local atrial natriuretic peptide infusion in man.

1. The effect on skin and muscle blood flow of arterial infusion of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) directly into the forearm circulation, and on venous tone of direct infusion into a dorsal hand vein, was studied in normal subjects. 2. ANP produced a dose-dependent increase in both skin and muscle blood flow, but at equivalent doses, produced no dilatation of noradrenaline-preconstricted dorsal hand veins. These findings indicate that ANP acting locally, is an arterioselective dilator in the upper limb circulation in normal man. 3. Measurements of ANP in venous plasma during arterial infusion suggest marked clearance of ANP across the forearm vascular bed. Such peripheral clearance may, at least in part, account for the short plasma half-life of this peptide. 4. The lowest dose of ANP infused was calculated to produce plasma levels similar to those found in patients with heart failure. The findings with this dose suggest that, in heart failure, circulating levels of ANP may be within a range capable of influencing peripheral vascular resistance directly.

Adult↗

Location of extra-adrenal catecholamine secreting tumours by selective venous sampling and nuclear magnetic resonance scanning.

Iodinated meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scanning is a safe non-invasive method for locating extra-adrenal paragangliomas. However, a positive result is dependent on the presence of an uptake mechanism in the tumour. We report two cases of MIBG negative intracranial catecholamine secreting tumours successfully located by selective venous sampling and nuclear magnetic resonance scanning.

3-Iodobenzylguanidine↗