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When Death Is Not Theoretical: The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
(First ed. 2014 / Second ed. 2018)
“Baby boomers” dealing with death – especially death “definitely on the calendar” – feel free to choose from an array of “hymns” beyond “Amazing Grace,” and have been tending to look especially to one music group – “Queen” – as a source of funeral songs. The focus of “When Death Is NOT Theoretical …,” including theological overtones, is on three aspects: (1) the apparently seven-year period, from mid 1984 to late 1991, when Freddie Mercury (1946-1991), the extraordinarily talented frontman of the versatile music group “Queen,” actively dealt with dying while performing, (2) the thirteen-year period before that when Queen already handled the double theme of “facing death head-on” and of “affirming life while fully aware of death”, plus (3) the effect of this very public dying and this persistent, quiet awareness of death both on Mercury’s bandmates and on the group’s “baby boomer” fans as they became faced with death. Most considerations of Queen and its musical catalogue have been by journalists, but Dr. Powell approaches these questions as an historian and clinician, analyzing fifty-some songs and mobilizing extensive amounts of data to support his conclusions. Endnotes suggest answers to several additional long-puzzling questions about Queen and the music group’s work – such as, where did Mercury get his name? and where did Queen get the title "Seven Seas of Rhye"?
(First ed. 2014 / Second ed. 2018)
“Baby boomers” dealing with death – especially death “definitely on the calendar” – feel free to choose from an array of “hymns” beyond “Amazing Grace,” and have been tending to look especially to one music group – “Queen” – as a source of funeral songs. The focus of “When Death Is NOT Theoretical …,” including theological overtones, is on three aspects: (1) the apparently seven-year period, from mid 1984 to late 1991, when Freddie Mercury (1946-1991), the extraordinarily talented frontman of the versatile music group “Queen,” actively dealt with dying while performing, (2) the thirteen-year period before that when Queen already handled the double theme of “facing death head-on” and of “affirming life while fully aware of death”, plus (3) the effect of this very public dying and this persistent, quiet awareness of death both on Mercury’s bandmates and on the group’s “baby boomer” fans as they became faced with death. Most considerations of Queen and its musical catalogue have been by journalists, but Dr. Powell approaches these questions as an historian and clinician, analyzing fifty-some songs and mobilizing extensive amounts of data to support his conclusions. Endnotes suggest answers to several additional long-puzzling questions about Queen and the music group’s work – such as, where did Mercury get his name? and where did Queen get the title "Seven Seas of Rhye"?
So, if Queen’s “Don’t Try Suicide!” got wide distribution by being on
the flip-side of the #1 best-selling ever Queen song in the US
– how did Queen’s other anti-suicide song,
“Keep Passing the Open Windows!” get wide distribution?
For the answer, see p.63 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixpxhB9mzVo Queen – “Keep Passing the Open Windows!” (Official Lyric Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V5mtUff6ik Queen – “Thank G-d It’s Christmas!”
the flip-side of the #1 best-selling ever Queen song in the US
– how did Queen’s other anti-suicide song,
“Keep Passing the Open Windows!” get wide distribution?
For the answer, see p.63 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixpxhB9mzVo Queen – “Keep Passing the Open Windows!” (Official Lyric Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V5mtUff6ik Queen – “Thank G-d It’s Christmas!”
Queen’s “Don’t Try Suicide!” was on the flip-side of what single that carried
the #1 best-selling Queen song ever in the US?
(that single sold over 7 million copies in the US – and
reigned 31 weeks! on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart)
*******
For the answer, see pp.62-63 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn2z19QnEfQ Queen – “Don’t Try Suicide!” (Official Lyric Video)
the #1 best-selling Queen song ever in the US?
(that single sold over 7 million copies in the US – and
reigned 31 weeks! on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart)
*******
For the answer, see pp.62-63 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn2z19QnEfQ Queen – “Don’t Try Suicide!” (Official Lyric Video)
Songs relating “somehow to death and its defiance”
make up one-fifth of those songs
released by the members of Queen by 1995.
Such songs make up what fraction of the songs
released specifically under Queen’s name?
*******
For the answer, see pp.64-65 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
Some of the more obscure such songs are:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MWaPRS1xbA [begin at 7.5] Queen – “Hangman!” (1972)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lXwT7mxmf8 Queen – “Nevermore!” (1974) (Official Lyric Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxQHi1QXboo Queen – “All Dead, All Dead” (1977)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKoivlPUg_Y Queen – “Dead on Time!” (1978) (Official Lyric Video)
make up one-fifth of those songs
released by the members of Queen by 1995.
Such songs make up what fraction of the songs
released specifically under Queen’s name?
*******
For the answer, see pp.64-65 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
Some of the more obscure such songs are:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MWaPRS1xbA [begin at 7.5] Queen – “Hangman!” (1972)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lXwT7mxmf8 Queen – “Nevermore!” (1974) (Official Lyric Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxQHi1QXboo Queen – “All Dead, All Dead” (1977)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKoivlPUg_Y Queen – “Dead on Time!” (1978) (Official Lyric Video)
Why is “Who Wants to Live Forever?” even an issue?
Does one have a choice?
Would living forever be a bonus? Or a burden?
Is this Queen being theological again?!
*******
For the answer, see p.65 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jtpf8N5IDE Queen – “Who Wants to Live Forever?” (Official Video)
Does one have a choice?
Would living forever be a bonus? Or a burden?
Is this Queen being theological again?!
*******
For the answer, see p.65 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jtpf8N5IDE Queen – “Who Wants to Live Forever?” (Official Video)
There is a LOT of theology sprinkled into Queen’s songs.
What is to be made of the comment in “All G-d’s People!” that
“Allah will pray for you!”
Some have erroneously used the more conventional phrasing, “Allah, we’ll pray for you” – but Queen clearly sings that it is G-d who will pray for us – not us for G-d.
*******
For the answer, see p.67 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wok5xHni8rQ Queen – “All G-d’s People!”
What is to be made of the comment in “All G-d’s People!” that
“Allah will pray for you!”
Some have erroneously used the more conventional phrasing, “Allah, we’ll pray for you” – but Queen clearly sings that it is G-d who will pray for us – not us for G-d.
*******
For the answer, see p.67 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wok5xHni8rQ Queen – “All G-d’s People!”
Why does the video for Queen’s “Made in Heaven!”
emphasize an obvious scene out of Hell?
Queen almost never does something without a reason.
What was the “why” this time?
