ABSTRACT
The results of a randomized, single-blind, multi-clinic study comparing the therapeutic efficacy and degree of oral staining of new colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS) coated tablets over 4 weeks of treatment in patients suffering from duodenal ulceration are reported. The data were collected from 9 clinics in the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Italy. The results from 94 patients treated with CBS coated tablets and 95 patients treated with CBS chewing tablets were statistically evaluated. Healing rates after 4 weeks of therapy appeared to be 76% for CBS coated tablets and 72% for CBS chewing tablets, so no statistically significant difference in therapeutic efficacy was seen. A highly significant degree of discolouration of all parts of the oral cavity was observed in patients treated with CBS chewing tablets, whereas only a few patients treated with CBS coated tablets experienced a slight staining of the tongue. Blood bismuth concentrations during the study had a range of less than or equal to 3 to 33 micrograms/l. The new CBS coated tablet form has an excellent patient compliance as compared to the chewing tablets.
Subject(s)
Bismuth/administration & dosage , Duodenal Ulcer/drug therapy , Organometallic Compounds , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Bismuth/blood , Clinical Trials as Topic , Duodenal Ulcer/blood , Dyspepsia/drug therapy , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Random Allocation , TabletsABSTRACT
Five patients undergoing endoscopic injection of oesophageal varices were anaesthetised with etomidate 0.2 mg/kg followed by an infusion at a rate of 20 micrograms/kg/minute. Fentanyl 100-200 micrograms was also given intravenously and the patients' lungs were ventilated with oxygen in air. The postinfusion plasma etomidate concentration was described by a three compartment model with a mean half-life of 540 minutes (SEM 66.9) and volume of distribution of 8.9 litres/kg (SEM 0.6). Clearance was 12.7 ml/kg/minute (SEM 2.3). Compared to results in the literature obtained from normal patients, these cirrhotic patients had normal clearance rates, but the distribution volume and elimination half-life were twice as great. This suggests that cirrhotic patients metabolise etomidate normally, but the volume of distribution is doubled, thus resulting in prolonged elimination half-lives.
