Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0018681 (headache)
 56,091 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A flavivirus related to the tick-borne encephalitis complex was isolated from the blood of 6 male butchers, aged 24-39 years, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in November and December 1995. Two of the patients died and the other 4 recovered completely. Four more patients, 3 males and 1 female, were diagnosed serologically by immunoglobulin M capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and seroconversion in acute and convalescent blood samples examined by indirect immunofluorescent test using Vero cells infected with the isolated virus. The virus identity was confirmed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA, by the polymerase chain reaction; it was closely related to Kayasanur Forest disease virus. All infected patients had similar clinical and laboratory symptoms and signs, including fever, headache, generalized body aches, arthralgia, anorexia, vomiting, leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, elevated liver enzymes (serum glutamic oxalacetic and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminases), elevated creatinine phosphokinase, and elevated blood urea. One patient developed symptoms of encephalitis, but survived without any sequel. Skin rash developed in 2 patients, morbilliform on the hands, feet, and lower abdomen of one patient and purpuric associated with melaena in the second patient. Eight of the 10 confirmed patients were working with sheep, and the disease may be a zoonotic viral infection.
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PMID:Isolation of a flavivirus related to the tick-borne encephalitis complex from human cases in Saudi Arabia. 919 62

A major factor influencing whole blood cyclosporin A levels in young children with renal transplants is the variable absorption of Sandimmun (SIM). Neoral (NEO) is a new microemulsion of cyclosporin A (CYA) that has been reported to have better absorption characteristics. We compared the pharmacokinetics of SIM and NEO in nine renal transplant recipients aged less than 11 years (range 4.8-10.9 years) and observed clinical parameters during 6 months of NEO therapy. Median CYA dosage was 149 mg/m2 per day (range 98-226). We observed an increase in the maximum CYA concentration (Cmax) of 114%, an increase in area under the curve (AUC) of 71% and the time to reach Cmax was reduced from 1.75 h to 1.25 h with NEO, while 12-h trough levels (C12 h) did not change significantly. AUC correlated with C12 h for SIM (r2 = 0.833) and NEO (r2 = 0.699) and also C1.5 h for NEO (r2 = 0.775). During 24 weeks' follow-up, the coefficient of variation of CYA levels was lower for NEO (13%) than for SIM (20%). Although CYA dosages at the start and the end of 6 months on NEO were similar, only one patient was maintained on a constant dose. Four patients had acute reversible rises in plasma creatinine which responded to a 11% reduction in NEO dose; their increase in AUC was greater than those patients not showing a rise in plasma creatinine. Overall, median plasma creatinine was unchanged at the end of the study. NEO was well tolerated by the patients; temporary nausea and headache were experienced by three patients and one of them stopped NEO after 20 days. Other biochemical parameters were not significantly different on NEO.
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PMID:Comparison of Neoral and Sandimmun cyclosporin A pharmacokinetic profiles in young renal transplant recipients. 920 80

Herpes infections continue to be prevalent, especially in immunocompromised patients. Some of these patients will develop resistant HSV infections. Therefore, it is important to explore new treatment options. Animal studies have shown cidofovir to be effective in the treatment and prevention of HSV infections. Human data are limited, with only one randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial performed to date. The results from this study look promising; however, due to the small sample size, a larger clinical trial is warranted. The human data available as case reports are suboptimal in the quality of reporting time frames for resolution of lesions/symptoms and outcomes of therapy. Another problem with the case report data is that the TK status of the herpes simplex isolates was not reported. This would have helped substantiate the acyclovir resistance seen in these patients. It was evident in these case reports that acyclovir resistance can be overcome, as acyclovir-resistant strains became sensitive following cidofovir therapy. This may be because TK(+) viruses have been shown to establish latency more readily than do TK(-) viruses. This pattern suggests that alternating between acyclovir and cidofovir therapies may provide a strategy to manage the emergence of alternatively acyclovir-sensitive and -resistant infections. At present, only the intravenous formulation of cidofovir is commercially available. Advantages of the intravenous formulation include weekly dosing and efficacy. Disadvantages are the complexity of administration and the adverse effect profile. The most common adverse effects with this formulation include nephrotoxicity manifested as proteinuria (12%), and increased creatinine (5%) and neutropenia (15%). Administration of probenecid and NaCl 0.9% hydration are used to reduce the incidence and severity of nephrotoxicity in patients who are receiving cidofovir. Probenecid also has toxicities, including nausea, vomiting, headache, fever, and flushing. The topical formulation of cidofovir looks promising for mucocutaneous HSV infection because it is usually undetectable in the blood following topical administration. Therefore, systemic adverse effects should be minimized. A cidofovir gel product (Forvade, Gilead Sciences) is currently being reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of refractory HSV. Ultimately, more controlled clinical studies are necessary to determine whether routine cidofovir use can be justified in patients with acyclovir-resistant HSV infection.
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PMID:Cidofovir use in acyclovir-resistant herpes infection. 941 91

