Biomedical subjects

K Sugi

Publications and source records attributed to K Sugi.

148 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Safety study of lazabemide (Ro19-6327), a new MAO-B inhibitor, on cardiac arrhythmias and blood pressure of patients with Parkinson's disease.

To evaluate whether lazabemide has proarrhythmic or hypotensive potency in Parkinson's disease (PD), we conducted an 8-week, double-blind, placcbo-controlled, parallel group study with use of 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring. Fifty-one patients with PD who did not have clinically apparent heart disease were randomized in a double-blind fashion to receive either lazabemide (n = 25) or placebo (n = 26) treatments. Lazabemide therapy did not induce clinically significant arrhythmias. A paroxysmal atrioventricular (AV) block, which progressed from first-degree AV block, was found in one patient in the lazabemide group. This was determined not to be a new AV block. However, the causality of lazabemide in prolongation of the pause was not ruled out completely. In addition, the asymptomatic fall in systolic blood pressure seen 3 minutes after standing up was observed to be more pronounced in the lazabemide group than in the placebo group. The mean decrease of systolic blood pressure was 10 mmHg greater in the lazabemide group than in the placebo group. In conclusion, lazabemide did not induce any clinically significant arrhythmias in patients without clinically apparent heart disease. However, it may increase the asymptomatic, orthostatic drop in systolic blood pressure.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cost effectiveness of radiofrequency catheter ablation versus medical treatment for paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia in Japan.

This study evaluated the cost of performing radiofrequency catheter ablation in Japanese patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia refractory to antiarrhythmic drug therapy in comparison with the cost of continuing pharmacologic treatment. Twenty patients (mean age 44 +/- 14 years) underwent successful ablation: 15 patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and five with atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia. The mean duration of symptoms was 77 +/- 60 months. The patients had been treated with 2.6 +/- 1.7 antiarrhythmic drugs before undergoing ablation. Charges derived from hospital bills were compared with the outpatient charges for the year before ablation. The mean hospital stay for the ablation procedure was 4.3 +/- 0.5 days. The mean total charge for ablation was 982,806 yen +/- 103,195, and 5.7 +/- 0.7 times the outpatient charges in the previous year. The majority of radical cure charges were the costs of the electrode catheters used in the ablation procedure. All patients had a successful outcome and required no additional antiarrhythmic drug therapy. If medical treatment were continued without ablation, the mean total life-expectancy charges were estimated at 7,064,726 yen +/- 3,116,621, 41.0 +/- 19.2 times the outpatient charges. The total life charges of medical treatment were significantly more than the total ablation charges (p < 0.001). This study suggests that radiofrequency catheter ablation is of clinical benefit in treating paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, and markedly reduces the cost of definitive therapy. This strategy appears to be more economical than pharmacologic treatment.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cell-specific induction of hsp72-mediated protection by glutamine against oxidant injury in IEC18 cells.

Glutamine is a major metabolic fuel and trophic agent for intestinal epithelial cells that can enhance intestinal epithelial cell survival against oxidant and thermal stress, possibly through the induction of heat shock protein 72 (hsp72). In this study, we examined the possibility of a direct causal relationship and tissue specificity of glutamine-induced hsp72. Glutamine treatment of intestinal (epithelial) IEC18 cells, but not HeLa (epidermoid) cells, induces the production of hsp72 in a concentration-dependent fashion, without affecting the expression of the constitutively expressed heat shock protein, hsc73. To determine the specific role that hsp72 induction by glutamine plays in resistance of IEC18 cells to oxidant injury, stable transfected cells expressing an hsp72 antisense construct were established. Although thermal induction of hsp72 was blocked only partially by the antisense construct, glutamine induction of hsp72 was completely inhibited. This was associated with a loss of the protective effects of glutamine against oxidant-induced stress. Thus, glutamine specifically induces hsp72 in intestinal epithelial cells, which mediates cell protection against inflammation-induced stress such as oxidants.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Isolated lung perfusion with cisplatin in a rat lung solitary tumor nodule model.

BACKGROUND: The present study was conducted to evaluate the toxicity, pharmacokinetics and anti-tumor potency of isolated lung perfusion (ILP) with cisplatin in a visible lung tumor nodule model in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A solitary tumor nodule was established by the injection of Methylcholanthrene-induced sarcoma cells into the left lung. Thirty rats were randomized to undergo ILP with either 0.1, 0.25, or 0.5 mg/mL cisplatin and buffered hespan (BHE), or with an intravenous injection of 1.0 or 2.5 mg cisplatin. RESULTS: The highest dose of cisplatin tolerated by the rats was 0.1 mg/mL for perfusion. A much higher platinum concentration in the tumor, of 6.67 +/- 1.64 vs. 2.51 +/- 0.60 micrograms/g tissue, but a significantly lower concentration in the serum and kidneys, was achieved by perfusion compared to that achieved by intravenous injection. A significantly lower tumor weight and 20% complete treatment response was achieved in rats given cisplatin than in those given BHE perfusion at 43.9 +/- 11.6 vs. 226.3 +/- 44.6 mg. CONCLUSION: ILP with cisplatin achieved superior results to intravenous injection according to the levels of toxicity and pharmacokinetic analysis, and it was effective against a visible tumor nodule model in rats.

Animals↗