*******
For the answer, see p.68 – only in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBCTasRgFqo Queen – “Made in Heaven!” (Official Video)
If Freddie Mercury knew for sure that he was dying as early as 1987,
did he ever, before “the end.” say so publicly?
*******
For the answer, see pp.68 & 31 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aZzAXBYiCQ Queen – “My Life Has Been Saved!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F8EKGyL-j4 Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé – “How Can I Go On?”
did he ever, before “the end.” say so publicly?
*******
For the answer, see pp.68 & 31 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aZzAXBYiCQ Queen – “My Life Has Been Saved!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F8EKGyL-j4 Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé – “How Can I Go On?”
If Queen’s “Mad the Swine” was recorded in 1971,
why did Queen suddenly release it in 1991?
Queen almost never does something without a reason.
What was the “why” this time?
*******
For the answer, see pp.68-69 – only in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbuEOhmsycM Queen – “Mad the Swine!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhyaAPsT1LU Queen – “Headlong!” (Official Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lXwT7mxmf8 Queen – “Nevermore!” (Official Video)
why did Queen suddenly release it in 1991?
Queen almost never does something without a reason.
What was the “why” this time?
*******
For the answer, see pp.68-69 – only in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbuEOhmsycM Queen – “Mad the Swine!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhyaAPsT1LU Queen – “Headlong!” (Official Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lXwT7mxmf8 Queen – “Nevermore!” (Official Video)
Two of Queen’s songs pay homage to “the gospel sound” of Aretha Franklin.
One, obviously, is “Somebody to Love!”
What is the other one?
*******
For the answer, see pp.58 & 69 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kijpcUv-b8M Queen – “Somebody to Love!” (Official Video)
One, obviously, is “Somebody to Love!”
What is the other one?
*******
For the answer, see pp.58 & 69 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kijpcUv-b8M Queen – “Somebody to Love!” (Official Video)
The Queen song “A Winter’s Tale” is astoundingly mellow – almost dream-like.
So quiet and peaceful.
Tranquil and blissful.
There's a kind of magic in the air.
…
With the dreams of the world
in the palm of your hand.
What’s with that?
*******
For the answer, see p.70 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjWQZBmJf6M Queen – “A Winter’s Tale” (Official Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2N0TkfrQhY Queen – “Innuendo” (Official Video)
So quiet and peaceful.
Tranquil and blissful.
There's a kind of magic in the air.
…
With the dreams of the world
in the palm of your hand.
What’s with that?
*******
For the answer, see p.70 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjWQZBmJf6M Queen – “A Winter’s Tale” (Official Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2N0TkfrQhY Queen – “Innuendo” (Official Video)
How is the Queen-scored movie Flash Gordon (1980)
related to
the Queen-scored movie Highlander (1986)?
[the Queen songs for Flash Gordon appeared on their album
Flash Gordon (1980)]
the Queen songs for Highlander appeared on their album,
A Kind of Magic (1986)]
So, again: how are the two movies and their musical scores related?
*******
For the answer, see p.70 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jtpf8N5IDE Queen – “Who Wants To Live Forever?” (Official Video)
related to
the Queen-scored movie Highlander (1986)?
[the Queen songs for Flash Gordon appeared on their album
Flash Gordon (1980)]
the Queen songs for Highlander appeared on their album,
A Kind of Magic (1986)]
So, again: how are the two movies and their musical scores related?
*******
For the answer, see p.70 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jtpf8N5IDE Queen – “Who Wants To Live Forever?” (Official Video)
Queen’s songs have few “throw away” lines.
Almost every word is there for a reason.
Why, in “These are the Days of Our Lives!” does Freddie Mercury sing,
“Inside my heart is breaking …, but my smile stays on!”
What is it about the smile?
*******
For the answer, see p.71 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB4K0scMysc Queen – “These Are the Days of Our Lives!” (Official Video)
Almost every word is there for a reason.
Why, in “These are the Days of Our Lives!” does Freddie Mercury sing,
“Inside my heart is breaking …, but my smile stays on!”
What is it about the smile?
*******
For the answer, see p.71 – in the 2nd, revised and expanded edition of
When Death Is NOT Theoretical:
The Readiness of the Music Group ‘Queen’ for
Living with Freddie Mercury’s Dying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB4K0scMysc Queen – “These Are the Days of Our Lives!” (Official Video)
Elwood Worcester and the Emmanuel Movement: Physician of the Whole Man, of the Soul as well as of the Body
(2018)
The “Emmanuel Movement” for medically-supervised religious psychotherapy was an outgrowth, between 1906 and 1929, of a clinic founded by the Rev. Dr. Elwood Worcester (1862-1940), with the assistance of the Rev. Dr. Samuel McComb (1864-1938), at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Boston.
(2018)
The “Emmanuel Movement” for medically-supervised religious psychotherapy was an outgrowth, between 1906 and 1929, of a clinic founded by the Rev. Dr. Elwood Worcester (1862-1940), with the assistance of the Rev. Dr. Samuel McComb (1864-1938), at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Boston.
Theologically, how were the efforts toward “religious healing” taught by Elwood Worcester, Anton Boisen, and Flanders Dunbar different from those promoted by earlier healing movements?
*******
For the answer, see page 177, footnote 1 – in
Elwood Worcester and the Emmanuel Movement:
Physician of the Whole Man,
of the Soul as Well as of the Body.
*******
For the answer, see page 177, footnote 1 – in
Elwood Worcester and the Emmanuel Movement:
Physician of the Whole Man,
of the Soul as Well as of the Body.
Differentiations of Moods as a Reflection of Ego Organization and Personality Style
(2017)
“When someone claims feeling “anxious,” “depressed,” “angry,” “afraid,” – and even “hungry” – on what grounds should it be supposed that both of you are ‘using the same language’?”
“This essay discusses a heuristic diagnostic approach that is supported by extensive clinical experience. The focus is on exploring the notion that, when patients use very common mood terms, clinicians and others in the patients’ lives do not necessarily understand the nuances about what the patients are talking.”
[neurotic/ normal, borderline, psychotic]
As an integral part of every initial psychiatric evaluation,
this clinical approach quickly elicits verbalized data on
a patient's ability -- or lack of ability --
to form & to use concepts.
In terms of relative ability – or lack of ability – to form and use concepts, how do patients with “borderline personality” organization tend to differ from those with “neurotic/ normal” and “psychotic/ schizophrenic” levels of ego organization?
