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Biomedical subjects

S D Soni

Publications and source records attributed to S D Soni.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Dexamethasone suppression test and response to antidepressants in depressed mentally handicapped subjects.

Nineteen mentally handicapped subjects who were referred to the service with clinically significant depression were assessed with a view to determining the value of the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) in clinical diagnosis and in predicting response to antidepressant treatment. They were assessed initially and then 3 months after they had been treated with a tricyclic antidepressant. It was found that a significant proportion had an abnormal DST response which reversed after recovery in some but not in others. Non-reversal was more likely to occur in the more severely handicapped patients. It was concluded that DST was of little value as a diagnostic tool for the detection of depression in mentally handicapped subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Rationalizing neuroleptic polypharmacy in chronic schizophrenics: effects of changing to a single depot preparation.

This study investigated the effects of transferring patients on combined depot and oral neuroleptics to a single depot preparation; a secondary objective was to assess the effects of transferring patients from one depot neuroleptic to another. It was found that, whereas transferring from one depot preparation (flupenthixol) to another (fluphenazine) had no clear disadvantage for the patients, changing over from a combined oral and depot (fluphenazine) regimen to equivalent doses of depot alone resulted in an unacceptably high rate of relapse. The reasons for this may relate to either the unique pharmacokinetics of these drugs or subtle qualitative differences between them. It is suggested that caution is necessary whenever attempts are made to rationalize polypharmacy in schizophrenic patients.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1992

Differences between chronic schizophrenic patients in the hospital and in the community.

Clinical differences between stable, chronic schizophrenic patients with long stays in the hospital and schizophrenic patients living in the community were investigated. Patients were matched for age, gender, and diagnosis. Hospitalized patients had more severe thought disorder and negative symptoms, and those in the community had a significantly higher incidence of depression and anxiety. The community-based patients were also receiving higher doses of neuroleptic drugs and had a higher incidence and severity of extra-pyramidal side effects. Results suggest that living in the community, despite its obvious benefits, may have its price in terms of the distressing effects of affective symptoms and neuroleptic side effects.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1991

Large-scale purification and characterization of the major phosphoproteins and mucins of human submandibular-sublingual saliva.

The major components of human submandibular-sublingual saliva (HSMSL) are mucins, amylases, cystatins, proline-rich proteins and statherin. Structure-function studies of these molecules have been hampered by the small amounts of purified materials that can be isolated from human secretions. The present study describes an integrated purification protocol for the large-scale preparation of many of these molecules. To dissociate partially heterotypic complexes among salivary molecules, HSMSL was initially fractionated into four pools by gel filtration with 6 M-guanidine hydrochloride. Subsequent fractionation of these four pools by gel-filtration and ion-exchange chromatography resulted in the purification of high- and low-Mr mucins, neutral and acidic cystatins, acidic and basic proline-rich proteins and statherin. Many variants or isoforms of these salivary molecules have been identified and biochemically characterized. Biochemical studies indicated that the low-Mr mucin exists as two isoforms which vary in their sialic acid to fucose ratios. Three isoforms of acidic cystatin S were characterized which differ in their phosphate content. Two isoforms of a basic proline-rich peptide were identified; the smaller peptide was a truncated form missing the first seven amino acids.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

AIDS panic: effects of mass media publicity.

Twenty-four patients with AIDS panic, who presented to the psychiatric services between 1983 and 1986, were assessed on various clinical rating scales. The severity of clinical symptoms was estimated by adding together the total scores on Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety. The level of mass media publicity about AIDS was calculated by counting the number of major reports about the disease in national and local newspapers and on television. The findings suggested that, contrary to expectations, the referral rates of AIDS panic cases were highest in the earlier months when the level of media activity was low and decreased during the months following intense publicity about AIDS. Patients who presented in the later stages also showed fewer anxiety symptoms.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗
PubMed1991

Alcohol abuse in chronic schizophrenics: implications for management in the community.

This study was designed to investigate the effects of regular alcohol consumption on chronic schizophrenic patients maintained on fluphenazine decanoate in the community. A group of patients who consumed more than 20 units of alcohol per week was compared with those who did not drink or did so only occasionally. It was found that patients in the alcohol group had a higher frequency of previous relapses, a greater severity of positive symptoms and a lower incidence of extrapyramidal side effects except tardive dyskinesia for which there was no difference. Serum fluphenazine levels were lower in this group (NS). It was concluded that patients who regularly consume alcohol tend to be clinically unstable, perhaps because of poor therapeutic control.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Crystal structure and solution conformation of S,S'-bis(Boc-Cys-Ala-OMe): intramolecular antiparallel beta-sheet conformation of an acyclic cystine peptide.

The conformation of the acyclic biscystine peptide S,S'-bis(Boc-Cys-Ala-OMe) has been studied in the solid state by x-ray diffraction, and in solution by 1H- and 13C-nmr, ir, and CD methods. The peptide molecule has a twofold rotation symmetry and adopts an intramolecular antiparallel beta-sheet structure in the solid state. The two antiparallel extended strands are stabilized by two hydrogen bonds between the Boc CO and Ala NH groups [N...O 2.964 (3) A, O...HN 2.11 (3) A, and NH...O angle 162 (3) degrees]. The disulfide bridge has a right-handed conformation with the torsion angle C beta SSC beta = 95.8 (2) degrees. In solution the presence of a twofold rotation symmetry in the molecule is evident from the 1H- and 13C-nmr spectra. 1H-nmr studies, using solvent and temperature dependencies of NH chemical shifts, paramagnetic radical induced line broadening, and rate of deuterium-hydrogen exchange effects on NH resonances, suggest that Ala NH is solvent shielded and intramolecularly hydrogen bonded in CDCl3 and in (CD3)2SO. Nuclear Overhauser effects observed between Cys C alpha H and Ala NH protons and ir studies provide evidence of the occurrence of antiparallel beta-sheet structure in these solvents. The CD spectra of the peptide in organic solvents are characteristic of those observed for cystine peptides that have been shown to adopt antiparallel beta-sheet structures.

