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Biomedical subjects

M Friedman

Publications and source records attributed to M Friedman.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Prognostic significance of Bcl-2 expression in localized squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

This study was conducted to determine whether Bcl-2 overexpression in localized squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) might serve as a marker for tumors unlikely to respond to standard treatment. Tissue samples from 33 patients undergoing surgery or irradiation for early-stage SCCHN during the year 1977 to 1992 were stained for Bcl-2. All patients had either T1N0 lesions of the oral cavity, pharynx, or larynx or T1N0 or T2N0 lesions of the true vocal cords. Of the 33 patients, 26 remained disease-free after at least 3 years of follow-up; the remaining 7 patients developed either tumor recurrence or a second primary tumor, 4 of which were fatal. Twelve patients had tissue specimens staining positive for Bcl-2; 6 of these patients had a poor outcome, and 6 had a good outcome. The relationship between poor outcome and overexpression of Bcl-2 in tumor cells was statistically significant (p = .0047 by Fisher's exact test). For tumors overexpressing Bcl-2, there was no significant difference in recurrence rate between those undergoing surgery and those undergoing radiotherapy as the primary mode of treatment. The overexpression of Bcl-2 in early lesions in this study predicted a cure rate of 50%, as opposed to the generally expected 90%, suggesting that Bcl-2 is a significant prognostic indicator in early SCCHN. Future studies will determine if altering the treatment will improve outcome in these patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Use of radical prostatectomy among Medicare beneficiaries before and after the introduction of prostate specific antigen testing.

PURPOSE: We monitored the use of radical prostatectomy in medicare beneficiaries before and after the introduction of prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Radical prostatectomies performed on medicare beneficiaries between 1984 and 1995 were identified through the medicare claims data base. Medicare enrollment files were used to define the population at risk and age-adjusted rates were standardized to the 1990 United States medicare population. RESULTS: Rates of radical prostatectomy have steadily increased since 1984. A sharp increase in radical prostatectomy rates followed the institution of PSA testing after which a prominent decrease, particularly among older age groups, was evident. During the peak year of 1992 the age-adjusted rates of radical prostatectomy for white and black men 65 to 79 years old in the United States were 461.2 and 294.5/100,000 men. Between 1992 and 1995 the rates of radical prostatectomy among white men decreased by 22, 47 and 69% for patients 65 to 69, 70 to 74 and 75 to 79 years old, respectively. The corresponding changes among black men were +6, -18 and -47%, respectively. Differences in the age-adjusted rates between white and black men have narrowed in recent years, ranging from 166.7 (1992) to 29.7 (1995)/100,000 men. CONCLUSIONS: Recent years have been marked by a rapid increase in the use of radical prostatectomy, which peaked in 1992. Subsequent to 1992 a sharp decrease occurred, which was particularly evident in older and white men. Racial differences in the use of radical prostatectomy have narrowed in recent years.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Combined bronchodilator therapy in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death and disability. There is now a better understanding of the pathophysiology of COPD and of the effectiveness of various treatment strategies in controlling symptoms and progression of disease. Although cessation of smoking is of primary importance, the growing realization in recent years that airflow limitation in COPD can be significantly relieved with the use of bronchodilators has changed the clinical approach to treating this disease. As a result, inhaled bronchodilators have become the therapy of choice in new pharmacological treatment algorithms for COPD. Additionally, the improvement in airflow limitation seen with bronchodilators, if maintained by patient compliance, can result in an improved level of lung function. Inhaled beta 2-adrenergic agonists are effective bronchodilators with a relatively rapid onset of action. They may also have additional value in that they can increase mucociliary clearance in the airways. Inhaled anticholinergic bronchodilators, such as ipratropium bromide, have been shown to be more effective bronchodilators than beta 2-agonists in COPD; they are associated with a low incidence of side-effects and may decrease the number of pulmonary exacerbations. The use of the combination of these two classes of inhaled bronchodilators provides superior bronchodilation than treatment with either of the individual components without added side-effects or loss of the positive effects of ipratropium bromide including reduced exacerbation frequency and lack of tachyphylaxis. The use of combination therapy also improves cost-effectiveness and patient compliance. Combination therapy should be considered as an important component of a treatment algorithm of COPD.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗
PubMed1996

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition preserves endothelium-dependent coronary microvascular responses during short-term ischemia-reperfusion.