*******
For a detailed consideration, see pages 13 through 16 – plus the relevant endnotes – in
Differentiation of Moods
As a Reflection of
Ego Organization and
Personality Style.
Listening Very, Very Closely as
Patients Answer Only Five Questions.
*******
For a detailed consideration, see pages 13 through 16 – plus the relevant endnotes – in
Differentiation of Moods
As a Reflection of
Ego Organization and
Personality Style.
Listening Very, Very Closely as
Patients Answer Only Five Questions.
Harley C. Shands, MD - semiotics
"When so-called 'psychiatric complaints' reflect something else."
Erroneous Psychiatric Self-Diagnosis: Non-Psychiatric Patients that Present at a Psychiatrist's Office
(2015)
Iron Deficiency (especially in men),
Pyridoxine (B-6) Deficiency,
Zinc Deficiency,
Severe Vitamin D Deficiency,
Definite Hypercalcemia,
Definite Magnesium Deficiency,
Cobalamin (B-12) Deficiency,
Definite Hypocalcemia – all of these can present as
self-diagnosed “anxiety,” “depression,” and “irritability”.
This investigation began by accident. Initially Dr. Powell was just collecting ‘teaching cases’ for use with medical students – cases of non-psychiatric illness masquerading as psychiatric illness. It turned out that 1 out of every 3 new patients seen had a hitherto undiagnosed non-psychiatric illness. Cases of cancer and endocrine disorder were part of the mix, but vitamin and mineral abnormalities were by far the most notable.
The focus of this study is on demonstrating that frequently the initial clinical history along with the past lab values are sufficient to suggest probable non-neuropsychiatric conditions, which then can be confirmed by judiciously chosen lab tests.
175 annotated references are included.
iron, Fe, pyridoxine, B6, zinc, Zn, vitamin D, calcium, Ca, magnesium, Mg, cobalamin, B12
Erroneous Psychiatric Self-Diagnosis: Non-Psychiatric Patients that Present at a Psychiatrist's Office
(2015)
Iron Deficiency (especially in men),
Pyridoxine (B-6) Deficiency,
Zinc Deficiency,
Severe Vitamin D Deficiency,
Definite Hypercalcemia,
Definite Magnesium Deficiency,
Cobalamin (B-12) Deficiency,
Definite Hypocalcemia – all of these can present as
self-diagnosed “anxiety,” “depression,” and “irritability”.
This investigation began by accident. Initially Dr. Powell was just collecting ‘teaching cases’ for use with medical students – cases of non-psychiatric illness masquerading as psychiatric illness. It turned out that 1 out of every 3 new patients seen had a hitherto undiagnosed non-psychiatric illness. Cases of cancer and endocrine disorder were part of the mix, but vitamin and mineral abnormalities were by far the most notable.
The focus of this study is on demonstrating that frequently the initial clinical history along with the past lab values are sufficient to suggest probable non-neuropsychiatric conditions, which then can be confirmed by judiciously chosen lab tests.
175 annotated references are included.
iron, Fe, pyridoxine, B6, zinc, Zn, vitamin D, calcium, Ca, magnesium, Mg, cobalamin, B12
Definite Hypercalcemia:
Not quite half of the patients with definite hypercalcemia (high serum calcium level) had “ego-alien irritability” – that is, irritability that made no sense – frequently accompanied by nausea, stomach knots, and anxiety – with most of these symptoms starting immediately upon awakening to start the day.
For a lot more information on this, see
Erroneous Psychiatric Self-Diagnosis:
Non-Psychiatric Patients that Present at a Psychiatrist’s Office;
8 chapters, on
Iron Deficiency (especially in men), Pyridoxine (B-6) Deficiency, Zinc Deficiency,
Severe Vitamin D Deficiency, Definite Hypercalcemia, Definite Magnesium Deficiency, Cobalamin (B-12) Deficiency, & Definite Hypocalcemia
Not quite half of the patients with definite hypercalcemia (high serum calcium level) had “ego-alien irritability” – that is, irritability that made no sense – frequently accompanied by nausea, stomach knots, and anxiety – with most of these symptoms starting immediately upon awakening to start the day.
For a lot more information on this, see
Erroneous Psychiatric Self-Diagnosis:
Non-Psychiatric Patients that Present at a Psychiatrist’s Office;
8 chapters, on
Iron Deficiency (especially in men), Pyridoxine (B-6) Deficiency, Zinc Deficiency,
Severe Vitamin D Deficiency, Definite Hypercalcemia, Definite Magnesium Deficiency, Cobalamin (B-12) Deficiency, & Definite Hypocalcemia
Severe Vitamin D Deficiency:
If one appears to be vaguely sluggish, ineffective, and uncomfortable – with an ill-defined mild but bothersome depression-like condition – AND has clear concerns about persistent pain, then it might be a good idea to consider getting a 25-hydroxy vitamin D level.
For a lot more information on this, see
Erroneous Psychiatric Self-Diagnosis:
Non-Psychiatric Patients that Present at a Psychiatrist’s Office;
8 chapters, on
Iron Deficiency (especially in men), Pyridoxine (B-6) Deficiency, Zinc Deficiency,
Severe Vitamin D Deficiency, Definite Hypercalcemia, Definite Magnesium Deficiency, Cobalamin (B-12) Deficiency, & Definite Hypocalcemia
If one appears to be vaguely sluggish, ineffective, and uncomfortable – with an ill-defined mild but bothersome depression-like condition – AND has clear concerns about persistent pain, then it might be a good idea to consider getting a 25-hydroxy vitamin D level.
For a lot more information on this, see
Erroneous Psychiatric Self-Diagnosis:
Non-Psychiatric Patients that Present at a Psychiatrist’s Office;
8 chapters, on
Iron Deficiency (especially in men), Pyridoxine (B-6) Deficiency, Zinc Deficiency,
Severe Vitamin D Deficiency, Definite Hypercalcemia, Definite Magnesium Deficiency, Cobalamin (B-12) Deficiency, & Definite Hypocalcemia
Zinc Deficiency:
Many of the medical issues sometimes accompanying zinc deficiency – for example, inattentiveness, frequent sickness, hair loss, sexual decrement, bone brittleness, acne, and anorexia – do not exactly support a sense of security and self-esteem supporting independence.
