Diprolene
The effects of intra-articular deposition of betamethasone in the goat temporomandibular joint.

Sewall SR, Ryan DE, Kwon PH, Oyen OJ.

Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the response of the articular surfaces of the normal goat temporomandibular joint (TMJ) to intra-articular injections of betamethasone suspension. METHODS: Thirty female goats were divided into four experimental groups of seven each and one control group of two animals. The design resulted in 24 joints receiving from one to nine weekly injections of betamethasone suspension, 0.085 mg/kg. The 24 contralateral joints received an identical array of saline injections. In the remaining 12 joints, four were unilaterally injected with saline, four were unilateral uninjected joints, and four were bilateral uninjected joints. All of the joints were inspected grossly and histologically assessed for any intra-articular changes associated with corticosteroid injections. RESULTS: Comparative examination of the gross and histologic features of the injected joints and the eight normal joints showed no significant adverse effects on nondiseased TMJs. CONCLUSION: Intra-articular injection of betamethasone suspension at the dosage and delivery rate used had no harmful effects on the TMJs of nondiseased adult female goats. Because of possible differences between species, these results should not be taken as an indication that betamethasone suspension will not have adverse effects in the human TMJ. These findings support the need for further investigations into the physical and biochemical responses of normal and diseased articular fibrocartilage to different glucocorticosteroids at various concentrations and delivery rates using the goat and other animal models.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=7490654&dopt=Abstract betamethasone Diprolene AF



Diprolene
Prenatal starvation, betamethasone and lung development in newborn rats.

Stettner S, Ledwozyw A.

1st Clinic of General Surgery, Medical Academy, Lublin, Poland.

This study examined the potential benefit of simultaneous transplacental betamethasone, which accelerates fetal lung maturation. Pregnant rats were placed in one of 4 groups: Control (C), fed ad libitum until term and given daily physiological saline injections from day 15 of gestation until term; Betamethasone (B), fed as group C but given daily physiological saline injections of 2.0 mg betamethasone/kg body weight from day 15 until term; Starved (S), given 50% rations from day 15 until term and injected as group C; Starved+Betamethasone (SB), fed as group S and injected as group B. Controls and group B did not differ in body or lung weight, protein or DNA, but group B lungs contained more lavageable and tissue surfactant. The S neonates weighed about 40% less than controls, with a proportional reduction in lung weight, DNA, protein or lavage and tissue phospholipids. Betamethasone may alleviate the impact of starvation on the developing lung by accelerating the process of alveolarization which was solved by caloric deprivation.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=7491870&dopt=Abstract betamethasone Diprolene AF



Diprolene
The effect of glucocorticosteroid administration on fetal movements and biophysical profile scores in normal pregnancies.

Jackson JR, Kleeman S, Doerzbacher M, Lambers DS.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the E. Kenneth Hatton MD Institute for Research and Education, Good Samaritan Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and quantify the effect of glucocorticosteroid administration on fetal movements and biophysical profile scores. METHODS: Eighteen women at 32-34 weeks' gestation were enrolled. Inclusion criterion was an uncomplicated singleton pregnancy not considered to be at high risk. Patients participated for 3 consecutive days. On day 1, the patients underwent a baseline biophysical profile including a non-stress test followed by a 12-mg betamethasone intramuscular injection. On day 2, the patients received a non-stress test and a second dose of betamethasone. On day 3, a biophysical profile with non-stress test was performed. Maternal counts of fetal kicks were also recorded before, during and after the study period. Each test was conducted at approximately the same time of day to control for diurnal variation. Comparison was made between pre-betamethasone biophysical profile scores and fetal movement and post-betamethasone biophysical profile scores and fetal movement. RESULTS: Biophysical profile scores were reduced in 28% of the study population after betamethasone administration (p < 0.05). Amniotic fluid index on day 3 was decreased from baseline in 72% of patients after betamethasone administration (p < 0.05). Forty-four per cent of patients reported a decrease in fetal movement. Of these patients, 87% had a decreased amniotic fluid index when compared to baseline (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Fetal movements and breathing motion were decreased after glucocorticosteroid administration, as evidenced by biophysical profile scores and kick counts. The decrease in the amniotic fluid index observed after glucocorticosteroid administration may have been the result of decreased fetal breathing and, therefore, decreased efflux of alveolar fluid into the amniotic sac.

