Although it is known that hypercarbia increases and benzodiazepines decrease cerebral blood flow (CBF), the effects of benzodiazepines on CBF responsiveness to CO2 are not well documented. The influence on CBF and CBF-C02 sensitivity of placebo or midazolam, which is a new water-soluble benzodiazepine, was measured in eight healthy volunteers using the noninvasive 133Xe inhalation method for CBF determination. Under normocarbia, midazolam decreased CBF from 40.6 ± 3.2 to 27.0 ± 5.0 ml 100 g−1 min−1 (x̄ ± SD). At a later session under hypercarbia, CBF was 58.8 ± 4.4 ml 100 g−1 min−1 after administration of placebo, and 49.1 ± 10.2 ml 100 g−1 min−1 after midazolam. The mean of the slopes correlating Paco2 and CBF was significantly steeper with midazolam (2.5 ± 1.2 ml 100 g−1 min−1 mm Hg−1) than with placebo (1.5 ± 0.4 ml 100 g−1 min−1 mm Hg−1). Our results suggest that midazolam may be a safe agent to use in patients with intracranial hypertension, since it decreases CBF and thus cerebral blood volume; however, it should be administered with caution in nonventilated patients with increased intracranial pressure, since its beneficial effects on cerebrovascular tone can be readily counteracted by the increase in arterial CO2 tension induced by this drug.
SummaryIn clinical practice, intravenous immunoglobulin therapy (IVIG) is used in the management of a wide variety of medical conditions. Observational studies examining IVIG use in routine clinical practice are therefore an important means of validating findings from more strictly randomized controlled trials of patients with specific conditions. In this observational study, we examined the tolerability of a high-concentration (12%) ready-to-use liquid IVIG (Redimune® NF Liquid) when used in the standard management of a diverse range of conditions (including primary immunodeficiency diseases, neurology conditions, oncology conditions and immune thrombocytopaenic purpura). IVIG regimen and dose were selected by the physician based on the summary of product characteristics. During the study, 193 infusions were administered to 51 patients in 153 infusion cycles (per infusion cycle: one to five infusions; mean dose, 347·6 mg/kg; mean duration, 202·4 min). The mean maximum infusion rate per cycle was 2·9 mg/kg/min, demonstrating that the infusion rate was often higher than that recommended in the summary of product characteristics. Redimune® NF Liquid was well tolerated: there were 36 adverse reactions (at least probably associated with IVIG) in 10 patients (19·6% of sample, 0·24 per infusion cycle, 0·19 per infusion). The most common adverse reaction was headache (50% of reactions), followed by chills (13·8%). Most reactions (69%) were mild and there were no serious or unexpected reactions. In conclusion, in routine clinical practice involving patients with many different conditions, Redimune® NF Liquid was well tolerated by the majority of patients.
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