Captopril or atenolol in essential hypertension

Twenty-five patients with essential hypertension were randomly assigned to treatment with either captopril or atenolol. There were 15 males and 10 females and their mean age was 53 years, range 32-66 years. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly reduced by atenolol 50-100 mg once daily. Captopril 25-50 mg 3 times daily caused a significant decrease in supine diastolic but not in systolic blood pressure. After the addition of hydrochlorothiazide (25-50 mg) to those who did not become normotensive (supine diastolic blood pressure less than 95 mm Hg) on captopril or atenolol alone, blood pressure was further reduced. Captopril combined with hydrochlorothiazide significantly reduced both supine and standing blood pressure by 31/17 mm Hg (p less than 0.01) and 33/18 mm Hg (p less than 0.001) respectively. Atenolol combined with hydrochlorothiazide caused a significant decrease of both recumbent and standing blood pressure by 21/10 mm Hg (p less than 0.01) and 23/13 mm Hg (p less than 0.05 systolic, p less than 0.001 diastolic). The reduction of systolic blood pressure was significantly better with the captopril/hydrochlorothiazide combination, while there was no difference between the groups as regards diastolic blood pressure reduction. Thus, hydrochlorothiazide potentiates the blood pressure lowering effect of captopril more than of atenolol. This could be due to a synergistic interaction between captopril and hydrochlorothiazide.

Mode of action of beta-adrenoceptor blocking agents in hypertension. A comparison between metoprolol and pindolol with special reference to peripheral vascular effects

beta-Adrenoceptor blocking drugs are generally recognized as being effective in the treatment of hypertension. The mechanisms whereby these drugs reduce blood pressure are, however, not fully understood. In a double-blind, randomized study either metoprolol, 100--300 mg/day, or pindolol, 5--15 mg/day, was given for 6 months and the effects on blood pressure, heart rate and vascular resistance in the calf and forearm were investigated. Measurements were made at rest, during and after physical exercise, and during postischaemic hyperaemia. Both drugs reduced blood pressure to the same extent both at rest and during and after exercise. Metoprolol reduced heart rate to a greater extent than pindolol at rest and after exercise, whereas no difference was seen during physical exercise. Pindolol reduced the vascular resistance in the calf at rest by 14% (p less than 0.05), whereas metoprolol tended to increase vascular resistance, the difference in effect being highly significant (p less than 0.005). During and after leg exercise, there was no difference in forearm vascular resistance between the two drugs. It may be concluded that pindolol reduced resting blood pressure partly through peripheral vasodilatation. This was probably an effect of beta 2-adrenoceptor stimulation linked to the pronounced intrinsic sympathomimetic activity (ISA) of pindolol. Metoprolol on the other hand, acted mainly through cardiac mechanisms, as suggested by its pronounced reduction of heart rate.

Hemodynamic and hormonal changes induced by noise

Eighteen healthy male volunteers with normal hearing were exposed to industrial noise at different sound levels (75, 85 and 95 dB A) in a noise laboratory. Blood pressure, heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output were recorded with noninvasive techniques. Adrenaline and noradrenaline concentration in venous plasma were analyzed before and during noise exposure. The mean resting blood pressure of the whole group was 120/70 mm Hg. During noise stimulation diastolic blood pressure increased (12.2%, p less than 0.001) as did mean arterial pressure (6.6%, p less than 0.001) and total peripheral resistance (12.7%, p less than 0.001). Stroke volume (7.3%, p less than 0.001) and cardiac output (5.0%, p less than 0.01) were both reduced at 95 dB A. Heart rate and systolic blood pressure did not change significantly. At 75 and 85 dB A there were similar but smaller changes in the hemodynamic parameters. There were no changes in adrenaline and noradrenaline in plasma during maximal noise exposure. The noise induced hemodynamic changes remained 5 minutes after the noise stimulation was stopped but had disappeared after 10 minutes of rest.

