Physiological effects of intravenous fructose 1.6-diphosphate on diaphragmatic function in malnourished patients with COPD.

Background: A low body mass index is one of the strongest predictors of mortality in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients. Under-nutrition is often associated with skeletal muscle wasting and hypophosphatemia.

Aim And Methods: In a pilot, randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled study, we assessed the physiological effects of phosphorous administration in 17 stable undernourished COPD patients, on diaphragmatic function, breathing pattern, neuromuscular drive (P0.

Prevention of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction by a new leukotriene antagonist (SK&F 104353). A double-blind study versus disodium cromoglycate and placebo.

The effects of 800 micrograms of inhaled SK&F 104353, a peptidoleukotriene receptor antagonist, and of 20 mg disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) on exercise-induced bronchoconstriction were compared in 18 asthmatic patients. The study was conducted according to a double-blind, crossover, randomized, placebo-controlled design. Two baseline exercise tests were carried out, and pulmonary function tests were done before and at 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 min after completion of the exercise.

Ibopamine as a substitute for digitalis in patients with congestive heart failure on chronic digoxin therapy. Smith Kline and French Ibopamine Group.

The substitution of digoxin with ibopamine, a new inotropic and vasodilating agent, was evaluated in a multicenter study in 58 patients with mild-to-moderate congestive heart failure, stabilized on diuretics, and digoxin therapy. The study was a parallel, double-blind, randomized trial of four weeks duration in which half of the group continued the pre-study medication (diuretics and digoxin) and half of the group was treated with diuretics and ibopamine (100 mg, three times a day). At baseline evaluation, the two groups were similar for age, sex, underlying cardiac disease, duration of congestive heart failure, symptom score, cardiothoracic ratio, echocardiographic parameters of left ventricular function and exercise tolerance as measured by bicycle ergometry.

Ibopamine: long-term safety study in patients with congestive heart failure. The Italian Ibopamine Working Group.

Ibopamine is a new orally active dopamine analogue with positive inotropic and vasodilating activity. The tolerability of the drug administered at the dose of 100 mg thrice daily for 12 months was studied in 302 patients with congestive heart failure, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II and III. Of the 302 patients, 198 completed the study (65%); 59 patients (19%) were withdrawn for clinical events; 27 of them died (9%); 35 patients (12%) did not complete the study for non-compliance and 10 (3%) for protocol violations.

Interaction study of fenoldopam--digoxin in congestive heart failure.

The potential interaction between fenoldopam, a DA1 selective agonist, and digoxin has been studied in 10 patients with heart failure (NYHA Class II or III) on chronic digoxin treatment. Plasma levels and urinary recovery of the glycoside were monitored for 24 h before and after 9 days of treatment with fenoldopam 100 mg tid. Fenoldopam caused a small, non-significant decrease in the mean steady state plasma concentration and area under the plasma concentration curve of digoxin.

Gastric antisecretory and cytoprotective activity of MDL 646, a 16-methyl-16-methoxy prostaglandin E1 analog in man.

MDL 646 is a 16-methyl-16-methoxy PGE analog with gastric antisecretory and cytoprotective activity in rats following oral administration. The efficacy of MDL 646 in inhibiting pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion in man was investigated in a pilot crossover study in 10 male subjects given single oral doses of 500-1,000 mcg of the compound or placebo in randomized order. The doses showing consistent antisecretory effects in all subjects were 800 and 1,000 mcg, which caused a reduction in acid output of at least 25% over the whole test period (2.

Pharmacokinetics and metabolism of premazepam, a new potential anxiolytic, in humans.

Premazepam, a pyrrolodiazepine with potential anxiolytic properties, behaves as a partial antagonist to diazepam in animal tests. Its pharmacokinetics and metabolism were studied in four healthy volunteers. After oral administration of 30 mg [6-14C] premazepam, the plasma levels of total radioactivity reached maximum concentrations 1-4 h (mean 2 h) following administration.

Reduced triglyceridemia and increased high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels after treatment with acipimox, a new inhibitor of lipolysis.

Acipimox (5-methylpyrazine carboxylic acid 4-oxide) is a new inhibitor of lipolysis with long-lasting activity, whose plasma lipid lowering potential was demonstrated in early clinical trials. The hypolipidemic effect of acipimox was investigated in two double-blind cross-over trials versus placebo. The first trial, carried out in 12 type IV patients, showed a significant triglyceride lowering effect (-35%) following 4 weeks of drug administration at a 250 tid dose.

Inhibition of platelet aggregation in man by indobufen (K 3920).

