This study aimed to investigate and compare the antagonistic effects of atipamezole, yohimbine and prazosin on medetomidine-induced diuresis in healthy cats. Five cats were repeatedly used in each of the 9 groups. One group was not medicated. Cats in the other groups received 40 µg/kg medetomidine intramuscularly and saline (as the control), 160 µg/kg prazosin, or 40, 160 or 480 µg/kg atipamezole or yohimbine intravenously 0.5 hr later. Volume, pH and specific gravity of urine; plasma arginine vasopressin (AVP) level; and creatinine, osmolality and electrolyte levels in both urine and plasma were measured. Both atipamezole and yohimbine, but not prazosin, antagonized medetomidine-induced diuresis. The antidiuretic effect of atipamezole was more potent than that of yohimbine, but was not dose dependent, in contrast to the effect of yohimbine at the tested doses. Both atipamezole and yohimbine reversed medetomidine-induced decreases in both urine specific gravity and osmolality and increases in plasma osmolality and free-water clearance. Antidiuresis of either atipamezole or yohimbine was not related to the area under the curve for AVP level, although the highest dose of both atipamezole and yohimbine initially and temporarily increased plasma AVP levels, suggesting that this may partly influence the antidiuretic effects of both agents. The diuretic effect of medetomidine in cats may be mediated by α2-adrenoceptors, but not α1-adrenoceptors. Atipamezole and yohimbine can be used as antagonistic agents against medetomidine-induced diuresis in healthy cats.
Background
Patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) often suffer from psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety disorder and depression. These psychiatric disorders may affect the treatment of MG.
Aim
This study aimed to closely examine psychiatric disorders in MG patients and identify influential factors.
Methods
We retrospectively surveyed 103 MG patients regarding clinical characteristics, and development and exacerbation of psychiatric disorders. In addition, we compared comorbid psychiatric disorders in patients with myositis, which is also treated with steroids, and patients with MG.
Results
Of the 103 MG patients, 24 had psychiatric disorders. This included 10 patients with depression, six with anxiety disorder, three with paranoia, two with delirium, one with somatoform disorder, one with schizophrenia, and one with personality disorder. We found that psychiatric disorders were associated with disease state of MG in 12 of the 24 patients. Based on our analysis, psychiatric symptoms were not associated with oral steroid doses. Furthermore, in patients with myositis, which is treated with steroids for a long period of time similar to MG, the incidence of comorbid psychiatric disorders tended to be lower.
Conclusion
These results suggest that psychiatric disorders in patients with MG are associated with the disease state of MG rather than oral steroid doses. The development or exacerbation of psychiatric disorders may interfere with the treatment of MG; therefore, attention should be paid to the onset of psychiatric disorders, which should be treated appropriately as soon as possible.
Pathophysiological and nutritional conditions often affect the expression of drug-metabolizing enzymes. SHR/NDmcr-cp (cp/cp) rats (SHR/NDcp) are highly suitable as a metabolic syndrome (MS) model. Nevertheless, little is known about the expression profile of cytochrome P450 (CYP) in the liver of SHR/NDcp. We thus attempted to clarify the expression profile of CYP genes and the effect of fish oil (FO) on this profile in the liver of SHR/NDcp. Lower levels of CYP3A2 mRNA and CYP3A activity (testosterone 6β-hydroxylation) were distinctive features in SHR/NDcp compared with their controls (Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY), spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), stroke-prone SHR and lean littermates of SHR/NDcp). Differently from CYP3A2, the expression of other CYP isoforms was largely unchanged in SHR/NDcp. The changes in CYP profile observed in SHR/NDcp are similar to those of patients with diabetes and simple hepatic steatosis. Feeding on FO at a high dose (18.8% in the diet) upregulated CYP3A2 gene expression and CYP3A activity in the liver; the extent of these increases was greater in SHR/NDcp than in WKY and lean littermates of SHR/NDcp. This effect was not observed with FO at a normal dose (5% in the diet). These results indicate that, in the context of the CYP profile, SHR/NDcp is an animal model that is suitable for studying MS and imply that FO intake is critical in determining the efficacy or adverse effects of drugs in patients with MS.
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