For a lot more information on this, see
Erroneous Psychiatric Self-Diagnosis:
Non-Psychiatric Patients that Present at a Psychiatrist’s Office;
8 chapters, on Iron Deficiency (especially in men), Pyridoxine (B-6) Deficiency, Zinc Deficiency, Severe Vitamin D Deficiency,
Definite Hypercalcemia, Definite Magnesium Deficiency,
Cobalamin (B-12) Deficiency, & Definite Hypocalcemia
Many of the medical issues sometimes accompanying zinc deficiency – for example, inattentiveness, frequent sickness, hair loss, sexual decrement, bone brittleness, acne, and anorexia – do not exactly support a sense of security and self-esteem supporting independence.
For a lot more information on this, see
Erroneous Psychiatric Self-Diagnosis:
Non-Psychiatric Patients that Present at a Psychiatrist’s Office;
8 chapters, on Iron Deficiency (especially in men), Pyridoxine (B-6) Deficiency, Zinc Deficiency, Severe Vitamin D Deficiency,
Definite Hypercalcemia, Definite Magnesium Deficiency,
Cobalamin (B-12) Deficiency, & Definite Hypocalcemia
Pyridoxine (B-6) Deficiency:
A study published in early 2008 found that North Americans taking a pyridoxine supplement for 6 months were 63% more likely to have a reduction in Beck Depression Inventory scores than those who did not. Another study published in early 2010, of 3,503 older North Americans, found that for every additional 10mg of pyridoxine consumed over an average of 7 years there was a 2% drop in the incidence of depression per year.
*******
For a lot more information on this, see
Erroneous Psychiatric Self-Diagnosis:
Non-Psychiatric Patients that Present at a Psychiatrist’s Office;
8 chapters, on
Iron Deficiency (especially in men), Pyridoxine (B-6) Deficiency, Zinc Deficiency, Severe Vitamin D Deficiency, Definite Hypercalcemia, Definite Magnesium Deficiency, Cobalamin (B-12) Deficiency, & Definite Hypocalcemia
A study published in early 2008 found that North Americans taking a pyridoxine supplement for 6 months were 63% more likely to have a reduction in Beck Depression Inventory scores than those who did not. Another study published in early 2010, of 3,503 older North Americans, found that for every additional 10mg of pyridoxine consumed over an average of 7 years there was a 2% drop in the incidence of depression per year.
*******
For a lot more information on this, see
Erroneous Psychiatric Self-Diagnosis:
Non-Psychiatric Patients that Present at a Psychiatrist’s Office;
8 chapters, on
Iron Deficiency (especially in men), Pyridoxine (B-6) Deficiency, Zinc Deficiency, Severe Vitamin D Deficiency, Definite Hypercalcemia, Definite Magnesium Deficiency, Cobalamin (B-12) Deficiency, & Definite Hypocalcemia
Iron Deficiency (especially in men):
Regarding iron deficiency correlating with cognitive disabilities, a study published in early 2007 found that young adults with low hemoglobin levels performed worse than a control group on the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Wechsler memory scale revised, and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale revised – but also showed improvement with treatment.
Regarding iron deficiency correlating with emotional disabilities, a study published in late 2007 found that iron deficiency appears to be more prevalent in otherwise healthy young men who attempt suicide.
*******
For a lot more information on this, see
Erroneous Psychiatric Self-Diagnosis:
Non-Psychiatric Patients that Present at a Psychiatrist’s Office;
8 chapters, on
Iron Deficiency (especially in men), Pyridoxine (B-6) Deficiency, Zinc Deficiency, Severe Vitamin D Deficiency, Definite Hypercalcemia, Definite Magnesium Deficiency, Cobalamin (B-12) Deficiency, & Definite Hypocalcemia
Regarding iron deficiency correlating with cognitive disabilities, a study published in early 2007 found that young adults with low hemoglobin levels performed worse than a control group on the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Wechsler memory scale revised, and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale revised – but also showed improvement with treatment.
Regarding iron deficiency correlating with emotional disabilities, a study published in late 2007 found that iron deficiency appears to be more prevalent in otherwise healthy young men who attempt suicide.
*******
For a lot more information on this, see
Erroneous Psychiatric Self-Diagnosis:
Non-Psychiatric Patients that Present at a Psychiatrist’s Office;
8 chapters, on
Iron Deficiency (especially in men), Pyridoxine (B-6) Deficiency, Zinc Deficiency, Severe Vitamin D Deficiency, Definite Hypercalcemia, Definite Magnesium Deficiency, Cobalamin (B-12) Deficiency, & Definite Hypocalcemia
Freudian Concepts in America: The Role of Psychical Research in Preparing the Way: 1904-1934 (2015),
Part One:
James Hervey Hyslop (1854-1920) and
the American Institute for Scientific Research,
1904-1934:
An Attempt toward the Coordinated Study of
Psychopathology and Psychical Phenomena
Insofar as Frederic W. H. Myers’ conceptions of paranoia … were spread by the … ‘American Institute for Scientific Research’ (1904-1934), they probably did more to help than to hinder American acceptance of psychodynamic psychotherapy. Certainly, the alternative, primarily neuroanatomic, explanations were less elegant, less comprehensive, and not necessarily more scientific.”
Part Two:
The “Subliminal” versus the “Subconscious” in
the American Acceptance of Psychoanalysis,
1906-1910.
Similarly, “Insofar as Frederick W. H. Myers’ conceptions of the ‘subliminal’ were spread by the … ‘Emmanuel movement’ for medically supervised religious psychotherapy (fl.1906-1910), the movement probably did more to help than to hinder American acceptance of Freudian ideas. Certainly, many academic psychologists’ conceptions of the ‘unconscious’ and ‘subconscious’ were a hindrance.”
William James (1842-1910) dated the dawn of modern psychology to 1886, the year of the discovery that “there is not only the consciousness of the ordinary field, … but an addition thereto in the shape of a set of memories, thoughts, and feelings which are extra-marginal”. A sizeable historical literature argues about to what author and to what article James referred – and many in the psychical research community appear to have accepted Dr. Powell’s well-researched conclusions on this issue. One reviewer called Dr. Powell’s work “uniquely interesting” and noted that “Inasmuch as this topic has been neglected in the standard histories of science, Powell’s … [research] fills a gap”.
James Hervey Hyslop
Part One:
James Hervey Hyslop (1854-1920) and
the American Institute for Scientific Research,
1904-1934:
An Attempt toward the Coordinated Study of
Psychopathology and Psychical Phenomena
Insofar as Frederic W. H. Myers’ conceptions of paranoia … were spread by the … ‘American Institute for Scientific Research’ (1904-1934), they probably did more to help than to hinder American acceptance of psychodynamic psychotherapy. Certainly, the alternative, primarily neuroanatomic, explanations were less elegant, less comprehensive, and not necessarily more scientific.”
