Prolonged impairment of cell-mediated immunity after major abdominal surgery in malnourished patients.

The effect of the nutritional status on postoperative impairment of the immune response was studied in adults undergoing major abdominal surgery. The immune function was evaluated by measuring in vitro the lymphocytic response to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A) and the purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD) in whole blood cultures, and in vivo delayed skin hypersensitivity to candida, mumps, streptokinase-streptodornase and PPD. Nutritional assessment was carried out by evaluating recent weight loss, the weight for height index and by measuring the arm muscle circumference (AMC), triceps skinfold thickness (TSF), the creatinine-height index (CHI) and the serum concentration of albumin and prealbumin.

Effects of charcoal, sodium bicarbonate, and ammonium chloride on chlorpropamide kinetics.

The effects of activated charcoal, sodium bicarbonate, and ammonium chloride by mouth on chlorpropamide kinetics was studied in six healthy subjects. Activated charcoal, 50 gm, given immediately after 250 mg chlorpropamide reduced its absorption by 90%, but when given in repeated doses from 6 hr on (50 gm followed by 12.5 gm at 6-hr intervals) it did not shorten the chlorpropamide half-life (t 1/2).

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of glipizide in healthy volunteers.

Single doses of 14C-glipizide were given intravenously (1 mg/4.7 microCi) and orally (5 mg/8.0 microCi) to six healthy volunteers in a crossover study to investigate both pharmacokinetics and effects of glipizide.

Capacity of two forms of activated charcoal to adsorb nefopam in vitro and to reduce its toxicity in vivo.

The adsorption of nefopam hydrochloride to two different charcoals was studied in vitro at pH 1.2 and 7.4.

Acute dapsone intoxication: clinical findings and effect of oral charcoal and haemodialysis on dapsone elimination.

Three patients were treated after ingestion of an overdose of dapsone (1-10 g). A considerable acute cyanosis due to methaemoglobinaemia was followed by a late haemolysis within 1-2 weeks. Activated charcoal given orally in multiple doses (20 g X 4/day) shortened the half-life of dapsone to 12.

Effect of activated charcoal on absorption of tolbutamide and valproate in man.

The claim that activated charcoal should be ineffective or even contraindicated in intoxication due to tolbutamide is based only on limited in vitro studies. To test the claim, the effect of activated charcoal 50 g on the absorption of tolbutamide and, as a reference, of sodium valproate, was studied in 6 healthy volunteers. Each volunteer swallowed tolbutamide 500 mg and sodium valproate 300 mg with 50 ml water 1 h after a light breakfast, and within 5 min they took in randomized order either a suspension of activated charcoal or water.

Pharmacokinetics of antiepileptic drugs.

The rational use of antiepileptic drugs requires the consideration of their pharmacokinetics, which may be influenced by the physiological and pathological factors. Pharmacokinetic interactions between antiepileptic drugs may lead to considerable fluctuation in plasma drug concentration, and monotherapy is often preferable. The absorption of phenytoin depends on pharmaceutical formulation.

Comparison of activated charcoal and ipecac syrup in prevention of drug absorption.

The efficacy of activated charcoal and ipecac syrup in the prevention of drug absorption was studied in 6 healthy adult volunteers, using a randomized, cross-over design. Paracetamol 1000 mg, tetracycline 500 mg and aminophylline 350 mg were ingested on an empty stomach with 100 ml water. Then, after 5 or 30 min, the subjects ingested, either activated charcoal suspension (50 g charcoal), syrup of ipecac, or, only after 5 min, water 300 ml.

Human metabolism of tolfenamic acid. II. Structure of metabolites and C-13 NMR assignments of fenamates.

Metabolites of tolfenamic acid appearing in human urine have been isolated and their structures determined by C-13 nuclear magnetic resonance and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Comparative studies on tolfenamic, mefenamic, and flufenamic acids in conjunction with the metabolites have permitted complete C-13 NMR assignments for this series of compounds. Five metabolites identified included three that were monohydroxylated, one that was both methoxylated and hydroxylated, and another in which the methyl group was oxidized to a carboxyl group.

The effect of metoclopramide on the absorption of tolfenamic acid.

The effect of metoclopramide on the absorption of orally given tolfenamic acid (300 mg) was investigated using rectal metoclopramide hydrochloride (20 mg) pretreatment in a randomized crossover study in eight voluntary migraine patients when headache-free. Tolfenamic acid and metoclopramide serum concentrations were estimated by high-performance liquid chromatograhic (HPLC) methods using UV detection. Metoclopramide given 30 min prior to tolfenamic acid significantly increased serum tolfenamic acid levels at 45 and 60 min after ingestion, compared to the levels obtained with placebo pretreatment.

Effects of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylpyruvic acid and its triacetylated derivative on DOPA decarboxylase.

Various drugs have been studied in order to improve the bioavailability of L-DOPA. In the present study, the alpha-ketoacid of L-DOPA, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylpyruvic acid (DHPPA) and its fully acetylated derivative, triacetoxyphenylpyruvic acid (TAPPA), were investigated. These substances were shown to be equally strong DOPA decarboxylase inhibitors in vitro.

Sotalol prolongation of the QTc interval in hypertensive patients.

The effect of oral sotalol on the heart rate-corrected AT interval (QTc) was studied in 33 hypertensive patients. Sotalol given once daily in doses of 160 to 640 mg prolonged in QTc interval in a concentration-dependent manner by up to 150 msec (P less than 0.001) over presotalol levels.

Metabolic ability and enflurane defluorination in surgical patients.

Antipyrine clearance and half-life, which are measures of the hepatic metabolic ability, were determined prior to anaesthesia in 14 surgical patients. The antipyrine results correlated neither with the highest serum fluoride concentrations nor with the fluoride excretion in urine following administration of enflurane. Enzyme induction may therefore have little influence on enflurane metabolism in man.

Cimetidine-phenytoin interaction: effect on serum phenytoin concentration and antipyrine test.

In a prospective study in nine patients the effects of phenytoin and of cimetidine (1000 mg/day) + phenytoin on the antipyrine test and serum phenytoin concentrations were studied. Serum phenytoin increased from the steady state level of 5.7 +1.

Prolonged Q-T interval and severe tachyarrhythmias, common features of sotalol intoxication.

The findings in six patients admitted to hospital 0.5-4.5 h after the ingestion of an overdose of 2.

Human pharmacokinetics of tolfenamic acid, a new anti-inflammatory agent.

The pharmacokinetics of tolfenamic acid, a new anti-inflammatory agent was studied in six healthy volunteers after an intravenous dose of 100 mg and oral doses of 100, 200, 400 and 800 mg. The disposition of intravenous tolfenamic acid could be described by two-compartment open model, with a central compartment volume (Vdc) of 5.6 +/- 0.

Effect of phenytoin on serum lipoproteins in middle-aged men.

We assessed the effect of phenytoin on serum lipids and lipoproteins in a group of 20 male volunteers. Nine of the subjects were healthy, and 11 had coronary heart disease. Their mean age was 44 +/- 7 years.