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Biomedical subjects

Y Levy

Publications and source records attributed to Y Levy.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Cefuroxime prophylaxis in biliary surgery: single versus triple dose.

The standard regimen for prophylaxis in bilary surgery consists of three doses of a first- or second-generation cephalosporin (one pre- and two postoperatively). The purpose of our study was to compare a single dose of cefuroxime (1.5 gi.v. on call to surgery) with the standard regimen (1.5 gi.v. on call to surgery followed by two additional doses of 750 mg i.v. each, 8 and 16 h after surgery). One hundred patients participated in the study, 44 in the single-dose group and 56 in the triple-dose group. These two groups did not differ with regard to sex, risk factors, duration of surgery, etc. The incidence of infection was 9% in the single-dose group and 7% in the triple-dose group. We conclude that one dose of cefuroxime is as effective as three for biliary surgery. This regimen would reduce the risk of side effects and/or suprainfections and the emergence of resistant strains of bacteria. It is also more convenient for the nursing staff and reduces the cost by one-half.

Cefuroxime↗
PubMed1993

Efficacy and safety of pravastatin once daily in primary moderate hypercholesterolemia: the Israeli experience.

Seventy-seven hypercholesterolemic patients participated in a 26-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study that investigated the efficacy and safety of pravastatin therapy. All patients had primary moderate hypercholesterolemia (total cholesterol 200-300 mg/dl, at the end of a 6-week dietary run-in period) and two additional coronary risk factors. Pravastatin, 20-40 mg/day given at bedtime, reduced total cholesterol by 19-22%, LDL-cholesterol by 24-30%, triglycerides by 10-30% and increased HDL-cholesterol by 9-13%. The drug caused mild elevation in alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase. Almost all these elevations were within normal limits and no patient was clinically symptomatic. No other significant differences were observed between the pravastatin and the placebo-treated groups with regard to other adverse effects and to patient compliance and withdrawal. It is concluded that pravastatin has a beneficial effect on the lipid profile and that the drug is safe and well tolerated.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Sutureless intestinal anastomosis with a biofragmentable anastomotic ring].

There have been efforts to develop an ideal method of intestinal anastomosis throughout medical history. In ancient China, Egypt and India living ants were used to approximate the transected edges of bowel. Many other devices and techniques have since been introduced, using organic or synthetic, nonabsorable or absorbable materials. Lately mechanical stapling devices have become exceedingly popular. The recently introduced biofragmentable anastomotic ring (BAR) is composed of an absorbable polyglycolic acid in 12.5% barium sulfate suspension to permit x-ray visualization. Prospective randomized studies have shown it to be both effective and safe as compared to conventional handsutured or stapled anastomosis. Its main advantages are simplicity and ease of handing, short operating time and the absence of foreign bodies at the anastomotic site that might interfere with imaging methods, such as CT or MRI. We present our preliminary, satisfactory experience with BAR in 14 patients with a mean age of 67 years. 8 underwent right colectomy, 2 left colectomy, 1 sigmoidectomy, 2 resection of upper rectum, 1 subtotal colectomy, 1 excision of a giant lymphoma of the cecum, and 1 had had recurrent bouts of volvulus of the sigmoid.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Penetration of ceftriaxone and cefoperazone into bile and gallbladder tissue in patients with acute cholecystitis.

The penetration of ceftriaxone and cefoperazone into bile and gallbladder tissue was prospectively studied in 21 adult patients undergoing early surgery for acute cholecystitis. Comparable tissue, bile, and serum concentrations of the drugs were demonstrable; however, significantly fewer preoperative doses of ceftriaxone were required for adequate perioperative treatment. In view of its higher serum half-life and superior antibacterial activity toward common biliary pathogens, ceftriaxone appears to be a useful drug for the perioperative management of acute cholecystitis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

Facet theory.

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Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1992

Effect of lovastatin on lipoprotein fluidity in patients with hypercholesterolaemia.

Lovastatin was administered to six hypercholesterolaemic patients (mean plasma cholesterol 450 mg dl-1). Plasma lipoproteins (VLDL, LDL, and HDL) were separated before and following 7 and 12 weeks treatment with lovastatin. Fluidity was quantified by fluorescence polarization measurements using 1,6-diphenyl 1,3,5 hexatriene (DPH) as the fluorescent probe. Lovastatin treatment resulted in a significant reduction of total plasma cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and VLDL cholesterol (-41%, -44%, -68%, respectively). Fluidity measurements showed significant (p < 0.01) increase in LDL fluidity by 11% and 21% after 7 and 12 weeks of lovastatin treatment, whereas, VLDL fluidity was increased by 27% after 12 weeks of therapy. HDL fluidity was not altered. These alterations in the fluidity of the atherogenic lipoproteins (LDL and VLDL) in hypercholesterolaemic patients may prove to be of significance in reducing the risk of atherosclerosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

The role of autologous blood stem cells in support of high-dose therapy for multiple myeloma.

