Toward a chronoimmunomodulation by cefodizime in multiple myeloma and chronic uremia

Nine healthy subjects, 19 patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and 21 patients with chronic uremia were given cefodizime (2 g i.v.) at 2 different timepoints either in the morning or in the evening for 5 to 7 consecutive days. The following immunological parameters were comparatively evaluated before and after cefodizime administration: rosette-forming cells (RFC%), T lymphocyte subpopulations, monocyte chemotaxis index (MCI) and granulocyte chemotaxis index (GCI). Independently of the time of drug administration, a circadian rhythm was clearly detected (90% CI) as regards RFC%, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD4/CD8 before and RFC%, CD3, CD4, CD8, GCI after therapy. In addition, in patients treated at 0800 cefodizime increased the MESOR of the MCI and, to a lesser extent, of the GCI. The chronoimmunomodulatory effects of cefodizime in patients with MM and chronic uremia are discussed.     

Chronobiologic serial sections of several orders

The chronobiologic serial section is described. Its applicability to the analysis of nonequidistant data is emphasized. Its ability to detect and quantify multiple components is discussed and exemplified on simulated series with various amounts of additive Gaussian noise. This least-squares method is discussed in the context of a number of complementary procedures such as complex demodulation and linear-nonlinear least-squares rhythmometry.     

Usefulness of circadian amplitude of blood pressure in predicting hypertensive cardiac involvement.

Twenty-four-hour blood pressure (BP) profiles of 56 patients diagnosed as 'hypertensive' by WHO criteria were analyzed by the fit of a 24-hour cosine curve according to the single cosinor method. A left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was also assessed by two-dimensional echocardiography on each patient as a gauge of target organ involvement. LVMI and the BP MESOR correlates positively for systolic, S (r = 0.324), mean arterial, MA (r = 0.334) and diastolic, D (r = 0.267) BP (P less than 0.05), yet no statistically significant linear correlation between LVMI and the circadian BP amplitude (one-half of predictable change) was found. When a second-degree polynomial regression was fitted to the circadian BP amplitudes, an association was found (SBP: R2 = 0.138, P = 0.02; MAP: R2 = 0.167, P = 0.01; DBP: R2 = 0.128, P less than 0.01). The corresponding curves were characterized by peaks in the circadian amplitudes of SBP, MAP and DBP around a value of LVMI between 110 and 120 g/m2. For further scrutiny, three subgroups had been formed on the basis of literature, a priori with respect to the LVMI (group 1: LVMI less than 100); group 2: 100 less than LVMI less than 130; group 3: 130 less than LVMI). For MESORs, there was no difference between groups 1 and 2, whereas the MESOR of group 3 were larger than the other two groups. The circadian BP amplitudes of group 2 were larger than those of the other two groups for SBP, MAP and DBP. An increasing LVMI precedes a definitive increase of BP MESOR and coincides with an increase in the circadian BP amplitude; thus an increase in extent of circadian changes can alert the self-monitoring population of a target organ involvement.     

Circannual changes in ventricular function assessed by echocardiography.

Cardiac function may vary predictably along the 1-year scale. A circannual rhythm, more or less in phase is documented for 5 echocardiographic variables in clinically healthy Japanese adults.     

Timing of medical diagnosis and treatment: clino-circadian quantification of suppression by dexamethasone of the adrenal cortical cycle in healthy men

The inhibitory effect exerted upon the cyclic activity of the adrenal cortex by a synthetic steroid analog (dexamethasone-21-phosphate) administered at different circadian stages, has been studied previously. Reexamination of the same data by microscopic methods herein provides two sets of objective quantitative endpoints for further studies, namely 1. the characteristics of a rhythm isolated from a superimposed trend as well as noise, and 2. the endpoints of the trend itself. These endpoints quantify the effect of dose and, with the appropriate dose, the optimal timing for a given purpose may also be found.     

Testing period for single cosinor: extent of human 24-h cardiovascular 'synchronization' on ordinary routine

A clinically healthy woman monitored her systolic and diastolic blood pressure and pulse for 26 days at approximately 10-min intervals, with interruptions. Data over subspans of varying length were analyzed by single cosinor. A method for testing a period assumed to characterize data analyzed by single cosinor was introduced and programmed to compute a 95% confidence interval for the circadian period. Statistically significant deviations from precisely 24 h were found. The likelihood of their occurrence was found to vary as a function of the length of the interval analyzed. Under ordinary conditions in health, the circadian period may vary around 24 h, indicating that strict frequency-synchronization with the environment need not occur on a short-term basis. Deviations from an average circadian period may be brought about in part by infradian components modulating the circadian rhythm and by day-to-day changes in waveform.