Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0033774 (pruritus)
14,546 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A 27-yr-old Jamaican male presented with a 2-month history of jaundice, pruritus, intermittent diarrhea, and right upper quadrant abdominal pain. Over the next month, his abdominal pain and diarrhea improved, but his jaundice and pruritus worsened. He was afebrile and profoundly jaundice, with a benign abdominal examination. Medical workup included a normal abdominal ultrasound, iron studies, ceruloplasm, and serum electrophoresis. Negative viral (Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, mononucleosis, hepatitis A, B, C) studies, ANA, AMA, ASMA, RPR were noted. He denied any alcohol, drug, or toxin exposure. Liver tests revealed total bilirubin of 25.6 mg/dl, direct bilirubin of 13.9 mg/dl, alkaline phosphatase 278 IU/L, AST 45 IU/L, and ALT 71 IU/L. Liver biopsy demonstrated centrilobular zonal necrosis and cholestasis most consistent with a toxic reaction. The patient was again interviewed regarding potential toxins, and he admitted to the ingestion of ackee fruit, a native Jamaican fruit that is illegal in the United States. Shortly after he had ceased intake of the fruit, his symptoms resolved and his liver function tests returned to normal. We present a case of chronic ackee fruit ingestion that led to cholestatic jaundice, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
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PMID:Cholestatic jaundice due to ackee fruit poisoning. 807 44

In order to evaluate the efficacy of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in the treatment of Chinese patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, a short-term, randomized, double-blind controlled, cross-over study was done with long-term follow up. In the first part of the study, 12 patients were randomly chosen to receive either UDCA 600 mg/day for 3 months followed by a placebo for 3 months or a placebo for 3 months followed by UDCA for 3 months. The clinical symptoms of pruritus improved when the patients were receiving UDCA but became worse when receiving a placebo. Mean serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALPase), gamma-glutamyl transferase (gamma-GT), total bilirubin, cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase all decreased below the baseline values when receiving UDCA treatment and all increased above the baseline values when receiving the placebo. The difference was statistically significant. In the second part of the study, 19 patients received long-term UDCA treatment (mean 20 months). The clinical symptoms of pruritus improved in 90% of the pruritic patients. Serum levels of ALPase, gamma-GT and ALT fell significantly from the pretreatment values, 6, 12 and from the mean 20 months after UDCA treatment. Serum levels of total bilirubin fell significantly 6 and 12 months after UDCA treatment but did not reach statistical significance at the last follow up. No patient lost antimitochondrial antibody and elevated immunoglobulin levels did not improve significantly, but the Mayo clinical risk score improved significantly after long-term UDCA treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Ursodeoxycholic acid in the treatment of primary biliary cirrhosis: a short-term, randomized, double-blind controlled, cross-over study with long-term follow up. 810 Jan 53

A double-blind, randomized study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy and safety of fluvastatin as monotherapy and as combination therapy with niacin in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia refractory to diet. Seventy-four patients with plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels > or = 160 mg/dL were treated with fluvastatin, 20 mg/d, or placebo for 6 weeks. Thereafter, immediate-release niacin, at a dosage titrated to a maximum of 3 g/d, was added to both regimens for another 9 weeks. All adverse events were monitored, with particular attention to the evaluation of liver and muscle enzymes. Initial analysis of the data shows that fluvastatin and its combination with niacin was well tolerated and was not associated with any serious adverse events. Small, transient, asymptomatic rises in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) occurred in 28.9% of fluvastatin-niacin treated patients compared to 8.3% in the niacin-placebo control arm (p < 0.05). These were considered clinically insignificant in that no transaminase elevations > 3 times the upper limit of normal occurred. No evidence of myopathy, creatine kinase levels exceeding 10 times the upper limit of normal, myositis, or rhabdomyolysis were demonstrated in this short-term trial. The majority of adverse events resulting in patient withdrawals were ascribed to niacin therapy and included cutaneous vasodilatation, flushing, itching, and rash. These preliminary results suggest that fluvastatin, both alone and combined with niacin, is an effective, safe, and well-tolerated treatment for hypercholesterolemia.
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PMID:Combination therapy with fluvastatin and niacin in hypercholesterolemia: a preliminary report on safety. 819 20

