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Sample records for neonatal dexamethasone treatment

  1. Effects of Neonatal Dexamethasone Treatment on the Cardiovascular Stress Response of Children at School Age

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    Karemaker, Rosa; Karemaker, John M.; Kavelaars, Annemieke; Tersteeg-Kamperman, Marijke; Baerts, Wim; Veen, Sylvia; Samsom, Jannie F.; van Bel, Frank; Heijnen, Cobi J.

    2008-01-01

    OBJECTIVE. The goal was to investigate cardiovascular responses to a psychosocial stressor in school-aged, formerly premature boys and girls who had been treated neonatally with dexamethasone or hydrocortisone because of chronic lung disease. METHODS. We compared corticosteroid-treated, formerly

  2. The role of growth retardation in lasting effects of neonatal dexamethasone treatment on hippocampal synaptic function.

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    Yu-Chen Wang

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Dexamethasone (DEX, a synthetic glucocorticoid, is commonly used to prevent or lessen the morbidity of chronic lung disease in preterm infants. However, evidence is now increasing that this clinical practice negatively affects somatic growth and may result in long-lasting neurodevelopmental deficits. We therefore hypothesized that supporting normal somatic growth may overcome the lasting adverse effects of neonatal DEX treatment on hippocampal function. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To test this hypothesis, we developed a rat model using a schedule of tapering doses of DEX similar to that used in premature infants and examined whether the lasting influence of neonatal DEX treatment on hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory performance are correlated with the deficits in somatic growth. We confirmed that neonatal DEX treatment switched the direction of synaptic plasticity in hippocampal CA1 region, favoring low-frequency stimulation- and group I metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist (S-3,5,-dihydroxyphenylglycine-induced long-term depression (LTD, and opposing the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP by high-frequency stimulation in the adolescent period. The effects of DEX on LTP and LTD were correlated with an increase in the autophosphorylation of Ca(2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II at threonine-286 and a decrease in the protein phosphatase 1 expression. Neonatal DEX treatment resulted in a disruption of memory retention subjected to object recognition task and passive avoidance learning. The adverse effects of neonatal DEX treatment on hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory performance of the animals from litters culled to 4 pups were significantly less than those for the 8-pup litters. However, there was no significant difference in maternal care between groups. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results demonstrate that growth retardation plays a crucial role in DEX-induced long-lasting influence of

  3. Effects of Antenatal Betamethasone and Dexamethasone in Preterm Neonates

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    Chen-Yu Chen

    2005-09-01

    Conclusion: In our study, no significant differences between antenatal betamethasone and dexamethasone were found in complications of preterm neonates. Incomplete courses of antenatal corticosteroids were associated with an increased incidence of RDS compared with complete courses.

  4. Adverse effects of parenteral dexamethasone in the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris

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    Mohammad Jamal Uddin

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: Pemphigus vulgaris is associated with high morbidity as well as significant mortality rate. Today the risk of death in pemphigus from the side effect of oral prednisolone is greater than risk of death from the disease itself. Objec­tive: To observe the adverse effects of parenteral dexamethasone compared with oral prednisolone in the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris. Methods: An interventional study was carried out in the department of Dermatology and Venereol­ogy, Bangabandu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Total number of patients was thirty and among them fifteen patients were treated with parenteral dexamethasone (Group-A and other fifteen were treated with oral prednisolone (Group-B. Results: The study showed statistically significant differences of skin lesion as well as mucosal lesion of pemphigus after 6 weeks of therapy between of two groups (P<0.05. The most common adverse effects were increased body weight(40%, increased appetite(40%, and puffy face(40% in dexamethasone group. In prednisolone group, these side effects were 60% of the subjects. Other side effects in dexamethasone group were hyperglycemia (33.33%, hypertension (26.66%, and sleep disturbance (13.33%. In prednisolone group, other side effects were hyperglycemia(33.33%, hypertension(40%, gastritis (33.33%, nausea, vomiting (13.33% in each , reactivation of tuberculosis, herpes zoster infection, sleep disturbance, and mood change were 6.66% in each group. Conclusion: In the light of the findings of the study, we conclude that each of the treatment of dexamethasone group and prednisolone group is individually effective and safe in the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris but adverse effects are less in parenteral dexamethasone group than oral prednisolone group. So parenteral dexamethasone can be used as an alternative drug in the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris.

  5. Neonatal dexamethasone accelerates spreading depression in the rat, and antioxidant vitamins counteract this effect.

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    Lopes-de-Morais, Andréia Albuquerque Cunha; Mendes-da-Silva, Rosângela Figueiredo; dos-Santos, Eryka Maria; Guedes, Rubem Carlos Araújo

    2014-12-03

    The use of dexamethasone (Dex) to treat chronic lung disease in preterm infants may produce adverse effects in the developing brain. Here, we evaluated the effects of neonatal Dex on the propagation of cortical spreading depression (CSD), and tested the action of vitamins C and E against the effect of Dex. Five groups of Wistar rats received, respectively: [1] no treatment (Naïve); [2] Vehicle (V); [3] tapering doses of Dex (Dex; 0.5mg/kg, 0.3mg/kg, and 0.1mg/kg) on postnatal day (PND) 1-3; [4] Dex plus 200mg/kg vitamin C and 100mg/kg vitamin E (DexCE); [5] only vitamins C and E (CE). Vehicle and vitamins were administered on PND 1-6. CSD was recorded after the pups reached maturity (PND 60-70). The Dex-treated group presented with higher CSD velocities (mean values ± SD, in mm/min: 4.14 ± 0.22, n=10) compared with the control groups (Naïve: 3.52 ± 0.13, n=8; V: 3.57 ± 0.18, n=10; CE: 3.51 ± 0.24, n=10; pVitamins C and E antagonized this effect (DexCE group; CSD velocity: 3.43 ± 0.12, n=9). No intergroup difference was observed concerning P-wave amplitude and duration. In all groups, after the cortex underwent CSD, the electrocorticogram (ECoG) amplitude increased approximately 50% compared with the baseline amplitude for the same animal (CSD-induced ECoG potentiation); however, no intergroup difference was observed. Data suggest that coadministration of antioxidant vitamins with Dex may be a helpful therapeutic strategy to reduce brain adverse effects of dexamethasone. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Efficacy of two regimens of dexamethasone for management of preterm labour: pilot study

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    Rasool, A.; Farooq, U.

    2017-01-01

    Background: Dexamethasone is widely used for prevention of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) and intra-ventricular haemorrhage (IVH) in preterm babies; decreasing the neonatal mortality rate. There is no consensus on the dose of corticosteroid administered to the mother expected to have a preterm baby. This study is conducted to compare the effectiveness of two popular regimens of dexamethasone administration in decreasing incidence of RDS, necrotizing enterocolitis, IVH and neonatal mortality rate. Methods: Randomized control trial was conducted at Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad from 1st to 31st August, 2014. Sample size was set at 50. Block randomization was employed in the trial to allocate the patients into corresponding groups 'A' and 'B'. Group A was administered 6mg dexamethasone in 4 doses 12 hours apart and group B was administered 2 doses 12 hours apart. Results: Forty-eight patients participated in the study with 24 patients in each group. Mean age and period gestation of participants were 28.4 years±4.3 SD and 34 weeks±1.9 SD respectively. Four patients in group A gave birth to neonate with RDS compared to two cases in group B. Group B had higher incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis and neonatal mortalities. However, none of these differences observed were statistically significant. No case of IVH was reported in either of the groups. Conclusion: Both the popular regimens of dexamethasone administration are equally effective in decreasing the incidence of neonatal diseases. (author)

  7. Dexamethasone Treatment Leads to Enhanced Fear Extinction and Dynamic Fkbp5 Regulation in Amygdala.

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    Sawamura, Takehito; Klengel, Torsten; Armario, Antonio; Jovanovic, Tanja; Norrholm, Seth D; Ressler, Kerry J; Andero, Raül

    2016-02-01

    Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is both a prevalent and debilitating trauma-related disorder associated with dysregulated fear learning at the core of many of its signs and symptoms. Improvements in the currently available psychological and pharmacological treatments are needed in order to improve PTSD treatment outcomes and to prevent symptom relapse. In the present study, we used a putative animal model of PTSD that included presentation of immobilization stress (IMO) followed by fear conditioning (FC) a week later. We then investigated the acute effects of GR receptor activation on the extinction (EXT) of conditioned freezing, using dexamethasone administered systemically which is known to result in suppression of the HPA axis. In our previous work, IMO followed by tone-shock-mediated FC was associated with impaired fear EXT. In this study, we administered dexamethasone 4 h before EXT training and then examined EXT retention (RET) 24 h later to determine whether dexamethasone suppression rescued EXT deficits. Dexamethasone treatment produced dose-dependent enhancement of both EXT and RET. Dexamethasone was also associated with reduced amygdala Fkbp5 mRNA expression following EXT and after RET. Moreover, DNA methylation of the Fkbp5 gene occurred in a dose-dependent and time course-dependent manner within the amygdala. Additionally, we found dynamic changes in epigenetic regulation, including Dnmt and Tet gene pathways, as a function of both fear EXT and dexamethasone suppression of the HPA axis. Together, these data suggest that dexamethasone may serve to enhance EXT by altering Fkbp5-mediated glucocorticoid sensitivity via epigenetic regulation of Fkbp5 expression.

  8. Impact of prior treatment and depth of response on survival in MM-003, a randomized phase 3 study comparing pomalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone versus high-dose dexamethasone in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma

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    San Miguel, Jesus F.; Weisel, Katja C.; Song, Kevin W.; Delforge, Michel; Karlin, Lionel; Goldschmidt, Hartmut; Moreau, Philippe; Banos, Anne; Oriol, Albert; Garderet, Laurent; Cavo, Michele; Ivanova, Valentina; Alegre, Adrian; Martinez-Lopez, Joaquin; Chen, Christine; Renner, Christoph; Bahlis, Nizar Jacques; Yu, Xin; Teasdale, Terri; Sternas, Lars; Jacques, Christian; Zaki, Mohamed H.; Dimopoulos, Meletios A.

    2015-01-01

    Pomalidomide is a distinct oral IMiD® immunomodulatory agent with direct antimyeloma, stromal-support inhibitory, and immunomodulatory effects. The pivotal, multicenter, open-label, randomized phase 3 trial MM-003 compared pomalidomide + low-dose dexamethasone vs high-dose dexamethasone in 455 patients with refractory or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma after failure of bortezomib and lenalidomide treatment. Initial results demonstrated significantly longer progression-free survival and overall survival with an acceptable tolerability profile for pomalidomide + low-dose dexamethasone vs high-dose dexamethasone. This secondary analysis describes patient outcomes by treatment history and depth of response. Pomalidomide + low-dose dexamethasone significantly prolonged progression-free survival and favored overall survival vs high-dose dexamethasone for all subgroups analyzed, regardless of prior treatments or refractory status. Both univariate and multivariate analyses showed that no variable relating to either the number (≤ or > 3) or type of prior treatment was a significant predictor of progression-free survival or overall survival. No cross-resistance with prior lenalidomide or thalidomide treatment was observed. Patients achieving a minimal response or better to pomalidomide + low-dose dexamethasone treatment experienced a survival benefit, which was even higher in those achieving at least a partial response (17.2 and 19.9 months, respectively, as compared with 7.5 months for patients with less than minimal response). These data suggest that pomalidomide + low-dose dexamethasone should be considered a standard of care in patients with refractory or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma regardless of prior treatment. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01311687; EudraCT: 2010-019820-30. PMID:26160879

  9. Dexamethasone as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of invasive meningococcal diseases.

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    Tolaj, Ilir; Dreshaj, Shemsedin; Qehaja, Emine; Tolaj, Jasmina; Doda-Ejupi, Teuta; Mehmeti, Murat

    2010-01-01

    With this study we want to evaluate the role of dexamethasone adjuvant treatment in different clinical forms of invasive meningococcal diseases. WORK METHODS: This was a randomized, open label trial that was conducted in 147 individuals with meningococcal sepsis. All of the cases have been divided in two groups: (1) Cases with meningococcal disease and CNS infection, and (2) Cases with meningococcal disease and no affection of the CNS. Cases from both groups were treated with dexamethasone, 0.15 mg/kg, every 6 h, for 4 (four) days, as adjuvant therapy. Cases which were not treated with dexamethasone were used as control group. From overall number of cases, in 130 of them, the meningococcal disease was accompanied with meningitis; in other 17 cases only signs of sepsis were present. In both clinical forms, the dexamethasone was used in 92 cases. The higher mortality rate is registered among the cases without meningitis, 17.65%, compared with 6.92% which is registered among cases with meningitis. The overall mortality rate among all cases was 8.2%. The significant difference was recorded only on CSF sugar level between two groups (treated or not with dexamethasone) on the day 1-4 of the hospitalization. Our epidemiological data are in correlation with data from other epidemiological studies. Most of the cases 69.4%, were more than 12 hours sick at home before the hospitalization, 7.5 % of cases were hospitalized within 12 hours from the onset of the diseases, while 23.1% of cases data are missing. This is in correlation with similar data from other studies. Dexamethasone has a limited effect on outcome of the invasive meningococcal disease. Dexamethasone had some effect only during the days of administration in cases with clinical form of sepsis with meningitis, by normalizing the values of CSF sugar earlier.

  10. Impact of dexamethason

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    Zahra Basirat

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Infertile women with polycystic ovary (PCOs involve with anovulatory cycles. Various adjuvant treatments have been suggested to improve ovarian response in these patients. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the role of dexamethasone in the outcome of IVF/ICSI in PCOs infertile women. Study design: 129 PCOs infertile women undergone IVF/ICSI were enrolled for this single blind clinical trial study in 2012–2013. Setting: Fatemezahra Infertility and Reproductive Health Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. Method: 43 patients who underwent IVF received dexamethasone (0.5 mg, 4 tab/day in the treatment group and 74 patients were considered as the placebo group. Main outcome measure: Pregnancy rate was compared between the two groups. In addition, number of dominant follicle, oocytes retrieved, embryos transferred, and number of gonadotropin ampoule were evaluated. Results: The pregnancy rate in the group receiving dexamethasone was 17.5% significantly higher versus 4.3% in the placebo group (P < 0.05. The mean number of embryos in the patients received dexamethasone was 6.7 ± 4.3, significantly greater than placebo which was 4.9 ± 4.9 (P < 0.05. The mean number of gonadotropin ampoules used in the group received dexamethasone was 3.5 ± 1.6, significantly lower versus the placebo which was 5.3 ± 2.5 (P < 0.05. The mean number of oocytes in the group received dexamethasone was 11.8 ± 8 and in the placebo group was 9.6 ± 5.8 that was not significant. Conclusion: Dexamethasone enhances embryos and pregnancy rate; in addition, it reduces gonadotropines ampoule used for stimulation, hence, and we recommend using of dexamethasone in women with PCOs undertreatment of IVF/ICSI.

  11. The role of adjunctive dexamethasone in the treatment of bacterial meningitis: an updated systematic meta-analysis

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    Shao M

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Mei Shao,1 Peng Xu,2 Jun Liu,3 Wenyun Liu,1 Xiujie Wu1 1Department of Neurosurgery, Linyi People’s Hospital, 2Department of Neurosurgery, Linyi Yishui Central Hospital, Linyi, 3Department of Neurosurgery, Binzhou Medical College, Yantai, Shandong, People’s Republic of China Background: Bacterial meningitis is a serious infection in children and adults worldwide, with considerable morbidity, mortality, and severe neurological sequelae. Dexamethasone is often used before antibiotics in cases of this disease, and improves outcomes.Objective: Although several studies have identified the role of adjunctive dexamethasone therapy in the treatment of bacterial meningitis, the results are still inconclusive. The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate the therapeutic and adverse effect of adjunctive dexa­methasone in patients with bacterial meningitis.Materials and methods: Relevant randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of dexamethasone in bacterial meningitis published between 2000 and 2016 were retrieved from the common electronic databases. The odds ratio (OR and risk ratio (RR with their 95% confidence interval (CI were employed to calculate the effect.Results: A total of ten articles including 2,459 bacterial meningitis patients (1,245 in the dexamethasone group and 1,214 in the placebo group were included in this meta-analysis. Our result found that dexamethasone was not associated with a significant reduction in follow-up mortality (292 of 1,245 on dexamethasone versus 314 of 1,214 on placebo; OR =0.91, 95% CI =0.80–1.03, P=0.14 and severe neurological sequelae (22.4% versus 24.1%, OR =0.84, 95% CI =0.54–1.29, P=0.42. However, dexamethasone seemed to reduce hearing loss among survivors (21.2% versus 26.1%; OR =0.76, 95% CI =0.59–0.98, P=0.03. No significant difference was found between these two groups in adverse events.Conclusion: Our results suggested that adjunctive dexamethasone might not be beneficial in the

  12. Dexamethasone Treatment Reverses Cognitive Impairment but Increases Brain Oxidative Stress in Rats Submitted to Pneumococcal Meningitis

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    Tatiana Barichello

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Pneumococcal meningitis is associated with a significant mortality rate and neurologic sequelae. The animals received either 10 μL of saline or a S. pneumoniae suspension and were randomized into different groups: sham: placebo with dexamethasone 0.7 mg/kg/1 day; placebo with dexamethasone 0.2 mg/kg/7 days; meningitis groups: dexamethasone 0.7 mg/kg/1 day and dexamethasone 0.2 mg/kg/7 days. Ten days after induction we evaluated memory and oxidative stress parameters in hippocampus and cortex. In the step-down inhibitory avoidance task, we observed memory impairment in the meningitis group with dexamethasone 0.2 mg/kg/7 days. The lipid peroxidation was increased in hippocampus in the meningitis groups with dexamethasone and in cortex only in the meningitis group with dexamethasone 0.2 mg/kg/7 days. The protein carbonyl was increased in hippocampus in the meningitis groups with dexamethasone and in cortex in the meningitis groups with and without dexamethasone. There was a decrease in the proteins integrity in hippocampus in all groups receiving treatment with dexamethasone and in cortex in all groups with dexamethasone (0.7 mg/kg/1 day. The mitochondrial superoxide was increased in the hippocampus and cortex in the meningitis group with dexamethasone 0.2 mg/kg/7 days. Our findings demonstrate that dexamethasone reverted cognitive impairment but increased brain oxidative stress in hippocampus and cortex in Wistar rats ten days after pneumococcal meningitis induction.

  13. ATM splicing variants as biomarkers for low dose dexamethasone treatment of A-T.

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    Menotta, Michele; Biagiotti, Sara; Spapperi, Chiara; Orazi, Sara; Rossi, Luigia; Chessa, Luciana; Leuzzi, Vincenzo; D'Agnano, Daniela; Soresina, Annarosa; Micheli, Roberto; Magnani, Mauro

    2017-07-05

    Ataxia Telangiectasia (AT) is a rare incurable genetic disease, caused by biallelic mutations in the Ataxia Telangiectasia-Mutated (ATM) gene. Treatment with glucocorticoid analogues has been shown to improve the neurological symptoms that characterize this syndrome. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanism underlying the glucocorticoid action in AT patients is not yet understood. Recently, we have demonstrated that Dexamethasone treatment may partly restore ATM activity in AT lymphoblastoid cells by a new ATM transcript, namely ATMdexa1. In the present study, the new ATMdexa1 transcript was also identified in vivo, specifically in the PMBCs of AT patients treated with intra-erythrocyte Dexamethasone (EryDex). In these patients it was also possible to isolate new "ATMdexa1 variants" originating from canonical and non-canonical splicing, each containing the coding sequence for the ATM kinase domain. The expression of the ATMdexa1 transcript family was directly related to treatment and higher expression levels of the transcript in patients' blood correlated with a positive response to Dexamethasone therapy. Neither untreated AT patients nor untreated healthy volunteers possessed detectable levels of the transcripts. ATMdexa1 transcript expression was found to be elevated 8 days after the drug infusion, while it decreased 21 days after treatment. For the first time, the expression of ATM splicing variants, similar to those previously observed in vitro, has been found in the PBMCs of patients treated with EryDex. These findings show a correlation between the expression of ATMdexa1 transcripts and the clinical response to low dose dexamethasone administration.

  14. Clinical applications of the sustained-release dexamethasone implant for treatment of macular edema

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    Rocío Herrero-Vanrell, Jose Augusto Cardillo

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Rocío Herrero-Vanrell1, Jose Augusto Cardillo2, Baruch D Kuppermann31Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain; 2Hospital de Olhos de Araraquara, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil; 3Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, CA, USAAbstract: Macular edema is one of the leading causes of vision loss among patients with retinal vein occlusion, diabetic retinopathy, and posterior chamber inflammatory disease. However, the treatment of macular edema is considerably limited by the difficulty in delivering effective doses of therapeutic agents into the vitreous cavity. In recent years, the development of a sustained-release dexamethasone intravitreal implant (Ozurdex® has enabled more controlled drug release at a stable rate over a long period of time, with a potentially lower rate of adverse events. Clinical studies indicate that this dexamethasone implant is a promising new treatment option for patients with persistent macular edema resulting from retinal vein occlusion, diabetic retinopathy, and uveitis or Irvine-Gass syndrome.Keywords: diabetic retinopathy, macular edema, Ozurdex®, posterior-segment inflammatory disease, retinal vein occlusion, sustained-release dexamethasone implant

  15. Dexamethasone-suppressed cortisol awakening response predicts treatment outcome in posttraumatic stress disorder

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    Nijdam, M. J.; van Amsterdam, J. G. C.; Gersons, B. P. R.; Olff, M.

    2015-01-01

    Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with several alterations in the neuroendocrine system, including enhanced cortisol suppression in response to the dexamethasone suppression test. The aim of this study was to examine whether specific biomarkers of PTSD predict treatment

  16. Impairment of wound healing after operative treatment of mandibular fractures, and the influence of dexamethasone.

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    Snäll, Johanna; Kormi, Eeva; Lindqvist, Christian; Suominen, Anna Liisa; Mesimäki, Karri; Törnwall, Jyrki; Thorén, Hanna

    2013-12-01

    Our aim was to clarify the incidence of impaired wound healing after open reduction and ostheosynthesis of mandibular fractures, and to find out whether the use of dexamethasone during the operation increased the risk. Patients were drawn from a larger group of healthy adult dentate patients who had participated in a single-blind, randomised study, the aim of which was to clarify the benefits of operative dexamethasone after treatment of facial fractures. The present analysis comprised 41 patients who had had open reduction and fixation of mandibular fractures with titanium miniplates and monocortical screws through one or 2 intraoral approaches. The outcome variable was impaired healing of the wound. The primary predictive variable was the perioperative use of dexamethasone; other potential predictive variables were age, sex, smoking habit, type of fracture, delay in treatment, and duration of operation. Wound healing was impaired in 13/41 patients (32%) (13/53 of all fractures). The incidence among patients who were given dexamethasone and those who were not did not differ significantly. Only age over 25 was significantly associated with delayed healing (p=0.02). The use of dexamethasone 30 mg perioperatively did not significantly increase the risk of impaired wound healing in healthy patients with clinically uninfected mandibular fractures fixed with titanium miniplates through an intraoral approach. Older age is a significant predictor of impaired healing, which emphasises the importance of thorough anti-infective care in these patients during and after the operation. Copyright © 2013 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Neonatal Bacterial Meningitis And Dexamethasone Adjunctive ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Methodology: Babies admitted from1992 to 1995 in the Special Care Baby Unit of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maduguri, Nigeria, with bacterial meningitis were studied prospectively. Neonatal bacterial meningitis was confirmed if the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) microbiological, chemical, immunological and ...

  18. Glucocorticoids Protect Neonatal Rat Brain in Model of Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE

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    Benjamin Harding

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE resulting from asphyxia in the peripartum period is the most common cause of neonatal brain damage and can result in significant neurologic sequelae, including cerebral palsy. Currently therapeutic hypothermia is the only accepted treatment in addition to supportive care for infants with HIE, however, many additional neuroprotective therapies have been investigated. Of these, glucocorticoids have previously been shown to have neuroprotective effects. HIE is also frequently compounded by infectious inflammatory processes (sepsis and as such, the infants may be more amenable to treatment with an anti-inflammatory agent. Thus, the present study investigated dexamethasone and hydrocortisone treatment given after hypoxic-ischemic (HI insult in neonatal rats via intracerebroventricular (ICV injection and intranasal administration. In addition, we examined the effects of hydrocortisone treatment in HIE after lipopolysaccharide (LPS sensitization in a model of HIE and sepsis. We found that dexamethasone significantly reduced rat brain infarction size when given after HI treatment via ICV injection; however it did not demonstrate any neuroprotective effects when given intranasally. Hydrocortisone after HI insult also significantly reduced brain infarction size when given via ICV injection; and the intranasal administration showed to be protective of brain injury in male rats at a dose of 300 µg. LPS sensitization did significantly increase the brain infarction size compared to controls, and hydrocortisone treatment after LPS sensitization showed a significant decrease in brain infarction size when given via ICV injection, as well as intranasal administration in both genders at a dose of 300 µg. To conclude, these results show that glucocorticoids have significant neuroprotective effects when given after HI injury and that these effects may be even more pronounced when given in circumstances of additional

  19. Pregabalin and dexamethasone improves post-operative pain treatment after tonsillectomy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mathiesen, O; Jørgensen, D G; Hilsted, K L

    2011-01-01

    Post-tonsillectomy pain can be severe. We investigated the analgesic effect from combinations of paracetamol, pregabalin and dexamethasone in adults undergoing tonsillectomy.......Post-tonsillectomy pain can be severe. We investigated the analgesic effect from combinations of paracetamol, pregabalin and dexamethasone in adults undergoing tonsillectomy....

  20. Effects of dexamethasone on palate mesenchymal cell phospholipase activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bulleit, R.F.; Zimmerman, E.F.

    1984-01-01

    Corticosteroids will induce cleft palate in mice. One suggested mechanism for this effect is through inhibition of phospholipase activity. This hypothesis was tested by measuring the effects of dexamethasone, a synthetic corticosteroid, on phospholipase activity in cultures of palate mesenchymal cells. Palate mesenchymal cells were prelabeled with [3H]arachidonic acid. The cells were subsequently treated with various concentrations of dexamethasone. Concurrently, cultures of M-MSV-transformed 3T3 cells were prepared identically. After treatment, phospholipase activity was stimulated by the addition of serum or epidermal growth factor (EGF), and radioactivity released into the medium was taken as a measure of phospholipase activity. Dexamethasone (1 X 10(-5) or 1 X 10(-4) M) could inhibit serum-stimulated phospholipase activity in transformed 3T3 cells after 1 to 24 hr of treatment. However, no inhibition of activity was measured in palate mesenchymal cells following this period of treatment. Not until 120 hr of treatment with dexamethasone (1 X 10(-4) M) was any significant inhibition of serum-stimulated phospholipase activity observed in palate mesenchymal cells. When EGF was used to stimulate phospholipase activity, dexamethasone (1 X 10(-5) M) caused an increase in phospholipase activity in palate mesenchymal cells. These observations suggested that phospholipase in transformed 3T3 cells was sensitive to inhibition by dexamethasone. However, palate mesenchymal cell phospholipase is only minimally sensitive to dexamethasone, and in certain instances can be enhanced. These results cannot support the hypothesis that corticosteroids mediate their teratogenic effect via inhibition of phospholipase activity

  1. Neonatal pressure ulcers: prevention and treatment

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    García-Molina P

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Pablo García-Molina,1,2 Alba Alfaro-López,1 Sara María García-Rodríguez,1 Celia Brotons-Payá,1 Mari Carmen Rodríguez-Dolz,1,2 Evelin Balaguer-López1,2 1Department of Nursing, University of Valencia, 2Research Group of Pediatric Nutrition, INCLIVA Foundation, Valencia, Spain Abstract: Health professionals should be prepared to respond to the needs of hospitalized neonates. The health team must consider multiple situations, where the neonate is at risk of having an adverse effect. One of the main interventions that health professionals must practice when interacting with hospitalized newborns is skin care. Neonates often suffer from diaper rash or intravenous drugs extravasation. Recently, hospitalized neonates and especially those in an unstable clinical situation are also at a risk of developing pressure ulcers. The presence of a pressure ulcer in a neonate can lead to serious problems to survival (eg, sepsis, clinical instability. This is the reason why, with this literature review, we attempt to answer questions from health professionals caring for neonates about the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers. Keywords: infant, pressure ulcer, treatment, prevention, wound, assessment

  2. Dexamethasone treatment induces susceptibility of outbred Webster mice to experimental infection with Besnoitia darlingi isolated from opossums (Didelphis virginiana).

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    Elsheikha, Hany M; Rosenthal, Benjamin M; Mansfield, Linda S

    2005-04-01

    The Sarcocystidae comprise a diverse, monophyletic apicomplexan parasite family, most of whose members form intracellular cysts in their intermediate hosts. The extent of pathology associated with such cyst formation can range widely. We currently lack experimental animal models for many of these infections. Here we explored dexamethasone treatment as a means to render outbred mice susceptible to Besnoitia darlingi infection and demonstrated that this approach allows viable parasites to be subsequently isolated from these mice and maintained in tissue culture. Besnoitia bradyzoites recovered from crushed cysts derived from naturally infected opossums (Didelphis virginiana) replicated and reproduced the development of besnoitiosis in mice treated with dexamethasone (0.5 mg/ml drinking water) daily for 12 days post infection (DPI). Isolates recovered from the peritoneal exudates of these mice were viable and were maintained in long-term tissue cultures. In contrast, control mice given saline without dexamethasone and challenged with similar bradyzoites remained clinically normal for up to 70 DPI. An additional group of mice challenged with the same inoculum of bradyzoites and given dexamethasone at the same concentration and treated with sulfadiazine (1 mg/ml drinking water) daily for 12 DPI also remained normal for up to 70 DPI. Severe disease developed more rapidly in dexamethasone-treated mice inoculated with culture-derived B. darlingi tachyzoites than in those inoculated with cyst-derived bradyzoites. B. darlingi tachyzoite-infected, untreated control mice developed signs of illness at 18 DPI. In contrast, mice treated with sulfadiazine showed no clinical signs up to 50 DPI. Although dexamethasone treatment was required to establish B. darlingi infection in outbred mice inoculated with opossum-derived B. darlingi bradyzoites, no such treatment was required for mice inoculated with culture-derived B. darlingi tachyzoites. Finally, sulfadiazine was highly

  3. Intravitreal dexamethasone implants for the treatment of refractory scleritis combined with uveitis in adult-onset Still's disease: a case report.

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    Ahn, Seong Joon; Hwang, Sun Jin; Lee, Byung Ro

    2016-11-08

    Adult-onset Still's disease is a systemic inflammatory disease which presents with uveitis and scleritis in the eye. Intravitreal dexamethasone implants are used for the treatment of refractory uveitis. A 19-year-old woman diagnosed to have adult-onset Still's disease for fevers, joint pain, and a salmon-colored bumpy rash presented with scleritis and uveitis in the left eye. Topical and systemic steroids with oral methotrexate failed to control the inflammation. We performed intravitreal injections of dexamethasone implants for side effects of steroid and refractory ocular inflammation. The therapy resulted in improvements in the patient's uveitis with reductions in scleral vessel engorgement and redness. There was no recurrence of uveitis or scleritis during 4 months following treatment. Intravitreal injections of dexamethasone implants may result in clinical improvements of refractory scleritis combined with uveitis.

  4. Treatment of neonatal sepsis with intravenous immune globulin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brocklehurst, Peter; Farrell, Barbara; King, Andrew

    2011-01-01

    Neonatal sepsis is a major cause of death and complications despite antibiotic treatment. Effective adjunctive treatments are needed. Newborn infants are relatively deficient in endogenous immunoglobulin. Meta-analyses of trials of intravenous immune globulin for suspected or proven neonatal sepsis...

  5. Comparative evaluation of megadose methylprednisolone with dexamethasone for treatment of primary typical optic neuritis

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    Menon Vimala

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim: To compare the efficacy of intravenous methylprednisolone and intravenous dexamethasone on visual recovery and evaluate their side-effects for the treatment of optic neuritis. Materials and Methods: Prospective, randomized case-controlled study including 21 patients of acute optic neuritis presenting within eight days of onset and with visual acuity less then 20/60 in the affected eye who were randomly divided into two groups. Group I received intravenous dexamethasone 200 mg once daily for three days and Group II received intravenous methylprednisolone 250 mg/six-hourly for three days followed by oral prednisolone for 11 days. Parameters tested were pupillary reactions, visual acuity, fundus findings, color vision, contrast sensitivity, Goldmann visual fields and biochemical investigations for all patients at presentation and follow-up. Results: Both groups were age and sex-matched. LOGMAR visual acuity at presentation was 1.10 ± 0.52 in Group I and 1.52 ± 0.43 in Group II. On day 90 of steroid therapy, visual acuity improved to 0.28 ± 0.33 in Group I and 0.36 ± 0.41 in Group II ( P =0.59. At three months there was no statistically significant difference in the color vision, contrast sensitivity, stereoacuity, Goldman fields and the amplitude and latency of visually evoked response between the two groups. The concentration of vitamin C, glucose, sodium, potassium, urea and creatinine were within the reported normal limits. Conclusion: Intravenous dexamethasone is an effective treatment for optic neuritis. However, larger studies are required to establish it as a safe, inexpensive and effective modality for the treatment of optic neuritis.

  6. Dexamethasone and long-term outcome of tuberculous meningitis in Vietnamese adults and adolescents.

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    M Estée Török

    Full Text Available Dexamethasone has been shown to reduce mortality in patients with tuberculous meningitis but the long-term outcome of the disease is unknown.Vietnamese adults and adolescents with tuberculous meningitis recruited to a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of adjunctive dexamethasone were followed-up at five years, to determine the effect of dexamethasone on long-term survival and neurological disability.545 patients were randomised to receive either dexamethasone (274 patients or placebo (271 patients. 50 patients (9.2% were lost to follow-up at five years. In all patients two-year survival, probabilities tended to be higher in the dexamethasone arm (0.63 versus 0.55; p = 0.07 but five-year survival rates were similar (0.54 versus 0.51, p = 0.51 in both groups. In patients with grade 1 TBM, but not with grade 2 or grade 3 TBM, the benefit of dexamethasone treatment tended to persist over time (five-year survival probabilities 0.69 versus 0.55, p = 0.07 but there was no conclusive evidence of treatment effect heterogeneity by TBM grade (p = 0.36. The dexamethasone group had a similar proportion of severely disabled patients among survivors at five years as the placebo group (17/128, 13.2% vs. 17/116, 14.7% and there was no significant association between dexamethasone treatment and disability status at five years (p = 0.32.Adjunctive dexamethasone appears to improve the probability of survival in patients with TBM, until at least two years of follow-up. We could not demonstrate a five-year survival benefit of dexamethasone treatment which may be confined to patients with grade 1 TBM.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01317654.

  7. Dexamethasone and Long-Term Outcome of Tuberculous Meningitis in Vietnamese Adults and Adolescents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Török, M. Estée; Bang, Nguyen Duc; Chau, Tran Thi Hong; Yen, Nguyen Thi Bich; Thwaites, Guy E.; Thi Quy, Hoang; Dung, Nguyen Huy; Hien, Tran Tinh; Chinh, Nguyen Tran; Thi Thanh Hoang, Hoang; Wolbers, Marcel; Farrar, Jeremy J.

    2011-01-01

    Background Dexamethasone has been shown to reduce mortality in patients with tuberculous meningitis but the long-term outcome of the disease is unknown. Methods Vietnamese adults and adolescents with tuberculous meningitis recruited to a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of adjunctive dexamethasone were followed-up at five years, to determine the effect of dexamethasone on long-term survival and neurological disability. Results 545 patients were randomised to receive either dexamethasone (274 patients) or placebo (271 patients). 50 patients (9.2%) were lost to follow-up at five years. In all patients two-year survival, probabilities tended to be higher in the dexamethasone arm (0.63 versus 0.55; p = 0.07) but five-year survival rates were similar (0.54 versus 0.51, p = 0.51) in both groups. In patients with grade 1 TBM, but not with grade 2 or grade 3 TBM, the benefit of dexamethasone treatment tended to persist over time (five-year survival probabilities 0.69 versus 0.55, p = 0.07) but there was no conclusive evidence of treatment effect heterogeneity by TBM grade (p = 0.36). The dexamethasone group had a similar proportion of severely disabled patients among survivors at five years as the placebo group (17/128, 13.2% vs. 17/116, 14.7%) and there was no significant association between dexamethasone treatment and disability status at five years (p = 0.32). Conclusions Adjunctive dexamethasone appears to improve the probability of survival in patients with TBM, until at least two years of follow-up. We could not demonstrate a five-year survival benefit of dexamethasone treatment which may be confined to patients with grade 1 TBM. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01317654 NCT01317654?term = tuberculous+meningitis&rank = 3 PMID:22174748

  8. Does Dexamethasone Helps in Meningococcal Sepsis?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tolaj, Ilir; Ramadani, Hamdi; Mehmeti, Murat; Gashi, Hatixhe; Kasumi, Arbana; Gashi, Visar; Jashari, Haki

    2017-06-01

    Prompt recognition and aggressive early treatment are the only effective measures against invasive meningococcal disease (IMD). Anti-inflammatory adjunctive treatment remains controversial and difficult to assess in patients with IMD. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of dexamethasone (DXM) as adjunctive treatment in different clinical forms of IMD, and attempt to answer if DXM should be routinely used in the treatment of IMD. In this non-interventional clinical study (NIS), 39 patients with meningococcal septicaemia with or without of meningitis were included, and compared regarding the impact of dexamethasone (DXM), as an adjunctive treatment, on the outcome of IMD. SPSS statistics is used for statistical processing of data. Thirty (76.9%) patients with IMD had sepsis and meningitis, and 9 (23.1%) of them had sepsis alone. Dexamethasone was used in 24 (61.5%) cases, in both clinical groups. The overall mortality rate was 10.3%. Pneumonia was diagnosed in 6 patients (15.4%), arthritis in 3 of them (7.7%), and subdural effusion in one patient (2.6%). The data showed a significant statistical difference on the length of hospitalization, and WBC normalization in groups of patients treated with DXM. The use of DXM as adjunctive therapy in invasive meningococcal disease has a degree of proven benefits and no harmful effects. In fighting this very dangerous and complex infection, even a limited benefit is sufficient to recommend the use of DXM as adjunctive treatment in invasive meningococcal disease.

  9. Mechanisms of dexamethasone-induced disturbed sleep and fatigue in paediatric patients receiving treatment for ALL.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vallance, Kelly; Liu, Wei; Mandrell, Belinda N; Panetta, John C; Gattuso, Jami S; Hockenberry, Marilyn; Zupanec, Sue; Yang, Lei; Yang, Jie; Hinds, Pamela S

    2010-07-01

    Dexamethasone contributes to high cure rates in paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) but significantly and adversely alters sleep and fatigue. Herein we explored three mechanisms (pharmacokinetics, serum albumin and pharmacogenetics) through which dexamethasone may cause debilitating fatigue and disrupted sleep. We enrolled 100 patients on a 10-d study: 5-d of no dexamethasone (OFF DEX) followed by 5-d of dexamethasone (ON DEX) during continuation chemotherapy. Sleep variables were collected with continuous actigraphy on days 1 through 5, both OFF DEX and ON DEX. On days 2 and 5 of each 5-d period, parents and patients 7 years of age and older completed a sleep diary and Fatigue Scale questionnaire. Blood was collected at 0 (pre-dexamethasone), 1, 2, 4 and 8 h after the first oral dexamethasone dose for pharmacokinetic analysis. Serum albumin concentration was retrospectively analysed in stored samples. Patient DNA was genotyped for 99 polymorphic loci in candidate genes associated with glucocorticoid metabolism. Dexamethasone clearance was significantly greater in younger patients than in older ones and in lower risk patients. In multiple regression models, risk group was significantly related to pharmacokinetic parameters. We found that polymorphisms in three genes (AHSG, IL6, POLDIP3) were significantly associated with sleep measures but not with fatigue. Risk group had the most significant relationship with disrupted sleep in patients while on dexamethasone. Serum albumin levels had neither a direct relationship with sleep or fatigue variables nor an indirect relationship through systemic exposure to dexamethasone. We identified candidate genes that may help explain the adverse events of disrupted sleep in paediatric patients receiving dexamethasone. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. A randomized, double-masked, parallel-group, comparative study to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of 1% azithromycin–0.1% dexamethasone combination compared to 1% azithromycin alone, dexamethasone 0.1% alone, and vehicle in the treatment of subjects with blepharitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hosseini K

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Kamran Hosseini,1 Richard L Lindstrom,2,3 Gary Foulks,4 Kelly K Nichols5 1InSite Vision, Alameda, CA, 2Minnesota Eye Consultants, 3Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, 4Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 5School of Optometry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA Purpose: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of a 1% azithromycin–0.1% dexamethasone combination in DuraSite (“combination” compared to 0.1% dexamethasone in DuraSite, 1% azithromycin in DuraSite, and vehicle in the treatment of subjects with blepharitis.Materials and methods: This was a Phase III, double-masked, vehicle-controlled, four-arm study in which 907 subjects with blepharitis were randomized to combination (n=305, 0.1% dexamethasone (n=298, 1% azithromycin (n=155, or vehicle (n=149. Ten study visits were scheduled: screening visit, days 1 and 4 (dosing phase and 15, and months 1–6 (follow-up phase. On day 1, subjects applied one drop of the study drug to the eyelid of the inflamed eye(s twice daily, and continued with twice-daily dosing for 14 days. After completing 14 days of dosing, subjects were followed for 6 months for efficacy and safety.Results: A total of 57 subjects (6.3% had complete clinical resolution at day 15: 25 (8.2%, 17 (5.7%, 8 (5.2%, and 7 (4.7% subjects in the combination-, 0.1% dexamethasone-, 1% azithromycin-, and vehicle-treatment groups, respectively. The combination was superior to 1% azithromycin and vehicle alone, but not to 0.1% dexamethasone alone. Mean composite (total clinical sign and symptom scores improved in all four treatment groups during the posttreatment evaluation phase for the intent-to-treat population, but outcomes were superior when a drop containing 0.1% dexamethasone was utilized. Clinical response was noted as early as day 4, and persisted as long

  11. INTRAVITREAL DEXAMETHASONE IMPLANT AS ADJUVANT TREATMENT FOR BEVACIZUMAB- AND RANIBIZUMAB-RESISTANT NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION: A Prospective Pilot Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barikian, Anita; Salti, Haytham; Safar, Ammar; Mahfoud, Ziyad R; Bashshur, Ziad F

    2017-07-01

    To study the benefit of intravitreal dexamethasone implant in the management of neovascular age-related macular degeneration resistant to bevacizumab and ranibizumab. Patients with persistent macular fluid on optical coherence tomography despite monthly treatment with at least three consecutive bevacizumab injections followed by at least three ranibizumab injections were prospectively enrolled. A single dexamethasone implant was administered followed by intravitreal ranibizumab 1 week later. Ranibizumab was continued afterward on an as-needed basis. Main outcomes were improvement in central retinal thickness and best-corrected visual acuity. Nineteen patients (19 eyes) were enrolled. There was no significant change in best-corrected visual acuity over 6 months. Greatest reduction in mean central retinal thickness, from 295.2 μm to 236.2 μm, occurred 1 month after dexamethasone implant (P macular intraretinal fluid in eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration resistant to bevacizumab and ranibizumab. However, this treatment had a limited duration.

  12. Analgesic effects of dexamethasone in burn injury

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Werner, Mads U; Lassen, Birgit Vibeke; Kehlet, Henrik

    2002-01-01

    and secondary hyperalgesia. RESULTS: The burn injury induced significant increases in erythema (P burn did not differ between dexamethasone and placebo treatments (P >.6). There were no significant......BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Glucocorticoids are well-known adjuvant analgesics in certain chronic pain states. There is, however, a paucity of data on their analgesic efficacy in acute pain. Therefore, the aim of the study was to examine the analgesic effects of dexamethasone in a validated burn...... model of acute inflammatory pain in humans. METHODS: Twenty-two volunteers were investigated in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over study. Intravenous dexamethasone 8 mg or placebo was administered on 2 separate study days. Two hours after drug administration, a first-degree burn...

  13. Dexamethasone-induced haptoglobin release by calf liver parenchymal cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Higuchi, H; Katoh, N; Miyamoto, T; Uchida, E; Yuasa, A; Takahashi, K

    1994-08-01

    Parenchymal cells were isolated from the liver of male calves, and monolayer cultures formed were treated with glucocorticoids to examine whether haptoglobin, appearance of which is associated with hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver) in cattle, is induced by steroid hormones. Without addition of dexamethasone, only trace amounts of haptoglobin were detected in culture medium. With addition of dexamethasone (10(-12) to 10(-4) M), considerable amounts of haptoglobin were released into the medium. Maximal release was observed at concentrations of 10(-8) to 10(-6) M dexamethasone. Haptoglobin release was similarly induced by cortisol, although the effect was less potent than that of dexamethasone. Actinomycin D (a known protein synthesis inhibitor) dose-dependently reduced amounts of haptoglobin released in response to 10(-8) M dexamethasone. Dexamethasone also induced annexin I, which is known to be synthesized in response to glucocorticoids. Dexamethasone treatment resulted in reduced protein kinase C activity in the cell cytosol, which has been shown to be an early event in dexamethasone-treated cells. Other than glucocorticoids, estradiol induced haptoglobin release, whereas progesterone was less effective. The association of haptoglobin with hepatic lipidosis can be reasonably explained by the fact that haptoglobin production by the liver is induced by glucocorticoids and estradiol, and these steroid hormones are triggers for development of hepatic lipidosis in cattle.

  14. Does Dexamethasone Helps in Meningococcal Sepsis?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tolaj, Ilir; Ramadani, Hamdi; Mehmeti, Murat; Gashi, Hatixhe; Kasumi, Arbana; Gashi, Visar; Jashari, Haki

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: Prompt recognition and aggressive early treatment are the only effective measures against invasive meningococcal disease (IMD). Anti-inflammatory adjunctive treatment remains controversial and difficult to assess in patients with IMD. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of dexamethasone (DXM) as adjunctive treatment in different clinical forms of IMD, and attempt to answer if DXM should be routinely used in the treatment of IMD. Methods: In this non-interventional clinical study (NIS), 39 patients with meningococcal septicaemia with or without of meningitis were included, and compared regarding the impact of dexamethasone (DXM), as an adjunctive treatment, on the outcome of IMD. SPSS statistics is used for statistical processing of data. Results: Thirty (76.9%) patients with IMD had sepsis and meningitis, and 9 (23.1%) of them had sepsis alone. Dexamethasone was used in 24 (61.5%) cases, in both clinical groups. The overall mortality rate was 10.3%. Pneumonia was diagnosed in 6 patients (15.4%), arthritis in 3 of them (7.7%), and subdural effusion in one patient (2.6%). The data showed a significant statistical difference on the length of hospitalization, and WBC normalization in groups of patients treated with DXM. Conclusion: The use of DXM as adjunctive therapy in invasive meningococcal disease has a degree of proven benefits and no harmful effects. In fighting this very dangerous and complex infection, even a limited benefit is sufficient to recommend the use of DXM as adjunctive treatment in invasive meningococcal disease. PMID:28974828

  15. Bcl2-independent chromatin cleavage is a very early event during induction of apoptosis in mouse thymocytes after treatment with either dexamethasone or ionizing radiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hahn, Peter J; Lai, Zhi-Wei; Nevaldine, Barbara; Schiff, Ninel; Fiore, Nancy C; Silverstone, Allen E

    2003-11-01

    We have quantified the emergence of early chromatin breaks during the signal transduction phase of apoptosis in mouse thymocytes after treatment with either ionizing radiation or dexamethasone. Dexamethasone at 1 microM can induce significant levels of DNA breaks (equivalent to the amount induced directly by 7.5 Gy ionizing radiation) within 0.5 h of treatment. The execution phase of apoptosis was not observed until 4-6 h after the same treatment. The presence of the Bcl2 transgene under the control of the p56lck promoter almost completely inhibited apoptosis up to 24 h after treatment, but it had virtually no effect on the early chromatin cleavage occurring in the first 6 h. Ionizing radiation induced chromatin cleavage both directly by damaging DNA and indirectly with kinetics similar to the induction of chromatin cleavage by dexamethasone. The presence of the Bcl2 transgene had no effect on the direct or indirect radiation-induced cleavage in the first 6 h, but after the first 6 h, the Bcl2 gene inhibited further radiation-induced chromatin cleavage. These results suggest that endonucleases are activated within minutes of treatment with either dexamethasone or ionizing radiation as part of the very early signal transduction phase of apoptosis, and prior to the irreversible commitment to cell death.

  16. Dexamethasone, Intravenous Immunoglobulin, and Rituximab Combination Immunotherapy for Pediatric Opsoclonus-Myoclonus Syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pranzatelli, Michael R; Tate, Elizabeth D

    2017-08-01

    Although pulse-dose dexamethasone is increasingly favored for treating pediatric opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS), and multimodal immunotherapy is associated with improved clinical response, there have been no neuroimmunologic studies of dexamethasone-based multimodal disease-modifying therapy. In this observational retrospective study, 19 children with OMS (with or without associated neuroblastoma) underwent multibiomarker evaluation for neuroinflammation. Nine children of varying OMS severity, duration, and treatment status were treated empirically with pulse dexamethasone, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), and rituximab combination immunotherapy (DEXIR-CI). Another 10 children on dexamethasone alone or with IVIg at initial evaluation only provided a comparison group. Motor severity (total score) was scored rater-blinded via videotapes using the validated OMS Evaluation Scale. DEXIR-CI was associated with a 69% reduction in group total score (P = 0.004) and was clinically well tolerated. Patients given the dexamethasone combination exhibited significantly lowered B cell frequencies in cerebrospinal fluid (-94%) and blood (-76%), normalizing the cerebrospinal fluid B cell percentage. The number of patients with positive inflammatory markers dropped 87% (P = 0.002) as did the number of markers. Cerebrospinal fluid oligoclonal bands were positive in four of nine pretreatment patients but zero of six post-treatment patients. In the comparison group, partial response to dexamethasone alone or with IVIg was associated with multiple positive markers for neuroinflammation despite an average of seven months of treatment. Multimechanistic dexamethasone-based combination immunotherapy increases the therapeutic armamentarium for OMS, providing a viable option for less severely affected individuals. Partial response to dexamethasone with or without IVIg is indicative of ongoing neuroinflammation and should be treated promptly and accordingly. Copyright © 2017

  17. Effect of dexamethasone in primary intracerebral hemorrhage in the south west of iran

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharafadinzadeh, N.; Baghebanian, S.M.; Pipelzadeh, M.; Moravej, A. A.; Ghanavatiz, P.

    2008-01-01

    Previous study revealed the value of dexamethasone in the treatment of vasogenic edema associated with brain tumor and abscess. However there are poor documented studies about its usefulness in primary intracerebral hemorrhage. In this study we evaluated dexamethasone effects in primary intracerebral hemorrhage. In a double blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial we evaluated 200 intracerebral hemorrhage cases between 40 to 80 years old whom were admitted at Golestan Hospital (Ahwaz, IR) between March 2002 and March 2003. They were divided in two groups dexamethasone (N=100) and placebo (N=100). Then mortality, GI bleeding, fever, electrolytes disturbances, hypertension and hyperglycemic status were analyzed in two groups. Ethical considerations were employed and subjects were followed by appropriate statistical methods for 21 days to assess the major outcomes. Mortality was much higher in the dexamethasone group; Dexamethasone group (49.3%) and placebo (23.4%) and also fever was higher seen in the dexamethasone group; dexamethasone group (40.2%) and placebo group (24.7%) but there was not any significant statistical difference between two groups as regards other complications. Dexamethasone is widely used for cerebral edema associated conditions but in this study we saw that it's complications in intracerebral hemorrhage such as increasing fever and mortality are significantly higher. Hence it use for treatment of primary intracerebral hemorrhage should be reconsidered. (author)

  18. Tapered oral dexamethasone for the acute chest syndrome of sickle cell disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quinn, Charles T.; Stuart, Marie J.; Kesler, Karen; Ataga, Kenneth I.; Wang, Winfred C.; Styles, Lori; Smith-Whitley, Kim; Wun, Ted; Raj, Ahsok; Hsu, Lewis L.; Krishnan, Suba; Kuypers, Frans A; Setty, B. N. Yamaja; Rhee, Seungshin; Key, Nigel S.; Buchanan, George R.

    2011-01-01

    Summary Tapered oral dexamethasone for acute chest syndrome (ACS) in sickle cell anaemia was studied using a novel ACS assessment tool and investigational biomarkers. Twelve participants were randomized (mean age 17.3 years) before early study termination. Dexamethasone decreased duration of hospitalization for ACS by 20.8 h compared to placebo (P=0.024). Rebound pain occurred in both groups (3 dexamethasone vs. 1 placebo). Overall, dexamethasone decreased the leucocyte activation biomarker, sL-selectin; however, participants with rebound pain had higher sL-selectin within 24 h of treatment (dexamethasone or placebo). This ACS assessment tool was feasibly applied, and sL-selectin is a promising biomarker of ACS therapy. PMID:21848879

  19. Acute symptomatic neonatal seizures in preterm neonates: etiologies and treatments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pisani, Francesco; Spagnoli, Carlotta

    2017-12-15

    Acute symptomatic neonatal seizures in preterm newborns are a relevant clinical challenge due to the presence of many knowledge gaps. Etiology-wise, acute symptomatic seizures have an age-specific epidemiology, with intraventricular hemorrhage and its complications representing the first cause in extremely and very preterm neonates, whereas other etiologies have similar occurrence rates as in full-term infants. Specific treatment strategies for the premature neonates are not yet available. Studies suggest a similarly low response rate with even more unfavorable prognosis than in full-term infants. Pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic changes are likely under way during the preterm period, with the potential to affect both effectiveness and safety of antiepileptic drugs in these patients. However, due to the lack of clear evidence to guide prioritization of second-line drugs, off-label medications are frequently indicated by review papers and flow-charts, and are prescribed in clinical practice. We therefore conclude by exploring potential future lines of research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy After a Single Dose of Dexamethasone in a Preterm Infant

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yusuf Kale

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Dexamethasone is widely used in preterm infants with severe pulmonary disease. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM is a transient side effect observed after multiple doses of dexamethasone. We report a preterm infant with myocardial hypertrophy after a single dose of dexamethasone (0.5 mg/kg used to treat laryngeal edema secondary to prolonged intubation. A benign course was observed without left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and with recovery within 4 weeks. Myocardial effects of dexamethasone may be independent of dose and duration of treatment. The risk/benefit ratio must be carefully considered before using even a single dose of dexamethasone in preterm infants.

  1. Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Early Diagnosis, Prevention, and Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. A. Perepelitsa

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available to improve treatment results in premature infants with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS, by establishing developmental mechanisms and elaborating methods for its early diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Material and methods. The paper analyzes the results of a clinical observation and laboratory, instrumental, immunological, morphological, and radiological studies of 320 premature neonates at 26—35 weeks gestational age. The following groups of neonates were identified: 1 40 premature neonatal infants without NRDS and with the physiological course of an early neonatal period (a comparison group; 2 190 premature neonates with severe NRDS in whom the efficiency of therapy with exogenous surfactants, such as surfactant BL versus curosurf, was evaluated; 3 90 premature newborn infants who had died from NRDS at its different stages. Results. The poor maternal somatic, obstetric, and gynecological histories in the early periods of the current pregnancy create prerequisites for its termination, favor the development of severe acute gestosis, and cause abnormal placental changes. Each gestational age is marked by certain placental changes that promote impaired uterineplacentalfetal blood flow and premature birth. Alveolar and bronchial epithelial damages, including those ante and intranatally, microcircula tory disorders play a leading role in the tanatogenesis of NRDS. Intranatal hypoxia and amniotic fluid aspiration are one of the important factors contributing to alveolar epithelial damage and NRDS in premature neonates. Exogenous surfactants prevent the development of hyaline membranes and are useful in the normalization of ventilation-perfusion relationships and lung biomechanical properties. Conclusion. This study could improve the diagnosis and treatment of NRDS, which assisted in reducing the duration of mechanical ventilation from 130±7.6 to 65±11.6 hours, the number of complications (the incidence of intragastric

  2. Rituximab and Dexamethasone vs Dexamethasone Monotherapy in Newly Diagnosed Patients with Primary Immune Thrombocytopenia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gudbrandsdottir, Sif; Birgens, Henrik Sverre; Frederiksen, Henrik

    2013-01-01

    In this study, we report the results from the largest cohort to date of newly diagnosed adult immune thrombocytopenia patients randomized to treatment with dexamethasone alone or in combination with rituximab. Eligible were patients with platelet counts ≤25×10(9)/L or ≤50×10(9)/L with bleeding sy...

  3. Long-term Effects of Dexamethasone on Reproductive Parameters in Male Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    jalogoden Gouyandeh

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Background & aim: The adverse effect of chemical drugs such as dexamethasone as anti-inflammatory -steroidal drugs on different body systems and infertility and reproductive efficiency is of concern. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects of dexamethasone on the reproductive system in male rats. Methods: In the present experimental study, fifty matured male mice were divided into five groups including control, placebo and three treatment groups. Control group had no injections, placebo group only received normal saline and treatments groups received dexamethasone (0.1, 0.5 and 1 mg/kg which was injected in peritoneum every other day for a period of twenty days. Their Testosterone was measured by ELISA and testes were dissected for histological examination. The data were analyzed using SPSS 11.5 software. Results: Significant increases were shown in FSH level in all three groups treated with dexamethasone. LH in treatment group of 0.1 mg/kg decreased, but at dose of 1 mg/kg increased significantly.Testosterone levels in a dose of 1 mg/kg significantly increased compared with the control group (p<0.05. However, testis weight, the rate of testicular germ cells, primary spermatocytes, epididymal sperm and fertility significantly increased in all three groups (p<0.05. Conclusion: Dexamethasone had a negative effect on reproduction therefore, the use of this medication at different doses and time periods considers the possible complications beforehand. Keywords: .

  4. Does Dexamethasone Helps in Meningococcal Sepsis?

    OpenAIRE

    Tolaj, Ilir; Ramadani, Hamdi; Mehmeti, Murat; Gashi, Hatixhe; Kasumi, Arbana; Gashi, Visar; Jashari, Haki

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: Prompt recognition and aggressive early treatment are the only effective measures against invasive meningococcal disease (IMD). Anti-inflammatory adjunctive treatment remains controversial and difficult to assess in patients with IMD. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of dexamethasone (DXM) as adjunctive treatment in different clinical forms of IMD, and attempt to answer if DXM should be routinely used in the treatment of IMD. Methods: In this non-interventional cl...

  5. Antenatal dexamethasone after asphyxia increases neural injury in preterm fetal sheep.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miriam E Koome

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Maternal glucocorticoid treatment for threatened premature delivery dramatically improves neonatal survival and short-term morbidity; however, its effects on neurodevelopmental outcome are variable. We investigated the effect of maternal glucocorticoid exposure after acute asphyxia on injury in the preterm brain. METHODS: Chronically instrumented singleton fetal sheep at 0.7 of gestation received asphyxia induced by complete umbilical cord occlusion for 25 minutes. 15 minutes after release of occlusion, ewes received a 3 ml i.m. injection of either dexamethasone (12 mg, n = 10 or saline (n = 10. Sheep were killed after 7 days recovery; survival of neurons in the hippocampus and basal ganglia, and oligodendrocytes in periventricular white matter were assessed using an unbiased stereological approach. RESULTS: Maternal dexamethasone after asphyxia was associated with more severe loss of neurons in the hippocampus (CA3 regions, 290 ± 76 vs 484 ± 98 neurons/mm(2, mean ± SEM, P<0.05 and basal ganglia (putamen, 538 ± 112 vs 814 ± 34 neurons/mm(2, P<0.05 compared to asphyxia-saline, and with greater loss of both total (913 ± 77 vs 1201 ± 75/mm(2, P<0.05 and immature/mature myelinating oligodendrocytes in periventricular white matter (66 ± 8 vs 114 ± 12/mm(2, P<0.05, vs sham controls 165 ± 10/mm(2, P<0.001. This was associated with transient hyperglycemia (peak 3.5 ± 0.2 vs. 1.4 ± 0.2 mmol/L at 6 h, P<0.05 and reduced suppression of EEG power in the first 24 h after occlusion (maximum -1.5 ± 1.2 dB vs. -5.0 ± 1.4 dB in saline controls, P<0.01, but later onset and fewer overt seizures. CONCLUSIONS: In preterm fetal sheep, exposure to maternal dexamethasone during recovery from asphyxia exacerbated brain damage.

  6. Pre-treatment with dexamethasone attenuates experimental ventilator-induced lung injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reis, Fernando Fonseca Dos; Reboredo, Maycon de Moura; Lucinda, Leda Marília Fonseca; Bianchi, Aydra Mendes Almeida; Rabelo, Maria Aparecida Esteves; Fonseca, Lídia Maria Carneiro da; Oliveira, Júlio César Abreu de; Pinheiro, Bruno Valle

    2016-01-01

    To evaluate the effects that administering dexamethasone before the induction of ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) has on the temporal evolution of that injury. Wistar rats were allocated to one of three groups: pre-VILI administration of dexamethasone (dexamethasone group); pre-VILI administration of saline (control group); or ventilation only (sham group). The VILI was induced by ventilation at a high tidal volume. Animals in the dexamethasone and control groups were euthanized at 0, 4, 24, and 168 h after VILI induction. We analyzed arterial blood gases, lung edema, cell counts (total and differential) in the BAL fluid, and lung histology. At 0, 4, and 24 h after VILI induction, acute lung injury (ALI) scores were higher in the control group than in the sham group (p grupos: administração de dexametasona pré-LPIVM (grupo dexametasona); administração de salina pré-LPIVM (grupo controle); e somente ventilação (grupo sham). A LPIVM foi realizada por ventilação com volume corrente alto. Os animais dos grupos dexametasona e controle foram sacrificados em 0, 4, 24 e 168 h após LPIVM. Analisamos gasometria arterial, edema pulmonar, contagens de células (totais e diferenciais) no lavado broncoalveolar e histologia de tecido pulmonar. Em 0, 4 e 24 h após LPIVM, os escores de lesão pulmonar aguda (LPA) foram maiores no grupo controle que no grupo sham (p grupo dexametasona não foi significativamente diferente daquele observado no grupo sham e foi menor que o observado no grupo controle (p grupos controle e dexametasona, com pico em 4 h após LPIVM (p grupo dexametasona que no grupo controle em 4 e 24 h após LPIVM (p grupo controle. A administração de dexametasona antes de LPIVM atenua os efeitos da lesão em ratos Wistar. Os mecanismos moleculares dessa lesão e o possível papel clínico dos corticosteroides na LPIVM ainda precisam ser elucidados.

  7. Glucocorticoid receptors on leukemic cells as evidenced by dexamethasone-induced cytolysis and /sup 3/H-dexamethasone binding

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thraenhardt, H; Haefer, R; Zintl, F

    1987-01-01

    The presence of glucocorticoid receptors on the leukemic cells of 33 patients affected with acute lymphatic leukemia (ALL) and 6 patients affected with acute myeloic leukemia (AML) was investigated by dexamethasone-induced cytolysis and (/sup 3/H)-dexamethasone binding. The tests undertaken proved that after 20 hours of incubation 9 of 26 non-T-non-B-ALL (c-ALL and unclassified ALL) and 2 of AML were lysed with dexamethasone; blood lymphocytes and bone marrow leukocytes of healthy donors, however, were not affected. Non-T-non-B-ALL and AML were able to bind essentially more (/sup 3/H)-dexamethasone than T-ALL. There existed no correlation between dexamethasone binding and dexamethasone-induced cytolysis.

  8. Carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone for relapsed multiple myeloma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, A Keith; Rajkumar, S Vincent; Dimopoulos, Meletios A; Masszi, Tamás; Špička, Ivan; Oriol, Albert; Hájek, Roman; Rosiñol, Laura; Siegel, David S; Mihaylov, Georgi G; Goranova-Marinova, Vesselina; Rajnics, Péter; Suvorov, Aleksandr; Niesvizky, Ruben; Jakubowiak, Andrzej J; San-Miguel, Jesus F; Ludwig, Heinz; Wang, Michael; Maisnar, Vladimír; Minarik, Jiri; Bensinger, William I; Mateos, Maria-Victoria; Ben-Yehuda, Dina; Kukreti, Vishal; Zojwalla, Naseem; Tonda, Margaret E; Yang, Xinqun; Xing, Biao; Moreau, Philippe; Palumbo, Antonio

    2015-01-08

    Lenalidomide plus dexamethasone is a reference treatment for relapsed multiple myeloma. The combination of the proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib with lenalidomide and dexamethasone has shown efficacy in a phase 1 and 2 study in relapsed multiple myeloma. We randomly assigned 792 patients with relapsed multiple myeloma to carfilzomib with lenalidomide and dexamethasone (carfilzomib group) or lenalidomide and dexamethasone alone (control group). The primary end point was progression-free survival. Progression-free survival was significantly improved with carfilzomib (median, 26.3 months, vs. 17.6 months in the control group; hazard ratio for progression or death, 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57 to 0.83; P=0.0001). The median overall survival was not reached in either group at the interim analysis. The Kaplan-Meier 24-month overall survival rates were 73.3% and 65.0% in the carfilzomib and control groups, respectively (hazard ratio for death, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.63 to 0.99; P=0.04). The rates of overall response (partial response or better) were 87.1% and 66.7% in the carfilzomib and control groups, respectively (P<0.001; 31.8% and 9.3% of patients in the respective groups had a complete response or better; 14.1% and 4.3% had a stringent complete response). Adverse events of grade 3 or higher were reported in 83.7% and 80.7% of patients in the carfilzomib and control groups, respectively; 15.3% and 17.7% of patients discontinued treatment owing to adverse events. Patients in the carfilzomib group reported superior health-related quality of life. In patients with relapsed multiple myeloma, the addition of carfilzomib to lenalidomide and dexamethasone resulted in significantly improved progression-free survival at the interim analysis and had a favorable risk-benefit profile. (Funded by Onyx Pharmaceuticals; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01080391.).

  9. Dexamethasone-induced radioresistance occurring independent of human papilloma virus gene expression in cervical carcinoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rutz, H.P.; Mariotta, M.; Mirimanoff, R.O.; Knebel Doeberitz, M. von

    1998-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the role of HPV 18 E6 and E7 gene products with respect to radiosensitivity of two cervical carcinoma cell lines. The two cervical carcinoma lines C4-1 and SW 756 were used in which treatment with dexamethasone allows to modulate expression levels of HPV 18 E6 and E7 genes: Upregulation in C4-1, down-regulation in SW 756. Effects of treatment with dexamethasone on plating efficiency and radiosensitivity were assessed using a clonogenic assay. Treatment with dexamethasone increased plating efficiency of the C4-1 cells, but did not affect plating efficiency of SW 756 cells. Treatment with dexamethasone induced enhanced radioresistance in both cell lines. Thus, in C4-1 cells the observed changes in radioresistance correlate to the enhancement in expression of HPV 18 genes E6/E7, whereas in SW 756, a reduced expression correlates negatively with the enhanced radioresistance. (orig./MG) [de

  10. A Phase III clinical study to evaluate the efficacy of combined azithromycin and dexamethasone in the treatment of blepharoconjunctivitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hosseini K

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Kamran Hosseini,1,2 Judith Hutcheson,1 Richard L Lindstrom3–5 1Clinical Affairs, 2Regulatory Affairs, InSite Vision Incorporated, Alameda, CA, USA; 3Minnesota Eye Consultants, Bloomington, MN, USA; 4University of Minnesota Department of Ophthalmology, Minneapolis, MN, USA; 5University of California, Irvine Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, Irvine, CA, USA Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and antimicrobial efficacy and safety of ISV-502 (1.0% azithromycin and 0.1% dexamethasone compared to 1.0% azithromycin or 0.1% dexamethasone in the treatment of subjects with blepharoconjunctivitis. Patients and methods: Patients with verified blepharoconjunctivitis were randomized to receive ISV-502 (Group 1; n=140, 1.0% azithromycin alone (Group 2; n=141, or 0.1% dexamethasone alone (Group 3; n=136. Bacterial cultures were obtained from the conjunctiva and eyelid. Treatment was instilled in both eyes twice daily at 12-hour intervals for 14 days. The primary endpoint was complete resolution of clinical signs and symptoms at Day 15. The secondary endpoint was complete bacterial eradication at Day 15 among subjects with positive bacterial cultures at baseline. Results: Significantly more Group 1 subjects met the primary endpoint (27.1% than those in Group 2 (15.6%; P=0.028, but not compared to Group 3 (23.5%; P=0.581. Significantly more Group 1 patients (60% had complete bacterial eradication at Day 15 compared with Group 3 (40.2%; P=0.007, but there was no difference compared with Group 2 (66.3%; P=0.306. Adverse events were reported in about 25% of the subjects, with an equal distribution among treatment arms; the most common adverse event was irritation at the instillation site. Visual acuity and intraocular pressure differences were not statistically significant, but did show age and sex differences between groups. Conclusion: ISV-502 is effective in the treatment of blepharoconjunctivitis as evaluated by clinical cure and

  11. β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) prevents dexamethasone-induced myotube atrophy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aversa, Zaira; Alamdari, Nima; Castillero, Estibaliz; Muscaritoli, Maurizio; Rossi Fanelli, Filippo; Hasselgren, Per-Olof

    2012-07-13

    High levels of glucocorticoids result in muscle wasting and weakness. β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) attenuates the loss of muscle mass in various catabolic conditions but the influence of HMB on glucocorticoid-induced muscle atrophy is not known. We tested the hypothesis that HMB prevents dexamethasone-induced atrophy in cultured myotubes. Treatment of cultured L6 myotubes with dexamethasone resulted in increased protein degradation and expression of atrogin-1 and MuRF1, decreased protein synthesis and reduced myotube size. All of these effects of dexamethasone were attenuated by HMB. Additional experiments provided evidence that the inhibitory effects of HMB on dexamethasone-induced increase in protein degradation and decrease in protein synthesis were regulated by p38/MAPK- and PI3K/Akt-dependent cell signaling, respectively. The present results suggest that glucocorticoid-induced muscle wasting can be prevented by HMB. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB normalizes dexamethasone-induced autophagy-lysosomal pathway in skeletal muscle.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María D Girón

    Full Text Available Dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy is due to an increase in protein breakdown and a decrease in protein synthesis, associated with an over-stimulation of the autophagy-lysosomal pathway. These effects are mediated by alterations in IGF-1 and PI3K/Akt signaling. In this study, we have investigated the effects of β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB on the regulation of autophagy and proteosomal systems. Rats were treated during 21 days with dexamethasone as a model of muscle atrophy. Co-administration of HMB attenuated the effects promoted by dexamethasone. HMB ameliorated the loss in body weight, lean mass and the reduction of the muscle fiber cross-sectional area (shrinkage in gastrocnemius muscle. Consequently, HMB produced an improvement in muscle strength in the dexamethasone-treated rats. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms responsible for these effects, rat L6 myotubes were used. In these cells, HMB significantly attenuated lysosomal proteolysis induced by dexamethasone by normalizing the changes observed in autophagosome formation, LC3 II, p62 and Bnip3 expression after dexamethasone treatment. HMB effects were mediated by an increase in FoxO3a phosphorylation and concomitant decrease in FoxO transcriptional activity. The HMB effect was due to the restoration of Akt signaling diminished by dexamethasone treatment. Moreover, HMB was also involved in the regulation of the activity of ubiquitin and expression of MurF1 and Atrogin-1, components of the proteasome system that are activated or up-regulated by dexamethasone. In conclusion, in vivo and in vitro studies suggest that HMB exerts protective effects against dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy by normalizing the Akt/FoxO axis that controls autophagy and ubiquitin proteolysis.

  13. β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) normalizes dexamethasone-induced autophagy-lysosomal pathway in skeletal muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Girón, María D; Vílchez, Jose D; Shreeram, Sathyavageeswaran; Salto, Rafael; Manzano, Manuel; Cabrera, Elena; Campos, Nefertiti; Edens, Neile K; Rueda, Ricardo; López-Pedrosa, Jose M

    2015-01-01

    Dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy is due to an increase in protein breakdown and a decrease in protein synthesis, associated with an over-stimulation of the autophagy-lysosomal pathway. These effects are mediated by alterations in IGF-1 and PI3K/Akt signaling. In this study, we have investigated the effects of β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) on the regulation of autophagy and proteosomal systems. Rats were treated during 21 days with dexamethasone as a model of muscle atrophy. Co-administration of HMB attenuated the effects promoted by dexamethasone. HMB ameliorated the loss in body weight, lean mass and the reduction of the muscle fiber cross-sectional area (shrinkage) in gastrocnemius muscle. Consequently, HMB produced an improvement in muscle strength in the dexamethasone-treated rats. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms responsible for these effects, rat L6 myotubes were used. In these cells, HMB significantly attenuated lysosomal proteolysis induced by dexamethasone by normalizing the changes observed in autophagosome formation, LC3 II, p62 and Bnip3 expression after dexamethasone treatment. HMB effects were mediated by an increase in FoxO3a phosphorylation and concomitant decrease in FoxO transcriptional activity. The HMB effect was due to the restoration of Akt signaling diminished by dexamethasone treatment. Moreover, HMB was also involved in the regulation of the activity of ubiquitin and expression of MurF1 and Atrogin-1, components of the proteasome system that are activated or up-regulated by dexamethasone. In conclusion, in vivo and in vitro studies suggest that HMB exerts protective effects against dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy by normalizing the Akt/FoxO axis that controls autophagy and ubiquitin proteolysis.

  14. Octreotide for the treatment of chylothorax in neonates.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Das, Animitra

    2012-02-01

    BACKGROUND: Routine care for chylothorax in neonate includes either conservative or surgical approaches. Octreotide, a somatostatin analogue, has been used for the management of patients with refractory chylothorax not responding to conservative management. OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy and safety of octreotide in the treatment of chylothorax in neonates. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library), MEDLINE and EMBASE (to March 7, 2010). We assessed the reference lists of identified trials and abstracts from the annual meetings of the Pediatric Academic Societies published in Pediatric Research (2002 to 2009) without language restrictions. SELECTION CRITERIA: We planned to include randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials of octreotide in the treatment of congenital or acquired chylothorax in term or preterm neonates, with any dose, duration or route of administration. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Data on primary (amount of fluid drainage, respiratory support, mortality) and secondary outcomes (side effects) were planned to be collected and analysed using mean difference, relative risk and risk difference with 95% confidence intervals. MAIN RESULTS: No randomised controlled trials were identified. Nineteen case reports of 20 neonates with chylothorax in whom octreotide was used either subcutaneously or intravenously were identified. Fourteen case reports described successful use (resolution of chylothorax), four reported failure (no resolution) and one reported equivocal results following use of octreotide. The timing of initiation, dose, duration and frequency of doses varied markedly. Gastrointestinal intolerance and clinical presentations suggestive of necrotizing enterocolitis and transient hypothyroidism were reported as side effects. AUTHORS\\' CONCLUSIONS: No practice recommendation can be made based on the evidence identified in this review. A prospective registry of

  15. Australasian randomised trial to evaluate the role of maternal intramuscular dexamethasone versus betamethasone prior to preterm birth to increase survival free of childhood neurosensory disability (A*STEROID): study protocol

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Both dexamethasone and betamethasone, given to women at risk of preterm birth, substantially improve short-term neonatal health, increase the chance of the baby being discharged home alive, and reduce childhood neurosensory disability, remaining safe into adulthood. However, it is unclear which corticosteroid is of greater benefit to mother and child. This study aims to determine whether giving dexamethasone to women at risk of preterm birth at less than 34 weeks’ gestation increases the chance of their children surviving free of neurosensory disability at two years’ corrected age, compared with betamethasone. Methods/Design Design randomised, multicentre, placebo controlled trial. Inclusion criteria women at risk of preterm birth at less than 34 weeks’ gestation with a singleton or twin pregnancy and no contraindications to the use of antenatal corticosteroids and who give informed consent. Trial entry & randomisation at telephone randomisation eligible women will be randomly allocated to either the dexamethasone group or the betamethasone group, allocated a study number and corresponding treatment pack. Study groups women in the dexamethasone group will be administered two syringes of 12 mg dexamethasone (dexamethasone sodium phosphate) and women in the betamethasone group will be administered two syringes of 11.4 mg betamethasone (Celestone Chronodose). Both study groups consist of intramuscular treatments 24 hours apart. Primary study outcome death or any neurosensory disability measured in children at two years’ corrected age. Sample size a sample size of 1449 children is required to detect either a decrease in death or any neurosensory disability from 27.0% to 20.1% with dexamethasone compared with betamethasone, or an increase from 27.0% to 34.5% (two-sided alpha 0.05, 80% power, 5% loss to follow up, design effect 1.2). Discussion This study will provide high-level evidence of direct relevance for clinical practice. If one drug clearly

  16. Postural Control in Lowlanders With COPD Traveling to 3100 m: Data From a Randomized Trial Evaluating the Effect of Preventive Dexamethasone Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lara Muralt

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the effects of acute exposure to high altitude and preventive dexamethasone treatment on postural control in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD.Methods: In this randomized, double-blind parallel-group trial, 104 lowlanders with COPD GOLD 1-2 age 20–75 years, living near Bishkek (760 m, were randomized to receive either dexamethasone (2 × 4 mg/day p.o. or placebo on the day before ascent and during a 2-day sojourn at Tuja-Ashu high altitude clinic (3100 m, Kyrgyzstan. Postural control was assessed with a Wii Balance BoardTM at 760 m and 1 day after arrival at 3100 m. Patients were instructed to stand immobile on both legs with eyes open during five tests of 30 s each, while the center of pressure path length (PL was measured.Results: With ascent from 760 to 3100 m the PL increased in the placebo group from median (quartiles 29.2 (25.8; 38.2 to 31.5 (27.3; 39.3 cm (P < 0.05; in the dexamethasone group the corresponding increase from 28.8 (22.8; 34.5 to 29.9 (25.2; 37.0 cm was not significant (P = 0.10. The mean difference (95% CI between dexamethasone and placebo groups in altitude-induced changes (treatment effect was -0.3 (-3.2 to 2.5 cm, (P = 0.41. Multivariable regression analysis confirmed a significant increase in PL with higher altitude (coefficient 1.6, 95% CI 0.2 to 3.1, P = 0.031 but no effect of dexamethasone was shown (coefficient -0.2, 95% CI -0.4 to 3.6, P = 0.925, even when controlled for several potential confounders. PL changes were related more to antero-posterior than lateral sway. Twenty-two of 104 patients had an altitude-related increase in the antero-posterior sway velocity of >25%, what has been associated with an increased risk of falls in previous studies.Conclusion: Lowlanders with COPD travelling from 760 to 3100 m revealed postural instability 24 h after arriving at high altitude, and this was not prevented by dexamethasone.Trial Registration

  17. Endocrinologic and psychological effects of short-term dexamethasone in anorexia nervosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gordon, C M; Emans, S J; DuRant, R H; Mantzoros, C; Grace, E; Harper, G P; Majzoub, J A

    2000-09-01

    Patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) have hyperactivity of their hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, sometimes accompanied by elevations of cortisol. We examined whether the normal effects of short-term dexamethasone treatment upon HPA axis suppression and appetite stimulation are observed in these patients. Five young women with AN and ten healthy female controls received one week of high-dose oral dexamethasone (2 mg/m2/d) preceded and followed by hormonal evaluation of sensitivity to glucocorticoids and psychological assessments. No differences in hormone levels of the HPA axis were observed between the two groups and control groups at baseline, after dexamethasone suppression, or following ACTH stimulation testing. However, fasting insulin levels were significantly lower in the AN group, both before and after dexamethasone therapy and their serum leptin levels were also significantly lower. The AN group had significantly lower scores on the Anorexia Nervosa Subtest and the Beck Depression Inventory after dexamethasone compared to controls. On daily analog scales, AN patients had higher anxiety scores while on dexamethasone. Normal sensitivity to glucocorticoids was observed in all parameters examined except for mild abnormalities in pancreatic beta-cell function. These data suggest that AN may represent a state of partial glucocorticoid resistance, as in other states of restricted food intake. Furthermore, these pilot data, including the effects of dexamethasone upon psychological outlook in AN, suggest that glucocorticoids are not an effective therapy for these patients.

