Pharmacologic effects of peripheral vasodilators in patients with secondary pulmonary hypertension

A single dose of capoten (25 mg) and prazosin (I mg) was given to 82 patients with stable pulmonary hypertension and chronic non-specific pulmonary diseases and to 34 patients with the above condition and arterial hypertension. Systolic and diastolic pressure in the system of the pulmonary artery and total pulmonary and total peripheral resistance were decreased; capoten exhibited more pronounced hypotensive effect. Unidirectional changes were revealed in the course treatment. Combined use of capoten, prazosin and euphilline produced the additional hypotensive effect on pulmonary circulation. Capoten and prazosin had no direct broncholytic effect.     

Die Gebietsbezeichnung “Herzchirurgie” ist eine neue Arztbezeichnung i. S. des § 23 Abs. 4 WBO

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

The influence of CYP2C9 genetic polymorphism on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of warfarin in patients with constant atrial fibrillation

CYP2C9 is the main enzyme participating in warfarin metabolism, of which genetic polymorphism is typical. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of having allelic variants CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C9*3 on the pharmacokinetics, dosage regimen, and the rate of hemorrhage in patients with constant atrial fibrillation taking warfarin. Eighty-two patients with constant atrial fibrillation taking warfarin were included in the study. It was shown that in patients with CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C9*3 the clearance of warfarin and its dose were lower, while the episodes of excessive hypocoagulation and hemorrhage associated with warfarin were more frequent than in patients without these allelic variants. Basing on the results of the study, the authors propose an algorithm of choosing the initial warfarin dose depending on CYP2C9 genotype.     

Analysis of serious non‐AIDS events among HIV‐infected adults at Latin American sites

Objective

Acquired immune deficiency appears to be associated with serious non‐AIDS (SNA)‐defining conditions such as cardiovascular disease, liver and renal insufficiency and non‐AIDS‐related malignancies. We analysed the incidence of, and factors associated with, several SNA events in the LATINA retrospective cohort.

Materials and methods

Cases of SNA events were recorded among cohort patients. Three controls were selected for each case from cohort members at risk. Conditional logistic models were fitted to estimate the effect of traditional risk factors as well as HIV‐associated factors on non‐AIDS‐defining conditions.

Results

Among 6007 patients in follow‐up, 130 had an SNA event (0.86 events/100 person‐years of follow‐up) and were defined as cases (40 with cardiovascular events, 54 with serious liver failure, 35 with non‐AIDS‐defining malignancies and two with renal insufficiency). Risk factors such as diabetes, hepatitis B and C virus coinfections and alcohol abuse showed an association with events, as expected. The last recorded CD4 T‐cell count prior to index date (P=0.0056, with an average difference of more than 100 cells/μL) and area under the CD4 cell curve in the year previous to index date (P=0.0081) were significantly lower in cases than in controls. CD4 cell count at index date was significantly associated with the outcome after adjusting for risk factors.

Conclusions

The incidence and type of SNA events found in this Latin American cohort are similar to those reported in other regions. We found a significant association between immune deficiency and the risk of SNA events, even in patients under antiretroviral treatment.     

The monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX) test as a marker of hepatic dysfunction in septic patients with pneumonia.

The aim of this study was to monitor hepatic function in patients with pneumonia meeting the sepsis criteria of the American College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine (ACCP/SCCM) and to determine if hepatic dysfunction is related to the systemic inflammatory response. Twenty patients were recruited. The monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX) test was carried out on days 1-10 after admittance to the intensive care unit. Blood samples for determination of serum concentrations of hyaluronic acid, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10 and conventional liver function tests (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, bilirubin, albumin) were also drawn. Patients were classified into two groups according to illness severity estimated by the simplified acute physiology score (SAPS II) on the day of admission. Patients in group I (n=10) had a SAPS II probability of mortality >3% while those in group II (n=10) had a SAPS II < 3%. The MEGX level over the first five days was significantly lower in group I than in group II (p<0.0001). Significant inverse correlations during the first 5 days were observed between the MEGX 30 min test results and IL-6, CRP and SAPS II and more modest correlations with hyaluronic acid (p=0.0025) and IL-10 (p=0.021). The conventional liver function tests did not differ between the two groups and were mostly within the respective reference ranges. We conclude that the MEGX test is a sensitive marker of liver dysfunction early in sepsis and that low MEGX values are associated with an enhanced inflammatory response.     

Erwerb der Zusatzbezeichnung Notfallmedizin nach Übergangsbestimmungen

Ohne Zusammenfassung