Part Two:
The “Subliminal” versus the “Subconscious” in
the American Acceptance of Psychoanalysis,
1906-1910.
Similarly, “Insofar as Frederick W. H. Myers’ conceptions of the ‘subliminal’ were spread by the … ‘Emmanuel movement’ for medically supervised religious psychotherapy (fl.1906-1910), the movement probably did more to help than to hinder American acceptance of Freudian ideas. Certainly, many academic psychologists’ conceptions of the ‘unconscious’ and ‘subconscious’ were a hindrance.”
William James (1842-1910) dated the dawn of modern psychology to 1886, the year of the discovery that “there is not only the consciousness of the ordinary field, … but an addition thereto in the shape of a set of memories, thoughts, and feelings which are extra-marginal”. A sizeable historical literature argues about to what author and to what article James referred – and many in the psychical research community appear to have accepted Dr. Powell’s well-researched conclusions on this issue. One reviewer called Dr. Powell’s work “uniquely interesting” and noted that “Inasmuch as this topic has been neglected in the standard histories of science, Powell’s … [research] fills a gap”.
James Hervey Hyslop
Pentoxif-ylline: A Versatile Off-Patent Medication Best Not Overlooked
(2015)
Pentoxif-ylline once was labeled as a treatment for “leg cramps” – “intermittent claudication”. That original view has become almost irrelevant. The anti-inflammatory, immune modulating, and steroid-sparing effects of “pentox” stretch far beyond its vascular effects. Pentox is now known to treat – “off label” – kidney, liver, heart, & lung disorders – bone, joint, brain, & pain disorders – fibrotic, skin, & radiation-induced disorders – blood cell, pancreatic, & intestinal disorders – muscle, cancerous, & infectious disorders. Off-label use of pentox is both widespread and growing – with most of the uses relating to enhancement of blood flow or to reduction of inflammation. This monograph coherently assembles over 300 abstracts of the recent medical literature.
(2015)
Pentoxif-ylline once was labeled as a treatment for “leg cramps” – “intermittent claudication”. That original view has become almost irrelevant. The anti-inflammatory, immune modulating, and steroid-sparing effects of “pentox” stretch far beyond its vascular effects. Pentox is now known to treat – “off label” – kidney, liver, heart, & lung disorders – bone, joint, brain, & pain disorders – fibrotic, skin, & radiation-induced disorders – blood cell, pancreatic, & intestinal disorders – muscle, cancerous, & infectious disorders. Off-label use of pentox is both widespread and growing – with most of the uses relating to enhancement of blood flow or to reduction of inflammation. This monograph coherently assembles over 300 abstracts of the recent medical literature.
Brain (Psychiatric/ Neurologic) Disorders (including Pain)
[an introductory chapter summary]
The abstracts listed below hint at the multitude of neuropsychiatric conditions that might respond positively to pentoxifylline. [Parkinson’s disorder might be made worse by pentoxifylline.] Thus far, most of the research has been conducted in non-humans or has been incidental. Clearly, helping patients who have various forms of brain damage or deterioration is a challenge that must be surmounted. The present author is a psychiatrist, but many who are not could argue that this is the most exciting part of this monograph
Red Blood Cell (Anemia) & Platelet (Coagulation) Disorders
[an introductory chapter summary]
The abstracts listed below address the common misconception that pentoxifylline might induce bleeding; actually, pentoxifylline reduces anemia.
Kidney (Renal) Disorders (including Diabetes Mellitus)
[an introductory chapter summary]
The abstracts listed below certainly suggest that all those with diabetes mellitus should be on pentoxifylline – but they also suggest that most with a wide variety of renal disorders should be on it – as pentoxifylline reduces the amount of “normal wear and tear” blood cells cause when rushing through an organ’s tissues.
Liver (Hepatic) Disorders (including HepatoRenal Syndrome)
[an introductory chapter summary]
The abstracts listed below certainly suggest that all those with alcoholic steatohepatitis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or hepatorenal syndrome should be on pentoxifylline – but they also suggest that most with a wide variety of hepatic disorders should be on it – as pentoxifylline reduces the amount of “normal wear and tear” blood cells cause when rushing through an organ’s tissues.
Pancreatic & Intestinal Disorders
[an introductory chapter summary]
The abstracts listed below are few but significant; pancreatic and intestinal disorders can be notably hard to treat successfully.
Heart (Cardiac) Disorders
[an introductory chapter summary]
The abstracts listed below suggest that those with congestive heart failure or coronary artery disease – and a variety of other cardiac disorders – might benefit from being placed on pentoxifylline.
Lung (Pulmonary) Disorders
[an introductory chapter summary]
The abstracts listed below emphasize the anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic actions of pentoxifylline on lung tissue.
Muscle & Blood Flow Disorders (including Claudication)
[an introductory chapter summary]
The abstracts listed below note the ability of pentoxifylline to improve muscle and other organ functions – apparently by enhancing oxygenation and reducing inflammation. Athletes seem to have paid more attention to this than have physicians.
Bone & Joint (Orthopedic & Rheumatologic) Disorders
[an introductory chapter summary]
The abstracts listed below focus on skeletal and joint issues that tend to be hard to heal.
Cancer (Oncologic) & Blood (Hematologic) Disorders
[an introductory chapter summary]
The roles of pentoxifylline in oncology for the most part are not here discussed. The abstracts listed below outline that pentoxifylline apparently is directly apoptotic {encouraging “natural cell death”} for some cancers, helps otherwise healthy cells recover from therapeutic radiation, reduces successful metastasis {spread of cancer cells}, and, perhaps more importantly, sensitizes a variety of aberrant cells to the relatively immediate killing powers of radiation therapy as well as of chemotherapy agents.
Infectious (Viral, Bacterial, & Fungal) Disorders
[an introductory chapter summary]
The abstracts listed below note the observed anti-infection activities of pentoxifylline – most likely by a number of mechanisms, including helping to carry other agents toward the infection.
Fibrotic Disorders (including Peyronie’s Disease)
[an introductory chapter summary]
The abstracts listed below focus more on radiation-induced fibrosis than on the fibrosis-related problems with penile erection [Peyronie’s Disease].