  18. Comparative Efficacy of Daratumumab Monotherapy and Pomalidomide Plus Low-Dose Dexamethasone in the Treatment of Multiple Myeloma: A Matching Adjusted Indirect Comparison.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Sanden, Suzy; Ito, Tetsuro; Diels, Joris; Vogel, Martin; Belch, Andrew; Oriol, Albert

    2018-03-01

    Daratumumab (a human CD38-directed monoclonal antibody) and pomalidomide (an immunomodulatory drug) plus dexamethasone are both relatively new treatment options for patients with heavily pretreated multiple myeloma. A matching adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC) was used to compare absolute treatment effects of daratumumab versus pomalidomide + low-dose dexamethasone (LoDex; 40 mg) on overall survival (OS), while adjusting for differences between the trial populations. The MAIC method reduces the risk of bias associated with naïve indirect comparisons. Data from 148 patients receiving daratumumab (16 mg/kg), pooled from the GEN501 and SIRIUS studies, were compared separately with data from patients receiving pomalidomide + LoDex in the MM-003 and STRATUS studies. The MAIC-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for OS of daratumumab versus pomalidomide + LoDex was 0.56 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38-0.83; p  = .0041) for MM-003 and 0.51 (95% CI, 0.37-0.69; p  < .0001) for STRATUS. The treatment benefit was even more pronounced when the daratumumab population was restricted to pomalidomide-naïve patients (MM-003: HR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.17-0.66; p  = .0017; STRATUS: HR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.21-0.79; p  = .0082). An additional analysis indicated a consistent trend of the OS benefit across subgroups based on M-protein level reduction (≥50%, ≥25%, and <25%). The MAIC results suggest that daratumumab improves OS compared with pomalidomide + LoDex in patients with heavily pretreated multiple myeloma. This matching adjusted indirect comparison of clinical trial data from four studies analyzes the survival outcomes of patients with heavily pretreated, relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma who received either daratumumab monotherapy or pomalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone. Using this method, daratumumab conferred a significant overall survival benefit compared with pomalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone. In the absence of head-to-head trials, these

  19. The effects of dexamethasone on post-asphyxial cerebral oxygenation in the preterm fetal sheep

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lear, Christopher A; Koome, Miriam E; Davidson, Joanne O; Drury, Paul P; Quaedackers, Josine S; Galinsky, Robert; Gunn, Alistair J; Bennet, Laura

    2014-01-01

    Exposure to clinical doses of the glucocorticoid dexamethasone increases brain activity and causes seizures in normoxic preterm fetal sheep without causing brain injury. In contrast, the same treatment after asphyxia increased brain injury. We hypothesised that increased injury was in part mediated by a mismatch between oxygen demand and oxygen supply. In preterm fetal sheep at 0.7 gestation we measured cerebral oxygenation using near-infrared spectroscopy, electroencephalographic (EEG) activity, and carotid blood flow (CaBF) from 24 h before until 72 h after asphyxia induced by 25 min of umbilical cord occlusion. Ewes received dexamethasone intramuscularly (12 mg 3 ml–1) or saline 15 min after the end of asphyxia. Fetuses were studied for 3 days after occlusion. During the first 6 h of recovery after asphyxia, dexamethasone treatment was associated with a significantly greater fall in CaBF (P < 0.05), increased carotid vascular resistance (P < 0.001) and a greater fall in cerebral oxygenation as measured by the difference between oxygenated and deoxygenated haemoglobin (delta haemoglobin; P < 0.05). EEG activity was similarly suppressed in both groups. From 6 to 10 h onward, dexamethasone treatment was associated with a return of CaBF to saline control levels, increased EEG power (P < 0.005), greater epileptiform transient activity (P < 0.001), increased oxidised cytochrome oxidase (P < 0.05) and an attenuated increase in [delta haemoglobin] (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dexamethasone treatment after asphyxia is associated with greater hypoperfusion in the critical latent phase, leading to impaired intracerebral oxygenation that may exacerbate neural injury after asphyxia. PMID:25384775

  20. Effects of dexamethasone coadministered with oseltamivir on the pharmacokinetics of oseltamivir in healthy volunteers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jang K

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Kyungho Jang,1,2,* Min-Kyoung Kim,3,4,* Jaeseong Oh,1 SeungHwan Lee,1 Joo-Youn Cho,1 Kyung-Sang Yu,1 Tai Kiu Choi,3 Sang-Hyuk Lee,3,4 Kyoung Soo Lim4 1Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Hospital, Seoul, 2Center for Clinical Pharmacology and Biomedical Research Institute, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, 3Department of Psychiatry, 4Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, CHA University School of Medicine and CHA Bundang Medical Center, Seongnam, Republic of Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: Oseltamivir is widely used in the treatment and prophylaxis of influenza A and B viral infections. It is ingested as an oral prodrug that is rapidly metabolized by carboxylesterase 1 (CES1 to its active form, oseltamivir carboxylate. Dexamethasone is also used in the treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome, a severe complication of influenza; however, its influence on the pharmacokinetics (PK of oseltamivir is controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of coadministering oseltamivir and dexamethasone on the PK of oseltamivir in healthy volunteers. Methods: An open-label, two-period, one-sequence, multiple-dose study was conducted in 19 healthy male volunteers. Oseltamivir (75 mg was orally administered on Day 1 and Day 8, and dexamethasone (1.5 mg was administered once daily from Day 3 to Day 8. Serial blood and urine samples were collected for PK analysis of oseltamivir and oseltamivir carboxylate on Day 1 and Day 8. Oseltamivir and oseltamivir carboxylate concentrations in plasma and urine were determined using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Results: Area under the plasma concentration–time curve (AUC of oseltamivir and oseltamivir carboxylate decreased after dexamethasone treatment for 6 days. The geometric mean ratio (90% confidence interval of the metabolic ratio

  1. Acute Activation of Metabolic Syndrome Components in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patients Treated with Dexamethasone

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Warris, Lidewij T.; van den Akker, Erica L. T.; Bierings, Marc B.; van den Bos, Cor; Zwaan, Christian M.; Sassen, Sebastiaan D. T.; Tissing, Wim J. E.; Veening, Margreet A.; Pieters, Rob; van den Heuvel-Eibrink, Marry M.

    2016-01-01

    Although dexamethasone is highly effective in the treatment of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), it can cause serious metabolic side effects. Because studies regarding the effects of dexamethasone are limited by their small scale, we prospectively studied the direct effects of treating

  2. Dexamethasone-induced radioresistance occurring independent of human papilloma virus gene expression in cervical carcinoma cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rutz, H.P.; Mariotta, M.; Mirimanoff, R.O. [Lab. de Radiobiologie, Service de Radio-Oncologie, CHUV, Lausanne (Switzerland); Knebel Doeberitz, M. von [Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg (Germany). Inst. fuer Virusforschung

    1998-02-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the role of HPV 18 E6 and E7 gene products with respect to radiosensitivity of two cervical carcinoma cell lines. The two cervical carcinoma lines C4-1 and SW 756 were used in which treatment with dexamethasone allows to modulate expression levels of HPV 18 E6 and E7 genes: Upregulation in C4-1, down-regulation in SW 756. Effects of treatment with dexamethasone on plating efficiency and radiosensitivity were assessed using a clonogenic assay. Treatment with dexamethasone increased plating efficiency of the C4-1 cells, but did not affect plating efficiency of SW 756 cells. Treatment with dexamethasone induced enhanced radioresistance in both cell lines. Thus, in C4-1 cells the observed changes in radioresistance correlate to the enhancement in expression of HPV 18 genes E6/E7, whereas in SW 756, a reduced expression correlates negatively with the enhanced radioresistance. (orig./MG) [Deutsch] Das Ziel dieser Studie lag darin, die Rolle der HPV-18-Gene E6 und E7 in bezug auf die Strahlenempfindlichkeit von menschlichen Zervixkarzinomzellen zu untersuchen. Wir verwendeten zwei menschliche Zervixkarzinomzellinien, C4-1 und SW 756, in welchen die Expression der viralen Gene HPV 18 E6 und E7 mit Dexamethason moduliert werden kann: In C4-1 bewirkt die Behandlung mit Dexamethason eine Erhoehung der Expression dieser Gene, in SW 756 eine Verminderung. Die Wirkung auf die Wachstumsfaehigkeit der Zellen und auf die Wachstumshemmung durch die Bestrahlung wurde unter Verwendung eines klonogenen Assays bestimmt. Dexamethason bewirkte eine erhoehte Wachstumsfaehigkeit der C4-1 Zellen, ohne die Wachstumsfaehigkeit der SW-756-Zellen zu beeinflussen, wie schon frueher beschrieben. Die Resistenz beider Zellinien gegenueber Bestrahlung wurde erhoeht. Somit besteht in den C4-1-Zellen eine Korrelation der Expression der viralen Gene mit der Zunahme der Strahlenresistenz, wogegen in den SW-756-Zellen die Abnahme der Expression im Gegensatz zu

  3. [Comparison of antiemesis effects of granisetron, aprepitant and dexamethasone to palonosetron, aprepitant and dexamethasone in treatment of high-emetic risk chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting - a retrospective study for efficacy and safety in a single institute].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osawa, Hiroshi; Goto, Hiroaki; Myojo, Tomohiro

    2013-05-01

    Nausea and vomiting are among the most problematic symptoms experienced by patients with cancer who are receiving chemotherapy. 5-hydroxytryptamine 3(5-HT3)-receptor antagonists, NK1 receptor antagonists(aprepitant)and dexamethasone are now the standard therapies for preventing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting(CINV)that follow highly emetogenic chemotherapy, such as cisplatin and anthracycline. However, since it is not cleared which 5-HT3-recepter antagonist is a proper treatment for combined use with aprepitant and dexamethasone, we conducted a questionnaire survey, which used the numerical rating scale(NRS), for comparing palonosetron with granisetron in the same patient. Palonosetron showed a significant improvement of nausea for both acute(within 24 hours)and delayed phase(24-120 hours later), regardless of the type of chemotherapy(cisplatin or anthracycline-based regimen). Furthermore, palonosetron had a tolerable safety profile. Our study suggests that palonosetron-based antiemetic treatment will be a preferred choice for preventing CINV following highly emetogenic chemotherapy.

  4. Dexamethasone minimizes the risk of cranial nerve injury during CEA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Regina, Guido; Angiletta, Domenico; Impedovo, Giovanni; De Robertis, Giovanni; Fiorella, Marialuisa; Carratu', Maria Rosaria

    2009-01-01

    The incidence of cranial and cervical nerve injury during carotid endarterectomy (CEA) ranges from less than 7.6% to more than 50%. Lesions are mainly due to surgical maneuvers such as traction, compression, tissue electrocoagulation, clamping, and extensive dissections. The use of dexamethasone (DEX) and its beneficial effects in spinal cord injuries have already been described. We investigated whether DEX could also be beneficial to minimize the incidence of cranial and cervical nerve injury during CEA. To evaluate whether dexamethasone is able to reduce the incidence of cranial nerve injuries. From March 1999 through April 2006, 1126 patients undergoing CEA because of high-grade carotid stenosis were enrolled and randomized by predetermined randomization tables into two groups. The first group, "A", included 586 patients that all received an intravenous administration of dexamethasone following a therapeutic scheme. The second group, "B", included 540 control subjects that received the standard pre- and postoperative therapy. All patients were submitted to a deep cervical plexus block, eversion carotid endarterectomy, and selective shunting. Three days after the operation, an independent neurologist and otorhinolaryngologist evaluated the presence of cranial nerve deficits. All patients (group A and group B) showing nerve injuries continued the treatment (8 mg of dexamethasone once in the morning) for 7 days and were re-evaluated after 2 weeks, 30 days, and every 3 months for 1 year. Recovery time took from 2 weeks to 12 months, with a mean time of 3.6 months. The chi(2) test was used to compare the two groups and to check for statistical significance. The incidence of cranial nerve dysfunction was higher in group B and the statistical analysis showed a significant effect of dexamethasone in preventing the neurological damage (P = .0081). The incidence of temporary lesions was lower in group A and the chi(2) test yielded a P value of .006. No statistically

  5. Research Progress of Mechanism and Treatment of Neonatal Hypoxic-ischemic Encephalopathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu-fei NI

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE is a hypoxic-ischemic brain injury caused by hypoxia after perinatal asphyxia in neonates, and one of the major causes of neonatal death, lifelong neurological disability and cognitive dysfunction. Although the mechanisms of HIE are complex and still unclear, it generally holds that HIE has a relationship with acute inflammatory reaction and is regulated by multiple cytokines and neuromodulators. Presently, therapeutic hypothermia, in the light of the lower mortality and improvement of prognosis, becomes a standard of care in many medical institutes, but there are still neonates dead or disabled after treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to use hypothermia in combination with other new adjuvant therapies (such as anti-inflammatory cytokine to improve the prognosis of neonatal HIE. Besides, glutamate receptor antagonist, calcium channel blockers, erythropoietin, and nerve growth factors also have certain therapeutic effects on neonatal HIE. Therefore, this review mainly focused on the mechanisms and treatments of HIE. Based on this, we hold that the future studies should concentrate on how to attenuate early brain injury and to improve the growth and differentiation of neuronal cells and non-neuronal cells, which is of great signifcance to prolong the therapeutic window of neuroprotection, promote long-term neural restoration and improve the prognosis.

  6. Atomoxetine Prevents Dexamethasone-Induced Skeletal Muscle Atrophy in Mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jesinkey, Sean R.; Korrapati, Midhun C.; Rasbach, Kyle A.; Beeson, Craig C.

    2014-01-01

    Skeletal muscle atrophy remains a clinical problem in numerous pathologic conditions. β2-Adrenergic receptor agonists, such as formoterol, can induce mitochondrial biogenesis (MB) to prevent such atrophy. Additionally, atomoxetine, an FDA-approved norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, was positive in a cellular assay for MB. We used a mouse model of dexamethasone-induced skeletal muscle atrophy to investigate the potential role of atomoxetine and formoterol to prevent muscle mass loss. Mice were administered dexamethasone once daily in the presence or absence of formoterol (0.3 mg/kg), atomoxetine (0.1 mg/kg), or sterile saline. Animals were euthanized at 8, 16, and 24 hours or 8 days later. Gastrocnemius muscle weights, changes in mRNA and protein expression of peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-γ coactivator-1 α (PGC-1α) isoforms, ATP synthase β, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) 1 β subcomplex, 8, ND1, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), myostatin, muscle Ring-finger protein-1 (muscle atrophy), phosphorylated forkhead box protein O 3a (p-FoxO3a), Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and ribosomal protein S6 (rp-S6; muscle hypertrophy) in naive and muscle-atrophied mice were measured. Atomoxetine increased p-mTOR 24 hours after treatment in naïve mice, but did not change any other biomarkers. Formoterol robustly activated the PGC-1α-4-IGF1–Akt-mTOR-rp-S6 pathway and increased p-FoxO3a as early as 8 hours and repressed myostatin at 16 hours. In contrast to what was observed with acute treatment, chronic treatment (7 days) with atomoxetine increased p-Akt and p-FoxO3a, and sustained PGC-1α expression and skeletal muscle mass in dexamethasone-treated mice, in a manner comparable to formoterol. In conclusion, chronic treatment with a low dose of atomoxetine prevented dexamethasone-induced skeletal muscle wasting and supports a potential role in preventing muscle atrophy. PMID:25292181

  7. The effect of addition of dexamethasone to levobupivacaine in parturients receiving combined spinal-epidural for analgesia for vaginal delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amr Samir Wahdan

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background and Aims: Regional analgesia is commonly used for the relief of labour pain, Prolongation of analgesia can be achieved by adjuvant medications. The aim of this randomised controlled trial was to evaluate the efficacy of intrathecal levobupivacaine with dexamethasone for labour analgesia. Methods: A total of 80 females were included in this study, all were primigravidas undergoing vaginal delivery with cervical dilatation ≥4 cm and 50% or more effacement. Forty females were included randomly in either Group L (received intrathecal levobupivacaine 0.25% in 2 mL or Group LD (received intrathecal levobupivacaine 0.25% combined with dexamethasone 4 mg in 2 mL. The primary outcome was the duration of spinal analgesia. Secondary outcomes included the total dose of epidural local anaesthetic given, time to delivery, neonatal outcome and adverse effects. Results: The duration of spinal analgesia was significantly longer in the LD group compared with L group (80.5 ± 12.4 min vs. 57.1 ± 11.5 min, respectively; P< 0.001. In Group LD compared with Group L, time from spinal analgesia to delivery was significantly lower (317.4 ± 98.9 min vs. 372.4 ± 118.8 min, respectively; P = 0.027, and total epidural levobupivacaine consumption was significantly lower (102.4 ± 34.8 mg vs. 120.1 ± 41.9 mg, respectively; P = 0.027. The two groups were comparable with respect to characteristics of sensory and motor block, haemodynamic parameters, pain scores, neonatal outcome and frequency of adverse effects. Conclusion: Intrathecal dexamethasone plus levobupivacaine prolongs the duration of spinal analgesia during combined spinal-epidural CSE for labour analgesia.

  8. β–Hydroxy β–Methylbutyrate Improves Dexamethasone-Induced Muscle Atrophy by Modulating the Muscle Degradation Pathway in SD Rat

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Yeon Ja; Park, Min Hi; Jang, Eun Ji; Park, Chan Hum; Yoon, Changshin; Kim, Nam Deuk; Kim, Mi Kyung; Chung, Hae Young

    2014-01-01

    Skeletal muscle atrophy results from various conditions including high levels of glucocorticoids, and β–hydroxy β–methylbutyrate (HMB; a metabolite of leucine) is a potent therapeutical supplement used to treat various muscle disorders. Recent studies have demonstrated that HMB inhibits dexamethasone-induced atrophy in cultured myotubes, but its effect on dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy has not been determined in vivo. In the present study, we investigated the effect of HMB on dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy in rats. Treatment with dexamethasone weakened grip strengths and increased muscle damage as determined by increased serum creatine kinase levels and by histological analysis. Dexamethasone treatment also reduced both soleus and gastrocnemius muscle masses. However, HMB supplementation significantly prevented reductions in grip strengths, reduced muscle damage, and prevented muscle mass and protein concentration decrease in soleus muscle. Biochemical analysis demonstrated that dexamethasone markedly increased levels of MuRF1 protein, which causes the ubiquitination and degradation of MyHC. Indeed, dexamethasone treatment decreased MyHC protein expression and increased the ubiquitinated-MyHC to MyHC ratio. However, HMB supplementation caused the down-regulations of MuRF1 protein and of ubiquitinated-MyHC. Furthermore, additional experiments provided evidence that HMB supplementation inhibited the nuclear translocation of FOXO1 induced by dexamethasone, and showed increased MyoD expression in the nuclear fractions of soleus muscles. These findings suggest that HMB supplementation attenuates dexamethasone-induced muscle wasting by regulating FOXO1 transcription factor and subsequent MuRF1 expression. Accordingly, our results suggest that HMB supplementation could be used to prevent steroid myopathy. PMID:25032690

  9. Aprepitant, granisetron, and dexamethasone versus palonosetron and dexamethasone for prophylaxis of cisplatin-induced nausea and vomiting in patients with upper gastrointestinal cancer: a randomized crossover phase II trial (KDOG 1002).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishido, Kenji; Higuchi, Katsuhiko; Azuma, Mizutomo; Sasaki, Tohru; Tanabe, Satoshi; Katada, Chikatoshi; Yano, Takafumi; Wada, Takuya; Koizumi, Wasaburo

    2016-10-01

    We conducted a randomized trial to compare the safety and effectiveness of aprepitant, granisetron, and dexamethasone (AGD) with those of palonosetron and dexamethasone (PD) in patients who received highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC). Patients with esophageal or gastric cancer who were scheduled to receive HEC including at least 60 mg/m of cisplatin as the first-line treatment were randomly assigned to receive AGD (oral aprepitant 125 mg on day 1 and 80 mg on days 2-3; intravenous granisetron 3 mg on day 1; intravenous dexamethasone 6.6 mg on day 1 and oral dexamethasone 4 mg on days 2-3) or PD (intravenous palonosetron 0.75 mg on day 1; intravenous dexamethasone 13.2 mg on day 1 and oral dexamethasone 8 mg on days 2-3). The primary endpoint was a complete response during the overall study period (0-120 h after the start of chemotherapy) in the first cycle. Eighty-five patients were enrolled, and 84 were eligible. The complete response rate did not differ between the treatment groups, but the proportion of patients with no vomiting was significantly higher in the AGD group than in the PD group (81.4 vs. 58.5%; P=0.031). The results of a quality-of-life survey indicated that the proportion of patients with no or minimal impact on daily life in the vomiting domain was significantly higher in the AGD group (79.1 vs. 53.7%; P=0.020). The primary endpoint of complete response was not achieved, but AGD seems to be more effective than PD for the prevention of HEC-induced vomiting.

  10. Emergency department treatment of viral gastritis using intravenous ondansetron or dexamethasone in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stork, Christine M; Brown, Kathleen M; Reilly, Tracey H; Secreti, LaLaina; Brown, Lawrence H

    2006-10-01

    To compare the efficacy of intravenous ondansetron or dexamethasone compared with intravenous fluid therapy alone in children presenting to the emergency department with refractory vomiting from viral gastritis who had failed attempts at oral hydration. This double-blind, randomized, controlled trial was performed in a tertiary care pediatric emergency department. Children aged 6 months to 12 years presenting with more than three episodes of vomiting in the past 24 hours, mild/moderate dehydration, and failed oral hydration were included. Patients with other medical causes were excluded. Subjects were randomized to dexamethasone 1 mg/kg (15 mg maximum), ondansetron 0.15 mg/kg, or placebo (normal saline [NS], 10 mL). All subjects also received intravenous NS at 10-20 mL/kg/hr. Oral fluid tolerance was evaluated at two and four hours. Those not tolerating oral fluids at four hours were admitted. Discharged patients were evaluated at 24 and 72 hours for vomiting and repeat health care visits. The primary study outcome was hospitalization rates between the groups. Data were analyzed using chi-square test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Mantel-Haenszel test, and analysis of variance, with p hydration than NS-treated patients (29 [67.4%]; relative risk, 1.28; 95% confidence interval = 1.02 to 1.68). There were no differences in number of mean episodes of vomiting or repeat visits to health care at 24 and 72 hours in the ondansetron, dexamethasone, or NS groups. In children with dehydration secondary to vomiting from acute viral gastritis, ondansetron with intravenous rehydration improves tolerance of oral fluids after two hours and reduces the hospital admission rate when compared with intravenous rehydration with or without dexamethasone.

  11. [Treatment of neonatal jaundice by efficient phototherapy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiese, G

    1985-01-01

    Idiopathic neonatal jaundice derives from an initial insufficiency of all processes which metabolize hydrophobic bilirubin into diglucuronide excretable in bile. The term 'neonatal hyperbilirubinemia' should only be used when there is a potential risk of bilirubin intoxication. Thus, the concept hyperbilirubinemia is not necessarily linked to the exceeding of a certain threshold value, but rather to the maturity of the child and its clinical condition. In this sense, hyperbilirubinemia is, therefore, always a syndrome requiring treatment. Besides substitution transfusion, which is highly effective per se, but risky and costly, enzyme induction (e.g., by administration of phenobarbital) represents an elegant causal therapy; however, because of its slow onset of action, it has to be given prophylactically to almost all newborns. In addition, this method requires a general induction of all microsomal enzyme systems, and is hence a major intervention in the process of maturation of the neonatal enzyme systems. Therefore, phototherapy must be regarded as the treatment of choice in cases of idiopathic neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. It leads to a bypassing of the hepatic enzyme insufficiency in that by interaction between light with a wavelength of around 460 nm and the bilirubin molecules in the skin, an isomeric, water-soluble, renally secretable bilirubin is produced. The effect of phototherapy, i.e., the reduction in the serum bilirubin concentration under phototherapy, may be described as a simple e-function. The evaluation of this regular occurrence provides important information applicable to the phototherapy procedure: it should not be initiated prematurely, the duration of radiation should be as short as possible, the irradiated surface as large as possible, the radiation source should be exploited to a maximum by keeping the distance from the light source short and using lateral reflectors. As supporting measures intestinal lavage, early oral administration of

  12. Single Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant in the Treatment of Noninfectious Uveitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frère, Ariane; Caspers, Laure; Makhoul, Dorine; Judice, Lia; Postelmans, Laurence; Janssens, Xavier; Lefebvre, Pierre; Mélot, Christian; Willermain, François

    2017-05-01

    To investigate the effect of a single intravitreal dexamethasone implant (IVT-DI; Ozurdex; Allergan, Inc.) on visual acuity, macular thickness, and intraocular pressure (IOP) in active noninfectious uveitis. Medical records of patients with noninfectious active uveitis treated by IVT-DIs were retrospectively reviewed. Uveitis etiologies, treatment indications, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central retinal thickness measured by ocular coherence tomography, IOP, and systemic, local, and topical treatments were collected. Parameters were analyzed before the injection of the implant, after 1.5 ± 0.8 months and 4.4 ± 0.9 months for the BCVA, after 2 ± 1.3 months and 4.6 ± 1.3 months for the ocular coherence tomography, and after 1.3 ± 0.7 months and 4.4 ± 1 months for the IOP. We included 14 patients (20 eyes, 20 implant injections) with cystoid macular edema (78%), vasculitis (7%), choroiditis (7%), and vasculitis associated with choroiditis (7%). Before the injection, mean visual acuity was 0.4 ± 0.5 logMAR (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) that improved to 0.3 ± 0.5 logMAR (P = 0.0002) after 1.5 ± 0.8 months and to 0.3 ± 0.5 logMAR (P = 0.005) after 4.4 ± 0.9 months. A statistically significant decrease of macular thickness was observed both at 2 ± 1.3 months and at 4.6 ± 1.3 months after IVT-DI. Mean IOP was 16 ± 5 mmHg before injections, 18 ± 6 mmHg (P = 0.13) at 1.3 ± 0.7 months, and 15 ± 4 mmHg (P = 0.65) at 4.4 ± 1 months. By Kaplan-Meier analysis, we found that after 3.3 months, 17% of the eyes still present a BCVA amelioration ≥0.3 logMAR. In our patients with active noninfectious uveitis, injection of a first single dexamethasone implant was found to improve visual acuity and decrease macular thickness without significant increase of IOP, although the effect seems limited in time.

  13. Cortisol secretion after adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH and Dexamethasone tests in healthy female and male dogs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Castillo Victor

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background For the conclusive diagnosis of Cushing's Syndrome, a stimulating ACTH test or a low suppressive Dexamethasone test is used. Reports in other species than the dog indicate that plasma cortisol concentration after ACTH administration is affected by gender. We investigated the effect of gender on the cortisol response to ACTH and Dexamethasone tests in dogs. Methods Seven healthy adult Cocker Spaniels (4 females and 3 males were assigned to a two by two factorial design: 4 dogs (2 females and 2 males received IV Dexamethasone 0.01 mg/kg, while the other 3 dogs received an IV saline solution (control group. Two weeks later the treatments were reversed. After one month, ACTH was given IV (250 μg/animal to 4 dogs (2 female and 2 males while the rest was treated with saline solution (control group. Cortisol concentrations were determined by a direct solid-phase radioimmunoassay and cholesterol and triglycerides by commercial kits. Results and Discussion No effect of treatment was observed in metabolite concentrations, but females presented higher cholesterol concentrations. ACTH-treated dogs showed an increase in cortisol levels in the first hour after sampling until 3 hours post injection. Cortisol concentrations in Dexamethasone-treated dogs decreased one hour post injection and remained low for 3 hours, thereafter cortisol concentrations increased. The increase in cortisol levels from one to two hours post ACTH injection was significantly higher in females than males. In Dexamethasone-treated males cortisol levels decreased one hour post injection up to 3 hours; in females the decrease was more pronounced and prolonged, up to 5 hours post injection. Conclusion We have demonstrated that cortisol response to ACTH and Dexamethasone treatment in dogs differs according to sex.

  14. Effects of maternal dexamethasone exposure on hematological ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Exposure to dexamethasone at LD 1-14 and 1-21 significantly (P<0.05) reduced RBC and platelet counts but it raised MCV and MCH relative to control. This study suggests that prenatal and lactational dexamethasone administration may affect the hematological indices in the male offspring. Keywords: Dexamethasone ...

  15. Pregabalin and dexamethasone for postoperative pain control: a randomized controlled study in hip arthroplasty

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mathiesen, O.; Jacobsen, L.S.; Holm, H.E.

    2008-01-01

    Background. Optimal pain treatment with minimal side-effects is essential for early mobility and recovery in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. We investigated the analgesic effect of pregabalin and dexamethasone in this surgical procedure. Methods. One hundred and twenty patients were...... randomly allocated to either Group A (placebo), Group B (pregabalin 300 mg), or Group C (pregabalin 300 mg+dexamethasone 8 mg). The medication and acetaminophen 1 g were given before operation. Spinal anaesthesia was performed. Postoperative pain treatment was with acetaminophen 1 g three times daily...... with the other groups. Conclusions. Pregabalin resulted in a 50% reduction in 24 h postoperative morphine requirements. This was not associated with a reduced incidence of nausea or vomiting. Pregabalin resulted in increased levels of sedation. Combining pregabalin and dexamethasone provided no additional...

  16. Effects of dexamethasone treatment and respiratory vaccination on rectal temperature, complete blood count, and functional capacities of neutrophils in beef steers

    Science.gov (United States)

    The objective of this research was to examine the effects of dexamethasone (DEX) treatment on various aspects of immunity following administration of a multivalent respiratory vaccine, using a model intended to mimic acute versus chronic stress. Angus × Hereford steers (n = 32; 209 ± 8 kg) were str...

  17. Studies on the relationship between the radiation resistance and glutathione content of human and rodent cells after treatment with dexamethasone in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Millar, B.C.; Jinks, S.

    1985-01-01

    a 20 pre-treatment of human cells from normal (foetal lung) or malignant origin (glioma, lines U118 MG and U251 MG and bladder carcinoma, line EJ) with dexamethasone failed to increase their radiation resistance in vitro despite a 2-fold increase in the GSH content of a glioma cell line, U251 MG, and a small but significant increase in the GSH content of EJ bladder carcinoma cells. In contrast, there was a correlation between an increase in radiation resistance and an elevated GSH content of rodent cells (Chinese hamster lung, line V-79-379A; ovary, line CHO; rat hepatoma line HTC, and mouse neuroblastoma, line NB413A) after a similar pre-treatment. The results suggest that enhancement of radiation resistance cannot be directly ascribed to an elevated GSH content in steroid-treated cells. On the bases of these data it is unlikely that the efficacy of radiotherapy will be diminished amongst patients receiving concomitant treatment with dexamethasone. However, in vivo testing is required to confirm these findings. (author)

  18. Dexamethasone facilitates fear extinction and safety discrimination in PTSD: A placebo-controlled, double-blind study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michopoulos, Vasiliki; Norrholm, Seth D; Stevens, Jennifer S; Glover, Ebony M; Rothbaum, Barbara O; Gillespie, Charles F; Schwartz, Ann C; Ressler, Kerry J; Jovanovic, Tanja

    2017-09-01

    Psychophysiological hallmarks of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) include exaggerated fear responses, impaired inhibition and extinction of conditioned fear, and decreased discrimination between safety and fear cues. This increased fear load associated with PTSD can be a barrier to effective therapy thus indicating the need for new treatments to reduce fear expression in people with PTSD. One potential biological target for reducing fear expression in PTSD is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is dysregulated in PTSD. Recent translational rodent studies and cross-sectional clinical studies have shown that dexamethasone administration and the resulting suppression of cortisol in individuals with PTSD leads to a decrease in the fear responses characteristic of PTSD. These data, taken together, suggest that dexamethasone may serve as a novel pharmacologic intervention for heightened fear responses in PTSD. We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to test our hypothesis that dexamethasone administration and the concomitant suppression of HPA axis hyperactivity would attenuate fear expression and enhance fear extinction in individuals with PTSD. Study participants (n=62) were recruited from Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, GA. Participants were randomized to receive dexamethasone or placebo prior to fear conditioning and extinction, in a counterbalanced design (treatments separated by a week). Both PTSD- (n=37) and PTSD+ (n=25) participants showed significant startle increases in the presence of the danger signal during placebo and dexamethasone treatments (all pextinction blocks during both conditions (p's≤0.001), with PTSD+ participants showing deficits in fear extinction and safety discrimination in the placebo condition. Notably, extinction and discrimination deficits in PTSD+ subjects were markedly reversed with dexamethasone (pextinction and discrimination in individuals with PTSD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

  19. Redirecting treatment during neonatal transport.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dulkerian, Susan J; Douglas, Webra Price; Taylor, Renee McCraine

    2011-01-01

    Neonatal transport teams comprise multidisciplinary health care providers who are skilled in patient care, communication and customer service, and equipment mechanics. They are extensively trained in resuscitation and stabilization, preparing for accelerating care, and their focus is preservation of life. In any situation focused on caring for critically ill patients, ethical issues and questions may arise. For instance, is it compassionate and/or cost-effective to separate mothers and infants when continuing/accelerating care is futile, and when and how should care be redirected from acute and lifesaving care to comfort care and bereavement support for the family? The knowledge and skills required to address such situations and communicate and participate in a redirection of care may not be adequately emphasized in the preparation of the professionals responsible for stabilizing and transporting critically ill newborns. This article raises issues relating to transport and redirecting care such as eligibility for transport, parental request and consent, separation of mothers and infants, palliative and bereavement care, ethical considerations, competitive transport environment, and customer service. A shared mental model is essential. The focus of this article is not to provide answers to all of these issues, but to highlight the complexity of the topic of redirecting treatment during neonatal transport. Redirecting treatment needs to be discussed, and health care professionals should be prepared during their transport team training. Each family and situation must be approached individually, with the acceptance that there will always be more questions than answers.

  20. Evidence-based treatment of neonatal septicaemia | Ogunlesi ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Newborn sepsis is managed with a wide range of antibiotics in different parts of the world depending on the spectrum of bacterial aetiologies. Although, there are standard guidelines for the treatment of neonatal sepsis in most parts of the developed world, the situation is a lot different in most parts of the developing world.

  1. Dexamethasone Therapy for Bacterial Meningitis: Better Never Than Late?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susan M King

    1994-01-01

    Full Text Available A multicentre randomized controlled trial was conducted in children with bacterial meningitis using dexamethasone or placebo for four days within 24 h of starting antibiotics. Primary outcomes were hearing loss and neurological abnormalities at 12 months after meningitis. The dexamethasone (n=50 and placebo (n=51 groups were similar in age, severity of illness and etiological agent. Hearing loss occurred in 10% and 11% of the dexamethasone and placebo groups and neurological deficits occurred in 20% and 18% of patients, respectively. Duodenal perforation occurred in one dexamethasone-treated child. In conclusion, there was no significant benefit in those receiving dexamethasone. The lack of benefit may have been due to the delay in administration of dexamethasone (median delay of 11 h after antibiotics. Therefore, if dexamethasone is used for meningitis it should be given immediately with the antibiotic.

  2. Standardized Treatment of Neonatal Status Epilepticus Improves Outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Mandy L; Malloy, Katherine M; Lawson, Sheena N; Rose, Rebecca S; Buss, William F; Mietzsch, Ulrike

    2016-12-01

    We aimed to decrease practice variation in treatment of neonatal status epilepticus by implementing a standardized protocol. Our primary goal was to achieve 80% adherence to the algorithm within 12 months. Secondary outcome measures included serum phenobarbital concentrations, number of patients progressing from seizures to status epilepticus, and length of hospital stay. Data collection occurred for 6 months prior and 12 months following protocol implementation. Adherence of 80% within 12 months was partially achieved in patients diagnosed in our hospital; in pretreated patients, adherence was not achieved. Maximum phenobarbital concentrations were decreased (56.8 vs 41.0 µg/mL), fewer patients progressed from seizures to status epilepticus (46% vs 36%), and hospital length of stay decreased by 9.7 days in survivors. In conclusion, standardized, protocol-driven treatment of neonatal status epilepticus improves consistency and short-term outcome. © The Author(s) 2016.

  3. Enzymatic Removal of Bilirubin from Blood: A Potential Treatment for Neonatal Jaundice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lavin, Arthur; Sung, Cynthia; Klibanov, Alexander M.; Langer, Robert

    1985-11-01

    Current treatments for severe jaundice can result in major complications. Neonatal jaundice is caused by excessive accumulation of bilirubin in the blood. A small blood filter containing immobilized bilirubin oxidase was developed to reduce serum bilirubin concentrations. When human or rat blood was passed through the enzyme filter, more than 90 percent of the bilirubin was degraded in a single pass. This procedure may have important applications in the clinical treatment of neonatal jaundice.

  4. Bilateral Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant for Retinitis Pigmentosa-Related Macular Edema

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Osman Saatci

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: To report the efficacy of intravitreal dexamethasone implant in a patient with retinitis pigmentosa and bilateral cystoid macular edema unresponsive to topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. Case Report: A 36-year-old man with bilateral cystoid macular edema associated with retinitis pigmentosa that was unresponsive to topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitors underwent bilateral 0.7-mg intravitreal dexamethasone implants two weeks apart. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography revealed resolution of macular edema one week following each injection in both eyes and his visual acuity improved. However, macular edema recurred two months later in OS and three months later in OD. Second implant was considered for both eyes. No implant-related complication was experienced during the follow-up of seven months. Conclusion: Inflammatory process seems to play a role in retinitis pigmentosa. Intravitreal dexamethasone implant may offer retina specialists a therapeutic option especially in cases unresponsive to other treatment regimens in eyes with retinitis pigmentosa-related macular edema.

  5. Health-Related Quality-of-Life Results From the Open-Label, Randomized, Phase III ASPIRE Trial Evaluating Carfilzomib, Lenalidomide, and Dexamethasone Versus Lenalidomide and Dexamethasone in Patients With Relapsed Multiple Myeloma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, A Keith; Dimopoulos, Meletios A; Masszi, Tamás; Špička, Ivan; Oriol, Albert; Hájek, Roman; Rosiñol, Laura; Siegel, David S; Niesvizky, Ruben; Jakubowiak, Andrzej J; San-Miguel, Jesus F; Ludwig, Heinz; Buchanan, Jacqui; Cocks, Kim; Yang, Xinqun; Xing, Biao; Zojwalla, Naseem; Tonda, Margaret; Moreau, Philippe; Palumbo, Antonio

    2016-11-10

    Purpose To determine the effects of carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (KRd) versus lenalidomide and dexamethasone (Rd) on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in the Carfilzomib, Lenalidomide, and Dexamethasone Versus Lenalidomide and Dexamethasone for the Treatment of Patients With Relapsed Multiple Myeloma (ASPIRE) trial. Methods Patients with relapsed multiple myeloma were randomly assigned to receive KRd or Rd. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 and myeloma-specific module were administered at baseline; day 1 of cycles 3, 6, 12, and 18; and after treatment. The Global Health Status/Quality of Life (GHS/QoL) scale and seven subscales (fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, physical functioning, role functioning, disease symptoms, and adverse effects of treatment) were compared between groups using a mixed model for repeated measures. The percentages of responders with ≥ 5- or 15-point GHS/QoL improvement at each cycle were compared between groups. Results Baseline questionnaire compliance was excellent (94.1% of randomly assigned patients). KRd patients had higher GHS/QoL scores versus Rd patients over 18 treatment cycles (two-sided P < .001). The minimal important difference was met at cycle 12 (5.6 points) and approached at cycle 18 (4.8 points). There was no difference between groups for the other prespecified subscales from ASPIRE. A higher proportion of KRd patients met the GHS/QoL responder definition (≥ 5-point improvement) with statistical differences at cycle 12 (KRd v Rd patients, 25.5% v 17.4%, respectively) and 18 (KRd v Rd patients, 24.2% v 12.9%, respectively). Conclusion KRd improves GHS/QoL without negatively affecting patient-reported symptoms when compared with Rd. These data further support the benefit of KRd in patients with relapsed multiple myeloma.

  6. Health-related quality of life, visual function and treatment satisfaction following intravitreal dexamethasone implant for diabetic macular edema

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramu J

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Jayashree Ramu,1 Irini Chatziralli,1 Yit Yang,2 Geeta Menon,3 Clare Bailey,4 Michael Eckstein,5 Phil Hykin,1 Sobha Sivaprasad1 On behalf of the OZDRY Study Group 1NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, London, 2The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, Wolverhampton, 3Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, Surrey, 4Bristol Eye Hospital, Bristol, 5Brighton and Sussex University Hospital, Brighton, UK Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore and describe quantitatively patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs, ie, health-related quality of life (QoL, visual function and treatment satisfaction, in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME receiving two different regimens of Ozurdex (intravitreal dexamethasone implant. Methods: In this multicenter, prospective study, 100 patients with center-involving refractory DME were randomized 1:1 to either five monthly fixed dosing or optical coherence tomography (OCT-guided pro re nata (PRN regimen of dexamethasone intravitreal implant therapy. The primary outcome was the difference between arms in change in PROMs and health-related QoL from baseline to 12 months, as measured by the Retinopathy-Dependent Quality of Life (RetDQoL questionnaire, Visual Function Questionnaire-25 (VFQ-25 and Retinopathy Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (RetTSQ. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the RetDQoL score and VFQ-25 score at month 12 compared to those at baseline, whereas the total mean RetTSQ score increased significantly at the exit visit. The two treatment arms did not differ significantly regarding the change in PROMs and health-related QoL questionnaires. Logistic regression analysis showed that visual acuity (VA of ≥55 letters, central foveal thickness <300 µm and macular volume <9.2 mm3 at the exit visit (month 12 predicted a higher change in RetTSQ. Conclusion: This study showed that there is a statistically significant improvement in treatment satisfaction, as

  7. Effect of intratympanic dexamethasone, memantine and piracetam on cellular apoptosis due to cisplatin ototoxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Topdag, M; Iseri, M; Gelenli, E; Yardimoglu, M; Yazir, Y; Ulubil, S A; Topdag, D O; Ustundag, E

    2012-11-01

    This study aimed to contribute to the literature on the prevention and treatment of ototoxicity due to various drugs and chemicals. This study compared the histological effects of intratympanic dexamethasone, memantine and piracetam on cellular apoptosis due to cisplatin ototoxicity, in 36 rats. Dexamethasone and memantine had significant effects on the stria vascularis, organ of Corti and spiral ganglion (p piracetam decreased the apoptosis rate, this effect was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Dexamethasone and memantine were found superior to piracetam in reducing apoptosis due to cisplatin ototoxicity. Further studies of this subject are needed, incorporating electron microscopy and auditory brainstem response testing.

  8. A novel brain trauma model in the mouse : effects of dexamethasone treatment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hortobágyi, Tibor; Hortobagyi, S; Gorlach, C; Harkany, T; Benbyo, Z; Gorogh, T; Nagel, W; Wahl, M

    2000-01-01

    We describe a novel methodological approach for inducing cold lesion in the mouse as a model of human cortical contusion trauma. To validate its reproducibility and reliability, dexamethasone (Dxm) was repeatedly applied to demonstrate possible antioedematous drug effects. Following tho induction of

  9. Longstanding refractory pseudophakic cystoid macular edema resolved using intravitreal 0.7 mg dexamethasone implants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brynskov T

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Troels Brynskov,1,2 Caroline Schmidt Laugesen,1 Jakob Halborg,1 Henrik Kemp,1 Torben Lykke Sørensen1,21Department of Ophthalmology, Copenhagen University Hospital Roskilde, Roskilde, Denmark; 2Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, DenmarkBackground: Refractory pseudophakic cystoid macular edema (PCME following cataract surgery has long posed a challenge to clinicians, but intravitreal injections with a sustained delivery 0.7 mg dexamethasone implant has emerged as a promising therapy for this condition.Objective: To present a case of longstanding and refractory PCME with complete remission through 189 days of follow-up after two successive injections with intravitreal dexamethasone implants.Case report: A 59-year-old male had experienced metamorphopsia for approximately 4 years and had been diagnosed with PCME 15 months earlier. Since the time of the diagnosis, the condition had been refractory to both subtenon triamcinolone acetonide and a total of five injections with intravitreal ranibizumab. After the last injection with ranibizumab, central subfield mean thickness was 640 µm, and the best corrected visual acuity was 78 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study letters. Following an intravitreal injection with a dexamethasone implant, the macular edema resolved at the next follow-up. The macular edema returned 187 days after the first injection and was treated with another intravitreal dexamethasone implant. Again, the macular edema subsided completely, and best corrected visual acuity improved to 84 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study letters, a condition which was maintained through an additional 189 days of follow-up.Conclusion: Chronic PCME is traditionally a difficult condition to treat, but we are encouraged by the optimal response experienced with intravitreal sustained release dexamethasone implants in our patient whose longstanding PCME had been refractory to previous treatments with both

  10. Long-term outcome of prenatal dexamethasone treatment of 21-hydroxylase deficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lajic, Svetlana; Nordenström, Anna; Hirvikoski, Tatja

    2011-01-01

    Prenatal treatment of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) with dexamethasone (DEX) has been in use since the mid- 1980s. Its effectiveness for reducing virilization of external genitalia is well established. DEX treatment has to be started in the 6th-7th postmenstrual week and continued until the results of the prenatal diagnosis are available. Hence, the dilemma is that 7 out of 8 fetuses (boys and unaffected girls) are treated unnecessarily. Girls with CAH are treated until term. Accumulating evidence from animal studies and follow-up data has raised concerns regarding the long-term consequences of this controversial treatment. We have previously reported that direct neuropsychological assessment of children exposed to DEX and controls show normal full-scale IQ, learning and longterm memory. However, the children exposed to DEX during the first trimester had an impaired verbal working memory which was significantly associated with low self-perceived scholastic competence. In addition, the children showed increased self-rated social anxiety. The same cohort of children answered questions concerning friends, activities and gender-related behaviors. The results indicate less masculine and more neutral behavior in short-term DEX-exposed boys. These findings indicate that long-term follow-ups of this group of patients are of extreme importance and that future DEX treatment of CAH may be questioned. We therefore encourage additional studies on larger cohorts in order to draw more decisive conclusions about the safety of the treatment. Until then, it is important that the parents are thoroughly informed about the potential risks and uncertainties, as well as the benefits, of this treatment. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  11. Cyclodextrin-Based Nanohydrogels Containing Polyamidoamine Units: A New Dexamethasone Delivery System for Inflammatory Diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monica Argenziano

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Glucocorticoids are widely prescribed in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, systemic lupus erythematosus, lymphoid neoplasia, skin and eye inflammations. However, well-documented adverse effects offset their therapeutic advantages. In this work, novel nano-hydrogels for the sustained delivery of dexamethasone were designed to increase both bioavailability and duration of the administered drug and reducing the therapeutic dose. Hydrogels are soft materials consisting of water-swollen cross-linked polymers to which the insertion of cyclodextrin (CD moieties adds hydrophobic drug-complexing sites. Polyamidoamines (PAAs are biocompatible and biodegradable polymers apt to create CD moieties in hydrogels. In this work, β or γ-CD/PAA nanogels have been developed. In vitro studies showed that a pretreatment for 24–48 h with dexamethasone-loaded, β-CD/PAA nanogel (nanodexa inhibits adhesion of Jurkat cells to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC in conditions mimicking inflammation. This inhibitory effect was faster and higher than that displayed by free dexamethasone. Moreover, nanodexa inhibited COX-2 expression induced by PMA+A23187 in Jurkat cells after 24–48 h incubation in the 10−8–10−5 M concentration range, while dexamethasone was effective only at 10−5 M after 48 h treatment. Hence, the novel nanogel-dexamethasone formulation combines faster action with lower doses, suggesting the potential for being more manageable than the free drug, reducing its adverse side effects.

  12. Altered calcium handling and increased contraction force in human embryonic stem cell derived cardiomyocytes following short term dexamethasone exposure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kosmidis, Georgios; Bellin, Milena; Ribeiro, Marcelo C.; Meer, Berend van; Ward-van Oostwaard, Dorien [Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden (Netherlands); Passier, Robert [Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden (Netherlands); MIRA, University of Twente (Netherlands); Tertoolen, Leon G.J.; Mummery, Christine L. [Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden (Netherlands); Casini, Simona, E-mail: s.casini@amc.uva.nl [Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden (Netherlands)

    2015-11-27

    One limitation in using human pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) for disease modeling and cardiac safety pharmacology is their immature functional phenotype compared with adult cardiomyocytes. Here, we report that treatment of human embryonic stem cell derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) with dexamethasone, a synthetic glucocorticoid, activated glucocorticoid signaling which in turn improved their calcium handling properties and contractility. L-type calcium current and action potential properties were not affected by dexamethasone but significantly faster calcium decay, increased forces of contraction and sarcomeric lengths, were observed in hESC-CMs after dexamethasone exposure. Activating the glucocorticoid pathway can thus contribute to mediating hPSC-CMs maturation. - Highlights: • Dexamethasone accelerates Ca{sup 2+} transient decay in hESC-CMs. • Dexamethasone enhances SERCA and NCX function in hESC-CMs. • Dexamethasone increases force of contraction and sarcomere length in hESC-CMs. • Dexamethasone does not alter I{sub Ca,L} and action potential characteristics in hESC-CMs.

  13. Altered calcium handling and increased contraction force in human embryonic stem cell derived cardiomyocytes following short term dexamethasone exposure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kosmidis, Georgios; Bellin, Milena; Ribeiro, Marcelo C.; Meer, Berend van; Ward-van Oostwaard, Dorien; Passier, Robert; Tertoolen, Leon G.J.; Mummery, Christine L.; Casini, Simona

    2015-01-01

    One limitation in using human pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) for disease modeling and cardiac safety pharmacology is their immature functional phenotype compared with adult cardiomyocytes. Here, we report that treatment of human embryonic stem cell derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) with dexamethasone, a synthetic glucocorticoid, activated glucocorticoid signaling which in turn improved their calcium handling properties and contractility. L-type calcium current and action potential properties were not affected by dexamethasone but significantly faster calcium decay, increased forces of contraction and sarcomeric lengths, were observed in hESC-CMs after dexamethasone exposure. Activating the glucocorticoid pathway can thus contribute to mediating hPSC-CMs maturation. - Highlights: • Dexamethasone accelerates Ca"2"+ transient decay in hESC-CMs. • Dexamethasone enhances SERCA and NCX function in hESC-CMs. • Dexamethasone increases force of contraction and sarcomere length in hESC-CMs. • Dexamethasone does not alter I_C_a_,_L and action potential characteristics in hESC-CMs.

  14. Experimental study on effect of dexamethasone to the in-stent restenosis after vascular intervention

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Jianbo; Yang Jianyong; Chen Wei; Zhuang Wenquan; Li Jiaping; Zhang Longjuan

    2007-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the effect of dexamethasone to the cultured rat thoracic aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) in vitro, and explore the role on it's prevention and cure for the in-stent restenosis after vascular intervention. Methods: The rat thoracic aortic SMC were harvested and cultured for six to ten passages. The cultured SMC were synchronized and then restimutated to enter the cell cycle, and treated with incremental concentrations of dexamethasone or without dexamethasone as control. The proliferative assay was performed with MTT method in the different time points after treatment. RT-PCR was performed to assay the level of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) mRNA. Results: 1. Dexamethasone progressively inhibited rat aortic SMC proliferation in a concentration-dependent fashion. The A value was statistically significant for different concentrations (F=36.02, P -6 and 10 -5 mol/L (P=0.065) or between 10 -11 mol/L and control group (P 0.567). 2. RT-PCR suggested dexamethasone significantly decreased rat aortic SMC PCNA mRNA transcription in a concentration-dependent fashion. Statistical analysis indicated F=15.407 and P -9 or 10 -11 mol/L groups by post hoc analysis. Conclusions: Dexamethasone inhibits rat aortic SMC proliferation in a concentration- dependent fashion. The data suggest that effective action concentration is 10 -7 mol/L with persistent time up to 96 hours or more. Dexamethasone may play the inhibit role to SMC at lower concentration with prolonging action time. (authors)

  15. Silibinin, dexamethasone, and doxycycline as potential therapeutic agents for treating vesicant-inflicted ocular injuries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tewari-Singh, Neera; Jain, Anil K.; Inturi, Swetha; Ammar, David A.; Agarwal, Chapla; Tyagi, Puneet; Kompella, Uday B.; Enzenauer, Robert W.; Petrash, J. Mark; Agarwal, Rajesh

    2012-01-01

    There are no effective and approved therapies against devastating ocular injuries caused by vesicating chemical agents sulfur mustard (SM) and nitrogen mustard (NM). Herein, studies were carried out in rabbit corneal cultures to establish relevant ocular injury biomarkers with NM for screening potential efficacious agents in laboratory settings. NM (100 nmol) exposure of the corneas for 2 h (cultured for 24 h), showed increases in epithelial thickness, ulceration, apoptotic cell death, epithelial detachment microbullae formation, and the levels of VEGF, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Employing these biomarkers, efficacy studies were performed with agent treatments 2 h and every 4 h thereafter, for 24 h following NM exposure. Three agents were evaluated, including prescription drugs dexamethasone (0.1%; anti-inflammatory steroid) and doxycycline (100 nmol; antibiotic and MMP inhibitor) that have been studied earlier for treating vesicant-induced eye injuries. We also examined silibinin (100 μg), a non-toxic natural flavanone found to be effective in treating SM analog-induced skin injuries in our earlier studies. Treatments of doxycycline + dexamethasone, and silibinin were more effective than doxycycline or dexamethasone alone in reversing NM-induced epithelial thickening, microbullae formation, apoptotic cell death, and MMP-9 elevation. However, dexamethasone and silibinin alone were more effective in reversing NM-induced VEGF levels. Doxycycline, dexamethasone and silibinin were all effective in reversing NM-induced COX-2 levels. Apart from therapeutic efficacy of doxycycline and dexamethasone, these results show strong multifunctional efficacy of silibinin in reversing NM-induced ocular injuries, which could help develop effective and safe therapeutics against ocular injuries by vesicants. -- Highlights: ► Established injury biomarkers in rabbit corneal culture with nitrogen mustard (NM) ► This NM model is a cost effective

  16. Silibinin, dexamethasone, and doxycycline as potential therapeutic agents for treating vesicant-inflicted ocular injuries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tewari-Singh, Neera, E-mail: Neera.Tewari-Singh@ucdenver.edu [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Jain, Anil K., E-mail: Anil.Jain@ucdenver.edu [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Inturi, Swetha, E-mail: Swetha.Inturi@ucdenver.edu [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Ammar, David A., E-mail: David.Ammar@ucdenver.edu [Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Agarwal, Chapla, E-mail: Chapla.Agarwal@ucdenver.edu [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Tyagi, Puneet, E-mail: Puneet.Tyagi@ucdenver.edu [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Kompella, Uday B., E-mail: Uday.Kompella@ucdenver.edu [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Enzenauer, Robert W., E-mail: Robert.Enzenauer@ucdenver.edu [Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Petrash, J. Mark, E-mail: Mark.Petrash@ucdenver.edu [Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Agarwal, Rajesh, E-mail: Rajesh.Agarwal@ucdenver.edu [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States)

    2012-10-01

    There are no effective and approved therapies against devastating ocular injuries caused by vesicating chemical agents sulfur mustard (SM) and nitrogen mustard (NM). Herein, studies were carried out in rabbit corneal cultures to establish relevant ocular injury biomarkers with NM for screening potential efficacious agents in laboratory settings. NM (100 nmol) exposure of the corneas for 2 h (cultured for 24 h), showed increases in epithelial thickness, ulceration, apoptotic cell death, epithelial detachment microbullae formation, and the levels of VEGF, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Employing these biomarkers, efficacy studies were performed with agent treatments 2 h and every 4 h thereafter, for 24 h following NM exposure. Three agents were evaluated, including prescription drugs dexamethasone (0.1%; anti-inflammatory steroid) and doxycycline (100 nmol; antibiotic and MMP inhibitor) that have been studied earlier for treating vesicant-induced eye injuries. We also examined silibinin (100 μg), a non-toxic natural flavanone found to be effective in treating SM analog-induced skin injuries in our earlier studies. Treatments of doxycycline + dexamethasone, and silibinin were more effective than doxycycline or dexamethasone alone in reversing NM-induced epithelial thickening, microbullae formation, apoptotic cell death, and MMP-9 elevation. However, dexamethasone and silibinin alone were more effective in reversing NM-induced VEGF levels. Doxycycline, dexamethasone and silibinin were all effective in reversing NM-induced COX-2 levels. Apart from therapeutic efficacy of doxycycline and dexamethasone, these results show strong multifunctional efficacy of silibinin in reversing NM-induced ocular injuries, which could help develop effective and safe therapeutics against ocular injuries by vesicants. -- Highlights: ► Established injury biomarkers in rabbit corneal culture with nitrogen mustard (NM) ► This NM model is a cost effective

  17. [Clinical efficacy of high-frequency oscillatory ventilation combined with pulmonary surfactant in treatment of neonatal pulmonary hemorrhage].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Xin-Zhu; Lai, Ji-Dong; Lv, Mei; Zhu, Yao; Wang, Lian; Chen, Chao

    2015-04-01

    To explore the clinical efficacy of high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) combined with pulmonary surfactant (PS) in the treatment of neonatal pulmonary hemorrhage (NPH). A total of 122 neonates diagnosed with NPH between January 2010 and June 2014 were enrolled. After being stratified by gestational age, the neonates were randomly divided into treatment (HFOV+PS) and control (HFOV alone) groups (n=61 each). Both groups were treated with HFOV after the onset of NPH. After 2-4 hours of HFOV treatment, the treatment group received PS via intratracheal injections, followed by continuous use of HFOV. Dynamic changes in the blood gas, oxygenation index (OI), and PaO2/FiO2 (P/F) values of the neonates were determined before HFOV treatment and after 6, 12, and 24 hours of HFOV treatment. The time to hemostasis, duration of ventilation, incidence of complications, and cure rate were compared between groups. After 6, 12, and 24 hours of HFOV treatment, the treatment group had significantly improved PaO2, PaCO2, O/I, and P/F values compared with the control group (P0.05). HFOV combined with PS is an effective treatment to improve oxygenation, shorten the time to hemostasis and the duration of ventilation, and reduce the incidence of complications in neonates with NPH. However, the dual therapy is unable to reduce the mortality of neonates compared with HFOV monotherapy.

  18. Management of neonatal abstinence syndrome in neonates born to opioid maintained women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebner, Nina; Rohrmeister, Klaudia; Winklbaur, Bernadette; Baewert, Andjela; Jagsch, Reinhold; Peternell, Alexandra; Thau, Kenneth; Fischer, Gabriele

    2007-03-16

    Neonates born to opioid-maintained mothers are at risk of developing neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), which often requires pharmacological treatment. This study examined the effect of opioid maintenance treatment on the incidence and timing of NAS, and compared two different NAS treatments (phenobarbital versus morphine hydrochloride). Fifty-three neonates born to opioid-maintained mothers were included in this study. The mothers received methadone (n=22), slow-release oral morphine (n=17) or buprenorphine (n=14) throughout pregnancy. Irrespective of maintenance treatment, all neonates showed APGAR scores comparable to infants of non-opioid dependent mothers. No difference was found between the three maintenance groups regarding neonatal weight, length or head circumference. Sixty percent (n=32) of neonates required treatment for NAS [68% in the methadone-maintained group (n=15), 82% in the morphine-maintained group (n=14), and 21% in the buprenorphine-maintained group (n=3)]. The mean duration from birth to requirement of NAS treatment was 33 h for the morphine-maintained group, 34 h for the buprenorphine-maintained group and 58 h for the methadone-maintained group. In neonates requiring NAS treatment, those receiving morphine required a significantly shorter mean duration of treatment (9.9 days) versus those treated with phenobarbital (17.7 days). Results suggest that morphine hydrochloride is preferable for neonates suffering NAS due to opioid withdrawal.

  19. In Vivo Imaging of Microglia Turnover in the Mouse Retina After Ionizing Radiation and Dexamethasone Treatment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alt, C.; Runnels, J. M.; Mortensen, L. J.

    2014-01-01

    irradiation with a confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope that we custom-built specifically for multicolor imaging of the murine retina. RESULTS. Ionizing radiation resulted in loss of 75% of the resident retinal microglia population after 70 days. Recruitment of BMDCs was delayed with respect...... dexamethasone preserves resident microglia and minimizes recruitment of BMDCs after ionizing radiation exposure and BMT.......PURPOSE. Gamma irradiation and bone marrow transplantation (BMT) are established clinical procedures for the treatment of hematologic malignancies. The radiation targets cells in the bone marrow, but injury to other tissues, including the central nervous system (CNS), have been reported. Here, we...

  20. Panobinostat plus bortezomib and dexamethasone versus placebo plus bortezomib and dexamethasone in patients with relapsed or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    San-Miguel, Jesús F; Hungria, Vânia T M; Yoon, Sung-Soo

    2014-01-01

    with bortezomib (1·3 mg/m(2) on days 1, 4, 8, 11, intravenously) and dexamethasone (20 mg on days 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, orally). Patients, physicians, and the investigators who did the data analysis were masked to treatment allocation; crossover was not permitted. The primary endpoint was progression...

  1. Downregulation of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptor 1 by dexamethasone inhibits S1P-induced mesangial cell migration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koch, Alexander; Jäger, Manuel; Völzke, Anja; Grammatikos, Georgios; Zu Heringdorf, Dagmar Meyer; Huwiler, Andrea; Pfeilschifter, Josef

    2015-06-01

    Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is generated by sphingosine kinase (SK)-1 and -2 and acts mainly as an extracellular ligand at five specific receptors, denoted S1P1-5. After activation, S1P receptors regulate important processes in the progression of renal diseases, such as mesangial cell migration and survival. Previously, we showed that dexamethasone enhances SK-1 activity and S1P formation, which protected mesangial cells from stress-induced apoptosis. Here we demonstrate that dexamethasone treatment lowered S1P1 mRNA and protein expression levels in rat mesangial cells. This effect was abolished in the presence of the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist RU-486. In addition, in vivo studies showed that dexamethasone downregulated S1P1 expression in glomeruli isolated from mice treated with dexamethasone (10 mg/kg body weight). Functionally, we identified S1P1 as a key player mediating S1P-induced mesangial cell migration. We show that dexamethasone treatment significantly lowered S1P-induced migration of mesangial cells, which was again reversed in the presence of RU-486. In summary, we suggest that dexamethasone inhibits S1P-induced mesangial cell migration via downregulation of S1P1. Overall, these results demonstrate that dexamethasone has functional important effects on sphingolipid metabolism and action in renal mesangial cells.

  2. Synthesis of dexamethasone-4-14C

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rao, P.N.; Cessac, J.W.; Hill, K.A.

    1982-01-01

    The bismethylenedioxy (BMD) derivative of dexamethasone 2 was silylated with trimethylchlorosilane and imidazole in dimethylformamide to give the 11β-trimethylsilyloxy BMD derivative 3. The Δ 1 -double bond in 3 was hydrogenated over 5% palladium on carbon to give the Δ 4 -3-oxo steroid 4. Oxidation of 4 with potassium permanganate-sodium metaperiodate gave the seco-acid 5 which on subsequent treatment with acetic anhydride; sodium acetate and triethylamine gave the enol-lactone 6. The enol-lactone 6 was reacted with 14 C-methylmagnesium iodide to give an adduct 7a which on heating at reflux with lithium 2,6-di-t-butylphenoxide in dioxane gave the Δ 4 -3-oxo derivative 8. Compound 8 was heated at reflux with m-iodylbenzoic acid and diphenyl diselenide in toluene to give the Δsup(1,4)-3-oxo steroid 9. The protecting BMD and silyl groups were removed in a single step by reaction with aqueous trifluoroacetic acid containing 2N hydrochloric acid at room temperature to give dexamethasone-4- 14 C 10. (author)

  3. Effects of thyroxine and dexamethasone on rat submandibular glands

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sagulin, G.B.; Roomans, G.M.

    1989-01-01

    Glucocorticoids and thyroxine are known to have a marked effect on the flow rate and protein composition of rat parotid saliva in hormonally intact animals. In the present study, the effects of a one-week treatment of male rats with dexamethasone and thyroxine were studied by electron microscopy and x-ray micro-analysis, and by measurement of the flow rate and determination of the chemical composition of pilocarpine-induced submandibular saliva. Thyroxine had the most extensive effects on the submandibular gland. The acinar cells were enlarged and filled with mucus; the cellular calcium concentration was significantly increased. The flow rate of the submandibular saliva was significantly reduced compared with that in saline-injected control animals. Thyroxine caused an increase in the concentrations of protein, total calcium, and potassium in the saliva. Dexamethasone had no significant effects on gland ultrastructure or on the elemental composition of the acinar cells; flow rate was not affected, but the concentrations of protein, calcium, and potassium were significantly increased. The effects of dexamethasone and thyroxine on the flow rate and protein composition of pilocarpine-induced rat submandibular saliva differ from those reported earlier for rat parotid saliva after simultaneous stimulation with pilocarpine and isoproterenol

  4. Dexamethasone suppression test

    Science.gov (United States)

    DST; ACTH suppression test; Cortisol suppression test ... During this test, you will receive dexamethasone. This is a strong man-made (synthetic) glucocorticoid medicine. Afterward, your blood is drawn ...

  5. Melatonin attenuates prenatal dexamethasone-induced blood pressure increase in a rat model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tain, You-Lin; Chen, Chih-Cheng; Sheen, Jiunn-Ming; Yu, Hong-Ren; Tiao, Mao-Meng; Kuo, Ho-Chang; Huang, Li-Tung

    2014-04-01

    Although antenatal corticosteroid is recommended to accelerate fetal lung maturation, prenatal dexamethasone exposure results in hypertension in the adult offspring. Since melatonin is a potent antioxidant and has been known to regulate blood pressure, we examined the beneficial effects of melatonin therapy in preventing prenatal dexamethasone-induced programmed hypertension. Male offspring of Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to four groups (n = 12/group): control, dexamethasone (DEX), control + melatonin, and DEX + melatonin. Pregnant rats received intraperitoneal dexamethasone (0.1 mg/kg) from gestational day 16 to 22. In the melatonin-treatment groups, rats received 0.01% melatonin in drinking water during their entire pregnancy and lactation. Blood pressure was measured by an indirect tail-cuff method. Gene expression and protein levels were analyzed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively. At 16 weeks of age, the DEX group developed hypertension, which was partly reversed by maternal melatonin therapy. Reduced nephron numbers due to prenatal dexamethasone exposure were prevented by melatonin therapy. Renal superoxide and NO levels were similar in all groups. Prenatal dexamethasone exposure led to increased mRNA expression of renin and prorenin receptor and up-regulated histone deacetylase (HDAC)-1 expression in the kidneys of 4-month-old offspring. Maternal melatonin therapy augmented renal Mas protein levels in DEX + melatonin group, and increased renal mRNA expression of HDAC-1, HDAC-2, and HDAC-8 in control and DEX offspring. Melatonin attenuated prenatal DEX-induced hypertension by restoring nephron numbers, altering RAS components, and modulating HDACs. Copyright © 2014 American Society of Hypertension. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Effects of Dexamethasone and Insulin Alone or in Combination on Energy and Protein Metabolism Indicators and Milk Production in Dairy Cows in Early Lactation - A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sami, Mehrdad; Mohri, Mehrdad; Seifi, Hesam A

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of dexamethasone and insulin, when administered at 3rd or 10th day of lactation on energy and protein metabolism in dairy cows. Two hundred Holstein cows were enrolled in a randomized controlled clinical trial. The cows were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 4 treatments at 3 or 10 days in milk: control group, 10-mL i.m. injection of sterile water, group insulin, s.c. injection of 100 units of insulin, group dexamethasone, i.m. injection of 20 mg of dexamethasone, group insulin plus dexamethasone, i.m. injection of 20 mg of dexamethasone and 100 units of insulin. The cows randomly assigned to receive the treatments on 3 or 10 days of lactation. Serum samples obtained at the time of enrollment, time of treatment and at 2, 4, 7 and 14 days after intervention. The sera were analyzed for β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), glucose, cholesterol, albumin, urea, and aspartate amino transferase (AST). Data were analyzed using a repeated measures mixed model that accounted for the effects of parity, body condition score, dystocia, retained placenta, metritis and the random effect of cow. There was no significant interaction of group of treatment and time of intervention (day 3 or 10 post-partum) on serum components. Cows that received insulin or dexamethasone alone or in combination, had lower BHBA 2 days after treatment compared with control cows, whereas concentrations of NEFA, were unaffected suggesting that glucocorticoids lipolytic effects do not appear to be important in healthy cows. AST activities significantly reduced in cows that received dexamethasone with or without insulin at 2 and 4 days after treatment. Albumin and urea concentrations 2 days after treatment were higher for cows that received dexamethasone only or dexamethasone plus insulin compared with control and Ins received cows. There were no treatment effects on test-day milk production, milk fat and protein percentages. The results suggested

  7. The efficacy of dexamethasone reducing postoperative pain and emesis after total knee arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Zhengrui; Ma, Jianxiong; Kuang, Mingjie; Zhang, Lukai; Han, Biao; Yang, Baocheng; Wang, Ying; Ma, Xinlong

    2018-04-01

    Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is gradually emerging as the treatment of choice for end-stage osteoarthritis. In the past, Perioperative dexamethasone treatment is still a controversial subject in total knee arthroplasty. Therefore, we write this systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of dexamethasone on pain and recovery after Total knee Arthroplasty. Embase, Pubmed, and Cochrane Library were comprehensively searched. Randomized controlled trials, cohort studies were included in our meta-analysis. Eight studies that compared dexamethasone groups with placebo groups were included in our meta-analysis. The research was reported according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Randomized controlled trials were included in our meta-analysis. Our study demonstrated that the dexamethasone group was more effective than the placebo group in term of VAS score at 24 h(P meta-analysis demonstrated that dexamethasone decreased postoperative pain, the incidence of POVN, and total opioid consumption effectively which played a critical role in rapid recovery to TKA. However, we still need large sample size, high quality studies to explore the relationship between complications and dose response to give the final conclusion. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  8. Pregabalin and dexamethasone in combination with paracetamol for postoperative pain control after abdominal hysterectomy. A randomized clinical trial

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, M L; Dierking, G; Lech, K

    2008-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Multimodal analgesia may be important for optimal postoperative pain treatment and facilitation of early mobilization and recovery. We investigated the analgesic effect of pregabalin and dexamethasone in combination with paracetamol after abdominal hysterectomy. METHODS: One hundred...... and sixteen patients were randomly assigned to either group A (paracetamol+placebo x 2), group B (paracetamol+pregabalin+placebo) or group C (paracetamol+pregabalin+dexamethasone). According to randomization and preoperatively, patients received paracetamol 1000 mg, pregabalin 300 mg, dexamethasone 8 mg...... or placebo. General anaesthesia was performed. Postoperative pain treatment was paracetamol 1000 mg x 4 and patient-controlled intravenous morphine, 2.5 mg bolus. Nausea was treated with ondansetron. Morphine consumption, pain score (visual analogue scale) at rest and during mobilization, nausea, sedation...

  9. Ultrasound guided injection of dexamethasone versus placebo for treatment of plantar fasciitis: protocol for a randomised controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gilheany Mark F

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Plantar fasciitis is the most commonly reported cause of chronic pain beneath the heel. Management of this condition commonly involves the use of corticosteroid injection in cases where less invasive treatments have failed. However, despite widespread use, only two randomised trials have tested the effect of this treatment in comparison to placebo. These trials currently offer the best available evidence by which to guide clinical practice, though both were limited by methodological issues such as insufficient statistical power. Therefore, the aim of this randomised trial is to compare the effect of ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injection versus placebo for treatment of plantar fasciitis. Methods The trial will be conducted at the La Trobe University Podiatry Clinic and will recruit 80 community-dwelling participants. Diagnostic ultrasound will be used to diagnose plantar fasciitis and participants will be required to meet a range of selection criteria. Participants will be randomly allocated to one of two treatment arms: (i ultrasound-guided injection of the plantar fascia with 1 mL of 4 mg/mL dexamethasone sodium phosphate (experimental group, or (ii ultrasound-guided injection of the plantar fascia with 1 mL normal saline (control group. Blinding will be applied to participants and the investigator performing procedures, measuring outcomes and analysing data. Primary outcomes will be pain measured by the Foot Health Status Questionnaire and plantar fascia thickness measured by ultrasound at 4, 8 and 12 weeks. All data analyses will be conducted on an intention-to-treat basis. Conclusion This will be a randomised trial investigating the effect of dexamethasone injection on pre-specified treatment outcomes in people with plantar fasciitis. Within the parameters of this protocol, the trial findings will be used to make evidence-based recommendations regarding the use of corticosteroid injection for treatment of this

  10. Comparison of granisetron alone and granisetron plus dexamethasone in the prophylaxis of cytotoxic-induced emesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carmichael, J.; Bessell, E. M.; Harris, A. L.; Hutcheon, A. W.; Dawes, P. J.; Daniels, S.; Bessel, E. M.

    1994-01-01

    Two hundred and seventy-eight adult chemonaive patients, receiving moderately emetogenic chemotherapy were randomly allocated to receive either intravenous (i.v.) granisetron 3 mg plus i.v. dexamethasone 8 mg or i.v. granisetron 3 mg plus i.v. placebo dexamethasone prior to chemotherapy. Eight-two per cent of all patients recruited were female, and 91% of all patients consumed less than 10 units of alcohol per week, suggesting a study population with an increased risk of nausea and vomiting. In the first 24 h 85% of patients who received granisetron plus dexamethasone were complete responders compared with 75.9% of the patients receiving granisetron alone (P = 0.053). There were statistically significant improvements in complete response over 7 days (P = 0.029) and in the numbers of patients receiving rescue antiemetic (P = 0.0004). Toxicity was minimal with no significant differences between treatment groups. These results confirm the antiemetic activity of granisetron and show that it has an additive effect in combination with dexamethasone. PMID:7981069

  11. Analysis of renal impairment in MM-003, a phase III study of pomalidomide + low - dose dexamethasone versus high - dose dexamethasone in refractory or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weisel, Katja C.; Dimopoulos, Meletios A.; Moreau, Philippe; Lacy, Martha Q.; Song, Kevin W.; Delforge, Michel; Karlin, Lionel; Goldschmidt, Hartmut; Banos, Anne; Oriol, Albert; Alegre, Adrian; Chen, Christine; Cavo, Michele; Garderet, Laurent; Ivanova, Valentina; Martinez-Lopez, Joaquin; Knop, Stefan; Yu, Xin; Hong, Kevin; Sternas, Lars; Jacques, Christian; Zaki, Mohamed H.; Miguel, Jesus San

    2016-01-01

    Pomalidomide + low-dose dexamethasone is effective and well tolerated for refractory or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma after bortezomib and lenalidomide failure. The phase III trial MM-003 compared pomalidomide + low-dose dexamethasone with high-dose dexamethasone. This subanalysis grouped patients by baseline creatinine clearance ≥ 30 − < 60 mL/min (n=93, pomalidomide + low-dose dexamethasone; n=56, high-dose dexamethasone) or ≥ 60 mL/min (n=205, pomalidomide + low-dose dexamethasone; n=93, high-dose dexamethasone). Median progression-free survival was similar for both subgroups and favored pomalidomide + low-dose dexamethasone versus high-dose dexamethasone: 4.0 versus 1.9 months in the group with baseline creatinine clearance ≥ 30 − < 60 mL/min (P<0.001) and 4.0 versus 2.0 months in the group with baseline creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min (P<0.001). Median overall survival for pomalidomide + low-dose dexamethasone versus high-dose dexamethasone was 10.4 versus 4.9 months (P=0.030) and 15.5 versus 9.2 months (P=0.133), respectively. Improved renal function, defined as an increase in creatinine clearance from < 60 to ≥ 60 mL/min, was similar in pomalidomide + low-dose dexamethasone and high-dose dexamethasone patients (42% and 47%, respectively). Improvement in progression-free and overall survival in these patients was comparable with that in patients without renal impairment. There was no increase in discontinuations of therapy, dose modifications, and adverse events in patients with moderate renal impairment. Pomalidomide at a starting dose of 4 mg + low-dose dexamethasone is well tolerated in patients with refractory or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma, and of comparable efficacy if moderate renal impairment is present. This trial was registered with clinicaltrials.gov identifier 01311687 and EudraCT identifier 2010-019820-30. PMID:27081177

  12. A comparison of dexamethasone, ondansetron, and dexamethasone plus ondansetron as prophylactic antiemetic and antipruritic therapy in patients receiving intrathecal morphine for major orthopedic surgery.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Szarvas, Szilvia

    2012-02-03

    In a prospective, double-blinded, randomized trial, we evaluated the efficacy of IV (a) dexamethasone 8 mg, (b) ondansetron 8 mg, and (c) dexamethasone 8 mg plus ondansetron 4 mg for the prevention of postoperative nausea, vomiting (PONV), and pruritus in 130 (ASA physical status I to III) patients undergoing elective major orthopedic surgery after spinal anesthesia with hyperbaric 0.5% bupivacaine and intrathecal morphine. After spinal anesthesia, patients were randomized to one of three groups. Failure of PONV prophylaxis in the 24-h postoperative period occurred more frequently in patients who received dexamethasone alone (29 of 40; 73%) compared with those who received either ondansetron alone (23 of 47; 49%) (P = 0.02) or dexamethasone plus ondansetron together (19 of 43; 44%)(P = 0.01). There was no difference in the incidence of failure of prophylaxis of pruritus (70%, 72%, and 70% in dexamethasone 8 mg, ondansetron 8 mg, and dexamethasone 8 mg plus ondansetron 4 mg, respectively) (P > 0.1) in the 24-h postoperative period. We conclude that the administration of dexamethasone 8 mg with ondansetron 4 mg has no added benefit compared with ondansetron 8 mg alone in the prophylaxis of PONV and pruritus. IMPLICATIONS: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and pruritus are common side effects after spinal opioid administration. In this study, dexamethasone 8 mg plus ondansetron 4 mg was as effective as ondansetron 8 mg. The administration of dexamethasone alone was associated with a frequent incidence of PONV, demonstrating a lack of efficacy. This has important cost implications.

  13. Letter to the editor: dexamethasone intravitreal implant in the treatment of diabetic macular edema

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hall J

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available John Hall Alimera Sciences Ltd., Aldershot, Hampshire, UK I read “Dexamethasone intravitreal implant in the treatment of diabetic macular edema” published July 2015 by Dugel et al.1This article is very interesting in terms of providing an outline of the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of diabetic macular edema and explaining the value of corticosteroids in the treatment of diabetic macular edema. However, I would like to draw your attention to the data presented for ILUVIEN® (fluocinolone acetonide; FAc in Table 2, which has been presented incorrectly and does not reflect the approved product and dose in Europe. ILUVIEN is indicated in Europe for the treatment of vision impairment associated with chronic diabetic macular edema, considered insufficiently responsive to available therapies2 and is approved in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. ILUVIEN was launched in the United Kingdom in April 2013, Germany in May 2013, and Portugal in January 2015.3View original paper by Dugel et al.

  14. Comparative analysis of Lacistema pubescens and dexamethasone on topical treatment of skin inflammation in a chronic disease model and side effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Silva, Josiane M; Conegundes, Jéssica L M; Pinto, Nícolas C C; Mendes, Renata F; Castañon, Maria Christina M N; Scio, Elita

    2018-04-01

    This study aimed to evaluate the chronic topical anti-inflammatory activity of the pharmaceutical formulation ProHLP containing the hexane fraction of Lacistema pubescens (HLP). It was also investigated the possible cutaneous and systemic adverse effects of HLP and ProHLP in mice when compared to dexamethasone. The chronic topical anti-inflammatory activity was determined by croton oil multiple application-induced mouse ear oedema model. Histopathological analyses of ear tissue samples sensitized with croton oil were performed. Cutaneous atrophy induced by HLP and topical glucocorticoid treatments and excision skin wounds model to evidenced possible adverse reactions were also determined. ProHLP significantly reduced the mice ear oedema and considerably accelerated the wound-healing process. Also, HLP did not lead cutaneous atrophy and preserved the clinical aspect of the thymus, adrenal and spleen, unlike dexamethasone. The results suggested that ProHLP is an efficient and safer pharmaceutical formulation to treat chronic inflammatory diseases. © 2018 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

  15. Oval pulsed high-dose dexamethasone for myositis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoogendijk, JE; Wokke, JHJ; de Visser, M

    To study the short-term effect of oral pulsed high-dose dexamethasone for myositis we treated eight newly diagnosed patients with three 28-day cycles of oral dexamethasone. Primary outcome measures were muscle strength, pain, and serum creatine kinase activity. Sis patients responded. Side effects

  16. Oral pulsed high-dose dexamethasone for myositis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Meulen, M. F.; Hoogendijk, J. E.; Wokke, J. H.; de Visser, M.

    2000-01-01

    To study the short-term effect of oral pulsed high-dose dexamethasone for myositis we treated eight newly diagnosed patients with three 28-day cycles of oral dexamethasone. Primary outcome measures were muscle strength, pain, and serum creatine kinase activity. Six patients responded. Side effects

  17. Dexamethasone intravitreal implant (Ozurdex) for the treatment of pediatric uveitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bratton, Monica L; He, Yu-Guang; Weakley, David R

    2014-04-01

    To report our experience using Ozurdex (Allergan, Irvine, CA), a biodegradable intravitreal implant containing of 0.7 mg of dexamethasone approved for use in adults with noninfectious uveitis in adults, in the treatment of pediatric uveitis. The medical records of consecutive patients with noninfectious posterior uveitis who were unresponsive to standard treatment and subsequently received the Ozurdex implant from March 2011 to March 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 14 eyes of 11 patients (mean age, 10.1 years; range 4-12) received 22 Ozurdex implants during the study period. Of the 11 patients, 7 had idiopathic intermediate or posterior uveitis, 1 had sympathetic ophthalmia, 2 had juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and 1 had sarcoidosis. All patients were uncontrolled with standard treatment, including topical or sub-Tenon's or systemic corticosteriods and/or immune-modulation. Visual acuity improved after Ozurdex implant in 5 of 8 patients (63%). Intraocular inflammation was controlled or improved after 17 of 22 of implants (12 eyes [77%]). The frequency of topical corticosteroids was decreased and/or discontinued after 18 of 22 implants (12 eyes [82%]). Complications included implant migration into the anterior chamber (4 aphakic eyes), increased intraocular pressure (5 eyes), and progression of a preexisting cataract (1 eye). The uveitis reoccurred in 57% of eyes at 4.3 months (2-7 months) after injection. The Ozurdex implant in combination with systemic immunomodulatory therapy resulted in improved visual acuity, control of intraocular inflammation, and a decrease in corticosteroid use. In the majority of eyes the uveitis reoccurred around 4 months after injection. The adverse events in our study are similar to those identified in adult studies. Copyright © 2014 American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Neonatal hepatic haemangioendothelioma: treatment options and dilemmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meijs, Bram B. van der; Merks, Johannes H.M.; Haan, Timo R. de; Tabbers, Merit M.; Rijn, Rick R. van

    2009-01-01

    We describe a case of rapidly progressive neonatal diffuse hepatic haemangioendotheliomas. The clinical picture was characterized by respiratory insufficiency due to gross abdominal enlargement, coagulopathy, and the development of cardiovascular insufficiency during the course of disease. Pharmacological, radiotherapeutic and endovascular treatment options all proved ineffective. We describe our own experience and the steps taken to treat this child. Unfortunately, the child died as a consequence of the disease. As cases like this are rare and are associated with severe morbidity and high mortality, more knowledge needs to be gained on infantile hepatic haemangioendotheliomas and their optimal treatment. The use of a web-based data registry could be beneficial. (orig.)

