Comparison of the recovery and half-life of a high-purity factor IX concentrate with those of a factor IX complex concentrate. Factor IX Study Group

BACKGROUND: Recovery and half-life estimations were carried out to compare a high-purity factor IX concentrate with an established factor IX complex concentrate. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Two high-purity factor IX concentrates, which are identical except for the presence or absence of heparin (Immuninehep-plus and Immuninehep-minus), were evaluated in two independent crossover studies using an intermediate- purity factor IX complex concentrate (Bebulin) as reference drug. RESULTS: In the Immuninehep-plus crossover study (n = 27), Immuninehep- plus and Bebulin had, respectively, a recovery of 0.90 +/− 0.26 and 0.84 +/− 0.23 IU per dL per IU per kg, a compartmental half-life of 17.11 +/− 6.18 and 15.94 +/− 4.69 hours, and an effective half-life of 16.51 +/− 3.48 and 16.48 +/− 4.26 hours. In the Immuninehep-minus crossover study (n = 26), Immuninehep-minus and Bebulin had, respectively, a recovery of 0.92 +/− 0.31 and 1.02 +/− 0.36 IU per dL per IU per kg, a compartmental half-life of 17.42 +/− 5.60 and 18.77 +/− 6.27 hours, and an effective half-life of 16.39 +/− 4.44 and 16.48 +/− 4.28 hours. Equivalence tests indicated that the recovery and half-life of Immunine, with or without heparin, are equivalent to those of Bebulin. CONCLUSION: The equivalence in pharmacokinetics and bioavailability indicates that the dosage schedule for Immunine should be the same as or very similar to that of Bebulin. The high specific activity of the former, however, allows administration at lower volumes.     

Ototoxic manifestations of thiacetazone

317 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were put on the following different reqimens of anti-tuberculous drugs.     

Effect of simulated hypoxia (7620 m, 6 h) on hepatic microsomal drug metabolising enzymes activity in rats given ethanol and vitamin A

The hepatic MFO activity has been studied in rats exposed to acute hypoxia given single dose of ethanol (3 g/kg body weight) alone or along with 10,000 I.U. of vitamin A. The cytochrome P-450 was found to be depressed on ethanol administration in rats. Hypoxic exposure of rats given ethanol with or without vitamin A, however, restored the depressed cytochrome P-450 activity. Cytochrome-c-reductase, on the other hand, was increased on administration of ethanol with or without vitamin A supplementation. Exposure to hypoxia did not have any additional effect on cytochrome c-reductase activity. Aminopyrine-N-demethylase was depressed on ethanol administration. Vitamin A administration further depressed this enzyme. Hypoxic exposure, however, did not restore this enzyme level. Aniline hydroxylase was not affected by ethanol administration, vitamin A supplementation and hypoxic exposure. Thus, mixed function oxidase system appears to be differently affected on ethanol administration, vitamin A supplementation and hypoxic exposure suggesting that these effectors have different loci of interaction in microsomal structure and/or in its micromileau of cofactors.     

Bioengineers, health-care technology and bioethics

Technology has created moral dilemmas in recent years creating an increased interest in the field of bioethics, which affects engineers in biomedicine, physicians, other health-care professionals, and society in general. For example devices like the kidney dialysis machine or Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) diagnostic scanner demonstrate state-of-the-art capabilities, yet they are very expensive. Therefore, standards of the past involving health care and allocation of resources are changing, and professionals must be aware of this change, as well as the responsibility for complete testing and review during the research and development process of medical devices. In this paper, we illustrate technological impact and stress the necessity of an understanding of ethics in order to deal effectively with product liability, conflicts of interests, and allocation of scarce resources. Hopefully, this will result in awareness and education in ethics and professional responsibilities.     

Glomus tumour of the nose

A rare case of glomus tumour of the nose is being reported due to its paucity in literature.     

A,B and H isoantigens in oral lesions

Expression of blood group A, B and H iso-antigens in oral mucosae was demonstrated by specific red cell adherence test in forty seven mucosal biopsies from oral cavity (14 normal, 10 leucoplakia and 23 squamous cell carcinomas). All normal mucosae gave a positive reaction whereas in malignancy only 6 cases of well differentiated squamous cell carcinomas were either weekly positive or showed a patchy reaction. Remaining cases were negative irrespective of their grading. In leucoplakia though the test was positive in all the cases, the intensity of adherence was less as compared to normal mucosa. The intensity of adherence was found to be directly related to the degree of cellular differentiation. Study of A, B and H isoantigens might help in deciding the prognosis in leukoplakia and/or early detection of malignancy.