Skin (Dermatologic) Disorders
[an introductory chapter summary]
The abstracts listed below note a wide array of skin disorders treated with pentoxifylline plus a more specific agent; apparently pentoxifylline helps in the delivery of both blood flow and perhaps another healing ingredient.
Sexual (Reproductive) Disorders, relative omission of data here
[an introductory chapter summary]
The abstract listed below only touches upon the vast literature on the roles of pentoxifylline in reproductive medicine. Almost from the beginning pentoxifylline has been investigated for and used in the amelioration of male and female breeding problems – but most of the literature has been in veterinary rather than in (human) medical journals.
Pentoxifylline & Microvascular Clotting > Bleeding/
COVID-19/ SARS-CoV-2
03-May-2020
Caveat: I am NOT an expert on microvascular conditions. As an "amateur," I have been studying pentoxifylline for almost two decades. Discuss all this with your peronal physician.
My understanding is that it is a two-stage process: first comes the near total-body microvascular coagulation, & then comes the near total-body microvascular bleeding. A reasonably close analogy would be the treatment of sepsis in babies – for which the following article is quite interesting:
Adel M, Awad HA, Abdel-Naim AB, Al-Azizi MM. “Effects of pentoxifylline on coagulation profile and disseminated intravascular coagulation incidence in Egyptian septic neonates.” J Clin Pharm Ther. 2010 Jun;35(3):257-65; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20831528 ;
“… Neonatal sepsis is frequently associated with pathological activation of the coagulation system, leading to microcirculatory derangement and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). The key role in the pathogenesis of sepsis has been attributed to proinflammatory cytokines. These trigger the development of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) via the tissue factor-dependent pathway of coagulation. Pentoxifylline (PTX), a methylxanthine derivative that is used in peripheral vascular disease, has the potential to modify inflammatory response. …
A double-blind placebo-controlled quasi-randomized design was used. Thirty-seven neonates with sepsis were randomly allocated into two groups. Seventeen patients were given PTX (5 mg/kg/h for 6 h; for 6 successive days). Twenty patients received equivalent volume of normal saline and represented the placebo group. Prothrombin time (PT), Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen, d-dimer, C-reactive protein (CRP), complete blood count (CBC), also hemodynamic parameters comprising arterial blood pressure, heart rate, capillary refill and urinary output were assessed in both groups before and after treatment. …
Coagulation parameters in the two groups showed no significant differences. However, a higher incidence of DIC [disseminated intravascular coagulation] was observed in the placebo group neonates. PTX [pentoxifylline] significantly lowered the percentage of bleeding and less frequent use of FFP [fresh frozen plasma] was observed in the PTX group (35.53% in PTX group vs. 80% in placebo group …. Incidence of MODS [multiple organ dysfunction syndrome] was significantly lower … and hospital stay duration of survivors was significantly shorter … in the PTX treated infants.
CONCLUSION: Pentoxifylline protects against sepsis-induced microcirculatory derangement in neonates. It significantly lowered the incidence of bleeding and MODS [multiple organ dysfunction syndrome] and shortened the length of hospital stay."
Caveat: I am NOT an expert on microvascular conditions. As an "amateur," I have been studying pentoxifylline for almost two decades. Discuss all this with your peronal physician.
COVID-19/ SARS-CoV-2
03-May-2020
Caveat: I am NOT an expert on microvascular conditions. As an "amateur," I have been studying pentoxifylline for almost two decades. Discuss all this with your peronal physician.
My understanding is that it is a two-stage process: first comes the near total-body microvascular coagulation, & then comes the near total-body microvascular bleeding. A reasonably close analogy would be the treatment of sepsis in babies – for which the following article is quite interesting:
Adel M, Awad HA, Abdel-Naim AB, Al-Azizi MM. “Effects of pentoxifylline on coagulation profile and disseminated intravascular coagulation incidence in Egyptian septic neonates.” J Clin Pharm Ther. 2010 Jun;35(3):257-65; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20831528 ;
“… Neonatal sepsis is frequently associated with pathological activation of the coagulation system, leading to microcirculatory derangement and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). The key role in the pathogenesis of sepsis has been attributed to proinflammatory cytokines. These trigger the development of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) via the tissue factor-dependent pathway of coagulation. Pentoxifylline (PTX), a methylxanthine derivative that is used in peripheral vascular disease, has the potential to modify inflammatory response. …
A double-blind placebo-controlled quasi-randomized design was used. Thirty-seven neonates with sepsis were randomly allocated into two groups. Seventeen patients were given PTX (5 mg/kg/h for 6 h; for 6 successive days). Twenty patients received equivalent volume of normal saline and represented the placebo group. Prothrombin time (PT), Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen, d-dimer, C-reactive protein (CRP), complete blood count (CBC), also hemodynamic parameters comprising arterial blood pressure, heart rate, capillary refill and urinary output were assessed in both groups before and after treatment. …
Coagulation parameters in the two groups showed no significant differences. However, a higher incidence of DIC [disseminated intravascular coagulation] was observed in the placebo group neonates. PTX [pentoxifylline] significantly lowered the percentage of bleeding and less frequent use of FFP [fresh frozen plasma] was observed in the PTX group (35.53% in PTX group vs. 80% in placebo group …. Incidence of MODS [multiple organ dysfunction syndrome] was significantly lower … and hospital stay duration of survivors was significantly shorter … in the PTX treated infants.
CONCLUSION: Pentoxifylline protects against sepsis-induced microcirculatory derangement in neonates. It significantly lowered the incidence of bleeding and MODS [multiple organ dysfunction syndrome] and shortened the length of hospital stay."
Caveat: I am NOT an expert on microvascular conditions. As an "amateur," I have been studying pentoxifylline for almost two decades. Discuss all this with your peronal physician.
Pentoxifylline & Coronavirus/ COVID-19/ SARS-CoV-2
11-Mar-2020
Caveat: I am NOT an expert on viral infections. As an “amateur,” I have been studying pentoxifylline for almost two decades. Discuss all this with your personal physician.
Let me telegraph the conclusions of this essay: (1) Pentoxifylline, is a wonder drug; (2) so is “active vitamin D”/ calcitriol.
I began taking pentoxifylline (“pentox”/ “PTX”) in 2003 for a blood vessel condition. Reading up on it, I became intrigued by its wide-spread usefulness. While placed on the market in the mid-1970s as a circulation enhancer, since the mid-1990s pentox has become most famous as a “steroid sparing” anti-inflammatory – a “production inhibitor” of the cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-6. NOTE that pentox is NOT an after-the-fact “blocker” – it is a before-the-fact “production inhibitor” – which ends up meaning that pentox is cleaner and safer than the blockers of several inflammatory factors. Later in this memo you will note that pentox also reduces the effective levels of IL-2R. [Fatality in Coronavirus/ COVID-19/ SARS-CoV-2 appears to correlate with high levels of IL-6 and IL-2R.]