  19. Does aetiology of neonatal encephalopathy and hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy influence the outcome of treatment?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mcintyre, Sarah; Badawi, Nadia; Blair, Eve; Nelson, Karin B

    2015-04-01

    Neonatal encephalopathy, a clinical syndrome affecting term-born and late preterm newborn infants, increases the risk of perinatal death and long-term neurological morbidity, especially cerebral palsy. With the advent of therapeutic hypothermia, a treatment designed for hypoxic or ischaemic injury, associated mortality and morbidity rates have decreased. Unfortunately, only about one in eight neonates (95% confidence interval) who meet eligibility criteria for therapeutic cooling apparently benefit from the treatment. Studies of infants in representative populations indicate that neonatal encephalopathy is a potential result of a variety of antecedents and that asphyxial complications at birth account for only a small percentage of neonatal encephalopathy. In contrast, clinical case series suggest that a large proportion of neonatal encephalopathy is hypoxic or ischaemic, and trials of therapeutic hypothermia are specifically designed to include only infants exposed to hypoxia or ischaemia. This review addresses the differences, definitional and methodological, between infants studied and investigations undertaken, in population studies compared with cooling trials. It raises the question if there may be subgroups of infants with a clinical diagnosis of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) in whom the pathobiology of neonatal neurological depression is not fundamentally hypoxic or ischaemic and, therefore, for whom cooling may not be beneficial. In addition, it suggests approaches to future trials of cooling plus adjuvant therapy that may contribute to further improvement of care for these vulnerable neonates. © The Authors. Journal compilation © 2015 Mac Keith Press.

  20. Effects of Dexamethasone and Insulin Alone or in Combination on Energy and Protein Metabolism Indicators and Milk Production in Dairy Cows in Early Lactation - A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehrdad Sami

    Full Text Available This study investigated the effects of dexamethasone and insulin, when administered at 3rd or 10th day of lactation on energy and protein metabolism in dairy cows.Two hundred Holstein cows were enrolled in a randomized controlled clinical trial. The cows were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 4 treatments at 3 or 10 days in milk: control group, 10-mL i.m. injection of sterile water, group insulin, s.c. injection of 100 units of insulin, group dexamethasone, i.m. injection of 20 mg of dexamethasone, group insulin plus dexamethasone, i.m. injection of 20 mg of dexamethasone and 100 units of insulin. The cows randomly assigned to receive the treatments on 3 or 10 days of lactation. Serum samples obtained at the time of enrollment, time of treatment and at 2, 4, 7 and 14 days after intervention. The sera were analyzed for β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA, glucose, cholesterol, albumin, urea, and aspartate amino transferase (AST. Data were analyzed using a repeated measures mixed model that accounted for the effects of parity, body condition score, dystocia, retained placenta, metritis and the random effect of cow.There was no significant interaction of group of treatment and time of intervention (day 3 or 10 post-partum on serum components. Cows that received insulin or dexamethasone alone or in combination, had lower BHBA 2 days after treatment compared with control cows, whereas concentrations of NEFA, were unaffected suggesting that glucocorticoids lipolytic effects do not appear to be important in healthy cows. AST activities significantly reduced in cows that received dexamethasone with or without insulin at 2 and 4 days after treatment. Albumin and urea concentrations 2 days after treatment were higher for cows that received dexamethasone only or dexamethasone plus insulin compared with control and Ins received cows. There were no treatment effects on test-day milk production, milk fat and protein percentages

  1. Dexamethasone PONV prophylaxis alters the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis after transsphenoidal pituitary surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burkhardt, Till; Rotermund, Roman; Schmidt, Nils-Ole; Kiefmann, Rainer; Flitsch, Jörg

    2014-07-01

    Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is common after general anesthesia and are reported by approximately 20% to 25% of all patients and up to 39% of patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures. The most common standard prophylaxis is a single application of 4 mg of dexamethasone before initiating anesthesia. Dexamethasone is known to suppress adreno-corticotroph hormone and cortisol levels. The objective was to find out whether this prophylaxis has an effect on the postoperative levels of cortisol in patients undergoing transsphenoidal pituitary surgery, and therefore simulates pituitary deficiency. A retrospective analysis of the files of 136 consecutive patients who were operated during a course of 6 months were included. Nineteen patients with a known history of PONV received a standard dose of 4 mg of dexamethasone perioperatively. Blood tests were drawn at the first postoperative day and were compared with blood tests of patients who had no history of PONV and therefore received no prophylaxis. Patients who were treated with a dexamethasone PONV prophylaxis showed no significant changes in cortisol levels; preoperative median of 93 μg/L (range, 39 to 427) and a postoperative median of 87 μg/L (range, 10 to 733; P=0.798) opposed to patients who did not receive such treatment; preoperative cortisol 114 μg/L (range, 10 to 387) and postoperative levels of 273 μg/L (range, 10 to 1352; Ptranssphenoidal surgery, the probability that dexamethasone PONV prophylaxis suppresses postoperative cortisol levels should be considered.

  2. Neonatal hypertension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Deepak; Farahbakhsh, Nazanin; Shastri, Sweta; Sharma, Pradeep

    2017-03-01

    Neonatal hypertension (HT) is a frequently under reported condition and is seen uncommonly in the intensive care unit. Neonatal HT has defined arbitrarily as blood pressure more than 2 standard deviations above the base as per the age or defined as systolic BP more than 95% for infants of similar size, gestational age and postnatal age. It has been diagnosed long back but still is the least studied field in neonatology. There is still lack of universally accepted normotensive data for neonates as per gestational age, weight and post-natal age. Neonatal HT is an important morbidity that needs timely detection and appropriate management, as it can lead to devastating short-term effect on various organs and also poor long-term adverse outcomes. There is no consensus yet about the treatment guidelines and majority of treatment protocols are based on the expert opinion. Neonate with HT should be evaluated in detail starting from antenatal, perinatal, post-natal history, and drug intake by neonate and mother. This review article covers multiple aspects of neonatal hypertension like definition, normotensive data, various etiologies and methods of BP measurement, clinical features, diagnosis and management.

  3. Short-term effects of intravitreal dexamethasone implant (OZURDEX® on choroidal thickness in patients with naive branch retinal vein occlusion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hasan Basri Arifoglu

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT in patients with naïve branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO before and after intravitreal dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex® injection. Methods: Thirty-nine patients with unilateral BRVO and 35 healthy subjects were included in this prospective study. Choroidal thickness was evaluated by EDI-OCT at baseline and 1 month after dexamethasone implant. Results: The mean SFCT measured in 39 patients with BRVO was 299.41 ± 55.86 µm, significantly greater than that in contralateral eyes (283.76 ± 57.44 µm; p=0.009 and control eyes (276.14 ± 39.06 µm; p=0.044. The mean SFCT after the treatment was 279.64 ± 50.96 µm, significantly thinner than that before intravitreal dexamethasone therapy (p=0.004. Conclusions: SFCT in treatment-naive BRVO eyes was significantly greater than that in contralateral eyes and healthy eyes and decreased significantly after intravitreal dexamethasone implantation.

  4. Successful Postoperative Treatment of a Lumbosacral Ulcer in a Neonate after Myelomeningocele

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angéla Meszes

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Wound care in neonates demands special awareness of the anatomical and physiological characteristics of their skin, and the danger of adverse mechanical and toxicological events. Here, we present the case of a full-term neonate born with myelomeningocele. Following the closing surgery on the 3rd day of postuterine life, the operated region became inflamed, the sutures opened and a necrotic discharging ulcer developed. Besides parenteral antibiotic treatment based on the microbiological findings, intelligent hydrofiber dressings were applied to the wound with regard to the special characteristics of wound care in neonates. After 72 days, the ulcer had healed with a small residual scar, and the infant is currently demonstrating normal physical and mental development.

  5. Predicting the neurobehavioral side effects of dexamethasone in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Warris, Lidewij T.; van den Akker, Erica L. T.; Aarsen, Femke K.; Bierings, Marc B.; van den Bos, Cor; Tissing, Wim J. E.; Sassen, Sebastiaan D. T.; Veening, Margreet A.; Zwaan, Christian M.; Pieters, Rob; van den Heuvel-Eibrink, Marry M.

    2016-01-01

    Although dexamethasone is an effective treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), it can induce a variety of serious neurobehavioral side effects. We hypothesized that these side effects are influenced by glucocorticoid sensitivity at the tissue level. We therefore prospectively studied

  6. Effects of Dexamethasone and Insulin Alone or in Combination on Energy and Protein Metabolism Indicators and Milk Production in Dairy Cows in Early Lactation – A Randomized Controlled Trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sami, Mehrdad; Mohri, Mehrdad; Seifi, Hesam A.

    2015-01-01

    Objectives This study investigated the effects of dexamethasone and insulin, when administered at 3rd or 10th day of lactation on energy and protein metabolism in dairy cows. Materials and Methods Two hundred Holstein cows were enrolled in a randomized controlled clinical trial. The cows were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 4 treatments at 3 or 10 days in milk: control group, 10-mL i.m. injection of sterile water, group insulin, s.c. injection of 100 units of insulin, group dexamethasone, i.m. injection of 20 mg of dexamethasone, group insulin plus dexamethasone, i.m. injection of 20 mg of dexamethasone and 100 units of insulin. The cows randomly assigned to receive the treatments on 3 or 10 days of lactation. Serum samples obtained at the time of enrollment, time of treatment and at 2, 4, 7 and 14 days after intervention. The sera were analyzed for β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), glucose, cholesterol, albumin, urea, and aspartate amino transferase (AST). Data were analyzed using a repeated measures mixed model that accounted for the effects of parity, body condition score, dystocia, retained placenta, metritis and the random effect of cow. Results There was no significant interaction of group of treatment and time of intervention (day 3 or 10 post-partum) on serum components. Cows that received insulin or dexamethasone alone or in combination, had lower BHBA 2 days after treatment compared with control cows, whereas concentrations of NEFA, were unaffected suggesting that glucocorticoids lipolytic effects do not appear to be important in healthy cows. AST activities significantly reduced in cows that received dexamethasone with or without insulin at 2 and 4 days after treatment. Albumin and urea concentrations 2 days after treatment were higher for cows that received dexamethasone only or dexamethasone plus insulin compared with control and Ins received cows. There were no treatment effects on test-day milk production, milk fat and

  7. Effects of dexamethasone on brain edema

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takemoto, Motohisa

    1982-01-01

    Experimental cerebral edema was produced on the right parietal lobe of Wistar male rats with a cold metal probe cooled by liquid nitrogen. Twenty hour later, 3 H-dexamethasone was either intramuscularly or intravenously injected into rats, estimated in the brain tissue by the liquid scintillation counting method. Edematous brain generally contained much higher 3 H-activity than the control. Furthermore, I.V. injection showed higher 3 H-activity than I.M injection in edematous and control brains at all times. For examination of the subcellular distribution of 3 H-dexamethasone in edematous brain, 3 H-activity was most strongly detected in the supernatant fraction (63%), followed by the heavy mitochondrial fraction (25.4%) and the nuclear fraction (8.4%). Although edematous brain tissue constantly demonstrated higher 3 H-activity than the control, its supernatant fraction conversely had less activity. As a next step, distribution of 3 H-dexamethasone in the supernatant fraction was studies. The result was that the high molecular weight fraction in the edematous brain showed higher radioactivity than the control. From these findings, unequivocal distribution of dexamethasone in the supernatant fraction of edematous brain tissue could be correlated with its biochemical action for preventing brain edema. (J.P.N.)

  8. Does dexamethasone have a perineural mechanism of action?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jæger, P; Grevstad, Jens Ulrik; Koscielniak-Nielsen, Z J

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Dexamethasone prolongs block duration. Whether this is achieved via a peripheral or a central mechanism of action is unknown. We hypothesized that perineural dexamethasone added as an adjuvant to ropivacaine prolongs block duration compared with ropivacaine alone, by a locally mediated...... effect when controlled for a systemic action. METHODS: We performed a paired, blinded, randomized trial, including healthy men. All subjects received bilateral blocks of the saphenous nerve with ropivacaine 0.5%, 20 ml mixed with dexamethasone 2 mg in one leg and saline in the other, according...

  9. Therapies for neonates with congenital malformations admitted to a neonatal unit

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Vera Lúcia Moreira Leitão Cardoso

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to characterize the treatments applied to newborns with congenital malformation hospitalized in a neonatal unit and to identify whether there is an association among the treatments used and the type of malformation. A descriptive, prospective and quantitative study was developed in a public institution in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Data were collected using the medical records of 30 neonates with congenital malformations. The incidence of malformations was higher among females, regardless of the mother’s age, gestational age or weight at birth; malformations of the central nervous and musculoskeletal systems prevailed. The treatments used varied according to the clinical evolution of the neonate. The data collected did not present statistical significance when associated with the variable of congenital malformation and the treatments used (p>0.05. The treatments are not directly related to the type of malformation, but to the clinical condition of the neonate.

  10. The influence of betamethasone and dexamethasone on motor development in young rats

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gramsbergen, A; Mulder, EJH

    Synthetic corticosteroids such as dexamethasone and betamethasone are widely used in clinical practice of the perinatal period to enhance lung maturation. However, indications emerged both on the basis of investigations in humans and in experimental animals that such treatment leads to abnormal

  11. Dexamethasone enhances the anti-emetic effect of metoclopramide ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Ninety patients, ASA I or II, aged 21-64years were randomly selected to either the dexamethasone-metoclopramide group, metoclopramide group or dexamethasone group using computer-generated random numbers . Spinal anaesthesia was induced in the sitting position under strict aseptic technique with hyperbaric ...

  12. Dexamethasone for pain after outpatient shoulder surgery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bjørnholdt, K. T.; Mønsted, P. N.; Søballe, Kjeld

    2014-01-01

    Background Dexamethasone has analgesic properties when given intravenously before surgery, but the optimal dose has not been determined. We hypothesised that a dose of 40 mg dexamethasone would improve analgesia after outpatient shoulder surgery compared with 8 mg. Methods A randomised, double...... a dose–response relationship, increasing the dexamethasone dose from 8 to 40 mg did not improve analgesia significantly after outpatient shoulder surgery.......) or placebo (D0) before surgery. The primary outcome was pain intensity 8 h after surgery rated on a numeric rating scale of 0 to 10. Secondary outcomes were pain intensity, analgesic consumption and side effects during the first 3 days after surgery. Results Data from 73 patients were available for analysis...

  13. Ibrutinib alone or with dexamethasone for relapsed or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma: phase 2 trial results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richardson, Paul G; Bensinger, William I; Huff, Carol Ann; Costello, Caitlin L; Lendvai, Nikoletta; Berdeja, Jesus G; Anderson, Larry D; Siegel, David S; Lebovic, Daniel; Jagannath, Sundar; Laubach, Jacob P; Stockerl-Goldstein, Keith E; Kwei, Long; Clow, Fong; Elias, Laurence; Salman, Zeena; Graef, Thorsten; Bilotti, Elizabeth; Vij, Ravi

    2018-03-01

    Novel therapies with unique new targets are needed for patients who are relapsed/refractory to current treatments for multiple myeloma. Ibrutinib is a first-in-class, once-daily, oral covalent inhibitor of Bruton tyrosine kinase, which is overexpressed in the myeloma stem cell population. This study examined various doses of ibrutinib ± low-dose dexamethasone in patients who received ≥2 prior lines of therapy, including an immunomodulatory agent. Daily ibrutinib ± weekly dexamethasone 40 mg was assessed in 4 cohorts using a Simon 2-stage design. The primary objective was clinical benefit rate (CBR; ≥minimal response); secondary objectives included safety. Patients (n = 92) received a median of 4 prior regimens. Ibrutinib + dexamethasone produced the highest CBR (28%) in Cohort 4 (840 mg + dexamethasone; n = 43), with median duration of 9·2 months (range, 3·0-14·7). Progression-free survival was 4·6 months (range, 0·4-17·3). Grade 3-4 haematological adverse events included anaemia (16%), thrombocytopenia (11%), and neutropenia (2%); grade 3-4 non-haematological adverse events included pneumonia (7%), syncope (3%) and urinary tract infection (3%). Ibrutinib + dexamethasone produced notable responses in this heavily pre-treated population. The encouraging efficacy, coupled with the favourable safety and tolerability profile of ibrutinib, supports its further evaluation as part of combination treatment. © 2018 The Authors. British Journal of Haematology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Randomized clinical trial of dexamethasone versus placebo in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tolver, M A; Strandfelt, P; Bryld, Clara E

    2012-01-01

    The effect of dexamethasone on recovery and length of convalescence has not been evaluated in patients after laparoscopic groin hernia repair. It was hypothesized that preoperative intravenous dexamethasone would reduce postoperative pain.......The effect of dexamethasone on recovery and length of convalescence has not been evaluated in patients after laparoscopic groin hernia repair. It was hypothesized that preoperative intravenous dexamethasone would reduce postoperative pain....

  15. Dexamethasone Does Not Inhibit Sugammadex Reversal After Rocuronium-Induced Neuromuscular Block.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buonanno, Pasquale; Laiola, Anna; Palumbo, Chiara; Spinelli, Gianmario; Servillo, Giuseppe; Di Minno, Raffaele Maria; Cafiero, Tullio; Di Iorio, Carlo

    2016-06-01

    Sugammadex is a relatively new molecule that reverses neuromuscular block induced by rocuronium. The particular structure of sugammadex traps the cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene ring of rocuronium in its hydrophobic cavity. Dexamethasone shares the same steroidal structure with rocuronium. Studies in vitro have demonstrated that dexamethasone interacts with sugammadex, reducing its efficacy. In this study, we investigated the clinical relevance of this interaction and its influence on neuromuscular reversal. In this retrospective case-control study, we analyzed data from 45 patients divided into 3 groups: dexamethasone after induction group (15 patients) treated with 8 mg dexamethasone as an antiemetic drug shortly after induction of anesthesia; dexamethasone before reversal group (15 patients) treated with dexamethasone just before sugammadex injection; and control group (15 patients) treated with 8 mg ondansetron. All groups received 0.6 mg/kg rocuronium at induction, 0.15 mg/kg rocuronium at train-of-four ratio (TOF) 2 for neuromuscular relaxation, and 2 mg/kg sugammadex for reversal at the end of the procedure at TOF2. Neuromuscular relaxation was monitored with a TOF-Watch® system. The control group had a recovery time of 154 ± 54 seconds (mean ± SD), the dexamethasone after induction group 134 ± 55 seconds, and the dexamethasone before reversal group 131 ± 68 seconds. The differences among groups were not statistically significant (P = 0.5141). Our results show that the use of dexamethasone as an antiemetic drug for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting does not interfere with reversal of neuromuscular blockade with sugammadex in patients undergoing elective surgery with general anesthesia in contrast to in vitro studies that support this hypothesis.

  16. Linezolid and dexamethasone experience in a serious case of listeria rhombencephalitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yılmaz, Pakize Ö; Mutlu, Nevzat M; Sertçelik, Ahmet; Baştuğ, Aliye; Doğu, Cihangir; Kışlak, Sümeyye

    2016-01-01

    Listeria rhombencephalitis is a rare cause of brain stem encephalitis. We report a case with a history of immunosupressive therapy due to Takayasu's arteritis that was treated with corticosteroids and linezolid for Listeria rhombencephalitis. A 63-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting. The patient's body temperature was 38°C, and she had a stiff neck. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and penicillin G and gentamicin treatment was initiated. Linezolid and dexamethasone were added. Due to hematuria and thrombocytopenia, the linezolid was discontinued. In immunocompromised patients with CNS infections, Listeria rhombencephalitis should be suspected. Linezolid can be used in combination with dexamethasone. Copyright © 2016 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Effect of Dexamethasone and Pheniramine Maleate in Patients Undergoing Elective Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shrestha, B B; Karmacharya, M; Gharti, B B; Timilsina, B; Ghimire, P

    2014-01-01

    Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is elective surgical procedure for uncomplicated gallstone disease and gallbladder polyp. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of Dexamethasone and Pheniramine hydrogen maleate on reducing stress response and pain after surgery in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. After obtaining approval from the institutional ethics committee and written informed consent, 120 patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy were enrolled in the study from Sep 2103 to Aug 2014 at Department of Surgery, Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara, Nepal. Patients were randomized to receive either 8mg/2ml of Dexamethasone + 45.5/2ml Pheniramine hydrogen maleate (treatment group, n= 60) or 5 ml of normal saline (control group, n=60) 90 minutes before skin incision. There was a reduction of total bilirubin, C-reactive protein (CRP) value and Visual Analogue Score (VAS) in treatment group as compared to control group (p Pheniramine hydrogen maleate prior to surgical skin incision helps to reduce both postoperative pain and acute physiological stress.

  18. Modulation of the gut microbiota with antibiotic treatment suppresses whole body urea production in neonatal pigs

    Science.gov (United States)

    We examined whether changes in the gut microbiota induced by clinically relevant interventions would impact the bioavailability of dietary amino acids in neonates. We tested the hypothesis that modulation of the gut microbiota in neonatal pigs receiving no treatment (control), intravenously administ...

  19. Mechanisms of dexamethasone-mediated inhibition of Toll-like receptor signaling induced by Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mogensen, Trine; Berg, Randi S; Paludan, Søren R

    2008-01-01

    Excessive inflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of bacterial meningitis, which remains a serious disease despite treatment with antibiotics. Therefore, anti-inflammatory drugs have important therapeutic potential, and clinical trials have revealed that early treatment with dexamethasone...

  20. Paradoxical response to dexamethasone and spontaneous hypocortisolism in Cushing's disease

    OpenAIRE

    Lila, Anurag R; Sarathi, Vijaya; Bandgar, Tushar R; Shah, Nalini S

    2013-01-01

    Paradoxical response to dexamethasone and spontaneous development of hypocortisolism are rare features of Cushing's disease. We report a 13-year-old boy with Cushing's disease owing to a pituitary macroadenoma. On initial evaluation, he had partial suppression of serum cortisol by dexamethasone. He developed transient hypocortisolism after first adenomectomy, but the disease recurred after 1 year. Repeat evaluation showed recurrent hypercortisolism and paradoxical response to dexamethasone. H...

  1. Transient Neonatal Diabetes Associated with Chromosome 6Q24 Imprinting Abnormalities Part 4. Differential Diagnosis and Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O.Ye. Abaturov

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The article presents the differential diagnosis of diseases that occur with neonatal hyperglycemia. The common causes of neonatal hypoglycemia, variants of its combination with clinical manifestations from the various organs and systems are indicated. There was presented an algorithm for the choice of therapeutic measures in transient neonatal diabetes mellitus (TNDM. The features of diet in newborns, insulin therapy and other directions of drug treatment were described. There was provided the information about medical funds of this syndrome, which can be used in the organization of the diagnosis and treatment in children with 6q24-TNDM.

  2. Pharmacological Treatment of Neonatal Opiate Withdrawal: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anthony Liu

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Illicit drug use with opiates in pregnancy is a major global health issue with neonatal withdrawal being a common complication. Morphine is the main pharmacological agent administered for the treatment of neonatal withdrawal. In the past, morphine has been considered by and large inert in terms of its long-term effects on the central nervous system. However, recent animal and clinical studies have demonstrated that opiates exhibit significant effects on the growing brain. This includes direct dose-dependent effects on reduction in brain size and weight, protein, DNA, RNA, and neurotransmitters—possibly as a direct consequence of a number of opiate-mediated systems that influence neural cell differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. At this stage, we are stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea. There are no real alternatives to pharmacological treatment with opiates and other drugs for neonatal opiate withdrawal and opiate addiction in pregnant women. However, pending further rigorous studies examining the potential harmful effects of opiate exposure in utero and the perinatal period, prolonged use of these agents in the neonatal period should be used judiciously, with caution, and avoided where possible.

  3. The use of dexamethasone in animals: implication for fertility ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Exposure to dexamethasone causes numerous changes in various biological systems including the reproductive system and this has huge implication on fertility and pregnancy. Maternal dexamethasone administration promotes foetal lung maturation and thermoregulation in premature foetuses. This indication makes ...

  4. [Neonatal meningitis due to Listeria monocytogenes after 3 weeks of maternal treatment during pregnancy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fayol, L; Beizig, S; Le Monnier, A; Lacroze, V; Simeoni, U

    2009-04-01

    We report the case of a pregnant woman with listeriosis at 26 gestational weeks followed by premature labor at 30 gestational weeks. Bacterial meningitis was suspected in the neonate with ventriculitis on sonography, a high level of protein in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and an identified specific bacterial genome of Listeria monocytogenes (PCR 16S rDNA and sequencing and specific amplification of L. monocytogenes hly gene) in CSF. Neonatal meningitis was complicated with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and ventriculomegaly. Listeriosis during pregnancy can lead to severe complications in the neonate. Thus, listeriosis should be a diagnostic concern in febrile pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy. First-line treatment is based on high-dose amoxicillin (> or =6g/day) and must be used for at least 3 weeks for treatment of listeriosis during pregnancy. If the fetus survives, longer therapy until delivery can be discussed.

  5. Effects of dexamethasone on liver enzymes and some serum ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Concomitant usage of dexamethasone and other medications may alter electrolyte metabolism and increase the formation of potentially hepatotoxic reactive metabolites which can contribute to elevated liver enzymes. The role of dexamethasone in liver functions and electrolyte metabolism during pregnancy in Yankasa ...

  6. Effects of dexamethasone on brain edema. Uptake and distribution of tritiated (/sup 3/H) dexamethasone in cold induced edema

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takemoto, Motohisa [Okayama Univ. (Japan). School of Medicine

    1982-06-01

    Experimental cerebral edema was produced on the right parietal lobe of Wistar male rats with a cold metal probe cooled by liquid nitrogen. Twenty hour later, /sup 3/H-dexamethasone was either intramuscularly or intravenously injected into rats, estimated in the brain tissue by the liquid scintillation counting method. Edematous brain generally contained much higher /sup 3/H-activity than the control. Furthermore, I.V. injection showed higher /sup 3/H-activity than I.M injection in edematous and control brains at all times. For examination of the subcellular distribution of /sup 3/H-dexamethasone in edematous brain, /sup 3/H-activity was most strongly detected in the supernatant fraction (63%), followed by the heavy mitochondrial fraction (25.4%) and the nuclear fraction (8.4%). Although edematous brain tissue constantly demonstrated higher /sup 3/H-activity than the control, its supernatant fraction conversely had less activity. As a next step, distribution of /sup 3/H-dexamethasone in the supernatant fraction was studies. The result was that the high molecular weight fraction in the edematous brain showed higher radioactivity than the control. From these findings, unequivocal distribution of dexamethasone in the supernatant fraction of edematous brain tissue could be correlated with its biochemical action for preventing brain edema.

  7. Examination of dexamethasone sodium sulfate and hyperbaric oxygenation in experimentally produced cerebral edema. With special reference to their combination

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kanaya, H; Onodera, H; Watanabe, M; Kamata, K [Iwate Medical Coll., Morioka (Japan). School of Medicine

    1975-06-01

    Dexamethasone sodium sulfate and hyperbaric oxygenation were used for experimentally produced cerebral edema for the examination of the water content of the brain and cerebrovascular permeability using /sup 203/Hg as the tracer. Although dexamethasone starts lowering vascular permeability of the edematous brain at one hour after the intravenous injection, a lapse of 24 hours is required until the water content returns to normal. Although hyperbaric oxygenation dose not reduce cerebrovascular permeability, it brings back the water content of the brain to normal immediately after pressurization. Since the combination of dexamethasone and hyperbaric oxygenation maintains the water content of the brain almost normal throughout the entire process, it is ideal for the treatment of cerebral edema.

  8. Transient Neonatal Diabetes Associated with Chromosome 6Q24 Imprinting Abnormalities Part 4. Differential Diagnosis and Treatment

    OpenAIRE

    O.Ye. Abaturov; A.O. Nikulina; O.O. Rusakova; I.O. Hirina; N.M. Lybenko

    2016-01-01

    The article presents the differential diagnosis of diseases that occur with neonatal hyperglycemia. The common causes of neonatal hypoglycemia, variants of its combination with clinical manifestations from the various organs and systems are indicated. There was presented an algorithm for the choice of therapeutic measures in transient neonatal diabetes mellitus (TNDM). The features of diet in newborns, insulin therapy and other directions of drug treatment were described. There was provided t...

  9. Differential effects of rapamycin and dexamethasone in mouse models of established allergic asthma.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth M Mushaben

    Full Text Available The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR plays an important role in cell growth/differentiation, integrating environmental cues, and regulating immune responses. Our lab previously demonstrated that inhibition of mTOR with rapamycin prevented house dust mite (HDM-induced allergic asthma in mice. Here, we utilized two treatment protocols to investigate whether rapamycin, compared to the steroid, dexamethasone, could inhibit allergic responses during the later stages of the disease process, namely allergen re-exposure and/or during progression of chronic allergic disease. In protocol 1, BALB/c mice were sensitized to HDM (three i.p. injections and administered two intranasal HDM exposures. After 6 weeks of rest/recovery, mice were re-exposed to HDM while being treated with rapamycin or dexamethasone. In protocol 2, mice were exposed to HDM for 3 or 6 weeks and treated with rapamycin or dexamethasone during weeks 4-6. Characteristic features of allergic asthma, including IgE, goblet cells, airway hyperreactivity (AHR, inflammatory cells, cytokines/chemokines, and T cell responses were assessed. In protocol 1, both rapamycin and dexamethasone suppressed goblet cells and total CD4(+ T cells including activated, effector, and regulatory T cells in the lung tissue, with no effect on AHR or total inflammatory cell numbers in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Rapamycin also suppressed IgE, although IL-4 and eotaxin 1 levels were augmented. In protocol 2, both drugs suppressed total CD4(+ T cells, including activated, effector, and regulatory T cells and IgE levels. IL-4, eotaxin, and inflammatory cell numbers were increased after rapamycin and no effect on AHR was observed. Dexamethasone suppressed inflammatory cell numbers, especially eosinophils, but had limited effects on AHR. We conclude that while mTOR signaling is critical during the early phases of allergic asthma, its role is much more limited once disease is established.

  10. Granistron and dexamethasone provide more improved prevention of postoperative emesis than granisetron alone in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujii, Y; Tanaka, H; Toyooka, H

    1996-12-01

    Dexamethasone decreases chemotherapy-induced emesis when added to antiemetic regimens. This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of granisetron and dexamethasone with granisetron alone in the prevention of post-operative vomiting after strabismus repair, tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy in children. In a randomized, double-blind study, 60 healthy children, 4-10 yr of age, received either granisetron 40 micrograms.kg-1 and saline (Group S) or granisetron 40 micrograms.kg-1 and dexamethasone 4 mg (Group D) iv immediately after the induction of anaesthesia. All subjects received anaesthetics consisting of sevoflurane and nitrous oxide in oxygen Postoperative pain was treated with acetaminophen pr or pentazocine iv. Postoperatively, during the first 24 hr after anaesthesia, the frequencies of retching and vomiting, and the incidence of adverse events were recorded by nursing staff. There were no differences between the treatment groups with regard to demographics, surgical procedure, anaesthetic administered or analgesics used for postoperative pain. The frequency of the symptoms was 27% and 7% in Groups S and D, respectively (P < 0.05). The incidence of adverse events was comparable in the two groups. The prophylactic administration of granisetron and dexamethasone was more effective than granisetron alone in the prevention of postoperative vomiting in paediatric subjects undergoing strabismus repair, tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy.

  11. Dexamethasone attenuates VEGF expression and inflammation but not barrier dysfunction in a murine model of ventilator-induced lung injury.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria A Hegeman

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI is characterized by vascular leakage and inflammatory responses eventually leading to pulmonary dysfunction. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF has been proposed to be involved in the pathogenesis of VILI. This study examines the inhibitory effect of dexamethasone on VEGF expression, inflammation and alveolar-capillary barrier dysfunction in an established murine model of VILI. METHODS: Healthy male C57Bl/6 mice were anesthetized, tracheotomized and mechanically ventilated for 5 hours with an inspiratory pressure of 10 cmH2O ("lower" tidal volumes of ∼7.5 ml/kg; LVT or 18 cmH2O ("higher" tidal volumes of ∼15 ml/kg; HVT. Dexamethasone was intravenously administered at the initiation of HVT-ventilation. Non-ventilated mice served as controls. Study endpoints included VEGF and inflammatory mediator expression in lung tissue, neutrophil and protein levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, PaO2 to FiO2 ratios and lung wet to dry ratios. RESULTS: Particularly HVT-ventilation led to alveolar-capillary barrier dysfunction as reflected by reduced PaO2 to FiO2 ratios, elevated alveolar protein levels and increased lung wet to dry ratios. Moreover, VILI was associated with enhanced VEGF production, inflammatory mediator expression and neutrophil infiltration. Dexamethasone treatment inhibited VEGF and pro-inflammatory response in lungs of HVT-ventilated mice, without improving alveolar-capillary permeability, gas exchange and pulmonary edema formation. CONCLUSIONS: Dexamethasone treatment completely abolishes ventilator-induced VEGF expression and inflammation. However, dexamethasone does not protect against alveolar-capillary barrier dysfunction in an established murine model of VILI.

  12. The role of dexamethasone in peripheral and neuraxial nerve blocks ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    pain and prolongs analgesia in the postoperative period when combined with ... management of acute pain and that focused on dexamethasone's ability to prolong ... of dexamethasone to brachial plexus nerve blocks and Akram and Hassani ...

  13. Prevention of relapse of Graves' disease by treatment with an intrathyroid injection of dexamethasone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, Xiao-Ming; Li, Hui-Qin; Li, Qian; Li, Dong-Mei; Xie, Xiao-Jing; Yin, Guo-Ping; Zhang, Peng; Xu, Xiang-Hong; Wu, Jin-Dan; Chen, Song-Wang; Wang, Shu-Kui

    2009-12-01

    Antithyroid drugs are widely used in the treatment of Graves' disease (GD), but the relapse rate is very high after therapy withdrawal. We evaluated the reduction effects of intrathyroid injection of dexamethasone (IID) on the relapse rate of hyperthyroidism in patients with newly diagnosed GD. A total of 191 patients with GD completed the study. After 6 months of treatment with methimazole (MMI), the patients were randomly assigned to receive either MMI (96 patients) alone or MMI combined with IID (MMI+IID; 95 patients) treatment for 3 months, followed by continuing a dose of MMI that would maintain euthyroidism for the next 9 months in all of the patients. After withdrawal of the medical therapy, patients were followed for 24 months, and the relapse rate of hyperthyroidism was evaluated. No statistical difference was observed in the levels of serum FT(4), TSH, or TSH receptor antibodies (TR-Ab), the thyroid volume, or the TR-Ab positive rate between the two groups at month 6. After the next 3 months of treatment with MMI+IID or MMI alone, the levels of TSH increased significantly, and the levels of serum TR-Ab, the TR-Ab positive rate, and thyroid volume decreased significantly in the MMI+IID group compared with the MMI group. Seven patients (7.4%) experienced a relapse of overt hyperthyroidism in the MMI+IID group and 49 patients (51%) in MMI group during the 2-yr follow-up period (P prevent relapse of hyperthyroidism in GD after medical therapy withdrawal.

  14. Laser Photoradiation Therapy For Neonatal Jaundice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamza, Mostafa; Hamza, Mohammad

    1987-04-01

    This paper describes our leading experience in the clinical application of laser in the treatment of neonatal jaundice. Currently, the irradiation of jaundiced infants during neonatal life to fluorescent light is the most common treatment of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. The authors have investigated the photodegradation of bilirubin by laser in vitro and in Gunn rats before embarking on its clinical application in the treatment of jaundice in the new born child. This work was done to study the theraputic effect of laser compared to the currently used phototherapy in the treatment of neonatal jaundice. We selected 16 full term neonates with jaundice to be the subject of this study. The neonates of the study were devided into two groups. The first group was treated with continuous phototherapy . The second group recieved photoradiation therapy with gas laser The laser used was a CW argon-ion laser tuned to oscillate at 488.0 nm wavelength. This wavelength selection was based on our previous studies on the effect of laser irradiation of Gunn rats at different wavelengths. Comparison of the results of both methods of treatment will be reported in detail. The advantages and limitations of laser photoradiation therapy for neonatal jaundice will be discussed.

  15. Treatment of acute relapses in multiple sclerosis at home with oral dexamethasone : a pilot study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    De Keyser, J; Zwanikken, C; Zorgdrager, A; Oenema, D

    The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of treating relapses of multiple sclerosis (MS) at home with oral dexamethasone. Twenty-five out of 28 consecutive patients with MS who presented with a relapse of less than 2 weeks' duration were treated on an open basis with oral

  16. Intravitreal bevacizumab injections versus dexamethasone implant for treatment-naïve retinal vein occlusion related macular edema

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laine I

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Ilkka Laine,1–3 Juha-Matti Lindholm,1,2 Petteri Ylinen,1,4 Raimo Tuuminen1,2,5 1Helsinki Retina Research Group, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 2Unit of Ophthalmology, Kymenlaakso Central Hospital, Kotka, Finland; 3Department of Automation and Electrical Engineering, Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland; 4Department of Ophthalmology, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; 5The Insurance Centre, Patient Insurance Centre, Helsinki, Finland Purpose: To compare the short-term effects of three monthly intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB injections to single dexamethasone (DEX implantation in treatment-naïve patients with cystoid macular edema (CME secondary to branch (BRVO and central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO.Design: A retrospective single-center study.Subjects: A total of 135 eyes of 135 patients with BRVO (n=83 and CRVO (n=52.Methods: Changes in clinical parameters were recorded before treatment and at the first and third month after commencement of IVB (n=121 and DEX (n=14.Main outcome measures: Central retinal thickness (CRT, intraocular pressure (IOP, and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA.Results: The baseline parameters were comparable between IVB and DEX groups. After the first month, CRT decreased by 131.3±42.9 µm in IVB and by 266.9±48.3 µm in DEX (mean ± SEM; p=0.047. IOP change was –0.29±0.39 mmHg in IVB and +3.70±2.34 mmHg in DEX (p=0.005. IOP elevation to ≥25 mmHg and ≥5 mmHg from the baseline was observed in two of the DEX- and in none of the IVB-treated eyes (p=0.010. After the third month, no differences regarding CRT and IOP were observed between the treatment modalities. Moreover, BCVA gain was comparable between IVB (0.37±0.05 logarithm of minimum angle of resolution [logMAR] units and DEX (0.33±0.30 logMAR units groups.Conclusion: DEX was associated with faster resolution of CME, but had greater probability for short-term IOP elevation when compared to IVB. After the third month, treatments were

  17. Biodegradable polyurethane nanocomposites containing dexamethasone for ocular route

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rodrigues da Silva, Gisele [Federal University of Sao Joao Del Rei, School of Pharmacy, Divinopolis, Minas Gerais (Brazil); Silva-Cunha, Armando da [Federal University of Minas Gerais, School of Pharmacy, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais (Brazil); Behar-Cohen, Francine [INSERM, Physiopathology of ocular diseases: Therapeutic innovations, Institut des Cordeliers, Paris (France); Laboratoire d' Innovations Therapeutiques, Fondation Rothschild, Paris (France); Universite Rene Descartes, Hotel Dieu University Hospital, Paris (France); Ayres, Eliane [Federal University of Minas Gerais, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais (Brazil); Orefice, Rodrigo L., E-mail: rorefice@demet.ufmg.br [Federal University of Minas Gerais, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais (Brazil)

    2011-03-12

    The treatment of posterior segment ocular diseases, such as uveitis, by using eye drops and oral drugs is usually not effective due to the body's natural barriers to drug penetration. In this study, ocular implants to treat uveitis were synthesized by incorporating dexamethasone acetate, an important type of corticoid used in the treatment of some uveitis, into a biodegradable polyurethane containi clay nanoparticles. Biodegradable polyurethane nanocomposites having poly(caprolactone) oligomers as soft segments were obtained by delaminating clay particles within a polyurethane aqueous dispersion. The drug was incorporated into the polymer by dispersing it in the waterborne polyurethane followed by a drying step. Nanoparticles derived from clay were demonstrated to be able to tailor the mechanical properties of polyurethanes to achieve values that can match the properties of ocular soft tissues. Infrared spectra (FTIR) showed that the presence of clay particles was able to change the microphase separation process typical of polyurethanes. X-ray diffraction and small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) results were explored to show that the incorporation of both dexamethasone acetate and nanocomponents derived from clay led to a less defined two-phase polyurethane. The presence of clay nanoparticles increased the rate of drug release measured in vitro. Human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19) were cultured in contact with polyurethanes and polyurethane nanocomposites, and the viability of them (evaluated by using MTT assay after 7 days) showed that no toxic components were released from polyurethanes containing no drugs during the test.

  18. Biodegradable polyurethane nanocomposites containing dexamethasone for ocular route

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodrigues da Silva, Gisele; Silva-Cunha, Armando da; Behar-Cohen, Francine; Ayres, Eliane; Orefice, Rodrigo L.

    2011-01-01

    The treatment of posterior segment ocular diseases, such as uveitis, by using eye drops and oral drugs is usually not effective due to the body's natural barriers to drug penetration. In this study, ocular implants to treat uveitis were synthesized by incorporating dexamethasone acetate, an important type of corticoid used in the treatment of some uveitis, into a biodegradable polyurethane containi clay nanoparticles. Biodegradable polyurethane nanocomposites having poly(caprolactone) oligomers as soft segments were obtained by delaminating clay particles within a polyurethane aqueous dispersion. The drug was incorporated into the polymer by dispersing it in the waterborne polyurethane followed by a drying step. Nanoparticles derived from clay were demonstrated to be able to tailor the mechanical properties of polyurethanes to achieve values that can match the properties of ocular soft tissues. Infrared spectra (FTIR) showed that the presence of clay particles was able to change the microphase separation process typical of polyurethanes. X-ray diffraction and small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) results were explored to show that the incorporation of both dexamethasone acetate and nanocomponents derived from clay led to a less defined two-phase polyurethane. The presence of clay nanoparticles increased the rate of drug release measured in vitro. Human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19) were cultured in contact with polyurethanes and polyurethane nanocomposites, and the viability of them (evaluated by using MTT assay after 7 days) showed that no toxic components were released from polyurethanes containing no drugs during the test.

  19. A NOSOCOMIAL INFECTION MANIFESTED AS ERYSIPELAS IN PEMPHIGUS FOLIACEUS PATIENT UNDER INTRAVENOUS DEXAMETHASONE TREATMENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Achmad Yudha Pranata

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Puncture wound in diagnostic interventions permits the entry of bacteria into the skin or soft tissue, thus precipitating nosocomial infection, such as erysipelas. There are other risk factors of nosocomial infections including old age, immunosuppressive drugs, and underlying diseases. Pemphigus foliaceus (PF is an autoimmune disease with corticosteroid treatment as the mainstay therapy, which could cause immunosuppression and predispose patients to infection. The objective of this paper was to report erysipelas as one of the manifestations of nosocomial infection in patients under immunosuppressive therapy. Case: A case of erysipelas acquired on the 9th day of hospitalization in a PF patient underwent intravenous dexamethasone injection, with history of puncture wounds on the previous day on the site of erysipelas was reported. The clinical findings of erysipelas were well defined, painful erythema and edema that felt firm and warm on palpation, with blisters and pustules on top. Gram staining from the pustules and blisters fluid revealed Gram (+ cocci. Patient was given 2 grams intravenous ceftriaxone for 7 days and saline wet compress. Improvement on the erysipelas was seen the day after ceftriaxone injection. The patient was discharged after 12 days of hospitalization with improvement both on the PF and the erysipelas. On the next visit 7 days later, the erysipelas lesion disappeared. Conclusion: Puncture wound and immunosuppresive treatment are the factors that could cause erysipelas as a nosocomial infection, and an appropriate treatment of the infection would decrease the functional disability of the patient.

  20. Fluoxetine treatment abolishes the in vitro respiratory response to acidosis in neonatal mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voituron, Nicolas; Shvarev, Yuri; Menuet, Clément; Bevengut, Michelle; Fasano, Caroline; Vigneault, Erika; El Mestikawy, Salah; Hilaire, Gérard

    2010-10-26

    To secure pH homeostasis, the central respiratory network must permanently adapt its rhythmic motor drive to environment and behaviour. In neonates, it is commonly admitted that the retrotrapezoid/parafacial respiratory group of neurons of the ventral medulla plays the primary role in the respiratory response to acidosis, although the serotonergic system may also contribute to this response. Using en bloc medullary preparations from neonatal mice, we have shown for the first time that the respiratory response to acidosis is abolished after pre-treatment with the serotonin-transporter blocker fluoxetine (25-50 µM, 20 min), a commonly used antidepressant. Using mRNA in situ hybridization and immunohistology, we have also shown the expression of the serotonin transporter mRNA and serotonin-containing neurons in the vicinity of the RTN/pFRG of neonatal mice. These results reveal that the serotonergic system plays a pivotal role in pH homeostasis. Although obtained in vitro in neonatal mice, they suggest that drugs targeting the serotonergic system should be used with caution in infants, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers.

  1. Treatment of refractory uveitic macular edema: results of a first and second implant of long-acting intravitreal dexamethasone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zola M

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Marta Zola, Cristina Briamonte, Umberto Lorenzi, Federica Machetta, Federico M Grignolo, Antonio M Fea Ophthalmic Eye Hospital, Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Turin, Italy Purpose: The purpose of this study was to report the functional and anatomical outcomes of a prospective study resulting from repeated dexamethasone intravitreal implants in patients with uveitic refractory macular edema.Methods: Twelve eyes of 9 patients with intermediate and posterior noninfectious inflammatory uveitis complicated with refractory macular edema were regularly reviewed after a dexamethasone intravitreal implant. Patients were examined at baseline, 30, 90, 135, and 180 days with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA, complete slit-lamp examination, intraocular pressure (IOP, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescein angiography. After 6 months of follow-up, eyes were reassessed to receive a second implant. Results: BCVA significantly improved when comparing the baseline values after the first and second implant (16.2 and 25.8 letters, respectively, 9.6 letters improvements, p<0.05. BCVA was better after the second implant compared to the first one throughout the follow-up, but without statistical significance. Mean central macular thickness (CMT was 446.3±129.9 µm at baseline and was significantly reduced until day 135 (p<0.05. CMT reductions after the second injection showed a similar pattern, though differences were not statistically significant. Cataract progression was observed in 4 of 8 phakic eyes (50% after the first implant, and in 2 of 3 phakic eyes following the second implant, with 1 eye requiring cataract surgery. One eye developed an IOP >30 mmHg 30 days after the second implant, treated topically.Conclusion: Repeated dexamethasone intravitreal implants in uveitic patients with refractory macular edema can be used effectively in a clinical setting with an acceptable safety profile. Keywords: uveitis, macular edema

  2. [Small for gestational age newborns--definition, etiology and neonatal treatment].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slancheva, B; Mumdzhiev, Hr

    2013-01-01

    Newborns with intrauterine hypotrophy are at particular risk group of neonates. Diagnosis based on an adequate estimated gestational age, compared with accurate anthropometric measurements after birth. Among children born with low birth weight (leading experts in obstetrics, perinatal and neonatal medicine, pediatricians endocrinologists, pharmacologists and epidemiologists, with the following main tasks: the definition of small for gestational age children, diagnosis of SGA, SGA children growth and role of growth hormone in their treatment. Subsequent meetings of this committee discuss consensus on SGA infants who acquire their final form at a meeting in Prague in 2009 Small for gestational age (SGA, SGA), is described children whose body weight and/or height is lower than the average by more than 2 standard deviations (< - 2SD). Some authors use the boundary 3rd, 5th, or 10th percentile, but most believe that the use of indicators (< - 2SD) comprises the largest percentage of newborns with fetal growth disorders. Small for gestational age children are divided into: newborn weight retardation (SGAW), growth retardation (SGAL), matched up in weight and height (SGAWL). "Intrauterine growth retardation" (Intra-Uterine Growth Retardation (IUGR) are born with fetal growth retardation, documented at least two ultrasound scans, one of which in the 1st trimester Intrauterine hypotrophy is the second most common cause of perinatal death after prematurity. Hypotrophy is present in about 53% of premature and stillborn at 26% of full-term stillborn children. The incidence of asphyxia in SGA intrapartum is about 50%. Neonatal care includes effective primary resuscitation, treatment of existing and prevention of complications anticipated adaptation. These children are subject to follow-up for later risk of socially significant diseases in the adult.

  3. Pneumoperitoneum without Intestinal Perforation in a Neonate: Case Report and Literature Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prabhavathi Gummalla

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Pneumoperitoneum in a preterm neonate usually indicates perforation of the intestine and is considered a surgical emergency. However, there are cases of pneumoperitoneum with no evidence of rupture of the intestine reported in the literature. We report a case of pneumoperitoneum with no intestinal perforation in a preterm neonate with respiratory distress syndrome who was on high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV. He developed bilateral pulmonary interstitial emphysema with localized cystic lesion, likely localized pulmonary interstitial emphysema, and recurrent pneumothoraces. He was treated with dexamethasone to wean from the ventilator. Pneumoperitoneum developed in association with left sided pneumothorax following mechanical ventilation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Pneumoperitoneum resolved after the pneumothorax was resolved with chest tube drainage. He died from acute cardiorespiratory failure. At autopsy, there was no evidence of intestinal perforation. This case highlights the fact that pneumoperitoneum can develop secondary to pneumothorax and does not always indicate intestinal perforation or require exploratory laparotomy.

  4. Neurodevelopmental long-term outcome in children with hydrocephalus requiring neonatal surgical treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melot, A; Labarre, A; Vanhulle, C; Rondeau, S; Brasseur, M; Gilard, V; Castel, H; Marret, S; Proust, F

    2016-04-01

    To assess long-term neurodevelopmental outcome in children with hydrocephalus requiring neurosurgical treatment during the neonatal period. This prospective longitudinal population-based study included 43 children with neonatal shunted hydrocephalus. The 43 children were prospectively reviewed in the presence of their parents at the outpatient clinic. Cognitive and motor outcomes were assessed respectively using different Wechsler scales according to age and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Postoperative MRI was routinely performed. The mean gestational age at birth of the 43 consecutive children with neonatal hydrocephalus (sex ratio M/F: 1.39) was 34.5±5.4 weeks of gestation. At mean follow-up of 10.4±4 years, mean total IQ was 73±27.7, with equivalent results in mean verbal and mean performance IQ. Of the 33 children with IQ evaluation, 18 presented an IQ≥85 (41.9%). Efficiency in walking without a mobility device (GMFCS≤2) was obtained in 37 children (86%). Only severity of postoperative ventricular dilation was significantly associated with unfavorable outcome (Evans index>0.37; odds ratio: 0.16, P=0.03). This information could be provided to those families concerned who often experience anxiety when multi-disciplinary management of neonatal hydrocephalus is required. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  5. Repeat Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant for Refractory Cystoid Macular Edema in Syphilitic Uveitis

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    Cassandra C. Lautredou

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. To report the successful utilization of adjunctive repeat intravitreal corticosteroid therapy for the treatment of cystoid macular edema in syphilis-related uveitis. Methods/Patients. An HIV-positive patient with treated ocular syphilis who developed refractory cystoid macular edema (CME was treated with repeat intravitreal corticosteroid therapy including dexamethasone intravitreal implants. Results. Treatment led to the resolution of CME and improvement in visual acuity. Conclusions. Intravitreal corticosteroid therapy may be a viable adjunctive treatment for refractory CME in patients with treated syphilitic uveitis. Corticosteroid-induced exacerbation of infection is unlikely in patients with an adequate serologic treatment response.

  6. Dexamethasone nanowafer as an effective therapy for dry eye disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coursey, Terry G; Henriksson, Johanna Tukler; Marcano, Daniela C; Shin, Crystal S; Isenhart, Lucas C; Ahmed, Faheem; De Paiva, Cintia S; Pflugfelder, Stephen C; Acharya, Ghanashyam

    2015-09-10

    Dry eye disease is a major public health problem that affects millions of people worldwide. It is presently treated with artificial tear and anti-inflammatory eye drops that are generally administered several times a day and may have limited therapeutic efficacy. To improve convenience and efficacy, a dexamethasone (Dex) loaded nanowafer (Dex-NW) has been developed that can release the drug on the ocular surface for a longer duration of time than drops, during which it slowly dissolves. The Dex-NW was fabricated using carboxymethyl cellulose polymer and contains arrays of 500 nm square drug reservoirs filled with Dex. The in vivo efficacy of the Dex-NW was evaluated using an experimental mouse dry eye model. These studies demonstrated that once a day Dex-NW treatment on alternate days during a five-day treatment period was able to restore a healthy ocular surface and corneal barrier function with comparable efficacy to twice a day topically applied dexamethasone eye drop treatment. The Dex-NW was also very effective in down regulating expression of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, and IFN-γ), chemokines (CXCL-10 and CCL-5), and MMP-3, that are stimulated by dry eye. Despite less frequent dosing, the Dex-NW has comparable therapeutic efficacy to topically applied Dex eye drops in experimental mouse dry eye model, and these results provide a strong rationale for translation to human clinical trials for dry eye. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. A single-arm Phase II validation study of preventing oxaliplatin-induced hypersensitivity reactions by dexamethasone: the AVOID trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoshida Y

    2015-11-01

    hypersensitivity reactions.Results: Hypersensitivity reactions occurred in three patients (4.1%; all three experienced a cutaneous reaction (grade 1 erythema. None of the 73 patients developed respiratory symptoms, ocular symptoms, or anaphylaxis. Grade 3 or higher hemotoxicity occurred in 13.7% of the patients and grade 3 or higher nonhematological toxicity occurred in 13.7%. The response rate to treatment was 64.4%.Conclusion: The coinfusion of dexamethasone and oxaliplatin effectively reduced oxaliplatin-induced hypersensitivity reactions in patients with colorectal cancer. This approach should be considered for all patients treated with oxaliplatin, allowing treatment to be completed as planned. Keywords: oxaliplatin, dexamethasone, hypersensitivity, allergy 

  8. Paradoxical response to dexamethasone and spontaneous hypocortisolism in Cushing's disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lila, Anurag R; Sarathi, Vijaya; Bandgar, Tushar R; Shah, Nalini S

    2013-01-01

    Paradoxical response to dexamethasone and spontaneous development of hypocortisolism are rare features of Cushing's disease. We report a 13-year-old boy with Cushing's disease owing to a pituitary macroadenoma. On initial evaluation, he had partial suppression of serum cortisol by dexamethasone. He developed transient hypocortisolism after first adenomectomy, but the disease recurred after 1 year. Repeat evaluation showed recurrent hypercortisolism and paradoxical response to dexamethasone. He underwent second surgery and, postoperatively, hypercostisolism persisted even after 2 years of surgery. Repeat evaluations after 8 years of second surgery revealed persistent hypocortisolism despite residual tumour of same size and similar plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels. We have also shown that the paradoxical increase in serum cortisol was preceded by a paradoxical increase in ACTH. The paradoxical response persisted despite hypocortisolism. This patient with Cushing's disease had two very rare features: paradoxical response to dexamethasone and spontaneous development of hypocortisolism. PMID:23365169

  9. Lipopolysaccharide-induced inhibition of transcription of tlr4 in vitro is reversed by dexamethasone and correlates with presence of conserved NFκB binding sites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bonin, Camila P., E-mail: mila_bonin@yahoo.com.br [Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900 (Brazil); Baccarin, Raquel Y.A., E-mail: baccarin@usp.br [Department of Clinics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900 (Brazil); Nostell, Katarina, E-mail: katarina.nostell@slu.se [Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7054, 750 07 Uppsala (Sweden); Nahum, Laila A., E-mail: laila@nahum.com.br [Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte 30190-002 (Brazil); Faculdade Infórium de Tecnologia, Belo Horizonte 30130-180 (Brazil); Fossum, Caroline, E-mail: caroline.fossum@bvf.slu.se [Department of Biomedicine and Veterinary Public Health, Section for Immunology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, BMC, Box 588, SE 751 23 Uppsala (Sweden); Camargo, Maristela M. de, E-mail: mmcamar@usp.br [Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900 (Brazil)

    2013-03-08

    Highlights: ► Chimpanzees, horses and humans have regions of similarity on TLR4 and MD2 promoters. ► Rodents have few regions of similarity on TLR4 promoter when compared to primates. ► Conserved NFkB binding sites were found in the promoters of TLR4 and MD2. ► LPS-induced inhibition of TLR4 transcription is reversed by dexamethasone. ► LPS-induced transcription of MD2 is inhibited by dexamethasone. -- Abstract: Engagement of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a master trigger of the deleterious effects of septic shock. Horses and humans are considered the most sensitive species to septic shock, but the mechanisms explaining these phenomena remain elusive. Analysis of tlr4 promoters revealed high similarity among LPS-sensitive species (human, chimpanzee, and horse) and low similarity with LPS-resistant species (mouse and rat). Four conserved nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) binding sites were found in the tlr4 promoter and two in the md2 promoter sequences that are likely to be targets for dexamethasone regulation. In vitro treatment of equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (eqPBMC) with LPS decreased transcripts of tlr4 and increased transcription of md2 (myeloid differentiation factor 2) and cd14 (cluster of differentiation 14). Treatment with dexamethasone rescued transcription of tlr4 after LPS inhibition. LPS-induced transcription of md2 was inhibited in the presence of dexamethasone. Dexamethasone alone did not affect transcription of tlr4 and md2.

  10. Treatment of neonatal jaundice with filtered sunlight in Nigerian neonates: study protocol of a non-inferiority, randomized controlled trial

    OpenAIRE

    Slusher, Tina M; Olusanya, Bolajoko O; Vreman, Hendrik J; Wong, Ronald J; Brearley, Ann M; Vaucher, Yvonne E; Stevenson, David K

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Background Severe neonatal jaundice and its progression to kernicterus is a leading cause of death and disability among newborns in poorly-resourced countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The standard treatment for jaundice using conventional phototherapy (CPT) with electric artificial blue light sources is often hampered by the lack of (functional) CPT devices due either to financial constraints or erratic electrical power. ...

  11. Neonatal outcomes and congenital malformations in children born after human menopausal gonadotropin and medroxyprogesterone acetate treatment cycles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jie; Mao, Xiaoyan; Wang, Yun; Chen, Qiuju; Lu, Xuefeng; Hong, Qingqing; Kuang, Yanping

    2017-12-01

    To investigate neonatal outcomes and congenital malformations in children born after in vitro fertilization (IVF) and vitrified embryo transfer cycles using human menopausal gonadotrophin and medroxyprogesterone acetate (hMG + MPA) treatment. We performed a retrospective cohort study including 4596 live born babies. During January 2014-June 2016, children born after either hMG + MPA treatment, gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist short protocol, or mild ovarian stimulation were included. The main outcome measures were neonatal outcomes and congenital malformations. Neonatal outcomes both for singletons and twins such as mean birth weight and length, gestational age, the frequency of preterm birth were comparable between groups. Rate of stillbirth and perinatal death were also similar. No significant differences were found in the overall incidence of congenital malformations between the three groups. Multivariable logistic regression indicated that hMG + MPA regimen did not significantly increase the risk of congenital malformations compared with short protocol and mild ovarian stimulation, with adjusted odds ratio of 1.22 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.61-2.44] and 1.38 (CI 0.65-2.93), respectively, after adjusting for confounding factors. Our data suggested that compared with conventional ovarian stimulations, hMG + MPA treatment neither compromised neonatal outcomes of IVF newborns, nor did increase the prevalence of congenital malformations.

  12. Adjuvant treatment with monosialoganglioside may improve neurological outcomes in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lei Sheng

    Full Text Available Ganglioside has a neuroprotective role in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE. This study aimed to evaluate the neurological outcomes of monosialoganglioside as adjuvant treatment for neonatal HIE by conducting a meta-analysis.A comprehensive literature search was made in the Pubmed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Wanfang, CNKI, VIP databases through October 2016. Randomized controlled trials comparing monosialoganglioside with the usual treatment for newborns having HIE deemed eligible. Weighted mean difference (WMD and risk ratio (RR with 95% confidence interval (CI were calculated for continuous and dichotomous data, respectively.Ten trials consisting of 787 neonates were included. Adjuvant treatment with monosialoganglioside significantly reduced major neurodevelopmental disabilities (RR = 0.35; 95% CI = 0.21-0.57, cerebral palsy (RR = 0.32; 95% CI = 0.12-0.87, mental retardation (RR = 0.31; 95% CI = 0.11-0.88 as well as improved the mental (WMD = 14.95; 95% CI = 7.44-22.46 and psychomotive (WMD = 13.40; 95% CI = 6.69-20.11 development index during the follow-up. Also, monosialoganglioside significantly improved Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment scores (WMD = 2.91; 95% CI = 2.05-3.78 compared with the usual treatment. However, adverse effects associated with monosialoganglioside were poorly reported in the included trials.Adjuvant treatment with monosialoganglioside had beneficial effects in improving neurological outcomes in neonatal HIE. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution because of methodological flaws in the included trials. Furthermore, safety of monosialoganglioside use should also be further evaluated.

  13. International and cross-cultural dimensions of treatment decisions for neonates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lantos, John D

    2015-10-01

    Neonatal mortality rates vary widely among countries. According to data from the World Health Organization, neonatal mortality in low- and low-middle-income countries is ∼30 per 1000 babies. In upper middle-income countries, that number was just 10 per 1000. In the highest-income countries, it was difference between countries is in the rate at which congenital anomalies are diagnosed prenatally and the rate at which pregnancies are terminated by induced abortion. International comparisons therefore reflect differences in the way countries define live birth, the comprehensiveness of the reporting of live births even by their own definitions, differences in the prevalence of congenital anomalies, the rate at which those congenital anomalies are diagnosed prenatally, and the percentage of pregnancies with congenital anomalies that end in abortion. This article reviews these differences and discusses the implications for the ways in which we think about international differences in decisions about life-sustaining treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Anti-CD163-dexamethasone conjugate inhibits the acute phase response to lipopolysaccharide in rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Karen Louise; Møller, Holger Jon; Graversen, Jonas Heilskov

    2016-01-01

    ± 4036 pg/mL, P = 0.03) compared to the low dose dexamethasone. The high dose dexamethasone dose decreased the spleen weight (421 ± 11 mg vs 465 ± 12 mg, P any other group. CONCLUSION: Low-dose anti-CD163-dexamethasone conjugate effectively decreased...

  15. Antenatal Dexamethasone Exposure in Preterm Infants Is Associated with Allergic Diseases and the Mental Development Index in Children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wan-Ning Tseng

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Antenatal steroid administration may benefit fetal lung maturity in preterm infants. Although some studies have shown that this treatment may increase asthma in childhood, the correlation between antenatal dexamethasone exposure and allergic diseases remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between antenatal dexamethasone and T cell expression in childhood allergic diseases. Methods: We recruited a cohort of preterm infants born at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between 2007 and 2010 with a gestational age of less than 35 weeks and body weight at birth of less than 1500 g. The status of antenatal exposure to steroids and allergic diseases were surveyed using a modified ISAAC questionnaire for subjects aged 2–5 years old. We analyzed Th1/Th2/Th17 expression of mRNA, cytokines (using the Magpix® my-system, and mental development index (MDI. Results: Among the 40 patients that were followed, the data showed that the antenatal dexamethasone exposure group (N = 24 had a significantly higher incidence of allergic diseases (75.0% vs. 18.8%, p < 0.0001 when compared to the non-dexamethasone exposure group (N = 16, especially with regard to asthma (41.7% vs. 0.0%, p = 0.003 and allergic rhinitis (58.3% vs. 18.8%, p = 0.013, but not atopic dermatitis. No statistical difference was observed in the mRNA expression levels of total white blood cell count between the dexamethasone exposure and non-exposure groups (p > 0.05. However, the asthma group had higher IL-5 levels (p = 0.009, and the MDI was shown to be significantly higher in the dexamethasone exposure group (90.38 ± 3.31 vs. 79.94 ± 3.58, p = 0.043 while no significant difference was found between the PDI of the two groups. Conclusions: Exposure to antenatal dexamethasone in preterm infants will increase their susceptibility to allergic diseases, particularly asthma and allergic rhinitis. Preterm infants’ exposure to antenatal

  16. Comparison between metformin and insulin in treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus and effect on neonatal hypoglycaemia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ayub, S.; Jaffar, S.R.

    2015-01-01

    To compare the efficacy of metformin in the treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with insulin and to compare the frequency of hypoglycaemia in neonates of the mothers treated with metformin and insulin. Study Design: Randomized control trial to compare the efficacy of metformin with insulin in the treatment of GDM. Place and Duration of Study: Outpatient department and labour ward of Obstetric and Gynaecology department of Benazir Bhutto Hospital Rawalpindi from August 2012 to January 2013. Patients and Method: A total of 110 pregnant ladies with GDM diagnosed after 20 weeks of gestation were included and divided into group A and group B with 55 patients in each group. Group A patients were treated with insulin and group B with metformin. Plasma fasting glucose and two hours postprandial glucose levels were determined on weekly basis for four weeks after starting the treatment to determine the efficacy of insulin and metformin. At birth plasma glucose levels of all the neonates were carried out two hourly, and more frequently depending upon the requirement, during first 24 hours in both the groups to determine neonatal hypoglycaemia. Results: Fasting plasma glucose in group A and B were calculated as 5.96 ± 0.58 and 5.76 ± 0.46 mmol/L respectively (p=0.280), while two hours post-prandial plasma glucose levels were 7.34 ± 0.48 and 7.28 ± 0.58 mmol/L respectively (p=0.650). Efficacy in group A was 78.18% and in group B was 70.91% (p=0.381) while frequency of neonatal hypoglycaemia was calculated as 61.54% in group A and 41% in group B (p=0.113). Conclusion: The efficacy of metformin in treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus is similar as with insulin and the frequency of hypoglycemia in neonates of the mother treated with metformin and insulin is also similar. (author)

  17. Zika Virus Infection in Dexamethasone-immunosuppressed Mice Demonstrating Disseminated Infection with Multi-organ Involvement Including Orchitis Effectively Treated by Recombinant Type I Interferons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Jasper Fuk-Woo; Zhang, Anna Jinxia; Chan, Chris Chung-Sing; Yip, Cyril Chik-Yan; Mak, Winger Wing-Nga; Zhu, Houshun; Poon, Vincent Kwok-Man; Tee, Kah-Meng; Zhu, Zheng; Cai, Jian-Piao; Tsang, Jessica Oi-Ling; Chik, Kenn Ka-Heng; Yin, Feifei; Chan, Kwok-Hung; Kok, Kin-Hang; Jin, Dong-Yan; Au-Yeung, Rex Kwok-Him; Yuen, Kwok-Yung

    2016-12-01

    Disseminated or fatal Zika virus (ZIKV) infections were reported in immunosuppressed patients. Existing interferon-signaling/receptor-deficient mouse models may not be suitable for evaluating treatment effects of recombinant interferons. We developed a novel mouse model for ZIKV infection by immunosuppressing BALB/c mice with dexamethasone. Dexamethasone-immunosuppressed male mice (6-8weeks) developed disseminated infection as evidenced by the detection of ZIKV-NS1 protein expression and high viral loads in multiple organs. They had ≥10% weight loss and high clinical scores soon after dexamethasone withdrawal (10dpi), which warranted euthanasia at 12dpi. Viral loads in blood and most tissues at 5dpi were significantly higher than those at 12dpi (Pvirus dissemination, inflammation of various tissues, especially orchitis, may be potential complications of ZIKV infection with significant implications on disease transmission and male fertility. Interferon treatment should be considered in patients at high risks for ZIKV-associated complications when the potential benefits outweigh the side effects of treatment. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Effects of trophic exposure to diclofenac and dexamethasone on hematological parameters and immune response in freshwater fish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ribas, João Luiz Coelho; Zampronio, Aleksander R; Silva de Assis, Helena C

    2016-04-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of diclofenac and dexamethasone on hematological parameters and immune response in the fish species Hoplias malabaricus after trophic exposure. Fish were fed twice every week with Astyanax sp., which were given an intraperitoneal inoculation with diclofenac (0 μg/kg, 0.2 μg/kg, 2.0 μg/kg, or 20.0 μg/kg) or dexamethasone (0.03 μg/kg, 0.3 μg/kg, or 3.0 μg/kg). After 12 doses, the hematological parameters and lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production by head kidney monocytic lineage were evaluated. Exposed fish also received 1 mg/kg of carrageenan intraperitoneal, and cell migration to the peritoneal cavity was evaluated after 4 h. Diclofenac and dexamethasone altered the red blood cell count, as well as hematocrit and hemoglobin levels. The total blood leukocyte count decreased in all groups. A significantly reduced carrageenan-induced leukocyte migration to the peritoneal cavity, particularly of polymorphonuclear cells, was observed at all tested doses, suggesting a possible immunosuppressive effect. The basal nitric oxide synthesis of head kidney cell cultures was reduced at the highest dose of diclofenac and was increased at the highest dose of dexamethasone. The lipopolysaccharide-stimulated nitric oxide production was reduced in all treatments, thus corroborating the immunosuppressive effect. Although some fish responses were variable for different drugs, the results suggested that trophic exposure to diclofenac and dexamethasone can lead to hematological changes and immunotoxic effects, causing negative impacts in aquatic organisms. © 2015 SETAC.

  19. Dexamethasone Protects Against Tourniquet-Induced Acute Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Mouse Hindlimb

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryan M. Corrick

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Extremity injuries with hemorrhage have been a significant cause of death in civilian medicine and on the battlefield. The use of a tourniquet as an intervention is necessary for treatment to an injured limb; however, the tourniquet and subsequent release results in serious acute ischemia-reperfusion (IR injury in the skeletal muscle and neuromuscular junction (NMJ. Much evidence demonstrates that inflammation is an important factor to cause acute IR injury. To find effective therapeutic interventions for tourniquet-induced acute IR injuries, our current study investigated effect of dexamethasone, an anti-inflammatory drug, on tourniquet-induced acute IR injury in mouse hindlimb. In C57/BL6 mice, a tourniquet was placed on unilateral hindlimb (left hindlimb at the hip joint for 3 h, and then released for 24 h to induce IR. Three hours of tourniquet and 24 h of release (24-h IR caused gastrocnemius muscle injuries including rupture of the muscle sarcolemma and necrosis (42.8 ± 2.3% for infarct size of the gastrocnemius muscle. In the NMJ, motor nerve terminals disappeared, and endplate potentials were undetectable in 24-h IR mice. There was no gastrocnemius muscle contraction in 24-h IR mice. Western blot data showed that inflammatory cytokines (TNFα and IL-1β were increased in the gastrocnemius muscle after 24-h IR. Treatment with dexamethasone at the beginning of reperfusion (1 mg/kg, i.p. significantly inhibited expression of TNFα and IL-1β, reduced rupture of the muscle sarcolemma and infarct size (24.8 ± 2.0%, and improved direct muscle stimulation-induced gastrocnemius muscle contraction in 24-h IR mice. However, this anti-inflammatory drug did not improve NMJ morphology and function, and sciatic nerve-stimulated skeletal muscle contraction in 24-h IR mice. The data suggest that one-time treatment with dexamethasone at the beginning of reperfusion only reduced structural and functional impairments of the skeletal muscle but not the

  20. Altered Pathogenesis of Porcine Respiratory Coronavirus in Pigs due to Immunosuppressive Effects of Dexamethasone: Implications for Corticosteroid Use in Treatment of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus▿

    OpenAIRE

    Jung, Kwonil; Alekseev, Konstantin P.; Zhang, Xinsheng; Cheon, Doo-Sung; Vlasova, Anastasia N.; Saif, Linda J.

    2007-01-01

    The pathogenesis and optimal treatments for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) are unclear, although corticosteroids were used to reduce lung and systemic inflammation. Because the pulmonary pathology of porcine respiratory coronavirus (PRCV) in pigs resembles SARS, we used PRCV as a model to clarify the effects of the corticosteroid dexamethasone (DEX) on coronavirus (CoV)-induced pneumonia. Conventional weaned pigs (n = 130) in one of four groups (PRCV/phosphate-buffered saline [PBS] ...

  1. Regression of Cardiac Rhabdomyomas in a Neonate after Everolimus Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helen Bornaun

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Cardiac rhabdomyoma often shows spontaneous regression and usually requires only close follow-up. However, patients with symptomatic inoperable rhabdomyomas may be candidates for everolimus treatment. Our patient had multiple inoperable cardiac rhabdomyomas causing serious left ventricle outflow-tract obstruction that showed a dramatic reduction in the size after everolimus therapy, a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR inhibitor. After discontinuation of therapy, an increase in the diameter of masses occurred and everolimus was restarted. After 6 months of treatment, rhabdomyomas decreased in size and therapy was stopped. In conclusion, everolimus could be a possible novel therapy for neonates with clinically significant rhabdomyomas.

  2. Abdominal surgery in neonatal foals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bryant, James E; Gaughan, Earl M

    2005-08-01

    Abdominal surgery in foals under 30 days old has become more common with improved neonatal care. Early recognition of a foal at risk and better nursing care have increased the survival rates of foals that require neonatal care. The success of improved neonatal care also has increased the need for accurate diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal, umbilical, and bladder disorders in these foals. This chapter focuses on the early and accurate diagnosis of specific disorders that require abdominal exploratory surgery and the specific treatment considerations and prognosis for these disorders.

  3. The effect of single low-dose dexamethasone on vomiting during awake craniotomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamata, Kotoe; Morioka, Nobutada; Maruyama, Takashi; Komayama, Noriaki; Nitta, Masayuki; Muragaki, Yoshihiro; Kawamata, Takakazu; Ozaki, Makoto

    2016-12-01

    Intraoperative vomiting leads to serious respiratory complications that could influence the surgical decision-making process for awake craniotomy. However, the use of antiemetics is still limited in Japan. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of prophylactically administered single low-dose dexamethasone on the incidence of vomiting during awake craniotomy. The frequency of hyperglycemia was also examined. We conducted a retrospective case review of awake craniotomy for glioma resection between 2012 and 2015. Of the 124 patients, 91 were included in the analysis. Dexamethasone was not used in 43 patients and the 48 remaining patients received an intravenous bolus of 4.95 mg dexamethasone at anesthetic induction. Because of stable operating conditions, no one required conscious sedation throughout functional mapping and tumor resection. Although dexamethasone pretreatment reduced the incidence of intraoperative vomiting (P = 0.027), the number of patients who complained of nausea was comparable (P = 0.969). No adverse events related to vomiting occurred intraoperatively. Baseline blood glucose concentration did not differ between each group (P = 0.143), but the samples withdrawn before emergence (P = 0.018), during the awake period (P awake craniotomy cases. However, as even a small dose of dexamethasone increases the risk for hyperglycemia, antiemetic prophylaxis with dexamethasone should be administered after careful consideration. Monitoring of perioperative blood glucose concentration is also necessary.

  4. Intravitreal clindamycin and dexamethasone for toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kishore, K; Conway, M D; Peyman, G A

    2001-01-01

    To present a new method for the management of toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis (TRC). The patients were females ranging in age from 10 to 61 years (average 26.5). Four eyes of 4 patients were treated with intravitreal injections of 1.0 mg clindamycin in 0.1 mL and 1.0 mg of dexamethasone in 0.1 mL. The injections were given under general or peribulbar anesthesia. Three patients continued one systemic drug. Follow-up ranged from 11 to 26 months (mean 17.5). A favorable response was noted in each eye within two weeks after the intravitreal injections. All patients required 2 to 4 intravitreal injections in the affected eye for the control of TRC. Visual acuity improved in each eye. The disc and macula were preserved in all eyes. Recurrence was noted in one case, which responded to a repeated intravitreal injection of clindamycin and dexamethasone. Intravitreal injections of clindamycin and dexamethasone are well tolerated and may offer an additional strategy to treat TRC in patients who are unable to afford or tolerate systemic therapy, or whose disease progresses despite systemic therapy.

  5. Upper and lower respiratory tract microbiota in horses: bacterial communities associated with health and mild asthma (inflammatory airway disease) and effects of dexamethasone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bond, Stephanie L; Timsit, Edouard; Workentine, Matthew; Alexander, Trevor; Léguillette, Renaud

    2017-08-23

    The microbial composition of the equine respiratory tract, and differences due to mild equine asthma (also called Inflammatory Airway Disease (IAD)) have not been reported. The primary treatment for control of IAD in horses are corticosteroids. The objectives were to characterize the upper and lower respiratory tract microbiota associated with respiratory health and IAD, and to investigate the effects of dexamethasone on these bacterial communities using high throughput sequencing. The respiratory microbiota of horses was dominated by four major phyla, Proteobacteria (43.85%), Actinobacteria (21.63%), Firmicutes (16.82%), and Bacteroidetes (13.24%). Fifty genera had a relative abundance > 0.1%, with Sphingomonas and Pantoea being the most abundant. The upper and lower respiratory tract microbiota differed in healthy horses, with a decrease in richness in the lower airways, and 2 OTUs that differed in abundance. There was a separation between bacterial communities in the lower respiratory tract of healthy and IAD horses; 6 OTUs in the tracheal community had different abundance with disease status, with Streptococcus being increased in IAD horses. Treatment with dexamethasone had an effect on the lower respiratory tract microbiota of both heathy and IAD horses, with 8 OTUs increasing in abundance (including Streptococcus) and 1 OTU decreasing. The lower respiratory tract microbiota differed between healthy and IAD horses. Further research on the role of Streptococcus in IAD is warranted. Dexamethasone treatment affected the lower respiratory tract microbiota, which suggests that control of bacterial overgrowth in IAD horses treated with dexamethasone could be part of the treatment strategy.

  6. Treatment of valvular heart disease during pregnancy for improving maternal and neonatal outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henriquez, Dacia Dca; Roos-Hesselink, Jolien W; Schalij, Martin J; Klautz, Robert Jm; Helmerhorst, Frans M; de Groot, Christianne Jm

    2011-05-11

    Valvular heart disease constitutes the majority of all causes of heart disease in pregnancy. In the presence of valvular heart disease, the necessary haemodynamic changes of pregnancy might cause heart failure, leading to severe maternal and fetal morbidity and even mortality. Treatment of valvular heart disease is indicated when patients experience a deterioration of symptoms and in case of a severe valvular lesion. Whether medical therapy or interventional therapy is the optimal treatment for both mother and child is unclear. To assess effectiveness and adverse effects of the different treatment modalities of valvular heart disease in pregnancy to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (31 March 2011), EMBASE (1980 to 23 March 2011) and the reference lists of background review articles. Randomised controlled trials, quasi-randomised controlled and cluster-randomised controlled trials comparing medical therapy with percutaneous or surgical intervention for the treatment of valvular heart disease in pregnancy. We identified no (randomised) controlled trials to assess the effectiveness and adverse effects of the treatment of valvular heart disease in pregnancy. There were no randomised controlled trials, quasi-randomised controlled trials or cluster-randomised trials identified from the search strategy. There is insufficient evidence to define the most effective treatment of valvular heart disease in pregnancy to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes.

  7. Effect of single neonatal treatment with the soy bean phytosteroid, genistein on the sexual behavior of adult rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Csaba, G; Karabélyos, Cs

    2002-01-01

    Hormonal imprinting develops during the perinatal critical period, when the target hormone meets the yet unmatured receptor. As a consequence of imprinting the receptor accomplishes its maturation reaching the binding capacity characteristic to adults. In this period in the presence of foreign molecules similar to the target hormone faulty imprinting may occur with life-long consequences. Soy bean contains phytosteroids which can mimic estrogen effects. In the present experiments single genistein (20 microg) or combined genistein + benzpyrene (20 microg) treatments were done neonatally and the sexual behavior of male and female adult animals was studied. Genistein significantly increased the lordosis quotient of females, which was compensated by neonatal benzpyrene treatment. Genistein also enhanced the sexual activity of males, and this was significantly not reduced by parallel benzpyrene treatment. The results show that neonatal genistein exposure can imprint sexual activity for life and the presence of a second imprinter can modify genistein's behavioral effect.