BACKGROUND: Chronic angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition initiated days to weeks after acute myocardial infarction can reduce ventricular dilatation and improve patient survival. However, the effects on coronary vascular and myocardial function of very early ACE inhibitor therapy for acute myocardial infarction remain unresolved. METHODS AND RESULTS: Hemodynamics, segmental shortening, coronary blood flow, and in vitro coronary microvascular relaxation responses were studied in noninstrumented control pigs (n = 8) and pigs subjected to 30 minutes of left anterior descending ischemia followed by administration of 30 mL IV normal saline (IR-saline, n = 8), 5 mg/kg IV captopril (IR-captopril, n = 6), or 1.5 mg/kg IV enalaprilat (IR-enalaprilat, n = 6) before 1 hour of reperfusion. Hemodynamics were similar at baseline, end of ischemia, and end of reperfusion. However, coronary blood flow immediately on reperfusion was significantly enhanced in the IR-enalaprilat cohort (59 +/- 10 mL/min) compared with the IR-saline group (32 +/- 3 mL/min, P < .05). Segmental shortening in the dyskinetic ischemic region improved only minimally at the end of reperfusion to 1 +/- 2%, -7 +/- 3%, and -2 +/- 6% for the IR-saline, IR-captopril, and IR-enalaprilat groups, respectively (P < .05, IR-captopril versus IR-saline). Arteriolar microvascular endothelium-dependent responses to ADP (P < .01) and calcium ionophore A23187 (P < .01) were impaired after ischemia-reperfusion, whereas bradykinin responses were preserved (P = .95). Endothelium-dependent venular responses to ADP and serotonin were maintained despite ischemia-reperfusion. Endothelium-independent responses to sodium nitroprusside were unaltered in arterioles and venules. Either captopril or enalaprilat restored ADP and A23187 arteriolar responses to control levels and increased bradykinin responses above control levels. CONCLUSIONS: Brief ischemia followed by reperfusion induces arteriolar microvascular endothelial dysfunction, while venular endothelial function is preserved in this porcine model. ACE inhibition enhances coronary blood flow at the time of reperfusion and can prevent impairment of endothelium-dependent arteriolar responses. However, ACE inhibition does not enhance ventricular segmental shortening acutely despite improved microvascular endothelial function and augmented postischemic coronary blood flow in this model of ischemia-reperfusion.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1996

A multicenter study of nebulized bronchodilator solutions in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

A multicenter, 85-day, double-blind, randomized study was conducted to compare the effects of a single-dose and chronic inhalation of ipratropium bromide solution (500 micrograms) to the beta-adrenergic agonist metaproterenol (5% solution, 15 mg) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Patients were required to have a relatively stable, moderately severe COPD, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) < 65% of predicted normal, FEV1 <70% of forced vital capacity (FVC), and a smoking history of > 10 pack-years. Following a 2-week baseline period, patients were randomized into either the ipratropium bromide (106 patients) or metaproterenol (107 patients) study groups. Pulmonary function testing was performed on days 1, 43, and 85. Secondary efficacy variables examined included peak expiratory flow rates, physician's global evaluation, quality of life, COPD symptom score, and use of concomitant medications. FEV1 was comparable between the two groups on day 1 (1.00 and 1.02 liters, ipratropium bromide vs metaproterenol, respectively; p = nonsignificant). The baseline FEV1 increased significantly in the ipratropium bromide group between day 1 and 43 by 10% (from 1.00 to 1.10 liters, p < 0.002) and remained 7% elevated on day 85 (1.07 liters) compared to day 1 (p < 0.02); it did not change in the metaproterenol group across all three test days. A clinically significant (> 15%) mean FEV1 response was observed on each of the 3 test days following drug inhalation in both treatment groups. The median duration of action was similar between groups (5 hours) on test day 1, but on day 85 the median duration for ipratropium bromide was r.5 hours compared to 3.0 hours for metaproterenol (p < 0.04). The secondary efficacy variables were uniformly better in the ipratropium bromide than the metaproterenol group. Side effects were infrequent and generally mild in both groups. These data suggest that the availability of a high-dose ipratropium bromide solution offers a safe and effective means of producing prolonged bronchodilation in patients with COPD.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1996

Cloning and expression of transaldolase from potato.