About 5% of patients get nausea upon taking pentox – so the tablets MUST be taken with something in the stomach. A common approach is to start with one 400mg tablet per day at supper, then twice a day, then three times a day. The “usual” dose is three times a day, but it has been tested on several illnesses at six doses per day. The US cost is between 35 cents and 50 cents per dose.
Now, let me review what has been called “cytokine crisis” or “cytokine storm”. When an invading virus or bacterium or fungus touches the human respiratory system, it provokes a response from the first line of defense, IgM – immunoglobulin M. That is the way it is supposed to be, but some – especially some older folks – have little or close to no IgM. When the human body realizes that the invading organism breathed in has NOT been stopped by IgM, it goes into a kind of panic mode and throws a massive so-called “cytokine response” at the invader – with a zillion mobilized white blood cells. The problem is that this frantic response includes flooding a lot of fluid toward the infected respiratory area – which ends up causing “wet lungs” – which is a fantastic breeding ground for opportunistic bacteria. With something like Coronavirus/ COVID-19/ SARS-CoV-2, those who succumb to the illness tend to die NOT of viral infection but of bacterial pneumonia.
Most of the research emphasis has been on the fact that pentox reduces the amount of the cytokine TNF-alpha. The available research is sparse, but it appears that with Coronavirus/ COVID-19/ SARS-CoV-2 it is more important that pentox reduces the amount of the cytokines IL-6 and I-2R. While pentox does have some direct anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal activity, it turns out that the most important factor is that – by blocking cytokine storm – pentox enhances overall “survivability”.
11-Mar-2020
Caveat: I am NOT an expert on viral infections. As an “amateur,” I have been studying pentoxifylline for almost two decades. Discuss all this with your personal physician.
Let me telegraph the conclusions of this essay: (1) Pentoxifylline, is a wonder drug; (2) so is “active vitamin D”/ calcitriol.
I began taking pentoxifylline (“pentox”/ “PTX”) in 2003 for a blood vessel condition. Reading up on it, I became intrigued by its wide-spread usefulness. While placed on the market in the mid-1970s as a circulation enhancer, since the mid-1990s pentox has become most famous as a “steroid sparing” anti-inflammatory – a “production inhibitor” of the cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-6. NOTE that pentox is NOT an after-the-fact “blocker” – it is a before-the-fact “production inhibitor” – which ends up meaning that pentox is cleaner and safer than the blockers of several inflammatory factors. Later in this memo you will note that pentox also reduces the effective levels of IL-2R. [Fatality in Coronavirus/ COVID-19/ SARS-CoV-2 appears to correlate with high levels of IL-6 and IL-2R.]
About 5% of patients get nausea upon taking pentox – so the tablets MUST be taken with something in the stomach. A common approach is to start with one 400mg tablet per day at supper, then twice a day, then three times a day. The “usual” dose is three times a day, but it has been tested on several illnesses at six doses per day. The US cost is between 35 cents and 50 cents per dose.
Now, let me review what has been called “cytokine crisis” or “cytokine storm”. When an invading virus or bacterium or fungus touches the human respiratory system, it provokes a response from the first line of defense, IgM – immunoglobulin M. That is the way it is supposed to be, but some – especially some older folks – have little or close to no IgM. When the human body realizes that the invading organism breathed in has NOT been stopped by IgM, it goes into a kind of panic mode and throws a massive so-called “cytokine response” at the invader – with a zillion mobilized white blood cells. The problem is that this frantic response includes flooding a lot of fluid toward the infected respiratory area – which ends up causing “wet lungs” – which is a fantastic breeding ground for opportunistic bacteria. With something like Coronavirus/ COVID-19/ SARS-CoV-2, those who succumb to the illness tend to die NOT of viral infection but of bacterial pneumonia.
Most of the research emphasis has been on the fact that pentox reduces the amount of the cytokine TNF-alpha. The available research is sparse, but it appears that with Coronavirus/ COVID-19/ SARS-CoV-2 it is more important that pentox reduces the amount of the cytokines IL-6 and I-2R. While pentox does have some direct anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal activity, it turns out that the most important factor is that – by blocking cytokine storm – pentox enhances overall “survivability”.
Now, let me insert an excerpt from a Chinese medical article that just went on the internet during recent days. I will follow that with excerpts from two older medical articles about pentox and cytokines (I am ignoring here the much more abundant literature on pentox and TNF-alpha). Then, I will add an excerpt from a medical article that came out when pentox was being used experimentally during the SARS epidemic of 2003.
Chen L, Liu HG, Liu W, Liu J, Liu K, Shang J, Deng Y, Wei S. [“Analysis of clinical features of 29 patients with 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia.”] [Article in Chinese; Abstract available in Chinese from the publisher] Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi. 2020 Feb 6;43(0):E005. [Epub ahead of print]; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32026671 ; “… According to the relevant diagnostic criteria, the patients were divided into three groups: mild (15 cases), severe (9 cases) and critical (5 cases). The expression levels of inflammatory cytokines and other markers in the serum of each group were detected, and the changes of these indicators of the three groups were compared and analyzed, as well as their relationship with the clinical classification of the disease.
Results:
(1) The main symptoms of 2019-nCoV pneumonia was fever (28/29) with or without respiratory and other systemic symptoms. …
(2) The blood test of the patients showed normal or decreased white blood cell count (23/29), decreased lymphocyte count (20/29), increased hypersensitive C reactive protein (hs-CRP) (27/29), and normal procalcitonin. In most patients, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was significantly increased (20/29), while albumin was decreased(15/29). …
(3) CT findings of typical cases were single or multiple patchy ground glass shadows accompanied by septal thickening. When the disease progresses, the lesion increases and the scope expands, and the ground glass shadow coexists with the solid shadow or the stripe shadow.