A complete crossover trial was undertaken in six healthy volunteers to gain information on dose-effect responses to indobufen by assessing the intensity and duration of the effect of 3 single oral doses of the drug on platelet aggregation induced by threshold concentration of ADP and by 3 added doses of collagen. The results of the study confirm that the activity is dose-related and is reversible since 24 hours after administration it has practically disappeared. The effect of the same dose of indobufen differed significantly according to the amount of collagen added to plasma, whereas increasing doses of indobufen provoked a significantly more marked effect when the amount of inducer employed was the same.

Inhibition of lipolysis by nicotinic acid and by acipimox.

Acipimox (5-methylpyrazinecarboxylic acid 4-oxide) is a new lipolysis inhibitor that has a distant chemical relationship with nicotinic acid (NA). The tritiated compound (100 mg) is rapidly absorbed, peak plasma radioactivity being reached after 2 hr, with an almost total elimination unchanged in urine. A comparison of th antilipolytic activity of three doses of acipimox and three doses of NA showed acipimox to be 20 times as potent as NA.

Clinical pharmacology studies with indobufen (K 3920): inhibitor of platelet aggregation.

When given to 12 subjects at single oral doses of 100 and 300 mg, indobufen caused clear-cut, dose-dependent, reversible inhibition of epinephrine- and collagen-induced platelet aggregation. Platelet factor 3 availability and platelet factor 4 release were not affected by the lower dose but were markedly reduced by the 300-mg dose. Bleeding time was slightly influenced by 100 mg, and 300 mg had a more pronounced effect.

Indobufen (K 3920), a new inhibitor of platelet aggregation: effect of food on bioavailability, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic study during repeated oral administration to man.

The effect of food on bioavailability of indobufen tablets was investigated in 6 healthy volunteers. Subsequently, the same subjects took 100 mg b.i.

Pharmacokinetic, bioavailability and pharmacodynamic study of indobufen (K 3920), an inhibitor of platelet aggregation, after a single dose in man.

Six healthy volunteers received single iv and oral doses of 2-[p-(1-oxo-2-isoindolinyl)phenyl] butyric acid 100 mg (indobufen; K 3920), an inhibitor of platelet aggregation. Plasma levels and urinary excretion of the drug were determined by GLC. Collagen-induced platelet aggregation was assessed turbidimetrically at various intervals after administration.

Bioavailability of temazepam in soft gelatin capsules.

1 Healthy volunteers received single doses of temazepam 30 mg in conventional gelatin capsules, suppositories or in solution. They experienced marked sedation and sleepiness. The onset of sleepiness was prompt after the administration of the solution; this latter showed the fastest absorption and gave the highest peak plasma levels.

Human pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of temazepam administered in soft gelatin capsules.

Plasma levels of temazepam were determined in healthy subjects after single oral administration of soft and hard gelatin capsules, and after 7 consecutive night-time doses in soft capsules. Absorption from soft gelatin capsules was significantly faster and produced earlier and higher peak plasma levels. The two pharmaceutical forms did not show any significant difference in relative availability.

Pharmacokinetic studies of indoprofen in healthy volunteers and in patients.

The pharmacokinetics of indoprofen in healthy subjects after single oral and i.v. administrations is reviewed.

Effect of food on absorption of indoprofen administered orally to man in two dosage forms.

The influence of food on the bioavailability of two oral dosage forms (100-mg capsules and 200-mg tablets) of indoprofen, a new propionic acid derivative with marked anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, has been investigated. Plasma levels and urinary excretion of indoprofen were determined both in the fasting state and after a standard meal in healthy volunteers after administration of two 100-mg capsules (4 subjects) and of one 200-mg tablet (6 subjects). Indoprofen in biological fluids was determined by gas-liquid chromatography.

Application of nonparametric procedure for bioassay data to the evaluation of analgesics in man.

Parametric tests for bioassay data are commonly applied to scores of pain intensity and relief for the assessment of potency ratios of analgesic drugs. It has been demonstrated, however, that scores derived from semiquantitative scales often deviate from normal distribution. In addition, when scores decrease as a consequence of analgesic treatment, the variances may be nonhomogenous.

Gastro-intestinal blood loss during administration of indoprofen, aspirin and ibuprofen.

The acute effect of three non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, ibuprofen, acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and indoprofen, on faecal blood loss was investigated in 15 subjects by means of 51Cr-labelled erythrocytes. Ibuprofen (900 mg/day for 5 days) and indoprofen capsules and tablets (300 mg and 600 mg/day for 5 days, respectively) slightly increased the amount of blood eliminated in faeces. The increase was of the same order of magnitude for both doses of indoprofen.

Double-blind study of the analgesic effect of indoprofen (K 4277).

In a double-blind study, indoprofen was superior to placebo in decreasing pain in patients with primary and metastatic cancer and with neuralgia. A single oral dose of 200 mg was more active than a 100-mg dose. The preferences of patients proved to be a more sensitive parameter in this study than scores of pain intensity, pain relief, and other related measurements (SPID, TOTPAR, and Peak PID).