  8. Preoperative dexamethasone reduces acute but not sustained pain after lumbar disk surgery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Rikke V; Siegel, Hanna; Fomsgaard, Jonna S

    2015-01-01

    on acute and sustained pain after lumbar disk surgery. In this blinded study, 160 patients undergoing lumbar disk surgery were randomly assigned to 16 mg IV dexamethasone or placebo. All patients received perioperative paracetamol and ibuprofen, and postoperative IV patient-controlled analgesia...... months postoperatively. Acute pain during mobilization (weighted average area under the curve, 2-24 hours) was significantly reduced in the dexamethasone group: 33 (22) mm vs placebo 43 (18) mm, (95% confidence interval [CI] 3-16) P = 0.005. Vomiting 0 to 24 hours postoperatively was reduced....../paralysis of the legs in the dexamethasone and placebo groups, respectively, 3 months postoperatively (P = 0.20). In conclusion, preoperative dexamethasone significantly reduced pain during mobilization and vomiting, after lumbar disk surgery. No significant effects were observed 3 months postoperatively....

  9. A multicenter, randomized trial comparing synthetic surfactant with modified bovine surfactant extract in the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Adams, E; Vollman, J; Giebner, D; Maurer, M; Dreyer, G; Bailey, L; Anderson, M; Mefford, L; Beaumont, E; Sutton, D; Puppala, B; Mangurten, HH; Secrest, J; Lewis, WJ; Carteaux, P; Bednarek, F; Welsberger, S; Gosselin, R; Pantoja, AF; Belenky, A; Campbell, P; Patole, S; Duenas, M; Kelly, M; Alejo, W; Lewallen, P; DeanLieber, S; Hanft, M; Ferlauto, J; Newell, RW; Bagwell, J; Levine, D; Lipp, RW; Harkavy, K; Vasa, R; Birenbaum, H; Broderick, KA; Santos, AQ; Long, BA; Gulrajani, M; Stern, M; Hopgood, G; Hegyi, T; Alba, J; Christmas, L; McQueen, M; Nichols, N; Brown, M; Quissell, BJ; Rusk, C; Marks, K; Gifford, K; Hoehn, G; Pathak, A; Marino, B; Hunt, P; Fox, [No Value; Sharpstein, C; Feldman, B; Johnson, N; Beecham, J; Balcom, R; Helmuth, W; Boylan, D; Frakes, C; Magoon, M; Reese, K; Schwersenski, J; Schutzman, D; Soll, R; Horbar, JD; Leahy, K; Troyer, W; Juzwicki, C; Anderson, P; Dworsky, M; Reynolds, L; Urrutia, J; Gupta, U; Adray, C

    Objective. To compare the efficacy of a synthetic surfactant (Exosurf Neonatal, Burroughs-Wellcome Co) and a modified bovine surfactant extract (Survanta, Ross Laboratories) in the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Design. Multicenter, randomized trial. Setting. Thirty-eight

  10. Protective effect of lemongrass oil against dexamethasone induced hyperlipidemia in rats: possible role of decreased lecithin cholesterol acetyl transferase activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, V R Santhosh; Inamdar, Md Naseeruddin; Nayeemunnisa; Viswanatha, G L

    2011-08-01

    To evaluate the anti-hyperlipidemic activity of lemongrass oil against in dexamethasone induced hyperlipidemia in rats. Administration of dexamethasone was given at 10 mg/kg, sc. to the adult rats for 8 d induces hyperlipidemia characterized by marked increase in serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels along with increase in atherogenic index. Lemongrass oil (100 and 200 mg/kg, po.) treatment has showed significant inhibition against dexamethasone hyperlipidemia by maintaining the serum levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and atherogenic index near to the normal levels and the antihyperlipidemic effect of the lemongross oil was comparable with atorvastatin 10 mg/kg, po. The possible mechanism may be associated with decrease in lecithin cholesterol acetyl transferase (LCAT) activity. These results suggested that Lemon gross oil possess significant anti-hyperlipidemic activity. Copyright © 2011 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. The effect of dexamethasone on respirator-dependent very-low-birth-weight infants is best predicted by chest X-ray

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schrod, L.; Neuhaus, T.; Horwitz, A.E.; Speer, C.P.

    2001-01-01

    Background. Chronic lung disease (CLD) in premature infants shows a variable clinical course with different radiological manifestations. Objective. To evaluate the correlation between parameters of transmembrane permeability [albumin/secretory component (SC)] and oxidative stress [malondialdehyde (MDA)/SC] in tracheal aspirate fluid (TAF) and radiological findings with the effect of a 5-day course of dexamethasone (0.5 mg/kg per day). Materials and methods. Fifty ventilator-dependent premature infants with birth weights 2 x mean airway pressure > 40 % at day 5, compared to pretreatment values. About 80 % of the responders showed homogeneous lung opacification on chest X-ray, reflecting leaky lung syndrome. In contrast, seven of eight infants with predominantly emphysema on radiology were non-responders; 80 % of infants with a mixed radiological picture characterized by predominance of consolidations alternating with regions of emphysema were also non-responders. Ratios of albumin/SC and MDA/SC in TAF decreased significantly within 3 days after the onset of dexamethasone. However, MDA/SC was persistently higher in non-responders compared to responders. Opaque lungs were largely improved by dexamethasone, in contrast to streaky or patchy consolidations and emphysema. In a logistic regression model, radiographic classification was the most important factor influencing the response to dexamethasone with a positive predictive value of 86 %, followed by albumin/SC ratio. Conclusions. The optimum timing of dexamethasone treatment may be determined by the stage of developing CLD and radiological findings rather than by the age of the premature infant. (orig.)

  12. Functional aspects of dexamethasone upregulated nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in C2C12 myotubes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Maestrone, E; Lagostena, L; Henning, RH; DenHertog, A; Nobile, M

    Three days of treatment with the glucocorticoid dexamethasone (1 nM-mu M) induced a concentration-dependent up-regulation of muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) in C2C12 mouse myotubes (EC(50)=10+/-7.3 nM), as assessed by [H-3]alpha-BuTx binding. The maximum increase in binding amounted

  13. Effect of premedication with ibuprofen and dexamethasone on success rate of inferior alveolar nerve block for teeth with asymptomatic irreversible pulpitis: a randomized clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahi, Shahriar; Mokhtari, Hadi; Rahimi, Saeed; Yavari, Hamid Reza; Narimani, Shima; Abdolrahimi, Majid; Nezafati, Saeed

    2013-02-01

    The aim of this study was to compare 2 kinds of anti-inflammatory medicines (ie, dexamethasone and ibuprofen) with a placebo according to their effects on the success rates of an inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) for the endodontic treatment of mandibular molars with irreversible pulpitis. A total of 165 patients were divided into 3 groups of 55 patients each and were given a capsule of the same color and size (ie, a placebo of lactose powder, 400 mg ibuprofen, or 0.5 mg dexamethasone). One hour after the oral administration of the capsules, all the patients received a standard IANB. In patients with a successful IANB, the teeth were examined with a cold pulp test. Patients were asked to assess their pain using the visual analog scale. Then, endodontic access cavity preparation was initiated. In case of pain during the treatment, the patients were asked to rate the pain on the visual analog scale. Success was defined as no or mild pain during treatment. The chi-square test and analysis of variance were used to compare qualitative and quantitative data among the groups. No significant differences were found regarding the sex of the patients in the 3 groups (P > .05). The dexamethasone group showed significantly higher success rates compared with the placebo group (P = .001). There were no significant differences between the ibuprofen and placebo groups (P = .055) or the dexamethasone and ibuprofen groups (P = .34). Premedication with dexamethasone increased the success rate of an IANB in mandibular molars with asymptomatic irreversible pulpitis. Copyright © 2013 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Creation of lung-targeted dexamethasone immunoliposome and its therapeutic effect on bleomycin-induced lung injury in rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xue-Yuan Chen

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Acute lung injury (ALI, is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, which is routinely treated with the administration of systemic glucocorticoids. The current study investigated the distribution and therapeutic effect of a dexamethasone(DXM-loaded immunoliposome (NLP functionalized with pulmonary surfactant protein A (SP-A antibody (SPA-DXM-NLP in an animal model. METHODS: DXM-NLP was prepared using film dispersion combined with extrusion techniques. SP-A antibody was used as the lung targeting agent. Tissue distribution of SPA-DXM-NLP was investigated in liver, spleen, kidney and lung tissue. The efficacy of SPA-DXM-NLP against lung injury was assessed in a rat model of bleomycin-induced acute lung injury. RESULTS: The SPA-DXM-NLP complex was successfully synthesized and the particles were stable at 4°C. Pulmonary dexamethasone levels were 40 times higher with SPA-DXM-NLP than conventional dexamethasone injection. Administration of SPA-DXM-NLP significantly attenuated lung injury and inflammation, decreased incidence of infection, and increased survival in animal models. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of SPA-DXM-NLP to animal models resulted in increased levels of DXM in the lungs, indicating active targeting. The efficacy against ALI of the immunoliposomes was shown to be superior to conventional dexamethasone administration. These results demonstrate the potential of actively targeted glucocorticoid therapy in the treatment of lung disease in clinical practice.

  15. Novel pharmacotherapeutic strategies for treatment of opioid-induced neonatal abstinence syndrome

    OpenAIRE

    McLemore, Gabrielle L.; Lewis, Tamorah; Jones, Catherine H.; Gauda, Estelle B.

    2012-01-01

    The non-medical use of prescription drugs, in general, and opioids, in particular, is a national epidemic, resulting in enormous addiction rates, healthcare expenditures, and overdose deaths. Prescription opioids are overly prescribed, illegally trafficked, and frequently abused, all of which have created a new opioid addiction pathway, adding to the number of opioid-dependent newborns requiring treatment for neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), and contributing to challenges in effective care...

  16. BiRD (Biaxin [clarithromycin]/Revlimid [lenalidomide]/dexamethasone) combination therapy results in high complete- and overall-response rates in treatment-naive symptomatic multiple myeloma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niesvizky, Ruben; Jayabalan, David S; Christos, Paul J; Furst, Jessica R; Naib, Tara; Ely, Scott; Jalbrzikowski, Jessica; Pearse, Roger N; Zafar, Faiza; Pekle, Karen; Larow, April; Lent, Richard; Mark, Tomer; Cho, Hearn J; Shore, Tsiporah; Tepler, Jeffrey; Harpel, John; Schuster, Michael W; Mathew, Susan; Leonard, John P; Mazumdar, Madhu; Chen-Kiang, Selina; Coleman, Morton

    2008-02-01

    This trial determined the safety and efficacy of the combination regimen clarithromycin (Biaxin), lenalidomide (Revlimid), and dexamethasone (BiRD) as first-line therapy for multiple myeloma. Patients received BiRD in 28-day cycles. Dexamethasone (40 mg) was given orally once weekly, clarithromycin (500 mg) was given orally twice daily, and lenalidomide (25 mg) was given orally daily on days 1 to 21. Objective response was defined by standard criteria (ie, decrease in serum monoclonal protein [M-protein] by at least 50%, and a decrease in urine M-protein by at least 90%). Of the 72 patients enrolled, 65 had an objective response (90.3%). A combined stringent and conventional complete response rate of 38.9% was achieved, and 73.6% of the patients achieved at least a 90% decrease in M-protein levels. This regimen did not interfere with hematopoietic stem-cell harvest. Fifty-two patients who did not go on to receive transplants received continued therapy (complete response, 37%; very good partial response, 33%). The major adverse events were thromboembolic events, corticosteroid-related morbidity, and cytopenias. BiRD is an effective regimen with manageable side effects in the treatment of symptomatic, newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00151203.

  17. Low-dose dexamethasone during arthroplasty: What do we know about the risks?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wegener, Jessica T.; Kraal, Tim; Stevens, Markus F.; Hollmann, Markus W.; Kerkhoffs, Gino M. M. J.; Haverkamp, Daniël

    2016-01-01

    Dexamethasone is commonly applied during arthroplasty to control post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV). However, conflicting views of orthopaedic surgeons and anaesthesiologists regarding the use of dexamethasone raise questions about risks of impaired wound healing and surgical site infections

  18. Retrospective analysis of an oral combination of dexamethasone, uracil plus tegafur and cyclophosphamide for hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatano, Koji; Nonomura, Norio; Nishimura, Kazuo; Kawashima, Atsunari; Mukai, Masatoshi; Nagahara, Akira; Nakai, Yasutomo; Nakayama, Masashi; Takayama, Hitoshi; Tsujimura, Akira; Okuyama, Akihiko

    2011-02-01

    To evaluate the clinical utility of an oral combination of dexamethasone, uracil plus tegafur and cyclophosphamide as a treatment for patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Fifty-seven patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer were treated with an oral administration of dexamethasone (1.0 mg/day), uracil plus tegafur (400 mg/day) and cyclophosphamide (100 mg/day). The median patient age was 71 years. Sixteen patients had symptomatic bone metastasis, 31 had asymptomatic bone metastasis and 8 showed lymph node metastasis. Eight patients presented with only biochemical progression as evaluated by serum prostate-specific antigen levels. Thirty-six (63%) of 57 patients demonstrated a ≥50% decline in serum prostate-specific antigen levels. The median time to prostate-specific antigen progression was 7.2 months. In patients with a prostate-specific antigen decline of ≥50%, the median time to progression was 13.3 months. With respect to pre-treatment markers, the duration of response to initial hormonal treatment was associated with the time to prostate-specific antigen progression. In 11 of 16 (69%) patients who complained of bone pain, the pain improved and became stable in 5 of those patients (31%). Most adverse events were mild and only three (5%) patients showed neutropenia of Grade 3 or higher. The combination of dexamethasone, uracil plus tegafur and cyclophosphamide is an effective and well tolerated regimen for hormone-refractory prostate cancer. To evaluate the survival benefits, further randomized studies are required.

  19. A Randomized Cross‐over Study of High‐dose Metoclopramide plus Dexamethasone versus Granisetron plus Dexamethasone in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy with High‐dose Cisplatin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eguchi, Kenji; Shinkai, Tetsu; Tamura, Tomohide; Ohe, Yuichiro; Nisio, Masato; Kunikane, Hiroshi; Arioka, Hitoshi; Karato, Atsuya; Nakashima, Hajime; Sasaki, Yasutsuna; Tajima, Kinuko; Tada, Noriko; Saijo, Nagahiro

    1994-01-01

    We carried out a randomized, single‐blind, cross‐over trial to compare the antiemetic effect, for both acute and delayed emesis, of granisetron plus dexamethasone (GRN+Dx) with that of high‐dose metoclopramide plus dexamethasone (HDMP + Dx). Fifty‐four patients with primary or metastatic lung cancer, given single‐dose cisplatin (> 80 mg/m2) chemotherapy more than twice, were enrolled in this study. They were treated with both HDMP+Dx and GRN+Dx in two consecutive chemotherapy courses. On day 1, patients experienced a mean of 2.5 (SD=4.3) and 0,1 (SD = 0.4) episodes of vomiting in the HDMP+Dx and the GRN + Dx groups, respectively (P=0.0008). Complete response rate on day 1 was 45 and 90% in the HDMP+Dx and the GRN+Dx groups, respectively (P= 0.0001). Patients treated with GRN+Dx had a tendency to suffer more episodes of vomiting than the HDMP+Dx group on days 2–5, but it was not statistically significant. Twenty‐four patients (57%) preferred the GRN+Dx treatment and 14 patients (33%), HDMP + Dx. In the HDMP + Dx group, nine patients (21%) had an extrapyramidal reaction, and 5 patients (12%) had constipation that lasted for at least two days. In contrast, no patients had extrapyramidal reactions, and IS patients (43%) had constipation in the GRN+Dx group (P < 0.01). GRN+Dx was more effective than HDMP+Dx only in preventing the acute emesis induced by cisplatin. An effective treatment for delayed emesis is still needed. PMID:7829401

  20. Dexamethasone prolongs local analgesia after subcutaneous infiltration of bupivacaine microcapsules in human volunteers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holte, Kathrine; Werner, Mads U; Lacouture, Peter G

    2002-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The addition of small amounts of dexamethasone to extended-release formulations of bupivacaine in microcapsules has been found to prolong local analgesia in experimental studies, but no clinical data are available. METHODS: In a double-blinded study, 12 healthy male volunteers were...... randomized to receive simultaneous subcutaneous injections of bupivacaine microcapsules with dexamethasone and bupivacaine microcapsules without dexamethasone in each calf. Local analgesia was assessed with a validated human pain model; main parameters evaluated were thermal, mechanical, and pain detection...... curve [AUC]) were considered best estimate of analgesia. Safety evaluations were performed daily for the first week and at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and 6 months after injection. RESULTS: The addition of dexamethasone significantly prolonged local analgesia of bupivacaine microcapsules without influence...

  1. Dexamethasone, all trans retinoic acid and interferon alpha 2a in patients with refractory multiple myeloma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avilés, A; Rosas, A; Huerta-Guzmán, J; Talavera, A; Cleto, S

    1999-02-01

    Few effective regimen are available for patients with refractory multiple myeloma (RMM). Generally, responses are scarce and disease free survival is very short. We developed a new therapeutic option in these patients using dexamethasone (40 mg/m2, i.v., daily, days 1 to 4), all-trans retinoic acid (45 mg/m2, po, daily, days 5 to 14) and interferon alpha 2a (9.0 MU, daily, subcutaneously, days 5 to 14). The treatment was administered every 21 days for 6 cycles. In a pilot study, 12 patients, heavily treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy and in some cases with interferon, were allocated to receive the afore mentioned treatment. Response was observed in 10 patients (83%). With a median follow-up of 36.1 months (range 27 to 41), seven patients remain alive and disease-free without any treatment. Two patients were failures and have died due to tumor progression. Toxicity was mild and all patients received treatment according to the planned doses of drugs. The use of biological modifiers in combination with dexamethasone offer a safe and effective therapeutic option in patients with refractory multiple myeloma. More studies are warranted to define the role of this type of treatment.

  2. Neurological assessments after treatment with the antimalarial β-arteether in neonatal and adult rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erickson, R I; Defensor, E B; Fairchild, D G; Mirsalis, J C; Steinmetz, K L

    2011-08-01

    The World Health Organization currently recommends combinatorial treatment including artemisinins as first-line therapy against drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Although highly efficacious, artemisinin and its derivatives, including β-arteether (βAE), are associated with ototoxicity, tremors, and other autonomic and motor impairments in the clinic. Similar neurological symptoms, as well as brainstem lesions, have been observed in adult laboratory species (mice, rats, dogs, and non human primates) following acute treatment with βAE; however, few long-term, nonclinical studies have been conducted. Furthermore, the majority of deaths attributed to malarial infection occur in children under age five, yet no laboratory studies have been initiated in neonatal or juvenile animals. In the current study, neonatal 7-day-old rats were administered intramuscular doses of 1-90 mg/kg βAE in sesame oil for up to eight treatment cycles (one cycle=7 days treatment+7 days without treatment). Neonates were tested for changes in sensorimotor function, and the same animals were tested as adults in the Functional Observational Battery, for motor activity, and in the 8-arm radial maze. Pups receiving a single cycle of 60 or 90 mg/kg died within a week of treatment but had few behavioral changes and no brainstem pathology. In the long-term study, behavioral and motor changes and brainstem lesions were observed in a dose- and time-related manner. Rats given repeated cycles of 1 or 5mg/kg βAE showed subtle motor abnormalities (e.g., slight loss of righting reflex) while repeated cycles of 10mg/kg βAE treatment resulted in obvious motor and behavioral changes. Rats receiving 1mg/kg βAE had no brainstem lesions whereas some rats treated with 5mg/kg βAE and all rats treated with 10 mg/kg βAE had brainstem lesions. Brainstem lesions were observed after as few as five cycles and were characterized by gliosis, satellitosis and progressive necrosis in motor neurons of the

  3. Structured Self-Rated Response to Iontophoresis with Verapamil and Dexamethasone in Peyronie’s Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abas Kokab

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. New therapies evolve for the treatment of Peyronie's disease (PD including the application of dexamethasone and verapamil using Electro Motive Drug Administration (EMDA. Patients and Methods. Patients with PD were routinely offered Potaba, Vitamin E, tamoxifen or colchicine for 6 to 18 months and for those with no improvement, 18 applications of dexamethasone and verapamil using EMDA occurred over a 6 week period. All 30 patients receiving EMDA therapy completed a questionnaire before and after treatment. The data was collected from December 2004 to November 2009 and analysed to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment. Results. Median age of patients was 59 (range 39–71. Curvature was the most common presenting complaint (73.3% followed by pain (23.3%, erectile dysfunction (13.3%, and lump (13.3%. 24/30 (80% reported an improvement in symptoms after EMDA. 16 of the responders (66.7% had a stable plaque for at least 6 months. The patients who complained of shortening of the penis (P=0.003 or lowered sexual desire (P=0.024 expressed subsequently significant response to treatment. There was statistically significant (P=0.019 improvement of penile deviation reported by responding men. Conclusion. A significant proportion of patients who received EMDA reported decreased curvature following iontophoresis. No serious adverse reactions developed.

  4. Effects of dexamethasone-21-isonicotinate on peripheral insulin action in dairy cows 5 days after surgical correction of abomasal displacement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kusenda, M; Kaske, M; Piechotta, M; Locher, L; Starke, A; Huber, K; Rehage, J

    2013-01-01

    Dexamethasone frequently is used for treatment of ketosis in dairy cows, but its effects are not fully understood. Dexamethasone treatment affects whole body insulin sensitivity. Twelve German Holstein cows, 2-4 weeks postpartum, 5 days after omentopexy to correct left abomasal displacement. Randomized, blinded, case-control study. Treatment with dexamethasone-21-isonicotinate (DG; 40 μg/kg IM; n = 6) or saline (control group [CG], 15 mL IM, n = 6) on day 0 (d0). Blood samples were obtained before (d0) and after treatment (d1 and d2), and analyzed for glucose, insulin, and nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations. Hepatic triglycerides (TAG) were measured in liver samples taken on d0 and d2. Five consecutive hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps (HEC-I-V; insulin dosages: 0.1, 0.5, 2, 5, 10 mU/kg/min, respectively) were performed on d1 and steady state glucose infusion rate (SSGIR), insulin concentration (SSIC), insulin sensitivity index (ISI = SSGIR/SSIC), and plasma NEFA concentration (SSNEFA) were assessed. Compared with CG-cows, DG-cows on d1 had higher plasma glucose (P = .004) and insulin (P insulin-stimulated decrease in SSNEFA (HEC-II, P = .006; HEC-III, P = .01; HEC-IV, P = .003; HEC-V, P = .011). Decrease in hepatic TAG content in DG-cows was higher compared with CG-cows (P insulin sensitivity and affects glucose and lipid metabolism in early lactating dairy cows. Copyright © 2012 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

  5. Comparison the Effect of Granisetron and Dexamethasone on Intravenous Propofol Pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adinehmehr, Leili; Salimi, Sohrab; Sane, Shahryar; Sina, Venous; Najafizadeh, Rana

    2018-01-01

    The incidence of propofol injection pain during induction of general anesthesia varies from 28% to 90%. This prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated the effect of dexamethasone and granisetron for reducing the incidence and severity of propofol injection pain. A total of 227 female subjects received 5 mL of preservative-free saline, 1 mg granisetron (5 ml), or 0.15 mg/kg of dexamethasone (5 ml), intravenously, following exsanguination and occlusion of the veins of the arm. This was followed by a 0.5 mg/kg injection of propofol. Pain scores and intensity of pain recorded immediately following the injection of propofol. Hemodynamic parameters and O 2 sat were recorded 1, 3, 5, and 10 min after propofol injection. The incidence pain following the injection of propofol was significantly decreased with both granisetron and dexamethasone (50.7% and 49.4%). Mean pain score in granisetron group was 3.16 ± 1.23, dexamethasone was 2.73 ± 1.03, and in saline group was 4.82 ± 1.73 ( P = 0.001). Mean pain intensity in granisetron group was 1.16 ± 0.18, dexamethasone was 1.26 ± 0.14, and in saline group was 2.2 ± 0.99 ( P = 0.001). There were no differences in either mean arterial pressure or O 2 Sate at any time point after drugs injection among the groups. There was a significant difference in pulse rate in third minutes between three groups and in the group who received granisetron was lesser ( P = 0.04). Pretreatment with intravenous granisetron (1 mg) and dexamethasone (0.15 mg/kg) before injection of propofol is effective and safe in reducing the incidence and severity of pain due to propofol injection.

  6. Comparison the Effect of Granisetron and Dexamethasone on Intravenous Propofol Pain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leili Adinehmehr

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: The incidence of propofol injection pain during induction of general anesthesia varies from 28% to 90%. This prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated the effect of dexamethasone and granisetron for reducing the incidence and severity of propofol injection pain. Materials and Methods: A total of 227 female subjects received 5 mL of preservative-free saline, 1 mg granisetron (5 ml, or 0.15 mg/kg of dexamethasone (5 ml, intravenously, following exsanguination and occlusion of the veins of the arm. This was followed by a 0.5 mg/kg injection of propofol. Pain scores and intensity of pain recorded immediately following the injection of propofol. Hemodynamic parameters and O2sat were recorded 1, 3, 5, and 10 min after propofol injection. Results: The incidence pain following the injection of propofol was significantly decreased with both granisetron and dexamethasone (50.7% and 49.4%. Mean pain score in granisetron group was 3.16 ± 1.23, dexamethasone was 2.73 ± 1.03, and in saline group was 4.82 ± 1.73 (P = 0.001. Mean pain intensity in granisetron group was 1.16 ± 0.18, dexamethasone was 1.26 ± 0.14, and in saline group was 2.2 ± 0.99 (P = 0.001. There were no differences in either mean arterial pressure or O2Sate at any time point after drugs injection among the groups. There was a significant difference in pulse rate in third minutes between three groups and in the group who received granisetron was lesser (P = 0.04. Conclusion: Pretreatment with intravenous granisetron (1 mg and dexamethasone (0.15 mg/kg before injection of propofol is effective and safe in reducing the incidence and severity of pain due to propofol injection.

  7. Comparison the Effect of Granisetron and Dexamethasone on Intravenous Propofol Pain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adinehmehr, Leili; Salimi, Sohrab; Sane, Shahryar; Sina, Venous; Najafizadeh, Rana

    2018-01-01

    Background: The incidence of propofol injection pain during induction of general anesthesia varies from 28% to 90%. This prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated the effect of dexamethasone and granisetron for reducing the incidence and severity of propofol injection pain. Materials and Methods: A total of 227 female subjects received 5 mL of preservative-free saline, 1 mg granisetron (5 ml), or 0.15 mg/kg of dexamethasone (5 ml), intravenously, following exsanguination and occlusion of the veins of the arm. This was followed by a 0.5 mg/kg injection of propofol. Pain scores and intensity of pain recorded immediately following the injection of propofol. Hemodynamic parameters and O2 sat were recorded 1, 3, 5, and 10 min after propofol injection. Results: The incidence pain following the injection of propofol was significantly decreased with both granisetron and dexamethasone (50.7% and 49.4%). Mean pain score in granisetron group was 3.16 ± 1.23, dexamethasone was 2.73 ± 1.03, and in saline group was 4.82 ± 1.73 (P = 0.001). Mean pain intensity in granisetron group was 1.16 ± 0.18, dexamethasone was 1.26 ± 0.14, and in saline group was 2.2 ± 0.99 (P = 0.001). There were no differences in either mean arterial pressure or O2 Sate at any time point after drugs injection among the groups. There was a significant difference in pulse rate in third minutes between three groups and in the group who received granisetron was lesser (P = 0.04). Conclusion: Pretreatment with intravenous granisetron (1 mg) and dexamethasone (0.15 mg/kg) before injection of propofol is effective and safe in reducing the incidence and severity of pain due to propofol injection. PMID:29862223

  8. Confirmed efficacy of etoposide and dexamethasone in HLH treatment: long-term results of the cooperative HLH-2004 study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bergsten, Elisabet; Horne, AnnaCarin; Aricó, Maurizio; Astigarraga, Itziar; Egeler, R. Maarten; Filipovich, Alexandra H.; Ishii, Eiichi; Janka, Gritta; Ladisch, Stephan; Lehmberg, Kai; McClain, Kenneth L.; Minkov, Milen; Montgomery, Scott; Nanduri, Vasanta; Rosso, Diego

    2017-01-01

    Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening hyperinflammatory syndrome comprising familial/genetic HLH (FHL) and secondary HLH. In the HLH-94 study, with an estimated 5-year probability of survival (pSu) of 54% (95% confidence interval, 48%-60%), systemic therapy included etoposide, dexamethasone, and, from week 9, cyclosporine A (CSA). Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) was indicated in patients with familial/genetic, relapsing, or severe/persistent disease. In HLH-2004, CSA was instead administered upfront, aiming to reduce pre-HSCT mortality and morbidity. From 2004 to 2011, 369 children aged <18 years fulfilled HLH-2004 inclusion criteria (5 of 8 diagnostic criteria, affected siblings, and/or molecular diagnosis in FHL-causative genes). At median follow-up of 5.2 years, 230 of 369 patients (62%) were alive (5-year pSu, 61%; 56%-67%). Five-year pSu in children with (n = 168) and without (n = 201) family history/genetically verified FHL was 59% (52%-67%) and 64% (57%-71%), respectively (familial occurrence [n = 47], 58% [45%-75%]). Comparing with historical data (HLH-94), using HLH-94 inclusion criteria, pre-HSCT mortality was nonsignificantly reduced from 27% to 19% (P = .064 adjusted for age and sex). Time from start of therapy to HSCT was shorter compared with HLH-94 (P = .020 adjusted for age and sex) and reported neurological alterations at HSCT were 22% in HLH-94 and 17% in HLH-2004 (using HLH-94 inclusion criteria). Five-year pSu post-HSCT overall was 66% (verified FHL, 70% [63%-78%]). Additional analyses provided specific suggestions on potential pre-HSCT treatment improvements. HLH-2004 confirms that a majority of patients may be rescued by the etoposide/dexamethasone combination but intensification with CSA upfront, adding corticosteroids to intrathecal therapy, and reduced time to HSCT did not improve outcome significantly. PMID:28935695

  9. Clinical experience with Leptospermum honey use for treatment of hard to heal neonatal wounds: case series.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyar, V; Handa, D; Clemens, K; Shimborske, D

    2014-02-01

    Preterm, critically ill neonates represent a challenge in wound healing. Many factors predispose infants to skin injuries, including decreased epidermal-dermal cohesion, deficient stratum corneum, relatively alkaline pH of skin surface, impaired nutrition and presence of multiple devices on the skin. We present a case series describing the use of medical-grade honey-Leptospermum honey (Medihoney), for successful treatment of slowly healing neonatal wounds, specifically stage 3 pressure ulcer, dehiscent and infected sternal wound, and full-thickness wound from an extravasation injury.

  10. Neonatal pain management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tarun Bhalla

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The past 2-3 decades have seen dramatic changes in the approach to pain management in the neonate. These practices started with refuting previously held misconceptions regarding nociception in preterm infants. Although neonates were initially thought to have limited response to painful stimuli, it was demonstrated that the developmental immaturity of the central nervous system makes the neonate more likely to feel pain. It was further demonstrated that untreated pain can have long-lasting physiologic and neurodevelopmental consequences. These concerns have resulted in a significant emphasis on improving and optimizing the techniques of analgesia for neonates and infants. The following article will review techniques for pain assessment, prevention, and treatment in this population with a specific focus on acute pain related to medical and surgical conditions.

  11. Dexamethasone-responsive hypertension in young women with suppressed renin and aldosterone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoefnagels, W.H.L.; Hofman, J.A.; Smals, A.G.H.; Drayer, J.I.M.; Kloppenborg, P.W.C.; Benraad, T.J.

    1978-01-01

    Pronounced hypoaldosteronism was found in three young women with hypertension and symptoms of mineralocorticoid overproduction - i.e., hyporeninaemia, hypokalaemia, and a fall in blood-pressure after diuretic therapy. Plasma 11-deoxycorticosterone and 18-hydroxy-11-deoxycorticosterone concentrations were normal. Treatment with dexamethasone induced a return to normal of blood-pressure and plasma-potassium and an increase in plasma-renin activity and urinary aldosterone excretion. The data suggest that hypertension in these patients is maintained by overproduction of an unknown adrenocorticotropin-dependent mineralocortocoid. (author)

  12. New laser sources for clinical treatment and diagnostics of neonatal jaundice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamza, Mostafa; El-Ahl, Mohammad H. S.; Hamza, Ahmad M.

    2001-06-01

    An elevated serum bilirubin concentration in the newborn infant presents a therapeutic as well as a diagnostic problem to the physician. It has long been recognized that high levels of bilirubin cause irreversible brain damage and even death. The authors introduce the use of semiconductor diode lasers and diode-pumped solid-state lasers that can be used for solving such diagnostic and therapeutic problems. These new laser sources can improve the ergonomics of using laser, enhance performance capabilities and reduce the cost of employing laser energy to pump bilirubin out of an infant's body. The choice of laser wavelengths follows the principles of bilirubinometry and phototherapy of neonatal jaundice. The wide spread use of these new laser sources for clinical monitoring and treatment of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia will be made possible as each incremental or quantum jump cost reduction is achieved. Our leading clinical experience as well as the selection rules of laser wavelengths will be presented.

  13. Atrial natriuretic peptide: a possible mediator involved in dexamethasone's inhibition of cell proliferation in multiple myeloma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Jiang-Hua; Chang, Yu-Sui

    2012-08-01

    Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) has been recognized for several decades for its role of regulating blood pressure. Recently, cumulating evidences show that ANP plays an anticancer role in various solid tumors via blocking the kinase cascade of Ras-MEK1/2-ERK1/2 with the result of inhibition of DNA synthesis. ANP, as well as its receptors (NPR-A and NPR-C) has been identified present in the embryonic stem cell and a wide range of cancer cells. Various lymphoid organs, such as lymph nodes, have been detected the presence of ANP. Multiple myeloma (MM), though the therapies have evolved significantly, is still an incurable disease as B lymphocyte cell neoplasm. Dexamethasone is the cornerstone in treatment of MM via inactivation of Ras-MEK1/2-ERK1/2 cascade reaction. Coincidently, dexamethasone can increase the expression of ANP markedly. Nevertheless, the role of ANP in MM is unclear. Based on these results above, we raise the hypothesis that ANP is involved in mediating dexamethasone's inhibition of proliferation in MM cells, which suggests that ANP may be a potential agent to treat MM. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Evaluation of the release behavior of the dexamethasone embedded in polycarbonate polyurethane membranes: an in vitro study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Dong Hyun; Kang, Sung Gwon; Lee, Chul Gab; Park, Sang Soo; Lee, Don Haeng; Lee, Gyu Baek; Song, Ho Young

    2003-01-01

    To evaluate the release behavior of dexamethasone embedded in a polycarbonate polyurethane membrane. Both water-soluble and water-insoluble dexamethasone were tested, and the release behavior of five water-insoluble dexamethasone films of different thickness (78 to 211 μm) was also evaluated. The amount of dexamethasone used was 10% of the total weight of the polyurethan film mass. Each film was placed in a centrifuge tube containing 25 ml of 0.1-M neutral phosphate buffer, and the tubes were placed in a shaking incubator to quantify the amount of drug released into the buffer, absorption spectroscopy (λ max=242 nm) was employed. In the test involving water-soluble dexamethasone, 60%, of the drug was released during the first two hours of the study. Films containing water-insoluble dexamethasone, on the other hand, released 40%, 60% and 75% of the dexamethasone in one, three and seven days, respectively. Both types of film maintained low-dose drug release for 28 days. When release behavior was compared between water-insoluble films of different thickness, thicker film showed less initial burst and more sustained release. Dexamethasone release behavior varies according to drug solubility and membrane thickness, and may thus be conrolled

  15. Targeting Dexamethasone to Macrophages in a Porcine Endotoxemic Model

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Granfeldt, Asger; Hvas, Christine Lodberg; Graversen, Jonas Heilskov

    2013-01-01

    -8 minutes. CONCLUSION: Targeted delivery of dexamethasone to macrophages using a humanized CD163 antibody as carrier exhibits anti-inflammatory effects comparable with 50 times higher concentrations of free dexamethasone and does not inhibit endogenous cortisol production. This antibody-drug complex showing......OBJECTIVES: Macrophages are important cells in immunity and the main producers of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The main objective was to evaluate if specific delivery of glucocorticoid to the macrophage receptor CD163 is superior to systemic glucocorticoid therapy in dampening the cytokine response...

  16. Dexamethasone palmitate ameliorates macrophages-rich graft-versus-host disease by inhibiting macrophage functions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishiwaki, Satoshi; Nakayama, Takayuki; Murata, Makoto; Nishida, Tetsuya; Terakura, Seitaro; Saito, Shigeki; Kato, Tomonori; Mizuno, Hiroki; Imahashi, Nobuhiko; Seto, Aika; Ozawa, Yukiyasu; Miyamura, Koichi; Ito, Masafumi; Takeshita, Kyosuke; Kato, Hidefumi; Toyokuni, Shinya; Nagao, Keisuke; Ueda, Ryuzo; Naoe, Tomoki

    2014-01-01

    Macrophage infiltration of skin GVHD lesions correlates directly with disease severity, but the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear and GVHD with many macrophages is a therapeutic challenge. Here, we characterize the macrophages involved in GVHD and report that dexamethasone palmitate (DP), a liposteroid, can ameliorate such GVHD by inhibiting macrophage functions. We found that host-derived macrophages could exacerbate GVHD in a mouse model through expression of higher levels of pro-inflammatory TNF-α and IFN-γ, and lower levels of anti-inflammatory IL-10 than resident macrophages in mice without GVHD. DP significantly decreased the viability and migration capacity of primary mouse macrophages compared to conventional dexamethasone in vitro. DP treatment on day 7 and day 14 decreased macrophage number, and attenuated GVHD score and subsequent mortality in a murine model. This is the first study to provide evidence that therapy for GVHD should be changed on the basis of infiltrating cell type.

  17. Patent ductus arteriosus: are current neonatal treatment options better or worse than no treatment at all?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clyman, Ronald I.; Couto, Jim; Murphy, Gail M.

    2012-01-01

    Although a moderate-size PDA needs to be closed by the time a child is 1–2 years old, there is great uncertainty about whether it needs to be closed during the neonatal period. While 95% of neonatologists believe that a moderate-size PDA should be closed if it persists in infants (born before 28 weeks) who still require mechanical ventilation, the number that treat a PDA when it occurs in infants that do not require mechanical ventilation varies widely. Both the high likelihood of spontaneous ductus closure and the absence of RCTs, specifically addressing the risks and benefits of neonatal ductus closure, adds to the current uncertainty. New information suggests that early pharmacologic treatment has several important short-term benefits for the preterm newborn. On the other hand, ductus ligation, while eliminating the detrimental effects of a PDA on lung development, may create its own set of morbidities that counteract many of the benefits derived from ductus closure. PMID:22414883

  18. Effect of neonatal capsaicin treatment on neural activity in the medullary dorsal horn of neonatal rats evoked by electrical stimulation to the trigeminal afferents: an optical, electrophysiological, and quantitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takuma, S

    2001-07-06

    To elucidate which glutamate receptors, NMDA or non-NMDA, have the main role in synaptic transmission via unmyelinated afferents in the trigeminal subnucleus caudalis (the medullary dorsal horn), and to examine the early functional effects of neonatal capsaicin treatment to the subnucleus caudalis, optical recording, field potential recording, and quantitative study using electron micrographs were employed. A medulla oblongata isolated from a rat 5--7 days old was sectioned horizontally 400-microm thick or parasagittally and stained with a voltage-sensitive dye, RH482 or RH795. Single-pulse stimulation with high intensity to the trigeminal afferents evoked optical responses mainly in the subnucleus caudalis. The optical signals were composed of two phases, a fast component followed by a long-lasting component. The spatiotemporal properties of the optical signals were well correlated to those of the field potentials recorded simultaneously. The fast component was eliminated by 6-cyano-7-nitro-quinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX; 10 microM), while the long-lasting component was not. The latter increased in amplitude under a condition of low Mg(2+) but was significantly reduced by DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (AP5; 30 microM). Neonatal capsaicin treatment also reduced the long-lasting component markedly. In addition, the decreases in the ratio of unmyelinated axons to myelinated axons and in the ratio of unmyelinated axons to Schwann cell subunits of trigeminal nerve roots both showed significant differences (P<0.05, Student's t-test) between the control group and the neonatal capsaicin treatment group. This line of evidence indirectly suggests that synaptic transmission via unmyelinated afferents in the subnucleus caudalis is mediated substantially by NMDA glutamate receptors and documented that neonatal capsaicin treatment induced a functional alteration of the neural transmission in the subnucleus caudalis as well as a morphological alteration of primary afferents

  19. Neonatal hypocalcemia, neonatal seizures, and intellectual disability in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheung, Evelyn Ning Man; George, Susan R.; Andrade, Danielle M.; Chow, Eva W. C.; Silversides, Candice K.; Bassett, Anne S.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose Hypocalcemia is a common endocrinological condition in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Neonatal hypocalcemia may affect neurodevelopment. We hypothesized that neonatal hypocalcemia would be associated with rare, more severe forms of intellectual disability in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Methods We used a logistic regression model to investigate potential predictors of intellectual disability severity, including neonatal hypocalcemia, neonatal seizures, and complex congenital heart disease, e.g., interrupted aortic arch, in 149 adults with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Ten subjects had moderate-to-severe intellectual disability. Results The model was highly significant (P < 0.0001), showing neonatal seizures (P = 0.0018) and neonatal hypocalcemia (P = 0.047) to be significant predictors of a more severe level of intellectual disability. Neonatal seizures were significantly associated with neonatal hypocalcemia in the entire sample (P < 0.0001), regardless of intellectual level. There was no evidence for the association of moderate- to-severe intellectual disability with other factors such as major structural brain malformations in this sample. Conclusion The results suggest that neonatal seizures may increase the risk for more severe intellectual deficits in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, likely mediated by neonatal hypocalcemia. Neonatal hypocalcemia often remains unrecognized until the postseizure period, when damage to neurons may already have occurred. These findings support the importance of early recognition and treatment of neonatal hypocalcemia and potentially neonatal screening for 22q11.2 deletions. PMID:23765047

  20. Prenatal Dexamethasone and Postnatal High-Fat Diet Decrease Interferon Gamma Production through an Age-Dependent Histone Modification in Male Sprague-Dawley Rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Hong-Ren; Tain, You-Lin; Sheen, Jiunn-Ming; Tiao, Mao-Meng; Chen, Chih-Cheng; Kuo, Ho-Chang; Hung, Pi-Lien; Hsieh, Kai-Sheng; Huang, Li-Tung

    2016-01-01

    Overexposure to prenatal glucocorticoid (GC) disturbs hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis-associated neuroendocrine metabolism and susceptibility to metabolic syndrome. A high-fat (HF) diet is a major environmental factor that can cause metabolic syndrome. We aimed to investigate whether prenatal GC plus a postnatal HF diet could alter immune programming in rat offspring. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were given intraperitoneal injections of dexamethasone or saline at 14–21 days of gestation. Male offspring were then divided into four groups: vehicle, prenatal dexamethasone exposure, postnatal HF diet (VHF), and prenatal dexamethasone exposure plus a postnatal HF diet (DHF). The rats were sacrificed and adaptive immune function was evaluated. Compared to the vehicle, the DHF group had lower interferon gamma (IFN-γ) production by splenocytes at postnatal day 120. Decreases in H3K9 acetylation and H3K36me3 levels at the IFN-γ promoter correlated with decreased IFN-γ production. The impaired IFN-γ production and aberrant site-specific histone modification at the IFN-γ promoter by prenatal dexamethasone treatment plus a postnatal HF diet resulted in resilience at postnatal day 180. Prenatal dexamethasone and a postnatal HF diet decreased IFN-γ production through a site-specific and an age-dependent histone modification. These findings suggest a mechanism by which prenatal exposure to GC and a postnatal environment exert effects on fetal immunity programming. PMID:27669212

  1. Prenatal Dexamethasone and Postnatal High-Fat Diet Decrease Interferon Gamma Production through an Age-Dependent Histone Modification in Male Sprague-Dawley Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hong-Ren Yu

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Overexposure to prenatal glucocorticoid (GC disturbs hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis-associated neuroendocrine metabolism and susceptibility to metabolic syndrome. A high-fat (HF diet is a major environmental factor that can cause metabolic syndrome. We aimed to investigate whether prenatal GC plus a postnatal HF diet could alter immune programming in rat offspring. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were given intraperitoneal injections of dexamethasone or saline at 14–21 days of gestation. Male offspring were then divided into four groups: vehicle, prenatal dexamethasone exposure, postnatal HF diet (VHF, and prenatal dexamethasone exposure plus a postnatal HF diet (DHF. The rats were sacrificed and adaptive immune function was evaluated. Compared to the vehicle, the DHF group had lower interferon gamma (IFN-γ production by splenocytes at postnatal day 120. Decreases in H3K9 acetylation and H3K36me3 levels at the IFN-γ promoter correlated with decreased IFN-γ production. The impaired IFN-γ production and aberrant site-specific histone modification at the IFN-γ promoter by prenatal dexamethasone treatment plus a postnatal HF diet resulted in resilience at postnatal day 180. Prenatal dexamethasone and a postnatal HF diet decreased IFN-γ production through a site-specific and an age-dependent histone modification. These findings suggest a mechanism by which prenatal exposure to GC and a postnatal environment exert effects on fetal immunity programming.

  2. Role of dexamethasone in brachial plexus block

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dawood, M.

    2015-01-01

    To evaluate the effect of dexamethasone added to (lignocaine) on the onset and duration of axillary brachial plexus block. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from September 2009 to March 2010. Patients and Methods: A total of 100 patients, who were scheduled for elective hand and forearm surgery under axillary brachial plexus block, were randomly allocated to group A in which patients received 40 ml 1.5% lidocaine with 2 ml of isotonic saline (0.9%) and group B in which patients received 40 ml 1.5% lidocaine with 2 ml of dexamethasone (8 mg). Nerve stimulator with insulated needle for multiple stimulations technique was used to locate the brachial plexus nerves. After the injection onset of action and duration of sensory blockade of brachial plexus were recorded at 5 minutes and 15 minutes interval. Results: Group A showed the onset of action of 21.64 ± 2.30 min and in group B it was 15.42 ± 1.44 min (p< 0.001). Duration of nerve block was 115.08 ± 10.92 min in group A and 265.42 ± 16.56 min in group B (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The addition of dexamethasone to 1.5% lignocaine solution in axillary brachial plexus block prolongs the duration of sensory blockade significantly. (author)

  3. Right paratesticular abscess mimicking neonatal testicular torsion ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    U.O. Ezomike

    Abstract. The clinical presentation of neonatal paratesticular abscess may closely resemble that of, neonatal testicular torsion and the use of scrotal ultrasonography to differentiate the two has low, sensitivity. We propose early operative treatment of suspected neonatal testicular torsion to salvage, the testicle in cases of ...

  4. Dexamethasone up-regulates skeletal muscle maximal Na+,K+ pump activity by muscle group specific mechanisms in humans

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nordsborg, Nikolai; Goodmann, Craig; McKenna, Michael J.

    2005-01-01

    Dexamethasone, a widely clinically used glucocorticoid, increases human skeletal muscle Na+,K+ pump content, but the effects on maximal Na+,K+ pump activity and subunit specific mRNA are unknown. Ten healthy male subjects ingested dexamethasone for 5 days and the effects on Na+,K+ pump content......, maximal activity and subunit specific mRNA level (a1, a2, ß1, ß2, ß3) in deltoid and vastus lateralis muscle were investigated. Before treatment, maximal Na+,K+ pump activity, as well as a1, a2, ß1 and ß2 mRNA levels were higher (P ... increased Na+,K+ pump maximal activity in vastus lateralis and deltoid by 14 ± 7% (P Na+,K+ pump content by 18 ± 9% (P

  5. Low-Dose Dexamethasone Therapy from Infancy of Virilizing Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephenson Kerry

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To assess the growth and control of adrenal androgen secretion in children with virilizing congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH treated with dexamethasone. Method. We examined doses used, control of adrenal androgen secretion, and growth and skeletal maturation of 8 children with CAH treated with dexamethasone beginning in infancy. Results. 3 boys and 5 girls with classical CAH (17-hydroxyprogesterone at diagnosis >20,000 ng/dL were treated with dexamethasone beginning at diagnosis ( ; all doses were given in the morning using a dosing syringe to administer a 0.1 mg/mL elixir. The children were treated for years over which time the change in bone age to chronological age ratio (BA/CA was . Most recent height Z' scores were , and body mass index (BMI scores were . Late afternoon levels of 17-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione, and testosterone were  ng/dL ( nmol/L,  ng/dL ( nmol/L, and  ng/dL; ( nmol/L, respectively. Conclusions. These observations show that low doses of dexamethasone can be used to effectively treat CAH beginning in infancy.

  6. Dexamethasone intravitreal implant in previously treated patients with diabetic macular edema : Subgroup analysis of the MEAD study

    OpenAIRE

    Augustin, A.J.; Kuppermann, B.D.; Lanzetta, P.; Loewenstein, A.; Li, X.; Cui, H.; Hashad, Y.; Whitcup, S.M.; Abujamra, S.; Acton, J.; Ali, F.; Antoszyk, A.; Awh, C.C.; Barak, A.; Bartz-Schmidt, K.U.

    2015-01-01

    Background Dexamethasone intravitreal implant 0.7?mg (DEX 0.7) was approved for treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME) after demonstration of its efficacy and safety in the MEAD registration trials. We performed subgroup analysis of MEAD study results to evaluate the efficacy and safety of DEX 0.7 treatment in patients with previously treated DME. Methods Three-year, randomized, sham-controlled phase 3 study in patients with DME, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 34?68 Early Treatment...

  7. Removal of dexamethasone from aqueous solution and hospital wastewater by electrocoagulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arsand, Daniel R.; Kümmerer, Klaus; Martins, Ayrton F.

    2013-01-01

    This study is concerned with the removal of the anti-inflammatory dexamethasone from aqueous solution and hospital wastewater by electrocoagulation. The variation of the toxicity during the electrocoagulation was also studied through experiments that were designed and optimized by means of response surface methodology. The coagulation efficiency was evaluated by measuring the dexamethasone concentration by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to a diode array detector. In addition, variation was evaluated through a Vibrio fischeri test. The results showed an increase in the removal of dexamethasone (up to 38.1%) with a rise of the current applied and a decrease of the inter-electrode distance, in aqueous solutions. The application to hospital effluent showed similar results for the removal of dexamethasone. The main effect of the electrocoagulation was that it removed colloids and reduced the organic load of the hospital wastewater. Regarding the current applied, the calculated energy efficiency was 100%. Without pH adjustment of the aqueous solution or hospital wastewater, the residual aluminum concentration always remained lower than 10 mg L −1 , and, with adjustment (to pH 6.5), lower than 0.30 mg L −1 , at the final stage. No toxicity variation was observed during the electrocoagulation process in aqueous solution, either in the presence or absence of dexamethasone. - Highlights: ► Removal of DEX and organic load from aqueous solution and hospital wastewater by EC ► Evaluation of the toxicity during the removal of DEX by EC ► Suggestion of the EC process as a pretreatment for subsequent processes

  8. Removal of dexamethasone from aqueous solution and hospital wastewater by electrocoagulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arsand, Daniel R., E-mail: danielarsand@pelotas.ifsul.edu.br [Chemistry Department, Federal University of Santa Maria, RS (Brazil); Kümmerer, Klaus, E-mail: klaus.kuemmerer@leuphana.de [Institute for Environmental Chemistry, Leuphana University Lüneburg (Germany); Martins, Ayrton F., E-mail: martins@quimica.ufsm.br [Chemistry Department, Federal University of Santa Maria, RS (Brazil)

    2013-01-15

    This study is concerned with the removal of the anti-inflammatory dexamethasone from aqueous solution and hospital wastewater by electrocoagulation. The variation of the toxicity during the electrocoagulation was also studied through experiments that were designed and optimized by means of response surface methodology. The coagulation efficiency was evaluated by measuring the dexamethasone concentration by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to a diode array detector. In addition, variation was evaluated through a Vibrio fischeri test. The results showed an increase in the removal of dexamethasone (up to 38.1%) with a rise of the current applied and a decrease of the inter-electrode distance, in aqueous solutions. The application to hospital effluent showed similar results for the removal of dexamethasone. The main effect of the electrocoagulation was that it removed colloids and reduced the organic load of the hospital wastewater. Regarding the current applied, the calculated energy efficiency was 100%. Without pH adjustment of the aqueous solution or hospital wastewater, the residual aluminum concentration always remained lower than 10 mg L{sup −1}, and, with adjustment (to pH 6.5), lower than 0.30 mg L{sup −1}, at the final stage. No toxicity variation was observed during the electrocoagulation process in aqueous solution, either in the presence or absence of dexamethasone. - Highlights: ► Removal of DEX and organic load from aqueous solution and hospital wastewater by EC ► Evaluation of the toxicity during the removal of DEX by EC ► Suggestion of the EC process as a pretreatment for subsequent processes.

  9. Dexamethasone and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose prevent postoperative intraperitoneal adhesions in rats

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    X.H. Du

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available We aimed to evaluate the effects of the barrier agent sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (SCMC with and without dexamethasone for the prevention of postoperative adhesion formation in a rat model of postoperative peritoneal adhesion. A total of 160 three-month old male and female Wistar rats underwent a laparotomy, and adhesions were induced by ileocecal abrasion. Rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups (n=40 each: group A, untreated; group B, treated with SCMC only; group C1, treated with SCMC + 3 mg dexamethasone, and group C2, treated with SCMC + 8 mg dexamethasone. After 12 days, adhesion formation and histopathological changes were compared. In groups A, B, C1, and C2, the mortality rates were 10, 5, 5, and 5%, respectively. In groups C1 and C2, the adhesions were filmy and easy to dissect and were milder compared with those in groups A and B. The total adhesion score in group C1 (3.38±0.49 was significantly lower than that of group B (6.01±0.57; P<0.01 or group A (8.01±0.67; P<0.05. There was no significant difference in adhesion formation between groups C1 and C2. Compared with groups A and B, groups C1 and C2 exhibited milder histopathological changes. SCMC in combination with dexamethasone can prevent adhesion formation and is a better barrier agent than SCMC alone. The safety and feasibility of SCMC in combination with dexamethasone to prevent adhesion formation after abdominal surgery warrants further clinical study.

  10. Histopatologi Usus Halus Tikus Putih Jantan yang Diberikan Deksametason dan Vitamin E (HISTOPATHOLOGY SMALL INSTESTINE OF MALE WHITE RATS THAT WERE DEXAMETHASONE AND VITAMINE E SUPLEMENTED

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    Kadek Karina Dewi Wijayanthi

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Deksametason telah diketahui sebagai obat kortikosteroid sintetik yang banyak digunakan oleh masyarakat. Jika deksametason digunakan dalam jangka waktu panjang dan pemakaian dosis besar, menyebabkan stres oksidatif pada sel akibat akumulasi radikal bebas yang menyebabkan kematian sel pada jaringan organ tubuh. Vitamin E diketahui memiliki peran yang baik sebagai antioksidan. Saat ini belum diketahui efek samping pemberian deksametason dan vitamin E terhadap kerusakan usus halus tikus putih (Rattus norvegicus. Penelitian ini menggunakan sampel 25 ekor tikus putih jantan, dibagi dalam 5 kelompok perlakuan, yaitu kontrol negatif (P0, kontrol positif (P1 diberikan deksametason Harsen  0.13 mg/kg, dan perlakuan diberikan deksametason Harsen 0.13 mg/kg dengan variasi vitamin E (Natur-E bertingkat yaitu P2 (100 mg/kg, P3 (150 mg/kg, dan P4 (200 mg/kg. Setelah perlakuan diberikan selama 2 minggu, tikus dinekropsi dan usus halus diambil untuk selanjutnya dibuat sediaan histopatologi dengan pewarnaan hematoksilin-eosin (HE. Hasil menunjukkan perlakuan P1 terlihat nekrosis berat (kaseosa pada usus halus, sedangkan seluruh perlakuan P2, P3, dan P4 berpengaruh terhadap perbaikan kerusakan akibat efek samping deksametason. Perlakuan 4 (P4 sebagai hasil paling baik dalam mengurangi efek samping deksametason.   Dexamethasone it’s in period a synthetic corticosteroid drug that widely used by the public. If  it used for long time and the use of large doses, causing oxidative stress in cells due to the accumulation of free radicals which may cause cell death in the body organs tissues. Vitamin E was known to have a good role as an antioxidant effect. Currently, unknown effects of dexamethasone and vitamin E administration on damage of the small intestine of rat (Rattus norvegicus. This study used an experimental design. Samples 25 male rats were divided into 5 groups, namely the negative control or no treatment (P0, positive control (P1 was given

  11. Cost Analysis of Treating Neonatal Hypoglycemia with Dextrose Gel.

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    Glasgow, Matthew J; Harding, Jane E; Edlin, Richard

    2018-04-03

    To evaluate the costs of using dextrose gel as a primary treatment for neonatal hypoglycemia in the first 48 hours after birth compared with standard care. We used a decision tree to model overall costs, including those specific to hypoglycemia monitoring and treatment and those related to the infant's length of stay in the postnatal ward or neonatal intensive care unit, comparing the use of dextrose gel for treatment of neonatal hypoglycemia with placebo, using data from the Sugar Babies randomized trial. Sensitivity analyses assessed the impact of dextrose gel cost, neonatal intensive care cost, cesarean delivery rate, and costs of glucose monitoring. In the primary analysis, treating neonatal hypoglycemia using dextrose gel had an overall cost of NZ$6863.81 and standard care (placebo) cost NZ$8178.25; a saving of NZ$1314.44 per infant treated. Sensitivity analyses showed that dextrose gel remained cost saving with wide variations in dextrose gel costs, neonatal intensive care unit costs, cesarean delivery rates, and costs of monitoring. Use of buccal dextrose gel reduces hospital costs for management of neonatal hypoglycemia. Because it is also noninvasive, well tolerated, safe, and associated with improved breastfeeding, buccal dextrose gel should be routinely used for initial treatment of neonatal hypoglycemia. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12608000623392. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Daratumumab, Lenalidomide, and Dexamethasone for Multiple Myeloma.

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    Dimopoulos, Meletios A; Oriol, Albert; Nahi, Hareth; San-Miguel, Jesus; Bahlis, Nizar J; Usmani, Saad Z; Rabin, Neil; Orlowski, Robert Z; Komarnicki, Mieczyslaw; Suzuki, Kenshi; Plesner, Torben; Yoon, Sung-Soo; Ben Yehuda, Dina; Richardson, Paul G; Goldschmidt, Hartmut; Reece, Donna; Lisby, Steen; Khokhar, Nushmia Z; O'Rourke, Lisa; Chiu, Christopher; Qin, Xiang; Guckert, Mary; Ahmadi, Tahamtan; Moreau, Philippe

    2016-10-06

    Daratumumab showed promising efficacy alone and with lenalidomide and dexamethasone in a phase 1-2 study involving patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. In this phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned 569 patients with multiple myeloma who had received one or more previous lines of therapy to receive lenalidomide and dexamethasone either alone (control group) or in combination with daratumumab (daratumumab group). The primary end point was progression-free survival. At a median follow-up of 13.5 months in a protocol-specified interim analysis, 169 events of disease progression or death were observed (in 53 of 286 patients [18.5%] in the daratumumab group vs. 116 of 283 [41.0%] in the control group; hazard ratio, 0.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.27 to 0.52; P<0.001 by stratified log-rank test). The Kaplan-Meier rate of progression-free survival at 12 months was 83.2% (95% CI, 78.3 to 87.2) in the daratumumab group, as compared with 60.1% (95% CI, 54.0 to 65.7) in the control group. A significantly higher rate of overall response was observed in the daratumumab group than in the control group (92.9% vs. 76.4%, P<0.001), as was a higher rate of complete response or better (43.1% vs. 19.2%, P<0.001). In the daratumumab group, 22.4% of the patients had results below the threshold for minimal residual disease (1 tumor cell per 10 5 white cells), as compared with 4.6% of those in the control group (P<0.001); results below the threshold for minimal residual disease were associated with improved outcomes. The most common adverse events of grade 3 or 4 during treatment were neutropenia (in 51.9% of the patients in the daratumumab group vs. 37.0% of those in the control group), thrombocytopenia (in 12.7% vs. 13.5%), and anemia (in 12.4% vs. 19.6%). Daratumumab-associated infusion-related reactions occurred in 47.7% of the patients and were mostly of grade 1 or 2. The addition of daratumumab to lenalidomide and dexamethasone significantly lengthened

  13. Experimental Bothrops atrox envenomation: Efficacy of antivenom therapy and the combination of Bothrops antivenom with dexamethasone.

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    Gabriella Neves Leal Santos Barreto

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Bothrops atrox snakes are the leading cause of snake bites in Northern Brazil. The venom of this snake is not included in the antigen pool used to obtain the Bothrops antivenom. There are discrepancies in reports on the effectiveness of this antivenom to treat victims bitten by B. atrox snakes. However, these studies were performed using a pre-incubation of the venom with the antivenom and, thus, did not simulate a true case of envenomation treatment. In addition, the local lesions induced by Bothrops venoms are not well resolved by antivenom therapy. Here, we investigated the efficacy of the Bothrops antivenom in treating the signs and symptoms caused by B. atrox venom in mice and evaluated whether the combination of dexamethasone and antivenom therapy enhanced the healing of local lesions induced by this envenomation. In animals that were administered the antivenom 10 minutes after the envenomation, we observed an important reduction of edema, dermonecrosis, and myonecrosis. When the antivenom was given 45 minutes after the envenomation, the edema and myonecrosis were reduced, and the fibrinogen levels and platelet counts were restored. The groups treated with the combination of antivenom and dexamethasone had an enhanced decrease in edema and a faster recovery of the damaged skeletal muscle. Our results show that Bothrops antivenom effectively treats the envenomation caused by Bothrops atrox and that the use of dexamethasone as an adjunct to the antivenom therapy could be useful to improve the treatment of local symptoms observed in envenomation caused by Bothrops snakes.

  14. Cost-effectiveness of carfilzomib plus dexamethasone compared with bortezomib plus dexamethasone for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jakubowiak, Andrzej J; Houisse, Ivan; Májer, István; Benedict, Ágnes; Campioni, Marco; Panjabi, Sumeet; Ailawadhi, Sikander

    2017-12-01

    We assessed the economic value of carfilzomib 56 mg/m 2 and dexamethasone (Kd56) vs. bortezomib and dexamethasone (Vd) for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (R/RMM) using ENDEAVOR trial results. Cost-effectiveness of Kd56 vs. Vd was assessed using a partitioned survival model by estimating progression-free survival, overall survival, and direct costs over a lifetime horizon. Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) survival data were extrapolated after matching registry and ENDEAVOR patients. Utilities were sourced from the literature and mapped from patient-reported quality of life in ENDEAVOR to estimate quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) from life-years (LYs). The model predicted an average gain of 1.66 LYs and 1.50 QALYs with Kd56 vs. Vd, and lifetime additional costs of $182,699, resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $121,828/QALY gained. The ICER was $114,793/QALY in patients with 1 prior treatment; $99,263/QALY in those not transplanted, and discount in bortezomib price. Kd56 is cost-effective for patients with R/RMM at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $150,000/QALY. Trial data in the model may limit generalizability; however, SEER registry data mitigates this challenge. Kd56 provides additional value in key subgroups, and remains cost-effective after steep comparator discounts.

  15. Effect of high-dose dexamethasone on the outcome of acute encephalitis due to Japanese encephalitis virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoke, C H; Vaughn, D W; Nisalak, A; Intralawan, P; Poolsuppasit, S; Jongsawas, V; Titsyakorn, U; Johnson, R T

    1992-04-01

    Death due to Japanese encephalitis usually occurs in the first 5 days of hospitalization as a result of deepening coma with respiratory arrest. Death may result from edema-induced increases in intracranial pressure that might be reduced by the administration of steroids. Sixty-five patients presenting in Thailand to four hospitals with a diagnosis of acute Japanese encephalitis were randomized in a double-masked fashion and stratified by initial mental status into a placebo group (saline) or a treatment group (dexamethasone 0.6 mg/kg intravenously as a loading dose followed by 0.2 mg/kg every 6 h for 5 days). Fifty-five of the 65 had confirmed Japanese encephalitis as demonstrated by detection of virus or by Japanese encephalitis virus-specific IgM antibody. Important outcome measures included mortality (24%, treatment group; 27%, control group), days to alert mental status (3.9 vs. 6.2), and neurologic status 3 months after discharge (45% abnormal in each group). No statistically significant benefit of high-dose dexamethasone could be detected.

  16. Neonatal hydrocortisone treatment related to 1H-MRS of the hippocampus and short-term memory at school age in preterm born children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rademaker, Karin J; Rijpert, Maarten; Uiterwaal, Cuno S P M; Lieftink, Arno F; van Bel, Frank; Grobbee, Diederick E; de Vries, Linda S; Groenendaal, Floris

    2006-02-01

    Animal studies have shown that corticosteroids (dexamethasone) cause neuronal loss in the hippocampus and deficits in short term memory. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy can measure brain metabolites in vivo and give an indication of neuronal integrity. We investigated whether prolonged administration of hydrocortisone during the neonatal period for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm born children changes the metabolism in the hippocampus, measured at school age. Secondly, we investigated whether hippocampal metabolism and short-term memory and neurodevelopmental outcome are related. In this observational study 37 preterm born children (children were treated with hydrocortisone for BPD (starting dose 5 mg/kg/d tapered over a minimum period of 22 d, median duration 28 d) and 19 never received corticosteroids during the perinatal period. N-acetyl aspartate/ Choline + Creatine/phosphocreatine (NAA/(Cho + Cr)) ratios were determined. A 15-word recall memory test and an IQ measurement were obtained on the same day. Hydrocortisone treated children were younger, lighter and sicker than their nonsteroid treated counterparts. Mean NAA/(Cho + Cr) ratios in the hippocampus were not significantly different in the hydrocortisone group compared with the non-steroid group. Performance on the 15-word memory test and IQ were similar in the two groups. There was no relation between NAA/(Cho + Cr) ratios and memory nor between NAA/(Cho + Cr) ratios and IQ. We conclude that hydrocortisone in the mentioned dose, administered in the neonatal period for BPD, does not appear to have any long-term effects on memory and/or hippocampal metabolism.

  17. Rats Born to Mothers Treated with Dexamethasone 15 cH Present Changes in Modulation of Inflammatory Process

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    Leoni V. Bonamin

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available As little information about the effect of ultra high dilutions of glucocorticoid in reproduction is available in the literature, pregnant female Wistar rats (N=12 were blindly subcutaneously treated during all gestational and lactation period with: dexamethasone 4 mg/kg diluted into dexamethasone 15 cH (mixed; or dexamethasone 4 mg/kg diluted in water; or dexamethasone 15 cH, or vehicle. Parental generation had body weight, food and water consumption monitored. The F1 generation was monitored regarding to newborn development. No birth occurred in both groups treated with dexamethasone 4 mg/kg. After 60 days from birth, 12 male F1 rats were randomly selected from each remaining group and inoculated subcutaneously with 1% carrageenan into the footpad, for evaluation of inflammatory performance. Edema and histopathology of the footpad were evaluated, using specific staining methods, immunohistochemistry and digital histomorphometry. Mothers treated with mixed dexamethasone presented reduced water consumption. F1 rats born to dexamethasone 15 cH treated females presented significant increase in mast cell degranulation, decrease in monocyte percentage, increase in CD18+ PMN cells, and early expression of ED2 protein, in relation to control. The results show that the exposure of parental generation to highly diluted dexamethasone interferes in inflammation modulation in the F1 generation.

  18. Ondansetron, granisetron, and dexamethasone compared for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy : A randomized placebo-controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erhan, Yamac; Erhan, Elvan; Aydede, Hasan; Yumus, Okan; Yentur, Alp

    2008-06-01

    Laparoscopic cholecystectomies are associated with an appreciably high rate of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of ondansetron, granisetron, and dexamethasone for the prevention of PONV in patients after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. A total of 80 American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical class I-II patients scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy were included in this randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study. All patients received a similar standardized anesthesia and operative treatment. Patients were randomly divided into four groups (n = 20 each). Group 1, consisting of control patients, received 0.9% NaCl; group 2 patients received ondansetron 4 mg i.v.; group 3 patients received granisetron 3 mg i.v.; and group 4 patients received dexamethasone 8 mg i.v., all before the induction of anesthesia. Both nausea and vomiting were assessed during the first 24 h after the procedure. The total incidence of PONV was 75% with placebo, 35% with ondansetron, 30% with granisetron, and 25% with dexamethasone. The incidence of PONV was significantly less frequent in groups receiving antiemetics (p granisetron, and ondansetron were not significant. Prophylactic dexamethasone 8 mg i.v. significantly reduced the incidence of PONV in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Dexamethasone 8 mg was as effective as ondansetron 4 mg and granisetron 3 mg, and it was more effective than placebo.

  19. [Clinical efficacy of flomoxef in neonatal bacterial infection].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakata, H; Hirano, Y; Maruyama, S

    1993-03-01

    One hundred and seventy one neonates were treated with flomoxef (FMOX) and the clinical efficacy and safety were evaluated. The ages of the patients ranged from 0 to 28 days, and their body weights from 450 to 4300 g. Dose levels were 12.4 to 24.9 mg/kg every 8 or 12 hours for 1 to 10 days. Fifty two patients who responded to the FMOX treatment included 5 neonates with sepsis, 17 with suspected sepsis, 9 with urinary tract infections, 12 with pneumonia, 8 with intrauterine infections, and 1 with omphalitis. The other neonates could not be retrospectively diagnosed as bacterial infections. Of 52 patients, clinical results were excellent in 15, good in 34, fair in 1, and poor in 2. And the FMOX treatment was effective in 13 out of 14 patients in which causative bacteria were identified. The drug was well tolerated, but 6 neonates out of 33 over 5 days old had diarrhea. From these results, empiric treatment with FMOX against neonatal bacterial infection was as clinically useful as that of combination with ampicillin and gentamicin or cefotaxime and ampicillin in our neonatal intensive care unit. But, as this study did not include neonate with meningitis, efficacy to meningitis was not evaluated.

  20. The efficacy and safety of the PAD regimen (bortezomib, doxorubicin, dexamethasone) in the treatment of plasma cell leukemia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kraj, M.; Poglod, R.; Szpila, T.; Warzocha, K.

    2009-01-01

    Plasma cell leukemia (PCL) represents the most aggressive variant of multiple myeloma that requires establishing new treatment approaches. Here, we report 4 patients with PCL treated with bortezomib. In 3 patients primary PCL and in one - secondary PCL was diagnosed. Two patients had previously received 2 to 4 lines of chemotherapy, including thalidomide and two patients received only VAD treatment. Bortezomib was given according to the standard schedule of 1.3 mg/m 2 days 1,4,8,11 with an interval of 10 days between the cycles. Three patients received doxorubicin 9 mg/m2 and dexamethasone 40 mg on days 1-4 of cycle in combination with bortezomib (PAD regimen). In the first patient with primary PCL (with bone marrow plasma cell ratio - 80%, absolute peripheral blood plasma cell count- 3.7 x 10 9 /L cells, IgGλ serum monoclonal protein 8.5 g/dL and osteolysis) bortezomib was administered twice as an induction therapy and was re-administered in relapse. A near complete remission (disappearance of circulating and bone marrow plasma cells, disappearance of M-component at electrophoresis but positive immunofixation) was achieved subsequently to induction PAD treatment. In this patient herpes zoster and neurological grade 2 toxicity was observed. Following cyclophosphamide 4.9 g and G-CSF, peripheral blood stem cells were successfully (8.0 x 10 6 CD34 + cells/kg) harvested. After melphalan 200 mg/m 2 peripheral blood autologous stem cell transplantation (PBASCT) was performed. The time to neutrophil > 0.5 x 10 9 /L engraftment was 20 days and the time to platelet count > 20 x 10 9 /L was 17 days. PBASCT led to complete remission which lasted 7 months. Partial remission was achieved subsequently to PCL relapse retreatment with PAD which was accompanied by hematological toxicity, infections and aggravation of peripheral sensory neuropathy. The patient died of progressive disease 27 months from PCL diagnosis and 8 months from its recurrence. In the second case of primary

  1. Dexamethasone-induced recrudescence of malignant catarrhal fever and associated lymphosarcoma and granulomatous disease in a Formosan sika deer (Cervus nippon taiouanus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heuschele, W P; Nielsen, N O; Oosterhuis, J E; Castro, A E

    1985-07-01

    Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) was diagnosed in a 2-week-old Formosan sika deer. The fawn had been previously exposed to a clinically normal neonatal wildebeest calf from which alcelaphine herpesvirus-1 was isolated. Alcelaphine herpesvirus-1 was isolated from buffy coat leukocytes and nasal and ocular secretions of the fawn during the acute illness. The fawn clinically recovered after 3 weeks. Virus was not recovered from blood at this time. Dexamethasone, given 4 months after clinical recovery, resulted in reisolation of MCF virus from blood and recrudescence of clinical MCF. The deer was euthanatized. At necropsy, pathognomonic lesions of MCF, granulomatous disease, and malignant lymphoma were observed. Antibodies to bovine leukosis viral antigens were not detected in the serum. The epidemiologic and pathogenetic importance of the findings are discussed.

  2. Dexamethasone-(C21-phosphoramide)-[anti-EGFR]: molecular design, synthetic organic chemistry reactions, and antineoplastic cytotoxic potency against pulmonary adenocarcinoma (A549).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coyne, Cody P; Narayanan, Lakshmi

    2016-01-01

    Corticosteroids are effective in the management of a variety of disease states, such as several forms of neoplasia (leukemia and lymphoma), autoimmune conditions, and severe inflammatory responses. Molecular strategies that selectively "target" delivery of corticosteroids minimize or prevents large amounts of the pharmaceutical moiety from passively diffusing into normal healthy cell populations residing within tissues and organ systems. The covalent immunopharmaceutical, dexamethasone-(C21-phosphoramide)-[anti-EGFR] was synthesized by reacting dexamethasone-21-monophosphate with a carbodiimide reagent to form a dexamethasone phosphate carbodiimide ester that was subsequently reacted with imidazole to create an amine-reactive dexamethasone-(C21-phosphorylimidazolide) intermediate. Monoclonal anti-EGFR immunoglobulin was combined with the amine-reactive dexamethasone-(C21-phosphorylimidazolide) intermediate, resulting in the synthesis of the covalent immunopharmaceutical, dexamethasone-(C21-phosphoramide)-[anti-EGFR]. Following spectrophotometric analysis and validation of retained epidermal growth factor receptor type 1 (EGFR)-binding avidity by cell-ELISA, the selective anti-neoplasic cytotoxic potency of dexamethasone-(C21-phosphoramide)-[anti-EGFR] was established by MTT-based vitality stain methodology using adherent monolayer populations of human pulmonary adenocarcinoma (A549) known to overexpress the tropic membrane receptors EGFR and insulin-like growth factor receptor type 1. The dexamethasone:IgG molar-incorporation-index for dexamethasone-(C21-phosphoramide)-[anti-EGFR] was 6.95:1 following exhaustive serial microfiltration. Cytotoxicity analysis: covalent bonding of dexamethasone to monoclonal anti-EGFR immunoglobulin did not significantly modify the ex vivo antineoplastic cytotoxicity of dexamethasone against pulmonary adenocarcinoma at and between the standardized dexamethasone equivalent concentrations of 10(-9) M and 10(-5) M. Rapid increases in

  3. Approach to neonatal sepsis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shankar Narayan

    2015-01-01

    The treatment includes supportive care along with administration of appropriate antibiotics. Adjuvant treatment includes IVIG, GCSF, exchange transfusion and pentoxifylline administration. This paper aims to present an algorithmic approach to neonatal sepsis to expedite the diagnosis along with providing appropriate and adequate treatment.

  4. Transdermal delivery of gentamicin using dissolving microneedle arrays for potential treatment of neonatal sepsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-Vázquez, Patricia; Larrañeta, Eneko; McCrudden, Maelíosa T C; Jarrahian, Courtney; Rein-Weston, Annie; Quintanar-Solares, Manjari; Zehrung, Darin; McCarthy, Helen; Courtenay, Aaron J; Donnelly, Ryan F

    2017-11-10

    Neonatal infections are a leading cause of childhood mortality in low-resource settings. World Health Organization guidelines for outpatient treatment of possible serious bacterial infection (PSBI) in neonates and young infants when referral for hospital treatment is not feasible include intramuscular gentamicin (GEN) and oral amoxicillin. GEN is supplied as an aqueous solution of gentamicin sulphate in vials or ampoules and requires health care workers to be trained in dose calculation or selection of an appropriate dose based on the patient's weight band and to have access to safe injection supplies and appropriate sharps disposal. A simplified formulation, packaging, and delivery method to treat PSBI in low-resource settings could decrease user error and expand access to lifesaving outpatient antibiotic treatment for infants with severe infection during the neonatal period. We developed dissolving polymeric microneedles (MN) arrays to deliver GEN transdermally. MN arrays were produced from aqueous blends containing 30% (w/w) of GEN and two polymers approved by the US Food and Drug Administration: sodium hyaluronate and poly(vinylpyrrolidone). The arrays (19×19 needles and 500μm height) were mechanically strong and were able to penetrate a skin simulant to a depth of 378μm. The MN arrays were tested in vitro using a Franz Cell setup delivering approximately 4.45mg of GEN over 6h. Finally, three different doses (low, medium, and high) of GEN delivered by MN arrays were tested in an animal model. Maximum plasma levels of GEN were dose-dependent and ranged between 2 and 5μg/mL. The time required to reach these levels post-MN array application ranged between 1 and 6h. This work demonstrated the potential of dissolving MN arrays to deliver GEN transdermally at therapeutic levels in vivo. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Anterior migration of dexamethasone implant in a pseudophakic patient with intact posterior capsule

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nilufer Kocak

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Intravitreal application of Ozurdex ® (Allergan, Inc., Irvine, CA, USA which is a biodegradable, sustained-release dexamethasone implant has been reported to be effective in the treatment of macular edema. Migration of such implant into the anterior chamber has been recently described in cases without perfect zonular or the posterior capsular integrity. Herein, we report the first case with anterior migration of Ozurdex ® implant that mislocated just behind the intraocular lens (IOL in an intact capsular bag. It is thought that such implant migrated anteriorly towards into the posterior chamber through weak zonules as the present case had a medical history of uneventful phacoemulsification surgery with the implantation of posterior chamber IOL. However, the migrated implant was well tolerated since there was no sign of the corneal complication, rise in intraocular pressure, and anterior chamber reaction. Close follow-up was scheduled to find out any signs of anterior segment pathology. Meanwhile dexamethasone implant completely degraded at the 4 th month of postoperative follow-up.

  6. Successful treatment of young infants presenting neonatal diabetes mellitus with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion before genetic diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rabbone, Ivana; Barbetti, Fabrizio; Marigliano, Marco; Bonfanti, Riccardo; Piccinno, Elvira; Ortolani, Federica; Ignaccolo, Giovanna; Maffeis, Claudio; Confetto, Santino; Cerutti, Franco; Zanfardino, Angela; Iafusco, Dario

    2016-08-01

    Neonatal diabetes mellitus (NDM) is defined as hyperglycemia and impaired insulin secretion with onset within 6 months of birth. While rare, NDM presents complex challenges regarding the management of glycemic control. The availability of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion pumps (CSII) in combination with continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGM) provides an opportunity to monitor glucose levels more closely and deliver insulin more safely. We report four cases of young infants with NDM successfully treated with CSII and CGM. Moreover, in two cases with Kir 6.2 mutation, we describe the use of CSII in switching therapy from insulin to sulfonylurea treatment. Insulin pump requirement for the 4 neonatal diabetes cases was the same regardless of disease pathogenesis and c-peptide levels. No dilution of insulin was needed. The use of an integrated CGM system helped in a more precise control of BG levels with the possibility of several modifications of insulin basal rates. Moreover, as showed in the first two case-reports, when the treatment was switched from insulin to glibenclamide, according to identification of Kir 6.2 mutation and diagnosis of NPDM, the CSII therapy demonstrated to be helpful in allowing gradual insulin suspension and progressive introduction of sulfonylurea. During the neonatal period, the use of CSII therapy is safe, more physiological, accurate and easier for the insulin administration management. Furthermore, CSII therapy is safe during the switch of therapy from insulin to glibenclamide for infants with permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus.