Nine days after working in the woods, a previously healthy 32-year-old man fell seriously ill. His symptoms included high fever, chills, diffuse myalgia, severe headache, and back pain. On the fifth day of onset of symptoms, blood tests showed creatinine levels of 5.4 mg/dL accompanied by marked proteinuria. After admission to the hospital, a diagnosis of nephropathia epidemica (NE) caused by Puumala virus was made using solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The patient gradually recovered renal function without requiring dialysis. However, he surprisingly experienced a sharp decline in platelet count to a minimum of 2,000/microL with concomitant occurrence of petechiae and conjunctival hemorrhage. Prednisolone was initiated, resulting in a swift rise in platelets. Six days later, when the medication was withdrawn, a sharp decrease in platelets recurred. The steroids were then readministered for the next 3 months, thus reestablishing a stable platelet count. The immediate rise of platelets after administration of prednisolone supports the pathophysiological view of hantavirus infection as an immunologically mediated disease. Corticosteroids in the treatment of hantavirus-associated thrombocytopenia might need further systematic evaluation.
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PMID:Severe thrombocytopenia and response to corticosteroids in a case of nephropathia epidemica. 942 61

During 1993-95 a total of 169 patients (112 women, 57 men) with a wide range of complaints associated with earlier or present amalgam fillings were seen by the "Dental Biomaterials Adverse Reaction Unit" in Norway. Most patients had amalgam fillings; 19 had removed all amalgam, and 14 were in the process of replacing the amalgam fillings with other materials. Predominant symptoms were of a subjective and general nature (96% of the patients). Muscle and joint pain, headache, dizziness and feeling exhausted comprised the most common symptoms. Intra-oral pathology was observed in 48%. There was a correlation between the amount of amalgam ("amalgam score") and urinary mercury. Those without amalgam fillings and significantly lower values (median = 1.6 micrograms mercury/g creatinine) than those with amalgam fillings (medians: with amalgam = 3.5 micrograms/g; with partial removal of amalgam = 2.7 micrograms/g). Overall, in the present group of patients, no statistically significant correlation seemed to exist between the type and number of subjective symptoms or objective findings and the urinary mercury. This would indicate therefore that there is no straightforward association between urinary mercury and symptoms in the present group of patients.
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PMID:[Mercury and dental amalgam fillings]. 962 58

All consecutive cases of chronic renal failure (CRF) seen over a twelve-month period (January-December 1992) were evaluated. Those that fulfilled strict diagnostic criteria for hypertension induced CRF (HICRF) were further studied to determine peculiarities of its clinico-pathological features that may render this possibly preventable condition readily identifiable. Twenty one (23.1%) of the 91 cases of CRF satisfied these criteria. There was a male preponderance (M.F.4.3:1). Nocturia was a prominent symptom predating other symptoms of CRF in all. Throbbing frontal headache necessitating significant consumption of analgesic was found in 13(61.9%). Hypertension had been diagnosed in the patients for periods ranging from 2-15 years and compliance to therapy was adjudged poor. Ten smoked cigarette in significant quantities. Hypertension occurred in 8 of the families of the patients. Hypertension was severe in all, with evidence of accelerated phase in 19(90.5%). A majority (71.4%) presented with severe uraemia (serum creatinine > or = 100 umol/l). Target organ damage, evident in cardiomegaly with heart failure occurred in 15, while ultrasonographic features of bilateral shrunken kidneys was seen in all. Blood pressure control was largely inadequate with a combination of 3 drugs. Mortality rate was 51% in the first year. Renal histopathological findings of glomerular sclerosis, malignant arteriolar changes with absence of glomerular cellular proliferation were observed in renal biopsies and 6 autopsy tissues. It is concluded that HICRF is a major cause of mortality; renal failure is often advanced at presentation, and blood pressure is usually in the accelerated phase. Significant cigarette smoking, severe headache necessitating consumption of significant quantity of analgesics, and a family history of hypertension are striking features.
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PMID:Hypertension induced chronic renal failure: clinical features, management and prognosis. 971 16