Predictors of stroke in the elderly

Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease and cigarette smoking have repeatedly been identified as risk factors for stroke in young and middle-aged individuals. In order to find predicting factors for stroke in the elderly we assessed health characteristics in 55 stroke victims in the age range 65-75 years (mean 70.7 +/- 2.7) allocated to our stroke unit at Ostra University Hospital in Gothenburg. For comparison we used data from 2,009 individuals participating in the ongoing longitudinal population study "70-year-old people in Gothenburg, Sweden". Among the stroke victims we found a higher prevalence of hypertension (63.5% vs. 27.8%, p less than 0.001), diabetes mellitus (21.8% vs. 6.2%, p less than 0.001) and a history of previous myocardial infarction (12.7% vs. 4.8%, p less than 0.01), thus confirming previous findings. There was no difference with regard to smoking habits (32.7% vs. 27.5%, NS), which is at variance with findings in the young and middle-aged.

Long-term hypotensive effect of atenolol (ICI 66.082), a new beta-adrenergic blocking agent

A report is given from an on-going multicenter trial in Sweden, in which 117 hypertensive patients have been treated with a new cardioselective beta-adrenergic blocking agent, atenolol (ICI 66.082, Tenormin) for an average of six months (range 2-21). Statistically significant reductions of BP were observed, recumbent by 29/19 mmHg (p less than 0.0001) and standing by 28/18 mmHg (p less than 0.0001). Few and comparatively mild side-effects were seen.

Malignant hypertension--improving prognosis in a rare disease

A follow-up was made of 69 patients diagnosed as having malignant hypertension during 1969--76, essential in 26, secondary in 39 and unclassified in 4. A clear male dominance was seen (41 men, 28 women), particularly in the group with essential hypertension (18 men, 8 women). The mortality in this series was less than in previously published series. Thus, the 5-year survival rate was 75% in the patients with essential and 72% in those with secondary hypertension. In part this was due to haemodialysis and renal transplantation. The importance of renal function at the time of diagnosis was evident in this study. In most patients with essential hypertension and serum creatinine levels below 300 mumol/l, renal function could be maintained or improved when antihypertensive treatment was instituted, whereas progression of the renal damage was seen in those with serum creatinine levels above 300 mumol/l in spite of antihypertensive treatment with 3 or more drugs. The incidence of new cases of malignant hypertension tended to decrease during the observation period, particularly as regards essential hypertension.

Long-term effects of captopril and atenolol in essential hypertension

Fifty patients with mild or moderate essential hypertension were randomized (double-blindly) to treatment with either captopril (n = 26) or atenolol (n = 24). Their mean supine diastolic blood pressure after placebo was 100-125 mmHg. The study included an initial dose finding phase (12 weeks) during which the dosages of captopril and atenolol were increased stepwise every second week in order to obtain normotension (supine diastolic blood pressure less than 95 mmHg). Hydrochlorothiazide was added when necessary. During the second phase of the study the patients were followed on active treatment for 2 years. After the initial 12 weeks of active treatment, recumbent and standing blood pressures had fallen significantly both in the captopril group (by 31/20 and 33/19 mmHg, p less than 0.001) and in the atenolol group (by 24/18 and 30/20 mmHg, p less than 0.01 (systolic), p less than 0.001 (diastolic)). The antihypertensive effect was maintained in both groups during long-term treatment. The antihypertensive effect of both agents was potentiated to the same extent by addition of hydrochlorothiazide. Side-effects were few and mild. It can be concluded that both captopril and atenolol are safe and effective antihypertensive drugs.