We have isolated a cDNA encoding transaldolase, an enzyme of the pentose-phosphate pathway, from potato (Solanum tuberosum). The 1.5 kb cDNA encodes a protein of 438 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 47.8 kDa. When the potato cDNA was expressed in Escherichia coli a 45 kDa protein with transaldolase activity was produced. The first 62 amino acids of the deduced amino acid sequence represent an apparent plastid transit sequence. While the potato transaldolase has considerable similarity to the enzyme from cyanobacteria and Mycobacterium leprae, similarity to the conserved transaldolase enzymes from humans, E. coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae is more limited. Northern analysis indicated that the transaldolase mRNA accumulated in tubers in response to wounding. Probing the RNA from various potato tissues indicated that the transaldolase mRNA accumulation to higher levels in the stem of mature potato plants than in either leaves or tubers. These data are consistent with a role for this enzyme in lignin biosynthesis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

The effect of angiotensin II on myosin heavy chain expression in cultured myocardial cells.

Angiotensin II (AII), the principal mediator of the renin-angiotensin system, is an important regulator of vascular and cardiac homeostasis. AII has also been shown to be a regulator of cardiac hypertrophy and of the corresponding changes in amount and composition of certain tissue proteins. We examined the trophic effects of AII on cultured myocytes derived from neonatal rat ventricles and followed, by Northern blot analysis and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the expression of alpha- and beta-myosin heavy chain iso-mRNAs and isoproteins. Our findings show that a single administration of AII is sufficient to induce a trophic response in cultured beating myocytes and to enhance the expression of beta-myosin heavy chain iso-mRNA and isoprotein, having no effect on alpha-myosin heavy chain. Induction of alpha-myosin heavy chain expression by thyroid hormone before AII was administered showed that AII could not potentiate a shift from alpha- to beta-myosin heavy chain predominance. We suggest that the potency of AII to regulate the expression of myosin heavy chain isogenes is restricted to the beta isoform and is overridden by thyroid hormone.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1996

Effect of type A behavioral counseling on frequency of episodes of silent myocardial ischemia in coronary patients.

Thirteen of 32 patients with coronary heart disease who also exhibited symptoms and signs of severe time urgency and hostility (the two overt components of type A behavior [TAB]) were found to exhibit multiple episodes of silent myocardial ischemia over a 48-hour period of Holter monitoring as indicated by electrocardiogram ST depressions. Ten of these 13 patients were given 14 months of TAB counseling in an attempt to diminish the intensity of their time urgency and hostility. The remaining three patients served as controls. After counseling, the intensity of the time urgency and hostility of the 10 counseled patients diminished 53% and 59%, respectively, as measured by the videotaped clinical examination. The time urgency and hostility of the three uncounseled control patients did not significantly change. The mean frequency of ischemic episodes in the 10 patients who received TAB counseling significantly declined from an initial 6.6 to 3.1 ischemic episodes per 24 hours. However, the mean frequency of ischemic episodes did not significantly decline in 2 of the 3 uncounseled patients. The third uncounseled patient developed a conduction defect in the 14-month interlude, making an analysis of his repeat 48-hour electrocardiogram for episodes of ST depression impossible.

Behavior Therapy↗
PubMed1996

A wheelchair cushion designed to redistribute sites of sitting pressure.

OBJECTIVES: Despite the diversity of wheelchair cushions currently in clinical use, pressure on bony prominences continues to be a major problem for wheelchair-bound patients, and the incidence of pressure ulcers remains high. No static surface has been reported to reduce resting pressure under the ischial tuberosities to below that of capillary pressure, which may well be the threshold for inducing tissue damage. An entirely new form of seating was designed to decrease absolute pressure using a prosthetic fitting technique analogous to a below-the-knee prosthesis. DESIGN: A repeated measures randomized design was used to test differences between the experimental (TCS) and three other standard cushions. SETTING: A Veterans Medical Center outpatient service. PATIENTS: Wheelchair-bound volunteer subjects, n = 47, were selected who weighed more than 60kg. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pressures were measured by a standard air pressure pad and also by a computer-linked array of pressure transducers. The grid was standardized and used to generate topographic maps for each site over time. These data were used to measure the seating interface pressures. RESULTS: There was a significant main effect of cushion over site, F = 131 for left ischial tuberosity. Pressure were lowest while patients sat on the experimental seat and differences were significant at all time points. Using 1psi as presumed capillary pressure, frequency of success at achieving this pressure threshold was greatest for the experimental seat, p < .001. This difference persisted throughout the 30 minutes of testing. CONCLUSIONS: A computerized pressure grid was developed that allowed evaluation of anatomically localized pressures. The prosthetically designed TCS displays lower seating pressures than any other cushion tested. Consistent and sustained pressures were below the postulated threshold for tissue damage.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Neutrophil adhesion blockade with NPC 15669 decreases pulmonary injury after total cardiopulmonary bypass.