Primary sclerosing cholangitis is a cholestatic disease of the liver characterized by progressive fibrotic inflammation and obliteration of the extra- and/or intrahepatic bile ducts. There is no effective therapy. We, therefore, studied the safety and efficacy of ursodeoxycholic acid in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis with or without additional ulcerative colitis. In a 1-year ursodeoxycholic acid treatment period, which preceded the controlled study period, ursodeoxycholic acid was well tolerated in 22 of 24 patients with ulcerative colitis and in all three patients without ulcerative colitis. In two patients with ulcerative colitis the dose of 750 mg ursodeoxycholic acid/day led to diarrhea, but following reduction of the dose to 500 and 250 mg/day ursodeoxycholic acid was well tolerated. After 1 year of ursodeoxycholic acid treatment, 20 patients were randomly assigned to receive either ursodeoxycholic acid 750 mg/day or placebo. All of them finished a double-blind, placebo-controlled study period. During ursodeoxycholic acid treatment, the liver enzymes improved markedly. The difference in alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyltransferase between the placebo and ursodeoxycholic acid group was significant (p < 0.05). Following ursodeoxycholic acid treatment, pruritus and fatigue improved in half of the patients but the difference between the placebo and ursodeoxycholic acid group was not significant. According to the ethical guidelines, after 3 months of placebo treatment, the controlled study had to be discontinued because of a more than twofold increase of serum transaminases in 8/10 patients on placebo. After the end of the controlled study, all patients were continuously treated with ursodeoxycholic acid for up to 4 years.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Effect of ursodeoxycholic acid on liver and bile duct disease in primary sclerosing cholangitis. A 3-year pilot study with a placebo-controlled study period. 820 Dec 24

Fifty subjects with acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria were treated orally with a new micronized formulation of halofantrine. The dose given corresponded to one-half the normal dose for the standard formulation. Parasitemia cleared in all subjects within 78 h. There was recrudescence of falciparum malaria in seven subjects after day 14. The mean +/- standard deviation clearance times of parasitemia and fever were 49.0 +/- 14.2 and 24.3 +/- 13.2 h, respectively. Other clinical symptoms related to malaria cleared within the first 3 days. Pruritus occurred in two subjects, back pain occurred in one subject, and diarrhea occurred in one subject; all of these symptoms were mild. Hematological and biochemical indices were not adversely affected by treatment except in five subjects in whom minor and transitory increases in aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were observed. Micronized halofantrine appears to be a safe, well-tolerated, and effective treatment for acute falciparum malaria in semiimmune patients.
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PMID:Efficacy of micronized halofantrine in semi-immune patients with acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Cameroon. 823 11

To evaluate the effect of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment according to the severity of primary biliary cirrhosis, a long-term prospective open trial in 54 consecutive PBC patients, 19 with histological stage I-II, 24 stage III, and 11 stage IV was carried out. UDCA was administered at a dosage of 250 mg twice a day. Clinical and biochemical assessment (AST, ALT, alkaline phosphatase, GGT, bilirubin) were done initially and every six months. Serum hyaluronate (HY) and type III procollagen amino propeptide (PIIIP) were also evaluated, as they are considered markers of fibrosis and prognosis. All patients were followed-up for at least two years (24-36 months); results were analyzed at 24 months after treatment. The composite pruritus score failed to show significant changes during UDCA treatment, while intensity score demonstrated a significant reduction from the 6th month. Patients with histological stage I-II disease had a significant decrease of liver enzymes (AST, ALT, alkaline phosphatase, GGT) after six months and maintained the levels up to 24 months. The patients with histological stage III disease showed a significant decrease of AST, ALT, alkaline phosphatase (but not GGT) up to month 18; subsequently AST and ALT serum levels increased, reaching values comparable to baseline by 24 months. In patients with histological stage IV disease no significant change in liver enzymes was observed during the follow-up. HY and PIIIP serum levels failed to show significant changes during UDCA treatment in the three groups of patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Different response to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in primary biliary cirrhosis according to severity of disease. 828 73

The administration of ursodeoxycholic acid, a hydrophilic bile acid not hepatotoxic to humans, has been suggested for treatment of primary biliary cirrhosis to improve cholestasis and reduce hepatocellular damage. Efficacy of treatment has been studied mainly in patients with asymptomatic or early-stage disease. In January 1988, to establish the efficacy and safety of ursodeoxycholic acid in a population with more severe disease, we started a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in patients with symptomatic disease, that is, with pruritus or serum bilirubin exceeding 2 mg/dl. Forty-four patients were assigned to ursodeoxycholic acid, 500 mg daily (corresponding to about 8.7 mg/kg body weight in these patients), and 44 to a placebo. As planned at the beginning of the study, a preliminary analysis was performed when all patients had been followed for at least 6 months (33 patients up to 12 months). Pruritus, self-evaluated by the patients, and cholestyramine consumption, as recorded in a diary, decreased significantly (p < 0.01) in both groups. In patients who initially had abnormal levels, serum bilirubin decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in the ursodeoxycholic acid group compared to placebo. After 6 months the following were also significantly better in the ursodeoxycholic acid than in the placebo group: a composite weighted biochemical index taking into account the changes in serum bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-GT and AST (p < 0.001); serum prealbumin (p < 0.05); IgG (p < 0.01) and IgM (p < 0.01) levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Ursodeoxycholic acid for symptomatic primary biliary cirrhosis. Preliminary analysis of a double-blind multicenter trial. Italian Multicenter Group for the Study of UDCA in PBC. 831 62