Hemodynamic effects of combined beta-adrenoceptor blockade and precapillary vasodilatation in hypertension

Carvedilol (BM14190) is a new compound with combined properties of nonselective beta-adrenoceptor blockade, devoid of ISA, and precapillary vasodilatation. Its acute hemodynamic effects were studied with invasive technique (dye-dilution using Cardio-Green) in 10 patients taking 25 mg orally and noninvasive (fore-arm plethysmography) in 10 patients taking 25 mg and in 10 patients taking 50 mg orally, all with essential hypertension. Significant reductions of systolic and diastolic blood pressures (p less than 0.05 - 0.001) were observed in all groups. TPR did not change acutely whereas resistance in the fore-arm was reduced by 16% (p less than 0.05). When a comparison with propranolol (80 mgx2) was made in a randomized, double-blind placebo controlled trial comprising 30 patients with essential hypertension, carvedilol acutely reduced blood pressure significantly 13/6 mm Hg (25 mg) and 17/10 mm Hg (50 mg) in contrast to propranolol. Resistance in the fore-arm (plethysmography) fell significantly with carvedilol 50 mg whereas propranolol caused a significant rise. After 4 weeks both compounds had reduced blood pressure significantly and to the same extent. Blood flow was still reduced with propranolol in contrast to the findings with carvedilol. We conclude that carvedilol given orally has a useful antihypertensive effect both acutely and during prolonged treatment. It has an attractive hemodynamic profile.

Blood pressure and response to "stress" in 11-16 year old children

Blood pressure at rest and cardiovascular response to "stress" were studied in 27 girls and 33 boys 11-16 years old. One group (HT, n = 23) had hypertensive mothers with a previous hypertensive pregnancy, another group (NT, n = 20) had normotensive mothers with a previous hypertensive pregnancy and the control group (C, n = 17) had normotensive mothers with normotensive pregnancies. Resting blood pressure was 124/71 mmHg (HT), 117/67 mmHg (NT) and 112/65 mmHg in the 3 groups. Systolic pressure was significantly different in all 3 groups (p less than 0.05 - p less than 0.001). Responses to noise stimulation (100 dBA) were identical in all groups with increases in diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure and cardiac output. During a video game session increases in blood pressure and heart rate were equal in the groups but during physical exercise a slight decrease in diastolic blood pressure was seen in the NT and C groups only. Differences in blood pressure in children with varying maternal history of hypertension do not seem to reflect alterations in the cardiovascular response pattern to "stress".

A hemodynamic study of arteriolar changes in patients with previous malignant hypertension

Blood flow resistance was studied in two peripheral vascular beds in 15 patients with previous malignant hypertension and in matched groups of patients with "benign" hypertension and control subjects. Both hypertensive groups had significantly higher resistance in the hands (skin vessel bed) at maximal dilatation (2.5 and 2.5 U, respectively) than the normotensive group (1.9 U) (p less than 0.01). This increase indicates structural changes in the arteriolar wall in both hypertensive groups. It indicates a similar degree of adaptation of the vascular changes to the present blood pressure level in both hypertensive groups, although the initial blood pressure had been much higher in the group with previous malignant hypertension than in the group with "benign" hypertension. Different findings were made in the calves (muscle vessel bed), and the most severe changes were found in patients with previous malignant hypertension. Resistance at maximal dilatation was 2.4 U compared to 1.9 U in the group with "benign" hypertension (p less than 0.05) and 1.6 U in the control group (p less than 0.001 and p less than 0.05, respectively).

Noise as a contributory factor in the development of elevated arterial pressure. A study of the mechanisms by which noise may raise blood pressure in man

Arterial pressure and other hemodynamic variables (stroke volume (SV), cardiac output and total peripheral resistance) were studied in 18 healthy males before and during exposure to recorded industrial noise. All measurements took place under strictly standardized conditions in a noise laboratory. the frequency distribution and level of noise used for stimulation were continuously monitored and kept constant within close limits throughout the experiments. SV was measured with impedance cardiography. Indirect blood pressure (BP) in the brachial artery was measured with an automatic device and the derived parameters, cardiac output and total peripheral resistance, were calculated from these measurements. Compared with resting conditions at 40 dBA, stimulation with industrial noise at 95 dBA caused significant increases in diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure and total peripheral resistance. Minor but statistically significant reductions of SV and cardiac output were seen. Heart rate and systolic BP did not change. These alterations of the hemodynamic variables persisted throughout 20 min of noise stimulation and were maintained for 5 min following cessation of noise stimulation. All variables had returned to their initial levels 10 min after discontinuation of noise stimulation. This study suggests that exposure to industrial noise at levels prevailing during several industrial processes may cause acute elevations of arterial BP and peripheral vascular resistance. In animal studies, repeated elevations of BP due to exposure to noise have been shown to cause a permanent elevation of BP. Therefore, we suggest that noise may be one of several external stimuli contributing to the development of arterial hypertension in man.