  7. The experimental study of the effect of dexamethasone, lidocaine and contrast medium on the activity of collagenase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Zhiqun; Liu Weimin; Li Zhonghua; Yang Peng

    2007-01-01

    Objective: To study the effects of hormone, anesthetic and contrast medium on the activities of collagenase lysis. Methods: Nuclear tissues were divided into equal amount for different groups and same units of collagenase were used for the lysis. The only difference in the control group from experimental groups was that there were no dexamethasone, lidocaine or omnipaque but existing in experimental groups. Twenty four hours later, the concentrations of the hydroxyproline were determined in different groups and the data were analyzed by statistical software with computer. Results: 1. The concentrations of hydroxyproline in the dexamethasone group, lidocaine group and omnipaque group were significantly lower than that of control group, especially that of lidocaine group, P value was <0.05 or 0.01. 2. The concentrations of hydroxyproline in the dexamethasone + lidocaine group, dexamethasone + omnipaque group, lidocaine+omnipaque group and dexamethasone + lidocaine + omnipaque group were significantly lower than that of control group; and simultaneously lower in dexamethasone group, lidocaine group, omnipaque group respectively; P value was also <0.05 or 0.01. Conclusion: Dexamethasone, lidocaine and omnipaque can individually inhibit the activity of collagenase at different degrees, so they shouldn't be used together with collagenase in treating the lumber disc herniation. (authors)

  8. Piper sarmentosum is comparable to glycyrrhizic acid in reducing visceral fat deposition in adrenalectomised rats given dexamethasone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fairus, A; Ima Nirwana, S; Elvy Suhana, M R; Tan, M H; Santhana, R; Farihah, H S

    2013-01-01

    Visceral obesity may be due to the dysregulation of cortisol production or metabolism that lead to metabolic disease. In adipose tissue, the enzyme 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 regulates cortisol metabolism (11beta-HSD1). A previous study showed an increase in the visceral fat deposition in adrenalectomised rats given intramuscular dexamethasone. Glycyrrhizic acid (GCA) has been shown to reduce fat deposition because it is a known potent inhibitor of the 11beta-HSD1 enzyme. Piper sarmentosum (PS) is an edible medicinal plant commonly used in Asia as traditional medicine for treating diabetes, hypertension and joint pains. In this study, we determined the effects of PS extract on the disposition and morphology of perirenal adipocytes of adrenalectomised rats given intramuscular dexamethasone. A total of 21 male Spraque Dawley rats were adrenalectomised and given intramuscular dexamethasone, 120 μg/kg/day. These rats were further divided into three groups: adrenalectomised control (ADR+Dexa; n=7), GCA-treated (ADR+Dexa+GCA; dose=240 mg/kg/day; n=7) and PS-treated (ADR+Dexa+PS; dose=125 mg/kg/day; n=7) groups. The various treatments were given via gastric gavage following 2 weeks of adrenalectomy. Treatment with PS extract for 8 weeks showed decreased deposition of perirenal adipocytes which was similar to the GCA-treated group. However, PS-treated rats had thinner adipocyte membrane compared with that of the GCA-treated group. In conclusion, PS extract decreased perirenal fat deposition and reduced the diameter of the adipocyte membrane. However, the mechanisms of action needed further study.

  9. A novel model to study neonatal Escherichia coli sepsis and the effect of treatment on the human immune system using humanized mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlieckau, Florian; Schulz, Daniela; Fill Malfertheiner, Sara; Entleutner, Kathrin; Seelbach-Goebel, Birgit; Ernst, Wolfgang

    2018-04-19

    Neonatal sepsis is a serious threat especially for preterm infants. As existing in vitro and in vivo models have limitations, we generated a novel neonatal sepsis model using humanized mice and tested the effect of Betamethasone and Indomethacin which are used in the clinic in case of premature birth. Humanized mice were infected with Escherichia coli (E. coli). Subsequently, the effect of the infection itself, and treatment with Betamethasone and Indomethacin on survival, recovery, bacterial burden, leukocyte populations, and cytokine production, was analyzed. The human immune system in the animals responded with leukocyte trafficking to the site of infection and granulopoiesis in the bone marrow. Treatment with Indomethacin had no pronounced effect on the immune system or bacterial burden. Betamethasone induced a decline of splenocytes. The human immune system in humanized mice responds to the infection, making them a suitable model to study neonatal E. coli sepsis and the immune response of the neonatal immune system. Treatment with Betamethasone could have potential negative long-term effects for the immune system of the child. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Protection against dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy is related to modulation by testosterone of FOXO1 and PGC-1{alpha}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Qin, Weiping, E-mail: weiping.qin@mssm.edu [Center of Excellence for the Medical Consequences of Spinal Cord Injury, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY (United States); Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, NY (United States); Pan, Jiangping; Wu, Yong [Center of Excellence for the Medical Consequences of Spinal Cord Injury, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY (United States); Bauman, William A. [Center of Excellence for the Medical Consequences of Spinal Cord Injury, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY (United States); Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, NY (United States); Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, NY (United States); Cardozo, Christopher, E-mail: Chris.Cardozo@mssm.edu [Center of Excellence for the Medical Consequences of Spinal Cord Injury, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY (United States); Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, NY (United States); Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, NY (United States)

    2010-12-17

    Research highlights: {yields} In rat gastrocnemius muscle, dexamethasone reduced PGC-1{alpha} cellular and nuclear levels without altering mRNA levels for this factor. {yields} Dexamethasone reduced phosphorylating of p38 MAPK, which stabilizes PGC-1{alpha} and promotes its nuclear entry. {yields} Co-administration of testosterone with dexamethasone increased cellular and nuclear levels of PGC-1{alpha} protein without changing its mRNA levels. {yields} Co-administration of testosterone restored p38 MAPK levels to those of controls. -- Abstract: Glucocorticoid-induced muscle atrophy results from muscle protein catabolism and reduced protein synthesis, associated with increased expression of two muscle-specific ubiquitin ligases (MAFbx and MuRF1), and of two inhibitors of protein synthesis, REDD1 and 4EBP1. MAFbx, MuRF1, REDD1 and 4EBP1 are up-regulated by the transcription factors FOXO1 and FOXO3A. The transcriptional co-activator PGC-1{alpha} has been shown to attenuate many forms of muscle atrophy and to repress FOXO3A-mediated transcription of atrophy-specific genes. Dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy can be prevented by testosterone, which blocks up-regulation by dexamethasone of FOXO1. Here, an animal model of dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy was used to further characterize effects of testosterone to abrogate adverse actions of dexamethasone on FOXO1 levels and nuclear localization, and to determine how these agents affect PGC-1{alpha}, and its upstream activators, p38 MAPK and AMPK. In rat gastrocnemius muscle, testosterone blunted the dexamethasone-mediated increase in levels of FOXO1 mRNA, and FOXO1 total and nuclear protein. Dexamethasone reduced total and nuclear PGC-1{alpha} protein levels in the gastrocnemius; co-administration of testosterone with dexamethasone increased total and nuclear PGC-1{alpha} levels above those present in untreated controls. Testosterone blocked dexamethasone-induced decreases in activity of p38 MAPK in the gastrocnemius

  11. Prophylactic Use of Oral Dexamethasone to Alleviate Fatigue During Regorafenib Treatment for Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fukuoka, Shota; Shitara, Kohei; Noguchi, Masaaki; Kawazoe, Akihito; Kuboki, Yasutoshi; Bando, Hedeaki; Okamoto, Wataru; Kojima, Takashi; Doi, Toshihiko; Ohtsu, Atsushi; Yoshino, Takayuki

    2017-06-01

    Fatigue is the most common toxicity of all grade toxicities with regorafenib, was the second most common toxicity in the CORRECT (regorafenib monotherapy for previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer) study, and is a major reason for early dose modification. The results from a recent randomized study suggested that dexamethasone (DEX) can improve cancer-related fatigue. We retrospectively analyzed the effect of prophylactic use of an oral DEX on fatigue during regorafenib treatment in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). A total of 105 patients who had received regorafenib at our institution from May 2013 to August 2014 were divided into 2 groups according to oral DEX use (2 mg/day; at the physician's discretion). Of the 105 patients, 31 received prophylactic DEX and 74 received regorafenib alone. The time to dose modification was significantly longer in the DEX group than in the no DEX group (15 days vs. 9 days; P = .009). The incidence of fatigue (grade ≥ 1) was significantly lower with DEX than without DEX (25.8% vs. 50.0%; P = .022). Fewer patients experienced a decreased appetite (grade ≥ 1; 3.2% vs. 35.1%; P regorafenib treatment, resulting in prolonging the time to dose modification for regorafenib. The decreased incidence of appetite loss and HFSR also suggest that concurrent DEX administration with regorafenib warrants further investigation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Interpretation of neonatal chest radiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoon, Hye Kyung

    2016-01-01

    Plain radiographs for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit are obtained using the portable X-ray equipment in order to evaluate the neonatal lungs and also to check the position of the tubes and catheters used for monitoring critically-ill neonates. Neonatal respiratory distress is caused by a variety of medical or surgical disease conditions. Clinical information about the gestational week, respiratory symptoms, and any events during delivery is essential for interpretation of the neonatal chest radiographs. Awareness of common chest abnormality in the prematurely born or term babies is also very important for chest evaluation in the newborn. Furthermore, knowledge about complications such as air leaks and bronchopulmonary dysplasia following treatment are required to accurately inform the clinicians. The purpose of this article was to briefly review radiographic findings of chest diseases in newborns that are relatively common in daily practice

  13. Interpretation of neonatal chest radiography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoon, Hye Kyung [Dept. of Radiology, Kangwon National University Hospital, Chuncheon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-05-15

    Plain radiographs for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit are obtained using the portable X-ray equipment in order to evaluate the neonatal lungs and also to check the position of the tubes and catheters used for monitoring critically-ill neonates. Neonatal respiratory distress is caused by a variety of medical or surgical disease conditions. Clinical information about the gestational week, respiratory symptoms, and any events during delivery is essential for interpretation of the neonatal chest radiographs. Awareness of common chest abnormality in the prematurely born or term babies is also very important for chest evaluation in the newborn. Furthermore, knowledge about complications such as air leaks and bronchopulmonary dysplasia following treatment are required to accurately inform the clinicians. The purpose of this article was to briefly review radiographic findings of chest diseases in newborns that are relatively common in daily practice.

  14. Comparison of the effects of intravitreal bevacizumab and dexamethasone in experimental posterior penetrating eye injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayse Oner

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available AIM: To compare the effects of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF and dexamethasone in an experimental rabbit model of posterior penetrating ocular injury. METHODS: Thirty white New Zealand rabbits were included in the study. A posterior penetrating ocular injury was performed at the superotemporal quadrant. They were randomly divided into three groups. The rabbits in group 1 received intravitreal dexamethasone, in group 2 they received intravitreal bevacizumab and those in group 3 received intravitreal physiological saline solution in both eyes. All eyes were examined ophthalmologically on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th and 28th days following the injury and the clinical findings were scored. On the day 28, the eyes were enucleated, evaluated and scored macroscopically, histopathologically and scanning electron microscopically. RESULTS: The median clinical score on the 14th and 28th days and the median macroscopic score of the dexamethasone group was significantly better than that of control (P=0.004, 0.018. Dexamethasone group was also better than that of bevacizumab group but the differences did not reach statistical significance. Retinal detachment rate was 8.3%, 16.6% and 12.5% in the dexamethasone group, bevacizumab group and control group, respectively (P=0.476. More extensive fibrocelluler proliferations were observed in controls compared with dexamethasone and bevacizumab groups. But these differences did not reach the statistical significance (P=0.538. In scanning electron microscopy all groups showed fibreous stalk and dense collagen fibrils in vitreous. CONCLUSION: This study shows that intravitreal injection of both dexamethasone and bevacizumab may reduce the intraocular fibrous proliferation after an experimental posterior penetrating ocular injury in rabbits.

  15. Efficacy of a low-cost bubble CPAP system in treatment of respiratory distress in a neonatal ward in Malawi.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kondwani Kawaza

    Full Text Available Respiratory failure is a leading cause of neonatal mortality in the developing world. Bubble continuous positive airway pressure (bCPAP is a safe, effective intervention for infants with respiratory distress and is widely used in developed countries. Because of its high cost, bCPAP is not widely utilized in low-resource settings. We evaluated the performance of a new bCPAP system to treat severe respiratory distress in a low resource setting, comparing it to nasal oxygen therapy, the current standard of care.We conducted a non-randomized convenience sample study to test the efficacy of a low-cost bCPAP system treating newborns with severe respiratory distress in the neonatal ward of Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, in Blantyre, Malawi. Neonates weighing >1,000 g and presenting with severe respiratory distress who fulfilled inclusion criteria received nasal bCPAP if a device was available; if not, they received standard care. Clinical assessments were made during treatment and outcomes compared for the two groups.87 neonates (62 bCPAP, 25 controls were recruited. Survival rate for neonates receiving bCPAP was 71.0% (44/62 compared with 44.0% (11/25 for controls. 65.5% (19/29 of very low birth weight neonates receiving bCPAP survived to discharge compared to 15.4% (1/13 of controls. 64.6% (31/48 of neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS receiving bCPAP survived to discharge, compared to 23.5% (4/17 of controls. 61.5% (16/26 of neonates with sepsis receiving bCPAP survived to discharge, while none of the seven neonates with sepsis in the control group survived.Use of a low-cost bCPAP system to treat neonatal respiratory distress resulted in 27% absolute improvement in survival. The beneficial effect was greater for neonates with very low birth weight, RDS, or sepsis. Implementing appropriate bCPAP devices could reduce neonatal mortality in developing countries.

  16. Efficacy of a low-cost bubble CPAP system in treatment of respiratory distress in a neonatal ward in Malawi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawaza, Kondwani; Machen, Heather E; Brown, Jocelyn; Mwanza, Zondiwe; Iniguez, Suzanne; Gest, Al; Smith, E O'Brian; Oden, Maria; Richards-Kortum, Rebecca R; Molyneux, Elizabeth

    2014-01-01

    Respiratory failure is a leading cause of neonatal mortality in the developing world. Bubble continuous positive airway pressure (bCPAP) is a safe, effective intervention for infants with respiratory distress and is widely used in developed countries. Because of its high cost, bCPAP is not widely utilized in low-resource settings. We evaluated the performance of a new bCPAP system to treat severe respiratory distress in a low resource setting, comparing it to nasal oxygen therapy, the current standard of care. We conducted a non-randomized convenience sample study to test the efficacy of a low-cost bCPAP system treating newborns with severe respiratory distress in the neonatal ward of Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, in Blantyre, Malawi. Neonates weighing >1,000 g and presenting with severe respiratory distress who fulfilled inclusion criteria received nasal bCPAP if a device was available; if not, they received standard care. Clinical assessments were made during treatment and outcomes compared for the two groups. 87 neonates (62 bCPAP, 25 controls) were recruited. Survival rate for neonates receiving bCPAP was 71.0% (44/62) compared with 44.0% (11/25) for controls. 65.5% (19/29) of very low birth weight neonates receiving bCPAP survived to discharge compared to 15.4% (1/13) of controls. 64.6% (31/48) of neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) receiving bCPAP survived to discharge, compared to 23.5% (4/17) of controls. 61.5% (16/26) of neonates with sepsis receiving bCPAP survived to discharge, while none of the seven neonates with sepsis in the control group survived. Use of a low-cost bCPAP system to treat neonatal respiratory distress resulted in 27% absolute improvement in survival. The beneficial effect was greater for neonates with very low birth weight, RDS, or sepsis. Implementing appropriate bCPAP devices could reduce neonatal mortality in developing countries.

  17. Effects of dexamethasone and pheniramine hydrogen maleate on stress response in patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karaman, Kerem; Bostanci, Erdal Birol; Aksoy, Erol; Ulas, Murat; Yigit, Tuba; Erdemli, Mehmet Ozcan; Ercin, Ugur; Bilgihan, Ayse; Saydam, Gul; Akoglu, Musa

    2013-02-01

    Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) still leads to significant postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and pain. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of dexamethasone or pheniramine hydrogen maleate, either alone or combined, in reducing the stress response and symptoms after LC. Patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups, each consisting of 20 patients: control, dexamethasone (8 mg/2 mL), pheniramine hydrogen maleate (45.5 mg/2 mL), and the combined group. The drugs were given before anesthesia induction. C-reactive protein levels (CRP) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores were significantly less in the dexamethasone (P = .003) and combined groups (P pheniramine hydrogen maleate (P = .005) significantly reduced PONV. Dexamethasone significantly reduced postoperative pain and the systemic acute-phase response, whereas these effects were only partially attained with pheniramine hydrogen maleate. Both dexamethasone and pheniramine hydrogen maleate significantly reduced PONV. An additive effect seemed to occur if these drugs were used in combination. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Dexamethasone-(C21-phosphoramide-[anti-EGFR]: molecular design, synthetic organic chemistry reactions, and antineoplastic cytotoxic potency against pulmonary adenocarcinoma (A549

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Coyne CP

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Cody P Coyne,1 Lakshmi Narayanan2 1Department of Basic Sciences, 2Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USA Purpose: Corticosteroids are effective in the management of a variety of disease states, such as several forms of neoplasia (leukemia and lymphoma, autoimmune conditions, and severe inflammatory responses. Molecular strategies that selectively “target” delivery of corticosteroids minimize or prevents large amounts of the pharmaceutical moiety from passively diffusing into normal healthy cell populations residing within tissues and organ systems. Materials and methods: The covalent immunopharmaceutical, dexamethasone-(C21-phosphoramide-[anti-EGFR] was synthesized by reacting dexamethasone-21-monophosphate with a carbodiimide reagent to form a dexamethasone phosphate carbodiimide ester that was subsequently reacted with imidazole to create an amine-reactive dexamethasone-(C21-phosphorylimidazolide intermediate. Monoclonal anti-EGFR immunoglobulin was combined with the amine-reactive dexamethasone-(C21-phosphorylimidazolide intermediate, resulting in the synthesis of the covalent immunopharmaceutical, dexamethasone-(C21-phosphoramide-[anti-EGFR]. Following spectrophotometric analysis and validation of retained epidermal growth factor receptor type 1 (EGFR-binding avidity by cell-ELISA, the selective anti-neoplasic cytotoxic potency of dexamethasone-(C21-phosphoramide-[anti-EGFR] was established by MTT-based vitality stain methodology using adherent monolayer populations of human pulmonary adenocarcinoma (A549 known to overexpress the tropic membrane receptors EGFR and insulin-like growth factor receptor type 1. Results: The dexamethasone:IgG molar-incorporation-index for dexamethasone-(C21-phosphoramide-[anti-EGFR] was 6.95:1 following exhaustive serial microfiltration. Cytotoxicity analysis: covalent bonding of dexamethasone to monoclonal anti-EGFR immunoglobulin

  19. Typhi–Induced Septic Shock and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in a Previously Healthy Teenage Patient Treated With High-Dose Dexamethasone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melissa Brosset Ugas MD

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Typhoid fever is commonly characterized by fever and abdominal pain. Rare complications include intestinal hemorrhage, bowel perforation, delirium, obtundation, and septic shock. Herein we describe the case of a previously healthy 16-year-old male without history of travel, diagnosed with typhoid fever complicated by septic shock and acute respiratory distress syndrome treated with high-dose dexamethasone. This case details severe complications of typhoid fever that are uncommonly seen in developed countries, and the successful response to high-dose dexamethasone as adjunct therapy. High-dose dexamethasone treatment has reportedly decreased Salmonella Typhi mortality, but controlled studies specifically performed in children are lacking, and most reports of its use are over 30 years old and all have originated in developing countries. Providers should include Salmonella Typhi in the differential diagnosis of the pediatric patient with fever, severe abdominal pain, and enteritis, and be aware of its potentially severe complications and the limited data on safety and efficacy of adjunctive therapies that can be considered in addition to antibiotics.

  20. Compatibility and stability of aloxi (palonosetron hydrochloride) admixed with dexamethasone sodium phosphate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trissel, Lawrence A; Zhang, Yanping

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physical and chemical stability of palonosetron hydrochloride 0.25 mg admixed with dexamethasone (as sodium phophate) 10 mg or 20 mg in 5% dextrose injection or 0.9% sodium chloride injection in polyvinylchloride minibags, and also admixed with dexamethasone (as sodium phosphate) 3.3 mg in 5% dextrose injection or 0.9% sodium chloride injection in polypropylene syringes, at 4 deg C stored in the dark for 14 days, and at 23 deg C exposed to normal laboratory fluorescent light over 48 hours. Test samples of palonosetron hydrochloride 5 micrograms/mL with dexamethasone (as sodium phosphate) 0.2 mg/mL and also 0.4 mg/mL were prepared in polyvinylchloride minibags of each infusion solution. Additionally, palonosetron hydrochloride 25 micrograms/mL with dexamethasone (as sodium phosphate) 0.33 mg/mL in each infusion solution were prepared as 10 mL of test solution in 20-mL polypropylene syringes. Evaluations for physical and chemical stability were performed on samples taken initially and after 1, 3, 7 and 14 days of storage at 4 deg C and after 1, 4, 24 and 48 hours at 23 deg C. Physical stability was assessed using visual observation in normal room light and using a high-intensity monodirectional light beam. In addition, turbidity and particle content were measured electronically. Chemical stability of the drug was evaluated by using a stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatographic analytical technique. All samples were physically compatible throughout the study. The solutions remained clear and showed little or no change in particulate burden and haze level. Additionally, little or no loss of palonosetron hydrochloride and dexamethasone occurred in any of the samples at either temperature throughout the entire study period. Admixtures of palonosetron hydrochloride with dexamethasone sodium phosphate in 5% dextrose injection or in 0.9% sodium chloride injection packaged in polyvinylchloride minibags or in

  1. RISK FACTORS IN NEONATAL ANAEROBIC INFECTIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. S. Tabib

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Anaerobic bacteria are well known causes of sepsis in adults but there are few studies regarding their role in neonatal sepsis. In an attempt to define the incidence of neonatal anaerobic infections a prospective study was performed during one year period. A total number of 400 neonates under sepsis study were entered this investigation. Anaerobic as well as aerobic cultures were sent. The patients were subjected to comparison in two groups: anaerobic culture positive and anaerobic culture negative and this comparison were analyzed statistically. There were 7 neonates with positive anaerobic culture and 35 neonates with positive aerobic culture. A significant statistical relationship was found between anaerobic infections and abdominal distention and pneumonia. It is recommended for those neonates with abdominal distention and pneumonia refractory to antibiotic treatment to be started on antibiotics with anaerobic coverage.

  2. KB-R7943 reduces 4-aminopyridine-induced epileptiform activity in adult rats after neuronal damage induced by neonatal monosodium glutamate treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hernandez-Ojeda, Mariana; Ureña-Guerrero, Monica E; Gutierrez-Barajas, Paola E; Cardenas-Castillo, Jazmin A; Camins, Antoni; Beas-Zarate, Carlos

    2017-05-09

    Neonatal monosodium glutamate (MSG) treatment triggers excitotoxicity and induces a degenerative process that affects several brain regions in a way that could lead to epileptogenesis. Na + /Ca 2+ exchangers (NCX1-3) are implicated in Ca 2+ brain homeostasis; normally, they extrude Ca 2+ to control cell inflammation, but after damage and in epilepsy, they introduce Ca 2+ by acting in the reverse mode, amplifying the damage. Changes in NCX3 expression in the hippocampus have been reported immediately after neonatal MSG treatment. In this study, the expression level of NCX1-3 in the entorhinal cortex (EC) and hippocampus (Hp); and the effects of blockade of NCXs on the seizures induced by 4-Aminopyridine (4-AP) were analysed in adult rats after neonatal MSG treatment. KB-R7943 was applied as NCXs blocker, but is more selective to NCX3 in reverse mode. Neonatal MSG treatment was applied to newborn male rats at postnatal days (PD) 1, 3, 5, and 7 (4 g/kg of body weight, s.c.). Western blot analysis was performed on total protein extracts from the EC and Hp to estimate the expression level of NCX1-3 proteins in relative way to the expression of β-actin, as constitutive protein. Electrographic activity of the EC and Hp were acquired before and after intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusion of 4-AP (3 nmol) and KB-R7943 (62.5 pmol), alone or in combination. All experiments were performed at PD60. Behavioural alterations were also recorder. Neonatal MSG treatment significantly increased the expression of NCX3 protein in both studied regions, and NCX1 protein only in the EC. The 4-AP-induced epileptiform activity was significantly higher in MSG-treated rats than in controls, and KB-R7943 co-administered with 4-AP reduced the epileptiform activity in more prominent way in MSG-treated rats than in controls. The long-term effects of neonatal MSG treatment include increases on functional expression of NCXs (mainly of NCX3) in the EC and Hp, which seems to contribute to

  3. Neonatal herpes simplex virus infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinninti, Swetha G; Kimberlin, David W

    2018-04-01

    Neonatal herpes simplex virus (HSV) is an uncommon but devastating infection in the newborn, associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The use of PCR for identification of infected infants and acyclovir for treatment has significantly improved the prognosis for affected infants. The subsequent use of suppressive therapy with oral acyclovir following completion of parenteral treatment of acute disease has further enhanced the long-term prognosis for these infants. This review article will discuss the epidemiology, risk factors and routes of acquisition, clinical presentation, and evaluation of an infant suspected to have the infection, and treatment of proven neonatal HSV disease. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Variable effects of dexamethasone on protein synthesis in clonal rat osteosarcoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hodge, B.O.; Kream, B.E.

    1988-01-01

    We examined the effects of dexamethasone on protein synthesis in clonal rat osteoblastic osteosarcoma (ROS) cell lines by measuring the incorporation of [ 3 H]proline into collagenase-digestible and noncollagen protein in the cell layer and medium of the cultures. In ROS 17/2 and subclone C12 of ROS 17/2.8, dexamethasone decreased collagen synthesis with no change in DNA content of the cultures. In ROS 17/2.8 and its subclone G2, dexamethasone stimulated collagen and noncollagen protein synthesis, with a concomitant decrease in the DNA content of the cells. These data indicate that ROS cell lines are phenotypically heterogeneous and suggest that in normal bone there may be distinct subpopulations of osteoblasts with varying phenotypic traits with respect to the regulation of protein synthesis

  5. Neonatal circumcision in severe haemophilia: a survey of paediatric haematologists at United States Hemophilia Treatment Centers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kearney, S; Sharathkumar, A; Rodriguez, V; Chitlur, M; Valentino, L; Boggio, L; Gill, J

    2015-01-01

    Neonatal circumcision in patients with severe haemophilia has not been well studied. We performed a survey of paediatric haematologists from Hemophilia Treatment Centers (HTC) across the United States to better understand the attitudes toward and management of neonatal circumcision in haemophilia patients. Response rate to our survey was 40% (n = 64/159). Thirty-eight percent of respondents (n = 24) said that they would allow this procedure in the newborn period but in many cases this was against medical advice. The most reported concern regarding neonatal circumcision in haemophilia patients was the risk of development of an inhibitor (n = 25; 39%) followed by the concern for bleeding (n = 22; 34%) and issues related to vascular access in the neonate (n = 11; 17%). All respondents recommended at least one preprocedure dose of factor replacement. Twenty-two percent (n = 14) of respondents did not use more than one dose of factor replacement but 32% (n = 21) used 1-2 postoperative doses. The remainder of paediatric haematologists surveyed recommended between 3-5 (16%; n = 10) and 6-10 (3%, n = 2) additional days postoperatively. There was wide variation in both techniques of circumcision as well as adjuvant haemostatic agents used. Only 22% of respondents said that they had an established protocol for management of circumcision in the newborn haemophilia patient. These survey results highlight the need for evidence-based guidelines regarding the optimal management of circumcision in neonates with severe haemophilia. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Phenobarbital Treatment at a Neonatal Age Results in Decreased Efficacy of Omeprazole in Adult Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tien, Yun-Chen; Piekos, Stephanie C; Pope, Chad; Zhong, Xiao-Bo

    2017-03-01

    Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) occur when the action of one drug interferes with or alters the activity of another drug taken concomitantly. This can lead to decreased drug efficacy or increased toxicity. Because of DDIs, physicians in the clinical practice attempt to avoid potential interactions when multiple drugs are coadministrated; however, there is still a large knowledge gap in understanding how drugs taken in the past can contribute to DDIs in the future. The goal of this study was to investigate the consequence of neonatal drug exposure on efficacy of other drugs administered up through adult life. We selected a mouse model to test phenobarbital exposure at a neonatal age and its impact on efficacy of omeprazole in adult life. The results of our experiment show an observed decrease in omeprazole's ability to raise gastric pH in adult mice that received single or multiple doses of phenobarbital at a neonatal age. This effect may be associated with the permanent induction of cytochrome P450 enzymes in adult liver after neonatal phenobarbital treatment. Our data indicates that DDIs may result from drugs administered in the past in an animal model and should prompt re-evaluation of how DDIs are viewed and how to avoid long-term DDIs in clinical practice. Copyright © 2017 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

  7. A multicenter, randomized, controlled trial of dexamethasone for bronchiolitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corneli, Howard M; Zorc, Joseph J; Mahajan, Prashant; Majahan, Prashant; Shaw, Kathy N; Holubkov, Richard; Reeves, Scott D; Ruddy, Richard M; Malik, Baqir; Nelson, Kyle A; Bregstein, Joan S; Brown, Kathleen M; Denenberg, Matthew N; Lillis, Kathleen A; Cimpello, Lynn Babcock; Tsung, James W; Borgialli, Dominic A; Baskin, Marc N; Teshome, Getachew; Goldstein, Mitchell A; Monroe, David; Dean, J Michael; Kuppermann, Nathan

    2007-07-26

    Bronchiolitis, the most common infection of the lower respiratory tract in infants, is a leading cause of hospitalization in childhood. Corticosteroids are commonly used to treat bronchiolitis, but evidence of their effectiveness is limited. We conducted a double-blind, randomized trial comparing a single dose of oral dexamethasone (1 mg per kilogram of body weight) with placebo in 600 children (age range, 2 to 12 months) with a first episode of wheezing diagnosed in the emergency department as moderate-to-severe bronchiolitis (defined by a Respiratory Distress Assessment Instrument score > or =6). We enrolled patients at 20 emergency departments during the months of November through April over a 3-year period. The primary outcome was hospital admission after 4 hours of emergency department observation. The secondary outcome was the Respiratory Assessment Change Score (RACS). We also evaluated later outcomes: length of hospital stay, later medical visits or admissions, and adverse events. Baseline characteristics were similar in the two groups. The admission rate was 39.7% for children assigned to dexamethasone, as compared with 41.0% for those assigned to placebo (absolute difference, -1.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI], -9.2 to 6.5). Both groups had respiratory improvement during observation; the mean 4-hour RACS was -5.3 for dexamethasone, as compared with -4.8 for placebo (absolute difference, -0.5; 95% CI, -1.3 to 0.3). Multivariate adjustment did not significantly alter the results, nor were differences detected in later outcomes. In infants with acute moderate-to-severe bronchiolitis who were treated in the emergency department, a single dose of 1 mg of oral dexamethasone per kilogram did not significantly alter the rate of hospital admission, the respiratory status after 4 hours of observation, or later outcomes. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00119002 [ClinicalTrials.gov].). Copyright 2007 Massachusetts Medical Society.

  8. Prophylactic antiemetic effects of midazolam, dexamethasone, and its combination after middle ear surgery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Makhdoom, Naeem K; Farid, Magdy F

    2009-01-01

    To evaluate and compare the efficacy of the combination of midazolam and dexamethasone, with midazolam and dexamethasone alone, for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in female patients undergoing middle ear surgery. A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 80 female patients (mean age 32.6 years), undergoing middle ear surgery with general anesthesia at Ohud Hospital, Madina, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from May 2007 to May 2008. Patients were classified into 4 groups. They received intravenous normal saline (S group), midazolam 0.075 mg/kg (M group), or dexamethasone 10 mg (D group), or a combination of midazolam and dexamethasone (MD group), before the induction of anesthesia. Postoperatively for 24 hours observation and assessment of nausea, vomiting, rescue anti-emetics, and side effects of the study drugs such as headache and drowsiness were carried out. There was a significant difference between the 4 groups. The MD group was the least to develop PONV compared to other groups (p<0.01). Regarding nausea, there was a non-significant difference between the 4 groups, although the MD group developed the least symptoms among the 4 groups, there were no significant differences in pain intensity and side effects such as, headache, dizziness, and drowsiness between the 4 groups. The combination of midazolam 0.075 mg/kg and dexamethasone 10 mg intravenously is better than either drug alone in reducing the incidence of PONV in female patients after middle ear surgery. (author)

  9. Simultaneous RP-HPLC determination of sparfloxacin and dexamethasone in pharmaceutical formulations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Syed Naeem Razzaq

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available The present study describes the development and subsequent validation of simple and accurate stability indicating RP-HPLC method for the determination of sparfloxacin and dexamethasone in pharmaceutical formulations in the presence of their stress-induced degradation products. Both the drugs and their stress-induced degradation products were separated within 10 minutes using C8 column and mixture of methanol and 0.02 M phosphate buffer pH 3.0 (60:40 v/v, respectively as mobile phase at 270 nm using diode array detector. Regression analysis showed linearity in the range of 15-105 µg/mL for sparfloxacin and 5-35 µg/mL for dexamethasone. All the analytes were adequately resolved with acceptable tailing. Peak purity of the two drugs was also greater than 0.9999, showing no co-elution peaks. The developed method was applied for simultaneous determination of sparfloxacin and dexamethasone in pharmaceutical formulations for stability studies.

  10. Relationship of glucocorticoid receptor expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and the cochlea of guinea pigs and effects of dexamethasone administration.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ling Lu

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Glucocorticoids (GCs are widely used to treat sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL and significantly improve hearing. However, GC insensitivity has been observed in some patients of SSNHL. OBJECTIVE: To study the correlation between GR expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs and in the cochlea of guinea pigs at mRNA and protein levels. METHODS: One group of guinea pigs received dexamethasone (10 mg/kg/day intraperitoneally for 7 consecutive days (dexamethasone group, and another group of guinea pigs received normal saline (control group. Real time PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of GR mRNA and GR protein in PBMCs and the cochleae. RESULTS: The GR mRNA and GR protein were detected in both PBMCs and the cochlear tissue of guinea pigs. GR mRNA and GR protein levels in PBMCs were positively correlated with those in the cochlea. The expression of GR mRNA and GR protein was significantly increased in the dexamethasone group compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Levels of GR mRNA and GR protein in the PBMCs were positively correlated with those in the cochlea of guinea pigs. Systemic dexamethasone treatment can significantly up-regulate GR expression in PBMCs and in the cochlea. Measurement of the GR level in PBMCs could be used as an indicator of GR level in the cochlea.

  11. Biodegradable hyaluronic acid hydrogels to control release of dexamethasone through aqueous Diels–Alder chemistry for adipose tissue engineering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fan, Ming; Ma, Ye; Zhang, Ziwei; Mao, Jiahui [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing (China); Tan, Huaping, E-mail: hptan@njust.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing (China); Hu, Xiaohong [School of Material Engineering, Jinling Institute of Technology, Nanjing (China)

    2015-11-01

    A robust synthetic strategy of biopolymer-based hydrogels has been developed where hyaluronic acid derivatives reacted through aqueous Diels–Alder chemistry without the involvement of chemical catalysts, allowing for control and sustain release of dexamethasone. To conjugate the hydrogel, furan and maleimide functionalized hyaluronic acid were synthesized, respectively, as well as furan functionalized dexamethasone, for the covalent immobilization. Chemical structure, gelation time, morphologies, swelling kinetics, weight loss, compressive modulus and dexamethasone release of the hydrogel system in PBS at 37 °C were studied. The results demonstrated that the aqueous Diels–Alder chemistry provides an extremely selective reaction and proceeds with high efficiency for hydrogel conjugation and covalent immobilization of dexamethasone. Cell culture results showed that the dexamethasone immobilized hydrogel was noncytotoxic and preserved proliferation of entrapped human adipose-derived stem cells. This synthetic approach uniquely allows for the direct fabrication of biologically functionalized gel scaffolds with ideal structures for adipose tissue engineering, which provides a competitive alternative to conventional conjugation techniques such as copper mediated click chemistry. - Highlights: • A biodegradable hyaluronic acid hydrogel was crosslinked via aqueous Diels–Alder chemistry. • Dexamethasone was covalently immobilized into the hyaluronic acid hydrogel via aqueous Diels–Alder chemistry. • Dexamethasone could be released from the Diels–Alder hyaluronic acid hydrogel in a controlled fashion.

  12. Biodegradable hyaluronic acid hydrogels to control release of dexamethasone through aqueous Diels–Alder chemistry for adipose tissue engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fan, Ming; Ma, Ye; Zhang, Ziwei; Mao, Jiahui; Tan, Huaping; Hu, Xiaohong

    2015-01-01

    A robust synthetic strategy of biopolymer-based hydrogels has been developed where hyaluronic acid derivatives reacted through aqueous Diels–Alder chemistry without the involvement of chemical catalysts, allowing for control and sustain release of dexamethasone. To conjugate the hydrogel, furan and maleimide functionalized hyaluronic acid were synthesized, respectively, as well as furan functionalized dexamethasone, for the covalent immobilization. Chemical structure, gelation time, morphologies, swelling kinetics, weight loss, compressive modulus and dexamethasone release of the hydrogel system in PBS at 37 °C were studied. The results demonstrated that the aqueous Diels–Alder chemistry provides an extremely selective reaction and proceeds with high efficiency for hydrogel conjugation and covalent immobilization of dexamethasone. Cell culture results showed that the dexamethasone immobilized hydrogel was noncytotoxic and preserved proliferation of entrapped human adipose-derived stem cells. This synthetic approach uniquely allows for the direct fabrication of biologically functionalized gel scaffolds with ideal structures for adipose tissue engineering, which provides a competitive alternative to conventional conjugation techniques such as copper mediated click chemistry. - Highlights: • A biodegradable hyaluronic acid hydrogel was crosslinked via aqueous Diels–Alder chemistry. • Dexamethasone was covalently immobilized into the hyaluronic acid hydrogel via aqueous Diels–Alder chemistry. • Dexamethasone could be released from the Diels–Alder hyaluronic acid hydrogel in a controlled fashion

  13. Neonatal maxillary orthopedics: past to present

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kuijpers-Jagtman, A.M.; Prahl, C.; Berkowitz, S.

    2013-01-01

    Neonatal maxillary orthopedics was introduced in the treatment protocol for cleft lip and palate in the 1950s of the last century. A wide range of appliances has been designed with pin-retained active appliances at one end of the spectrum and passive appliances at the other. Although neonatal

  14. Pinoresinol diglucoside exhibits protective effect on dexamethasone ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Purpose: To investigate the effect of pinoresinol diglucoside (PDG) on dexamethasone-induced osteoporosis in rats. Methods: Sixty Wistar rats were randomly and equally divided into normal, control, alendronate and PDG (10, 20 or 40 mg/kg) groups. Bone tissue parameters, including length, transverse diameter, weight, ...

  15. 21 CFR 520.540a - Dexamethasone powder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS ORAL DOSAGE FORM NEW ANIMAL DRUGS § 520.540a Dexamethasone powder. (a... such as acute arthritic lameness, and for various stress conditions where corticosteroids are required...

  16. Hiperbilirrubinemia neonatal agravada Aggravated neonatal hyperbilirubinemia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Campo González

    2010-09-01

    a low birth weight. Most of patients were treated with luminotherapy (90,17%. CONCLUSION. The severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is a health problem. Aggravating factors include the prematurity and the low birth weight. Luminotherapy is an effective therapeutic measure for its treatment.

  17. Neonatal seizures : Aetiology by means of a standardized work-up

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Loman, Annemiek M. W.; ter Horst, Henk J.; Lambrechtsen, Florise A. C. P.; Lunsing, Roelineke J.

    Neonatal seizures are an alarming symptom and are frequent in neonates. It is important to find the cause of neonatal seizures to start a specific treatment and to give a meaningful prognosis. The aim of this study is to investigate the incidence of different aetiologies of neonatal seizures in our

  18. Effect of Dexamethasone Intraligamentary Injection on Post-Endodontic Pain in Patients with Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehrvarzfar, Payman; Esnashari, Ehsan; Salmanzadeh, Reyhaneh; Fazlyab, Mahta; Fazlyab, Mahyar

    2016-01-01

    Introduction: The aim of this randomized-controlled clinical trial was to assess the effect of intraligamentary (PDL) injection of dexamethasone on onset and severity of post-treatment pain in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. Methods and Materials: A total number of 60 volunteers were included according to the inclusion criteria and were assigned to three groups (n=20). After administration of local anesthesia and before treatment, group 1 (control) PDL injection was done with syringe containing empty cartridge, while in groups 2 and 3 the PDL injection was done with 0.2 mL of 2% lidocaine or dexamethasone (8 mg/2 mL), respectively. Immediately after endodontic treatment patients were requested to mark their level of pain on a visual analogue scale (VAS) during the next 48 h (on 6, 12, 24 and 48-h intervals). They were also asked to mention whether analgesics were taken and its dosage. Considering the 0-170 markings on the VAS ruler, the level of pain was scored as follows: score 0 (mild pain; 0-56), score 1 (moderate pain; 57-113) and score 3 (severe pain; 114-170). The data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and the Chi-square tests and the level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: After 6 and 12 h, group 1 and group 3 had the highest and lowest pain values, respectively (P<0.01 and P<0.001 for 6 and 12 h, respectively). However, after 24 and 48 h the difference in the pain was not significant between groups 1 and 2 (P<0.6) but group 3 had lower pain levels (P<0.01 and P<0.8 for 24 and 48 h, respectively). Conclusion: Pretreatment PDL injection of dexamethasone can significantly reduce the post-treatment endodontic pain in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. PMID:27790253

  19. Competitive inhibition of [3H]dexamethasone binding to mammary glucocorticoid receptor by leupeptin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hsieh, L.C.C.; Su, C.; Markland, F.S. Jr.

    1987-01-01

    The inhibitory effect of leupeptin on [ 3 H]dexamethasone binding to the glucocorticoid receptor from lactating goat mammary cytosol has been studied. Leupeptin (10 mM) caused a significant (about 35%) inhibition of [ 3 H]dexamethasone binding to glucocorticoid receptor. Binding inhibition is further increased following filtration of unlabeled cytosolic receptor through a Bio-Gel A 0.5-m column. Binding inhibition was partially reversed by monothioglycerol at 10 mM concentration. A double reciprocal plot revealed that leupeptin appears to be a competitive inhibitor of [ 3 H]dexamethasone binding to the glucocorticoid receptor. Low salt sucrose density gradient centrifugation revealed that the leupeptin-treated sample formed a slightly larger (approximately 9 S) receptor complex (leupeptin-free complex sediments at 8 S)

  20. Prophylactic Use of Oral Acetaminophen or IV Dexamethasone and Combination of them on Prevention Emergence Agitation in Pediatric after Adenotonsillectomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parvin Sajedi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: The present study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of acetaminophen plus dexamethasone on post-operative emergence agitation in pediatric adenotonsillectomy. Methods: A total of 128 patients were randomized and assigned among four groups as: Intravenous (IV dexamethasone, oral acetaminophen, IV dexamethasone plus oral acetaminophen, placebo. Group 1 received 0.2 mg/kg dexamethasone plus 0.25 mg/kg strawberry syrup 2 h before surgery. Group 2 received 20 mg/kg oral acetaminophen (0.25 ml/kg with 0.05 ml/kg IV normal saline. Group 3 received 20 mg/kg acetaminophen and 0.2 mg/kg dexamethasone intravenously. Group 4 received 0.25 ml/kg strawberry syrup and 0.05 ml/kg normal saline. Agitation was measured according to Richmond agitation sedation score in the post anesthetic care unit (PACU after admission, 10, 20 and 30 min after extubation. Pain score was measured with FACE scale. Nurse satisfaction was measured with verbal analog scale. If agitation scale was 3 ≥ or pain scale was 4 ≥ meperidine was prescribed. If symptoms did not control wit in 15 min midazolam was prescribed. Patients were discharged from PACU according Modified Alderet Score. Data were analyzed with ANOVA, Chi-square, and Kruskal-Wallis among four groups. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 140 patients were recruited in the study, which 12 of them were excluded. Thus, 128 patients were randomized and assigned among four groups. The four treatment groups were generally matched at baseline data. Median of pain score in 0, 10, 20 and 30 min after extubation were different between each study group with the control group (<0.001, 0.003 respectively. Also median of agitation score in 0, 10, 20 and 30 min after extubation were different between each study group with the control group (<0.001. Incidence of pain and incidence of agitation after extubation were not statistically identical among groups (P < 0.001 and P = 0

  1. Pre-operative use of dexamethasone does not reduce incidence or intensity of bleaching-induced tooth sensitivity. A triple-blind, parallel-design, randomized clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Costa Poubel, Luiz Augusto; de Gouvea, Cresus Vinicius Deppes; Calazans, Fernanda Signorelli; Dip, Etyene Castro; Alves, Wesley Veltri; Marins, Stella Soares; Barcelos, Roberta; Barceleiro, Marcos Oliveira

    2018-04-25

    This study evaluated the effect of the administration of pre-operative dexamethasone on tooth sensitivity stemming from in-office bleaching. A triple-blind, parallel-design, randomized clinical trial was conducted on 70 volunteers who received dexamethasone or placebo capsules. The drugs were administered in a protocol of three daily 8-mg doses of the drug, starting 48 h before the in-office bleaching treatment. Two bleaching sessions with 37.5% hydrogen peroxide gel were performed with a 1-week interval. Tooth sensitivity (TS) was recorded on visual analog scales (VAS) and numeric rating scales (NRS) in different periods up to 48 h after bleaching. The color evaluations were also performed. The absolute risk of TS and its intensity were evaluated by using Fisher's exact test. Comparisons of the TS intensity (NRS and VAS data) were performed by using the Mann-Whitney U test and a two-way repeated measures ANOVA and Tukey's test, respectively. In both groups, a high risk of TS (Dexa 80% x Placebo 94%) was detected. No significant difference was observed in terms of TS intensity. A whitening of approximately 3 shade guide units of the VITA Classical was detected in both groups, which were statistically similar. It was concluded that the administration pre-operatively of dexamethasone, in the proposed protocol, does not reduce the incidence or intensity of bleaching-induced tooth sensitivity. The use of dexamethasone drug before in-office bleaching treatment does not reduce incidence or intensity of tooth sensitivity. NCT02956070.

  2. Acute Changes in Mentation in a Patient with Hepatic Cirrhosis Treated with High Doses of Dexamethasone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dabul, Luis; Droney, Andrew; Oms, Juan; Sanchez-Gonzalez, Marcos A

    2017-09-10

    Despite the anti-inflammatory benefits of steroids in the management of multiple medical conditions, they are associated with undesired metabolic and psychiatric side effects. We present a case of a 57-year-old Hispanic man with hepatic cirrhosis due to hepatitis C and no past medical history of psychiatric illnesses who became delirious after treatment with high doses of intravenous Dexamethasone. The patient presented to Larkin Community Hospital, USA with complaints of lower back pain requiring treatment with steroids for severe lumbar central canal stenosis. After three days of treatment, the patient became disoriented to time and place, grossly psychotic with auditory hallucinations and disorganized behavior, manic, aggressive, combative, restless, hard to redirect, and unable to follow commands. He met the criteria for a diagnosis of substance-induced psychotic disorder according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) V. Furthermore, the patient had worsening hepatic profile, a high ammonia level of 125 umol/L, and clinical findings consistent with West Haven classification grade 2 encephalopathy. Head computed tomography (CT) scan was normal. He was treated with discontinuation of steroids, lactulose, and Haloperidol returning to baseline mental status after 48 hours. The patient's hospitalization was complicated with a prolonged hospital stay after lumbar surgery. This case illustrates that treatment with high doses of Dexamethasone in a patient with hepatic cirrhosis can cause acute changes in mental status by (i) inducing delirium, and (ii) precipitating hepatic encephalopathy.

  3. Comparative study of preoperative use of oral gabapentin, intravenous dexamethasone and their combination in gynaecological procedure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neha Agrawal

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: We studied the effects of oral gabapentin and intravenous (I.V. dexamethasone given together or separately 1 h before the start of surgery on intraoperative hemodynamics Postoperative analgesia and postoperative nausea vomiting (PONV in patients undergoing gynaecological procedure. Materials and Methods: Patients were randomly divided into three groups: Group 1 (gabapentin, n = 46 received 400 mg gabapentin, Group 2 (dexamethasone, n = 46 received 8 mg dexamethasone and Group 3 (gabapentin plus dexamethasone, n = 46 received both 400 mg gabapentin and 8 mg dexamethasone I.V. 1 h before the start of surgery. Standard induction and maintenance of anesthesia were accomplished. Visual analog scale for pain was recorded for 12 h. Side effects were noted. Results: Hemodynamics at various time interval (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 min of laryngeal mask airway insertion and PONV were found significantly lower in Group 3 than in Group 1 and Group 2 (P 3 was significantly longer in Group 3 (510.00 ± 61.64 min than in Group 1 (352.83 ± 80.61 min and in Group 2 (294.78 ± 60.76 min, (P < 0.05. Conclusion: The present study concludes that the combination of oral Gabapentin and I.V. dexamethasone has significantly less hemodynamic changes, better postoperative analgesia and less incidence of PONV than individual administration of each drug.

  4. Granisetron plus dexamethasone for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery: A meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Min; Zhou, Chengmao; Huang, Bing; Ruan, Lin; Liang, Rui

    2017-06-01

    Objective This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of granisetron plus dexamethasone for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. Methods We searched the literature in the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, and CNKI. Results In total, 11 randomized controlled trials were enrolled in this analysis. The meta-analysis showed that granisetron in combination with dexamethasone was significantly more effective than granisetron alone in preventing PONV in patients undergoing laparoscopy surgery. No significant differences in adverse reactions (dizziness and headache) were found in association with dexamethasone. Conclusion Granisetron in combination with dexamethasone was significantly more effective than granisetron alone in preventing PONV in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery, with no difference in adverse reactions between the two groups. Granisetron alone or granisetron plus dexamethasone can be used to prevent PONV in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery.

  5. Technique Development Results for the Study of a Novel Dexamethasone Impregnated Bandage Contact Lens in a Rabbit Model After Photorefractive Keratectomy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-22

    PRK Inflammation in a Rabbit Model Timothy A. Soekenl, Michael Merkley!, Wesley Brundridgel, Gary Legaultl, Matthew Caldwelll, Joseph Ciolino2...7 .0 Dexamethasone Impregnated Contact Lenses in the Treatment of Post- PRK Inflammation · in a Rabbit Model Timothy A. Soeken 1, Michael Merkley1

  6. Neonatal malaria complicated by hypoglycaemia and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    There is no established and widely accepted guidelines for clinical management of severe neonatal malaria. The aim of this paper is to raise the alertness of physicians regarding the occurrence of severe malaria in the neonatal period and to describe the treatment modality we adopted (in the absence of an internationally ...

  7. Neonatal herpes simplex virus infections: where are we now?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, Clara; Whitley, Richard

    2011-01-01

    Neonatal herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality despite advances in diagnosis and treatment. Prior to antiviral therapy, 85% of patients with disseminated HSV disease and 50% of patients with central nervous system disease died within 1 year. The advent of antiviral therapy has dramatically improved the prognosis of neonatal HSV with initially vidarabine and subsequently acyclovir increasing the survival rate of infected neonates and improving long-term developmental outcomes. More recently, polymerase chain reaction has allowed earlier identification of HSV infection and provided a quantitative guide to treatment. Current advances in the treatment of neonatal HSV infections are looking toward the role of prolonged oral suppression therapy in reducing the incidence of recurrent disease. Of concern, however, are increasing reports of acyclovir-resistant HSV isolates in patients following prolonged therapy.

  8. Subcutaneous Administration of Bortezomib in Combination with Thalidomide and Dexamethasone for Treatment of Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shenghao Wu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To investigate the efficacy and safety of the treatment of the newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM patients with the therapy of subcutaneous (subQ administration of bortezomib and dexamethasone plus thalidomide (VTD regimen. Methods. A total of 60 newly diagnosed MM patients were analyzed. 30 patients received improved VTD regimen (improved VTD group with the subQ injection of bortezomib and the other 30 patients received conventional VTD regimen (VTD group.The efficacy and safety of two groups were analyzed retrospectively. Results. The overall remission (OR after eight cycles of treatment was 73.3% in the VTD group and 76.7% in the improved VTD group (P>0.05. No significant differences in time to 1-year estimate of overall survival (72% versus 75%, P=0.848 and progression-free survival (median 22 months versus 25 months; P=0.725 between two groups. The main toxicities related to therapy were leukopenia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, asthenia, fatigue, and renal and urinary disorders. Grade 3 and higher adverse events were significantly less common in the improved VTD group (50% than VTD group (80%, P=0.015. Conclusions. The improved VTD regimen by changing bortezomib from intravenous administration to subcutaneous injection has noninferior efficacy to standard VTD regimen, with an improved safety profile and reduced adverse events.

  9. Adverse event management in patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma taking pomalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone: A pooled analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreau, Philippe; Dimopoulos, Meletios A; Richardson, Paul G; Siegel, David S; Cavo, Michele; Corradini, Paolo; Weisel, Katja; Delforge, Michel; O'Gorman, Peter; Song, Kevin; Chen, Christine; Bahlis, Nizar; Oriol, Albert; Hansson, Markus; Kaiser, Martin; Anttila, Pekka; Raymakers, Reinier; Joao, Cristina; Cook, Gordon; Sternas, Lars; Biyukov, Tsvetan; Slaughter, Ana; Hong, Kevin; Herring, Jennifer; Yu, Xin; Zaki, Mohamed; San-Miguel, Jesus

    2017-09-01

    Heavily pretreated patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma are susceptible to treatment-related adverse events (AEs). Managing AEs are important to ensure patients continue therapy long enough to receive the best clinical benefit. Data from the MM-002, MM-003, and MM-010 trials were pooled to further characterize the safety profile of pomalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone and AE management. This analysis included 1088 patients who received ≥ 2 prior therapies, including lenalidomide and bortezomib, and progressed ≤ 60 days of last therapy. Patients received 28-day cycles of pomalidomide 4 mg/day on days 1-21 and low-dose dexamethasone 40 mg (20 mg if aged > 75 years) weekly until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Thromboprophylaxis was required. The most common grade 3/4 AEs were neutropenia (56.2%), anemia (32.3%), and thrombocytopenia (25.8%), which occurred within the first few cycles of treatment. Grade 3/4 infections occurred in 33.7% patients, of whom 13.9% had pneumonia, and 40.3% had neutropenia. Pomalidomide dose reductions or interruptions were reported in 24.2% and 66.0% of patients, respectively. AEs were managed by dose modifications and/or supportive care. Pomalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone showed an acceptable safety profile, and AEs were well managed according to study protocols and established guidelines. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. High performance liquid chromatography determination of dexamethasone in plasma to evaluate its systemic absorption following intra-space pterygomandibular injection of twin-mix (mixture of 2 % lignocaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine and 4 mg dexamethasone): randomized control trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhargava, Darpan; Deshpande, Ashwini; Thomas, Shaji; Sharma, Yogesh; Khare, Piush; Sahu, Sanjeev Kumar; Dubey, Suyash; Pandey, Ankit; Sreekumar, K

    2016-09-01

    To determine systemic absorption of dexamethasone by detection of plasma concentration using high performance liquid chromatography following its administration along with local anesthetic agent as a mixture via pterygomandibular space. A prospective randomized double-blind clinical study was undertaken to analyze the plasma concentration of dexamethasone after intra-space pterygomandibular injection along with local anesthesia. The study was performed as per split mouth model where the mandibular quadrant allocation was done on a random basis considering each of the 30 patients is included in the two study interventions (SS and CS). For the study site (SS) procedures, dexamethasone was administered as a mixture (2 % lignocaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine and 4 mg dexamethasone) intra-space. In the control site (CS) procedures, a regular standard inferior alveolar nerve block was administered, and dexamethasone was given as intramuscular injection. The plasma dexamethasone determination was done in venous blood 30- and 60-min post injection using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The clinical parameters like pain; swelling; and mouth opening on the first, third, and seventh post-operative day were analyzed and compared. No significant difference was found in the clinical parameters assessed; comparative evaluation showed less swelling in the SS interventions. The plasma concentration of dexamethasone for the CS interventions was 226 ± 47 ng/ml at 30-min and 316 ± 81.6 ng/ml at 60-min post injection, and for SS, it was 221 ± 81.6 ng/ml at 30-min and 340 ± 105 ng/ml at 60-min post injection. On inter-site (CS and SS) comparison, no statistically significant difference was ascertained in dexamethasone plasma concentration at 30-min post injection (P = 0.77) and at 60-min post injection. (P = 0.32). Intra-space (pterygomandibular space) administration of dexamethasone can achieve statistically similar plasma concentration

  11. [Clinical efficacy of preferred use of high-frequency oscillatory ventilation in treatment of neonatal pulmonary hemorrhage].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hua; Du, Li-Zhong; Tang, Jun; Wu, Jin-Lin; Mu, De-Zhi

    2015-03-01

    To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of preferred use of high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) in the treatment of neonatal pulmonary hemorrhage. The clinical efficacy of preferred use of HFOV (preferred use group) and rescue use of HFOV after conventional mechanical ventilation proved ineffective (rescue use group) in the treatment of 26 cases of neonatal pulmonary hemorrhage was retrospectively analyzed. The oxygenation index (OI), pulmonary hemorrhage time, hospitalization time, ventilation time, oxygen therapy time, complications, and outcome of the two groups were compared. Compared with the rescue use group, the preferred use group had significantly lower IO values at 1, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after treatment (Phemorrhage, and digestive tract hemorrhage between the two groups (P>0.05). Compared with those in the rescue use group, children who survived in the preferred use group had significantly shorter pulmonary hemorrhage time, hospitalization time, ventilation time, and oxygen therapy time (P<0.05). Compared with the rescue use of HFOV, preferred use of HFOV can better improve oxygenation function, reduce the incidence of VAP, shorten the course of disease, and increase cure rate while not increasing the incidence of adverse effects.

  12. Simultaneous Determination of Ciprofloxacin Hydrochloride and Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate in Eye Drops by HPLC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prakash Katakam

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available A liquid chromatographic method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride and dexamethasone sodium phosphate in bulk and pharmaceutical formulations. Optimum separation was achieved in less than 5 min using a C18 column (250 mmx4.6 mm i.d, 5μ particle size by isocratic elution. The mobile phase consisting of a mixture of mixed phosphate buffer (pH 4 and acetonitrile (65:35, v/v was used. Column effluents were monitored at 254 nm at a flow rate of 1ml/min. Retention times of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride and dexamethasone sodium phosphate were 2.0 and 3.16 min respectively. The linearity of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride and dexamethasone sodium phosphate was in the range of 3-18 μg/ml and 1-6 μg/ml respectively. Developed method was economical in terms of the time taken and amount of solvent consumed for each analysis. The method was validated and successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride and dexamethasone sodium phosphate in bulk and pharmaceutical formulations.

  13. Is the Use of Dexamethasone Effective in Controlling Pain Associated with Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis? A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nogueira, Brenna M L; Silva, Ludmylla G; Mesquita, Carla R M; Menezes, Sílvio A F; Menezes, Tatiany O A; Faria, Antônio G M; Porpino, Mariana T M

    2018-05-01

    Endodontic pain is a symptom of pulpal and/or periapical inflammation. One strategy for pain reduction is using medications, such as dexamethasone. A definitive protocol for preventing and controlling pain caused by irreversible pulpitis during endodontic treatment has not yet been established. This is a systematic review to answer the following question: is the use of dexamethasone effective in controlling pain associated with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis? This study was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42017058704), and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement recommendations were followed. MEDLINE, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Latin American Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases were used in our research. No restrictions were applied to dates or language of publication. All records identified electronically were organized and evaluated by 2 independent authors, and, in case of doubt, a third author made the decision. The Cochrane Collaboration tool was used. The data were analyzed with RevMan 5 software (The Cochrane Collaboration, Copenhagen, Denmark), and data from eligible studies were dichotomous (with and without pain). A total of 4825 studies were identified. After screening, 523 studies were selected, and, after careful evaluation, only 5 articles remained. All meta-analyses revealed a global effect (P < .05, P < .05, and P < .05), which means that 4 mg dexamethasone helps relieve pain, sometimes for up to 8, 12, and 24 hours. The pain felt by patients diagnosed with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis may be alleviated by administering 4 mg dexamethasone either by mouth or through intraligamentary and mainly supraperiosteal injections into the root canal for up to 24 hours. Copyright © 2018 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Neonatal tetanus associated with skin infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maharaj, M; Dungwa, N

    2016-08-03

    A 1-week-old infant was brought to a regional hospital with a history of recurrent seizures following lower abdominal septic skin infection. She was found to have neonatal tetanus, and a spatula test was positive. The tetanus infection was associated with a superficial skin infection, common in neonates. Treatment included sedatives (diazepam, chlorpromazine, phenobarbitone and morphine), muscle relaxants, antibiotics and ventilation in the neonatal intensive care unit. Intrathecal and intramuscular immunoglobulin were given, and the wound was treated. The infant recovered, with no seizures by the 16th day from admission, and was off the ventilator by the 18th day. This was shorter than the usual 3 - 4 weeks for neonates with tetanus at the hospital. The question arises whether tetanus immunisation should be considered in infants with skin infections, which frequently occur in the neonatal period.

  15. Effect of dexamethasone in low volume supraclavicular brachial plexus block: A double-blinded randomized clinical study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arun Kumar Alarasan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background and Aims: With the use of ultrasound, a minimal effective volume of 20 ml has been described for supraclavicular brachial plexus block. However achieving a long duration of analgesia with this minimal volume remains a challenge. We aimed to determine the effect of dexamethasone on onset and duration of analgesia in low volume supraclavicular brachial plexus block. Material and Methods: Sixty patients were randomly divided into two groups of 30 each. Group C received saline (2 ml + 20 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine and Group D received dexamethasone (8 mg + 20 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine in supraclavicular brachial plexus block. Hemodynamic variables and visual analog scale (VAS score were noted at regular intervals until 450 min. The onset and duration of sensory and motor block were measured. The incidence of "Halo" around brachial plexus was observed. Student′s t-test and Chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. Results: The onset of sensory and motor block was significantly earlier in dexamethasone group (10.36 ± 1.99 and 12 ± 1.64 minutes compared to control group (12.9 ± 2.23 and 18.03 ± 2.41 minutes. The duration of sensory and motor block was significantly prolonged in dexamethasone group (366 ± 28.11 and 337.33 ± 28.75 minutes compared to control group (242.66 ± 26.38 and 213 ± 26.80 minutes. The VAS score was significantly lower in dexamethasone group after 210 min. "Halo" was present around the brachial plexus in all patients in both the groups. Conclusion: Dexamethasone addition significantly increases the duration of analgesia in patients receiving low volume supraclavicular brachial plexus block. No significant side-effects were seen in patients receiving dexamethasone as an adjunct.

  16. Magnetic hyaluronic acid nanospheres via aqueous Diels-Alder chemistry to deliver dexamethasone for adipose tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Yang; Fan, Ming; Chen, Huinan; Miao, Yuting; Xing, Lian; Jiang, Bohong; Cheng, Qifan; Liu, Dongwei; Bao, Weikang; Qian, Bin; Wang, Jionglu; Xing, Xiaodong; Tan, Huaping; Ling, Zhonghua; Chen, Yong

    2015-11-15

    Biopolymer-based nanospheres have great potential in the field of drug delivery and tissue regenerative medicine. In this work, we present a flexible way to conjugate a magnetic hyaluronic acid (HA) nanosphere system that are capable of vectoring delivery of adipogenic factor, e.g. dexamethasone, for adipose tissue engineering. Conjugation of nanospheres was established by aqueous Diels-Alder chemistry between furan and maleimide of HA derivatives. Simultaneously, a furan functionalized dexamethasone peptide, GQPGK, was synthesized and covalently immobilized into the nanospheres. The magnetic HA nanospheres were fabricated by encapsulating super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, which exhibited quick magnetic sensitivity. The aqueous Diels-Alder chemistry made nanospheres high binding efficiency of dexamethasone, and the vectoring delivery of dexamethasone could be easily controlled by a external magnetic field. The potential application of the magnetic HA nanospheres on vectoring delivery of adipogenic factor was confirmed by co-culture of human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs). In vitro cytotoxicity tests demonstrated that incorporation of dexamethasone into magnetic HA nanospheres showed high efficiency to promote ASCs viabilities, in particular under a magnetic field, which suggested a promising future for adipose regeneration applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. NEONATAL CONJUNCTIVITIS AND ITS DRUG SENSITIVITY PATTERN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kavitha Thulukkanam

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Neonatal conjunctivitis is eye discharge in neonates and it is a common infection in neonates in the first month of life. Worldwide, the incidence of neonatal conjunctivitis varies from 1% to 33% depending on the socioeconomic status of the people in the region. In India, the incidence varies from region to region from 0.9 to 35%. MATERIALS AND METHODS Single center prospective study. All neonates of age 0-30 days delivered and referred from neonatal ward of Chengalpattu Medical College and Hospital with complaints of eye swelling, redness, conjunctival discharge to the eye department for treatment are included in the study. RESULTS In this study, age group from 0-7 days were most commonly affected by neonatal conjunctivitis. Both eyes were commonly affected together. Neonates born by both LSCS and normal vaginal delivery were almost equally affected. The most common organism found in culture and Gram staining was staphylococci. CONCLUSION Neonatal conjunctivitis is more likely to be acquired postnatally. It acquires during the 1 st week and responds well to local application of antibiotics, which covers common causative bacteria.

  18. Sustained release ophthalmic dexamethasone: In vitro in vivo correlations derived from the PK-Eye.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Awwad, Sahar; Day, Richard M; Khaw, Peng T; Brocchini, Steve; Fadda, Hala M

    2017-04-30

    Corticosteroids have long been used to treat intraocular inflammation by intravitreal injection. We describe dexamethasone loaded poly-DL-lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) microparticles that were fabricated by thermally induced phase separation (TIPS). The dexamethasone loaded microparticles were evaluated using a two-compartment, in vitro aqueous outflow model of the eye (PK-Eye) that estimates drug clearance time from the back of the eye via aqueous outflow by the anterior route. A dexamethasone dose of 0.20±0.02mg in a 50μL volume of TIPS microparticles resulted in a clearance t 1/2 of 9.6±0.3days using simulated vitreous in the PK-Eye. Since corticosteroids can also clear through the retina, it is necessary to account for clearance through the back of the eye. Retinal permeability data, published human ocular pharmacokinetics (PK) and the PK-Eye clearance times were then used to establish in vitro in vivo correlations (IVIVCs) for intraocular clearance times of corticosteroid formulations. A t 1/2 of 48h was estimated for the dexamethasone-TIPS microparticles, which is almost 9 times longer than that reported for dexamethasone suspension in humans. The prediction of human clearance times of permeable molecules from the vitreous compartment can be determined by accounting for drug retinal permeation and determining the experimental clearance via the anterior aqueous outflow pathway using the PK-Eye. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  19. Silencing Dkk1 expression rescues dexamethasone-induced suppression of primary human osteoblast differentiation.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Butler, Joseph S

    2010-09-01

    The Wnt\\/β-catenin pathway is a major signaling cascade in bone biology, playing a key role in bone development and remodeling. The objectives of this study were firstly, to determine the effects of dexamethasone exposure on Wnt\\/β-catenin signaling at an intracellular and transcriptional level, and secondly, to assess the phenotypic effects of silencing the Wnt antagonist, Dickkopf-1 (Dkk1) in the setting of dexamethasone exposure.

  20. Anti-CD163-dexamethasone protects against apoptosis after ischemia/reperfusion injuries in the rat liver

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, Lin Nanna Okholm; Knudsen, Anders Riegels; Andersen, Kasper Jarlhelt

    2015-01-01

    , high dose dexamethasone, low dose dexamethasone or placebo intravenously 18 h before laparotomy with subsequent 60 min of liver ischemia. After reperfusion for 24 h the animals had their liver removed. Bloods were drawn 30 min and 24 h post ischemia induction. Liver cell apoptosis and necrosis were...

  1. Effective cross-over to granisetron after failure to ondansetron, a randomized double blind study in patients failing ondansetron plus dexamethasone during the first 24 hours following highly emetogenic chemotherapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Wit, R; de Boer, A C; vd Linden, G H M; Stoter, G; Sparreboom, A; Verweij, J

    2001-01-01

    In view of the similarity in chemical structure of the available 5HT3-receptor antagonists it is assumed, whilst these agents all act at the same receptor, that failure to one agent would predict subsequent failure to all 5HT3-receptor antagonists. We conducted a randomized double blind trial of granisetron 3 mg plus dexamethasone 10 mg versus continued treatment with ondansetron 8 mg plus dexamethasone 10 mg in patients with protection failure on ondansetron 8 mg plus dexamethasone 10 mg during the first 24 hours following highly emetogenic chemotherapy. Of 40 eligible patients, 21 received ondansetron + dexamethasone and 19 received granisetron + dexamethasone. We found a significant benefit from crossing-over to granisetron after failure on ondansetron. Of the 19 patients who crossed over to granisetron, 9 patients obtained complete protection, whereas this was observed in 1 of the 21 patients continuing ondansetron, P = 0.005. These results indicate that there is no complete cross-resistance between 5HT3-receptor antagonists, and that patients who have acute protection failure on one 5HT3-receptor antagonist should be offered cross-over to another 5HT3-receptor antagonist. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign  http://www.bjcancer.com PMID:11710819

  2. Exposure assessment of neonates in israel to x-ray radiation during hospitalization at neonatal intensive care unit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Datz, H.

    2005-03-01

    Nowadays nearly 10% of all births in western countries are premature. In the last decade, there has been an increase of 45% in the number of neonates that were born in Israel. At the same time, the survival of neonates, especially those with very low birth weight, VLBW, (less than 1,500 gr), has increased dramatically. Diagnostic radiology plays an important role in the assessment and treatment of neonates requiring intensive care. During their prolonged and complex hospitalization, these infants are exposed to multiple radiographic examinations involving X-ray radiation. The extent of the examinations that the infant undergoes depends on its birth weight, gestational age and its medical problems, where most of the treatment effort is focused especially on VLBW neonates. Most of the diagnostic X-ray examinations taken during the hospitalization of neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) consist of imaging of the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems, namely, the chest and abdomen. The imaging process is done using mobile X-ray units located at the NICUs. Due to their long hospitalization periods and complex medical condition, all neonates, and neonates with VLBW in particular, are exposed to a much higher level of diagnostic radiation, compared to normal newborns. The goal of this research was to assess the extent of the exposure of neonates in Israel to X-ray radiation during their hospitalization at the neonatal intensive care unit. Five NICUs, located at different geographical zones in Israel and treating 20% of all newborns in Israel every year, participated in this research. The research was conducted in three phases: Phase I: Collection of information on radiographic techniques and exposure parameters (e.g. kV, mAs, focus to skin distance (FSD), examination borders). 499 X-ray examinations (from 157 neonates) were evaluated for necessary and unnecessary exposure of the neonate's organs to X-ray radiation during these examinations. Phase II

  3. Long-term outcomes and cost effectiveness of high-dose dexamethasone for cardiac surgery : A randomised trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dieleman, J. M.; de Wit, G. A.; Nierich, A. P.; Rosseel, P. M.; van der Maaten, J. M.; Hofland, J.; Diephuis, J. C.; de Lange, F.; Boer, C.; Neslo, R. E.; Moons, K. G.; van Herwerden, L. A.; Tijssen, J. G.; Kalkman, C. J.; van Dijk, D.

    Prophylactic intra-operative administration of dexamethasone may improve short-term clinical outcomes in cardiac surgical patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term clinical outcomes and cost effectiveness of dexamethasone versus placebo. Patients included in the multicentre,

  4. Long-term outcomes and cost effectiveness of high-dose dexamethasone for cardiac surgery: a randomised trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dieleman, J. M.; de Wit, G. A.; Nierich, A. P.; Rosseel, P. M.; van der Maaten, J. M.; Hofland, J.; Diephuis, J. C.; de Lange, F.; Boer, C.; Neslo, R. E.; Moons, K. G.; van Herwerden, L. A.; Tijssen, J. G.; Kalkman, C. J.; van Dijk, D.

    2017-01-01

    Prophylactic intra-operative administration of dexamethasone may improve short-term clinical outcomes in cardiac surgical patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term clinical outcomes and cost effectiveness of dexamethasone versus placebo. Patients included in the multicentre,

  5. Low-Dose Dexamethasone Therapy from Infancy of Virilizing Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Scott A. Rivkees

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To assess the growth and control of adrenal androgen secretion in children with virilizing congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH treated with dexamethasone. Method. We examined doses used, control of adrenal androgen secretion, and growth and skeletal maturation of 8 children with CAH treated with dexamethasone beginning in infancy. Results. 3 boys and 5 girls with classical CAH (17-hydroxyprogesterone at diagnosis >20,000 ng/dL were treated with dexamethasone beginning at diagnosis (<10 days of age. Patients were also treated with fludrocortisone and sodium chloride. The average initial medication dose was 0.1 mg (0.28±0.015 mg/m2; all doses were given in the morning using a dosing syringe to administer a 0.1 mg/mL elixir. The children were treated for 6.5±2.0 years over which time the change in bone age to chronological age ratio (ΔBA/ΔCA was 0.9±0.06. Most recent height Z' scores were +0.5±0.2, and body mass index (BMI scores were 18±0.2. Late afternoon levels of 17-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione, and testosterone were 780±238 ng/dL (23.4±7 nmol/L, 42±10 ng/dL (1.4±0.3 nmol/L, and 11.5±3 ng/dL; (0.4±0.1 nmol/L, respectively. Conclusions. These observations show that low doses of dexamethasone can be used to effectively treat CAH beginning in infancy.

  6. Chlamydial Pneumonitis: A Creepy Neonatal Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kam Lun Hon

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We present a case of neonatal chlamydial pneumonitis to illustrate that a high index of suspicion is necessary to make the diagnosis so that treatment can be promptly instituted. The child was afebrile and the only symptom was a cough. The respiratory equations are calculated to understand the respiratory physiology. There was no overt abnormality with ventilation, oxygenation, compliance, resistance, or ventilation-perfusion mismatch despite radiographic abnormality. The literature is searched to review if treatment with a systemic macrolide antibiotic is needed in an otherwise asymptomatic neonate with chlamydial pneumonitis.

  7. Comparison between self-formulation and compounded-formulation dexamethasone mouth rinse for oral lichen planus: a pilot, randomized, cross-over trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hambly, Jessica L; Haywood, Alison; Hattingh, Laetitia; Nair, Raj G

    2017-08-01

    There is a lack of appropriate, commercially-available topical corticosteroid formulations for use in oral lichen planus (OLP) and oral lichenoid reaction. Current therapy includes crushing a dexamethasone tablet and mixing it with water for use as a mouth rinse. This formulation is unpleasant esthetically and to use in the mouth, as it is a bitter and gritty suspension, resulting in poor compliance. Thus, the present study was designed to formulate and pilot an effective, esthetically-pleasing formulation. A single-blinded, cross-over trial was designed with two treatment arms. Patients were monitored for 7 weeks. Quantitative and qualitative data was assessed using VAS, numeric pain scales, the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication-9, and thematic analysis to determine primary patient-reported outcomes, including satisfaction, compliance, quality of life, and symptom relief. Nine patients completed the pilot trial. Data analysis revealed the new compounded formulation to be superior to existing therapy due to its convenience, positive contribution to compliance, patient-perceived faster onset of action, and improved symptom relief. Topical dexamethasone is useful in the treatment of OLP. When carefully formulated into a compounded mouth rinse, it improves patient outcomes. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  8. Cyclophosphamide, thalidomide, and dexamethasone as induction therapy for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients destined for autologous stem-cell transplantation: MRC Myeloma IX randomized trial results

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, Gareth J.; Davies, Faith E.; Gregory, Walter M.; Bell, Sue E.; Szubert, Alexander J.; Navarro Coy, Nuria; Cook, Gordon; Feyler, Sylvia; Johnson, Peter R.E.; Rudin, Claudius; Drayson, Mark T.; Owen, Roger G.; Ross, Fiona M.; Russell, Nigel H.; Jackson, Graham H.; Child, J. Anthony

    2012-01-01

    Background Thalidomide is active in multiple myeloma and is associated with minimal myelosuppression, making it a good candidate for induction therapy prior to high-dose therapy with autologous stem-cell transplantation. Design and Methods Oral cyclophosphamide, thalidomide, and dexamethasone was compared with infusional cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and dexamethasone in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Results The post-induction overall response rate (≥ partial response) for the intent-to-treat population was significantly higher with cyclophosphamide-thalidomide-dexamethasone (n=555) versus cyclophosphamide-vincristine-doxorubicin-dexamethasone (n=556); 82.5% versus 71.2%; odds ratio 1.91; 95% confidence interval 1.44–2.55; P<0.0001. The complete response rates were 13.0% with cyclophosphamide-thalidomide-dexamethasone and 8.1% with cyclophos-phamide-vincristine-doxorubicin-dexamethasone (P=0.0083), with this differential response being maintained in patients who received autologous stem-cell transplantation (post-transplant complete response 50.0% versus 37.2%, respectively; P=0.00052). Cyclophosphamide-thalidomide-dexamethasone was non-inferior to cyclophosphamide-vincristine-doxorubicin-dexamethasone for progression-free and overall survival, and there was a trend toward a late survival benefit with cyclophosphamide-thalidomide-dexamethasone in responders. A trend toward an overall survival advantage for cyclophosphamide-thalidomide-dexamethasone over cyclophosphamide-vincristine-doxorubicin-dexamethasone was also observed in a subgroup of patients with favorable interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization. Compared with cyclophosphamide-vincristine-doxorubicin-dexamethasone, cyclophosphamide-thalidomide-dexamethasone was associated with more constipation and somnolence, but a lower incidence of cytopenias. Conclusions The cyclophosphamide-thalidomide-dexamethasone regimen showed improved response rates and was not inferior

  9. Does Growth Impairment Underlie the Adverse Effects of Dexamethasone on Development of Noradrenergic Systems?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slotkin, Theodore A; Ko, Ashley; Seidler, Frederic J

    2018-06-20

    Glucocorticoids are given in preterm labor to prevent respiratory distress but these agents evoke neurobehavioral deficits in association with reduced brain region volumes. To determine whether the neurodevelopmental effects are distinct from growth impairment, we gave developing rats dexamethasone at doses below or within the therapeutic range (0.05, 0.2 or 0.8 mg/kg) at different stages: gestational days (GD) 17-19, postnatal days (PN) 1-3 or PN7-9. In adolescence and adulthood, we assessed the impact on noradrenergic systems in multiple brain regions, comparing the effects to those on somatic growth or on brain region growth. Somatic growth was reduced with exposure in all three stages, with greater sensitivity for the postnatal regimens; brain region growth was impaired to a lesser extent. Norepinephrine content and concentration were reduced depending on the treatment regimen, with a rank order of deficits of PN7-9 > PN1-3 > GD17-19. However, brain growth impairment did not parallel reduced norepinephrine content in magnitude, dose threshold, sex or regional selectivity, or temporal pattern, and even when corrected for reduced brain region weights (norepinephrine per g tissue), the dexamethasone-exposed animals showed subnormal values. Regression analysis showed that somatic growth impairment accounted for an insubstantial amount of the reduction in norepinephrine content, and brain growth impairment accounted for only 12%, whereas specific effects on norepinephrine accounted for most of the effect. The adverse effects of dexamethasone on noradrenergic system development are not simply related to impaired somatic or brain region growth, but rather include specific targeting of neurodifferentiation. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  10. Efficacy of intravitreal dexamethasone implant for prostaglandin-induced refractory pseudophakic cystoid macular edema: case report and review of the literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sacchi M

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Matteo Sacchi, Edoardo Villani, Francesca Gilardoni, Paolo Nucci University Eye Clinic, San Giuseppe Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy Background: Macular edema is a known complication even after uneventful cataract surgery. The chronic use of prostaglandin analogs is a risk factor for the development of pseudophakic cystoid macular edema (CME. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs are considered first-line therapy but refractory postsurgical CME represents a therapeutic challenge, as there is not an evidence-based treatment.Objective: To report the use of a single implant of intravitreal dexamethasone for tafluprost-associated pseudophakic CME refractory to NSAIDs and to sub-Tenon’s corticosteroid injections.Case report: A 64-year-old female with ocular hypertension treated with tafluprost experienced decreased vision (visual acuity 20/60 and metamorphopsia 2 months after uneventful cataract extraction. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT revealed CME. After 1 month of topical and oral NSAIDs, CME was still evident on SD-OCT (visual acuity 20/50. Two sub-Tenon’s betamethasone injections were performed at a 2-week interval. As CME was still present, 2 months after the diagnosis of CME (visual acuity 20/40, the patient underwent a single dexamethasone intravitreal implant. One month later, macular appearance was normal, and visual acuity increased to 20/30. This result was maintained throughout the 6 months of follow-up.Conclusion: In this report, a single implant of intravitreal dexamethasone successfully treated pseudophakic CME associated with the use of prostaglandin analogs unresponsive to NSAIDs and sub-Tenon’s betamethasone. The results of this report need to be corroborated by powered, prospective, randomized trials. The need for repeated treatments as well as the retreatment interval in patients requiring more than a single injection are issues still needing further investigations. Keywords

  11. Vacuum extraction as a treatment modality of neonatal skull depression in twin infant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amin, Adnan M.; Al-Zeky, Alaauddin M.; El-Azm, M.

    2007-01-01

    The management of depressed skull fractures in the newborn infant can be controversial. In this article, we report a case of twin pregnancy wherein one of the fetuses had depressed skull fractures that was not associated with any known trauma during the pregnancy or at delivery. This p ing-pong skull depression was treated by elevation with an obstetrical vacuum extractor. No complications occurred. The possible etiologies and treatment modalities for neonatal depressed fractures, being conservative or operative, are discussed. (author)

  12. Therapeutic effects of probiotics on neonatal jaundice

    OpenAIRE

    Liu, Wenbin; Liu, Huajun; Wang, Taisen; Tang, Xueqing

    2015-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic effects of probiotics on neonatal jaundice and the safety. Methods: Sixty-eight neonates with jaundice were divided into a control group and a treatment group (n=34) randomly, and treated by blue light phototherapy and that in combination with probiotics. The serum bilirubin levels were detected before and 1, 4, 7 days after treatment. The time when therapy showed effects and jaundice faded, clinical outcomes as well as adverse reactions were recorded. T...