BACKGROUND: Total cardiopulmonary bypass, in an ovine model, is associated with increased pulmonary thromboxane A2 production, cellular sequestration of white cells and platelets, transient pulmonary hypertention, and increased lung lymph flow and lymph protein clearance when compared with respective findings with partial cardiopulmonary bypass. This study evaluates the effect of neutrophil adhesion blockade on lung injury after cardiopulmonary bypass. METHODS: Two groups of anesthetized sheep were placed on total cardiopulmonary bypass without assisted ventilation. One group of seven sheep was treated before and during total cardiopulmonary bypass with the neutrophil adhesion blocker NPC 15669. A second group of seven sheep did not receive NPC 15669 treatment before total cardiopulmonary bypass. A third group of seven sheep was treated with NPC 15669 before initiation of partial cardiopulmonary bypass with continued assisted ventilation. Aortic occlusion and hypothermia were not used. After 90 minutes all sheep were separated from cardiopulmonary bypass, with resumption of assisted ventilation and pulmonary arterial flow. After 30 minutes the left atrial pressure was elevated mechanically. Hemodynamics, thromboxane A2 levels, platelet levels, and white blood cell and plasma protein concentrations were measured before cardiopulmonary bypass and afterwards at four 15-minute intervals. Samples were taken from the right and left atria simultaneously. Lung lymph protein levels and flow were measured before and after cardiopulmonary bypass at two 30-minute intervals. RESULTS: In the total cardiopulmonary bypass group not treated with NPC 15669 signs of lung injury developed after cardiopulmonary bypass. Animals treated with NPC 15669 did not manifest a similar degree of lung injury after either partial or total cardiopulmonary bypass. Increased pulmonary vascular resistance did not develop in treated sheep nor did sequestration of platelets or white blood cells occur. Despite the drug, increased pulmonary capillary permeability after total cardiopulmonary bypass persisted, but was reduced. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with unmodified total cardiopulmonary bypass, blockade of neutrophil adhesion with NPC 15669 reduces, but does not entirely eliminate, lung derangement after total cardiopulmonary bypass.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Feeding of potato, tomato and eggplant alkaloids affects food consumption and body and liver weights in mice.

Reduced liver weight was used to evaluate the potential toxicity in mice of four naturally occurring steroidal glycoalkaloids: alpha-chaconine and alpha-solanine, alpha-tomatine and solasonine. Increased liver weights was used to evaluate the three corresponding steroidal aglycones: solanidine, tomatidine, and solasodine and the non-alkaloid adrenal steroid dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Adult female Swiss-Webster mice were fed diets containing test compound concentrations of 0 (control), 1.2, 2.4 or 4.8 mmol/kg diet for 7, 14 or 28 d. Absolute liver weights (LW) and relative liver weights (liver weight/body weight x 100, %LW/BW) were determined at autopsy. The %LW/BW was lower than that of controls in mice fed the potato glycoalkaloid alpha-chaconine (-10%, P < or = 0.05) for 7 d with the 2.4 mmol/kg diet dose. Under these same conditions, %LW/BW was greater than that of controls in mice fed two aglycones: solanidine (27%, P < or = 0.001) and solasodine (8%, P < or = 0.01). Relative liver weight increases induced by the aglycones were determined under time and dose conditions in which differences in body weight and food consumption were not significant (2.4 mmol/kg diet for 28 d). Under these conditions, the observed %LW/BW increases relative to the controls were as follows: solanidine (32%, P < or = 0.001), solasodine (22%, P < or = 0.001) and DHEA (16%, P < or = 0.001). Solanidine, solasodine and DHEA were equally potent and were more potent than tomatidine. We also observed that the greater %LW/BW in mice fed 2.4 mmol/kg diet solasodine or solanidine for 14 d declined to near control values if they were fed control diets for another 14 d. The increase in relative liver weight induced by solanidine and solasodine is a reversible adaptive response. These findings and the apparent effects of structure on biological activity should serve as a guide for the removal of the most toxic ++compounds from plant foods. The implications of the results for food safety and health are discussed.

