Serum posaconazole levels during acute myeloid leukaemia induction therapy: correlations with breakthrough invasive fungal infections.

The usefulness of posaconazole therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is still a matter of debate. A correlation between posaconazole serum levels and breakthrough invasive fungal infections (IFI) has not been clearly demonstrated so far. We analysed posaconazole serum levels in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) during induction therapy and correlated them with the incidence of breakthrough IFI and the need of systemic antifungal therapy.

Evaluation of boosted and unboosted atazanavir plasma concentration in HIV infected patients.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to identify variables that can influence atazanavir plasma concentration.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed atazanavir trough concentration of HIV infected patients who performed therapeutic drug monitoring between October 2007 and July 2011. Qualitative variables were compared with X(2) test while continuous ones with Mann-Whitney and Student's t-test.

Plasma hormone levels and haemodynamics in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with right heart failure and salt and water retention. The possible roles of haemodynamically active hormones in the early stages of COPD have not previously been described. Adrenaline, noradrenaline, renin activity, aldosterone, vasopressin, cortisol, growth hormone, prolactin and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) were measured during right heart catheterization in mixed venous blood and in a peripheral artery, in the supine and standing position, in two groups of patients with COPD: Group A with arterial oxygen tension (Pa,O2) < 8.

Microemulsion formulation of cyclosporine in pediatric liver transplantation.

The oral bioavailability of Sandimmun can be impaired by cholestasis, external biliary diversion, and diarrhea. We report two cases of pediatric liver transplant recipients who experienced chronic rejection and diarrhea secondary to proximal bowel resection. These conditions resulted in poor oral absorption of Sandimmun; the children were converted to the new oral microemulsion formulation Neoral, which significantly improved oral absorption, allowing intravenous cyclosporine weaning and patient discharge.

Oxidative stress during reperfusion of human hearts: potential sources of oxygen free radicals.

Objective: The aim was to examine the role of neutrophil activation in the genesis of oxidative stress during the early phases of reperfusion after ischaemia in patients subjected to aortocoronary bypass grafting.

Methods: Ten selected patients were studied. All had normal ejection fraction and normal left ventricular end diastolic pressures before operation.

Activation of ANP synthesis during congestive heart failure in rats treated with monocrotaline.

We studied plasma concentration, content, and mRNA for atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP-mRNA) in heart chambers of monocrotaline-treated rats. Three distinct groups emerged: group 1, with moderate congestive heart failure (CHF; pleural effusion < 1 ml; no peritoneal effusion); group 2, with severe CHF (pleural and peritoneal effusion > 1 ml); and group 3, with right hypertrophy and no CHF. Group 1 and 2 rats had right atrial and ventricular hypertrophy, raised plasma ANP (from 16.

Levels of atrial natriuretic factor in the plasma and urine of patients with and without heart failure.

We assayed the concentrations of atrial natriuretic factor and guanosine 3',5'-phosphate in the plasma and urine of six healthy subjects, 12 patients with coronary artery disease and 11 patients with congestive heart failure. Patients with coronary artery disease had normal levels of atrial natriuretic factor in the plasma and urine and a normal excretion of guanosine 3',5'-phosphate, while those with congestive heart failure had a raised level of atrial natriuretic factor in the plasma, an increased excretion of 3',5'-guanosine phosphate and normal excretion of atrial natriuretic factor. Thus, measurement of atrial natriuretic factor in the urine can not replace the assay of the peptide in plasma.

Plasma levels of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and urinary excretion of ANF, arginine vasopressin and catecholamines in children with congenital heart disease: effect of cardiac surgery.

We studied the changes in the plasma concentration of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and the urinary excretion of ANF, arginine vasopressin (AVP) and catecholamines in 22 children with congenital heart disease, divided into two groups. Group 1 included 11 children with congestive heart failure (CHF), treated with digitalis and diuretics. Group 2 included 11 children without CHF and without medical treatment.

Temporal relations of the endocrine response to hypotension with sodium nitroprusside.

Sodium nitroprusside was infused intravenously for 10 minutes in normal men, reclining at 45 degrees, in a dose sufficient to decrease the arterial pressure by 10 mmHg. The effect on a variety of plasma hormones was measured during the infusion and for 20 minutes afterwards. The heart rate increased to a maximum of 149%.

Isoproterenol induces release of atrial natriuretic peptide from rat atrium in vitro.