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Diprolene
Comparison of the distinct effects of epidermal growth factor and betamethasone on the morphogenesis of the gas exchange region and differentiation of alveolar type II cells in lungs of fetal rhesus monkeys.

Edwards LA, Read LC, Nishio SJ, Weir AJ, Hull W, Barry S, Styne D, Whitsett JA, Tarantal AF, George-Nascimento C, et al.

Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, USA.

To compare the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and betamethasone on the morphogenesis of the gas exchange region and the differentiation of the alveolar type II cell during fetal lung development, fetal rhesus monkeys (78% gestation) were treated in utero with EGF (5.33 mg/kg total dose), beta-methasone (2.6 mg/kg total dose) or the carrier, saline (control), every other day for 7 days. EGF-treated monkeys had significantly increased body and adrenal weights. Betamethasone-treated monkeys had significantly decreased body and adrenal weights. Exogenous EGF reduced cytoplasmic glycogen and increased the cytoplasmic organelle and SP-A content within alveolar type II cells. In contrast, exogenous betamethasone did not alter alveolar type II cell cytodifferentiation. Neither EGF nor betamethasone treatment significantly altered the structure of the gas exchange region as shown by a lack of change from controls in alveolar airspace size or in the fraction of the gas exchange region that was potential airspace. We conclude that at clinically relevant doses, EGF greatly accelerates the maturation of alveolar type II cells, whereas betamethasone does not. Exogenous EGF may act directly on alveolar type II cells because these cells contain EGF receptor. Neither EGF nor betamethasone had dramatic effects on the morphogenesis of the gas exchange region.

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Diprolene
Discrimination of the toxic potential of chemically differing topical glucocorticoids using a neutral red release assay with human keratinocytes and fibroblasts.

Korting HC, Hulsebus E, Kerscher M, Greber R, Schafer-Korting M.

Dermatologische Klinik und Poliklinik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat, Munchen, Germany.

In inflammatory skin disease, hydrocortisone and prednisolone double esters are about equipotent to conventional medium potency topical glucocorticoids, such as betamethasone valerate. Local adverse effects, in particular skin atrophy, are a potential problem with topical glucocorticoids. Recently, cell cultures have shown promise as a means of assessing local tolerance. To investigate the toxic potential of hydrocortisone, hydrocortisone-17-butyrate, hydrocortisone aceponate, prednicarbate, triamcinolone acetonide, betamethasone valerate and desoximethasone, human keratinocytes and fibroblasts were exposed to these agents in vitro, using a modified neutral red release assay. In addition, the morphology of these cells was assessed by light microscopy. Although all the topical glucocorticoids tested proved toxic to both cell types, there were major differences between glucocorticoids in their effect on fibroblasts. Hydrocortisone and the non-halogenated double-ester-type glucocorticoids were less toxic than the conventional medium potency topical glucocorticoids tested (betamethasone valerate and desoximethasone). In particular, hydrocortisone aceponate was less toxic than betamethasone valerate (P < or = 0.05). In general, the effect of topical glucocorticoids on the cells, based on neutral red release, was more marked with keratinocytes than with fibroblasts. Although the ranking order with respect to the toxic potential was similar, a clear-cut difference was not observed between non-halogenated double-ester-type glucocorticoids and betamethasone valerate. Morphological changes due to glucocorticoid exposure followed the same pattern with both keratinocytes and fibroblasts. The neutral red release assay is able to discriminate between the cytotoxic effects of chemically differing topical glucocorticoids on human keratinocytes and fibroblasts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=7669640&dopt=Abstract betamethasone Diprolene AF