Response to doxorubicin/methotrexate/fluorouracil in advanced adenocarcinoma of pancreas or biliary tract.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M Valtonen.
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A cluster of seven febrile and severely neutropenic patients who developed Clostridium tertium septicemia during a 13-month period is described. The patients had received third generation cephalosporins for 7 to 13 days (mean 9 days) at the time Clostridium tertium was isolated from blood cultures. Two patients had perirectal and one patient pericaecal cellulitis. The organism was also isolated from bronchial secretions in one patient. No patient had diarrhea. Five of six strains tested were resistant to clindamycin (MIC 2-8 micrograms/ml), and six of seven strains moderately resistant to penicillin (MIC 1-4 micrograms/ml). In one patient Clostridium tertium grew from blood cultures although metronidazole had been administered for two days. Six patients recovered on antibiotic therapy. In view of the unusual susceptibility pattern of Clostridium tertium, an accurate diagnosis of infection with this organism is important for the choice of an appropriate antimicrobial treatment.
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An infusion of propofol was compared with intravenous boluses of diazepam as sedation for minor oral surgery under local anaesthesia in 12 healthy patients who had elective bilateral surgical extraction of lower third molars; the patients served as their own controls. Plasma catecholamine, vasopressin and cortisol concentrations were determined from repeated blood samples. The total administered dose of propofol was 3.93 (SD 1.34) mg/kg and of diazepam 0.28 (SD 0.07) mg/kg. No cardiovascular depression or airway problems occurred. Other side effects were also rare but some discomfort on injection was frequent with propofol. Recovery times were faster after propofol than after diazepam as assessed by the Maddox wing and visual analogue scales. Propofol also provided better amnesia compared to diazepam at the time of the extraction of the teeth. Eight of the 12 patients subjectively preferred propofol sedation. There was no hormonal stress response in either group.
Propofol 2.5 mg/kg was compared with thiopentone 5 mg/kg as an induction agent for elective Caesarean section. Thirty-two healthy women with cephalopelvic disproportion were included in an open randomised study. The placental transfer of propofol was also studied in 10 other mothers given a single dose of 2.5 mg/kg. The induction characteristics and haemodynamic response to propofol and thiopentone were similar. Side effects were rare with both agents, but propofol caused more discomfort on injection compared to thiopentone. Recovery times were shorter after propofol as evaluated by time to orientation, recovery scoring after anaesthesia and measurements with the Maddox wing. Rapid placental transfer and significant fetal uptake were detected for propofol. There was no significant neonatal depression as assessed by Apgar scores and blood gas analyses. Propofol appears to be a suitable alternative to thiopentone as an induction agent for anaesthesia in elective Caesarean section.
The efficacy of lignocaine (1%) mixed with propofol in reducing pain on injection with propofol was studied in 40 children undergoing elective surgery in a double-blind, randomized comparison with glucose (5%). The pharmacokinetics of propofol in a single dose of 2.5 mg/kg was also studied in eight children participating in the same study. Lignocaine (1 mg) significantly reduced pain on injection compared to the control group (P less than 0.001). The induction characteristics of propofol were not affected by the lignocaine, and no undesirable interaction was found between the two drugs. The first-stage elimination half-life (t1/2 beta) of propofol in children was shorter (mean 9.3 +/- 3.8 (s.d.) min) than the values found in adults. This pharmacokinetic alteration may have clinical significance following repeated administration or continuous infusion of propofol.
Propofol (2,6-di-isopropylphenol) 1.5-2.0 mg/kg i.v. was compared with thiopentone 3.0-4.0 mg/kg i.v. as an induction agent in anaesthesia for computerised tomography (CT) of the brain in children. Both induction agents were combined with diazepam 0.2 mg/kg i.v. Thirty children (ASA physical status I-II) aged 3 to 10 years and scheduled for elective examination were included in the randomized study. The haemodynamic response to propofol and thiopentone did not differ between the groups. Spontaneous respiration was retained in all patients and no ventilatory support was required during anaesthesia. The incidence of side-effects did not differ between the groups. Pain on injection with propofol was rare (n = 1) after mixing 1 ml lignocaine (1%) with propofol prior to induction. The recovery times were significantly shorter in the propofol than in the thiopentone group. Propofol appears to be a promising alternative for use in short day-case anaesthesia for CT scanning in children.