  13. Dexamethasone abrogates the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of different drugs against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aquila Rodrigues

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are part of the human microbiota and are also important bacterial pathogens, for which therapeutic options are lacking nowadays. The combined administration of corticosteroids and antimicrobials is commonly used in the treatment of infectious diseases to control inflammatory processes and to minimize potential toxicity of antimicrobials, avoiding sequelae. Although different pharmaceutical dosage forms of antimicrobials combined to corticosteroids are available, studies on the interference of corticosteroids on the pharmacological activity of antimicrobials are scarce and controversial. Here, we provide evidence of the interference of dexamethasone on the pharmacological activity of clinically important antimicrobial drugs against biofilms and planktonic cells of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. Broth microdilution assays of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC, minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC, and minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC of gentamicin, chloramphenicol, oxacillin, ceftriaxone and meropenem were conducted with and without the addition of dexamethasone. The effect of all drugs was abrogated by dexamethasone in their MIC, MBC, and MBEC, except gentamicin and meropenem, for which the MBC was not affected in some strains. The present study opens doors for more investigations on in vitro and in vivo effects and safety of the combination of antimicrobials and glucocorticoids.

  14. Modulation of the gut microbiota with antibiotic treatment suppresses whole body urea production in neonatal pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Puiman, Patrycja; Stoll, Barbara; Mølbak, Lars

    2013-01-01

    We examined whether changes in the gut microbiota induced by clinically relevant interventions would impact the bioavailability of dietary amino acids in neonates. We tested the hypothesis that modulation of the gut microbiota in neonatal pigs receiving no treatment (control), intravenously...... administered antibiotics, or probiotics affects whole body nitrogen and amino acid turnover. We quantified whole body urea kinetics, threonine fluxes, and threonine disposal into protein, oxidation, and tissue protein synthesis with stable isotope techniques. Compared with controls, antibiotics reduced...... the number and diversity of bacterial species in the distal small intestine (SI) and colon. Antibiotics decreased plasma urea concentrations via decreased urea synthesis. Antibiotics elevated threonine plasma concentrations and turnover, as well as whole body protein synthesis and proteolysis. Antibiotics...

  15. The effects of dexamethasone on the Na,K-ATPase activity and pump function of corneal endothelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatou, Shin; Yamada, Masakazu; Mochizuki, Hiroshi; Shiraishi, Atsushi; Joko, Takeshi; Nishida, Teruo

    2009-05-01

    The Na(+)- and K(+)-dependent ATPase (Na,K-ATPase) expressed in the basolateral membrane of corneal endothelial cells plays an important role in the pump function of the corneal endothelium. We investigated the possible role of dexamethasone in the regulation of Na,K-ATPase activity and pump function in corneal endothelial cells. Confluent monolayers of mouse corneal endothelial cells were exposed to dexamethasone. ATPase activity of the cells was evaluated by spectrophotometric measurement of phosphate released from ATP with the use of ammonium molybdate, with Na,K-ATPase activity being defined as the portion of total ATPase activity sensitive to ouabain. Pump function of the cells was measured with the use of an Ussing chamber, with the pump function attributable to Na,K-ATPase activity being defined as the portion of the total short-circuit current sensitive to ouabain. Western blot analysis was examined to measure the expression of the Na,K-ATPase alpha(1)-subunit. Dexamethasone (1 or 10 microM) increased the Na,K-ATPase activity and pump function of the cultured cells. These effects of dexamethasone were blocked by cycloheximide, a protein synthesis inhibitor. Western blot analysis also indicated that dexamethasone increased the expression of the Na,K-ATPase alpha(1)-subunit, whereas it decreased the expression of the phospho-Na,K-ATPase alpha(1)-subunit. Our results suggest that dexamethasone stimulates Na,K-ATPase activity in mouse corneal endothelial cells. The effect of dexamethasone activation in these cells is mediated by Na,K-ATPase synthesis and increase in an enzymatic activity by dephosphorylation of Na,K-ATPase alpha(1)-subunits.

  16. Neonatal Graves' Disease with Maternal Hypothyroidism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akangire, Gangaram; Cuna, Alain; Lachica, Charisse; Fischer, Ryan; Raman, Sripriya; Sampath, Venkatesh

    2017-07-01

    Neonatal Graves' disease presenting as conjugated hyperbilirubinemia is a diagnostic challenge because the differential includes a gamut of liver and systemic diseases. We present a unique case of neonatal Graves' disease in a premature infant with conjugated hyperbilirubinemia born to a mother with hypothyroidism during pregnancy and remote history of Graves' disease. Infant was treated with a combination of methimazole, propranolol, and potassium iodide for 4 weeks. Thyroid function improved after 8 weeks of treatment with full recovery of thyroid function, disappearance of thyroid-stimulating antibodies, and resolution of failure to thrive and conjugated hyperbilirubinemia. This case provides several clinical vignettes as it is a rare, severe, presentation of an uncommon neonatal disease, signs, symptoms, and clinical history presented a diagnostic challenge for neonatologists and endocrinologists, normal newborn screen was misleading, and yet timely treatment led to a full recovery.

  17. [Neonatal hyperthyroidism and maternal Graves disease].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben Ameur, K; Chioukh, F Z; Marmouch, H; Ben Hamida, H; Bizid, M; Monastiri, K

    2015-04-01

    The onset of Graves disease during pregnancy exposes the neonate to the risk of hyperthyroidism. The newborn must be monitored and treatment modalities known to ensure early treatment of the newborn. We report on the case of an infant born at term of a mother with Graves disease discovered during pregnancy. He was asymptomatic during the first days of life, before declaring the disease. Neonatal hyperthyroidism was confirmed by hormonal assays. Hyperthyroidism was treated with antithyroid drugs and propranolol with a satisfactory clinical and biological course. Neonatal hyperthyroidism should be systematically sought in infants born to a mother with Graves disease. The absence of clinical signs during the first days of life does not exclude the diagnosis. The duration of monitoring should be decided according to the results of the first hormonal balance tests. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  18. Dexamethasone Suppresses Oxysterol-Induced Differentiation of Monocytic Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yonghae Son

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Oxysterol like 27-hydroxycholesterol (27OHChol has been reported to induce differentiation of monocytic cells into a mature dendritic cell phenotype. We examined whether dexamethasone (Dx affects 27OHChol-induced differentiation using THP-1 cells. Treatment of monocytic cells with Dx resulted in almost complete inhibition of transcription and surface expression of CD80, CD83, and CD88 induced by 27OHChol. Elevated surface levels of MHC class I and II molecules induced by 27OHChol were reduced to basal levels by treatment with Dx. A decreased endocytosis ability caused by 27OHChol was recovered by Dx. We also examined effects of Dx on expression of CD molecules involved in atherosclerosis. Increased levels of surface protein and transcription of CD105, CD137, and CD166 by treatment with 27OHChol were significantly inhibited by cotreatment with Dx. These results indicate that Dx inhibits 27OHChol-induced differentiation of monocytic cells into a mature dendritic cell phenotype and expression of CD molecules whose levels are associated with atherosclerosis. In addition, we examined phosphorylation of AKT induced by 27OHChol and effect of Dx, where cotreatment with Dx inhibited the phosphorylation of AKT. The current study reports that Dx regulates oxysterol-mediated dendritic cell differentiation of monocytic cells.

  19. Factors infleuncing neonatal septicaemia in Maiduguri, north ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    BACKGROUND: Neonatal septicaemia is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in the tropics. The risk factors vary, and the clinical features of neonatal septicaemia may be vague and nonspecific, therefore a high index of suspicion is vital to early diagnosis and treatment. The aetiological agents ...

  20. Effects of Maternal Dexamethasone Exposure During Lactation on ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    olayemitoyin

    examined the effects of lactational dexamethasone exposure on metabolic imbalance and oxidative stress marker in the liver ... control. Basal Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) was also significantly (p<0.001) higher in the Dex ... Exposure to stress and glucocorticoids hormone ..... Energy expenditure and energy intake during.

  1. Effect of an NCAM mimetic peptide FGL on impairment in spatial learning and memory after neonatal phencyclidine treatment in rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Secher, Thomas; Berezin, Vladimir; Bock, Elisabeth

    2008-01-01

    treatment regimen where FGL was administered throughout development. Rats were tested as adults for spatial reference memory, reversal learning, and working memory in the Morris water maze. The PCP-treated rats demonstrated a robust impairment in working memory and reversal learning. However, the long-term......The FGL peptide is a neural cell adhesion molecule-derived fibroblast growth factor receptor agonist. FGL has both neurotrophic and memory enhancing properties. Neonatal phencyclidine (PCP) treatment on postnatal days 7, 9, and 11 has been shown to result in long-lasting behavioral abnormalities......, including cognitive impairment relevant to schizophrenia. The present study investigated the effect of FGL on spatial learning and memory deficits induced by neonatal PCP treatment. Rat pups were treated with 30mg/kg PCP on postnatal days 7, 9, and 11. Additionally, the rats were subjected to a chronic FGL...

  2. Direct round window membrane application of dexamethasone in the protection of the guinea pigs'cochlea against irradiation damage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Ying; Guo GuangWei; Su Jiping

    2009-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the protective effect of dexamethasone applied to round window membrane (RWM) against radiation-induced inner ear damage in guinea pigs, in order to provide the evidence for preventing and treating radiation-induced inner ear damage. Methods: 130 guinea pigs were randomly divided into four groups. (1) Dexamethasone group( n = 45): The guinea pigs were injected with dexamethasone through an intact RWM on right ear for one time after being treated with 70 Gy 60 Co γ irradiation. (2) Irradiation group(n = 45) : The guinea pigs were treated with 70 Gy 60 Co γ irradiation. (3) Saline group (n = 30): Applying of normal saline through an intact RWM on right ear for one time after being treated with 70 Gy 60 Co γ irradiation. (4) Control group(n =45) : Auditory brainstem response (ABR) was tested before the 3 rd day, the second week and the second month after irradiation (treatment) in the first three groups. The animals were sacrificed right after the ABR test and the middle ear mucosa was observed simultaneously. The hair cells were observed by surface preparation of the basilar membrane and scanning electron microscope ( SEM). Results: The normal ABR threshold is (8.2 ± 2.8) dB. The ABR thresholds increased in those of the three groups treated with irradiation and were rising with time. At the 3rd day, the second week and the second month, ABR thresholds of the dexamethasone group were (24.0 ± 14.1), (27.1 ± 9.9) and (38.0 ± 15.1) dB, respectively, while the irradiation group were (24.5 ± 13.5), (39.5 ± 15.4) and (57.2 ± 18.4) dB. The saline group were (27.0 ± 14.6) and (42.8 ± 13.5) dB, respectively. ABR thresholds of the dexamethasone group at the second week and the second month both decreased compared with those of the irradiation group and saline group ( P < 0.05) . In the control group, the outer hair cell lost by 8.0 ± 2.7 and inner hair cell by 3.7 ± 1.2. The lost quantities of the inner hair cells and outer hair cells

  3. Implementation of dextrose gel in the management of neonatal hypoglycaemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ter, Marene; Halibullah, Ikhwan; Leung, Laura; Jacobs, Susan

    2017-04-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate dextrose gel in the management of neonatal hypoglycaemia in the postnatal wards at an Australian tertiary level perinatal centre. An audit was performed before and after implementation of dextrose gel. Pre-implementation, neonatal hypoglycaemia was managed with feed supplementation alone, and dextrose gel was used in addition to feed supplementation in the post-implementation phase. Outcomes included admission to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for management of hypoglycaemia, proportion of neonates who achieved normoglycaemia (defined as blood glucose ≥2.6 mmol/L, with no clinical signs after one or two treatment attempts) and proportion of neonates with hypoglycaemia recurrence after normoglycaemia and one or two treatment attempts. NICU admission for treatment of hypoglycaemia reduced significantly post-implementation of dextrose gel (29/100 (29%) vs. 14/100 (14%), P = 0.01). No significant difference was seen in the proportion of neonates achieving normoglycaemia (71/100 (71%) vs. 75/100 (75%), P = 0.52), but hypoglycaemia recurrence was higher in the post-implementation group (22/71 (31%) vs. 37/75 (49%), P = 0.02). Dextrose gel is effective in the management of neonatal hypoglycaemia in the postnatal ward setting, reducing admission to NICU and mother-infant separation. © 2016 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  4. A Retrospective Study Evaluating the Effect of Low Doses of Perineural Dexamethasone on Ropivacaine Brachial Plexus Peripheral Nerve Block Analgesic Duration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schnepper, Gregory D; Kightlinger, Benjamin I; Jiang, Yunyun; Wolf, Bethany J; Bolin, Eric D; Wilson, Sylvia H

    2017-09-23

    Examination of the effectiveness of perineural dexamethasone administered in very low and low doses on ropivacaine brachial plexus block duration. Retrospective evaluation of brachial plexus block duration in a large cohort of patients receiving peripheral nerve blocks with and without perineural dexamethasone in a prospectively collected quality assurance database. A single academic medical center. A total of 1,942 brachial plexus blocks placed over a 16-month period were reviewed. Demographics, nerve block location, and perineural dexamethasone utilization and dose were examined in relation to block duration. Perineural dexamethasone was examined as none (0 mg), very low dose (2 mg or less), and low dose (greater than 2 mg to 4 mg). Continuous catheter techniques, local anesthetics other than ropivacaine, and block locations with fewer than 15 subjects were excluded. Associations between block duration and predictors of interest were examined using multivariable regression models. A subgroup analysis of the impact of receiving dexamethasone on block duration within each block type was also conducted using a univariate linear regression approach. A total of 1,027 subjects were evaluated. More than 90% of brachial plexus blocks contained perineural dexamethasone (≤4 mg), with a median dose of 2 mg. Increased block duration was associated with receiving any dose of perineural dexamethasone (P block duration did not differ with very low- or low-dose perineural dexamethasone after controlling for other factors (P = 0.420). Perineural dexamethasone prolonged block duration compared with ropivacaine alone; however, duration was not greater with low-dose compared with very low-dose perineural dexamethasone. © 2017 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  5. Comparison of Effect of Oral Premedication with Ibuprofen or Dexamethasone on Anesthetic Efficacy of Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block in Patients with Irreversible Pulpitis: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled, Double-blind Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bidar, Maryam; Mortazavi, Soheil; Forghani, Maryam; Akhlaghi, Saeed

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was to determine the effect of preoperative oral administration of ibuprofen or dexamethasone on the success rate of inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. Seventy-eight patients with irreversible pulpitis were randomly divided into 3 groups (26 per group) and given one of the following at 1 hr prior to performing local anesthesia: a placebo; 400 mg ibuprofen; or 4 mg dexamethasone. Each patient recorded their pain level on a visual analog scale before taking the medication or placebo, at 15 min after completion of IANB, and during treatment if pain occurred. The success of the anesthesia was defined as no or mild pain at any stage during the endodontic procedure. The success rate of the IANB was 38.5, 73.1, and 80.8% with the placebo, ibuprofen, and dexamethasone, respectively. Both ibuprofen and dexamethasone were significantly more effective than the placebo. No significant difference was observed, however, between the two experimental medications in terms of effectiveness. The results of the present study suggest that premedication with ibuprofen or dexamethasone increases the success rate of an IANB in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis in the mandibular molars.

  6. Efficacy and safety of combined piroxicam, dexamethasone, orphenadrine, and cyanocobalamin treatment in mandibular molar surgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barroso A.B.

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Third molar extraction is a common procedure frequently accompanied by moderate or severe pain, and involves sufficient numbers of patients to make studies relatively easy to perform. The aim of the present study was to determine the efficacy and safety of the therapeutic combination of 10 mg piroxicam, 1 mg dexamethasone, 35 mg orphenadrine citrate, and 2.5 mg cyanocobalamin (Rheumazin® when compared with 20 mg piroxicam alone (Feldene® in mandibular third molar surgery. Eighty patients scheduled for removal of the third molar were included in this randomized and double-blind study. They received (vo Rheumazin or Feldene 30 min after tooth extraction and once daily for 4 consecutive days. Pain was determined by a visual analogue scale and by the need for escape analgesia (paracetamol. Facial swelling was evaluated with a measuring tape and adverse effects and patient satisfaction were recorded. There was no statistically significant difference in facial swelling between Rheumazin and Feldene (control group. Both drugs were equally effective in the control of pain, with Rheumazin displaying less adverse effects than Feldene. Therefore, Rheumazin appears to provide a better risk/benefit ratio in the mandibular molar surgery. Since the side effects resulting from nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug administration are a severe limitation to the routine use of these drugs in clinical practice, our results suggest that Rheumazin can be a good choice for third molar removal treatment.

  7. Efficacy and safety of combined piroxicam, dexamethasone, orphenadrine, and cyanocobalamin treatment in mandibular molar surgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.B. Barroso

    Full Text Available Third molar extraction is a common procedure frequently accompanied by moderate or severe pain, and involves sufficient numbers of patients to make studies relatively easy to perform. The aim of the present study was to determine the efficacy and safety of the therapeutic combination of 10 mg piroxicam, 1 mg dexamethasone, 35 mg orphenadrine citrate, and 2.5 mg cyanocobalamin (Rheumazin® when compared with 20 mg piroxicam alone (Feldene® in mandibular third molar surgery. Eighty patients scheduled for removal of the third molar were included in this randomized and double-blind study. They received (vo Rheumazin or Feldene 30 min after tooth extraction and once daily for 4 consecutive days. Pain was determined by a visual analogue scale and by the need for escape analgesia (paracetamol. Facial swelling was evaluated with a measuring tape and adverse effects and patient satisfaction were recorded. There was no statistically significant difference in facial swelling between Rheumazin and Feldene (control group. Both drugs were equally effective in the control of pain, with Rheumazin displaying less adverse effects than Feldene. Therefore, Rheumazin appears to provide a better risk/benefit ratio in the mandibular molar surgery. Since the side effects resulting from nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug administration are a severe limitation to the routine use of these drugs in clinical practice, our results suggest that Rheumazin can be a good choice for third molar removal treatment.

  8. Appropriate antibiotic therapy improves Ureaplasma sepsis outcome in the neonatal mouse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weisman, Leonard E; Leeming, Angela H; Kong, Lingkun

    2012-11-01

    Ureaplasma causes sepsis in human neonates. Although erythromycin has been the standard treatment, it is not always effective. No published reports have evaluated Ureaplasma sepsis in a neonatal model. We hypothesized that appropriate antibiotic treatment improves Ureaplasma sepsis in a neonatal mouse model. Two ATCC strains and two clinical strains of Ureaplasma were evaluated in vitro for antibiotic minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). In addition, FVB albino mice pups infected with Ureaplasma were randomly assigned to saline, erythromycin, or azithromycin therapy and survival, quantitative blood culture, and growth were evaluated. MICs ranged from 0.125 to 62.5 µg/ml and 0.25 to 1.0 µg/ml for erythromycin and azithromycin, respectively. The infecting strain and antibiotic selected for treatment appeared to affect survival and bacteremia, but only the infecting strain affected growth. Azithromycin improved survival and bacteremia against each strain, whereas erythromycin was effective against only one of four strains. We have established a neonatal model of Ureaplasma sepsis and observed that treatment outcome is related to infecting strain and antibiotic treatment. We speculate that appropriate antibiotic selection and dosing are required for effective treatment of Ureaplasma sepsis in neonates, and this model could be used to further evaluate these relationships.

  9. Comparison of the Effect of Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant in Vitrectomized and Nonvitrectomized Eyes for the Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sadık Görkem Çevik

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. To compare the effectiveness of sustained-release dexamethasone (DEX intravitreal implant in nonvitrectomized eyes and vitrectomized eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME. Methods. A retrospective review of the medical records of 40 eyes of 30 consecutive patients with diabetic macular edema who underwent intravitreal DEX implant injection. Patients were divided into 2 subgroups: 31 eyes that were nonvitrectomized (group 1 and 9 eyes that had previously undergone standard pars plana vitrectomy (group 2. The main outcome measures were BCVA and foveal thickness (FT. Results. A significant improvement was seen in BCVA in both group 1 and group 2 at the 1st, 2nd, and 6th months after treatment with DEX implant (p<0.05. In group 1, a significant reduction in FT was observed at the 1st, 2nd, and 6th months (p<0.05. In group 2, a significant reduction in FT was seen at the 1st and 2nd months (p<0.05, but the reduction rate at the 6th month after the injection was not statistically significant (p=0.06. Conclusion. DEX implant is effective for the treatment of diabetic macular edema, and the effectiveness of the drug is similar in vitrectomized and nonvitrectomized eyes.

  10. Intracameral dexamethasone reduces inflammation on the first postoperative day after cataract surgery in eyes with and without glaucoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Diane T W; Herceg, Michael C; Bilonick, Richard A; Camejo, Larissa; Schuman, Joel S; Noecker, Robert J

    2009-01-01

    To evaluate whether dexamethasone injected intracamerally at the conclusion of surgery can safely and effectively reduce postoperative inflammation and improve surgical outcomes in eyes with and without glaucoma. Retrospective chart review of 176 consecutive eyes from 146 patients receiving uncomplicated phacoemulsification (PE) (n = 118 total, 82 with glaucoma), glaucoma drainage device (GDD) (n = 35), combined PE/GDD (n = 11) and combined PE/endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation (n = 12). Ninety-one eyes from 76 patients were injected with 0.4 mg dexamethasone intracamerally at the conclusion of surgery. All eyes received standard postoperative prednisolone and ketorolac eyedrops. Outcomes were measured for four to eight weeks by subjective complaints, visual acuity (VA), slit-lamp biomicroscopy, intraocular pressure (IOP) and postoperative complications. Dexamethasone significantly reduced the odds of having an increased anterior chamber (AC) cell score after PE (p = 0.0013). Mean AC cell score +/- SD in nonglaucomatous eyes was 1.3 +/- 0.8 in control and 0.8 +/- 0.7 with dexamethasone; scores in glaucomatous eyes were 1.3 +/- 0.7 in control and 0.9 +/- 0.8 with dexamethasone. Treated nonglaucomatous eyes had significantly fewer subjective complaints after PE (22.2% vs 64.7% in control; p = 0.0083). Dexamethasone had no significant effects on VA, corneal changes, IOP one day and one month after surgery, or long-term complications. Intracameral dexamethasone given at the end of cataract surgery significantly reduces postoperative AC cells in eyes with and without glaucoma, and improves subjective reports of recovery in nonglaucomatous eyes. There were no statistically significant risks of IOP elevation or other complications in glaucomatous eyes.

  11. Can short-term administration of dexamethasone abrogate radiation-induced acute cytokine gene response in lung and modify subsequent molecular responses?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hong, J.-H.; Chiang, C.-S.; Tsao, C.-Y.; Lin, P.-Y.; Wu, C.-J.; McBride, William H.

    2001-01-01

    Purpose: To investigate the effects of short-term administration of dexamethasone (DEX) on radiation-induced responses in the mouse lung, focusing on expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine and related genes. Methods and Materials: At indicated times after thoracic irradiation and/or drug treatment, mRNA expression levels of cytokines (mTNF-α, mIL-1α, mIL-1β, mIL-2, mIL-3, mIL-4, mIL-5, mIL-6, mIFN-γ) and related genes in the lungs of C3H/HeN mice were measured by RNase protection assay. Results: Radiation-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression levels in lung peak at 6 h after thoracic irradiation. DEX (5 mg/kg) suppresses both basal cytokine mRNA levels and this early response when given immediately after irradiation. However, by 24 h, in mice treated with DEX alone or DEX plus radiation, there was a strong rebound effect that lasted up to 3 days. Modification of the early radiation-induced response by DEX did not change the second wave of cytokine gene expression in the lung that occurs at 1 to 2 weeks, suggesting that early cytokine gene induction might not determine subsequent molecular events. A single dose of DEX attenuated, but did not completely suppress, increases in cytokine mRNA levels induced by lipopolysaccharide (2.5 mg/kg) treatment, but, unlike with radiation, no significant rebound effect was seen. Five days of dexamethasone treatment in the pneumonitic phase also inhibited pro-inflammatory cytokine gene expression and, again, there was a rebound effect after withdrawal of the drug. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that short-term use of dexamethasone can temporarily suppress radiation-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine gene expression, but there may be a rebound after drug withdrawal and the drug does little to change the essence and course of the pneumonitic process

  12. Neonatal bloodstream infections in a Ghanaian Tertiary Hospital

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Labi, Appiah-Korang; Obeng-Nkrumah, Noah; Bjerrrum, Stephanie

    2016-01-01

    submitted to the microbiology department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital was conducted from January 2010 through December 2013. We assessed the prevalence of bacteria and fungi involved in BSI and the susceptibility coverage of recommended empiric antibiotics by Ghana Standard Treatment guidelines...... and the WHO recommendations for managing neonatal sepsis. The national and WHO treatment guidelines recommend either ampicillin plus gentamicin or ampicillin plus cefotaxime for empiric treatment of neonatal BSI. The WHO recommendations also include cloxacillin plus gentamicin. We described the resistance...

  13. Neonatal varicella pneumonia, surfactant replacement therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mousa Ahmadpour-kacho

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Chickenpox is a very contagious viral disease that caused by varicella-zoster virus, which appears in the first week of life secondary to transplacental transmission of infection from the affected mother. When mother catches the disease five days before and up to two days after the delivery, the chance of varicella in neonate in first week of life is 17%. A generalized papulovesicular lesion is the most common clinical feature. Respiratory involvement may lead to giant cell pneumonia and respiratory failure. The mortality rate is up to 30% in the case of no treatment, often due to pneumonia. Treatment includes hospitalization, isolation and administration of intravenous acyclovir. The aim of this case report is to introduce the exogenous surfactant replacement therapy after intubation and mechanical ventilation for respiratory failure in neonatal chickenpox pneumonia and respiratory distress. Case Presentation: A seven-day-old neonate boy was admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Amirkola Children’s Hospital, Babol, north of Iran, with generalized papulovesicular lesions and respiratory distress. His mother has had a history of Varicella 4 days before delivery. He was isolated and given supportive care, intravenous acyclovir and antibiotics. On the second day, he was intubated and connected to mechanical ventilator due to severe pneumonia and respiratory failure. Because of sever pulmonary involvement evidenced by Chest X-Ray and high ventilators set-up requirement, intratracheal surfactant was administered in two doses separated by 12 hours. He was discharged after 14 days without any complication with good general condition. Conclusion: Exogenous surfactant replacement therapy can be useful as an adjunctive therapy for the treatment of respiratory failure due to neonatal chickenpox.

  14. Chicken Egg Yolk Antibodies (IgY) for Prophylaxis and Treatment of Rotavirus Diarrhea in Human and Animal Neonates: A Concise Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thu, Hlaing Myat; Myat, Theingi Win; Win, Mo Mo; Thant, Kyaw Zin; Rahman, Shofiqur; Umeda, Kouji; Nguyen, Sa Van; Icatlo, Faustino C.; Higo-Moriguchi, Kyoko; Taniguchi, Koki; Tsuji, Takao; Oguma, Keiji; Kim, Sang Jong; Bae, Hyun Suk

    2017-01-01

    The rotavirus-induced diarrhea of human and animal neonates is a major public health concern worldwide. Until recently, no effective therapy is available to specifically inactivate the rotavirion particles within the gut. Passive immunotherapy by oral administration of chicken egg yolk antibody (IgY) has emerged of late as a fresh alternative strategy to control infectious diseases of the alimentary tract and has been applied in the treatment of diarrhea due to rotavirus infection. The purpose of this concise review is to evaluate evidence on the properties and performance of anti-rotavirus immunoglobulin Y (IgY) for prevention and treatment of rotavirus diarrhea in human and animal neonates. A survey of relevant anti-rotavirus IgY basic studies and clinical trials among neonatal animals (since 1994-2015) and humans (since 1982-2015) have been reviewed and briefly summarized. Our analysis of a number of rotavirus investigations involving animal and human clinical trials revealed that anti-rotavirus IgY significantly reduced the severity of clinical manifestation of diarrhea among IgY-treated subjects relative to a corresponding control or placebo group. The accumulated information as a whole depicts oral IgY to be a safe and efficacious option for treatment of rotavirus diarrhea in neonates. There is however a clear need for more randomized, placebo controlled and double-blind trials with bigger sample size to further solidify and confirm claims of efficacy and safety in controlling diarrhea caused by rotavirus infection especially among human infants with health issues such as low birth weights or compromised immunity in whom it is most needed. PMID:28316465

  15. Dexamethasone, BMP-2, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D enhance a more differentiated osteoblast phenotype

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Niklas Rye; Henriksen, Z; Sørensen, O H

    2004-01-01

    . Osteoblast phenotypes were induced by either dexamethasone (Dex) or bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2). Bone marrow was obtained from biopsies at the posterior iliac spine. Cells were isolated by gradient centrifugation and grown to confluence. Cells were treated with 1 nM 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (vitamin...... activity was increased by Dex, but not by BMP-2 treatment. P1NP production was decreased after Dex treatment, while BMP-2 had no effect on P1NP levels. Osteocalcin production was low in cultures not stimulated with vitamin D. Dex or BMP-2 treatment alone did not affect the basic osteocalcin levels......, but in combination with vitamin D, BMP-2 increased the osteocalcin production, while Dex treatment completely suppressed osteocalcin production. Further, PTH-induced cAMP production was greatly enhanced by Dex treatment, whereas BMP-2 did not affect cAMP production. Finally, in vitro mineralization was greatly...

  16. The effect of a chitosan-gelatin matrix and dexamethasone on the behavior of rabbit mesenchymal stem cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Medrado, G C B; Machado, C B; Valerio, P; Sanches, M D; Goes, A M

    2006-01-01

    Cartilage tissue has poor capability of self-repair, especially in the case of severe cartilage damage due to trauma or age-related degeneration. Cell-based tissue engineering using scaffolds has provided an option for the repair of defects in adult cartilage tissue. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and chondrocytes are the two major cell sources for cartilage tissue engineering. The present study combined culture conditions of MSC in a chitosan-gelatin matrix in chondrogenic media to evaluate their effects on MSC viability and chondrogenesis for cartilage tissue engineering. MSC were harvested from rabbit bone marrows and cultured in chondrogenic media supplemented, or not, with dexamethasone in a chitosan-gelatin film (C-GF). The association of C-GF and dexamethasone promoted significant increase in cell adhesivity, viability and proliferation when compared to MCS cultured in media without dexamethasone or C-GF. In addition, dexamethasone promoted increase in the collagen concentration of MSC cultures. A reduction of alkaline phosphatase activity after three weeks of culture in chondrogenic media was verified. No influence of the C-GF or of dexamethasone was observed in this matter. Therefore, it is reasonable to suggest that biomaterial-based chitosan-gelatin and chondrogenic media supplemented with dexamethasone may stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of MSC according to the complex environmental conditions. The information presented here should be useful for the development of biomaterials to regulate the chondrogenesis of MSC suitable for cartilage tissue engineering

  17. The effect of a chitosan-gelatin matrix and dexamethasone on the behavior of rabbit mesenchymal stem cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Medrado, G C B [Medicine School, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Machado, C B [Biochemistry and Immunology Department, Biological Sciences Institute, UFMG - Federal University of Minas Gerais, mailbox 486, zip code 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Valerio, P [Biochemistry and Immunology Department, Biological Sciences Institute, UFMG - Federal University of Minas Gerais, mailbox 486, zip code 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Sanches, M D [Medicine School, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Goes, A M [Biochemistry and Immunology Department, Biological Sciences Institute, UFMG - Federal University of Minas Gerais, mailbox 486, zip code 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

    2006-09-15

    Cartilage tissue has poor capability of self-repair, especially in the case of severe cartilage damage due to trauma or age-related degeneration. Cell-based tissue engineering using scaffolds has provided an option for the repair of defects in adult cartilage tissue. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and chondrocytes are the two major cell sources for cartilage tissue engineering. The present study combined culture conditions of MSC in a chitosan-gelatin matrix in chondrogenic media to evaluate their effects on MSC viability and chondrogenesis for cartilage tissue engineering. MSC were harvested from rabbit bone marrows and cultured in chondrogenic media supplemented, or not, with dexamethasone in a chitosan-gelatin film (C-GF). The association of C-GF and dexamethasone promoted significant increase in cell adhesivity, viability and proliferation when compared to MCS cultured in media without dexamethasone or C-GF. In addition, dexamethasone promoted increase in the collagen concentration of MSC cultures. A reduction of alkaline phosphatase activity after three weeks of culture in chondrogenic media was verified. No influence of the C-GF or of dexamethasone was observed in this matter. Therefore, it is reasonable to suggest that biomaterial-based chitosan-gelatin and chondrogenic media supplemented with dexamethasone may stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of MSC according to the complex environmental conditions. The information presented here should be useful for the development of biomaterials to regulate the chondrogenesis of MSC suitable for cartilage tissue engineering.

  18. The effect of intraoperative administration of dexamethasone for PONV prophylaxis on perioperative blood glucose level in obese and normal weight children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gnatzy, Richard; Hempel, Gunther; Kaisers, Udo X; Höhne, Claudia

    2015-11-01

    The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) can be reduced by dexamethasone. Single-dose administration may cause elevated blood glucose levels in obese adults. No data are available for children. The aim was to evaluate perioperative blood glucose changes related to body weight in children who received dexamethasone. This prospective observational study included 62 children. All patients received total intravenous anesthesia and a single dose of dexamethasone (0.15 mg/kg, maximum 8 mg). Blood glucose levels were measured up to 6 h. Standard deviation scores (SDS) were calculated using age- and gender-specific body mass index (BMI) percentiles, pBlood glucose levels increased from 5.52±0.52 to 6.74±0.84 mmol/L 6 h after dexamethasone without correlation to the BMI-SDS. This study showed an increase of perioperative blood glucose (normoglycemic ranges) after single dose of dexamethasone, but no BMI-dependent effect was observed in children. Therefore, low-dose dexamethasone may be used in obese children for PONV prophylaxis.

  19. Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant for Diabetic Macular Edema During Pregnancy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Concillado, Michael; Lund-Andersen, Henrik; Mathiesen, Elisabeth R

    2016-01-01

    PURPOSE: To describe the management of diabetic macular edema during pregnancy with the use of a dexamethasone slow-release intravitreal implant. DESIGN: Retrospective, observational, consecutive case series. METHODS: The study included 5 pregnant women who presented with diabetic macular edema...... injection. RESULTS: Diabetic macular edema involving the foveal center was observed between gestational weeks 9 and 23 in 10 eyes of 5 patients. Dexamethasone intravitreal implant injection was given 10 times in 9 eyes with a mean preinjection center field retinal thickness of 535 μm (range, 239-727 μm...... center field thickness and in 6 of 8 eyes by an increase in BCVA of 5 or more approxETDRS letters. A mild transient rise in intraocular pressure occurred in 3 out of 8 eyes. CONCLUSION: Diabetic macular edema involving the foveal center that presented during pregnancy responded promptly to intravitreal...

  20. Biodegradable hyaluronic acid hydrogels to control release of dexamethasone through aqueous Diels-Alder chemistry for adipose tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Ming; Ma, Ye; Zhang, Ziwei; Mao, Jiahui; Tan, Huaping; Hu, Xiaohong

    2015-11-01

    A robust synthetic strategy of biopolymer-based hydrogels has been developed where hyaluronic acid derivatives reacted through aqueous Diels-Alder chemistry without the involvement of chemical catalysts, allowing for control and sustain release of dexamethasone. To conjugate the hydrogel, furan and maleimide functionalized hyaluronic acid were synthesized, respectively, as well as furan functionalized dexamethasone, for the covalent immobilization. Chemical structure, gelation time, morphologies, swelling kinetics, weight loss, compressive modulus and dexamethasone release of the hydrogel system in PBS at 37°C were studied. The results demonstrated that the aqueous Diels-Alder chemistry provides an extremely selective reaction and proceeds with high efficiency for hydrogel conjugation and covalent immobilization of dexamethasone. Cell culture results showed that the dexamethasone immobilized hydrogel was noncytotoxic and preserved proliferation of entrapped human adipose-derived stem cells. This synthetic approach uniquely allows for the direct fabrication of biologically functionalized gel scaffolds with ideal structures for adipose tissue engineering, which provides a competitive alternative to conventional conjugation techniques such as copper mediated click chemistry. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  1. 77 FR 32010 - New Animal Drugs; Altrenogest; Dexamethasone; Florfenicol

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-05-31

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration 21 CFR Parts 510, 516, 520, 522, and 558 [Docket No. FDA-2012-N-0002] New Animal Drugs; Altrenogest; Dexamethasone; Florfenicol AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. [[Page 32011

  2. Early treatment with the von Rosen splint for neonatal instability of the hip is safe regarding avascular necrosis of the femoral head

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wenger, Daniel; Samuelsson, Hanna; Düppe, Henrik; Tiderius, Carl Johan

    2016-01-01

    Background and purpose — Avascular necrosis of the femoral head (AVN) is a complication in treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). We evaluated the risk of AVN after early treatment in the von Rosen splint and measured the diameter of the ossific nucleus at 1 year of age. Children and methods — All children born in Malmö, Sweden, undergo clinical screening for neonatal instability of the hip (NIH). We reviewed 1-year radiographs of all children treated early for NIH in our department from 2003 through 2010. The diameter of the ossific nucleus was measured, and signs of AVN were classified according to Kalamchi-MacEwen. Subsequent radiographs, taken for any reason, were reviewed and a local registry of diagnoses was used to identify subsequent AVN. Results — 229 of 586 children referred because of suspected NIH received early treatment (age ≤ 1 week) for NIH during the study period. 2 of the 229 treated children (0.9%, 95% CI: 0.1–3.1) had grade-1 AVN. Both had spontaneous resolution and were asymptomatic during the observation time (6 and 8 years). 466 children met the inclusion criteria for measurement of the ossific nucleus. Neonatally dislocated hips had significantly smaller ossific nuclei than neonatally stable hips: mean 9.4 mm (95% CI: 9.1–9.8) vs. 11.1 mm (95% CI: 10.9–11.3) at 1 year (p < 0.001). Interpretation — Early treatment with the von Rosen splint for NIH is safe regarding AVN. The ossification of the femoral head is slower in children with NIH than in untreated children with neonatally stable hips. PMID:26730503

  3. Radiologic findings of neonatal sepsis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Sam Soo; Han, Dae Hee; Choi, Guk Myeong; Jung, Hye Won; Yoon, Hye Kyung; Han, Bokyung Kim; Lee, Nam Yong

    1997-01-01

    To review the simple radiographic and sonographic findings in infants with neonatal sepsis. We retrospectively analyzed simple chest and abdominal radiographs, and brain sonograms in 36 newborn infants (preterm : term=23 :13). With neonatal sepsis diagnosed by blood culture and clinical manifestations. Pulmonary parenchymal infiltrate excluding respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary edema or atelectasis was found in 22 infants (61%). Paralytic ileus, hepatosplenomegaly, and necrotizing enterocolitis were present in 18(50%), 9(25%), and 1(3%) infants, respectively, while skeletal changes suggesting osteomyelitis were found in three. Brain sonography was performed in 29 infants and in four, abnormalities were seen ; these comprised three germinal matrix hemorrhages and one intraparenchymal hemorrhage. In six patients(17%) radiologic examinations revealed no abnormality. In patients with neonatal sepsis, pulmonary infiltrates and paralytic ileus were common abnormalities. Although these were nonspecific, radiologic findings may be used to supplement clinical and laboratory findings in diagnosing neonatal sepsis and planning its treatment

  4. Radiologic findings of neonatal sepsis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Sam Soo; Han, Dae Hee; Choi, Guk Myeong; Jung, Hye Won [Seoul National Univ. College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Yoon, Hye Kyung; Han, Bokyung Kim; Lee, Nam Yong [Sansung Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    1997-06-01

    To review the simple radiographic and sonographic findings in infants with neonatal sepsis. We retrospectively analyzed simple chest and abdominal radiographs, and brain sonograms in 36 newborn infants (preterm : term=23 :13). With neonatal sepsis diagnosed by blood culture and clinical manifestations. Pulmonary parenchymal infiltrate excluding respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary edema or atelectasis was found in 22 infants (61%). Paralytic ileus, hepatosplenomegaly, and necrotizing enterocolitis were present in 18(50%), 9(25%), and 1(3%) infants, respectively, while skeletal changes suggesting osteomyelitis were found in three. Brain sonography was performed in 29 infants and in four, abnormalities were seen ; these comprised three germinal matrix hemorrhages and one intraparenchymal hemorrhage. In six patients(17%) radiologic examinations revealed no abnormality. In patients with neonatal sepsis, pulmonary infiltrates and paralytic ileus were common abnormalities. Although these were nonspecific, radiologic findings may be used to supplement clinical and laboratory findings in diagnosing neonatal sepsis and planning its treatment.

  5. Effect of Dexamethasone on Characteristics of Supraclavicular Nerve Block with Bupivacaine and Ropivacaine: A Prospective, Double-blind, Randomized Control Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bindal, Deeksha; Narang, Neeraj; Mahindra, Rekha; Gupta, Himanshu; Kubre, Jyotsna; Saxena, Anudeep

    2018-01-01

    Dexamethasone as an adjuvant to bupivacaine and ropivacaine for supraclavicular brachial plexus (SCBP) block prolongs motor and sensory blockade. However, comparison of effect of dexamethasone (8 mg) when added to these two local anesthetics has not been well studied. This study was conducted to compare analgesic efficacy of dexamethasone as adjuvant to bupivacaine and ropivacaine in SCBP block. Nerve stimulator-guided SCBP block was given to 120 patients, randomly assigned to one of four groups: ( n = 30 in each group) Group B, BD, R, and RD received 30 ml (0.5%) bupivacaine + 2 ml saline, 30 ml (0.5%) bupivacaine + dexamethasone 8 mg, 30 ml (0.5%) ropivacaine + 2 ml saline, and 30 ml (0.5%) ropivacaine + dexamethasone 8 mg, respectively. Time for request of the first rescue analgesic, 24-h analgesic consumption, and different block characteristics were assessed. Student's t -test, Chi-square test, ANOVA were used for statistical analysis. Dexamethasone significantly prolonged time for request of the first rescue analgesic of both ropivacaine (1211.83 ± 32.86 vs. 283.17 ± 7.71 min){ p R, RD block. The addition of dexamethasone to bupivacaine and ropivacaine in SCBP block prolonged time for first rescue analgesia and reduced the requirement of rescue analgesics with faster onset and prolonged duration of sensory and motor block, with the effect being stronger with ropivacaine.

  6. Acute kidney injury in preterm infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stojanović, Vesna; Barišić, Nenad; Milanović, Borko; Doronjski, Aleksandra

    2014-11-01

    The factors that contribute to the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) and treatment outcome among prematurely born neonates are not clearly understood. This retrospective study included 150 prematurely born neonates. AKI was defined as an increase of serum creatinine levels ≥0.3 mg/dl compared to basal values. The majority of neonates with AKI (94.8 %) had a body weight 5 on the first day of life, core body temperature hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis, patent ductus arteriosus, as well as a treatment with vancomycin or dopamine were independent risk factors for the development of AKI. After the groups of neonates with and without AKI were adjusted, the calculated risk ratio for a negative outcome of treatment (death) was 2.215 (CI 1.27-3.86) for neonates with AKI. Neonates with AKI had higher serum sodium levels in the third and fourth days of life. AKI is associated with high mortality in preterm neonates. It is very important to identify, as quickly as possible, all infants who are at high risk of developing AKI.

  7. Dexamethasone selectively suppresses microglial trophic responses to hippocampal deafferentation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Woods, A G; Poulsen, F R; Gall, C M

    1999-01-01

    hippocampus. Daily dexamethasone injections almost completely blocked increases in insulin-like growth factor-1 messenger RNA content, but did not perturb increases in ciliary neurotrophic factor or basic fibroblast growth factor messenger RNA content, in the deafferented dentate gyrus molecular layer...

  8. Intracameral dexamethasone reduces inflammation on the first postoperative day after cataract surgery in eyes with and without glaucoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diane TW Chang

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Diane TW Chang, Michael C Herceg, Richard A Bilonick, Larissa Camejo, Joel S Schuman, Robert J NoeckerDepartment of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Eye Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USAPurpose: To evaluate whether dexamethasone injected intracamerally at the conclusion of surgery can safely and effectively reduce postoperative inflammation and improve surgical outcomes in eyes with and without glaucoma.Methods: Retrospective chart review of 176 consecutive eyes from 146 patients receiving uncomplicated phacoemulsification (PE (n = 118 total, 82 with glaucoma, glaucoma drainage device (GDD (n = 35, combined PE/GDD (n = 11 and combined PE/endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation (n = 12. Ninety-one eyes from 76 patients were injected with 0.4 mg dexamethasone intracamerally at the conclusion of surgery. All eyes received standard postoperative prednisolone and ketorolac eyedrops. Outcomes were measured for four to eight weeks by subjective complaints, visual acuity (VA, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, intraocular pressure (IOP and postoperative complications.Results: Dexamethasone significantly reduced the odds of having an increased anterior chamber (AC cell score after PE (p = 0.0013. Mean AC cell score ± SD in nonglaucomatous eyes was 1.3 ± 0.8 in control and 0.8 ± 0.7 with dexamethasone; scores in glaucomatous eyes were 1.3 ± 0.7 in control and 0.9 ± 0.8 with dexamethasone. Treated nonglaucomatous eyes had significantly fewer subjective complaints after PE (22.2% vs 64.7% in control; p = 0.0083. Dexamethasone had no significant effects on VA, corneal changes, IOP one day and one month after surgery, or long-term complications.Conclusions: Intracameral dexamethasone given at the end of cataract surgery significantly reduces postoperative AC cells in eyes with and without glaucoma, and improves subjective reports of recovery in nonglaucomatous eyes. There were no statistically significant risks of IOP elevation or other complications in

  9. Shenfu injection provides protection for perinatal asphyxia in neonates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Jiang

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of shenfu injection for the protection of neonates with asphyxia. Eighty neonates with asphyxia were randomly divided into two groups, treatment group and control group (n=40. Both groups received interventions such as ventilation, oxygen, and circulation support. Treatment group was administrated with shenfu injection additionally. Serum levels of creatine kinase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatinine, and neuron-specific enolase were significantly lower but the oxygenation index was significantly higher in treatment group on day 7 and day 14. The neurobehavioral score was significantly higher in treatment group than in control group. On the 14th day, the survival rate of treatment group (77.5% was higher than that of control group (55%. Shenfu injection could protect the function of the brain, heart, lung, liver and kidney by attenuating ischemia reperfusion after severe asphyxia resuscitation, improve neurobehavioral ability and increase the survival of neonates.

  10. Lives Saved Tool supplement detection and treatment of syphilis in pregnancy to reduce syphilis related stillbirths and neonatal mortality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Berman Stuart

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Globally syphilis is an important yet preventable cause of stillbirth, neonatal mortality and morbidity. Objectives This review sought to estimate the effect of detection and treatment of active syphilis in pregnancy with at least 2.4MU benzathine penicillin (or equivalent on syphilis-related stillbirths and neonatal mortality. Methods We conducted a systematic literature review of multiple databases to identify relevant studies. Data were abstracted into standardised tables and the quality of evidence was assessed using adapted GRADE criteria. Where appropriate, meta-analyses were undertaken. Results Moderate quality evidence (3 studies supports a reduction in the incidence of clinical congenital syphilis of 97% (95% c.i 93 – 98% with detection and treatment of women with active syphilis in pregnancy with at least 2.4MU penicillin. The results of meta-analyses suggest that treatment with penicillin is associated with an 82% reduction in stillbirth (95% c.i. 67 – 90% (8 studies, a 64% reduction in preterm delivery (95% c.i. 53 – 73% (7 studies and an 80% reduction in neonatal deaths (95% c.i. 68 – 87% (5 studies. Although these effect estimates were large and remarkably consistent across studies, few of the studies adjusted for potential confounding factors and thus the overall quality of the evidence was considered low. However, given these large observed effects and a clear biological mechanism for effectiveness the GRADE recommendation is strong. Conclusion Detection and appropriate, timely penicillin treatment is a highly effective intervention to reduce adverse syphilis-related pregnancy outcomes. More research is required to identify the most cost-effective strategies for achieving maximum coverage of screening for all pregnant women, and access to treatment if required.

  11. Lives Saved Tool supplement detection and treatment of syphilis in pregnancy to reduce syphilis related stillbirths and neonatal mortality

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background Globally syphilis is an important yet preventable cause of stillbirth, neonatal mortality and morbidity. Objectives This review sought to estimate the effect of detection and treatment of active syphilis in pregnancy with at least 2.4MU benzathine penicillin (or equivalent) on syphilis-related stillbirths and neonatal mortality. Methods We conducted a systematic literature review of multiple databases to identify relevant studies. Data were abstracted into standardised tables and the quality of evidence was assessed using adapted GRADE criteria. Where appropriate, meta-analyses were undertaken. Results Moderate quality evidence (3 studies) supports a reduction in the incidence of clinical congenital syphilis of 97% (95% c.i 93 – 98%) with detection and treatment of women with active syphilis in pregnancy with at least 2.4MU penicillin. The results of meta-analyses suggest that treatment with penicillin is associated with an 82% reduction in stillbirth (95% c.i. 67 – 90%) (8 studies), a 64% reduction in preterm delivery (95% c.i. 53 – 73%) (7 studies) and an 80% reduction in neonatal deaths (95% c.i. 68 – 87%) (5 studies). Although these effect estimates were large and remarkably consistent across studies, few of the studies adjusted for potential confounding factors and thus the overall quality of the evidence was considered low. However, given these large observed effects and a clear biological mechanism for effectiveness the GRADE recommendation is strong. Conclusion Detection and appropriate, timely penicillin treatment is a highly effective intervention to reduce adverse syphilis-related pregnancy outcomes. More research is required to identify the most cost-effective strategies for achieving maximum coverage of screening for all pregnant women, and access to treatment if required. PMID:21501460

  12. A New Technique for Quantitative Determination of Dexamethasone in Pharmaceutical and Biological Samples Using Kinetic Spectrophotometric Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Mohammad Akhoundi-Khalafi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Dexamethasone is a type of steroidal medications that is prescribed in many cases. In this study, a new reaction system using kinetic spectrophotometric method for quantitative determination of dexamethasone is proposed. The method is based on the catalytic effect of dexamethasone on the oxidation of Orange G by bromate in acidic media. The change in absorbance as a criterion of the oxidation reaction progress was followed spectrophotometrically. To obtain the maximum sensitivity, the effective reaction variables were optimized. Under optimized experimental conditions, calibration graph was linear over the range 0.2–54.0 mg L−1. The calculated detection limit (3sb/m was 0.14 mg L−1 for six replicate determinations of blank signal. The interfering effect of various species was also investigated. The present method was successfully applied for the determination of dexamethasone in pharmaceutical and biological samples satisfactorily.

  13. Comparative Study of Intrathecal Dexamethasone with Epinephrine as Adjuvants to Lidocaine in Cesarean Section

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fereshteh Naziri

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Different additives have been used with local anesthetics to provide prolonged duration of sensory block in spinal anesthesia. The aim of present study was to evaluate the onset and duration of sensory block of intrathecal dexamethasone and epinephrine as adjuvants to lidocaine in patients who were candidate for cesarean section. Materials and Methods: This double-blind clinical trial research was conducted on 90 pregnant women candidate for cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. Patients were randomly allocated to receive intrathecally either 75 mg hyperbaric lidocaine plus 100 μg epinephrine or 75 mg hyperbaric lidocaine plus 4 mg dexamethasone or 75 mg hyperbaric lidocaine. The onset and duration of sensory block as well as postoperative analgesia were assessed. Results: The time to reach the peak sensory block in lidocaine group was shorter than that of other two groups (p<0.001. Duration of sensory block in the control group, dexamethasone group, and epinephrine group were 64.16±7.99 min, 74.79±12.78 min, and 99.30±10.93 min, respectively (p<0.001. Conclusion: The present research shows that intrathecal dexamethasone and intrathecal epinephrine as adjuvant to lidocaine increases sensory block duration in the women candidate for cesarean section.

  14. Stability of Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride, Lorazepam, and Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate in 0.9% Sodium Chloride Stored in Polypropylene Syringes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Collin R; Halford, Zachery; MacKay, Mark

    2015-01-01

    Chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting is problematic for many patients undergoing chemotherapy. Multiple-drug treatments have been developed to mitigate chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting. A patient-controlled infusion of diphenhydramine hydrochloride, lorazepam, and dexamethasone sodium phosphate has been studied in patients who are refractory to first-line therapy. Unfortunately, the physical and chemical compatibility of this three-drug combination is not available in the published literature. Chemical compatibility was evaluated using high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Visual observation was employed to detect change in color, clarity, or gas evolution. Turbidity and pH measurements were performed in conjunction with visual observation at hours 0, 24, and 48. Results showed that diphenhydramine hydrochloride 4 mg/mL, lorazepam 0.16 mg/mL, and dexamethasone sodium phosphate 0.27 mg/mL in 0.9% sodium chloride stored in polypropylene syringes were compatible, and components retained greater than 95% of their original concentration over 48 hours when stored at room temperature.

  15. Supra-treatment threshold neonatal jaundice: Incidence in HIV ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    with HIV are more likely to be born premature, with low birth weight, and to become septic—all ... low birth weight (all risk factors for neonatal jaundice) in the infants of HIV- ..... all HIV-seroreactive pregnant and breastfeeding women should be ...

  16. [Clinical studies on flomoxef in neonates].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tabuki, K; Nishimura, T

    1993-07-01

    Clinical studies on flomoxef (FMOX) were performed in neonates and the results obtained are summarized as follows. Treatment with FMOX was made in 4 cases of neonatal bacterial infections; 2 cases of sepsis (suspected) and 1 case each of infection of umbilicus and staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome. Results obtained were excellent in 1 case, good in 3 cases. No significant side effects due to the drug were observed in any cases.

  17. Treatment of neonatal jaundice with filtered sunlight in Nigerian neonates: study protocol of a non-inferiority, randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slusher, Tina M; Olusanya, Bolajoko O; Vreman, Hendrik J; Wong, Ronald J; Brearley, Ann M; Vaucher, Yvonne E; Stevenson, David K

    2013-12-28

    Severe neonatal jaundice and its progression to kernicterus is a leading cause of death and disability among newborns in poorly-resourced countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The standard treatment for jaundice using conventional phototherapy (CPT) with electric artificial blue light sources is often hampered by the lack of (functional) CPT devices due either to financial constraints or erratic electrical power. In an attempt to make phototherapy (PT) more readily available for the treatment of pathologic jaundice in underserved tropical regions, we set out to test the hypothesis that filtered sunlight phototherapy (FS-PT), in which potentially harmful ultraviolet and infrared rays are appropriately screened, will be as efficacious as CPT. This prospective, non-blinded randomized controlled non-inferiority trial seeks to enroll infants with elevated total serum/plasma bilirubin (TSB, defined as 3 mg/dl below the level recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for high-risk infants requiring PT) who will be randomly and equally assigned to receive FS-PT or CPT for a total of 616 days at an inner-city maternity hospital in Lagos, Nigeria. Two FS-PT canopies with pre-tested films will be used. One canopy with a film that transmits roughly 33% blue light (wavelength range: 400 to 520 nm) will be used during sunny periods of a day. Another canopy with a film that transmits about 79% blue light will be used during overcast periods of the day. The infants will be moved from one canopy to the other as needed during the day with the goal of keeping the blue light irradiance level above 8 μW/cm²/nm. FS-PT will be as efficacious as CPT in reducing the rate of rise in bilirubin levels. Secondary outcome: The number of infants requiring exchange transfusion under FS-PT will not be more than those under CPT. This novel study offers the prospect of an effective treatment for infants at risk of severe neonatal jaundice and avoidable exchange transfusion in

  18. The effect of dexamethasone and triiodothyronine on terminal differentiation of primary bovine chondrocytes and chondrogenically differentiated mesenchymal stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randau, Thomas M; Schildberg, Frank A; Alini, Mauro; Wimmer, Matthias D; Haddouti, El-Mustapha; Gravius, Sascha; Ito, Keita; Stoddart, Martin J

    2013-01-01

    The newly evolved field of regenerative medicine is offering solutions in the treatment of bone or cartilage loss and deficiency. Mesenchymal stem cells, as well as articular chondrocytes, are potential cells for the generation of bone or cartilage. The natural mechanism of bone formation is that of endochondral ossification, regulated, among other factors, through the hormones dexamethasone and triiodothyronine. We investigated the effects of these hormones on articular chondrocytes and chondrogenically differentiated mesenchymal stem cells, hypothesizing that these hormones would induce terminal differentiation, with chondrocytes and differentiated stem cells being similar in their response. Using a 3D-alginate cell culture model, bovine chondrocytes and chondrogenically differentiated stem cells were cultured in presence of triiodothyronine or dexamethasone, and cell proliferation and extracellular matrix production were investigated. Collagen mRNA expression was measured by real-time PCR. Col X mRNA and alkaline phosphatase were monitored as markers of terminal differentiation, a prerequisite of endochondral ossification. The alginate culture system worked well, both for the culture of chondrocytes and for the chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. Dexamethasone led to an increase in glycosaminoglycan production. Triiodothyronine increased the total collagen production only in chondrocytes, where it also induced signs of terminal differentiation, increasing both collagen X mRNA and alkaline phosphatase activity. Dexamethasone induced terminal differentiation in the differentiated stem cells. The immature articular chondrocytes used in this study seem to be able to undergo terminal differentiation, pointing to their possible role in the onset of degenerative osteoarthritis, as well as their potential for a cell source in bone tissue engineering. When chondrocyte-like cells, after their differentiation, can indeed be moved on towards terminal

  19. Bortezomib or high-dose dexamethasone for relapsed multiple myeloma

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    P.G. Richardson (Paul Gerard); P. Sonneveld (Pieter); M.W. Schuster (Michael); D. Irwin (David); E.A. Stadtmauer (Edward); T. Facon (Thierry); J-L. Harousseau (Jean-Luc); D. Ben-Yehuda (Dina); S. Lonial (Sagar); H. Goldschmidt (Hartmut); D. Reece (Donna); J.F. San Miguel (Jesús Fernando); J. Bladé (Joan); M. Boccadoro (Mario); J. Cavenagh (Jamie); W. Dalton (William); A.L. Boral (Anthony); D.-L. Esseltine (Dixie-Lee); J.B. Porter (Jane); D. Schenkein (David); K.C. Anderson (Kenneth)

    2005-01-01

    textabstractBACKGROUND: This study compared bortezomib with high-dose dexamethasone in patients with relapsed multiple myeloma who had received one to three previous therapies. METHODS: We randomly assigned 669 patients with relapsed myeloma to receive either an intravenous bolus of bortezomib (1.3

  20. Longstanding refractory pseudophakic cystoid macular edema resolved using intravitreal 0.7 mg dexamethasone implants

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brynskov, Troels; Laugesen, Caroline Schmidt; Halborg, Jakob

    2013-01-01

    Refractory pseudophakic cystoid macular edema (PCME) following cataract surgery has long posed a challenge to clinicians, but intravitreal injections with a sustained delivery 0.7 mg dexamethasone implant has emerged as a promising therapy for this condition.......Refractory pseudophakic cystoid macular edema (PCME) following cataract surgery has long posed a challenge to clinicians, but intravitreal injections with a sustained delivery 0.7 mg dexamethasone implant has emerged as a promising therapy for this condition....

  1. Role of Saccharomyces boulardii in Reduction of Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suganthi, V; Das, A Gokul

    2016-11-01

    Probiotics are known to reduce the severity of hyperbilirubinemia. This study was done to evaluate the effect of probiotic on neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in term neonates. A total of 181 healthy term neonates after birth were divided into a control group (n=95) and a treatment group (n=86) randomly and treated with placebo and probiotic ( Saccharomyces boulardii ) respectively. A total of two doses were given orally in the first two consecutive days. The serum bilirubin levels were detected on day three of life. Babies were exclusively breastfed, clinical outcome was recorded. Comparison between groups was made by the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to assess the quantitative variables. A p-value of jaundice is 6.5mg% and in the treatment group is 5mg%. In patient with clinical jaundice, it is 13.6mg% in control group and 10.7mg% in the treatment group. The p-value was found to be Probiotics lowered the serum bilirubin level of healthy neonate with jaundice safely and significantly without any adverse reaction.

  2. Early corticosteroid treatment does not affect severity of unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia in extreme low birth weight preterm infants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hulzebos, Christian V; Bos, Arend F; Anttila, Eija; Hallman, Mikko; Verkade, Henkjan J

    2011-02-01

    To determine the relationship between early postnatal dexamethasone (DXM) treatment and the severity of hyperbilirubinemia in extreme low birth weight (ELBW) preterm infants. In 54 ELBW preterm infants, total serum bilirubin concentrations (TSB) and phototherapy (PT) data during the first 10 days were evaluated retrospectively. ELBW infants had participated in a randomized controlled trial of early DXM treatment which aimed to assess effects on chronic lung disease. Infants had been treated with DXM (0.25 mg/kg twice daily at postnatal day 1 and 2) or with placebo (normal saline). Analysis was performed on an intention to treat basis. Twenty-five Infants had been randomized into the DXM group; 29 into the placebo group. Mean (±SD) TSB [120 (±19) μmol/L vs. 123 (±28) μmol/L, DXM versus placebo, respectively] and maximum TSB [178 (±23) μmol/L vs. 176 (±48), DXM versus placebo, respectively] concentrations were similar. TSB concentrations peaked 30 h earlier in the DXM group (p ≤ 0.05). The need for PT as well as the duration of PT was similar in both groups. Early DXM treatment does not affect the severity of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in ELBW preterm infants. Our results seem compatible with the concept that factors other than bilirubin conjugation capacity are important for the pathophysiology of neonatal jaundice in ELBW preterm infants. © 2010 The Author(s)/Acta Paediatrica © 2010 Foundation Acta Paediatrica.

  3. Fluvoxamine moderates reduced voluntary activity following chronic dexamethasone infusion in mice via recovery of BDNF signal cascades.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terada, Kazuki; Izumo, Nobuo; Suzuki, Biora; Karube, Yoshiharu; Morikawa, Tomomi; Ishibashi, Yukiko; Kameyama, Toshiki; Chiba, Koji; Sasaki, Noriko; Iwata, Keiko; Matsuzaki, Hideo; Manabe, Takayuki

    2014-04-01

    Major depression is a complex disorder characterized by genetic and environmental interactions. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) effectively treat depression. Neurogenesis following chronic antidepressant treatment activates brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling. In this study, we analyzed the effects of the SSRI fluvoxamine (Flu) on locomotor activity and forced-swim behavior using chronic dexamethasone (cDEX) infusions in mice, which engenders depression-like behavior. Infusion of cDEX decreased body weight and produced a trend towards lower locomotor activity during darkness. In the forced-swim test, cDEX-mice exhibited increased immobility times compared with mice administered saline. Flu treatment reversed decreased locomotor activity and mitigated forced-swim test immobility. Real-time polymerase chain reactions using brain RNA samples yielded significantly lower BDNF mRNA levels in cDEX-mice compared with the saline group. Endoplasmic reticulum stress-associated X-box binding protein-1 (XBP1) gene expression was lower in cDEX-mice compared with the saline group. However, marked expression of the XBP1 gene was observed in cDEX-mice treated with Flu compared with mice given saline and untreated cDEX-mice. Expression of 5-HT2A and Sigma-1 receptors decreased after cDEX infusion compared with the saline group, and these decreases normalized to control levels upon Flu treatment. Our results indicate that the Flu moderates reductions in voluntary activity following chronic dexamethasone infusions in mice via recovery of BDNF signal cascades. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Dexamethasone hepatic induction in rats subsequently treated with high dose buprenorphine does not lead to respiratory depression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hreiche, Raymond; Megarbane, Bruno; Pirnay, Stephane; Borron, Stephen W.; Monier, Claire; Risede, Patricia; Milan, Nathalie; Descatoire, Veronique; Pessayre, Dominique; Baud, Frederic J.

    2006-01-01

    In humans, asphyxic deaths and severe poisonings have been attributed to high-dosage buprenorphine, a maintenance therapy for heroin addiction. However, in rats, intravenous buprenorphine at doses up to 90 mg kg -1 was not associated with significant effects on arterial blood gases. In contrast, norbuprenorphine, the buprenorphine major cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A-derived metabolite, is a potent respiratory depressant. Thus, our aim was to study the consequences of CYP3A induction on buprenorphine-associated effects on resting ventilation in rats. We investigated the effects on ventilation of 30 mg kg -1 buprenorphine alone or following cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A induction with dexamethasone, using whole body plethysmography (N = 24) and arterial blood gases (N = 12). Randomized animals in 4 groups received sequential intraperitoneal dosing with: (dexamethasone [days 1-3] + buprenorphine [day 4]), (dexamethasone solvent [days 1-3] + buprenorphine [day 4]), (dexamethasone [days 1-3] + buprenorphine solvent [day 4]), or (dexamethasone solvent [days 1-3] + buprenorphine solvent [day 4]). Buprenorphine alone caused a significant rapid and sustained increase in the inspiratory time (P -1 buprenorphine on rat ventilation. Our results suggest a limited role of drug-mediated CYP3A induction in the occurrence of buprenorphine-attributed respiratory depression in addicts

  5. Neonatal Death

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Home > Complications & Loss > Loss & grief > Neonatal death Neonatal death E-mail to a friend Please fill in ... cope with your baby’s death. What is neonatal death? Neonatal death is when a baby dies in ...

  6. Antenatal dexamethasone before asphyxia promotes cystic neural injury in preterm fetal sheep by inducing hyperglycemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lear, Christopher A; Davidson, Joanne O; Mackay, Georgia R; Drury, Paul P; Galinsky, Robert; Quaedackers, Josine S; Gunn, Alistair J; Bennet, Laura

    2018-04-01

    Antenatal glucocorticoid therapy significantly improves the short-term systemic outcomes of prematurely born infants, but there is limited information available on their impact on neurodevelopmental outcomes in at-risk preterm babies exposed to perinatal asphyxia. Preterm fetal sheep (0.7 of gestation) were exposed to a maternal injection of 12 mg dexamethasone or saline followed 4 h later by asphyxia induced by 25 min of complete umbilical cord occlusion. In a subsequent study, fetuses received titrated glucose infusions followed 4 h later by asphyxia to examine the hypothesis that hyperglycemia mediated the effects of dexamethasone. Post-mortems were performed 7 days after asphyxia for cerebral histology. Maternal dexamethasone before asphyxia was associated with severe, cystic brain injury compared to diffuse injury after saline injection, with increased numbers of seizures, worse recovery of brain activity, and increased arterial glucose levels before, during, and after asphyxia. Glucose infusions before asphyxia replicated these adverse outcomes, with a strong correlation between greater increases in glucose before asphyxia and greater neural injury. These findings strongly suggest that dexamethasone exposure and hyperglycemia can transform diffuse injury into cystic brain injury after asphyxia in preterm fetal sheep.

  7. Evaluation of Neonates with Ventriculitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ferda Ozlu

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Backgroud: Neonatal meningitis and ventriculitis still remain a problem with high mortality in spite of systemic and intraventricular antibiotics. Ventriculitis due to repeated taps is a serious problem of posthemorragic hydrocephalus in preterm infants. Methods: In this study, we evaluated 16 infants with ventriculitis followed at Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine Neonatal Intensive Care Unit between January 1999-December 2004. Results: Mean gestational week was 33± 5 (25-40 weeks and mean birth weight was 2096 ± 912 (980-3500 grams. Venticulitis was diagnosed at 38 ± 22 days. Eleven of the infants had intraventricular hemorrhage and 15 had hydrocephalus, 5 of whom had congenital hydrocephalus. Drainage of CSF was performed by taps in 13 infants. Gram negative microorganisms (Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa were predominating in cultures. Both intravenous and intraventricular antibiotic treatment was performed according to the cerebrospinal fluid cultures. Vancomycine and amicasine as intraventricular therapy were performed for 28 ±17 days. Cerebrospinal fluid protein levels increased significantly at 8 infant during intraventricular therapy. Mean cerebrospinal fluid protein at the begining of intraventricular treatment was 624.1± 429.1 (109-1330 mg/dl while on 14th day of treatment it was 993.7± 582.2 (89-1750 mg/dl. Seven of the infants were ventriculoperitoneal shunted 6 of them were reinfected. Seven of the infants were died during treatment, 1 infant with ventriculoperitoneal shunt was treated and 8 infants were discharged during treatment because of parents’ refusal of therapy. Conclusion: Despite the new treatment regimens, the ventriculitis still remains a problem because of nonstandardized practice in neonatal care. [Cukurova Med J 2013; 38(4.000: 553-558

  8. Aqueous Humor Penetration and Biological Activity of Moxifloxacin 0.5% Ophthalmic Solution Alone or with Dexamethasone 0.1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomes, Rachel L R; Viana, Rodrigo Galvão; Melo, Luiz Alberto S; Cruz, Alessandro Carvalho; Suenaga, Eunice Mayumi; Kenyon, Kenneth R; Campos, Mauro

    2017-03-01

    To compare aqueous humor concentrations of topically applied moxifloxacin 0.5% ophthalmic solution alone or in combination with dexamethasone 0.1% and to correlate these concentrations with the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for common endophthalmitis-causing organisms. Sixty-eight patients undergoing routine phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation received either moxifloxacin 0.5% alone or moxifloxacin 0.5% combined with dexamethasone. For both groups, 1 drop of the test solution was instilled 4 times daily 1 day preoperatively and 1 drop 1 h preoperatively. An aqueous humor sample obtained immediately before paracentesis was submitted to high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to determine the moxifloxacin concentration. The mean concentrations of moxifloxacin were 986.6 ng/mL in the moxifloxacin with dexamethasone group and 741.3 ng/mL in the moxifloxacin group (P = 0.13). Moxifloxacin concentrations of all samples exceeded the MICs for Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. aureus, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. All samples in the moxifloxacin with dexamethasone group and 94% in the moxifloxacin group achieved the MIC for Enterococcus species. For quinolone-resistant S. aureus, the MIC was achieved in 29% in the moxifloxacin with dexamethasone group and 9% in the moxifloxacin group (P = 0.06). Aqueous humor moxifloxacin concentrations were higher when topically administrated in combination with dexamethasone compared to the moxifloxacin alone. However, this difference was not statistically significant. Nevertheless, the MICs of the most common pathogens associated with endophthalmitis were exceeded in both study groups.

  9. [Influence of neonatal diseases and treatments on the development of cerebral palsy in preterm infant].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Tao; Rong, Luo; Wang, Qiu; You, Yi; Fu, Jun-Xian; Kang, Lin-Min; Wu, Yan-Qiao

    2013-03-01

    To investigated the risk factors of cerebral palsy development in preterm infants. This study included 203 preterm infants (gestation age neonatal period, were analyzed by multiple logistic regression analysis. Multivariate logistic analysis for the risk factors associated with cerebral palsy in neonatal period found significant differences in the occurrence of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL, OR = 39.87, P neonatal (OR = 2.18, P neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (OR = 1.72, P CPAP, OR = 0.21, P neonatal jaundice may increase the risk in the development of CP in preterm infant, while CPAP may decrease the risk of cerebral palsy.

  10. Identification of cysteine-644 as the covalent site of attachment of dexamethasone 21-mesylate to murine glucocorticoid receptors in WEHI-7 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, L.I.; Bodwell, J.E.; Mendel, D.B.; Ciardelli, T.; North, W.G.; Munck, A.

    1988-01-01

    Dexamethasone 21-mesylate is a highly specific synthetic glucocorticoid derivative that binds covalently to glucocorticoid receptors via sulfhydryl groups. The authors have identified the amino acid that reacts with the dexamethasone 21-mesylate by using enzymatic digestion and microsequencing for radiolabel. Nonactivated glucocorticoid receptors obtained from labeling intact WEHI-7 mouse thymoma cells with [ 3 H]dexamethasone 21-mesylate were immunopurified and analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Trypsin digestion followed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (reversed-phase HPLC) produced a single [ 3 H]dexamethasone 21-mesylate labeled peptide. Automated Edman degradation of this peptide revealed that the [ 3 H]dexamethasone 21-mesylate was located at position 5 from the amino terminus. Dual-isotope labeling studies with [ 3 H]dexamethasone 21-mesylate and [ 35 S]methionine demonstrated that this peptide contained methionine. Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease digestion of [ 3 H]dexamethasone 21-mesylate labeled steroid-binding subunits generated a different radiolabeled peptide containing label at position 7 from the amino terminus. On the basis of the published amino acid sequence of the murine glucocorticoid receptor, their data clearly identify cysteine-644 as the single residue in the steroid-binding domain that covalently binds dexamethasone 21-mesylate. They have confirmed this finding by demonstrating that a synthetic peptide representing the amino acid sequence 640-650 of the murine glucocorticoid receptor behaves in an identical manner on reversed-phase HPLC as the trypsin-generated peptide from intact cells

  11. Diagnostic imaging in neonatal stroke

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuhle, S.; Ipsiroglu, O.; Weninger, M.

    2000-01-01

    A cerebral artery infarction is an important differential diagnosis in the newborn with neurological abnormalities. Based on clinical data, its incidence is estimated to be 1 in 4000 newborns. Since the course is often subclinical, the true incidence is probably higher. Diagnosis: Cerebral ultrasound and Doppler sonography as readily available screening tools play a central role in the initial diagnosis of neonatal cerebral infarction. Definitive diagnosis is made by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Beside symptomatic anticonvulsive therapy, treatment aims at the prevention of secondary ischemic injury. Discussion: Three term infants with different clinical courses of neonatal stroke are presented to sensitize the clinician and the radiologist for this probably underdiagnosed entity. The role of imaging modalities in the diagnosis and follow-up of neonatal cerebral infarction is discussed. (orig.) [de

  12. Diurnal Cortisol Patterns and Dexamethasone Suppression Test Responses in Healthy Young Adults Born Preterm at Very Low Birth Weight.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nina Kaseva

    Full Text Available Early life stress, such as painful and stressful procedures during neonatal intensive care after preterm birth, can permanently affect physiological, hormonal and neurobiological systems. This may contribute to altered programming of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA and provoke changes in HPAA function with long-term health impacts. Previous studies suggest a lower HPAA response to stress in young adults born preterm compared with controls born at term. We assessed whether these differences in HPAA stress responsiveness are reflected in everyday life HPAA functioning, i.e. in diurnal salivary cortisol patterns, and reactivity to a low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (DST, in unimpaired young adults born preterm at very low birth weight (VLBW; <1500 g.The participants were recruited from the Helsinki Study of Very Low Birth Weight Adults cohort study. At mean age 23.3 years (2.1 SD, 49 VLBW and 36 controls born at term participated in the study. For cortisol analyzes, saliva samples were collected on two consecutive days at 0, 15, 30 and 60 min after wake-up, at 12:00 h, 17:00 h and 22:00 h. After the last salivary sample of the first study day the participants were instructed to take a 0.5 mg dexamethasone tablet.With mixed-effects model no difference was seen in overall diurnal salivary cortisol between VLBW and control groups [13.9% (95% CI: -11.6, 47.0, P = 0.31]. Salivary cortisol increased similarly after awakening in both VLBW and control participants [mean difference -2.9% (29.2, 33.0, P = 0.85]. Also reactivity to the low-dose DST (awakening cortisol ratio day2/day1 was similar between VLBW and control groups [-1.1% (-53.5, 103.8, P = 0.97].Diurnal cortisol patterns and reactivity to a low-dose DST in young adulthood were not associated with preterm birth.

  13. Neonatal resuscitation: advances in training and practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sawyer T

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Taylor Sawyer, Rachel A Umoren, Megan M Gray Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Neonatal Education and Simulation-based Training (NEST Program, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA Abstract: Each year in the US, some four hundred thousand newborns need help breathing when they are born. Due to the frequent need for resuscitation at birth, it is vital to have evidence-based care guidelines and to provide effective neonatal resuscitation training. Every five years, the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR reviews the science of neonatal resuscitation. In the US, the American Heart Association (AHA develops treatment guidelines based on the ILCOR science review, and the Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP translates the AHA guidelines into an educational curriculum. In this report, we review recent advances in neonatal resuscitation training and practice. We begin with a review of the new 7th edition NRP training curriculum. Then, we examine key changes to the 2015 AHA neonatal resuscitation guidelines. The four components of the NRP curriculum reviewed here include eSim®, Performance Skills Stations, Integrated Skills Station, and Simulation and Debriefing. The key changes to the AHA neonatal resuscitation guidelines reviewed include initial steps of newborn care, positive-pressure ventilation, endotracheal intubation and use of laryngeal mask, chest compressions, medications, resuscitation of preterm newborns, and ethics and end-of-life care. We hope this report provides a succinct review of recent advances in neonatal resuscitation. Keywords: neonatal resuscitation, Neonatal Resuscitation Program, NRP, simulation, deliberate practice, debriefing, eSIM

  14. A simple high-dose gentamicin regimen showed no side effects among neonates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Blaabjerg, Anne Sofie; Kofoed, Poul-Erik; Dalegaard, Mette Correll

    2017-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Treatment of infections in neonates with gentamicin is a balance between optimising bactericidal effect and minimising adverse effects. Previously, at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Kolding Hospital, Denmark, neonates suspected of having infections were treated daily...... and 2012 and treated with gentamicin were included retrospectively in the study. Neonates with trough serum (S)-gentamicin level ≥ 2.0 mg/l before the third dose were reviewed in detail. RESULTS: In total, S-gentamicin level was measured in 253 treated neonates of whom 7% displayed elevated trough values....... Neonates elevated S...

  15. A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Pleconaril for the Treatment of Neonates With Enterovirus Sepsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abzug, Mark J; Michaels, Marian G; Wald, Ellen; Jacobs, Richard F; Romero, José R; Sánchez, Pablo J; Wilson, Gregory; Krogstad, Paul; Storch, Gregory A; Lawrence, Robert; Shelton, Mark; Palmer, April; Robinson, Joan; Dennehy, Penelope; Sood, Sunil K; Cloud, Gretchen; Jester, Penelope; Acosta, Edward P; Whitley, Richard; Kimberlin, David

    2016-03-01

    Neonatal enterovirus sepsis has high mortality. Antiviral therapy is not available. Neonates with suspected enterovirus sepsis (hepatitis, coagulopathy, and/or myocarditis) with onset at ≤15 days of life were randomized 2:1 to receive oral pleconaril or placebo for 7 days. Serial virologic (oropharynx, rectum, urine, serum), clinical, pharmacokinetic, and safety evaluations were performed. Sixty-one subjects were enrolled (43 treatment, 18 placebo), of whom 43 were confirmed enterovirus infected (31 treatment, 12 placebo). There was no difference in day 5 oropharyngeal culture positivity (primary endpoint; 0% in both groups). However, enterovirus-infected subjects in the treatment group became culture negative from all anatomic sites combined faster than placebo group subjects (median 4.0 versus 7.0 days, P = .08), and fewer subjects in the treatment group remained polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive from the oropharynx when last sampled (23% versus 58%, P = .02; median, 14.0 days). By intent to treat, 10/43 (23%) subjects in the treatment group and 8/18 (44%) in the placebo group died (P = .02 for 2-month survival difference); among enterovirus-confirmed subjects, 7/31 (23%) in the treatment group died versus 5/12 (42%) in the placebo group (P = .26). All pleconaril recipients attained concentrations greater than the IC90 after the first study day, but 38% were less than the IC90 during the first day of treatment. One subject in the treatment group and three in the placebo group had treatment-related adverse events. Shorter times to culture and PCR negativity and greater survival among pleconaril recipients support potential efficacy and warrant further evaluation. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. Neonatal Hyperglycemia due to Transient Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus in Puerto Rico

    OpenAIRE

    Fargas-Berríos, N.; García-Fragoso, L.; García-García, I.; Valcárcel, M.

    2015-01-01

    Neonatal hyperglycemia is a metabolic disorder found in the neonatal intensive care units. Neonatal diabetes mellitus (NDM) is a very uncommon cause of hyperglycemia in the newborn, occurring in 1 in every 400,000 births. There are two subtypes of neonatal diabetes mellitus: permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus (PNDM) and transient neonatal diabetes mellitus (TNDM). We describe a term, small for gestational age, female neonate with transient neonatal diabetes mellitus who presented with poor ...