Alkaloids↗
PubMed1996

A survey of graduates in practice from the University of New Mexico's conventional and community-oriented, problem-based tracks.

PURPOSE: To survey graduates in practice from the first four classes of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine's (UNMSOM's) parallel curricular tracks, and compare data about the graduates' practice patterns, learning behaviors, and satisfaction with the profession of medicine. METHOD: Between 1979 and 1993, the UNMSOM had two tracks for the first two years of medical school: a conventional track and the Primary Care Curriculum (PCC), a community-oriented, problem-based track. In 1990, a survey was conducted of the 140 graduates from the first four classes (1983-1986) who had completed their postgraduate training: 40 from the PCC and 100 from the conventional track. Statistical methods included two-way analyses of variance, logistic regression, and chi-square, adjusted by Bonferroni methods. Comparisons between tracks are reported after adjustments were made for specialty effects. RESULTS: Thirty-three graduates (83%) from the PCC and 87 (87%) from the conventional tracks responded. The PCC graduates were much more likely to work in medically underserved areas, practice in publicly funded health care settings, and care for non-paying patients. The PCC graduates more often identified patient problems and curiosity as providing motivation for their learning. They more frequently studied clinical medicine and community health topics and spent time in community activities. The PCC graduates felt better prepared for practice by their undergraduate medical education. There was no difference between the graduates of the two tracks in the sizes of the populations in which they practiced, in the criteria they used for deciding on referrals to other physicians, in the ranges of community resource utilization, or in the degrees of satisfaction within their chosen professions. Large percentages of graduates from both tracks (67% conventional and 79% PCC) considered themselves to be practicing either primary care or a combination of primary care and non-primary care. In addition, 38% of all the graduates practiced in the state of New Mexico. More PCC graduates chose careers in family practice; however, no significant difference was found in a comparison between the proportions of PCC and conventional-track graduates who chose primary care careers. CONCLUSION: Track differences favorable to the PCC were evident in relation to the two major goals established by the program: to attract graduates to careers in primary care in rural and underserved areas and to provide graduates with self-directed, lifelong learning skills. Some expected track effects were not found.

Academic Medical Centers↗
PubMed1996

Endoscopic sinus surgery with partial middle turbinate resection: effects on olfaction.

Few studies have investigated the effects of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) on olfaction. In particular, the effect of surgical manipulation of the middle turbinate on olfaction has not been established. Using the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) and patient questionnaires, the authors performed a prospective study of olfaction in 64 patients undergoing ESS. Thirty-eight patients (59%) underwent partial middle turbinate resection; in the remaining 26 patients (41%), the middle turbinate was preserved. All patients were reevaluated approximately 8 weeks after surgery by endoscopic examination, questionnaire, and the UPSIT. Patients who underwent no resection had a median decrease in UPSIT score of 1.4, and those who underwent resection had a median decrease of 0.5; this difference was not statistically significant. Further, no correlation was found between changes in UPSIT score and follow-up time, sex of the patient, or the patient's subjective assessment of postoperative olfaction. It is concluded that middle turbinate resection has no effect on olfaction.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Bupivacaine for postoperative analgesia following endoscopic sinus surgery.

This prospective study was conducted to examine pain after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). The hypothesis was that a long-acting anesthetic agent would result in patients experiencing less pain in the 24-hour postoperative period and therefore needing fewer oral analgesics. We randomized 100 patients undergoing ESS to receive either lidocaine (1% or 2%) with epinephrine or bupivacaine (0.25% or 0.5%) with epinephrine as an anesthetic and for a sphenopalatine block. Postoperative pain was assessed with a standard numeric pain assessment scale at baseline and at 2, 6, and 24 hours after surgery. The use of analgesics during this period was also documented. We compared the results between patients receiving bupivacaine and those receiving lidocaine, as well as between patients who required nasal packing and those who did not. We discovered that in general, pain after ESS was less severe than expected. We further found that the type of anesthetic used did not significantly affect postoperative pain; pain score changes and use of analgesics were similar between the two anesthesia groups. Postoperative pain was also similar between the "packing" and "no packing" groups. Although patients receiving packing had consistently lower increases in pain (and in fact many patients in this group had decreases in pain from baseline), none of the differences between group means was statistically significant.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Measurement of the skin-cleaning effects of soaps.