One hundred and one patients were included in a double-blind controlled trial to determine whether malotilate (diisopropyl 1,3-dithiol-2-ylidene malonate) is therapeutically effective in primary biliary cirrhosis. Fifty-two patients received malotilate (500 mg three times a day) and 49 patients placebo. The mean follow-up time was 28 months (range 6-46 months). The large majority of patients did not have advanced liver disease since only ten patients were in Child-Pugh class B and none in class C, and the median bilirubin and albumin at entry were normal. Malotilate had no clear effect on pruritus. In malotilate recipients the following statistically significant biochemical changes occurred: alkaline phosphatase decreased 21%, AST 20%, ALT 40%, IgA 12% and IgM 26%. In the placebo group no significant changes occurred. Evaluation of entry and 2-year liver biopsies indicated that malotilate diminished plasma cell and lymphocytic infiltrate and piece-meal necrosis, but had no effect on liver fibrosis. There was no difference in survival or in disease progression according to Child-Pugh criteria. In six patients receiving malotilate, but in none on placebo, treatment was discontinued due to suspected side effects. All patients recovered completely. We conclude that malotilate has an immune-modulating, anti-inflammatory but not anti-fibrotic effect in primary biliary cirrhosis. The clinical relevance of the observed benefits, however, appears too slight to recommend malotilate as single drug therapy in primary biliary cirrhosis.
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PMID:The results of a randomized double blind controlled trial evaluating malotilate in primary biliary cirrhosis. A European multicentre study group. 844 37

A cholestatic syndrome has been reported as one of the main side effects of CyA therapy. The aim of the present study was to evaluate frequency and degree of severity of the cholestatic syndrome in a group of patients with renal transplant treated with CyA. In 55 patients we evaluated both clinical: jaundice, pruritus, presence of biliary lithiasis and biochemical parameters: total serum biliary salts (TBS), total bilirubin (TB), alkaline phosphatase (AP), gammaglutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), transaminase (AST, ALT), cholesterol (CT), triglycerides (TG), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and compared them with a control group matched for sex and age. In the transplant patients significantly higher values of TBS, TB, AP (p < 0.05) were found; 55% of the patients had above mean values of at least one of the classical parameters of liver function and an higher frequency of biliary lithiasis was also found, in the absence of the classical risk factors. However, none of the patients presented severe signs of hepatic disease and to date it has never been necessary to stop treatment. In conclusion, our study shows that the dosage of CyA used at present is quite safe; however, it is necessary to monitor in these patients some parameters of liver function to prevent the minor side effects we observed from progressing into more serious damage.
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PMID:[Effects of cyclosporin A on various indices of cholestasis in kidney transplant recipients]. 856 Mar 51

In a multicenter, double-blind clinical trial in 1,968 inpatients 1 daily subcutaneous administration of LMW heparin plus 2 placebo injections or 3 x 5,000 IU unfractionated (UF) heparin was given for 10 (8-11) days. The primary end point was the incidence of proximal deep-vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. Patients were assessed during the study period for development of proximal deep-vein thrombosis by compression sonography at days 1 and 10 and for pulmonary embolism by scintigraphy in symptomatic patients. Aim of the study was to demonstrate the equivalence of both treatment regimens. A total of 1,968 patients were randomized to receive UF or LMW heparin. Of these, 378 patients were excluded during the study period, so that 780 patients on UF and 810 on LMW heparin were included in the efficacy analysis. Four primary end points were observed with UF and 6 with LMW heparin, demonstrating the equivalence of treatments (p = 0.012). Additionally, pulmonary embolism was suspected as the cause of death in 6 patients who died during the study (3 per treatment group). A higher frequency of death (n = 32) was observed in the LMW-heparin group (p = 0.02) particularly documented in a part of the centers. Safety analysis showed a higher frequency of local pruritus, local erythema and subcutaneous hematoma, a higher increase in plasma levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, and a decrease of antithrombin III in patients receiving UF heparin. A decrease in platelet count (values ranging between 40,000 and 80,000/microliter) was observed in 4 patients with UF and in none with LMW heparin. No severe thrombocytopenia was observed. Subcutaneous LMW heparin is as effective as UF heparin for prophylaxis of thromboembolism in bedridden, hospitalized medical patients.
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PMID:Subcutaneous low-molecular-weight heparin versus standard heparin and the prevention of thromboembolism in medical inpatients. The Heparin Study in Internal Medicine Group. 873 87


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