  17. Predictors of positive blood culture and deaths among neonates with suspected neonatal sepsis in a tertiary hospital, Mwanza- Tanzania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeremiah Seni

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Neonatal sepsis is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in neonates. Appropriate clinical diagnosis and empirical treatment in a given setting is crucial as pathogens of bacterial sepsis and antibiotic sensitivity pattern can considerably vary in different settings. This study was conducted at Bugando Medical Centre (BMC, Tanzania to determine the prevalence of neonatal sepsis, predictors of positive blood culture, deaths and antimicrobial susceptibility, thus providing essential information to formulate a policy for management of neonatal sepsis. Methods This was a prospective cross sectional study involving 300 neonates admitted at BMC neonatal unit between March and November 2009. Standard data collection form was used to collect all demographic data and clinical characteristics of neonates. Blood culture was done on Brain Heart Infusion broth followed by identification of isolates using conventional methods and testing for their susceptibility to antimicrobial agents using the disc diffusion method. Results Among 770 neonates admitted during the study period; 300 (38.9% neonates were diagnosed to have neonatal sepsis by WHO criteria. Of 300 neonates with clinical neonatal sepsis 121(40% and 179(60% had early and late onset sepsis respectively. Positive blood culture was found in 57 (47.1% and 92 (51.4% among neonates with early and late onset neonatal sepsis respectively (p = 0.466. Predictors of positive blood culture in both early and late onset neonatal sepsis were inability to feed, lethargy, cyanosis, meconium stained liquor, premature rupture of the membrane and convulsion. About 49% of gram negatives isolates were resistant to third generation cephalosporins and 28% of Staphylococcus aureus were found to be Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA. Deaths occurred in 57 (19% of neonates. Factors that predicted deaths were positive blood culture (p = 0.0001, gram negative sepsis (p = 0.0001 and

  18. BiRd (clarithromycin, lenalidomide, dexamethasone): an update on long-term lenalidomide therapy in previously untreated patients with multiple myeloma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rossi, Adriana; Mark, Tomer; Jayabalan, David; Christos, Paul; Zafar, Faiza; Pekle, Karen; Pearse, Roger; Chen-Kiang, Selina; Coleman, Morton; Niesvizky, Ruben

    2013-03-14

    The combination of clarithromycin, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (BiRd) was evaluated as therapy for treatment-naive symptomatic multiple myeloma (MM), with overall response at 2 years of 90%. We reviewed the long-term follow-up of initial BiRd therapy. Seventy-two patients were given dexamethasone 40 mg weekly, clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily, and lenalidomide 25 mg daily on days 1 to 21 of a 28-day cycle. After a median follow-up of 6.6 years, overall response rates were 93%, with a very good partial response or better of 68%. Median progression-free survival was 49 months. Evaluation for the development of second primary malignancies (SPMs) was conducted, and no increase in incidence was noted in our cohort of patients who received frontline immunomodulatory therapy. BiRd remains a highly potent and safe regimen for frontline therapy in patients with MM without apparent increase in risk of SPMs. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00151203.

  19. Comparison between two treatment protocols with recombinant Human Erythropoietin (rHuEpo in the treatment of late anemia in neonates with Rh-Isoimmunization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.A. Zuppa

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Objectve. The Rh-hemolytic disease can lead to a late anemia by hemolytic and hyporigenerative mechanism. We compared the effectiveness of rHuEPO in two care protocols that differ for doses of rHuEPO administrated and for timing of administration. Methods. A cohort of 14 neonates was investigated. The neonates were treated with two different protocols. Protocol A: a dose of 200 U/kg/day of rHuEpo administered subcutaneously starting from the end of the second week of life; Protocol B: a dose of 400 U/kg/day of rHuEpo administered subcutaneously starting from the end of the first week of life. Results. The hematocrit values in the protocol A group decreased during treatment (32,5% vs 25,2%, whereas the hematocrit value in protocol B group remained almost stable (38,7% vs 42,8%. The mean numbers of platelets remained stable in both groups while neutrophils increased in protocol A group and decreased in protocol B (p<0,05. Reticulocyte count increased during treatment in both groups, although only in protocol B group it was statistically significative (p<0,05. Conclusions. Our results suggest a similar efficacy between the two treatment protocols. Increasing doses of rHuEPO do not seem enhancing their effectiveness and the incidence of side effects.

  20. Histological studies of neuroprotective effects of Curcuma longa Linn. on neuronal loss induced by dexamethasone treatment in the rat hippocampus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Issuriya, Acharaporn; Kumarnsit, Ekkasit; Wattanapiromsakul, Chatchai; Vongvatcharanon, Uraporn

    2014-10-01

    Long term exposure to dexamethasone (Dx) is associated with brain damage especially in the hippocampus via the oxidative stress pathway. Previously, an ethanolic extract from Curcuma longa Linn. (CL) containing the curcumin constituent has been reported to produce antioxidant effects. However, its neuroprotective property on brain histology has remained unexplored. This study has examined the effects of a CL extract on the densities of cresyl violet positive neurons and glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactive (GFAP-ir) astrocytes in the hippocampus of Dx treated male rats. It showed that 21 days of Dx treatment (0.5mg/kg, i.p. once daily) significantly reduced the densities of cresyl violet positive neurons in the sub-areas CA1, CA3 and the dentate gyrus, but not in the CA2 area. However, CL pretreatment (100mg/kg, p.o.) was found to significantly restore neuronal densities in the CA1 and dentate gyrus. In addition, Dx treatment also significantly decreased the densities of the GFAP-ir astrocytes in the sub-areas CA1, CA3 and the dentate gyrus. However, CL pretreatment (100mg/kg, p.o.) failed to protect the loss of astrocytes in these sub-areas. These findings confirm the neuroprotective effects of the CL extract and indicate that the cause of astrocyte loss might be partially reduced by a non-oxidative mechanism. Moreover, the detection of neuronal and glial densities was suitable method to study brain damage and the effects of treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  1. Opiate v CNS depressant therapy in neonatal drug abstinence syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kandall, S R; Doberczak, T M; Mauer, K R; Strashun, R H; Korts, D C

    1983-04-01

    Paregoric and phenobarbital, administered randomly in 153 passively addicted neonates, initially appeared to control neonatal abstinence signs equally well. However, seven of the 62 phenobarbital-treated newborns had abstinence-associated seizures within the first month of life, while none of 49 paregoric-treated neonates had seizures. Forty-two neonates initially requiring no specific pharmacotherapy for abstinence signs were born to mothers taking less methadone hydrochloride just before delivery. Five of those 42 neonates, however, had seizures within the first 14 days of life. Seizure occurrence could not be predicted from analysis of early abstinence patterns. We consider paregoric to be the treatment of choice for the neonatal abstinence syndrome. Phenobarbital use should be monitored with serum drug levels and modification of recommended dosage regimens considered.

  2. Initial high anti-emetic efficacy of granisetron with dexamethasone is not maintained over repeated cycles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Wit, R.; van den Berg, H.; Burghouts, J.; Nortier, J.; Slee, P.; Rodenburg, C.; Keizer, J.; Fonteyn, M.; Verweij, J.; Wils, J.

    1998-01-01

    We have reported previously that the anti-emetic efficacy of single agent 5HT3 antagonists is not maintained when analysed with the measurement of cumulative probabilities. Presently, the most effective anti-emetic regimen is a combination of a 5HT3 antagonist plus dexamethasone. We, therefore, assessed the sustainment of efficacy of such a combination in 125 patients, scheduled to receive cisplatin > or = 70 mg m(-2) either alone or in combination with other cytotoxic drugs. Anti-emetic therapy was initiated with 10 mg of dexamethasone and 3 mg of granisetron intravenously, before cisplatin. On days 1-6, patients received 8 mg of dexamethasone and 1 mg of granisetron twice daily by oral administration. Protection was assessed during all cycles and calculated based on cumulative probability analyses using the method of Kaplan-Meier and a model for transitional probabilities. Irrespective of the type of analysis used, the anti-emetic efficacy of granisetron/dexamethasone decreased over cycles. The initial complete acute emesis protection rate of 66% decreased to 30% according to the method of Kaplan-Meier and to 39% using the model for transitional probabilities. For delayed emesis, the initial complete protection rate of 52% decreased to 21% (Kaplan-Meier) and to 43% (transitional probabilities). In addition, we observed that protection failure in the delayed emesis period adversely influenced the acute emesis protection in the next cycle. We conclude that the anti-emetic efficacy of a 5HT3 antagonist plus dexamethasone is not maintained over multiple cycles of highly emetogenic chemotherapy, and that the acute emesis protection is adversely influenced by protection failure in the delayed emesis phase. PMID:9652766

  3. The efficacy of silymarin in the treatment of physiological neonatal jaundice: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial

    OpenAIRE

    Kassem, Lamyaa

    2013-01-01

    Background: Unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia is one of the most common conditions in neonates. Conventional treatment are phototherapy and exchange transfusion. Phototherapy is safe and effective, but it has several disadvantages. That indicates the need to develop an alternative pharmacological treatment strategies. It should be less invasive, and at least, as effective and safe as phototherapy. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of Silybum marianum (silymarin) on the d...

  4. Use of intravenous immunoglobulin in neonates with haemolytic disease and immune thrombocytopenia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marković-Sovtić Gordana

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aim. Intravenous immunoglobulin is a blood product made of human polyclonal immunoglobulin G. The mode of action of intravenous immunoglobulin is very complex. It is indicated in treatment of neonatal immune thrombocytopenia and haemolytic disease of the newborn. The aim of the study was to present our experience in the use of intravenous immunoglobulin in a group of term neonates. Methods. We analysed all relevant clinical and laboratory data of 23 neonates who recieved intravenous immunoglobulin during their hospitalization in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Mother and Child Health Care Institute over a five year period, from 2006. to 2010. Results. There were 11 patients with haemolytic disease of the newborn and 12 neonates with immune thrombocytopenia. All of them recieved 1-2 g/kg intravenous immunoglobulin in the course of their treatment. There was no adverse effects of intravenous immunoglobulin use. The use of intravenous immunoglobulin led to an increase in platelet number in thrombocytopenic patients, whereas in those with haemolytic disease serum bilirubin level decreased significantly, so that some patients whose bilirubin level was very close to the exchange transfusion criterion, avoided this procedure. Conclusion. The use of intravenous immunoglobulin was shown to be an effective treatment in reducing the need for exchange transfusion, duration of phototherapy and the length of hospital stay in neonates with haemolytic disease. When used in treatment of neonatal immune thrombocytopenia, it leads to an increase in the platelet number, thus decreasing the risk of serious complications of thrombocytopenia.

  5. The effect of preoperative dexamethasone on pain 1 year after lumbar disc surgery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Rikke Vibeke; Fomsgaard, Jonna; Mathiesen, Ole

    2016-01-01

    discectomy. METHODS: This is a prospective 1-year follow-up on a single-centre, randomized, and blinded trial exploring the analgesic effect of 16 mg IV dexamethasone or placebo after lumbar discectomy. One year follow-up was a written questionnaire including back and leg pain (VAS 0-100 mm), Short Form 36...... survey (SF-36), EuroQol 5D (EQ-5D), OSWESTRY Low Back Pain Questionnaire, duration of sick leave, working capability, contentment with surgical result. RESULTS: Response rate was 71% (55 patients) in the dexamethasone group, 58% (44 patients) in the placebo group. Leg pain (VAS) was significantly lower...... in the placebo group compared to the dexamethasone group: 17 (95% CI 10-26) vs 26 (95% CI 19-33) mm, respectively (mean difference 9 mm (95% CI -1 to 0), (P = 0.03). No difference regarding back pain. The placebo group reported significantly more improvement of leg pain and were significantly more satisfied...

  6. Supra-treatment threshold neonatal jaundice: Incidence in HIV ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Introduction Jaundice is the yellowish pigmentation of the skin, sclera, and mucous membranes resulting from bilirubin deposition. Children born to mothers with HIV are more likely to be born premature, with low birth weight, and to become septic—all risk factors for neonatal jaundice. Further, there has been a change in ...

  7. Evaluation of hyperglycaemic response to intra-operative dexamethasone administration in patients undergoing elective intracranial surgery: A randomised, prospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sethi, Rakesh; Naqash, Imtiaz A; Bajwa, Sukhminder Jit Singh; Dutta, Vikas; Ramzan, Altaf Umar; Zahoor, Syed Amir

    2016-01-01

    The glucocorticoid dexamethasone in a bolus dose of 8-10 mg followed by quarterly dose of 4 mg is commonly used during intracranial surgery so as to reduce oedema and vascular permeability. However, the detrimental hyperglycaemic effects of dexamethasone may override its potentially beneficial effects. The present prospective, randomised study aimed at comparing the degree and magnitude of hyperglycaemia induced by prophylactic administration of dexamethasone in patients undergoing elective craniotomy. Sixty American Society of Anaesthesiologist (ASA) grade-I and II patients were randomly assigned to three groups of 20 patients each. Group-I received dexamethasone during surgery for the first time. Group-II received dexamethasone in addition to receiving it pre-operatively, whereas Group-III (control group) patients were administered normal saline as placebo. Baseline blood glucose (BG) was measured in all the three groups before induction of anaesthesia and thereafter after every hour for 4 h and then two-hourly. Besides intra- and intergroup comparison of BG, peak BG concentration was also recorded for each patient. Statistical analysis was carried out with analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Student's t-test and value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Baseline BG reading were higher and statistically significant in Group-II as compared with Group-I and Group-III (P < 0.05). However, peak BG levels were significantly higher in Group-I than in Group-II and III (P < 0.05). Similarly, the magnitude of change in peak BG was significantly higher in Group-I as compared to Group-II and III (P < 0.05). Peri-operative administration of dexamethasone during neurosurgical procedures can cause significant increase in BG concentration especially in patients who receive dexamethasone intra-operatively only.

  8. Evaluation of best corrected visual acuity and central macular thickness after intravitreal dexamethasone implant injections in patients with Irvine-Gass syndrome: A retrospective study of six cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keilani, Chafik; Halalchi, Aziz; Wakpi Djeugue, Désiré; Regis, Anne; Abada, Samir

    2016-10-01

    Irvine-Gass syndrome is a macular edema (ME) that specifically occurs after cataract surgery. Its incidence varies from 0.2-2%. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of intravitreal dexamethasone implant injections in patients with Irvine-Gass syndrome. Patients with ME secondary to cataract surgery who underwent intravitreal injections of dexamethasone implant between December 2011 to October 2014 at François-Quesnay hospital (Mantes-la-Jolie, France) were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were followed for at least 10 months. All the patients were handled by intravitreal injection of dexamethasone in the eye of study among which some resisted to a preliminary treatment by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and acetazolamide. The patients were examined each month. The patients were again handled by intravitreal injection of dexamethasone if they presented a recurrence. The primary endpoint of the study was determined on best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) using early diabetic retinopathy study (ETDRS) scale and central macular thickness (CMT) [μm] using optical coherence tomography (OCT) 3 and 6 months after the first injection. Secondary endpoints were the number of recurrences, the number of injections, the duration average before the first recurrence, the BCVA 10 months after the first injection and the tolerance. Six eyes of six patients were studied. At baseline, the mean (standard deviation [SD]) of the BCVA was 59.8±11. Three months after the first injection, the mean (SD) of the BCVA showed a statistically significant increase to 72.2±8.6 (P=0.03). Six months after the first injection, the mean (SD) of the BCVA showed a statistically significant increase to 72±11.8 (P=0.03). Concerning the CMT, the mean (SD) was 495.6±135.2 before treatment. Three months after the first injection, the mean (SD) of the CMT showed a statistically significant decrease to 268.6±57.8 (P=0.03). Six months after the first injection, the

  9. Two Neonates with Congenital Hydrocolpos

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vydehi Murthy

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Neonatal hydrocolpos is a rare condition. Hydrocolpos is cystic dilatation of the vagina with fluid accumulation due to a combination of stimulation of secretary glands of the reproductive tract and vaginal obstruction. The differential for a neonatal presentation of lower abdominal mass includes urogenital anomalies, Hirschsprung’s, disease or sacrococcygeal teratoma. Prenatal diagnosis and early newborn imaging studies leads to early detection and treatment of these cases. Case. We report here two cases of neonatal hydrocolpos with prenatal diagnosis of lower abdominal mass. Postnatally, ultrasound, MRI imaging, and cystoscopy confirmed large cystic mass as hydrocolpos with distal vaginal obstruction. Both patients had enlarged renal system secondary to mass effect. Conclusion. High index of suspicion for hydrocolpos in a newborn presenting with fetal diagnosis of infraumbilical abdominal mass will facilitate timely intervention and prevention of complications.

  10. The effect of single low-dose dexamethasone on blood glucose concentrations in the perioperative period: a randomized, placebo-controlled investigation in gynecologic surgical patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, Glenn S; Szokol, Joseph W; Avram, Michael J; Greenberg, Steven B; Shear, Torin; Vender, Jeffery S; Gray, Jayla; Landry, Elizabeth

    2014-06-01

    The effect of single low-dose dexamethasone therapy on perioperative blood glucose concentrations has not been well characterized. In this investigation, we examined the effect of 2 commonly used doses of dexamethasone (4 and 8 mg at induction of anesthesia) on blood glucose concentrations during the first 24 hours after administration. Two hundred women patients were randomized to 1 of 6 groups: Early-control (saline); Early-4 mg (4 mg dexamethasone); Early-8 mg (8 mg dexamethasone); Late-control (saline); Late-4 mg (4 mg dexamethasone); and Late-8 mg (8 mg dexamethasone). Blood glucose concentrations were measured at baseline and 1, 2, 3, and 4 hours after administration in the early groups and at baseline and 8 and 24 hours after administration in the late groups. The incidence of hyperglycemic events (the number of patients with at least 1 blood glucose concentration >180 mg/dL) was determined. Blood glucose concentrations increased significantly over time in all control and dexamethasone groups (from median baselines of 94 to 102 mg/dL to maximum medians ranging from 141 to 161.5 mg/dL, all P < 0.001). Blood glucose concentrations did not differ significantly between the groups receiving dexamethasone (either 4 or 8 mg) and those receiving saline at any measurement time. The incidence of hyperglycemic events did not differ in any of the early (21%-28%, P = 0.807) or late (13%-24%, P = 0.552) groups. Because blood glucose concentrations during the first 24 hours after administration of single low-dose dexamethasone did not differ from those observed after saline administrations, these results suggest clinicians need not avoid using dexamethasone for nausea and vomiting prophylaxis out of concerns related to hyperglycemia.

  11. Neonatal Seizure Models to Study Epileptogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuka Kasahara

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Current therapeutic strategies for epilepsy include anti-epileptic drugs and surgical treatments that are mainly focused on the suppression of existing seizures rather than the occurrence of the first spontaneous seizure. These symptomatic treatments help a certain proportion of patients, but these strategies are not intended to clarify the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the primary process of epilepsy development, i.e., epileptogenesis. Epileptogenic changes include reorganization of neural and glial circuits, resulting in the formation of an epileptogenic focus. To achieve the goal of developing “anti-epileptogenic” drugs, we need to clarify the step-by-step mechanisms underlying epileptogenesis for patients whose seizures are not controllable with existing “anti-epileptic” drugs. Epileptogenesis has been studied using animal models of neonatal seizures because such models are useful for studying the latent period before the occurrence of spontaneous seizures and the lowering of the seizure threshold. Further, neonatal seizure models are generally easy to handle and can be applied for in vitro studies because cells in the neonatal brain are suitable for culture. Here, we review two animal models of neonatal seizures for studying epileptogenesis and discuss their features, specifically focusing on hypoxia-ischemia (HI-induced seizures and febrile seizures (FSs. Studying these models will contribute to identifying the potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers of epileptogenesis.

  12. Prevention of everolimus-related stomatitis in women with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer using dexamethasone mouthwash (SWISH): a single-arm, phase 2 trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rugo, Hope S; Seneviratne, Lasika; Beck, J Thaddeus; Glaspy, John A; Peguero, Julio A; Pluard, Timothy J; Dhillon, Navneet; Hwang, Leon Christopher; Nangia, Chaitali; Mayer, Ingrid A; Meiller, Timothy F; Chambers, Mark S; Sweetman, Robert W; Sabo, J Randy; Litton, Jennifer K

    2017-05-01

    Stomatitis is a class effect associated with the inhibition of mTOR and is associated with everolimus therapy for breast cancer. Topical steroids might reduce stomatitis incidence and severity, and the need for dose reductions and interruptions of everolimus. Anecdotal use of topical steroid oral prophylaxis has been reported in patients with breast cancer. We aimed to assess dexamethasone-based mouthwash for prevention of stomatitis in patients with breast cancer. This US-based, multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 prevention study enrolled women aged 18 years and older with postmenopausal status who had histologically or cytologically confirmed metastatic hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer. Beginning on day 1 of cycle 1, patients received everolimus 10 mg plus exemestane 25 mg daily, with 10 mL of alcohol-free dexamethasone 0·5 mg per 5 mL oral solution (swish for 2 min and spit, four times daily for 8 weeks). After 8 weeks, dexamethasone mouthwash could be continued for up to eight additional weeks at the discretion of the clinician and patient. The primary endpoint was incidence of grade 2 or worse stomatitis by 8 weeks assessed in the full analysis set (patients who received at least one dose of everolimus and exemestane and at least one confirmed dose of dexamethasone mouthwash) versus historical controls from the BOLERO-2 trial (everolimus and exemestane treatment in patients with hormone receptor-positive advanced breast cancer who were not given dexamethasone mouthwash for prevention of stomatitis). This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02069093. Between May 28, 2014, and Oct 8, 2015, we enrolled 92 women; 85 were evaluable for efficacy. By 8 weeks, the incidence of grade 2 or worse stomatitis was two (2%) of 85 patients (95% CI 0·29-8·24), versus 159 (33%) of 482 patients (95% CI 28·8-37·4) for the duration of the BOLERO-2 study. Overall, 83 (90%) of 92 patients had at least one adverse event. The most frequently

  13. Adding Fludarabine to Cyclophophamide-dexamethason induction therapy impair stem cell harvest in MM

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johnsen, Hans Erik; Meldgaard Knudsen, Lene; Mylin, Anne Kærsgaard

    BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Recent data have indicated that the myeloma cell hierarchy includes resistant Recent data have indicated that the myeloma cell hierarchy includes resistant circulating clonal memory B cells, which differ considerably from the classical end stage plasma cells infiltrating......, placebo controlled, single blinded, phase II study evaluating This was a randomized, placebo controlled, single blinded, phase II study evaluating toxicity and safety of Fludarabine added to Cyclophosphamide and Dexamethasone (CyDex) as induction therapy in younger patients with untreated and treatment...

  14. Analysis of In-hospital Neonatal Death in the Tertiary Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in China: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Chen-Hong Wang; Li-Zhong Du; Xiao-Lu Ma; Li-Ping Shi; Xiao-Mei Tong; Hong Liu; Guo-Fang Ding

    2016-01-01

    Background:Globally,the proportion of child deaths that occur in the neonatal period remains a high level of 37-41%.Differences of cause in neonate death exist in different regions as well as in different economic development countries.The specific aim of this study was to investigate the causes,characteristics,and differences of death in neonates during hospitalization in the tertiary Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of China.Methods:All the dead neonates admitted to 26 NICUs were included between January 1,2011,and December 31,2011.All the data were collected retrospectively from clinical records by a designed questionnaire.Data collected from each NICU were delivered to the leading institution where the results were analyzed.Results:A total of 744 newborns died during the l-year survey,accounting for 1.2% of all the neonates admitted to 26 NICUs and 37.6% of all the deaths in children under 5 years of age in these hospitals.Preterm neonate death accounted for 59.3% of all the death.The leading causes of death in preterm and term infants were pulmonary disease and infection,respectively.In early neonate period,pulmonary diseases (56.5%) occupied the largest proportion ofpreterm deaths while infection (27%) and neurologic diseases (22%) were the two main causes of term deaths.In late neonate period,infection was the leading cause of both preterm and term neonate deaths.About two-thirds of neonate death occurred after medical care withdrawal.Of the cases who might survive if receiving continuing treatment,parents' concern about the long-term outcomes was the main reason of medical care withdrawal.Conclusions:Neonate death still accounts for a high proportion of all the deaths in children under 5 years of age.Our study showed the majority of neonate death occurred in preterm infants.Cause of death varied with the age of death and gestational age.Accurate and prompt evaluation of the long-term outcomes should be carried out to guide the critical

  15. Indicators of surgical treatment of patent ductus arteriosus in preterm neonates in the first week of life

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renato Braulio

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To identify clinical and echocardiographic indicators of the necessity for early surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosus in preterm neonates. METHODS: The prospective study was conducted at the Neonatal Unit of Hospital Municipal Odilon Behrens between 2006 and 2010. The study population comprised 115 preterm neonates diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus in the first week after birth, of whom 55 (group S were submitted to clinical and or surgical closure and 60 (group NS received non-surgical treatment. The parameters analyzed were birth weight, diameter of the ductus arteriosus (DAD, left atrial-to-aortic root diameter ratio (LA:Ao, the quotient of DAD² and birth weight (mm²/kg, and ductal shunting. RESULTS: The study population comprised 58 males and 57 females. The average birth weight of group S (924 ± 224.3 g was significantly (P=0.049 lower than that of group NS (1012.3 ± 242.8 g. The probability of the preterm neonates being submitted to surgical closure was 62.1% (P=0.006 when the DAD2/birth weight index was > 5 mm²/kg, 72.2% (P=0.001 when the LA:Ao ratio was > 1.5, and 61.2% when ductal shunting was high (P=0.025. CONCLUSION: The parameters DAD²/birth weight index > 5 mm²/kg, LA:Ao ratio > 1.5 and high ductal shunting were statistically significant indicators (P 1.5 was associated with the occurrence of shock, the probability of surgical closure increased to 78.4%.

  16. Fetal neonatal hyperthyroidism: diagnostic and therapeutic approachment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurtoğlu, Selim; Özdemir, Ahmet

    2017-01-01

    Fetal and neonatal hyperthyroidism may occur in mothers with Graves’ disease. Fetal thyrotoxicosis manifestation is observed with the transition of TSH receptor stimulating antibodies to the fetus from the 17th–20th weeks of pregnancy and with the fetal TSH receptors becoming responsive after 20 weeks. The diagnosis is confirmed by fetal tachycardia, goiter and bone age advancement in pregnancy and maternal treatment is conducted in accordance. The probability of neonatal hyperthyroidism is high in the babies of mothers that have ongoing antithyroid requirement and higher antibody levels in the last months of pregnancy. Clinical manifestation may be delayed by 7–17 days because of the antithyroid drugs taken by the mother. Neonatal hyperthyroidism symptoms can be confused with sepsis and congenital viral infections. Herein, the diagnosis and therapeutic approach are reviewed in cases of fetal neonatal hyperthyroidism. PMID:28439194

  17. Effect of low-level laser therapy on tissue repair after dental extraction in rats administered zoledronic acid and dexamethasone

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weber, João Batista Blessmann; Camilotti, Renata Stifelman; Jasper, Juliana; Casagrande, Liliane Cristina Onofre; Maito, Fábio Luiz Dal Moro

    2017-05-01

    Bisphosphonates (BPs) are being increasingly used for the treatment of metabolic and oncological pathologies involving the skeletal system. Because of the severity of the BP associated osteonecrosis of the jaws, the difficulties of treatment, and patient discomfort, additional support methods for their management are needed. Laser therapy has an easy handling, photobiostimulator effect on tissues healing, so it can be considered a preferred therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of low-level laser therapy in the 685- and 830-nm wavelength in the healing process of the bone and soft tissues in rats under BP therapy [zoledronic acid (ZA)] and dexamethasone concomitantly that underwent a surgery for the extraction of upper molars. There were statistically significant differences in the clinical evaluation of the wound and the weight of the animals. Regarding the histological evaluation, it was possible to observe the different maturations of the healing stage between groups. The effect of drug therapy with ZA and dexamethasone in the bone tissue repair process induces osteonecrosis of the jaw in rats and slows down the healing process. In the laser groups, at the stipulated dosimetry, a positive influence on the bone and soft tissue repair process was observed.

  18. Control study of pulmonary surfactant combined with CPAP and BIPAP ventilation modes respectively in treatment of neonatal NRDS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yao Liu

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To analyze the differences in effect of pulmonary surfactant combined with CPAP and BIPAP ventilation modes respectively in treatment of neonatal NRDS. Methods: A total of 50 cases of children with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS born and receiving treatment in our hospital from August 2012 to January 2015 were selected as research subjects and randomly divided into observation group and control group, each with 25 cases. Control group received pulmonary surfactant combined with CPAP ventilation mode treatment, observation group received pulmonary surfactant combined with BIPAP ventilation mode treatment, and then differences in blood gas indicators and mechanical ventilation parameters, pulmonary artery pressure, endothelin and nitric oxide levels, blood coagulation and anticoagulation indicators and protein expression levels of CD24, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-17A of two groups after treatment were compared. Results: PaO2, PH value and oxygenation index of observation group after treatment were higher than those of control group, and PaCO2, positive end-expiratory pressure, peak inspiratory pressure and inspired oxygen concentration were lower than those of control group; pulmonary artery pressure and EF-1 level of observation group after treatment were lower than those of control group, and NO level was higher than that of control group; PC, TPS and AT-Ⅲ levels of observation group after treatment were higher than those of control group, and D-D and vWF levels were lower than those of control group; protein expression of CD24 and IL-6 of observation group after treatment were lower than those of control group, and protein expression of TNF-α and IL-17A were higher than those of control group. Conclusion: Pulmonary surfactant combined with BIPAP ventilation mode treatment of children with NRDS can effectively optimize ventilation function and realize homeostasis, and it has active clinical significance.

  19. Neonatal Hyperglycemia due to Transient Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus in Puerto Rico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fargas-Berríos, N; García-Fragoso, L; García-García, I; Valcárcel, M

    2015-01-01

    Neonatal hyperglycemia is a metabolic disorder found in the neonatal intensive care units. Neonatal diabetes mellitus (NDM) is a very uncommon cause of hyperglycemia in the newborn, occurring in 1 in every 400,000 births. There are two subtypes of neonatal diabetes mellitus: permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus (PNDM) and transient neonatal diabetes mellitus (TNDM). We describe a term, small for gestational age, female neonate with transient neonatal diabetes mellitus who presented with poor feeding tolerance and vomiting associated with hyperglycemia (385 mg/dL), glycosuria, and metabolic acidosis within the first 12 hours of life. The neonate was treated with intravenous insulin, obtaining a slight control of hyperglycemia. An adequate glycemia was achieved at 5 weeks of life. The molecular studies showed complete loss of maternal methylation at the TND differentially methylated region on chromosome 6q24. The etiology of this neonate's hyperglycemia was a hypomethylation of the maternal TND locus. A rare cause of neonatal diabetes mellitus must be considered if a neonate presents refractory hyperglycemia. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported in Puerto Rico of transient neonatal mellitus due to the uncommon mechanism of maternal hypomethylation of the TND locus. Its prevalence in Puerto Rico is unknown.

  20. Effect of Submucosal Injection of Dexamethasone on Post-operative Sequelae of Third Molar Surgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S P Deo

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of a single pre-operative sub-mucosal injection of dexamethasone after third molar surgery to see the effects on post-operative discomfort. Methods: This study was a prospective, double-blind, randomized, clinical trial. The subjects were forty patients who underwent surgical removal of the mandibular impacted third molar under local anesthesia and after being randomly assigned to receive either an 8 mg dexamethasone as submucosal injection or a normal saline injection into the lower buccal vestibule adjacent to the third molar. The maximum interincisal distance and facial contours were measured at the baseline and post-surgically on Day 2 and 7. Post-operative pain was evaluated subjectively using a visual analog scale and objectively by counting the number of analgesic tablets used. All subjects were operated upon by the same investigator to minimize the difference from inter-operator variability. Results: There was a signicant difference in the measurements of the degree of swelling and trismus between the two groups on the 2nd post-operative day. In contrast, there was no statistically signicant difference between the groups on the 7th post-operative day. The test group also used fewer analgesics post-operatively. Conclusions: Submucosal injection of dexamethasone after third molar surgery is effective in reducing postoperative swelling and trismus. It also delays the onset of post-operative pain. Keywords: dexamethasone, submucosal injection, third molar, third molar surgery, third molar extraction

  1. Diagnostic imaging in neonatal stroke; Bildgebende Diagnostik des Neonatal stroke

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kuhle, S.; Ipsiroglu, O.; Weninger, M. [Universitaetsklinik fuer Kinder- und Jugendheilkunde, Wien (Austria). Abt. fuer Neonatologie, angeborene Stoerungen und Intensivmedizin; Puig, S.; Prayer, D. [Universitaetsklinik fuer Radiodiagnostik, Wien (Austria)

    2000-01-01

    A cerebral artery infarction is an important differential diagnosis in the newborn with neurological abnormalities. Based on clinical data, its incidence is estimated to be 1 in 4000 newborns. Since the course is often subclinical, the true incidence is probably higher. Diagnosis: Cerebral ultrasound and Doppler sonography as readily available screening tools play a central role in the initial diagnosis of neonatal cerebral infarction. Definitive diagnosis is made by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Beside symptomatic anticonvulsive therapy, treatment aims at the prevention of secondary ischemic injury. Discussion: Three term infants with different clinical courses of neonatal stroke are presented to sensitize the clinician and the radiologist for this probably underdiagnosed entity. The role of imaging modalities in the diagnosis and follow-up of neonatal cerebral infarction is discussed. (orig.) [German] Ein Infarkt im Stromgebiet der Zerebralarterien stellt eine wichtige Differentialdiagnose bei neurologischen Auffaelligkeiten in der Neonatalperiode dar. Die Inzidenz wird anhand von klinischer Daten auf 1:4000 Lebendgeborene geschaetzt. Da der Verlauf oft subklinisch ist, liegt die wahre Inzidenz wahrscheinlich hoeher. Diagnose: Bei der Diagnosestellung kommen dem Schaedelultraschall und der Doppelsonographie als leicht verfuegbaren Screening-Methoden eine zentrale Rolle zu. Die definitive Diagnose wird, je nach Verfuegbarkeit, mittels Computertomographie oder Kernspintomographie gestellt. Die Behandlung ist neben der symptomatischen (antikonvulsiven) Therapie auf die Vermeidung von ischaemischen Sekundaerschaeden gerichtet. Diskussion: Wir wollen mit der vorliegenden Arbeit anhand von 3 Kindern mit verschiedenen klinischen Verlaeufen eines sog. Neonatal stroke den Stellenwert der bildgebenden Verfahren bei der Diagnostik und Verlaufskontrolle aufzeigen und die Sensibilitaet fuer dieses vermutlich unterdiagnostizierte Krankheitsbild erhoehen

  2. Proceedings of the National Training Workshop on Neonatal Hypothyroidism Screening

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Osifo, B.O.A.

    2002-05-01

    The National Training Workshop on Neonatal Hypothyroidism screening project was conceived in 2000 and was held at the University of Ibadan from May 5 - May 8, 2002. The National Neonatal Hypothyroidism Screening project is a Technical Cooperation Project between the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Federal Government of Nigeria. The Workshop was organized to raise the awareness to the Health related professionals and Policy makers on the importance of screening for Neonatal Hypothyroidism in our country. Neonatal Hypothyroidism is a result of lack of the thyroid hormones in the neonates and this is mostly due to iodine deficiency in our environment - both in the soil and water. This lack of thyroid hormones in the neonates if not treated leads to a serious disease known as Cretinism. Cretinism affects both the mental and physical developments of these children. This Training Workshop focussed on the importance of the Screening programme for all urgent treatment. The Workshop also showed clearly that lack of care and treatment of such neonates in Nigeria so as to identify the neonates that need urgent treatment. The Workshop also showed clearly that lack of care and treatment of such neonates would have a profound detrimental effect on the social and economical development of Nigeria. The spread of Iodine Deficiency in our country is nation wide. It is not based on political zoning system. Rather, Cretinism is a problem in our country and the participants are convinced that it can be prevented by the support of the Federal Government in the form of the provision of Transportation for the three centres in the country - Ibadan, Jos and Port-Harcourt, for collection of blood specimens and regular Counterpart Funding for this IAEA project. The organizers of this Workshop will like to express their sincere thanks to International Atomic Energy Agency who not only supplies all the equipment and reagents for this national project but also funded this National

  3. [Risk factors for neonatal pulmonary hemorrhage in the neonatal intensive care unit of a municipal hospital].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Jie; Hei, Ming-Yan; Huang, Xi-Lin; Li, Xiao-Ping

    2017-03-01

    To investigate the risk factors for neonatal pulmonary hemorrhage (NPH) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a municipal hospital, and to provide a basis for the early identification and treatment of NPH. A total of 112 neonates who were admitted to the NICU of Shaoyang Central Hospital of Hunan Province and diagnosed with NPH were enrolled as the case group. A nested case-control method was used to select, as a control group (n=224), the neonates who underwent the treatment with an assisted mechanical ventilator and did not experience pulmonary hemorrhage. Univariate analysis and unconditional logistic regression analysis were used to identify the high risk factors for NPH. The univariate analysis showed that compared with the control group, the case group had significantly higher incidence rates of gestational diabetes and cholestasis in mothers, cesarean delivery, gestational age <34 weeks, 5-minute Apgar score ≤5, birth weight <2 500 g, heart failure and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) before the development of NPH, partial pressure of oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen (oxygenation index, OI) ≤100, and a reduction in mean platelet volume. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that DIC, heart failure, and OI ≤100 were independent risk factors for NPH (OR=33.975, 3.975, 1.818 respectively; P<0.05). Heart failure, OI ≤100, and DIC are risk factors for the development of NPH in the NICU of the municipal hospital.

  4. The use of dexamethasone in women with preterm premature ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The use of dexamethasone in women with preterm premature rupture of membranes - A multicentre, double-blind, placebocontrolled, randomised trial. R.C. Pattinson, J.D. Makin, M. Funk, S.D. Delport, A.P. Macdonald, K. Norman, G. Kirsten, C. Stewart, D. Woods, G. Moller, E. Coetzee, P. Smith, J. Anthony, M. Schoon, ...

  5. Alterations to prepulse inhibition magnitude and latency in adult rats following neonatal treatment with domoic acid and social isolation rearing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marriott, Amber L; Tasker, R Andrew; Ryan, Catherine L; Doucette, Tracy A

    2016-02-01

    Deficits in perceptual, informational, and attentional processing are consistently identified as a core feature in schizophrenia and related neuropsychiatric disorders. Neonatal injections of low doses of the AMPA/kainate agonist domoic acid (DOM) have previously been shown to alter various aspects of perceptual and attentional processing in adult rats. The current study investigated the effects of combined neonatal DOM treatment with isolation rearing on prepulse inhibition behaviour and relevant neurochemical measures, to assess the usefulness of these paradigms in modeling neurodevelopmental disorders. Daily subcutaneous injections of DOM (20 μg/kg) or saline were administered to male and female rat pups from postnatal days (PND) 8-14. After weaning, rats were either housed alone or in groups of 4. Both the magnitude and latency of prepulse inhibition were determined in adulthood (approximately 4.5 months of age) and post-mortem brain tissue was assayed using Western blot. Social isolation alone significantly lowered PPI magnitude in male (but not female) rats while DOM treatment appeared to make animals refractory to this effect. Combining social isolation and DOM treatment caused an additive decrease in PPI startle latency. No statistically significant differences were found in the expression of D1, D2, TH, GAD65 or GAD67 protein in either the prefrontal cortex or hippocampus, although some tendencies toward differences were noted. We conclude that both neonatal low-dose DOM and social isolation affect prepulse inhibition in rats but that each paradigm exerts these effects through different neuronal signalling systems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. The initial experience of antithrombin III in the management of neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    St Peter, Shawn D; Little, Danny C; Calkins, Casey M; Holcomb, George W; Snyder, Charles L; Ostlie, Daniel J

    2007-04-01

    Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), the devastating enteric process of premature neonates, is marked by severe intravascular abnormalities and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Treatment to date remains historical and continues to be merely supportive without attempts to ameliorate progress within the inflammatory or coagulation cascades. Antithrombin III (ATIII) supplementation has been shown to favorably alter the process of disseminated intravascular coagulation and sepsis in adults. However, no reported use of this treatment exists in neonates. Therefore, we analyze the efficacy of our recent experience with ATIII replacement therapy in neonates with NEC. Age and diseased-matched controls with NEC were identified before the introduction of ATIII in our institution and compared against neonates with NEC undergoing ATIII replacement for diminished ATIII levels. Data collected included demographics, course of treatment parameters, and outcomes. Course of treatment parameters included hemoglobin, platelet count, prothrombin time, and partial thromboplastin time over the first 10 consecutive days of treatment. Outcome variables included packed red blood cell, platelet, fresh frozen plasma, and cryoprecipitate transfusions, as well as transfusion cost, length of stay, and survival. Over a 5-year period, 19 neonates with NEC received ATIII and were compared to 17 historical controls. Treatment hematologic profiles were not worsened in the ATIII-treated patients. The control patients received less overall transfusions and had a shorter length of stay. Antithrombin III appears to be safe in neonates with NEC, and its impact on reversing intravascular pathology in these patients warrants more thorough investigation.

  7. Effects of Gentamicin on Urinary Electrolyte Excretion in Admitted Neonate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. Falakolaflaki

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction & Objective: Gentamicin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic widely used during the neonatal period. It is associated with nephrotoxic effects in neonates, including glomerular impairment and renal tubular dysfunction. Electrolyte balance is very important, especially in the sick premature neonate receiving aminoglycosides. The purpose of this study was early diagnosis of gentamicin nephrotoxicity. Materials & Methods: This quasi-experimental study was performed on 23 neonates (11 full – term and 12 preterm with suspected sepsis who were admitted and treated with gentamicin. Blood and urine samples were collected before infusion and on the 3rd day of treatment. Serum and urine concentration of Na, K, creatinine (Cr and urine concentration of Ca were measured. Then fractional excretion of Na and K were estimated. Ca excretion was estimated as the UCa/UCr ratio. Then the collected data were analyzed using SPSS package.Results: In all neonates, increase in fractional excretion of Na and UCa/UCr, in the 3rd day of treatment were observed as compared to those of before infusion (P=0.01 and P=0.02 respectively. Serum creatinine levels decreased in all patients. Serum level of electrolytes during therapy was normal.Conclusion: The results of this study clearly demonstrate an effect of gentamicin infusion on renal sodium and calcium excretion. These results may be of clinical importance especially for sick preterm neonates receiving treatment with gentamicin. These babies are usually salt-losers and are also more susceptible to early onset hypocalcemia. Gentamicin can aggravate these complications.

  8. Sustained intra-cartilage delivery of low dose dexamethasone using a cationic carrier for treatment of post traumatic osteoarthritis

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    AG Bajpayee

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs should reach their intra-tissue target sites at optimal doses for clinical efficacy. The dense, negatively charged matrix of cartilage poses a major hindrance to the transport of potential therapeutics. In this work, electrostatic interactions were utilised to overcome this challenge and enable higher uptake, full-thickness penetration and enhanced retention of dexamethasone (Dex inside rabbit cartilage. This was accomplished by using the positively charged glycoprotein avidin as nanocarrier, conjugated to Dex by releasable linkers. Therapeutic effects of a single intra-articular injection of low dose avidin-Dex (0.5 mg Dex were evaluated in rabbits 3 weeks after anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT. Immunostaining confirmed that avidin penetrated the full cartilage thickness and was retained for at least 3 weeks. Avidin-Dex suppressed injury-induced joint swelling and catabolic gene expression to a greater extent than free Dex. It also significantly improved the histological score of cell infiltration and morphogenesis within the periarticular synovium. Micro-computed tomography confirmed the reduced incidence and volume of osteophytes following avidin-Dex treatment. However, neither treatment restored the loss of cartilage stiffness following ACLT, suggesting the need for a combinational therapy with a pro-anabolic factor for enhancing matrix biosynthesis. The avidin dose used caused significant glycosaminoglycan (GAG loss, suggesting the use of higher Dex : avidin ratios in future formulations, such that the delivered avidin dose could be much less than that shown to affect GAGs. This charge-based delivery system converted cartilage into a drug depot that could also be employed for delivery to nearby synovium, menisci and ligaments, enabling clinical translation of a variety of DMOADs.

  9. Use of the Dexamethasone-Corticotrophin Releasing Hormone Test to Assess Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Function in Rheumatoid Arthritis

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    Eman A. Hasan

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives. Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis function may be abnormal in rheumatoid arthritis (RA. A pilot study in 7 patients suggested impaired glucocorticoid feedback in some patients after the dexamethasone-corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH test. This study aimed to investigate the dexamethasone-corticotrophin releasing factor test in a larger group of patients and relate the results to characteristics of the disease. Methods. Outpatients with active RA (≥3 swollen and tender joints and C-reactive protein > 10 mg/L took dexamethasone (1.5 mg at 23:00 hour in the evening. Next day, baseline saliva and plasma samples were collected, CRH was infused at 11:00 hour, and 4 serial blood and saliva samples were collected. Plasma samples were stored at −80∘C and a radioimmunoassay performed for saliva and plasma cortisol. Results. All 20 participants showed normal dexamethasone suppression and mounted no response to the CRH challenge. In samples with measurable cortisol, there was a strong correlation between saliva and plasma values (r = 0.876, n = 26, P<.01. Conclusion. No abnormalities were found in the Dexamethasone-CRH test in RA patients in contrast to a previous pilot study. Salivary cortisol measurement may offer an alternative noninvasive technique to plasma cortisol in RA patients in future studies.

  10. Transient neonatal diabetes or neonatal hyperglycaemia: A case ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Transient neonatal diabetes and neonatal hyperglycaemia both present in the neonatal period with features of hyperglycaemia, dehydration and weight loss. Differentiating these conditions clinically is difficult. We describe the case of a 13 day old female whom we managed recently who could have had either condition.

  11. Neonatal Hyperglycemia due to Transient Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus in Puerto Rico

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    N. Fargas-Berríos

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Neonatal hyperglycemia is a metabolic disorder found in the neonatal intensive care units. Neonatal diabetes mellitus (NDM is a very uncommon cause of hyperglycemia in the newborn, occurring in 1 in every 400,000 births. There are two subtypes of neonatal diabetes mellitus: permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus (PNDM and transient neonatal diabetes mellitus (TNDM. We describe a term, small for gestational age, female neonate with transient neonatal diabetes mellitus who presented with poor feeding tolerance and vomiting associated with hyperglycemia (385 mg/dL, glycosuria, and metabolic acidosis within the first 12 hours of life. The neonate was treated with intravenous insulin, obtaining a slight control of hyperglycemia. An adequate glycemia was achieved at 5 weeks of life. The molecular studies showed complete loss of maternal methylation at the TND differentially methylated region on chromosome 6q24. The etiology of this neonate’s hyperglycemia was a hypomethylation of the maternal TND locus. A rare cause of neonatal diabetes mellitus must be considered if a neonate presents refractory hyperglycemia. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported in Puerto Rico of transient neonatal mellitus due to the uncommon mechanism of maternal hypomethylation of the TND locus. Its prevalence in Puerto Rico is unknown.

  12. chlamydial neonatal conjuntivitis (cnnc) in ilorin, middle belt of nigeria

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    African Journal of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology ... period were prospectively screened for Neonatal conjunctivitis using the Center for Disease Control/World Health Organization case definition for Neonatal conjunctivitis. ... Clinical re-evaluation was done by 72 hours and 7 days of treatment for clinical cure.

  13. The clinical outcomes of surgical management of anterior chamber migration of a dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex®).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Hyunseung; Lee, Min Woo; Byeon, Suk Ho; Koh, Hyoung Jun; Lee, Sung Chul; Kim, Min

    2017-09-01

    Our purpose was to describe the clinical course, and individualized management approaches, of patients with migration of a dexamethasone implant into the anterior chamber. This was a retrospective review of four patients with seven episodes of anterior chamber migration of a dexamethasone implant. After 924 intravitreal dexamethasone injections, anterior migration of the implant occurred in four eyes of four patients (0.43%). All four eyes were pseudophakic: one eye had a posterior chamber intraocular lens in the capsular bag but in a post-laser posterior capsulotomy state, two eyes had a sulcus intraocular lens (IOL), and one eye had an iris-fixated retropupillary IOL. All eyes had a prior vitrectomy and no lens capsule. The time interval from injection to detection of the implant migration ranged from 2 to 6 weeks. Of the four eyes with corneal edema, only one eye required a corneal transplantation, although it was unclear whether the implant migration was the direct cause of the corneal decompensation because the patient had a history of bullous keratopathy resulting from an extended history of uveitis. All patients underwent surgical intervention: two patients with a repositioning procedure, and the other two patients with removal due to repeated episodes, although surgical removal was not always necessary to reverse the corneal complications. In our study, not all patients required surgical removal of the implants. Repositioning the implant back into the vitreous cavity may be considered as an option in cases involving the first episode with no significant corneal endothelial decompensation. Considering potential anterior segment complications and the loss of drug effectiveness together, an individualized approach is recommended to obtain the best treatment outcomes and to minimize the risk of corneal complications.

  14. [Lactose intolerance in neonates with non-infectious diarrhea].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Hui-Min; Jiang, Yi; Hu, Yu-Lian; Yang, Hui; Dong, Tian-Jin

    2016-04-01

    To investigate the development of lactose intolerance in neonates with non-infectious diarrhea and its association with diarrhea, and to evaluate the diagnostic values of fecal pH value and urine galactose determination for neonatal lactase deficiency. Seventy hospitalized neonates who developed non-infectious diarrhea between October 2012 and June 2015 were enrolled as the diarrhea group, and 162 hospitalized neonates without non-infectious diarrhea were enrolled as the non-diarrhea group. Test paper was used to determine fecal pH value. The galactose oxidase method was used to detect urine galactose. The neonates with positive galactose oxidase were diagnosed with lactase deficiency, and those with lactase deficiency and diarrhea were diagnosed with lactose intolerance. According to the results of urine galactose detection, 69 neonates in the diarrhea group who underwent urine galactose detection were classified into lactose intolerance group (45 neonates) and lactose tolerance group (24 neonates), and their conditions after treatment were compared between the two groups. The follow-up visits were performed for neonates with diarrhea at 3 months after discharge. Fecal pH value and positive rate of urine galactose (65% vs 54%) showed no significant differences between the diarrhea and non-diarrhea groups (P>0.05). Fecal pH value showed no significant difference between the lactose intolerance and lactose tolerance groups (P>0.05), while the neonates in the lactose intolerance group had a significantly longer time to recovery of defecation than those in the lactose tolerance group (Plactose intolerance tends to occur. Determination of fecal pH value has no significance in the diagnosis of lactose intolerance in neonates with diarrhea.

  15. A Pediatrician’s Practical Guide to Diagnosing and Treating Hereditary Spherocytosis in Neonates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yaish, Hassan M.; Gallagher, Patrick G.

    2015-01-01

    Newborn infants who have hereditary spherocytosis (HS) can develop anemia and hyperbilirubinemia. Bilirubin-induced neurologic dysfunction is less likely in these neonates if the diagnosis of HS is recognized and appropriate treatment provided. Among neonates listed in the USA Kernicterus Registry, HS was the third most common underlying hemolytic condition after glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and ABO hemolytic disease. HS is the leading cause of direct antiglobulin test (direct Coombs) negative hemolytic anemia requiring erythrocyte transfusion in the first months of life. We anticipate that as physicians become more familiar with diagnosing HS in the newborn period, fewer neonates with HS will develop hazardous hyperbilirubinemia or present to emergency departments with unanticipated symptomatic anemia. We predict that early suspicion, prompt diagnosis and treatment, and anticipatory guidance will prevent adverse outcomes in neonates with HS. The purpose of this article was to review the neonatal presentation of HS and to provide practical and up-to-date means of diagnosing and treating HS in neonates. PMID:26009624

  16. Dexamethasone Implant (Ozurdex in a Case with Unilateral Simultaneous Central Retinal Vein and Branch Retinal Artery Occlusion

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    Taylan Ozturk

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Simultaneous branch retinal artery and vein occlusion is a rare condition that may cause severe visual loss, and its treatment is often unrewarding. Herein, we report a case with simultaneous central retinal vein and branch retinal artery occlusion; it was successfully treated with a single dexamethasone intravitreal implant. The affected eye attained a visual acuity level of 20/25 from the visual acuity of hand motions at presentation with a residual, but relatively diminished, altitudinal scotoma during a follow-up period of 6 months.

  17. Stem Cell Therapy for Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy

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    Gabriel eGonzales-Portillo

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Treatments for neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE have been limited. The aim of this paper is to offer translational research guidance on stem cell therapy for neonatal HIE by examining clinically relevant animal models, practical stem cell sources, safety and efficacy of endpoint assays, as well as a general understanding of modes of action of this cellular therapy. In order to do so, we discuss the clinical manifestations of HIE, highlighting its overlapping pathologies with stroke providing insights on the potential of cell therapy, currently investigated in stroke, for HIE. To this end, we draw guidance from recommendations outlined in Stem cell Therapeutics as an Emerging Paradigm for Stroke or STEPS, which have been recently modified to Baby STEPS to cater for the neonatal symptoms of HIE. These guidelines recognized that neonatal HIE exhibits distinct disease symptoms from adult stroke in need of an innovative translational approach that facilitates the entry of cell therapy in the clinic. Finally, new information about recent clinical trials, and insights into combination therapy are provided with the vision that stem cell therapy may benefit from available treatments, such as hypothermia, already being tested in children diagnosed with HIE.

  18. Neonatal management and outcome in alloimmune hemolytic disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ree, Isabelle M C; Smits-Wintjens, Vivianne E H J; van der Bom, Johanna G; van Klink, Jeanine M M; Oepkes, Dick; Lopriore, Enrico

    2017-07-01

    Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) occurs when fetal and neonatal erythroid cells are destroyed by maternal erythrocyte alloantibodies, it leads to anemia and hydrops in the fetus, and hyperbilirubinemia and kernicterus in the newborn. Postnatal care consists of intensive phototherapy and exchange transfusions to treat severe hyperbilirubinemia and top-up transfusions to treat early and late anemia. Other postnatal complications have been reported such as thrombocytopenia, iron overload and cholestasis requiring specific management. Areas covered: This review focusses on the current neonatal management and outcome of hemolytic disease and discusses postnatal treatment options as well as literature on long-term neurodevelopmental outcome. Expert commentary: Despite major advances in neonatal management, multiple issues have to be addressed to optimize postnatal management and completely eradicate kernicterus. Except for strict adherence to guidelines, improvement could be achieved by clarifying the epidemiology and pathophysiology of HDFN. Several pharmacotherapeutic agents should be further researched as alternative treatment options in hyperbilirubinemia, including immunoglobulins, albumin, phenobarbital, metalloporphyrins, zinc, clofibrate and prebiotics. Larger trials are warranted to evaluate EPO, folate and vitamin E in neonates. Long-term follow-up studies are needed in HDFN, especially on thrombocytopenia, iron overload and cholestasis.

  19. Daily endogenous cortisol production and hydrocortisone pharmacokinetics in adult horses and neonatal foals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hart, Kelsey A; Dirikolu, Levent; Ferguson, Duncan C; Norton, Natalie A; Barton, Michelle H

    2012-01-01

    To compare daily endogenous cortisol production rate and the pharmacokinetics of an i.v. bolus of hydrocortisone between neonatal foals and adult horses. 10 healthy full-term 2- to 4-day-old foals and 7 healthy adult horses. Blood samples were collected from each horse every 15 to 20 minutes for 24 hours for determination of 24-hour mean cortisol concentration. Afterward, dexamethasone (0.08 mg/kg) was administered i.v. to suppress endogenous cortisol production. Twelve hours afterward, hydrocortisone sodium succinate (1.0 mg/kg) was administered as a rapid i.v. bolus and serial blood samples were collected to determine hydrocortisone pharmacokinetics. Cortisol concentrations, daily cortisol production rate, and hydrocortisone pharmacokinetics were determined, and results were compared between adult horses and foals. The mean ± SD 24-hour cortisol concentration was significantly lower in foals (20 ± 4 ng/mL) than in horses (26 ± 6 ng/mL), but the daily cortisol production rate was significantly greater in foals (6,710 ± 320 ng/kg/d) than in horses (2,140 ± 400 ng/kg/d). For hydrocortisone, foals had a significantly greater volume of distribution at steady state (1.92 ± 1.11 L/kg) and total body clearance (1.39 ± 0.108 L/kg/h) and significantly lower peak plasma concentration (1,051 ± 343 ng/mL) than did horses (0.58 ± 0.15 L/kg, 0.349 ± 0.065 L/kg/h, and 8,934 ± 3,843 ng/mL, respectively). Important differences were detected in cortisol production and metabolism between neonatal foals and adult horses consistent with lower plasma protein binding of cortisol in foals. This decrease may contribute to cortisol insufficiency during prolonged critical illness in neonatal foals.

  20. Therapeutic effect of dexamethasone implant in retinal vein occlusions resistant to anti-VEGF therapy

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    Wallsh J

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Josh Wallsh, Behnam Sharareh, Ron GallemoreRetina Macula Institute, Torrance, CA, USAPurpose: To test the efficacy of the intravitreal dexamethasone (DEX implant in patients with retinal vein occlusions (RVOs who have failed multiple anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF treatments.Methods: A randomized exploratory study of ten patients with branch RVO or central RVO who received at least two previous anti-VEGF treatments and had persistent or unresponsive cystoid macular edema. Treatment with the DEX implant was either every 4 months or pro re nata (PRN depending on their group assignment for 1 year. Multifocal electroretinography and microperimetry were the primary end points, with high-resolution optical coherence tomography and best-corrected visual acuity as the secondary end points.Results: All patients in both the every 4 month and PRN cohorts who completed the study received the three maximal injections of DEX; therefore, the data from both cohorts were combined and reported as a case series. On average, the multifocal electroretinography amplitude increased significantly from 5.11±0.66 to 24.19±5.30 nV/deg2 at 12 months (P<0.005, mean macular sensitivity increased from 7.67±2.10 to 8.01±1.98 dB at 4 months (P=0.32, best-corrected visual acuity increased significantly from 51.0±5.1 to 55.4±5.1 early treatment of diabetic retinopathy study letters at 2 months (P<0.05, and central retinal thickness decreased from 427.6±39.5 to 367.1±37.8 µm at 4 months (P<0.05. Intraocular pressure increased significantly in one patient, with that patient requiring an additional glaucoma medication for management. Additionally, cataract progression increased significantly (P<0.05 in this patient population and partially limited analysis of other end points.Conclusion: DEX should be considered as a treatment option in patients with RVOs who have failed anti-VEGF therapy, as the results of this study demonstrated an improvement in

  1. [Dutch Institute for Health Care Improvement revised guideline, 'Sexually transmitted diseases and neonatal herpes'

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bleker, O.P.; Meijden, W.I. van der; Wittenberg, J.; Bergen, J.E. van; Boeke, A.J.; Doornum, G.J.J. van; Henquet, C.J.; Galama, J.M.D.; Postma, M.J.; Prins, J.M.; Voorst Vader, P.C. van

    2003-01-01

    The Dutch Institute for Health Care Improvement revised guideline, 'Sexually transmitted diseases and neonatal herpes' summarises the current scientific position on the diagnosis and treatment of a great number of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and neonatal herpes. Symptomatic treatment of

  2. Switching to Aflibercept in Diabetic Macular Edema Not Responding to Ranibizumab and/or Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant

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    Antoine Herbaut

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. To assess short-term functional and anatomical outcomes of refractory diabetic macular edema (DME following a switch from ranibizumab or dexamethasone to aflibercept. Methods. We included retrospectively eyes with persistent DME after at least 3 ranibizumab and/or one dexamethasone implant intravitreal injections (IVI. The primary endpoint was the mean change in visual acuity (VA at month 6 (M6 after switching. Results. Twenty-five eyes were included. Before switching to aflibercept, 23 eyes received a median of 9.5 ranibizumab, and among them, 6 eyes received one dexamethasone implant after ranibizumab and 2 eyes received only one dexamethasone implant. Baseline VA, before any IVI, was 52.9 ± 16.5 letters, and preswitch VA was 57.1 ± 19.6 letters. The mean VA gain was +8 letters (p=0.01 between preswitch and M6. The mean central retinal thickness was 470.8 ± 129.9 μm before the switch and 303.3 ± 59.1 μm at M6 (p=0.001. Conclusion. Switching to aflibercept in refractory DME results in significant functional and anatomical improvement. The study was approved by the France Macula Federation ethical committee (FMF 2017-138.

  3. T-cell proliferative responses following sepsis in neonatal rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dallal, Ousama; Ravindranath, Thyyar M; Choudhry, Mashkoor A; Kohn, Annamarie; Muraskas, Jonathan K; Namak, Shahla Y; Alattar, Mohammad H; Sayeed, Mohammed M

    2003-01-01

    Both experimental and clinical evidence suggest a suppression of T-cell function in burn and sepsis. The objective of the present study was to evaluate splenocyte and purified T-cell proliferative response and IL-2 production in septic neonatal rats. We also examined if alterations in T-cell proliferation and IL-2 production in neonatal sepsis is due to elevation in PGE2. PGE2 is known to play a significant role in T-cell suppression during sepsis in adults. Sepsis was induced in 15-day-old neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats by implanting 0.1 cm3 of fecal pellet impregnated with Escherichia coli (50 CFU) and Bacteroides fragilis (10(3) CFU). Animals receiving fecal pellets without the bacteria were designated as sterile. A group of septic and sterile rats were treated with PGE2 synthesis inhibitors, NS398 and resveratrol. These treatments of animals allowed us to evaluate the role of PGE2 in T-cell suppression during neonatal sepsis. Splenocytes as well as purified T cells were prepared and then proliferative response and IL-2 productive capacities were measured. A significant suppression of splenocyte proliferation and IL-2 production was noticed in both sterile and septic animals compared to the T cells from unoperated control rats. In contrast, the proliferation and IL-2 production by nylon wool purified T cells in sterile rats was not significantly different from control rats, whereas, a significant suppression in Con A-mediated T-cell proliferation and IL-2 production noticed in septic rat T cells compared to the sterile and control rat T cells. Such decrease in T-cell proliferation and IL-2 production was accompanied with 20-25% deaths in neonates implanted with septic pellets. No mortality was noted in sterile-implanted neonates. Treatment of animals with COX-1 inhibitor had no effect on T-cell proliferation response in both septic and sterile groups, whereas COX-2 inhibitor abrogated the decrease in T-cell proliferative response in the septic group. The treatment

  4. Intranasal mesenchymal stem cell treatment for neonatal brain damage: long-term cognitive and sensorimotor improvement.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanessa Donega

    Full Text Available Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC administration via the intranasal route could become an effective therapy to treat neonatal hypoxic-ischemic (HI brain damage. We analyzed long-term effects of intranasal MSC treatment on lesion size, sensorimotor and cognitive behavior, and determined the therapeutic window and dose response relationships. Furthermore, the appearance of MSCs at the lesion site in relation to the therapeutic window was examined. Nine-day-old mice were subjected to unilateral carotid artery occlusion and hypoxia. MSCs were administered intranasally at 3, 10 or 17 days after hypoxia-ischemia (HI. Motor, cognitive and histological outcome was investigated. PKH-26 labeled cells were used to localize MSCs in the brain. We identified 0.5 × 10(6 MSCs as the minimal effective dose with a therapeutic window of at least 10 days but less than 17 days post-HI. A single dose was sufficient for a marked beneficial effect. MSCs reach the lesion site within 24 h when given 3 or 10 days after injury. However, no MSCs were detected in the lesion when administered 17 days following HI. We also show for the first time that intranasal MSC treatment after HI improves cognitive function. Improvement of sensorimotor function and histological outcome was maintained until at least 9 weeks post-HI. The capacity of MSCs to reach the lesion site within 24 h after intranasal administration at 10 days but not at 17 days post-HI indicates a therapeutic window of at least 10 days. Our data strongly indicate that intranasal MSC treatment may become a promising non-invasive therapeutic tool to effectively reduce neonatal encephalopathy.

  5. Efficacy of zinc sulfate in reducing unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia in neonates

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    Somayyeh Hashemian

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Hyperbilirubinemia is a common disease and unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia has been seen mainly in neonates. Severe form of unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia may cause kernicterus and even death. Conventional treatment for severe unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia consists of phototherapy and exchange transfusion that have several known disadvantages; specially exchange transfusion is associated with a significant morbidity and even mortality. These harmful effects indicate the need to develop alternative pharmacological treatment strategies for unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. One of these pharmacological agents is zinc salts. Zinc has been shown to lower the bilirubin levels by inhibition of the enterohepatic cycling of unconjugated bilirubin. Oral zinc has been shown to reduce serum unconjugated bilirubin in animals, adolescents and low birth weight neonates. However, studies in healthy term neonates given oral zinc showed no reduction in hyperbilirubinemia based on daily measurement. In order to improve the accuracy, hyperbilirubinemia may be determined based on measurements every hour. More studies are needed to know the effect of zinc in neonatal jaundice.

  6. Intranasal epidermal growth factor treatment rescues neonatal brain injury

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scafidi, Joseph; Hammond, Timothy R.; Scafidi, Susanna; Ritter, Jonathan; Jablonska, Beata; Roncal, Maria; Szigeti-Buck, Klara; Coman, Daniel; Huang, Yuegao; McCarter, Robert J.; Hyder, Fahmeed; Horvath, Tamas L.; Gallo, Vittorio

    2014-02-01

    There are no clinically relevant treatments available that improve function in the growing population of very preterm infants (less than 32 weeks' gestation) with neonatal brain injury. Diffuse white matter injury (DWMI) is a common finding in these children and results in chronic neurodevelopmental impairments. As shown recently, failure in oligodendrocyte progenitor cell maturation contributes to DWMI. We demonstrated previously that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has an important role in oligodendrocyte development. Here we examine whether enhanced EGFR signalling stimulates the endogenous response of EGFR-expressing progenitor cells during a critical period after brain injury, and promotes cellular and behavioural recovery in the developing brain. Using an established mouse model of very preterm brain injury, we demonstrate that selective overexpression of human EGFR in oligodendrocyte lineage cells or the administration of intranasal heparin-binding EGF immediately after injury decreases oligodendroglia death, enhances generation of new oligodendrocytes from progenitor cells and promotes functional recovery. Furthermore, these interventions diminish ultrastructural abnormalities and alleviate behavioural deficits on white-matter-specific paradigms. Inhibition of EGFR signalling with a molecularly targeted agent used for cancer therapy demonstrates that EGFR activation is an important contributor to oligodendrocyte regeneration and functional recovery after DWMI. Thus, our study provides direct evidence that targeting EGFR in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells at a specific time after injury is clinically feasible and potentially applicable to the treatment of premature children with white matter injury.

  7. Therapeutic effects of probiotics on neonatal jaundice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Wenbin; Liu, Huajun; Wang, Taisen; Tang, Xueqing

    2015-01-01

    To evaluate the therapeutic effects of probiotics on neonatal jaundice and the safety. Sixty-eight neonates with jaundice were divided into a control group and a treatment group (n=34) randomly, and treated by blue light phototherapy and that in combination with probiotics. The serum bilirubin levels were detected before and 1, 4, 7 days after treatment. The time when therapy showed effects and jaundice faded, clinical outcomes as well as adverse reactions were recorded. The categorical data were expressed as (±s) and compared by t test. The numerical data were expressed as (case, %) and compared by χ² test. P0.05). The levels significantly decreased 1, 4 and 7 days after treatment (P0.05). The treatment group underwent more significant decreases on the 4th and 7th days than the control group did (P=0.002, 0.001). In the treatment group, the therapy exerted effects on (1.0±0.5) d and jaundice faded on (3.8±1.7) d, which were (2.6±0.6) d and (5.3±2.1) d respectively in the control group (P=0.001, 0.002). The effective rate of the treatment group significantly exceeded that of the control group (P=0.002). There were no obvious adverse reactions in either group. Probiotics lowered the serum bilirubin levels of neonates with jaundice rapidly, safely and significantly, and accelerated jaundice fading as well. This method is worthy of application in clinical practice.

  8. Dexamethasone as Adjuvant to Bupivacaine Prolongs the Duration of Thermal Antinociception and Prevents Bupivacaine-Induced Rebound Hyperalgesia via Regional Mechanism in a Mouse Sciatic Nerve Block Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    An, Ke; Elkassabany, Nabil M.; Liu, Jiabin

    2015-01-01

    Background Dexamethasone has been studied as an effective adjuvant to prolong the analgesia duration of local anesthetics in peripheral nerve block. However, the route of action for dexamethasone and its potential neurotoxicity are still unclear. Methods A mouse sciatic nerve block model was used. The sciatic nerve was injected with 60ul of combinations of various medications, including dexamethasone and/or bupivacaine. Neurobehavioral changes were observed for 2 days prior to injection, and then continuously for up to 7 days after injection. In addition, the sciatic nerves were harvested at either 2 days or 7 days after injection. Toluidine blue dyeing and immunohistochemistry test were performed to study the short-term and long-term histopathological changes of the sciatic nerves. There were six study groups: normal saline control, bupivacaine (10mg/kg) only, dexamethasone (0.5mg/kg) only, bupivacaine (10mg/kg) combined with low-dose (0.14mg/kg) dexamethasone, bupivacaine (10mg/kg) combined with high-dose (0.5mg/kg) dexamethasone, and bupivacaine (10mg/kg) combined with intramuscular dexamethasone (0.5mg/kg). Results High-dose perineural dexamethasone, but not systemic dexamethasone, combined with bupivacaine prolonged the duration of both sensory and motor block of mouse sciatic nerve. There was no significant difference on the onset time of the sciatic nerve block. There was “rebound hyperalgesia” to thermal stimulus after the resolution of plain bupivacaine sciatic nerve block. Interestingly, both low and high dose perineural dexamethasone prevented bupivacaine-induced hyperalgesia. There was an early phase of axon degeneration and Schwann cell response as represented by S-100 expression as well as the percentage of demyelinated axon and nucleus in the plain bupivacaine group compared with the bupivacaine plus dexamethasone groups on post-injection day 2, which resolved on post-injection day 7. Furthermore, we demonstrated that perineural dexamethasone

  9. Pre- and postoperative dexamethasone does not reduce bleaching-induced tooth sensitivity: A randomized, triple-masked clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rezende, Márcia; Bonafé, Elize; Vochikovski, Laína; Farago, Paulo Vitor; Loguercio, Alessandro Dourado; Reis, Alessandra; Kossatz, Stella

    2016-01-01

    Tooth sensitivity (TS) is the most common side effect of dental bleaching therapies. Dexamethasone has been used with tooth bleaching to reduce TS. The efficacy of dexamethasone for this purpose has not been well studied. The authors conducted a triple-masked, randomized, clinical trial with a parallel design involving 63 healthy participants who received either a placebo or dexamethasone. The placebo or dexamethasone (8 milligrams) was administered 1 hour before the in-office bleaching (35% hydrogen peroxide) and extra doses of 4 mg were administered every 6 hours for a total of 48 hours. TS was recorded on 2 scales: visual analog scale (0-10) and numeric rating scale (0-4) in different periods. The color evaluations were performed before and 1 month after dental bleaching with visual shade guides VITA Classical (VITA Zahnfabrik) and VITA Bleachedguide 3D-MASTER (VITA Zahnfabrik), and for a shade guide evaluation, the authors used a digital spectrophotometer, VITA Easyshade (VITA Zahnfabrik). The absolute risk of TS was evaluated by a Fisher exact test. Data of TS intensity using the NRS scale for the 2 groups were compared with Mann-Whitney and Friedman tests, whereas data from the visual analog scale were evaluated by 2-way repeated measures analysis of variance. The color changes between groups were compared using a t test (α = .05). In both groups, the authors detected a high risk of TS, which was approximately 90%. No significant difference was observed in terms of TS intensity. A whitening of approximately 3 shade guide units of the VITA Classical was detected in both groups, which were statistically similar. The use of dexamethasone before bleaching did not reduce the risk and intensity of bleaching-induced TS. The use of the steroidal anti-inflammatory agent dexamethasone was not capable of preventing TS arising from in-office dental bleaching. Copyright © 2016 American Dental Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Age at the time of sulfonylurea initiation influences treatment outcomes in KCNJ11-related neonatal diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thurber, Brian W; Carmody, David; Tadie, Elizabeth C; Pastore, Ashley N; Dickens, Jazzmyne T; Wroblewski, Kristen E; Naylor, Rochelle N; Philipson, Louis H; Greeley, Siri Atma W

    2015-07-01

    Individuals with heterozygous activating mutations of the KCNJ11 gene encoding a subunit of the ATP-sensitive potassium channel (KATP) can usually be treated with oral sulfonylurea (SU) pills in lieu of insulin injections. The aim of this study was to test our hypothesis that younger age at the time of initiation of SU therapy is correlated with lower required doses of SU therapy, shorter transition time and decreased likelihood of requiring additional diabetes medications. We performed a retrospective cohort study using data on 58 individuals with neonatal diabetes due to KCNJ11 mutations identified through the University of Chicago Monogenic Diabetes Registry ( http://monogenicdiabetes.uchicago.edu/registry ). We assessed the influence of age at initiation of SU therapy on treatment outcomes. HbA1c fell from an average of 8.5% (69 mmol/mol) before transition to 6.2% (44 mmol/mol) after SU therapy (p < 0.001). Age of initiation of SU correlated with the dose (mg kg(-1) day(-1)) of SU required at follow-up (r = 0.80, p < 0.001). Similar associations were observed across mutation subtypes. Ten participants required additional glucose-lowering medications and all had initiated SU at age 13 years or older. No serious adverse events were reported. Earlier age at initiation of SU treatment is associated with improved response to SU therapy. Declining sensitivity to SU may be due to loss of beta cell mass over time in those treated with insulin. Our data support the need for early genetic diagnosis and appropriate personalised treatment in all cases of neonatal diabetes.

  11. The neonatal brain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Flodmark, O.

    1987-01-01

    The clinical examination of the CNS in the neonate is often difficult in cases of complex pathology. Diagnostic imaging of the neonatal brain has become extremely useful and in the last decade has developed in two main directions: CT and US. MR imaging has been used recently with varying success in the diagnosis of pathology in the neonatal brain. Despite technical difficulties, this imaging method is likely to become increasingly important in the neonate. The paper examines the normal neonatal brain anatomy as seen with the different modalities, followed by pathologic conditions. Attention is directed to the common pathology, in asphyxiated newborns, the patholphysiology of intraventicular hemorrhage and periventricular leukomalacia in the preterm neonate, and hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in the term neonate. Pitfalls, artifacts, and problems in image interpretation are illustrated. Finally, the subsequent appearance of neonatal pathology later in infancy and childhood is discussed

  12. Sonographic features of neonatal mastitis and breast abscess.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borders, Heather; Mychaliska, George; Gebarski, K Stiennon

    2009-09-01

    Neonatal mastitis and neonatal breast abscess are uncommon. Although well described in the pediatric and surgical literature, there is a paucity of reports describing their sonographic features. To describe and illustrate the sonographic features of neonatal mastitis and neonatal breast abscess. We reviewed the medical database of a large children's health-care center from 2000 through 2008 for patients presenting in the first 8 weeks of life with mastitis. The findings were correlated with clinical presentation and course, laboratory findings and clinical outcome. Four neonates (three girls and one boy) presented with mastitis. They all had prominent breast buds on the affected side with poorly defined margins, slightly more echogenic focally or diffusely compared to normal with hyperemia on color flow Doppler US. The surrounding subcutaneous tissue was thick and echogenic. Two abscesses presented as avascular areas without color flow on Doppler US, subtly increased through-transmission and surrounding hyperemia. One abscess was of increased echogenicity while the other was anechoic. Neonatal mastitis and breast abscess are unusual diseases that should be appropriately treated with antibiotics and drainage to avoid generalized sepsis, breast hypoplasia, and scarring. US is useful in distinguishing mastitis from breast abscess and guiding treatment options.

  13. Antenatal corticosteroids trial in preterm births to increase neonatal survival in developing countries: study protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Althabe, Fernando; Belizán, José M; Mazzoni, Agustina; Berrueta, Mabel; Hemingway-Foday, Jay; Koso-Thomas, Marion; McClure, Elizabeth; Chomba, Elwyn; Garces, Ana; Goudar, Shivaprasad; Kodkany, Bhalchandra; Saleem, Sarah; Pasha, Omrana; Patel, Archana; Esamai, Fabian; Carlo, Waldemar A; Krebs, Nancy F; Derman, Richard J; Goldenberg, Robert L; Hibberd, Patricia; Liechty, Edward A; Wright, Linda L; Bergel, Eduardo F; Jobe, Alan H; Buekens, Pierre

    2012-09-19

    Preterm birth is a major cause of neonatal mortality, responsible for 28% of neonatal deaths overall. The administration of antenatal corticosteroids to women at high risk of preterm birth is a powerful perinatal intervention to reduce neonatal mortality in resource rich environments. The effect of antenatal steroids to reduce mortality and morbidity among preterm infants in hospital settings in developed countries with high utilization is well established, yet they are not routinely used in developing countries. The impact of increasing antenatal steroid use in hospital or community settings with low utilization rates and high infant mortality among premature infants due to lack of specialized services has not been well researched. There is currently no clear evidence about the safety of antenatal corticosteroid use for community-level births. We hypothesize that a multi country, two-arm, parallel cluster randomized controlled trial to evaluate whether a multifaceted intervention to increase the use of antenatal corticosteroids, including components to improve the identification of pregnancies at high risk of preterm birth and providing and facilitating the appropriate use of steroids, will reduce neonatal mortality at 28 days of life in preterm newborns, compared with the standard delivery of care in selected populations of six countries. 102 clusters in Argentina, Guatemala, Kenya, India, Pakistan, and Zambia will be randomized, and around 60,000 women and newborns will be enrolled. Kits containing vials of dexamethasone, syringes, gloves, and instructions for administration will be distributed. Improving the identification of women at high risk of preterm birth will be done by (1) diffusing recommendations for antenatal corticosteroids use to health providers, (2) training health providers on identification of women at high risk of preterm birth, (3) providing reminders to health providers on the use of the kits, and (4) using a color-coded tape to measure

  14. Antenatal corticosteroids trial in preterm births to increase neonatal survival in developing countries: study protocol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Althabe Fernando

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Preterm birth is a major cause of neonatal mortality, responsible for 28% of neonatal deaths overall. The administration of antenatal corticosteroids to women at high risk of preterm birth is a powerful perinatal intervention to reduce neonatal mortality in resource rich environments. The effect of antenatal steroids to reduce mortality and morbidity among preterm infants in hospital settings in developed countries with high utilization is well established, yet they are not routinely used in developing countries. The impact of increasing antenatal steroid use in hospital or community settings with low utilization rates and high infant mortality among premature infants due to lack of specialized services has not been well researched. There is currently no clear evidence about the safety of antenatal corticosteroid use for community-level births. Methods We hypothesize that a multi country, two-arm, parallel cluster randomized controlled trial to evaluate whether a multifaceted intervention to increase the use of antenatal corticosteroids, including components to improve the identification of pregnancies at high risk of preterm birth and providing and facilitating the appropriate use of steroids, will reduce neonatal mortality at 28 days of life in preterm newborns, compared with the standard delivery of care in selected populations of six countries. 102 clusters in Argentina, Guatemala, Kenya, India, Pakistan, and Zambia will be randomized, and around 60,000 women and newborns will be enrolled. Kits containing vials of dexamethasone, syringes, gloves, and instructions for administration will be distributed. Improving the identification of women at high risk of preterm birth will be done by (1 diffusing recommendations for antenatal corticosteroids use to health providers, (2 training health providers on identification of women at high risk of preterm birth, (3 providing reminders to health providers on the use of the kits, and

  15. Dexamethasone concentration gradients along scala tympani after application to the round window membrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plontke, Stefan K; Biegner, Thorsten; Kammerer, Bernd; Delabar, Ursular; Salt, Alec N

    2008-04-01

    Local application of dexamethasone-21-dihydrogen-phosphate (Dex-P) to the round window (RW) membrane of guinea pigs produces a substantial basal-apical concentration gradient in scala tympani (ST) perilymph. In recent years, intratympanically applied glucocorticoids are increasingly being used for the treatment of inner ear disease. Although measurements of intracochlear concentrations after RW application exist, there is limited information on the distribution of these drugs in the inner ear fluids. It has been predicted from computer simulations that substantial concentration gradients will occur after RW application, with lower concentrations expected in apical turns. Concentration gradients of other substances along the cochlea have recently been confirmed using a sequential apical sampling method to obtain perilymph. Dexamethasone-21-dihydrogen-phosphate (10 mg/ml) was administered to the RW membrane of guinea pigs (n = 9) in vivo for 2 to 3 hours. Perilymph was then collected using a protocol in which 10 samples, each of approximately 1 mul, were taken sequentially from the cochlear apex into capillary tubes. Dexamethasone-21-dihydrogen-phosphate concentration of the samples was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Interpretation of sample data using a finite element model allowed the longitudinal gradients of Dex-P in ST to be quantified. The Dex-P content of the first sample in each experiment (dominated by perilymph from apical regions) was substantially lower than that of the third and fourth sample (dominated by basal turn perilymph). These findings qualitatively demonstrated the existence of a concentration gradient along ST. After detailed analysis of the measured sample concentrations using an established finite element computer model, the mean basal-apical concentration gradient was estimated to be 17,000. Both absolute concentrations of Dex-P in ST and the basal-apical gradients were found to vary substantially. The existence of

  16. Randomized clinical trial of preoperative dexamethasone on postoperative nausea and vomiting after laparoscopy for suspected appendicitis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kleif, J.; Kirkegaard, A.; Vilandt, J.

    2017-01-01

    Background: Few studies have investigated the effects of preoperative dexamethasone in acute surgical patients. This study examined the effects of 8 mg dexamethasone administered intravenously 30 min before surgery for suspected acute appendicitis. Methods: A multicentre, parallel-group, double......-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted at two university hospitals in Denmark. Adults undergoing laparoscopic surgery for suspected appendicitis were eligible for inclusion. Participants, healthcare staff and investigators were blinded until all data analysis had been done. The primary outcome...

