Treatment of bronchial asthma with tianeptine.

Although circulating catecholamines and free serotonin in the plasma (f-5-HT) were found to be increased during asthma attacks, only f-5-HT levels correlated positively with bronchoconstriction and clinical severity. Tianeptine, a drug that enhances serotonin uptake by platelets and serotonergic axons at the central nervous system (CNS), provoked an abrupt disappearance of asthma attacks. This fact explains why tianeptine has proven to be a powerful therapeutic tool in controlling asthma.

Circulating neurotransmitters during the different wake-sleep stages in normal subjects.

We investigated the changes of circulating neurotransmitters during the wake-sleep cycle in order to find possible correlations with the activity of central neurocircuitry functioning. Noradrenaline (NA), adrenaline (Ad), dopamine (DA), platelet serotonin (p-5HT), plasma serotonin (f-5HT) and plasma tryptophan (TRP) were assessed during the morning (supine resting + 1-min orthostasis + 5-min exercise) and at night (supine resting + slow wave sleep (SWS) + REM sleep). Only NA increased in the plasma during short-lasting (1-min) orthostasis morning waking period.

Candida lusitaniae catheter-related sepsis.

Objective: To present a case describing Candida lusitaniae candidemia in an immunocompetent patient successfully treated with fluconazole antifungal therapy. Time-kill studies of the C. lusitaniae isolate using amphotericin B, and an extensive review of the literature are also presented.

Effects of buspirone on plasma neurotransmitters in healthy subjects.

Buspirone is an anxiolytic drug which exerts several central effects. It antagonizes presynaptic inhibitory DA2 autoreceptors at dopaminergic neurons and acts as an agonist for 5-HT1A inhibitor autoreceptors at serotonergic cells. Thus, buspirone respectively enhances and depresses the firing rates of both type of neurons.

The serotonin uptake-enhancing drug tianeptine suppresses asthmatic symptoms in children: a double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study.

Studies have shown that levels of free serotonin in plasma are increased in symptomatic patients with asthma. In addition, the concentration of free serotonin in symptomatic patients with asthma correlates positively with clinical status and negatively with pulmonary function. Thus, reducing the concentration of free serotonin in plasma might be useful in treating patients with asthma.

Neuropharmacologic treatment of bronchial asthma with the antidepressant tianeptine: a double-blind, crossover placebo-controlled study.

Studies have shown the levels of free serotonin in plasma are increased in symptomatic patients with asthma. In addition, the concentration of free serotonin in symptomatic children with asthma correlates positively with clinical status and negatively with pulmonary function (forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1]). Thus, reducing the concentration of free serotonin in plasma may be useful in treating children with asthma.

Increased levels of free serotonin in plasma of symptomatic asthmatic patients.

Background: Previous research has shown that symptomatic asthmatic patients have increased levels of norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine, free serotonin, and cortisol in plasma when compared with asymptomatic patients.

Objective: We investigated the relationship between plasma levels of catecholamines, free serotonin, and cortisol and clinical status and pulmonary function in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with asthma.

Methods: We compared clinical severity, spirometry, and neuroendocrine factors at weeks 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 in 57 symptomatic (forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV1] < 70%) and 72 asymptomatic (FEV1 > 80%) asthmatic patients.

Plasma neurotransmitters, blood pressure and heart rate during supine resting, orthostasis and moderate exercise in severely ill patients: a model of failing to cope with stress.

Background: Previous clinical research has shown that severely ill (somatic) as well as many psychosomatic patients show raised noradrenaline (NA), adrenaline (AD), cortisol, free serotonin (f5HT) and platelet aggregability. Conversely, they show reduced NA/AD plasma ratio and platelet serotonin (p5HT). They also show adrenal hyperresponsiveness to an oral glucose load.

CPAP machine performance and altitude.

Unlabelled: STUDY RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVE: Sleep-disordered breathing is commonly treated with nasally applied continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Typically, pressures are titrated to pneumatically splint the airway to prevent its collapse in response to negative inspiratory pressure. This investigation was prompted by several patient complaints of sleep-related breathing difficulty associated with travel to high altitudes.

Plasma neurotransmitters, blood pressure, and heart rate during supine-resting, orthostasis, and moderate exercise conditions in major depressed patients.

Major depressed patients showed greater heart rate, noradrenaline, and free-serotonin values than normal. Conversely, platelet-serotonin values in major depressed patients were significantly lower than normal. Patients registered the normal differential blood pressure reduction during orthostasis.

Plasma neurotransmitters, blood pressure, and heart rate during supine resting, orthostasis, and moderate exercise in dysthymic depressed patients.

Dysthymic depressed patients showed platelet-serotonin (pS) + plasma-free serotonin values greater than normal as well as plasma noradrenaline values lower than normal during supine resting period (0'). Conversely, no significant differences were observed in the 0' values of any other of the measured parameters: systolic, diastolic and differential blood pressure (SBP, DBP, DP), heart rate (HR), adrenaline (Ad), dopamine (DA), cortisol, and platelet aggregability between patients and controls. Although patients showed then normal DP reduction at orthostasis (1'), this was not prevented by atropine as it does in controls.

Peripheral blood immunological parameters in long-term benzodiazepine users.

Immunodeficiency is frequently invoked as an ethiopathogenetic factor for many somatic diseases. On the other hand, stress, depression, and psychotic disturbances are associated with severe immunological disorders. Taking into account that the benzodiazepines (BZ) are the psychoactive drugs more widely used than any other to treat psychological disturbances, it seems important to elucidate the immuno-enhancing or immunosuppressant potential of such drugs.

Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS): the basics.

The term adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was first introduced by Ashbaugh and Petty more than two decades ago. Since then, our understanding of this clinicopathologic entity has increased significantly. However, little therapeutic progress has been achieved, and the mortality remains high.

Plasma neurotransmitters and cortisol in chronic illness: role of stress.

We routinely measured plasma neurotransmitters and hormone levels in order to investigate the role of stress on many types of diseases. In this study, we present results obtained from patients with severe chronic diseases. The study sample consisted of 88 patients (asthmatics, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, chronic active hepatitis, chronic relapsing hepatitis, multiple sclerosis, trigeminal neuralgia, systemic lupus erithematous, and rheumatoid arthritis), and their respective controls.

Plasma neurotransmitters throughout an oral glucose tolerance test in non-depressed essential hypertension patients.

The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with plasma neurotransmitter assays and blood pressure measurements were performed on 68 hypertensive (A and B) and 68 paired normal controls (group C). Those patients who failed to show significant or persistent blood pressure reductions throughout OGTT constitute group A (37 subjects); and those who did show significant and persistent reductions constitute group B (31 subjects). The purpose of this study was to assess if there were any significant differences between those patients whose blood pressure levels normalized throughout OGTT and those who didn't and, further, compare them to their controls.