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Biomedical subjects

M Goldstein

Publications and source records attributed to M Goldstein.

At least 631 records · Page 35Linked to original sources

Lergotrile in Parkinson disease: further studies.

Lergotrile was administered to 53 patients with advanced Parkinson disease (PD), who had increasing disability despite optimal treatment with levodopa/carbidopa (Sinemet). Thirty-nine patients who could tolerate at least 20 mg per day lergotrile (thus considered "adequately treated") had significant descreases in rigidity, tremor, bradykinesia, gait disturbance, and total score without increased involuntary movements. Twenty-one of these 39 patients improved by at least one stage. Among the 39 patients, 23 had "on-off" effects, and in 13 of these the "on-off" effects decreased on lergotrile. The mean daily dose of lergotrile in adequately treated patients was 49 mg, permitting a 10 percent reduction in the dose of levodopa. Lergotrile was discontinued in 33 of the 53 patients because of adverse effects, including hepatotoxicity (11 patients), mental changes (12 patients) and orthostatic hypotension (8 patients). Although lergotrile, when added to levodopa, has a definite antiparkinsonian effect, the incidence of adverse effects, particularly hepatotoxicity, makes it unlikely that this ergot alkaloid will become widely available for the treatment of PD. Analogues of lergotrile have been synthesized, and it is hoped that they will duplicate the antiparkinsonian effect of this drug without its toxicity.

Aged↗

Bromocriptine in Parkinson disease: further studies.

Bromocriptine was administered to 66 patients with advanced Parkinson disease (PD) and increasing disability despite optimal treatment with levodopa/carbidopa (Sinemet). Forty-five patients tolerated at least 25 mg per day of bromocriptine (the "adequately treated" group) in addition to Sinemet and had significantly decreased rigidity, tremor, bradykinesia, gait disturbance, and total score, but increased involuntary movements. Twenty-five of these 45 patients improved by at least one stage. Among the 45 patients, 27 had "on-off" effects, and in 19 the "on-off" effects decreased on bromocriptine. The mean dose of bromocriptine in adequately treated patients las 47 mg, permitting a 10 percent reduction in the dose of levodopa. Twelve adequately treated patients received bromocriptine for at least 1 year, and 8 continued for longer than this. Bromocriptine was discontinued in 29 of 66 patients because of adverse effects, including mental changes (14 patients) and involuntary movements (9 patients). All adverse effects were reversible. Despite adverse effects, expense, and scarcity, bromocriptine, when added to levodopa, is useful in patients with advanced disease who no longer respond satisfactorily to levodopa, and for whom no other treatment is available.

Adult↗

Methodological problems arising from the choice of an independent variable in linear regression, with application to an air pollution epidemiological study.

In epidemiological studies using linear regression, it is often necessary for reasons of economy or unavailability of data to use as the independent variable not the variable ideally demanded by the hypothesis under study but some convenient practical approximation to it. We show that if the correlation coefficient between the "practical" and "ideal" variables can be obtained, then a range of uncertainty can be obtained within which the desired regression coefficient of dependent on "ideal" variable may lie. This range can be quite wide, even if the practical and ideal variables are fairly well correlated. These points are illustrated with data on observed regression coefficients from an air pollution epidemiological study, in which pollution measured at one station in a large metropolitan area (containing 40 aerometric stations) was used as the practical approximation to the city-wide average pollution. The uncertainties in the regression coefficients were found to exceed the regression coefficients themselves by large factors. The problem is one that may afflict application of linear regression in general, and suggests caution when selecting independent variables for regression analysis on the basis of convenience, rather than relevance to the hypotheses tested.

Air Pollution↗

Aplastic anemia following infectious mononucleosis: possible immune etiology.

A 17-year-old female developed severe aplastic anemia following serologically proven infectious mononucleosis. In vitro studies, using the granulocyte colony forming technique, suggested that the aplasia may have resulted from an immune mechanism. The patient's marrow grew no granulocyte colonies and caused inhibition of colony formation when mixed with normal marrows. The patient recovered fully after therapy with antithymocyte globulin and marrow cultures showed disappearance of the inhibitory effect. These observations suggest that the severe aplasia may have resulted from an aberrant immune response which followed infection by EB virus.

Adolescent↗

Bullous retinal detachment associated with renal failure: case report.

A case of bilateral bullous retinal detachment in a patient with long-standing disseminated lupus erythematosus is presented. Although several authors have reported the presence of bullous retinal detachment in association with chronic renal disease, in no other case have the ocular findings preceded the onset of frank renal failure. The etiology of nonrhegmatogenous detachment and uveal effusion in association with chronic renal disease was discussed and the possible contributory role of hypertension, electrolyte imbalance, and renal glomerular malfunction was investigated. The additional finding of late onset bilateral keratoconus is, in all probability, unrelated to the patient's retinal findings, though it is a major factor in her present visual morbidity. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First-ly, to alert the ophthalmologist to the possible development of bullous retinal detachment in patients with chronic renal disease, and secondly, to alert the internist to the possibility of impending renal failure in patients with such bilateral nonrhegmatogenous detachments.

Adult↗

VIP-, enkephalin-, substance P- and somatostatin-like immunoreactivity in neurons intrinsic to the intestine: immunohistochemical evidence from organotypic tissue cultures.

Small intestine from 18-day fetal mice grown for 3 weeks in organotypic tissue culture was found to contain numerous VIP, enkephalin, substance P and some somatostatin immunoreactive nerve fibers. Since these cultures should be devoid of all afferent or other extrinsic neuronal inputs, it is concluded that there are VIP, enkephalin, substance P and somatostatin containing neurons intrinsic to the intestinal wall. However, all 4 peptides may also be present in neurons originating outside the gastrointestinal tract as well as in the intrinsic neurons.

Animals↗

Liquid protein diets and torsade de pointes.

Three women, aged 27, 33, and 35 years, experienced recurrent syncope five months after losing 36 to 41 kg using liquid protein diets. No abnormalities were noted during physical examination except in one who was hypothyroid. Serum potassium levels varied between 2.9 and 3.9 mEq/liter. The ECGs demonstrated prominent U waves, QUc prolongation, and ST and T wave abnormalities, with left axis deviation in two patients. Syncopal episodes were due to ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation, which were not responsive to conventional antiarrhythmic agents used in two patients. Patients using liquid protein diets may thus experience reversible QUc prolongation giving rise to serious arrhythmias that are probably best treated with drugs that shorten the QTc interval. Caution should be exercised in the use of liquid protein diets for weight reduction in obesity.

Adult↗

The interpretation of phlebograms using fibrinogen labeled with 99 mTc.

A new method for the detection of deep-vein thrombosis is presented, consisting of a single antecubital injection of fibrinogen labeled with 99mTc. This atraumatic procedure allows one to visualize the large veins of the lower limbs, the venae iliacae and the distal part of the vena cava inferior. This paper discusses how to interpret these phlebograms.

Fibrinogen↗

Activation of rat pheochromocytoma tyrosine hydroxylase by a cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase in a cell-free system.

Short term exposure of PC-12 cells to dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dB-cAMP) results in an activation of tyrosine hydroxylase. In the cell-free system the PC-12 tyrosine hydroxylase activity is stimulated by addition of c-AMP, Mg+2 and ATP. Exogenous c-AMP dependent protein kinase further stumulates tyrosine hydroxylase activity. The kinetic data suggests that the PC-12 tyrosine hydroxylase in the basal state is in a non-phosphorylated form but under phosphorylating conditions the enzyme is activated and its kinetics properties are altered.

Cell Line↗