What works for whom in a computer-mediated communication intervention in community psychiatry? Moderators of outcome in a cluster randomized trial

OBJECTIVE

An intervention to structure patient-key worker communication has been tested in a randomized controlled trial. The aim of this paper was to investigate effectiveness of the intervention in terms of moderators of effectiveness.

METHOD

A total of 507 patients with schizophrenia were included. Moderators of effectiveness were investigated using two-way anovas.

RESULTS

Patients with a better relationship with their key worker and a shorter duration of illness at baseline benefited more from the intervention in terms of quality of life. Patients who received the intervention who were in competitive employment or had a shorter duration of illness showed greater reduction of unmet needs. Older patients receiving the intervention had better treatment satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

Outcome of the intervention was moderated by patient characteristics. Moreover, the moderating characteristics varied depending on the specific outcome. Evidence on moderators is very limited, even though, they are significant for understanding, targeting and implementing complex interventions.

Development of a dendritic cell-based vaccine for chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Evidence for the existence of CLL-specific antigens recognized by the immune system can be gathered from the observation that many patients display monoclonal or oligoclonal expansions and skewed repertoire of T cells. In vitro functional studies have shown that tumor-specific T-cells are able to lyse the leukemic cells. Antileukemic cellular immunity may be boosted in vivo using dendritic cell-based immunotherapy. Our preclinical studies provide evidence that DC that had endocytosed apoptotic CLL cells (Apo-DC) were superior to fusion hybrids, tumor lysate or RNA in eliciting antileukemic T-cell responses in vitro. We have validated a method for enriching the small number of monocyte precursors present in the peripheral blood of CLL patients and utilize them for generating individualized, Apo-DC cellular vaccines. In most cases, a minimum of 50 x 10(6) Apo-DC could be generated, beginning with immunomagnetically enriched monocytes from a single leukapheresis product containing at least 1% CD14+ cells. Cryopreservation and thawing did not affect the phenotype or the T cell stimulatory function of Apo-DC. A phase I/II, open label clinical trial examining the feasibility, safety and immunogenicity of Apo-DC vaccination has been initiated. CLL patients receive 10(7) Apo-DC for at least five immunizations and monitored clinically and immunologically for 52 weeks. Three cohorts are accrued stepwise. Cohort I receives Apo-DC alone; Cohort II: Apo-DC+ repeated doses of low-dose GM-CSF; Cohort III: low-dose cyclophosphamide followed by Apo-DC + GM-CSF.

Objective social outcomes index (SIX): a method to summarise objective indicators of social outcomes in mental health care

OBJECTIVE

No method has yet been established to summarise different objective indicators of social outcomes into one score. The study aimed to develop and test a simple, brief and meaningful index of social outcomes that can be used across a broad range of mental health studies and is potentially obtainable from routine documentation.

METHOD

An index capturing employment, accommodation and living situation (range from 0 to 6; SIX) was devised and tested in three longitudinal datasets of patients with severe mental illness from Germany, Sweden and the UK.

RESULTS

SIX showed an almost normal distribution cross-sectionally in all three datasets. Between 58 and 78% of patients changed scores over time. Change scores were weakly associated with change scores of symptoms, quality of life, global functioning and disability.

CONCLUSION

A simple method to summarise different indicators of social outcomes provides meaningful results. It can be widely used in research and routine care.