BACKGROUND: In the past 30 years, many tests for assessing the irritancy of soaps have been introduced, but only very few tests for evaluating their cleaning properties. The urgent need for such a method is obvious. METHODS: The method is based on the principles developed by Schrader, with substantial modifications. As in Schrader's method, we used a fat-based ointment to emulate "dirt." The washing process was performed by placing the examined hand in a rotating soap solution for 5 minutes. The capacity of various soaps to remove the "dirt" was assessed by comparing the sebumeter readings before and after the washing process. The difference between the two readings provided a quantitative estimate of the percentage of "dirt" (ointment) that was washed off during the process. RESULTS: The cleansing capacity of two soaps was compared to that of water. Soap 1 showed a cleansing of 81.7 +/- 2.4%, soap 2 a cleansing of 75.3 +/- 2.9%, as compared to water of 29.7 +/- 3.4%. The curve representing the distribution of the data was very smooth, bell-shaped and symmetric about its mean. The difference between the cleaning activity of the two soaps tested was statistically significant (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: We have presented a new method for testing the cleansing capacity of soaps. We believe, that our method gives better results than that of Schrader; in particular, it enables us to discriminate more effectively among the various soaps. Our results indicate that the method is reliable and reproducible. It is also practical, easy to perform, does not require an expensive and complex washing machine, and can be carried out in every laboratory.

Fats↗
PubMed1996

Vascular endothelial growth factor administration in chronic myocardial ischemia.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent mitogen capable of stimulating angiogenesis. We examined the effect of VEGF administration in a model of chronic porcine myocardial ischemia. Nineteen pigs were instrumented with proximal left circumflex coronary artery (LCX) Ameroid constrictors. In eight animals VEGF (2 microgram) with heparin (50 U) was administered extraluminally to the LCX myocardium with an osmotic pump for 4 wk and 11 other animals served as controls. VEGF-treated animals demonstrated higher flow in the LCX territory during both rest and pacing compared with untreated controls (rest: 1.35 +/- 0.1 vs. 0.80 +/- 0.09 ml.min-1.g-1; pacing; 2.01 +/- 0.37 vs. 1.01 +/- 0.07 ml.min-1.g-1, P < 0.05, VEGF vs. controls). The observed improvement in regional coronary flow in VEGF-treated animals resulted in better preservation of endothelium-dependent microvessel relaxation as well as fractional LV shortening in the LCX territory during pacing in the VEGF-treated than in control animals (controls: 7.1 +/ 2.6 vs. 3.6 +/- 2.0%, rest vs. pacing; VEGF: 6.9 +/- 2.9 vs. 6.3 +/- 2.9%, rest vs. pacing). We conclude that VEGF administration in a gradual coronary occlusion model in pigs results in improvement of coronary flow and preservation of regional hemodynamics in the compromised myocardium.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Intralesional vinblastine for treating AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma of the oropharynx and larynx.

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), the most frequent malignant neoplasm associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, often involves the oropharynx and larynx. This study evaluated the efficacy of intralesional vinblastine sulfate injection in oropharyngeal and laryngeal KS. Twenty-four human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients with a total of 26 KS lesions were treated with injections of 0.1- or 0.2-mg/mL vinblastine sulfate solution. Subsequent injections were administered at 4- to 5-week intervals if necessary until the lesions resolved or stabilized. Complete regression was achieved in 16 lesions (62%), 20% to 50% reduction in 4 lesions (15%), and less than 20% reduction in 3 lesions (12%). Two lesions (8%) did not respond, and 1 (4%) grew despite the injections. Thirteen patients experienced no adverse effects. Eleven patients reported pain not relieved by acetaminophen; 5 of these 11 also had ulceration secondary to the injection. Both pain and ulceration were self-limiting. We conclude that vinblastine injection is a viable option for treatment of oropharyngeal and laryngeal KS lesions.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