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Propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol) 2.5 mg.kg-1 IV was compared with thiopentone 5 mg.kg-1 IV as an induction agent in anaesthesia for elective cardioversion. Thirty-five patients (ASA physical status II-III) with atrial fibrillation were included. Thirty patients were randomized to receive propofol or thiopentone. Five patients were treated twice during the study period and anaesthetized with both agents (the first treatment according to the random order and the second with the agent not used on the first occasion). The induction characteristics and the haemodynamic response for propofol and thiopentone were similar. The success rate of cardioversion did not differ between the groups. Recovery times were shorter after propofol than after thiopentone with respect to ocular muscle balance, central integration and subjective sedation of patients. The incidence of side-effects did not differ between the groups. None of the patients reported any awareness during the procedure. All five patients treated twice (with both agents) assessed the anaesthetic procedure with propofol as being more pleasant than that with thiopentone.
The structure of the polysaccharide chains that constitute the O antigen on the surface of Salmonella bacteria determines the rate of complement activation and C3b deposition on the bacteria. A fast-activating O antigen causes rapid C3-dependent opsonization of the bacteria injected intraperitoneally; as a consequence, the bacteria are taken up and killed by the resident peritoneal macrophages, and their virulence is low. A slow-activating O antigen protects the bacteria from opsonization in the peritoneal cavity, and is associated with higher virulence. However, if injected intravenously bacteria with either O-antigenic type are equally virulent; in the high complement concentration of the blood they become opsonized and taken up by macrophages in the liver and spleen, which are unable to kill them but instead provide a protected site for multiplication.
Propofol 2.5 mg/kg was compared with thiopentone 5 mg/kg in a randomised open study, as an induction agent in paediatric anaesthesia. One hundred and twenty children who were to undergo elective surgery were included in the study. Both propofol and thiopentone produced a rapid and smooth induction with a low incidence of side effects. A similar decrease (10%) in mean arterial pressure was observed with both agents, but propofol showed better suppression of the haemodynamic response to tracheal intubation. Respiratory upsets occurred less frequently with propofol than with thiopentone, but propofol frequently induced discomfort on injection. Both agents provided satisfactory and controllable induction of anesthesia and no major adverse reactions occurred during or after anaesthesia. We conclude that propofol is a useful alternative as an induction agent in children.
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The present study compares the clinical efficacy and side-effects of amoxycillin in two groups of children at the age of six years or less randomly assigned to amoxycillin therapy 40 mg/kg/day either two or three times daily for the clinical diagnosis of acute respiratory tract infections. Both treatment groups were comparable according to age, sex, weight and additional treatment. Acute otitis media occurred in 152 out of 187 (81%) patients receiving amoxycillin three times daily, and in 153 out of 180 (85%) patients with a twice daily dosage schedule. A clinical diagnosis of acute bronchitis was made in 55 cases (29%) in the former group and in 59 cases (33%) in the latter group. In the patient group with twice daily dosage schedule, 82% of the patients with otitis media were cured. The corresponding figure in the thrice daily group was 86%. On the basis of the disappearance of the symptoms and the improvement of the signs the overall results are equally good in both treatment groups. The number of side-effects of amoxycillin was equal in both groups, 6.4% and 6.7% respectively. Exanthem was the most frequent side-effect. No serious side-effects occurred. Our results indicate that the same total daily dose of amoxycillin given either three times daily or two times daily is comparably effective and tolerated in children with acute respiratory infections, e.g. acute otitis media and acute bronchitis.
During 7 successive months in 1982 and 1983 blood and semen samples were taken from male mink. The patterns of testosterone development in sterile and fertile males were readily distinguishable from each other. Testosterone concentrations showed a clear correlation (r = 0.73) with sperm quality of mink males. High testosterone levels (16.0-24.5 ng/ml) in early February were associated with defective sperm quality in March and low testosterone levels (2.0-13.3 ng/ml) with good sperm quality.