Construct validity of a health questionnaire intended to measure the subjective experience of health among patients in mental health services

Mental health services have been lacking systematic health-promoting activities, and health is often perceived as the absence of disease from a biomedical perspective. It is vital to develop methods to assess perceived health among patients in a broader perspective. The aim of the study was to investigate construct validity of a newly developed health questionnaire intended to measure subjectively experienced health among patients in mental health services. A cross-sectional study, including a randomly selected sample of 139 outpatients in contact with the mental health services, was performed in order to explore the relationship between perceived health and self-reported levels of self-esteem, symptoms, empowerment, quality of life and experiences of stigmatization. Self-esteem, symptoms, empowerment and quality of life altogether accounted for 70% of the variation in overall perceived health. Overall perceived health showed positive associations to self-esteem, empowerment and quality of life and negative associations to psychiatric symptoms, discrimination and rejection experiences. The findings suggest that perceived health as measured by the health questionnaire can be a meaningful and valid construct that may be useful for measuring health in clinical mental healthcare practice and in mental health services research.

Steroid regulation of glue protein genes in Drosophila melanogaster

Transcript accumulation of the 3C glue protein gene Sgs-4 was induced in cultured salivary glands of Drosophila third instar larvae by supplementing the culture medium with 20-OH-ecdysone. The salivary glands were isolated from hormone-deficient larvae of the temperature-sensitive mutant l(1)su(f)ts67g, which were shifted from permissive (25 degrees C) to restrictive temperature (30 degrees C) at 60 h after oviposition. At the permissive temperature the glue protein are expressed during the latter half of the third instar. At the restrictive temperature there is no detectable or an extremely reduced accumulation of the 3C glue protein gene transcripts in these larvae. Induction of transcript accumulation was demonstrated by increased amounts of glue gene RNAs in the 20-OH-ecdysone supplemented salivary glands. Maximum accumulation was reached within 1 h after supplementation. The induction of accumulation was inhibited by a concentration of cycloheximide that repressed total protein synthesis, suggesting that 20-OH-ecdysone acts indirectly on the 3C glue gene by inducing synthesis of a protein(s) required transcript accumulation. We also show that there is a more rapid disappearance of 3C transcripts from salivary glands cultured in the presence of 20-OH-ecdysone than from glands cultured in its absence. This hormone-induced disappearance is, in contrast to the 68C transcripts, not inhibited by cycloheximide.

Idiotype vaccination in patients with myeloma reduced circulating myeloma cells (CMC)

BACKGROUND

Circulating myeloma cells (CMC), exhibiting the same immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene rearrangements as the plasma cells, are part of the myeloma clone. In this study, we evaluated the effect of idiotype (Id) vaccination on CMC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eleven patients were immunized with the autologous Id in combinations with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin 12, and followed for CMC by quantitative real-time allele-specific PCR. Id-specific T cells were monitored by proliferation assay, enzyme-linked immunospot (interferon-gamma) assay, and quantitative real-time PCR for cytokines. Regulatory T (T(reg)) cells were analyzed by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

CMC were detected in 9 of 11 patients at start of vaccination. In four patients, CMC declined and two had a complete molecular remission. Further two patients had stable levels of CMC during follow-up, while in three patients CMC progressively increased. Six patients had a vaccine-induced Id-specific T-cell response. A significant correlation was observed between reduced/stable levels of CMC and the Id-specific T cells (P < 0.02). The frequency of T(reg) cells was decreased in immune responders, but increased in immune nonresponders (P < 0.05). No significant change in the serum M-protein concentration was, however, observed in any patient.

CONCLUSION

Id vaccination reduced CMC, which correlated with vaccine-induced Id-specific T cells. Further studies are warranted to analyze the clinical significance of CMC and clinical effects of Id vaccination.