Interleukin (IL) 2 plays an important role in enhancing the immune response, whereas IL-4 has pluripotent activities which include affecting immune function. Preclinical data suggest that the combination might have enhanced immunomodulatory activity. In this Phase I trial in patients with advanced solid tumors, both IL-2 and IL-4 were given by separate s.c. injections simultaneously daily, 5 days in a row, Monday through Friday, for 3 consecutive weeks, followed by a 1-week break from treatment. Cycles could be repeated. The dose of IL-2 was kept constant at 9 x 10(6) IU/m2/injection while the dose of IL-4 was escalated beginning at 100 microgram/m2/injection and increasing by 100-microgram/m2 increments to a planned level of 400 microgram/m2/injection. Sixteen patients were entered in this study, with one patient being ineligible because of the presence of brain metastases. Of the 15 eligible patients, there were 14 males and 1 female, with a median age of 54 (range, 38-67) years and initial performance status of 0 in 5 patients and 1 in 10 patients. Patients were treated at levels of up to 300 microgram/m2/injection of IL-4 before the study was closed due to withdrawal of the drug by the manufacturer. The most commonly observed toxicities were fatigue, fever and chills, local reaction, nausea/vomiting and anorexia, headache and nasal stuffiness, and coughing, sometimes with the production of clear white sputum, more common in smokers. Duodenal ulcers occurred in one patient and one patient had grade 4 cardiac toxicity consisting of an asymptomatic minimal elevation of the creatinine phosphokinase MB isoenzyme (CPK-MB). Grade 3 hyponatremia occurred in two patients, and elevated liver function tests and creatinine occurred but were not dose limiting. Eosinophilia of unknown significance occurred in all patients. There were statistically significant elevations in absolute numbers of most T-cell subsets examined, without changes in circulating B cells. No antibodies to the IL-4 were found after one cycle. One patient with renal cell carcinoma showed a significant decrease in tumor burden after one cycle of treatment. Because of the IL-4 withdrawal, the maximum tolerated dose for this combination of drugs given by the route and schedule used here was not determined and will require additional testing. Subcutaneous IL-2 and IL-4 given simultaneously show important immunomodulatory and antitumor effects and should be tested further in cancer patients.
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PMID:Phase I trial of simultaneous administration of interleukin 2 and interleukin 4 subcutaneously. 981 6

Tacrolimus (FK-506) is an important immunosuppressive agent most often given for maintenance immunosuppression to prevent acute cellular organ rejection. A 57-year-old woman with end-stage renal disease presumed secondary to chronic glomerulonephritis underwent a living related renal allograft transplantation. She tolerated the surgery well and was discharged on postoperative day 5. She was stabilized with prednisone, azathioprine, and tacrolimus. Two years after transplantation, nefazodone 50 mg twice/day orally was prescribed due to depression. After 1 week of nefazodone therapy the patient experienced headache, confusion, and "gray areas" in her vision, without abnormal ophthalmologic findings. Her serum creatinine was elevated to 2.2 mg/dl (baseline 1.5 mg/dl), and trough tacrolimus level was markedly elevated (> 30 ng/ml). Both tacrolimus and nefazodone are metabolized by the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 system. We suspect that nefazodone inhibits metabolism of tacrolimus. Coadministration of antidepressant agents such as nefazodone, or any other drug that inhibits the CYP3A4 isoenzyme subfamily, should be anticipated to interfere with tacrolimus metabolism. Monitoring blood concentrations of tacrolimus is vital, and appropriate dosage adjustments are required when the two drugs are administered concurrently to avoid serious interactions such as nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity.
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PMID:Interaction between tacrolimus and nefazodone in a stable renal transplant recipient. 985 39

Neoral is a microemulsion formulation of cyclosporin (CyA), which has more consistent and better pharmacokinetics parameters with improved bioavailability compared to conversional formulation of Sandimmune. Sixty-four stable adults (age >18 years), who had received liver transplants (LTx) and were on Sandimmune-based immunosuppression, were converted to Neoral on milligram for milligram basis. Mean age was 52.5 +/- 13.5 years and male/female distribution was 22/42. Mean interval from LTx to conversion was 109.2 +/- 136 months. In 13 patients (20%) the dose of Neoral was reduced because of an increase in serum creatinine (N = 9), hyperkalemia (N = 1), headache (N = 1), peripheral parasthesia (N = 1), and a general sense of discomfort (N = 1). Interestingly, in two patients a decrease in the trough concentration was observed with the increase in liver enzymes. Both patients responded to an increase in Neoral dose. The present study suggests while the majority of the stable liver transplant patients (77%) can be safely converted to Neoral from Sandimmune on a milligram to milligram basis, they need to be carefully monitored for renal function, liver function, and trough concentration of CyA.
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PMID:A prospective study on conversion from sandimmune to neoral in stable adult liver transplant recipients. 1021 37

A 46-year old man presented with an eight-day history of edema and was found to be nephrotic, with a plasma albumin level of 1.1 g/dl and urine protein excretion of 13.3 g/24 hrs. The level of plasma creatinine was normal at 1.0 mg/dl. A finding of renal biopsy was consistent with minimal change glomerulopathy. On the 6th hospital day, he suddenly developed a severe headache and was noted to have bilateral papilledema. Lumbar puncture revealed an opening pressure of 250 mm of water. Magnetic resonance venography showed an irregular flow in the superior sagittal sinus and right transverse sinus, a finding consistent with thrombus. The diagnosis of cerebral venous thrombosis was made, and the patient was given both Warfarin 2 mg/day and prednisolone 60 mg/day. A complete recovery from nephrotic syndrome was achieved within eight weeks. Nephrotic syndrome causes a hypercoagulable state, leading to both venous and arterial thrombosis. The most common clinical features are renal vein thrombosis, femoral vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism, however, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis is rare in patients with nephrotic syndrome. It is important to be aware of this complication, since prompt treatment with anticoagulation and control of nephrotic syndrome can lead to a successful outcome.
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PMID:[Cerebral venous thrombosis in minimal change nephrotic syndrome]. 1044 98


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