Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Mean Serum Levels (mean + serum_level)
Selected AbstractsComparative Cognitive Effects of Carbamazepine and Gabapentin in Healthy Senior AdultsEPILEPSIA, Issue 6 2001Roy Martin Summary: ,Purpose: This study compared the cognitive effects of carbamazepine (CBZ) and gabapentin (GBP) in healthy senior adults by using a randomized, double-blind crossover design. Methods: Thirty-four senior adults were randomized to receive one of the two drugs followed by a 5-week treatment period. A 4-week washout phase preceded initiation of the second drug. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) were titrated to target doses of either CBZ (800 mg/day) or GBP (2,400 mg/day). Primary outcome measures were standardized neuropsychological tests of attention/vigilance, psychomotor speed, motor speed, verbal and visual memory, and the Profile of Mood State (POMS), yielding a total of 17 variables. Each subject received cognitive testing at predrug baseline, end of first drug phase, end of second drug phase, and 4 weeks after completion of the second drug phase. Results: Fifteen senior adults (mean age, 66.5 years; range, 59,76 years) completed the study. Seniors completing the study did not differ significantly from noncompleting seniors in terms of demographic features or baseline cognitive performances. Fifteen of the 19 seniors not completing the study dropped out while receiving CBZ. Adverse events were frequently reported for both AEDs, although they were more common for CBZ. Mean serum levels for the completers were within midrange clinical doses (CBZ, 6.8 ,g/ml; GBP, 7.1 ,g/ml). Significant differences between CBZ and GBP were found for only one of 11 cognitive variables, with better attention/vigilance for GBP, although the effect was modest. Performances on the nondrug average were significantly better on 45% of cognitive variables compared with CBZ and 36% compared with GBP. The overall pattern of means favored GBP over CBZ on 15 of 17 (p < 0.001), nondrug over CBZ on 17 of 17 (p < 0.0000), and nondrug over GBP on eight of 17 (NS). Conclusions: Mild cognitive effects were found for both AEDs compared with the nondrug average condition. The magnitude of difference between the two AEDs across the cognitive variables was modest. Self-reported mood was not significantly affected by either AED. However, overall tolerability and side-effect profile of CBZ were poorer than those of GBP in senior adults at doses and titration rates reported in this study. [source] Association of growth factors with arterial recanalization and clinical outcome in patients with ischemic stroke treated with tPAJOURNAL OF THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS, Issue 7 2010T. SOBRINO Summary.,Background: Growth factors (GF) such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) have been associated with greater efficacy of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in experimental studies. Objectives: To study the association of these GF with arterial recanalization and clinical outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with tPA. Methods: We prospectively studied 79 patients with ischemic stroke attributable to MCA occlusion treated with i.v. tPA within the first 3 h from onset of symptoms. Continuous transcranial color-coded sonography (TCCS) was performed during the first 2 h after tPA bolus to assess early MCA recanalization. Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) was classified according to ECASS II definitions. Good functional outcome was defined as a Rankin scale score of 0,2 at 90 days. GF levels were determined by ELISA. Results: Mean serum levels of VEGF, G-CSF and Ang-1 at baseline were significantly higher in patients with early MCA recanalization (n = 30) (all P < 0.0001). In the multivariate analysis, serum levels of VEGF (OR, 1.03), G-CSF (OR, 1.02) and Ang-1 (OR, 1.07) were independently associated with early MCA recanalization (all P < 0.0001). On the other hand, patients with parenchymal hematoma (PH) (n = 20) showed higher levels of Ang-1 (P < 0.0001). Ang-1 (OR, 1.12; P < 0.0001) was independently associated with PH, whereas patients with good outcome (n = 38) had higher levels of G-CSF (P < 0.0001). G-CSF was independently associated with good outcome (OR, 1.12; P = 0.036). Conclusions: These findings suggest that GF may enhance arterial recanalization in patients with ischemic stroke treated with t-PA, although they might increase the HT. [source] Interleukin-18 is High in the Serum of IVF Pregnancies with Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 5 2004Guy Gutman Problem:, The presence of interleukin-18 (IL-18) in serum and pre-ovulatory follicular fluid (FF) and its possible correlation to in-vitro fertilization/embryo transfer (IVF/ET) outcome and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) development. Method of study:, A prospective study was carried out. Assays for serum and pooled pre-ovulatory FF levels of IL-18 were performed on 30 patients who underwent oocyte retrieval for IVF/ET. Results:, Mean serum and FF levels of IL-18 were 370.4 ± 224 and 228.9 ± 208 pg/mL, respectively (r = 0.77, P < 0.0001). Levels of FF IL-18 were comparable between the two ovaries (right = 221 ± 166.8 pg/mL, left = 237 ± 171.9 pg/mL; r = 0.7550, P = 0.49). A positive correlation was found between IL-18 FF levels and number of retrieved oocytes (r = 0.45; P = 0.019). In three patients (10%) who developed OHSS, the mean serum level of IL-18 at day of ovum pickup was significantly higher compared with patients without OHSS (620 ± 196 pg/mL versus 345 ± 251 pg/mL, respectively, P = 0.04). Conclusions:, Both pre-ovulatory FF and serum levels of IL-18 correlate with the number of retrieved oocytes. The serum IL-18 level at day of ovum pickup may predict consequent development of OHSS. Further investigations are warranted to determine the role of IL-18 in the folliculogenesis and OHSS pathogenesis. [source] The significance of serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 in patients with prostate cancerBJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2000R. Kurek Objectives,To compare the serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in patients with prostate cancer and in control patients with no malignancy, and to evaluate any possible influence of testicular androgen withdrawal on the level of IGF-1 in patients with prostate cancer. Patients and methods,IGF-1 was measured in serum samples from 238 patients using both a chemiluminescence method and a radio-immunoassay. From a subgroup of 19 patients presenting with newly diagnosed carcinoma of the prostate, IGF-1 and testosterone values were measured before and during the course of testicular androgen with-drawal, achieved by the administration of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) analogues combined with anti-androgens. Results,There were no significant differences in the mean serum levels of IGF-1 patients with and without prostate cancer (158.6 and 159.1 ng/mL, respect-ively). There were no significant differences in mean IGF-1 levels before and after antiandrogen therapy; the mean (median, sd, range) levels of testosterone (µg/L) and IGF-1 (ng/mL) before androgen withdrawal were 4.81 (4.84, 1.26, 3.11,6.93) and 157.1 (152.5, 26.7, 122.8,195.1). After androgen withdrawal the corresponding values were 0.303 (0.218, 0.24, 0.13,0.81) and 169.7 (31.7, 168.6, 124.9,227.6). A linear regression analysis (P = 0.76) and Spearman rank order correlation test (correlation coefficient ,0.0613, P = 0.64) showed no association between levels of testosterone and IGF-1. Freeze and thaw cycles applied to the samples had no effect on the IGF-1 values measured. Conclusions,There was no significant association between IGF-1 serum levels and prostate cancer. Short-term androgen withdrawal using LHRH anal-ogues combined with anti-androgens had no effect on the levels of IGF-1. [source] | ||||||||||