  17. Etiologies of Prolonged Unconjugated Hyperbilirubinemia in Neonates Admitted to Neonatal Wards

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Kazem Sabzehei

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Jaundice is a common condition among neonates. Prolonged unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia occurs when jaundice persists beyond two weeks in term neonates and three weeks in preterm neonates. This study aimed to determine the etiologies of prolonged unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia in infants admitted to the neonatal ward of Besat Hospital in Hamadan, Iran. Methods: This study was conducted on all infants diagnosed with prolonged unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia during 2007-2012 in the neonatal ward of Besat Hospital in Hamadan, Iran. Demographic characteristics of infants, physical examination and laboratory findings were collected and analyzed to determine the etiologies of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Results: In total, 100 infants diagnosed with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia were enrolled in this study, including 49 male and 51 female neonates with mean age of 20±1 days and mean bilirubin level of 17.5±4.0 mg/dL. Main causes of hyperbilirubinemia were urinary tract infection, ABO incompatibility, hypothyroidism and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in 14%, 5%, 6% and 5% of neonates, respectively. Moreover, unknown etiologies, such as breastfeeding, were detected in 70% of the studied infants. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, determining the main causes of prolonged unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia in neonates is of paramount importance. In the majority of cases, neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is associated with physiological factors, such as breastfeeding.

  18. Comparing methadone and buprenorphine maintenance with methadone-assisted withdrawal for the treatment of opioid dependence during pregnancy: maternal and neonatal outcomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lund IO

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Ingunn O Lund1, Heather Fitzsimons2, Michelle Tuten2, Margaret S Chisolm2, Kevin E O’Grady3, Hendrée E Jones2,41SERAF-Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; 2Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD; 3Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD; 4Substance Abuse Treatment Evaluations and Interventions Research Program, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USAAbstract: Pregnancy can motivate opioid-dependent women to seek substance abuse treatment. Research has demonstrated that although prenatal exposure to buprenorphine results in less severe neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS relative to prenatal methadone exposure, the maternal and other neonatal outcomes are similar for the two medications. Maternal and neonatal outcomes for opioid-dependent pregnant women receiving these medications have not been systematically compared with methadone-assisted withdrawal. The present study provides an initial assessment of the relative efficacy of both methadone and buprenorphine maintenance versus methadone-assisted withdrawal in terms of neonatal and maternal delivery outcomes. Data were derived from (1 the MOTHER (Maternal Opioid Treatment: Human Experimental Research study at the Johns Hopkins University Bayview Medical Center (JHBMC, or (2 retrospective records review of women who underwent methadone-assisted withdrawal at the JHBMC during the time period in which participants were enrolled in the MOTHER study. Compared with the methadone maintenance group, the methadone-assisted withdrawal group had a significantly lower mean NAS peak score (Means = 13.7 vs 7.0; P = 0.002, required a significantly lower mean amount of morphine to treat NAS (Means = 82.8 vs 0.2; P < 0.001, had significantly fewer days medicated for NAS (Means = 31.5 vs 3.9; P < 0.001, and remained in the hospital for a significantly fewer number of

  19. Phenobarbital and midazolam increase neonatal seizure-associated neuronal injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torolira, Daniel; Suchomelova, Lucie; Wasterlain, Claude G; Niquet, Jerome

    2017-07-01

    Status epilepticus is common in neonates and infants, and is associated with neuronal injury and adverse developmental outcomes. γ-Aminobutyric acidergic (GABAergic) drugs, the standard treatment for neonatal seizures, can have excitatory effects in the neonatal brain, which may worsen the seizures and their effects. Using a recently developed model of status epilepticus in postnatal day 7 rat pups that results in widespread neuronal injury, we found that the GABA A agonists phenobarbital and midazolam significantly increased status epilepticus-associated neuronal injury in various brain regions. Our results suggest that more research is needed into the possible deleterious effects of GABAergic drugs on neonatal seizures and on excitotoxic neuronal injury in the immature brain. Ann Neurol 2017;82:115-120. © 2017 American Neurological Association.

  20. Intravenous Dexamethasone Pulse Therapy For Extensive Alopecia Areata

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thappa Devinder Mohan

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available Patient with extensive alopecia areata (>30% scalp involvement were given 32mg of dexamethasone in 200 ml of 5% dextrose intravenously on three consecutive days (total 96mg every four weeks. Response was quantified as 1 to 25%, 25% to 50%, 50 to 75% and 75 to 100% of terminal hair growth by mapping and serial photographs. They were examined monthly for side effects of steroids. Six patients (5 male and 1 female with a mean age of 32 years were recruited. They had alopecia areata for a period ranging from 3 months to 2.5 years. All the six cases did not show further worsening of alopecia after 3 pulses. However, two of them showed less than 25% hair growth after 4 pulses and did not turn up for follow up. In 2 cases, 25 to 50% growth was observed an 50 to 75% growth was seen in 2 patients (one of them with ophiasic pattern after 6 pulses. The results were cosmetically acceptable for three of them. No adverse effect to steroids was encountered and the patients are still under follow up. The preliminary results show that dexamethasone pulse therapy is safe and effective for extensive alopecia areata.

  1. Risk factors of intracranial hemorrhage in premature neonates.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nasrin Khalessi

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH is an important cause of brain injury in premature neonates. Current study tries to define associated risk factors of IVH in preterm neonates in Aliasghar Children Hospital during 2008 to 2011. In this study, the risk factors have been evaluated in premature neonates with IVH, who had at least one brain sonography since their admission in NICU. A total of 63 premature neonates with IVH were assessed. Mean gestational age was 29.81 (24-34 weeks and mean birth weight was 1290.83±382.96 gr. Other risk factors such as sex, mode of delivery, history of using infertility drugs, maternal disease, maternal hypertension and preeclampsia, lumbar puncture, ventilator therapy and pneumothorax were considered. Because no absolute treatment for IVH is available, identifying risk factors is important in prevention and management of IVH.

  2. Prenatal and neonatal adaptations with a focus on the respiratory system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vannucchi, C I; Silva, L C G; Lúcio, C F; Regazzi, F M; Veiga, G A L; Angrimani, D S

    2012-12-01

    Among the modifications that occur during the neonatal period, pulmonary development is the most critical. The neonate's lungs must be able to perform adequate gas exchange, which was previously accomplished by the placenta. Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome is defined as insufficient surfactant production or pulmonary structural immaturity and is specifically relevant to preterm newborns. Prenatal maternal betamethasone treatment of bitches at 55 days of gestation leads to structural changes in the neonatal lung parenchyma and consequently an improvement in the preterm neonatal respiratory condition, but not to an increase in pulmonary surfactant production. Parturition represents an important challenge to neonatal adaptation, as the uterine and abdominal contractions during labour provoke intermittent hypoxia. Immediately after birth, puppies present venous mixed acidosis (low blood pH and high dioxide carbon saturation) and low but satisfactory Apgar scores. Thus, the combination of physiological hypoxia during birth and the initial effort of filling the pulmonary alveoli with oxygen results in anaerobiosis. As a neonatal adaptation follow-up, the Apgar analysis indicates a tachypnoea response after 1 h of life, which leads to a shift in the blood acid-base status to metabolic acidosis. One hour is sufficient for canine neonates to achieve an ideal Apgar score; however, a haemogasometric imbalance persists. Dystocia promotes a long-lasting bradycardia effect, slows down Apgar score progression and aggravates metabolic acidosis and stress. The latest data reinforce the need to accurately intervene during canine parturition and offer adequate medical treatment to puppies that underwent a pathological labour. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  3. Comparison of the Effect of Ondansetrone - Dexamethasone, Dexamethasone – Metoclopeamide and Ondansetron - Normal Saline in Decreasing Post Operative Nausa and Vomitting (PONV after Middle Ear Surgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haddadi Soudabeh

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: The incidence of post-operative nausea and vomitting (PONV is increased after middle ear surgery and it may complicate and interact with reconstruction after surgery, so prevention and treatment of these complications are necessary.The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of anti-emetic combinations in decreasing the PONV after middle ear surgery.Materials and methods: This double blind clinical trial was carried out during 2007-2008 on 111 patients of 15-45 years old with ASA I-II who were candidates for elective middle ear surgery under general anesthesia. The patients were divided into three groups. Patients in the ON group received Ondansetrone 0.1mg/kg + Nacl 0.9% 2cc, OD group received Ondansetrone 0.1mg/kg + Dexamethasone 0.15mg/kg and MD group received Dexamethasone 0.15mg/kg+ Metoclopramide 0.15mg/kg intravenously just before the end of surgery. The patients were evaluated for nausea, vomiting, need of anti-emetic drugs and drug dosage in recovery, 1-6, 6-12 and 12-24 hours after operation and then all data were statistically analyzed by SPSS software, Chi-square, ANOVA and t- Test. P<0.05 was significant.Results: There were no significant differences among three groups in age and sex. The incidence of PONV among 3 groups was not significantly different during 24 hours after operation. (P=0.271 but the incidence of PONV in the first six hours was different among 3 groups (P=0.007 (ON: 8.1%, OD: 0%, MD: 21.6%. Also Metoclopramide consumption was significant between three groups. Conclusion: This study showed that the need to anti-emetic drugs in first 6 hours was the least in OD group, but the difference in the incidence of PONV was not significant otherwise.

  4. Neonatal umbilical inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    antenatal scan. The preferred treatment option is resection of the tumor. Spontaneous regression has been described. Ann Pediatr Surg 13:160–162 c 2017 Annals of Pediatric. Surgery. ... Keywords: inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, neonatal tumor, surgical resection ... Other anatomical regions were the brain, the.

  5. Efficacy of dexamethasone suppression test during the diagnosis of primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease in Chinese adrenocorticotropic hormone-independent Cushing syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Shi; Li, Ran; Lu, Lin; Duan, Lian; Zhang, Xuebin; Tong, Anli; Pan, Hui; Zhu, Huijuan; Lu, Zhaolin

    2018-01-01

    To evaluate the cut-off value of the ratio of 24 h urinary free cortisol (24 h UFC) levels post-dexamethasone to prior-dexamethasone in dexamethasone suppression test (DST) during the diagnosis of primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease in Chinese adrenocorticotropic hormone-independent Cushing syndrome. Retrospective study. The patients diagnosed with primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease (PPNAD, n = 25), bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (BMAH, n = 27), and adrenocortical adenoma (ADA, n = 84) were admitted to the Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 2001 to 2016. Serum cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and 24 h UFC were measured before and after low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (LDDST) and high-dose dexamethasone suppression test (HDDST). After LDDST and HDDST, 24 h UFC elevated in patients with PPNAD (paired t-test, P = 0.007 and P = 0.001), while it remained unchanged in the BMAH group (paired t-test, P = 0.471 and P = 0.414) and decreased in the ADA group (paired t-test, P = 0.002 and P = 0.004). The 24 h UFC level after LDDST was higher in PPNAD and BMAH as compared to ADA (P < 0.017), while no significant difference was observed between PPNAD and BMAH. After HDDST, 24 h UFC was higher in patients with PPNAD as compared to that of ADA and BMAH (P < 0.017). The cut-off value of 24 h UFC (Post-L-Dex)/(Pre-L-Dex) was 1.16 with 64.0% sensitivity and 77.9% specificity, and the cut-off value of 24 h UFC (Post-H-Dex)/(Pre-H-Dex) was 1.08 with 84.0% sensitivity and 75.6% specificity. The ratio of post-dexamethasone to prior-dexamethasone had a unique advantage in distinguishing PPNAD from BMAH and ADA.

  6. Aprepitant plus granisetron and dexamethasone for prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients with gastric cancer treated with S-1 plus cisplatin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oyama, Katsunobu; Fushida, Sachio; Kaji, Masahide; Takeda, Toshiya; Kinami, Shinichi; Hirono, Yasuo; Yoshimoto, Katsuhiro; Yabushita, Kazuhisa; Hirosawa, Hisashi; Takai, Yuki; Nakano, Tatsuo; Kimura, Hironobu; Yasui, Toshiaki; Tsuneda, Atsushi; Tsukada, Tomoya; Kinoshita, Jun; Fujimura, Takashi; Ohta, Tetsuo

    2013-11-01

    We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a new combination antiemetic therapy comprising aprepitant, granisetron, and dexamethasone in gastric cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy with cisplatin and S-1. Gastric cancer patients scheduled to receive their first course of chemotherapy with cisplatin (60 mg/m(2)) and S-1 (80 mg/m(2)) were treated with a new combination antiemetic therapy aprepitant, granisetron, and dexamethasone on day 1; aprepitant and dexamethasone on days 2 and 3; and dexamethasone on day 4. The patients reported vomiting, nausea, use of rescue therapy, and change in the amount of diet intake, and completed the Functional Living Index-Emesis (FLIE) questionnaire. The primary endpoint was complete response (CR; no emesis and use of no rescue antiemetics) during the overall study phase (0-120 h after cisplatin administration). The secondary endpoints included complete protection (CP; CR plus no significant nausea); change in the amount of diet intake; and the impact of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) on daily life during the overall, acute (0-24 h), and delayed (24-120 h) phases. Fifty-three patients were included. CR was achieved in 88.7, 98.1, and 88.7% of patients in the overall, acute, and delayed phases, respectively. The corresponding rates of CP were 67.9, 96.2, and 67.9%. Approximately half of the patients had some degree of anorexia. FLIE results indicated that 79.5% of patients reported "minimal or no impact of CINV on daily life". Addition of aprepitant to standard antiemetic therapy was effective in gastric cancer patients undergoing treatment with cisplatin and S-1.

  7. Application of Photoshop-based image analysis and TUNEL for the distribution and quantification of dexamethasone-induced apoptotic cells in rat thymus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hussar, Piret; Tokin, Ivan; Hussar, Ulo; Filimonova, Galina; Suuroja, Toivo

    2006-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to determine the target site cells in the rat thymus after exposure to the synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone, at therapeutic doses. The findings of histology and histochemistry (Feulgen, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling--TUNEL) with quantification by computerized histomorphometry are described. A quantified investigation of apoptotic and mitotic thymic lymphocytes in 36 young adult Wistar rats was performed at 1-7 days after a 3-day injection of dexamethasone (a total dose of 1.2 mg/rat intraperitoneally). At the first day after dexamethasone administration the moderate involution and atrophy of thymus histology were observed with simultaneous fall in cortical cellularity and mitotic activity of thymocytes. More rapid fall appeared in the inner cortex. The number of apoptotic (TUNEL-positive) cells was significantly increased. On the days 5 and 7 the expression of apoptosis and the cell proliferation were at almost normal level. The findings suggest that dexamethasone-induced apoptosis of cortical thymic lymphocytes, mainly correlated with synchronous inhibition of mitosis and cell number fall in thymus. The main target sites of dexamethasone injury were cells in the inner cortex of lobuli thymi.

  8. Influence of Dexamethasone on Some Reproductive Hormones and Uterine Progesterone Receptor Localization in Pregnant Yankasa Sheep in Semiarid Zones of Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dauda Yahi

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Dexamethasone is widely used in both veterinary and human medical practices. However, it seems to cause some deleterious effects on pregnancy probably by causing changes in the reproductive hormone levels and their corresponding receptor concentrations. This study investigated the effects of dexamethasone on these parameters. Twenty healthy adult Yankasa sheep comprising 18 ewes and 2 rams were used for this study. Pregnancies were achieved by natural mating after estrus synchronization. Dexamethasone was administered at 0.25 mg/kg body weight on days 1, 3, and 5 during first trimester; days 51, 53, and 55 during second trimester; and days 101, 103, and 105 during the third trimester. Blood samples were collected biweekly for hormonal assay. Uterine biopsies were harvested through caesarean section for immunohistochemical analysis. Results showed that dexamethasone significantly (p0.05 effect on estrogen, while progesterone receptors (PR were upregulated. The abortion could probably be due to decreased progesterone concentrations as a consequence of the adverse effects on placenta. The PR upregulation may be a compensatory mechanism to increase progesterone sensitivity. It was concluded that dexamethasone should not be used in advanced pregnancy in Yankasa sheep.

  9. Intrathecal antitetanus serum (horse) with steroid in the treatment of neonatal tetanus.

    OpenAIRE

    Singh, A K; Bansal, A; Goel, S P; Agarwal, V K

    1980-01-01

    107 patients with neonatal tetanus were studied and the value of intrathecal antitetanus serum with steroid was noted. The mortality rate in a control group (68%) was significantly higher than that of the test group (37%). Furthermore, a delay in antitetanus serum administration was found to have a strong positive linear correlation with the mortality rate. In fact, the mortality rate for neonates who were given antitetanus serum 24 hours after the onset of convulsions was found to be as high...

  10. Neonatal thyrotoxicosis presenting as persistent pulmonary hypertension

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obeid, Rawad; Kalra, Vaneet Kumar; Arora, Prem; Quist, Felix; Moltz, Kathleen C; Chouthai, Nitin Shashikant

    2012-01-01

    Neonatal hyperthyroidism is a rare condition caused either by transplacental passage of thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins from a mother with Graves’ disease or by activating mutations of the thyrotropin receptors and α-subunit of G-protein. The clinical features may vary. We report a case of neonatal thyrotoxicosis in an infant born to a mother with Graves’ disease, who presented with cardiorespiratory failure and persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN). PPHN resolved with specific antithyroid treatment and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was not required. PMID:22669869

  11. Knowledge, attitudes and practices of neonatal staff concerning neonatal pain management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sizakele L.T. Khoza

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Neonatal pain management has received increasing attention over the past four decades. Research into the effects of neonatal pain emphasises the professional, ethical and moral obligations of staff to manage pain for positive patient outcomes. However, evaluation studies continuously report evidence of inadequate neonate pain management and a gap between theory and practice. Objective: This study reviewed current practice in neonatal pain management to describe the knowledge, attitudes and practices of nurses and doctors regarding pain management for neonates in two academic hospitals. Method: A non-experimental, prospective quantitative survey, the modified Infant Pain Questionnaire, was used to collect data from 150 nurses and doctors working in the neonatal wards of two academic hospitals in central Gauteng. Results: The response rate was 35.33% (n = 53, most respondents being professional nurses (88.68%; n = 47 working in neonatal intensive care units (80.77%; n = 42; 24 (45.28% had less than 5 years’ and 29 respondents 6 or more years’ working experience in neonatal care. A review of pain management in the study setting indicated a preference for pharmacological interventions to relieve moderate to severe pain. An association (p < 0.05 was found between pain ratings on 5 procedures and frequency of administration of pharmacological pain management. Two-thirds of respondents (64% reported that there were no pain management guidelines in the neonatal wards in which they worked. Conclusion: The interventions to manage moderate neonatal pain are in line with international guidelines. However, neonatal pain management may not occur systematically based on prior assessment of neonatal pain, choice of most appropriate intervention and evaluation. This study recommends implementation of a guideline to standardise practice and ensure consistent and adequate pain management in neonates.

  12. Intensive care of the neonatal foal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koterba, A M; Drummond, W H; Kosch, P

    1985-04-01

    The basic concepts of diagnosis and treatment in the abnormal neonatal foal are presented. Methods of restraint, sedation, and general nursing care are discussed, as well as more specific techniques of respiratory and circulatory system support.

  13. Comparison of Effectiveness of Betamethasone gel Applied to the Tracheal Tube and IV Dexamethasone on Postoperative Sore Throat: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tabari, Masumeh; Soltani, Ghasem; Zirak, Nahid; Alipour, Moammad; Khazaeni, Kamran

    2013-09-01

    Postoperative sore throat is a common complaint in patients with endotracheal intubation and has potentially dangerous complications. This randomized controlled trial study investigated the incidence of postoperative sore throat after general anesthesia when betamethasone gel is applied to a tracheal tube compared with when IV dexamethasone is prescribed. Two hundred and twenty five American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA)-class I and II patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery with tracheal intubation were randomly divided into three groups: betamethasone gel, intravenous (IV) dexamethasone, and control groups. In the post-anesthesia care unit, a blinded anesthesiologist interviewed all patients regarding postoperative sore throat at 1,6, and 24 hours after surgery. The incidence of sore throat was significantly lower in the betamethasone gel group compared with the IV dexamethasone and control groups, 1, 6, and 24 hours after surgery. In the first day after surgery 10.7% of the betamethasone group had sore throat whereas 26.7% of the IV dexamethasone group and 30.7% of the control group had sore throat. Bucking before extubation was observed in 14(18.4%), 8(10.4%), and 9(12.2%) patients, in the IV dexamethasone, betamethasone gel, and control group, respectively. We concluded that wide spread application of betamethasone gel over tracheal tubes effectively mitigates postoperative sore throat, compared with IV dexamethasone application.

  14. Comparison of Effectiveness of Betamethasone gel Applied to the Tracheal Tube and IV Dexamethasone on Postoperative sore Throat: A Randomized Controlled Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masoomeh Tabari

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Postoperative sore throat is a common complaint in patients with endotracheal intubation and has potentially dangerous complications. This randomized controlled trial study investigated the incidence of postoperative sore throat after general anesthesia when betamethasone gel is applied to a tracheal tube compared with when IV dexamethasone is prescribed.   Materials and Methods: Two hundred and twenty five American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA-class I and II patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery with tracheal intubation were randomly divided into three groups: betamethasone gel, intravenous (IV dexamethasone, and control groups. In the post-anesthesia care unit, a blinded anesthesiologist interviewed all patients regarding postoperative sore throat at 1,6, and 24 hours after surgery.   Results: The incidence of sore throat was significantly lower in the betamethasone gel group compared with the IV dexamethasone and control groups, 1, 6, and 24 hours after surgery. In the first day after surgery 10.7% of the betamethasone group had sore throat whereas 26.7% of the IV dexamethasone group and 30.7% of the control group had sore throat. Bucking before extubation was observed in 14(18.4%, 8(10.4%, and 9(12.2% patients, in the IV dexamethasone, betamethasone gel, and control group, respectively.   Conclusion:  We concluded that wide spread application of betamethasone gel over tracheal tubes effectively mitigates postoperative sore throat, compared with IV dexamethasone application.

  15. Superiority of bortezomib, thalidomide, and dexamethasone (VTD) as induction pretransplantation therapy in multiple myeloma: a randomized phase 3 PETHEMA/GEM study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosiñol, Laura; Oriol, Albert; Teruel, Ana Isabel; Hernández, Dolores; López-Jiménez, Javier; de la Rubia, Javier; Granell, Miquel; Besalduch, Joan; Palomera, Luis; González, Yolanda; Etxebeste, María Asunción; Díaz-Mediavilla, Joaquín; Hernández, Miguel T; de Arriba, Felipe; Gutiérrez, Norma C; Martín-Ramos, María Luisa; Cibeira, María Teresa; Mateos, María Victoria; Martínez, Joaquín; Alegre, Adrián; Lahuerta, Juan José; San Miguel, Jesús; Bladé, Joan

    2012-08-23

    The Spanish Myeloma Group conducted a trial to compare bortezomib/thalidomide/dexamethasone (VTD) versus thalidomide/dexamethasone (TD) versus vincristine, BCNU, melphalan, cyclophosphamide, prednisone/vincristine, BCNU, doxorubicin, dexamethasone/bortezomib (VBMCP/VBAD/B) in patients aged 65 years or younger with multiple myeloma. The primary endpoint was complete response (CR) rate postinduction and post-autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Three hundred eighty-six patients were allocated to VTD (130), TD (127), or VBMCP/VBAD/B (129). The CR rate was significantly higher with VTD than with TD (35% vs 14%, P = .001) or with VBMCP/VBAD/B (35% vs 21%, P = .01). The median progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly longer with VTD (56.2 vs 28.2 vs 35.5 months, P = .01). In an intention-to-treat analysis, the post-ASCT CR rate was higher with VTD than with TD (46% vs 24%, P = .004) or with VBMCP/VBAD/B (46% vs 38%, P = .1). Patients with high-risk cytogenetics had a shorter PFS and overall survival in the overall series and in all treatment groups. In conclusion, VTD resulted in a higher pre- and posttransplantation CR rate and in a significantly longer PFS although it was not able to overcome the poor prognosis of high-risk cytogenetics. Our results support the use of VTD as a highly effective induction regimen prior to ASCT. The study was registered with http://www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00461747) and Eudra CT (no. 2005-001110-41).

  16. Evaluation of etiologic and prognostic factors in neonatal convulsions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yıldız, Edibe Pembegul; Tatlı, Burak; Ekici, Barış; Eraslan, Emine; Aydınlı, Nur; Calışkan, Mine; Ozmen, Meral

    2012-09-01

    This study evaluated etiologic and risk factors affecting long-term prognoses of neurologic outcomes in newborns with neonatal seizures. We enrolled patients at chronologic ages of 23-44 months, referred to the Department of Pediatric Neurology, Istanbul Medical Faculty, from January 1, 2007-December 31, 2009, after manifesting seizures in their first postnatal 28 days. Of 112 newborns, 41 were female, 71 were male, 33 were preterm, and 79 were full-term. Perinatal asphyxia (28.6%) and intracranial hemorrhage (17%) were the most common causes of neonatal seizures. Cerebral palsy developed in 27.6% of patients during follow-up. The incidence of epilepsy was 35.7%. Almost 50% of patients manifested developmental delay in one or more areas. Global developmental delay was the most common (50.8%) neurologic disorder. The correlation between gestational age or birth weight and adverse outcomes was nonsignificant. Etiology, Apgar score, need for resuscitation at birth, background electroencephalogram, neonatal status epilepticus, cranial imaging findings, type/duration of antiepileptic treatment, and response to acute treatment were all strong prognostic factors in neurologic outcomes. Neonatal seizures pose a threat of neurologic sequelae for preterm and full-term infants. Although the number of recognized etiologic factors in neonatal seizures has increased because of improvements in neonatology and diagnostic methods, perinatal asphyxia remains the most common factor. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Dexamethasone cyclophosphamid pulse therapy in pemphigus-appraisal of its outcome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prabhash Kulhari

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction :- Pemphigus is the commonest autoimmune vesicobullous disorder on the the Indian subcontinent. the mainstay of treatment of the disease is systemic steroid and other immunosuppresive therapies. Dexamethasone-cyclophosphamide(DCP pulse therapy was designated by pasricha for pemphigus in 1981 with the aim of reducing toxicity of corticosteroid and also achieve better results. Method:- Thirty one patients admitted at department of dermatology ASSAM MEDICAL COLLEGE,DIBRUGARH were enrolled for study prospectively from 2008-2011.Diagnosis of pemphigus was based on clinical feature, tzanck smear and biopsy. Confirmation was carried out by direct immunofluorascence.DCP pulse was given to confirmed cases of pemphigus. we enrolled 31 patients with pemphigus for DCP pulse therapy in our hospital during this period out of which 27 patients were pemphigus vulgaris and 4 were pemphigus folIacious. male to female ratio was 1.2:1.Of 31 patients enrolled for this treatment,6 patients could not complete the treatment and 2 patient died due to cardiovascular failure(not related to treatment. Of remaining 23 patients ,15 have alredy completed the treatment and are free of disease even after withdrawl of all treatment. 5 patients are in remission but have not completed the treatment schedule whereas 3 patients are still having clinical evidence of disease although it has already become much milder .Various side effects seen in our patients were candidiasis (2,tuberculosis(1, acneiform eruption(2, osteoporosis(1, cataract(2, hair fall(2, gastritis(3, avascular necrosis(1.Our finding are very consistent with previous reports that DCP pulse therapy is very effective in pemphigus and having lesser side effects in comparison to daily steroid .

  18. Effects of melatonin on prenatal dexamethasone-induced epigenetic alterations in hippocampal morphology and reelin and glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 levels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lui, Chun-Chung; Hsu, Mei-Hsin; Kuo, Ho-Chang; Chen, Chih-Cheng; Sheen, Jiunn-Ming; Yu, Hong-Ren; Tiao, Mao-Meng; Tain, You-Lin; Chang, Kow-Aung; Huang, Li-Tung

    2015-01-01

    Prenatal glucocorticoid exposure causes brain damage in adult offspring; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Melatonin has been shown to have beneficial effects in compromised pregnancies. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were administered vehicle (VEH) or dexamethasone between gestation days 14 and 21. The programming effects of prenatal dexamethasone exposure on the brain were assessed at postnatal days (PND) 7, 42, and ∼120. Melatonin was administered from PND21 to the rats exposed to dexamethasone, and the outcome was assessed at ∼PND120. In total, there were four groups: VEH, vehicle plus melatonin (VEHM), prenatal dexamethasone-exposure (DEX), and prenatal dexamethasone exposure plus melatonin (DEXM). Spatial memory, gross hippocampal morphology, and hippocampal biochemistry were examined. Spatial memory assessed by the Morris water maze showed no significant differences among the four groups. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed that all rats with prenatal dexamethasone exposure (DEX + DEXM) exhibited increased T2-weighted signals in the hippocampus. There were no significant differences in the levels of mRNA expression of hippocampal reln, which encodes reelin, and GAD1, which encodes glutamic acid decarboxylase 67, at PND7. At both PND42 and ∼PND120, reln and GAD1 mRNA expression levels were decreased. At ∼PND120, melatonin restored the reduced levels of hippocampal reln and GAD1 mRNA expression in the DEXM group. In addition, melatonin restored the reln mRNA expression levels by (1) reducing DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) mRNA expression and (2) reducing the binding of DNMT1 and the methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) to the reln promoter. The present study showed that prenatal dexamethasone exposure induced gross alterations in hippocampal morphology and reduced the levels of hippocampal mRNA expression of reln and GAD1. Spatial memory was unimpaired. Thus, melatonin had a beneficial effect in restoring hippocampal reln m

  19. Neonatal retinoblastoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tero T Kivelä

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available From 7% to 10% of all retinoblastomas and from 44% to 71% of familial retinoblastomas in developed countries are diagnosed in the neonatal period, usually through pre- or post-natal screening prompted by a positive family history and sometimes serendipitously during screening for retinopathy of prematurity or other reasons. In developing countries, neonatal diagnosis of retinoblastoma has been less common. Neonatal retinoblastoma generally develops from a germline mutation of RB1, the retinoblastoma gene, even when the family history is negative and is thus usually hereditary. At least one-half of infants with neonatal retinoblastoma have unilateral tumors when the diagnosis is made, typically the International Intraocular Retinoblastoma Classification (Murphree Group B or higher, but most germline mutation carriers will progress to bilateral involvement, typically Group A in the fellow eye. Neonatal leukokoria usually leads to the diagnosis in children without a family history of retinoblastoma, and a Group C tumor or higher is typical in the more advanced involved eye. Almost all infants with neonatal retinoblastoma have at least one eye with a tumor in proximity to the foveola, but the macula of the fellow eye is frequently spared. Consequently, loss of reading vision from both eyes is exceptional. A primary ectopic intracranial neuroblastic tumor known as trilateral retinoblastoma is no more common after neonatal than other retinoblastoma. For many reasons, neonatal retinoblastoma may be a challenge to eradicate, and the early age at diagnosis and relatively small tumors do not guarantee the preservation of both eyes of every involved child. Oncology nurses can be instrumental in contributing to better outcomes by ensuring that hereditary retinoblastoma survivors receive genetic counseling, by referring families of survivors to early screening programs when they are planning for a baby, and by providing psychological and practical support

  20. Intraperitoneal Dexamethasone As A New Method for Relieving Postoperative Shoulder Pain after Gynecologic Laparoscopy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zahra Asgari

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: In this study, we tried to show the efficacy of Intraperitoneal dexamethasoneon relieving shoulder pain after gynecologic laparoscopy.Materials and Methods: In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, 63 patients who werecandidates for gynecologic laparoscopy were included. At the end of the procedure patientsrandomly received 16 mg dexamethasone (n=31 or placebo (n=32 intraperitoneally. Visualanalogue scale (VAS was used for clinical evaluation of pain severity during 24 hours afterlaparoscopy . A physician, who was not aware whether patients were treated with drug or placebo,evaluated the patients.Results: The severity of pain in the dexamethasone group within 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 hoursafter procedure was significantly less than in the placebo group (p<0.001. The averageconsumption of opioids as analgesic/ sedative in the placebo group was more than thedexamethasone group (p=0.025.Conclusion: Findings of this study show that the prescription of 16 mg of dexamethasone(single dose in the peritoneal cavity may significantly reduce the severity of painafter Laparoscopy in comparison with placebo and may decrease the need for narcoticsas pain relief (Registration Number: IRCT201105306640N1.

  1. Evaluation of pain management interventions for neonatal circumcision pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joyce, B A; Keck, J F; Gerkensmeyer, J

    2001-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to determine the efficacy of music and eutectic mixture of local anesthetics (EMLA) on pain responses of neonates undergoing circumcision. A randomized, double-blind experimental design was used with 23 neonates. Pain response was measured using an observational pain intensity rating scale and the physiologic parameters of heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation levels, salivary cortisol levels, and length of cry. Each infant's state was examined for a potential contribution to the pain response. Infant state, salivary cortisol levels, and respiratory rates were not significant. Pain ratings had considerable variability for all treatment conditions, but both single treatment groups had less pain by the end of the procedure. The heart rate was significantly lower for the EMLA group and remained stable for the music group. Oxygen saturation differences were statistically significant for the music group (P =.02) and approached significance for the EMLA group. Preliminary support was provided for the efficacy of EMLA and music to contribute to the pain relief of neonates undergoing circumcision. Further study is warranted. Neonates deserve interventions that will provide them with a less painful start in life.

  2. Co-administration of dexamethasone increases severity and accelerates onset day of neutropenia in bladder cancer patients on methotrexate, vinblastine, adriamycin and cisplatin chemotherapy: a retrospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Itai, Shingo; Suga, Yukio; Hara, Yusuke; Izumi, Kouji; Maeda, Yuji; Kitagawa, Yasuhide; Ishizaki, Junko; Shimada, Tsutomu; Mizokami, Atsushi; Sai, Yoshimichi

    2017-01-01

    Bladder cancer patients receiving methotrexate, vinblastine, adriamycin and cisplatin (MVAC) chemotherapy are co-administered with dexamethasone as an anti-emetic. We examined whether or not dexamethasone affects the severity and onset day of MVAC-induced severe neutropenia. This was a retrospective study of bladder cancer patients treated with MVAC chemotherapy with or without dexamethasone as an antiemetic at Kanazawa University Hospital during January 2005 - December 2009. Patients were categorized into three groups; no dexamethasone use (Dex (-)), dexamethasone on day 2 (Dex 1 day), and dexamethasone on days 2, 3 and 4 (Dex multiday). We evaluated the incidence of grade 3/4 neutropenia and the day of onset of first severe neutropenic episode during the first course of MVAC chemotherapy. Logistic regression was used to investigate whether co-administration of dexamethasone was a risk factor for severe neutropenia. Episodes of grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred in 3 out of 6 (50.0%), 11 out of 12 (91.7%) and 6 out of 6 (100%) patients in the Dex (-), Dex 1 day, and Dex multiday groups, respectively. The appearance day of first severe neutropenia in the Dex multiday group (13.2 ± 1.0) was significantly accelerated compared to the Dex (-) group (17.7 ± 2.1). Univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that dexamethasone is a risk factor for severe neutropenia (OR 17.0; 95%CI: 1.3-223.1). Co-administration of dexamethasone for anti-emesis brings forward the first appearance of neutropenia, and increases the severity of neutropenia, in bladder cancer patients receiving MVAC chemotherapy.

  3. Injection dexamethasone in preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting: a comparison with placebo in the patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kashmiri, Z.U.A.; Sheikh, Z.; Haider, S.

    2006-01-01

    To determine the efficacy of intravenous dexamethasone for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (lap-chole) and comparing it with normal saline (placebo). After the approval of the hospital's ethical committee, the study was conducted on 60 patients who were randomly divided into two groups, each group containing 30 patients. All belonged to A.S.A-I and A.S.A-II. Randomization was done by envelope draw method. Injections dexamethasone (8 mg in 2mls) and normal saline ( 2 mls ) were given intravenously to respective groups just before induction of anesthesia. Fisher's exact test was applied to compare proportion of PONV between two groups for the recovery room data, while Chi-square test was applied to compare the proportion of PONV between two groups during first 12 hours and second 12 hours. The p-value was calculated at the level of significance chosen as 0.05. In the recovery room where the patient stayed for one hour 10% of patients in the dexamethasone group in comparison with 33% of the patients in the placebo group experienced PONV (p=0.028). In the ward, during first 12 hours observation period, 27% of the patients in the dexamethasone group in comparison with 43% of the patients in the placebo group experienced PONV (p=0.176). During the second 12 hours observation period, 30% of the patients in the dexamethasone in comparison with 80% of the patients in the placebo group experienced PONV (p<0.001). (author)

  4. Acute suppurative neonatal parotitis: Case report.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Khan, Sardar U

    2012-02-01

    Neonatal suppurative parotitis is very rare. One review of the English-language literature spanning 35 years found only 32 cases. Most cases are managed conservatively with antibiotic therapy; early antibiotic treatment reduces the need for surgery. The predominant organism is Staphylococcus aureus. We report a new case of neonatal suppurative parotitis in a 3-week-old boy. The patient was diagnosed on the basis of parotid swelling, a purulent exudate from a Stensen duct, and the growth of pathogenic bacteria in culture. He responded well to 9 days of intravenous antibiotic therapy. We also discuss the microbiologic and clinical patterns of this disease.

  5. Comparison of 1 mg and 2 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression tests for the screening of Cushing's syndrome in obese patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahin, Mustafa; Kebapcilar, Levent; Taslipinar, Abdullah; Azal, Omer; Ozgurtas, Taner; Corakci, Ahmet; Akgul, Emin Ozgur; Taslipinar, Mine Yavuz; Yazici, Mahmut; Kutlu, Mustafa

    2009-01-01

    Obesity is currently a major public health problem and one of the potential underlying causes of obesity in a minority of patients is Cushing's syndrome (CS). Traditionally, the gold standard screening test for CS is 1 mg dexamethasone overnight suppression test. However, it is known that obese subjects have high false positive results with this test. We have therefore compared the 1 mg and 2 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression tests in obese subjects. Patients whose serum cortisol after ODST was >50 nM underwent and a low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (LDDST); 24-hour urine cortisol was collected for basal urinary free cortisol (UFC). For positive results after overnight 1-mg dexamethasone suppression test we also performed the overnight 2-mg dexamethasone suppression test. We prospectively evaluated 100 patients (22 men and 78 women, ranging in age from 17 to 73 years with a body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m2 who had been referred to our hospital-affiliated endocrine clinic because of simple obesity. Suppression of serum cortisol to suppression. Thyroid function tests, lipid profiles, homocysteine, antithyroglobulin, anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody levels, vitamin B12, folate levels, insulin resistance [by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA)] and 1.0 mg postdexamethasone (postdex) suppression cortisol levels were measured. We found an 8% false-positive rate in 1 mg overnight test and 2% in 2 mg overnight test (p=0.001). There was no correlation between the cortisol levels after ODST and other parameters. Our results indicate that the 2 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test (ODST) is more convenient and accurate than 1-mg ODST as a screening test for excluding CS in subjects with simple obesity.

  6. Prophylactic low-dose aspirin is effective antithrombotic therapy for combination treatments of thalidomide or lenalidomide in myeloma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niesvizky, Ruben; Martínez-Baños, Déborah; Jalbrzikowski, Jessica; Christos, Paul; Furst, Jessica; De Sancho, Maria; Mark, Tomer; Pearse, Roger; Mazumdar, Madhu; Zafar, Faiza; Pekle, Karen; Leonard, John; Jayabalan, David; Coleman, Morton

    2007-12-01

    Multiple myeloma (MM) patients have a propensity for thromboembolic events (TE), and treatment with thalidomide/dexamethasone or lenalidomide/dexamethasone increases this risk. This report describes the use of low-dose aspirin (81 mg) as primary thromboprophylaxis in three series of MM patients receiving thalidomide or lenalidomide with other drugs. In the first regimen (clarithromycin, thalidomide, dexamethasone), initiation of low-dose aspirin negated the occurrence of any further TE. In a second study, prophylactic aspirin given with thalidomide/dexamethasone resulted in a rate of TE similar to that seen with dexamethasone alone (without aspirin). A third study (n = 72) evaluated thrombosis rates with aspirin and a lenalidomide-containing regimen (clarithromycin, lenalidomide, dexamethasone). Of nine occurrences of thromboembolism, five were associated with aspirin interruption or poor compliance. Low-dose aspirin appears to reduce the incidence of thrombosis with these regimens. Routine use of aspirin as antithrombotic prophylaxis in MM patients receiving immunomodulatory drugs with corticosteroids is warranted.

  7. Neonatal Tetanus After Home Delivery: Report of One Case

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shou-Chih Chang

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Neonatal tetanus is a rare disease in developed countries, but remains common in developing countries. Pregnant women immigrating to Taiwan from developing countries may carry a risk of neonatal tetanus to the child, because of inadequate tetanus toxoid immunization and inappropriate postnatal cord care. Many young pediatricians in Taiwan are unfamiliar with this disease. Herein, we describe the clinical course of a newborn with neonatal tetanus, who was admitted with complaints of difficult feeding and muscle rigidity. After mechanical ventilation for 58 days and a prolonged hospital stay, the infant was discharged in good condition. It is important to maintain a high index of suspicion for neonatal sepsis when infants present with seizure-like symptoms, in order to allow its early diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

  8. Dexamethasone impairs hypoxia-inducible factor-1 function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wagner, A.E.; Huck, G.; Stiehl, D.P.; Jelkmann, W.; Hellwig-Buergel, T.

    2008-01-01

    Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a heterodimeric transcription-factor composed of α- and β-subunits. HIF-1 is not only necessary for the cellular adaptation to hypoxia, but it is also involved in inflammatory processes and wound healing. Glucocorticoids (GC) are therapeutically used to suppress inflammatory responses. Herein, we investigated whether GC modulate HIF-1 function using GC receptor (GR) possessing (HepG2) and GR deficient (Hep3B) human hepatoma cell cultures as model systems. Dexamethasone (DEX) treatment increased HIF-1α levels in the cytosol of HepG2 cells, while nuclear HIF-1α levels and HIF-1 DNA-binding was reduced. In addition, DEX dose-dependently lowered the hypoxia-induced luciferase activity in a reporter gene system. DEX suppressed the hypoxic stimulation of the expression of the HIF-1 target gene VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) in HepG2 cultures. DEX did not reduce hypoxically induced luciferase activity in HRB5 cells, a Hep3B derivative lacking GR. Transient expression of the GR in HRB5 cells restored the susceptibility to DEX. Our study discloses the inhibitory action of GC on HIF-1 dependent gene expression, which may be important with respect to the impaired wound healing in DEX-treated patients

  9. Clarithromycin (Biaxin)-lenalidomide-low-dose dexamethasone (BiRd) versus lenalidomide-low-dose dexamethasone (Rd) for newly diagnosed myeloma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gay, Francesca; Rajkumar, S Vincent; Coleman, Morton; Kumar, Shaji; Mark, Tomer; Dispenzieri, Angela; Pearse, Roger; Gertz, Morie A; Leonard, John; Lacy, Martha Q; Chen-Kiang, Selina; Roy, Vivek; Jayabalan, David S; Lust, John A; Witzig, Thomas E; Fonseca, Rafael; Kyle, Robert A; Greipp, Philip R; Stewart, A Keith; Niesvizky, Ruben

    2010-09-01

    The objective of this case-matched study was to compare the efficacy and toxicity of the addition of clarithromycin (Biaxin) to lenalidomide/low-dose dexamethasone (BiRd) vs. lenalidomide/low-dose dexamethasone (Rd) for newly diagnosed myeloma. Data from 72 patients treated at the New York Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell Medical Center were retrospectively compared with an equal number of matched pair mates selected among patients seen at the Mayo Clinic who received Rd. Case matching was blinded and was performed according to age, gender, and transplant status. On intention-to-treat analysis, complete response (45.8% vs. 13.9%, P < 0.001) and very-good-partial-response or better (73.6% vs. 33.3%, P < 0.001) were significantly higher with BiRd. Time-to-progression (median 48.3 vs. 27.5 months, P = 0.071), and progression-free survival (median 48.3 vs. 27.5 months, P = 0.044) were higher with BiRd. There was a trend toward better OS with BiRd (3-year OS: 89.7% vs. 73.0%, P = 0.170). Main grade 3-4 toxicities of BiRd were hematological, in particular thrombocytopenia (23.6% vs. 8.3%, P = 0.012). Infections (16.7% vs. 9.7%, P = 0.218) and dermatological toxicity (12.5% vs. 4.2%, P = 0.129) were higher with Rd. Results of this case-matched analysis suggest that there is significant additive value when clarithromycin is added to Rd. Randomized phase III trials are needed to confirm these results. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  10. Neonatal outcomes according to different therapies for gestational diabetes mellitus,

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amanda L. da Silva

    Full Text Available Abstract: Objectives: To compare different neonatal outcomes according to the different types of treatments used in the management of gestational diabetes mellitus. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. The study population comprised pregnant women with gestational diabetes treated at a public maternity hospital from July 2010 to August 2014. The study included women aged at least 18 years, with a singleton pregnancy, who met the criteria for gestational diabetes mellitus. Blood glucose levels, fetal abdominal circumference, body mass index and gestational age were considered for treatment decision-making. The evaluated neonatal outcomes were: type of delivery, prematurity, weight in relation to gestational age, Apgar at 1 and 5 min, and need for intensive care unit admission. Results: The sample consisted of 705 pregnant women. The neonatal outcomes were analyzed based on the treatment received. Women treated with metformin were less likely to have children who were small for gestational age (95% CI: 0.09-0.66 and more likely to have a newborn adequate for gestational age (95% CI: 1.12-3.94. Those women treated with insulin had a lower chance of having a preterm child (95% CI: 0.02-0.78. The combined treatment with insulin and metformin resulted in higher chance for a neonate to be born large for gestational age (95% CI: 1.14-11.15 and lower chance to be born preterm (95% CI: 0.01-0.71. The type of treatment did not affect the mode of delivery, Apgar score, and intensive care unit admission. Conclusions: The pediatrician in the delivery room can expect different outcomes for diabetic mothers based on the treatment received.

  11. Ambroxol for women at risk of preterm birth for preventing neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez Garay, Alejandro G; Reveiz, Ludovic; Velasco Hidalgo, Liliana; Solis Galicia, Cecilia

    2014-10-31

    Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is caused by a deficiency of pulmonary surfactant (an active agent that keeps pulmonary alveoli open and facilitates the entry of air to the lungs, thus improving the oxygenation of the newborn).A number of interventions such as pulmonary surfactant and prenatal corticosteroids are used to prevent RDS. Ambroxol has been studied as a potential agent to prevent RDS, but effectiveness and safety has yet to be evaluated. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of giving ambroxol to pregnant women who are at risk of preterm birth, for preventing neonatal RDS. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (29 November 2013), CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library 2013, Issue 11),Embase (1988 to November 2013), MEDLINE (PubMed 1970 to November 2013), LILACS (1982 to November 2013), the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (November 2013) and reference lists of retrieved studies. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the administration of ambroxol given to pregnant women at risk of preterm birth versus placebo, antenatal corticosteroids (betamethasone or dexamethasone), or no treatment.We did not identify any trials comparing ambroxol with dexamethasone (corticosteroid) in this review. Nor did we identify any trials comparing ambroxol combined with corticosteroid versus corticosteroid alone, or placebo/no treatment. Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion and trial quality. Two review authors independently extracted data. Data were checked for accuracy. We included 14 studies (in 18 trial reports), involving 1047 pregnant women at risk of preterm birth with 1077 newborns. However, three of the included studies did not report on this review's outcomes of interest. We carried out two main comparisons: ambroxol versus antenatal corticosteroids (betamethasone); and ambroxol versus placebo or no treatment. Seven RCTs provided data for our comparison of ambroxol versus

  12. Skin conductance at baseline and postheel lance reflects sympathetic activation in neonatal opiate withdrawal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oji-Mmuo, Christiana N; Michael, Eric J; McLatchy, Jacqueline; Lewis, Mary M; Becker, Julie E; Doheny, Kim Kopenhaver

    2016-03-01

    Skin conductance (SC) provides an objective measure of autonomic system regulation through sympathetic-mediated filling of sweat glands. This study aimed to test the utility of SC to detect sympathetic activation in neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Fourteen term (mean, SE: 38.8 ± 0.35 weeks gestational age) neonates with chronic prenatal opiate exposure were enrolled. SC (peaks/seconds and mean of peaks) was measured at baseline, during heel lance/squeeze (HLS) and recovery from HLS at 24-48 (mean 38) hours of life prior to treatment for NAS. Blinded coders with established reliability assessed neonates using the Modified Finnegan Neonatal Scoring System (MFNSS). Nonparametric tests were used to determine group differences, phase differences from baseline to HLS and HLS to recovery, and associations between MFNSS and SC measures. Neonates that would later require morphine treatment for NAS (n = 6) had higher baseline SC mean of peaks than those that did not require treatment (n = 8) (p < 0.05). Moreover, there were unique phase differences between groups and SC positively correlated with MFNSS (p < 0.05). SC provides early identification of NAS severity. However, a larger sample is needed to determine sensitivity and specificity of SC for early identification of NAS and treatment effectiveness. ©2015 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. The influence of dexamethasone and ketolgan on postoperative nausea and vomiting and estimation of risk factors in women undergoing gynecologic laparoscopic surgeries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rimaitis, Kestutis; Svitojūte, Asta; Macas, Andrius

    2010-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the effect of dexamethasone and ketolgan on postoperative nausea and vomiting and to evaluate risk factors for postoperative nausea and vomiting. A prospective, double-blind, randomized clinical study was carried out. One hundred fifty-three ASA I-II women undergoing laparoscopic gynecologic operations were randomized into three groups: dexamethasone group (n=51), ketolgan group (n=51), and control group (n=51). Patients in the dexamethasone group were given 4 mg of dexamethasone intravenously before the induction of general anesthesia, the ketolgan group received 30-mg ketolgan intravenously, and control group did not receive any medication. The incidence and severity of postoperative nausea and vomiting were registered 24 hours after the surgery. The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting in the dexamethasone group was 13.8%; in the ketolgan group, 37.3%, and in the control group, 58.9% (P=0.026). Patients with a history of migraine suffered from postoperative nausea and vomiting in 70.3% of cases and migraine-free patients in 25.8% of cases (P=0.015). Opioids for postoperative analgesia increased the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting as compared with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (P=0.00002). Preoperative medication with dexamethasone significantly reduces the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting. Avoidance of opioids for postoperative analgesia reduces the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting. Migraine and motion sickness are independent risk factors for postoperative nausea and vomiting.

  14. Influence of Dexamethasone on Some Reproductive Hormones and Uterine Progesterone Receptor Localization in Pregnant Yankasa Sheep in Semiarid Zones of Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yahi, Dauda; Ojo, Nicholas Adetayo; Mshelia, Gideon Dauda

    2017-01-01

    Dexamethasone is widely used in both veterinary and human medical practices. However, it seems to cause some deleterious effects on pregnancy probably by causing changes in the reproductive hormone levels and their corresponding receptor concentrations. This study investigated the effects of dexamethasone on these parameters. Twenty healthy adult Yankasa sheep comprising 18 ewes and 2 rams were used for this study. Pregnancies were achieved by natural mating after estrus synchronization. Dexamethasone was administered at 0.25 mg/kg body weight on days 1, 3, and 5 during first trimester; days 51, 53, and 55 during second trimester; and days 101, 103, and 105 during the third trimester. Blood samples were collected biweekly for hormonal assay. Uterine biopsies were harvested through caesarean section for immunohistochemical analysis. Results showed that dexamethasone significantly ( p progesterone concentrations and caused abortion in Yankasa sheep but had no significant ( p > 0.05) effect on estrogen, while progesterone receptors (PR) were upregulated. The abortion could probably be due to decreased progesterone concentrations as a consequence of the adverse effects on placenta. The PR upregulation may be a compensatory mechanism to increase progesterone sensitivity. It was concluded that dexamethasone should not be used in advanced pregnancy in Yankasa sheep.

  15. Neonatal Risk Factors for Treatment-Demanding Retinopathy of Prematurity: A Danish National Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slidsborg, Carina; Jensen, Aksel; Forman, Julie Lyng; Rasmussen, Steen; Bangsgaard, Regitze; Fledelius, Hans Callø; Greisen, Gorm; la Cour, Morten

    2016-04-01

    One goal of the study was to identify "new" statistically independent risk factors for treatment-demanding retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Another goal was to evaluate whether any new risk factors could explain the increase in the incidence of treatment-demanding ROP over time in Denmark. A retrospective, register-based cohort study. The study included premature infants (n = 6490) born in Denmark from 1997 to 2008. The study sample and the 31 candidate risk factors were identified in 3 national registers. Data were linked through a unique civil registration number. Each of the 31 candidate risk factors were evaluated in univariate analyses, while adjusted for known risk factors (i.e., gestational age [GA] at delivery, small for gestational age [SGA], multiple births, and male sex). Significant outcomes were analyzed thereafter in a backward selection multiple logistic regression model. Treatment-demanding ROP and its associations to candidate risk factors. Mechanical ventilation (odds ratio [OR], 2.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.99-4.08; P large study population, blood transfusion and mechanical ventilation were the only new statistically independent risk factors to predict the development of treatment-demanding ROP. Modification in the neonatal treatment with mechanical ventilation or blood transfusion did not cause the observed increase in the incidence of preterm infants with treatment-demanding ROP during a recent birth period (2003-2008). Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Severe fetal and neonatal hyperthyroidism years after surgical treatment of maternal Graves' disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dierickx, I; Decallonne, B; Billen, J; Vanhole, C; Lewi, L; De Catte, L; Verhaeghe, J

    2014-02-01

    Fetal/neonatal hyperthyroidism is a well-known complication of maternal Graves' disease with high concentrations of TSH-receptor antibodies (TRAb). Few data are available on the management of fetal hyperthyroidism in surgically treated Graves' disease. Clinical, ultrasound and biochemical data are reported in a fetus/neonate whose mother underwent a thyroidectomy > 10 years before and whose sibling was thin and hyperthyroid at birth. Maternal TRAb were persistently > 40 U/l; unequivocal signs of fetal hyperthyroidism were identified at 29 weeks gestational age (GA). The fetus was treated through maternal antithyroid drug (ATD) administration; the dose was reduced gradually once fetal tachycardia and valve dysfunction disappeared and normal T4 was confirmed by fetal blood sampling. Maternal euthyroidism was maintained. The neonate showed normal growth for GA and T4 concentration at birth but severe hyperthyroidism relapsed from day 13 until day 58. TSH remained strongly suppressed throughout the pre- and postnatal course. Prenatal ATD in a taper-off regime allowed normal T4 and growth in a hyperthyroid fetus from a thyroidectomised Graves' mother. Fetal TSH cannot be used to adjust the ATD dose. Prenatal ATD appears to postpone the onset but does not affect the severity or duration of the neonatal hyperthyroid flare.

  17. Accidental injections of dexamethasone intravitreal implant (Ozurdex) into the crystalline lens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coca-Robinot, Javier; Casco-Silva, Bruno; Armadá-Maresca, Felix; García-Martínez, Jesús

    2014-01-01

    To describe the side effects and management after inadvertent injection of a dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex) into the crystalline lens. Two case reports. Two patients with macular edema due to unilateral retinal vein occlusion were scheduled for an intravitreal injection of Ozurdex. During the procedure, the implant was accidentally injected into the crystalline lens. Both patients developed cataracts during the course of several weeks and in both there was an intraocular pressure (IOP) increase, which required treatment with topical hypotensives. Macular edema improved only slightly. Cataract surgery with uneventful removal of the implant was performed 3 (case 1) and 6 months (case 2) after the injection. After inadvertent injection of Ozurdex into the crystalline lens, cataract surgery with removal of the implant should be performed as soon as possible in order to avoid IOP increase and so that the underlying condition may be treated adequately.

  18. Effect of dexamethasone added to lidocaine in supraclavicular brachial plexus block: A prospective, randomised, double-blind study

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    Prashant A Biradar

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Different additives have been used to prolong brachial plexus block. We performed a prospective, randomised, double-blind study to evaluate the effect of dexamethasone added to lidocaine on the onset and duration of supraclavicular brachial plexus block as this is the most common type of brachial block performed in our institute. Methods: Sixty American Society of Anaesthesiologist′s physical status I and II patients undergoing elective hand, forearm and elbow surgery under brachial plexus block were randomly allocated to receive either 1.5% lidocaine (7 mg/kg with adrenaline (1:200,000 and 2 ml of normal saline (group C, n=30 or 1.5% lidocaine (7 mg/kg with adrenaline (1:200,000 and 2 ml of dexamethasone (8 mg (group D, n=30. The block was performed using a nerve stimulator. Onset and duration of sensory and motor blockade were assessed. The sensory and motor blockade of radial, median, ulnar and musculocutaneous nerves were evaluated and recorded at 5, 10, 20, 120 min, and at every 30 min thereafter. Results: Two patients were excluded from the study because of block failure. The onset of sensory and motor blockade (13.4±2.8 vs. 16.0±2.3 min and 16.0±2.7 vs. 18.7±2.8 min, respectively were significantly more rapid in the dexamethasone group than in the control group ( P=0.001. The duration of sensory and motor blockade (326±58.6 vs. 159±20.1 and 290.6±52.7 vs. 135.5±20.3 min, respectively were significantly longer in the dexamethasone group than in the control group ( P=0.001. Conclusion: Addition of dexamethasone to 1.5% lidocaine with adrenaline in supraclavicular brachial plexus block speeds the onset and prolongs the duration of sensory and motor blockade.

  19. Acute neonatal parotid abscess: A rare case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shreesh Kolekar

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Acute suppurative parotitis is uncommon in children and is very rare in neonates. Most common organism isolated is Staphylococcus aureus. We present a 15-day-old full-term breast-fed female neonate with left-sided acute parotid abscess. The baby presented with a left preauricular swelling, pain and redness. Pus was exuded from left Stensen's duct on compression of the gland externally. Early diagnosis and proper intravenous antibiotics are the keys to the treatment.

  20. Acute neonatal parotid abscess: A rare case report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolekar, Shreesh; Chincholi, Tejas S.; Kshirsagar, Ashok; Porwal, Narendra

    2016-01-01

    Acute suppurative parotitis is uncommon in children and is very rare in neonates. Most common organism isolated is Staphylococcus aureus. We present a 15-day-old full-term breast-fed female neonate with left-sided acute parotid abscess. The baby presented with a left preauricular swelling, pain and redness. Pus was exuded from left Stensen's duct on compression of the gland externally. Early diagnosis and proper intravenous antibiotics are the keys to the treatment. PMID:28051052

  1. Granisetron plus dexamethasone for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery: A meta-analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Zhu, Min; Zhou, Chengmao; Huang, Bing; Ruan, Lin; Liang, Rui

    2017-01-01

    Objective This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of granisetron plus dexamethasone for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. Methods We searched the literature in the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, and CNKI. Results In total, 11 randomized controlled trials were enrolled in this analysis. The meta-analysis showed that granisetron in combination with dexamethasone was significantly more effective than granisetron alone...

  2. Maternal Melatonin Therapy Rescues Prenatal Dexamethasone and Postnatal High-Fat Diet Induced Programmed Hypertension in Male Rat Offspring

    OpenAIRE

    Tain, You-Lin; Sheen, Jiunn-Ming; Yu, Hong-Ren; Chen, Chih-Cheng; Tiao, Mao-Meng; Hsu, Chien-Ning; Lin, Yu-Ju; Kuo, Kuang-Che; Huang, Li-Tung

    2015-01-01

    Prenatal dexamethasone (DEX) exposure and high-fat (HF) intake are linked to hypertension. We examined whether maternal melatonin therapy prevents programmed hypertension synergistically induced by prenatal DEX plus postnatal HF in adult offspring. We also examined whether DEX and melatonin causes renal programming using next-generation RNA sequencing (NGS) technology. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats received intraperitoneal dexamethasone (0.1 mg/kg) or vehicle from gestational day 16 to 22. In ...

  3. Porcine pilot study of MRI-guided HIFU treatment for neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Looi, Thomas; Waspe, Adam; Mougenot, Charles; Amaral, Joao; Temple, Michael; Hynynen, Kullervo; Drake, James

    2012-11-01

    Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) occurs in 15% of premature babies and 50% of IVH cases progress to posthemorrhagic ventricular dilation due to large blood clots forming in the ventricles. Existing treatments such as tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and surgical intervention have severe side effects in paediatric patients that include excessive bleeding and complications. This study investigates the feasibility of MR-HIFU for sonothrombolysis of blood clots from IVH using natural acoustic windows, known as fontanelles, in the skulls of newborns. The study involved 2 elements: a phantom study to examine beam limitations and acoustic properties, and an in-vivo porcine study. A phantom skull was created from sample patient data and was used to analyze reachability of the Philips Sonavelle system. Acoustic measurements of the phantom (attenuation of 5-14 dB and speed of sound of 1722-2965 m/s) indicated the phantom effectively mimics neonatal skull bone. For the ex-vivo studies, a porcine clot was created and sonicated for 5 mins at 500W with a 0.5% duty cycle. For the in-vivo experiment, a vertex craniotomy was performed and porcine blood was injected into the lateral ventricle under ultrasound guidance. Sonication using the prior parameters induced cavitation and post-sonication T1 and T2 images verified clot lysis. Further H&E analysis showed no presence of blood in the ventricles. These positive results show that MR-HIFU has potential as a noninvasive tool for sonothrombolysis of neonatal IVH clots.

  4. The inhibitory effect of dexamethasone on platelet-derived growth factor-induced vascular smooth muscle cell migration through up-regulating PGC-1α expression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, Wei; Guo, Ting; Zhang, Yan; Jiang, Xiaohong; Zhang, Yongxian; Zen, Ke; Yu, Bo; Zhang, Chen-Yu

    2011-01-01

    Dexamethasone has been shown to inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration, which is required for preventing restenosis. However, the mechanism underlying effect of dexamethasone remains unknown. We have previously demonstrated that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α) can inhibit VSMC migration and proliferation. Here, we investigated the role of PGC-1α in dexamethasone-reduced VSMC migration and explored the possible mechanism. We first examined PGC-1α expression in cultured rat aortic VSMCs. The results revealed that incubation of VSMCs with dexamethasone could significantly elevate PGC-1α mRNA expression. In contrast, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) decreased PGC-1α expression while stimulating VSMC migration. Mechanistic study showed that suppression of PGC-1α by small interfering RNA strongly abrogated the inhibitory effect of dexamethasone on VSMC migration, whereas overexpression of PGC-1α had the opposite effect. Furthermore, an analysis of MAPK signal pathways showed that dexamethasone inhibited ERK and p38 MAPK phosphorylation in VSMCs. Overexpression of PGC-1α decreased both basal and PDGF-induced p38 MAPK phosphorylation, but it had no effect on ERK phosphorylation. Finally, inhibition of PPARγ activation by a PPARγ antagonist GW9662 abolished the suppressive effects of PGC-1α on p38 MAPK phosphorylation and VSMC migration. These effects of PGC-1α were enhanced by a PPARγ agonist troglitazone. Collectively, our data indicated for the first time that one of the anti-migrated mechanisms of dexamethasone is due to the induction of PGC-1α expression. PGC-1α suppresses PDGF-induced VSMC migration through PPARγ coactivation and, consequently, p38 MAPK inhibition.

  5. Serum zinc status of neonates with seizure

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    Olia Sharmeen

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: Seizure is a common neurological disorder in neonatal age group!. Primary metabolic derangement is one of the important reason behind this convulsion during this period. Among primary metabolic derangement hypoglycemia, is most common followed by bypocalcaemia, hypomagnesaemia, low zinc status etc. As causes of many cases of convul­sion remain unknown in neonate. Objectives: To see the zinc status in the sera of neonate with convulsion. So that if needed early intervention can be taken up and thereby prevent complications. Method: A total of 50 neonates (1-28 days who had convulsion with no apparent reasons of convulsion were enrolled as cases and 50 healthy age and sex matched neonates were enrolled as controls. After a quick clinical evaluation serum zinc status was estimated from venous blood by atomic absorption method in Chemistry Division, Atomic Energy Centre. Low zinc was considered if serum value was <0.7mg/L. Results: Among a total of 50 cases 6% had low zinc value & 2% of controls also had low zinc level. The mean serwu zinc level of cases and controls were 1.57±0.95 and 2.37±1.06 mmol/1 respectively (p<0.01. Conclusion: From the study it is seen that low zinc value is an important cause of neonatal seizure due to primary metabolic abnormalities. So early recognition and treatment could save these babies from long term neurological sequelies.

  6. Management of dexamethasone-induced hyperglycemia in patients undergoing chemotherapy in an outpatient setting: a best practice implementation project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinaga, Gery; de Koeijer, Elizabeth

    2018-04-01

    The objective of this project was to implement best practice in an outpatient clinical setting in order to increase both nursing staff and patients' knowledge and awareness on the importance of blood sugar management during chemotherapy and to show that through compliance with best practice, the incidence of dexamethasone-induced hyperglycemia during chemotherapy can be minimized. Steroid-induced hyperglycemia is a commonly neglected symptom in cancer treatment, contributing to poor patient prognosis and extended hospital stay. Evidence shows that controlled blood sugar during chemotherapy is associated with improved patient outcomes and better tolerance to cancer treatment. For the purpose of this paper steroid-induced hyperglycemia will be referred to as dexamethasone-induced hyperglycemia. This project utilized the Joanna Briggs Institute Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System (JBI-PACES) and Getting Research into Practice (GRiP) audit tools to promote compliance in the clinical setting. Thirty patients participated in the audit, which was executed by nursing staff in the Medical Oncology Outpatient Unit at the Cancer Ambulatory and Community Health Support Department at the Canberra Hospital. The baseline audit revealed large gaps between best practice and current practice. This underlined the need for more education for both nursing staff and patients. Other barriers such as the absence of assessment and documentation by the clinicians and the minimum number of potential referrals to the diabetes educator were addressed by encouraging patients to speak about their diabetes, and also in the development of a simplified referral process in order to have patients reviewed by the Diabetes Educator in a timely manner. There were significant improvements after more information sessions were held and more resources made available to both nursing staff and patients, but there were also minimal to zero compliance drop on parts of the follow-up audit. In an

  7. Population pharmacokinetics of amikacin in neonatal intensive care unit patients

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    Paulo Caceres Guido

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Background Amikacin treatment requires close monitoring of blood concentrations to increase the probability that levels achieved are both effective and safe. Aims We described population pharmacokinetics parameters of amikacin in newborns from a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with suspected or documented sepsis. Methods A nonlinear mixed-effect model approach was used to analyse the data. Results Twenty seven neonates were enrolled. Final parameter estimates were: Ke(h-1=0.232x(CR Exp-0.85; V(mL/kg=497. Conclusion Weight and serum creatinine are associated with neonatal amikacin volume of distribution and elimination constant rate, respectively. The presence of sepsis may decrease amikacin elimination, although this observation should be further explored. These results could help to individualize amikacin dosage for neonates.

  8. Neonatal endocrine emergencies: a primer for the emergency physician.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Elizabeth; Pearson, Nadia M; Pillow, M Tyson; Toledo, Alexander

    2014-05-01

    The resuscitation principles of securing the airway and stabilizing hemodynamics remain the same in any neonatal emergency. However, stabilizing endocrine disorders may prove especially challenging. Several organ systems are affected simultaneously and the clinical presentation can be subtle. Although not all-inclusive, the implementation of newborn screening tests has significantly reduced morbidity and mortality in neonates. Implementing routine screening tests worldwide and improving the accuracy of present tests remains the challenge for healthcare providers. With further study of these disorders and best treatment practices we can provide neonates presenting to the emergency department with the best possible outcomes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Neonatal Cushing Syndrome: A Rare but Potentially Devastating Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tatsi, Christina; Stratakis, Constantine A

    2018-03-01

    Neonatal Cushing syndrome (CS) is most commonly caused by exogenous administration of glucocorticoids and rarely by endogenous hypercortisolemia. CS owing to adrenal lesions is the most common cause of endogenous CS in neonates and infants, and adrenocortical tumors (ACTs) represent most cases. Many ACTs develop in the context of a TP53 gene mutation, which causes Li-Fraumeni syndrome. More rarely, neonatal CS presents as part of other syndromes such as McCune-Albright syndrome or Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. Management usually includes resection of the primary tumor with or without additional medical treatment, but manifestations may persist after resolution of hypercortisolemia. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  10. EFFECTS OF DEXAMETHASONE AND PHENIRAMINE MALEATE ON HEMODYNAMIC AND RESPIRATORY PARAMETERS AFTER CEMENTATION IN CEMENTED PARTIAL HIP PROSTHESIS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yektaş, Abdulkadir; Gümüş, Funda; Totoz, Tolga; Gül, Nurten; Erkalp, Kerem; Alagöl, Ayşin

    2015-02-01

    To prevent hemodynamic and respiratory changes that are likely to occur during cementation in partial hip prosthesis by prophylactic use of pheniramine maleate and dexamethasone. The study included 40 patients aged between 60 and 85 years with an American Society ofAnesthesiologists (ASA) grade of II-III who underwent partial hip prosthesis. Just after spinal anesthesia, 4 mL normal saline was pushed in patients in Group S, whereas 45.5 mg pheniramine maleate and 8 mg dexamethasone mixture was pushed intravenously in a total volume of 4 mL in patients in Group PD. Amounts of atropine and adrenaline administered after cementation were significantly higher in Group S than in Group PD (P pheniramine maleate and dexamethasone in partial hip prosthesis led to an increase in SpO2 value and a decrease in the utilization of adrenaline and atropine after cementation.

  11. Molecular Mechanisms of Neonatal Brain Injury

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    Claire Thornton

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Fetal/neonatal brain injury is an important cause of neurological disability. Hypoxia-ischemia and excitotoxicity are considered important insults, and, in spite of their acute nature, brain injury develops over a protracted time period during the primary, secondary, and tertiary phases. The concept that most of the injury develops with a delay after the insult makes it possible to provide effective neuroprotective treatment after the insult. Indeed, hypothermia applied within 6 hours after birth in neonatal encephalopathy reduces neurological disability in clinical trials. In order to develop the next generation of treatment, we need to know more about the pathophysiological mechanism during the secondary and tertiary phases of injury. We review some of the critical molecular events related to mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis during the secondary phase and report some recent evidence that intervention may be feasible also days-weeks after the insult.

  12. Neonatal hemochromatosis and patent ductus venosus: clinical course and diagnostic pitfalls

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsai, Andy; Paltiel, Harriet J.; Sena, Laureen M.; Kim, Heung Bae; Fishman, Steven J.; Alomari, Ahmad I.

    2009-01-01

    Neonatal hemochromatosis is a rare metabolic disorder characterized by excessive iron deposition within the liver leading to hepatic failure and portal hypertension. We describe the clinical course and imaging findings in three infants with neonatal hemochromatosis associated with patent ductus venosus. We paid special attention to the diagnostic challenges encountered in these patients in order to emphasize some of the potential diagnostic pitfalls. We conducted a comprehensive search of our radiology database of the last 10 years (1999-2008) for the keywords ''neonatal hemochromatosis.'' Medical records and imaging studies of various modalities were reviewed. Three neonates were found to have neonatal hemochromatosis; all of them were associated with patent ductus venosus. Two of these patients were referred to our tertiary center for embolization of an inaccurately diagnosed hepatic vascular malformation. Two patients underwent successful liver transplantation and one died shortly after referral. The awareness and inclusion of neonatal hemochromatosis in the differential diagnosis of newborns with liver failure and patent ductus venosus has critical treatment implications. (orig.)

  13. Association Between Early Idiopathic Neonatal Jaundice and Urinary Tract Infections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Özcan, Murat; Sarici, S Ümit; Yurdugül, Yüksel; Akpinar, Melis; Altun, Demet; Özcan, Begüm; Serdar, Muhittin A; Sarici, Dilek

    2017-01-01

    Background and purpose: Etiologic role, incidence, demographic, and response-to-treatment characteristics of urinary tract infection (UTI) among neonates, its relationship with significant neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, and abnormalities of the urinary system were studied in a prospective investigation in early (≤10 days) idiopathic neonatal jaundice in which all other etiologic factors of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia were ruled out. Patients and methods: Urine samples for microscopic and bacteriologic examination were obtained with bladder catheterization from 155 newborns with early neonatal jaundice. Newborns with a negative urine culture and with a positive urine culture were defined as group I and group II, respectively, and the 2 groups were compared with each other. Results: The incidence of UTI in whole of the study group was 16.7%. Serum total and direct bilirubin levels were statistically significantly higher in group II when compared with group I (P = .005 and P = .001, respectively). Decrease in serum total bilirubin level at the 24th hour of phototherapy was statistically significantly higher in group I compared with group II (P = .022). Conclusions: Urinary tract infection should be investigated in the etiologic evaluation of newborns with significant hyperbilirubinemia. The possibility of UTI should be considered in jaundiced newborns who do not respond to phototherapy well or have a prolonged duration of phototherapy treatment. PMID:28469520

  14. Neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sutter, Mary Beth; Leeman, Lawrence; Hsi, Andrew

    2014-06-01

    Neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome is common due to the current opioid addiction epidemic. Infants born to women covertly abusing prescription opioids may not be identified as at risk until withdrawal signs present. Buprenorphine is a newer treatment for maternal opioid addiction and appears to result in a milder withdrawal syndrome than methadone. Initial treatment is with nonpharmacological measures including decreasing stimuli, however pharmacological treatment is commonly required. Opioid monotherapy is preferred, with phenobarbital or clonidine uncommonly needed as adjunctive therapy. Rooming-in and breastfeeding may decease the severity of withdrawal. Limited evidence is available regarding long-term effects of perinatal opioid exposure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Neonatal outcomes according to different therapies for gestational diabetes mellitus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Amanda L da; Amaral, Augusto R do; Oliveira, Daniela S de; Martins, Lisiane; Silva, Mariana R E; Silva, Jean Carl

    To compare different neonatal outcomes according to the different types of treatments used in the management of gestational diabetes mellitus. This was a retrospective cohort study. The study population comprised pregnant women with gestational diabetes treated at a public maternity hospital from July 2010 to August 2014. The study included women aged at least 18 years, with a singleton pregnancy, who met the criteria for gestational diabetes mellitus. Blood glucose levels, fetal abdominal circumference, body mass index and gestational age were considered for treatment decision-making. The evaluated neonatal outcomes were: type of delivery, prematurity, weight in relation to gestational age, Apgar at 1 and 5min, and need for intensive care unit admission. The sample consisted of 705 pregnant women. The neonatal outcomes were analyzed based on the treatment received. Women treated with metformin were less likely to have children who were small for gestational age (95% CI: 0.09-0.66) and more likely to have a newborn adequate for gestational age (95% CI: 1.12-3.94). Those women treated with insulin had a lower chance of having a preterm child (95% CI: 0.02-0.78). The combined treatment with insulin and metformin resulted in higher chance for a neonate to be born large for gestational age (95% CI: 1.14-11.15) and lower chance to be born preterm (95% CI: 0.01-0.71). The type of treatment did not affect the mode of delivery, Apgar score, and intensive care unit admission. The pediatrician in the delivery room can expect different outcomes for diabetic mothers based on the treatment received. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  16. Compatibility and Stability of Rolapitant Injectable Emulsion Admixed with Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, George; Yeung, Stanley; Chen, Frank

    2017-01-01

    Neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist, 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 receptor antagonist, and dexamethasone combination therapy is the standard of care for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Herein, we describe the physical and chemical stability of an injectable emulsion of the Neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist rolapitant 185 mg in 92.5 mL (free base, 166.5 mg in 92.5 mL) admixed with either 2.5 mL of dexamethasone sodium phosphate (10 mg) or 5 mL of dexamethasone sodium phosphate (20 mg). Admixtures were prepared and stored in two types of container closures (glass and Crystal Zenith plastic bottles) and four types of intravenous administration tubing sets (or intravenous tubing sets). The assessment of the physical and chemical stability was conducted on admixtures packaged in bottled samples stored at room temperature (20°C to 25°C under fluorescent light) and evaluated at 0, 1, and 6 hours. For admixtures in intravenous tubing sets, the assessment of physicochemical stability was performed after 0 and 7 hours of storage at 20°C to 25°C, and then after 20 hours (total 27 hours) under refrigeration (2°C to 8°C) and protected from light. Physical stability was assessed by visually examining the bottle contents under normal room light and measuring turbidity and particulate matter. Chemical stability was assessed by measuring the pH of the admixture and determining drug concentrations through high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis. Results showed that all samples were physically compatible throughout the duration of the study. The admixtures stayed within narrow and acceptable ranges in pH, turbidity, and particulate matter. Admixtures of rolapitant and dexamethasone were chemically stable when stored in glass and Crystal Zenith bottles for at least 6 hours at room temperature, as well as in the four selected intravenous tubing sets for 7 hours at 20°C to 25°C and then for 20 (total 27 hours) hours at 2°C to 8°C. No loss of potency

  17. Urtica dioica extract attenuates depressive like behavior and associative memory dysfunction in dexamethasone induced diabetic mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Sita Sharan; Udayabanu, Malairaman

    2014-03-01

    Evidences suggest that glucocorticoids results in depression and is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Further diabetes induces oxidative stress and hippocampal dysfunction resulting in cognitive decline. Traditionally Urtica dioica has been used for diabetes mellitus and cognitive dysfunction. The present study investigated the effect of the hydroalcoholic extract of Urtica dioica leaves (50 and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) in dexamethasone (1 mg/kg, i.m.) induced diabetes and its associated complications such as depressive like behavior and cognitive dysfunction. We observed that mice administered with chronic dexamethasone resulted in hypercortisolemia, oxidative stress, depressive like behavior, cognitive impairment, hyperglycemia with reduced body weight, increased water intake and decreased hippocampal glucose transporter-4 (GLUT4) mRNA expression. Urtica dioica significantly reduced hyperglycemia, plasma corticosterone, oxidative stress and depressive like behavior as well as improved associative memory and hippocampal GLUT4 mRNA expression comparable to rosiglitazone (5 mg/kg, p.o.). Further, Urtica dioica insignificantly improved spatial memory and serum insulin. In conclusion, Urtica dioica reversed dexamethasone induced hyperglycemia and its associated complications such as depressive like behavior and cognitive dysfunction.

  18. Fatal Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage in a Young Boy with Newly Diagnosed Metastatic Medulloblastoma on High Dose Dexamethasone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victor Wong

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available A 10-year-old boy with newly diagnosed metastatic medulloblastoma was placed on high dose dexamethasone and ranitidine prior to surgery. The child underwent subtotal resection and was discharged 5 days postoperatively with an uneventful hospital course on a tapering dose of dexamethasone and ranitidine. Over the next 2 days the patient complained of mild abdominal distension with flatulence, without pain, vomiting, or dysmotility. On follow-up in clinic 5 days after discharge, he had normal vital signs when he suddenly became pale and had loss of consciousness. Emergent computerized tomography of the head showed no acute hemorrhage and complete blood count revealed hemoglobin of 4.2 gm/dL. In spite of maximum resuscitation with copious blood products the patient died. Autopsy revealed evidence of duodenal perforation with intraluminal hemorrhage. This case demonstrates a rare fatal complication of high dose dexamethasone therapy even with concurrent gastrointestinal prophylactic therapy. We provide a review of the limited literature on steroid use in pediatric neurooncology with regard to gastrointestinal bleeding.

  19. Advancing Neurologic Care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with a Neonatal Neurologist

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mulkey, Sarah B.; Swearingen, Christopher J.

    2014-01-01

    Neonatal neurology is a growing sub-specialty area. Given the considerable amount of neurologic problems present in the neonatal intensive care unit, a neurologist with expertise in neonates is becoming more important. We sought to evaluate the change in neurologic care in the neonatal intensive care unit at our tertiary care hospital by having a dedicated neonatal neurologist. The period post-neonatal neurologist showed a greater number of neurology consultations (Pneurology encounters per patient (Pneurology became part of the multi-disciplinary team providing focused neurologic care to newborns. PMID:23271754

  20. The ocular endothelin system: a novel target for the treatment of endotoxin-induced uveitis with bosentan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keles, Sadullah; Halici, Zekai; Atmaca, Hasan Tarik; Yayla, Muhammed; Yildirim, Kenan; Ekinci, Metin; Akpinar, Erol; Altuner, Durdu; Cakici, Ozgur; Bayraktutan, Zafer

    2014-05-15

    We compared the anti-inflammatory effects of bosentan and dexamethasone in endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU). Endotoxin-induced uveitis was induced by subcutaneous injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 200 μg) in Wistar rats. Rats were divided randomly into 10 groups (n = 6). Bosentan at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg were administered orally 1 hour before and 12 hours after LPS injection, and dexamethasone was administered by intraperitoneally 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after LPS injection at a dose of 1 mg/kg. Data were collected at two time points for each control and treatment; animals were killed at either 3 or 24 hours after LPS injection. Histopathologic evaluation and aqueous humour measurements of TNF-α level were performed, and endothelin-1 (ET-1), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and endothelin receptor A and B (EDNRA and B) expression were analyzed. The group treated with 100 mg/kg bosentan at 24 hours displayed significantly milder uveitis and fewer inflammatory cells compared to LPS-injected animals, and there were similar findings in the dexamethasone-treated group at 24 hours. The TNF-α levels in the dexamethasone treatment group were lower than those in the LPS-induced uveitis control group (P treatment groups at 3 and 24 hours after LPS administration. Bosentan treatment at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg significantly decreased iNOS expression compared to LPS-injected animals (P treatment groups was statistically significantly lower than that in the LPS-induced uveitis control group at 3 and 24 hours after LPS administration (P < 0.05). Bosentan reduces intraocular inflammation and has similar effects as dexamethasone in a rat model of EIU. Copyright 2014 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.