During the last few years, high-dose therapy with hemopoietic stem cell support has become a well-admitted therapeutic option for young patients with MM. The role of allogeneic or autologous graft and of blood rather than bone marrow as the source of hemopoietic stem cells must be further investigated. Autologous PBSC transplantation has, however, both practical and theoretic advantages over allogeneic and autologous BMT: (1) It can be applied to most patients, especially if blood stem cells are collected early in the course of therapy. (2) It usually induces relatively rapid hematologic reconstitution. (3) In comparison with autologous BMT, it appears to minimize the hazard of the reinfusion of malignant cells.

Combined Modality Therapy↗
PubMed1992

Reduction of plasma cholesterol by lovastatin normalizes erythrocyte membrane fluidity in patients with severe hypercholesterolaemia.

The effect of lovastatin on erythrocyte membrane composition and fluidity was investigated in eight patients with severe hypercholesterolaemia (mean LDL-cholesterol of 7.2 mmol l-1). Lovastatin was administered at a dosage of 40-80 mg for 20 weeks and was discontinued for 5 weeks thereafter. Parallel to a 47% fall in plasma LDL cholesterol, there was a significant reduction (P < 0.01) in erythrocyte membrane cholesterol:phospholipid molar ratio, while erythrocyte membrane fluidity assessed by diphenylhexatriene (DPH) fluorescence polarization increased significantly (P < 0.01). Discontinuation of lovastatin resulted in the reversal of erythrocyte membrane composition and fluidity to pre-treatment values.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

A nonsense mutation in the LDL receptor gene leads to familial hypercholesterolemia in the Druze sect.

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant disease caused by mutations in the LDL receptor gene. Here we characterize an LDL receptor mutation that is associated with a distinct haplotype and causes FH in the Druze, a small Middle Eastern Islamic sect with a high degree of inbreeding. The mutation was found in FH families from two distinct Druze villages from the Golan Heights (northern Israel). It was not found neither in another Druze FH family residing in a different geographical area nor in eight Arab and four Jewish FH heterozygote index cases whose hypercholesterolemia cosegregates with an identical LDL receptor gene haplotype. The mutation, a single-base substitution, results in a termination codon in exon 4 of the LDL receptor gene that encodes for the fourth repeat of the binding domain of the mature receptor. It can be diagnosed by allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization of PCR-amplified DNA from FH patients.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Specific proliferative responses following the induction of experimental SLE in mice.

We have previously reported the induction of experimental systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in mice by immunization with a human monoclonal antibody that expresses a common anti-DNA idiotype (16/6 Id). Following immunization, antibodies directed against various nuclear autoantigens could be detected in the sera of the mice. In the present study, we investigated the proliferative responses of lymph node cells to one particular autoantigen (DNA) following the induction of experimental SLE. Cells reactive with ssDNA could be detected following immunization of BALB/c mice with the 16/6 Id. The appearance of these DNA-reactive cells succeeded the appearance of 16/6 Id-specific cells. The activation of this subset of autoreactive cells could be achieved only by the immunization of the mice with the 16/6 Id, but not by their immunization with DNA, thus suggesting that the induction of experimental SLE is associated with the alteration of the low responsive potential of the mice to DNA.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Interleukin-6 antisense oligonucleotides inhibit the growth of human myeloma cell lines.

IL-6 has been shown to be a plasmacytoma growth factor in mice and is believed to play a key role in the development of human multiple myeloma. We investigated the IL-6 requirements for the growth of two human myeloma cell lines, U 266 and RPMI 8226. These cell lines secreted minute amounts of IL-6 (20 U/ml) and featured IL-6 mRNA. IL-6 receptors were detectable at the surface of malignant cells by immunofluorescence. Antibodies to IL-6 did not alter the proliferation of these myeloma cells. There was a dose-dependent decrease, however, in [3H]-thymidine uptake in the presence of IL-6 antisense (and not sense) oligodeoxynucleotides; in the presence of 20 microM IL-6 antisense, an 80 and 95% inhibition of the proliferation of U 266 and RPMI 8226 cells was observed, respectively. These results provide strong evidence for an IL-6 autocrine proliferation of myeloma cells which may occur via internal interaction between IL-6 and the IL-6 receptor.

Base Sequence↗