Cystine↗
PubMed1990

Steady-state pharmacokinetics of controlled release and immediate release formulations of remoxipride in patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Twenty-four stable, chronic schizophrenic inpatients were entered in a double-blind crossover study designed to compare single dose and steady state pharmacokinetic profiles of an immediate release formulation (IR) 200 mg BID and a controlled release formulation (CR) of remoxipride 400 mg once daily. The rate of absorption of remoxipride CR was significantly lower than the IR formulation and tmax was prolonged from 1.3 to 7.9 h after a single dose and from 2.2 to 6.0 h after repeated dosing. Although the single dose of remoxipride CR was twice as large as the single dose of the IR, the Cmax was similar for both formulations after a single dose. However, the Cmax at steady state was slightly lower for CR. There was significantly less fluctuation in plasma concentrations at steady state with the CR formulation, although the average plasma concentration of remoxipride IR and CR was similar. The mean relative bioavailability with regard to the amount of remoxipride absorbed after remoxipride CR 400 mg once daily compared to IR 200 mg BID was 97%. It was concluded that the CR formulation is suitable for a once-daily administration from a pharmacokinetic point of view.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Pharmacokinetics of an oral controlled release formulation of remoxipride: a double-blind, crossover comparison with conventional formulation in chronic schizophrenics.

Twenty-four stable, chronic schizophrenic inpatients were entered in a double-blind, crossover study designed to compare single-dose and steady-state pharmacokinetics of remoxipride immediate release (IR) 200 mg twice daily and controlled release (CR) 400 mg once daily. The CR formulation showed a significantly delayed absorption of remoxipride from the gastrointestinal tract. At steady state there was significantly less fluctuation in plasma concentrations. The other pharmacokinetic variables studied showed no difference. The mean relative bioavailability with regard to the amount of remoxipride absorbed after administration in CR form as compared with the IR form was 97%. Both formulations were well tolerated and there was no difference in either the incidence or the severity of adverse events. It was concluded that, from a pharmacokinetic point of view, the CR formulation of remoxipride was suitable for a once daily dosage schedule.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1990

Pharmacokinetics of remoxipride in elderly psychotic patients.

The pharmacokinetics of remoxipride when given as single doses of 50 mg and repeated doses of 50 mg, 100 mg, and 200 mg twice daily to 10 elderly psychotic patients (71-89 years) were compared with the findings of two other studies to reveal any age-related differences. The three studies comprised a total of 38 patients in three distinct age groups: elderly (71-89 years), middle-aged (46-69 years) and young (19-36 years). AUC, Cmax and Cmin of both total and unbound remoxipride increased with increasing age. The unbound fraction was similar in the three age groups. The half-life was prolonged in the elderly, most probably caused by a decrease in intrinsic clearance. A two-fold increase in AUC of both total and unbound concentrations was observed in the elderly group compared to the young, suggesting that patients over 70 years in general require half the dose needed by young adult patients. In general, the pharmacokinetics of remoxipride in the elderly are linear.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Dexamethasone suppression test in dementia and depression. Clinical and biological correlates.

To determine the usefulness of the DST in differentiating depression from dementia, the test was administered to three diagnostic groups of psychogeriatric patients: depression; dementia; and dementia with depression. Clinical assessments were supplemented by ratings on the HRSD and SCAG, as well as by EEG and CT. All three groups showed a high incidence of abnormal DST results unrelated to presence or severity of affective symptoms, but showing a better association with SCAG and its 'organic' subsets. The mechanism(s) underlying these abnormal results may reflect organic brain disease. The usefulness of the DST in differentiating depression from dementia in the elderly was not confirmed.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Dexamethasone suppression test and response to antidepressant therapy in psychogeriatric patients.

Senile dementia patients show a high incidence of abnormal Dexamethasone Suppression Test (DST) which has been suggested to reflect the presence of atypical or subclinical depression; this study was designed to test this hypothesis. Thirty-six patients, diagnosed as suffering from dementia and/or depression on the DSM-III criteria, participated in the study. They were divided into three groups. dementia (12), depression (12) and dementia with depression (12). The results indicated that although patients with depression alone responded well to antidepressant therapy, no improvement occurred in patients with dementia. Demented patients who had clinical depression also showed a poor response. The response to treatment was unrelated to the DST status of the patients. It is concluded that abnormal DST in dementia patients is not indicative of a masked affective state, and antidepressants have no place in the management of dementia patients who have a positive DST but no overt affective symptoms.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Plasma levels of fluphenazine decanoate. Effects of site of injection, massage and muscle activity.

Depot neuroleptics are now commonly used for maintenance therapy of schizophrenia. Their physicochemical composition makes them ideal for such use because they are long-acting and show stable blood levels for prolonged periods. Their absorption from the site of injection may, however, be affected by local muscle factors. This paper describes three such factors in relation to fluphenazine decanoate: varying the site of injection; massage of the injection site; and effects of muscular exercise. Our results suggest that fluphenazine pharmacokinetics are not significantly affected by any of these factors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

AIDS panic.

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Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