Expression of erythropoietin receptor and in vitro functional effects of epoetins in B-cell malignancies

PURPOSE

Erythropoietin (EPO) and EPO receptor (EPO-R) expression have been reported in solid tumors and are claimed to regulate tumor growth; however, no data have been published on this issue in B-cell malignancies or normal lymphoid cells. This report describes genomic/protein EPO-R expression and in vitro effects of recombinant human EPO (epoetin) in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL), mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL), and multiple myeloma (MM).

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Blood samples were obtained from patients with B-CLL, MCL, and healthy volunteers, and bone marrow was obtained from MM patients. EPO-R mRNA was detected by reverse transcription-PCR. EPO-R surface expression was investigated by flow cytometry using digoxigenin-labeled epoetin and polyclonal rabbit anti-EPO-R antibody for intracellular receptor. Tumor cell stimulation was determined in vitro using [(3)H]thymidine incorporation and CD69 expression after exposure to epoetin alpha or beta or darbepoetin alpha.

RESULTS

EPO-R mRNA was detected in mononuclear cells from 32 of 41 (78%) B-CLL and 5 of 7 (71%) MCL patients, and 21 of 21 (100%) MM samples. Expression was also detected in highly purified T cells from six of eight B-CLL patients, four of four MM patients, and normal donor B and T cells. Surface EPO-R protein was not detected. Intracellular EPO-R staining with anti-EPO-R antibodies was unspecific. No tumor-stimulatory effect was observed with high epoetin concentrations.

CONCLUSIONS

EPO-R gene is frequently expressed in lymphoid malignancies and normal B and T cells. However, there was no surface protein expression and no epoetin-induced in vitro stimulation of tumor B cells, indicating that epoetin therapy in vivo is likely to be safe in patients with lymphoid malignancies.

Long-term effects of idiotype vaccination on the specific T-cell response in peripheral blood and bone marrow of multiple myeloma patients

OBJECTIVES

To elucidate long-term effects of idiotype (Id) vaccination on Id-specific T cells of multiple myeloma (MM) patients and compare Id-specific T-cell responses of peripheral blood with those of bone marrow (BM).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Id-specific T-cell responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were compared with those of BM mononuclear cells (BMMC) in 10 MM patients vaccinated with the Id protein at a median time of 41 months since the last immunization. The PBMC responses at late follow-up were also compared with those during active immunization. The responses were assessed by a proliferation assay, enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) (gamma-interferon), cytometric bead array (CBA) for secreted cytokines and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) for cytokine gene expression.

RESULTS

At the late testing time, an Id-specific response was detected in PBMC of five patients (ELISPOT, CBA, QRT-PCR) and in BMMC of four patients (CBA, QRT-PCR). A response in both compartments was noted only in three patients. The cytokines gene profile was consistent with a predominance of Th(2) cells [interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-10]. Comparison of the Id-specific responses of PBMC during active immunization with those at the late follow-up showed that the frequency and magnitude of the responses had decreased significantly by time (proliferation/ELISPOT) (P < 0.02) and shifted at the gene level from a Th(1) to a Th(2) profile (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Id-specific T-cells may decline overtime and shift toward a Th(2) response and may be found at a similar frequency of patients in blood and BM.

The construct validity of a self-report questionnaire focusing on health promotion interventions in mental health services

Health promotion has become a widespread concept, although little empirical research as to its importance and outcome has been performed in the mental health field. The aim of the present study was to investigate the construct validity of a newly developed Health Promotion Intervention Questionnaire, intended to measure patients' subjectively experienced health-promoting interventions within mental health services. A total of 135 participants responded to the questionnaire and to validation measures assessing psychiatric symptoms, empowerment, helping alliance and satisfaction with care. Bivariate correlations showed that overall perceived health-promoting interventions were positively correlated to, helping alliance, client satisfaction with care and empowerment. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that the strongest relationship was found between perceived health promotion intervention and helping alliance. In conclusion, the construct validity of the scale was satisfactory, except for one of its subscales where further investigations are needed.