Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

N Wright

Publications and source records attributed to N Wright.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Pharmacology of cefotaxime and its desacetyl metabolite in renal and hepatic disease.

The pharmacology of cefotaxime and the metabolite desacetyl cefotaxime was studied in 40 patients with various degrees of renal and hepatic failure who received 0.5 or 1 g of cefotaxime intravenously. Patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance, 3 to 10 ml/min) had a cefotaxime serum half-life of 2.6 h and desacetyl cefotaxime serum half-life of 10.0 h. The equivalent figures were 1.0 and 1.5 h, respectively, in subjects with normal renal function. The presence of an acute coexisting illness together with severe renal impairment was associated with a further prolongation of the serum half-lives. Hepatic dysfunction was accompanied by a reduction in desacetyl metabolite formation. A reduction of cefotaxime dosing to 0.5 g twice a day would appear prudent when the creatinine clearance is 5 ml/min or less to avoid accumulation of the parent compound and the metabolite.

Cefotaxime↗

Clonidine overdose in children.

Three cases of clonidine overdosage are described. The clinical features were typical of those described in the literature. Though all three patients were severely poisoned, treatment was supportive except for intravenous atropine. Other more aggressive treatment regimen are discussed but it is emphasized that these are rarely, if ever, required.

Child, Preschool↗

Predicting outcome of paracetamol poisoning by use 14C-aminopyrine breath test.

The 14C-aminopyrine (14C-amidopyrine) breath test, carried out within 24-36 hours of an overdosage of paracetamol, was used to predict the extent of liver damage in 30 seriously poisoned patients. Mean 14CO2 excretion was 4.4% in 20 healthy control subjects; 5.5% in six patients who escaped injury; and 2.9%, 1.5%, and 0.2% in those with mild to moderate (12 patients), severe (eight patients), and fatal (four patients) liver damage respectively. This test proved to be a more reliable predictor of the extent of liver damage than plasma paracetamol concentration or half life or the results of conventional liver function tests and may enable treatment of hepatic failure to be started at an early stage.

Acetaminophen↗

Measurement of human fetal blood flow.

Real-time B-mode ultrasonography was combined with a pulsed Doppler ultrasound technique for transcutaneous measurement of human fetal blood flow in the aorta and intra-abdominal part of the umbilical vein. The target vessel was located and its diameter measured in the two-dimensional real-time image. The pulsed Doppler transducer was attached to the real-time transducer at a fixed angle. By processing the Doppler shift signals the instrument estimated the mean and maximum blood velocities and the integral under the velocity curves. This permitted calculation of the blood flow. The method was applied to 26 fetuses in normal late pregnancies. Mean blood flow in the descending part of the fetal aorta based on maximum velocity was 191 ml/kg/min. Mean flow in the intra-abdominal part of the umbilical vein was 110 ml/kg/min. This method of measurement is non-invasive and opens new perspectives in studying fetal haemodynamics.

Aorta, Thoracic↗