To investigate the mechanism underlying the release of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in in vitro condition, isolated, superfused rat atria were subjected to adrenergic, chronotropic, and mechanical stimulation. First administration of isoproterenol (Iso; either 10(-9) or 10(-6) M) caused a release of ANP, which was transient. Subsequent increments in concentration of Iso always resulted in a much lower release of ANP, despite the increased effects on the mechanical function of the atria.

Diuretics as initial and sole treatment in chronic cardiac failure.

Six patients with chronic congestive cardiac failure, who had never received any drug treatment, were studied before and after one month of therapy with frusemide alone at a dose of 40 mg a day. Measurements were made at rest of plasma epinephrine, norepinephrine, renin activity, aldosterone, atrial natriuretic peptide, cortisol, growth hormone and prolactin, together with central hemodynamics, body fluid volumes and renal function. The initial measurements of hemodynamics, body fluid compartments and renal function confirmed the presence of the physiopathology typical of congestive cardiac failure.

A new diagnostic test for primary aldosteronism.

Isotonic-isooncotic central volume expansion by head-out water immersion was induced in six aldosterone-producing adenoma subjects and in six patients with idiopathic hyperaldosteronism. Plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone levels did not significantly change during water immersion while serum cortisol was significantly suppressed (P less than .001) and the aldosterone-cortisol ratio increased (P less than .

Temporal relations of the endocrine response to exercise.

We have followed the hormonal response to exercise in twelve normal males cycling at a constant moderate load for ten minutes. Plasma concentrations of a variety of hormones were measured at set times before and during exercise and for twenty minutes afterward. The plasma concentration of norepinephrine and epinephrine and plasma activity of renin rose to a maximum at the end of exercise and then declined.

Cardiovascular and hormonal effects of calcitonin gene-related peptide in congestive heart failure.

The effects of infusing human alpha-calcitonin gene-related peptide were studied in eight patients with congestive heart failure, five normal rabbits and five rabbits with adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy. In patients with heart failure, calcitonin gene-related peptide caused a dose-dependent increase in cardiac output and decrease in pulmonary and systemic vascular resistance and pulmonary artery pressure. The systemic blood pressure and right atrial and pulmonary wedge pressures decreased only at the highest infusion rate (16 ng/kg per min).

Effect of congestive heart failure on rate of atrial natriuretic factor release in response to stretch and isoprenaline.

Study Objective: The aim was to investigate the pattern of release of atrial natriuretic factor induced by mechanical and adrenergic stimulation from atria of rats with or without congestive heart failure.

Design: Monocrotaline, a pyrrolizidine alkaloid, was given to rats to cause severe pulmonary hypertension, leading to a marked degree of right ventricular hypertrophy and failure. Measurements of noradrenaline and atrial natriuretic factor were performed in each cardiac chamber and in plasma.

[Effects of acute administration of nifedipine on exercise-induced microalbuminuria in normotensive patients with type 1 diabetes].

The aim of our study was to evaluate the acute effect of nifedipine, a calcium channel blocker, on exercise-induced microalbuminuria in normotensive and normoalbuminuric type 1 diabetic patients. Fifteen normotensive diabetic patients who were normoalbuminuric at rest (8 males and 7 females; age 16-35 years) and 10 normal subjects (6 males and 4 females; age 18-40 years) performed 4 submaximal cycloergometric exercises (90% of theoretical maximum heart rate); the first two exercises were performed in basal condition and the other 2 after 24 h of therapy with nifedipine AR (20 mg/b.i.

Effects of prolonged infusions of atrial natriuretic peptide and isoproterenol on the mechanical and endocrine function of isolated atria.

We have measured the rate of release of atrial natriuretic peptide in response to stretch and to isoproterenol from superfused atria isolated from rats after chronic in vivo infusion of either atrial natriuretic peptide or isoproterenol. The infusion lasted seven days, using minipumps filled with: 1) saline; 2) synthetic atrial natriuretic peptide to release 3 micrograms/kg/h; 3) l-isoproterenol HCl to release 400 micrograms/kg/h. Infusion of isoproterenol caused hypertrophy of the left chambers of the heart, a decrease of atrial content of atrial peptide with increased plasma levels.

[Interference of some detergent micelles with the titration of protein].

We have examined the possible interferences with spectrophotometric protein determination of some detergents commonly used for the solubilization of membrane proteins. The results show that some mixtures of Triton X100 with SDS or DOC, at given concentrations, interfere with BSA determination by the method of Lowry.