(4) There were statistically significant differences in the expression levels of interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) and IL-6 in the serum of the three groups …, among which the critical group was higher than the severe group and the severe group was higher than the mild group. …
Conclusion: The clinical characteristics of 2019-nCoV pneumonia are similar to those of common viral pneumonia. High resolution CT is of great value in the differential diagnosis of this disease. The increased expression of IL-2R and IL-6 in serum is expected to predict the severity of the 2019-nCoV pneumonia and the prognosis of patients.” [boldings added]
Rao KM, Currie MS, McCachren SS, Cohen HJ. “Pentoxifylline and other methyl xanthines inhibit interleukin-2 receptor [IL-2R] expression in human lymphocytes.” Cell Immunol. 1991 Jul;135(2):314-25; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1709825 ; [this is a “test tube” article not a clinical article]
Neuner P, Klosner G, Schauer E, Pourmojib M, Macheiner W, Grünwald C, Knobler R, Schwarz A, Luger TA, Schwarz T. “Pentoxifylline in vivo down-regulates the release of IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.” Immunology. 1994 Oct;83(2):262-7; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7835945 ; “…the production not only of TNF-alpha but also of IL-1 beta, IL-6 and IL-8 was reduced, demonstrating that PTX [pentoxifylline] exerts diverse (inhibitory) effects on cytokine release by PBMC [peripheral blood mononuclear cells].” [this is a clinical article]
Chen L, Liu HG, Liu W, Liu J, Liu K, Shang J, Deng Y, Wei S. [“Analysis of clinical features of 29 patients with 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia.”] [Article in Chinese; Abstract available in Chinese from the publisher] Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi. 2020 Feb 6;43(0):E005. [Epub ahead of print]; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32026671 ; “… According to the relevant diagnostic criteria, the patients were divided into three groups: mild (15 cases), severe (9 cases) and critical (5 cases). The expression levels of inflammatory cytokines and other markers in the serum of each group were detected, and the changes of these indicators of the three groups were compared and analyzed, as well as their relationship with the clinical classification of the disease.
Results:
(1) The main symptoms of 2019-nCoV pneumonia was fever (28/29) with or without respiratory and other systemic symptoms. …
(2) The blood test of the patients showed normal or decreased white blood cell count (23/29), decreased lymphocyte count (20/29), increased hypersensitive C reactive protein (hs-CRP) (27/29), and normal procalcitonin. In most patients, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was significantly increased (20/29), while albumin was decreased(15/29). …
(3) CT findings of typical cases were single or multiple patchy ground glass shadows accompanied by septal thickening. When the disease progresses, the lesion increases and the scope expands, and the ground glass shadow coexists with the solid shadow or the stripe shadow.
(4) There were statistically significant differences in the expression levels of interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) and IL-6 in the serum of the three groups …, among which the critical group was higher than the severe group and the severe group was higher than the mild group. …
Conclusion: The clinical characteristics of 2019-nCoV pneumonia are similar to those of common viral pneumonia. High resolution CT is of great value in the differential diagnosis of this disease. The increased expression of IL-2R and IL-6 in serum is expected to predict the severity of the 2019-nCoV pneumonia and the prognosis of patients.” [boldings added]
Rao KM, Currie MS, McCachren SS, Cohen HJ. “Pentoxifylline and other methyl xanthines inhibit interleukin-2 receptor [IL-2R] expression in human lymphocytes.” Cell Immunol. 1991 Jul;135(2):314-25; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1709825 ; [this is a “test tube” article not a clinical article]
Neuner P, Klosner G, Schauer E, Pourmojib M, Macheiner W, Grünwald C, Knobler R, Schwarz A, Luger TA, Schwarz T. “Pentoxifylline in vivo down-regulates the release of IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.” Immunology. 1994 Oct;83(2):262-7; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7835945 ; “…the production not only of TNF-alpha but also of IL-1 beta, IL-6 and IL-8 was reduced, demonstrating that PTX [pentoxifylline] exerts diverse (inhibitory) effects on cytokine release by PBMC [peripheral blood mononuclear cells].” [this is a clinical article]
[Vitamin D Deficiency raises risk of Acute Respiratory Tract Infection; meta-analysis of data from 11,000 patients.]
[Let it be repeated, that “a little bit” of vitamin D will not do the job and that each person needs a different amount. It is NOT a “one size fits all” situation. Actually, the risk of infection of any kind (read: “the risk of dying”) is higher in those who are vitamin D deficient. Your body has to convert “vitamin D2” into “vitamin D3” and then into “calcitriol”/ “active vitamin D”. The limiting factor on taking vitamin D of any kind is that it eventually – slowly – raises the serum calcium level; under medical supervision, hypercalcemia must be avoided.]
Martineau AR et al. “Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data.” BMJ. 2017 Feb 15;356:i6583; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28202713 ; “… Results: 25 eligible randomised controlled trials (total 11,321 participants, aged 0 to 95 years) were identified. IPD [individual participant data] were obtained for 10,933 (96.6%) participants. Vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of acute respiratory tract infection among all participants … . Conclusions: Vitamin D supplementation was safe and it protected against acute respiratory tract infection overall. Patients who were very vitamin D deficient … experienced the most benefit.” [bolding added]
Martineau AR et al. “Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory infections: individual participant data meta-analysis.” Health Technol Assess. 2019 Jan;23(2):1-44; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30675873 ; “… Conclusions: Vitamin D supplementation was safe, and it protected against ARIs [acute respiratory infections] overall. Very deficient individuals and those not receiving bolus doses experienced the benefit. Incorporation of additional IPD [individual participant data] from ongoing trials in the field has the potential to increase statistical power for analyses of secondary outcomes.” [bolding added]
Bermejo Martin JF, Jimenez JL, Muńoz-Fernández A. “Pentoxifylline and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS): a drug to be considered.” Med Sci Monit. 2003 Jun;9(6):SR29-34; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12824965 ; “… The recent outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) as a new viral disease is causing a great concern for health authorities and general population. Very little is known about the infectious agent (a coronavirus) and its etiopathogeny, having no specific treatment yet. Proinflammatory cytokines released by stimulated macrophages in the alveoli could have a prominent role in pathogenesis of SARS. Current treatment of SARS with antiviral agents such as ribavirin and corticosteroids have not achieved very satisfactory results. Corticosteroids exert an antiinflammatory effect and are indicated for the treatment of respiratory distress, but, in the other hand, they exert an immunosuppressor effect on humoral and cellular arms of Immune System. Based on previous reports and on our own experience in HIV, we propose here pentoxifylline (PTX), a drug commonly used in vascular indications, as a possible treatment for SARS due to its interesting properties. PTX would feature a possible antiviral activity along with a well-known cytokine-modulating activity not as immunosuppressant as that of the corticoids, down-regulating proinflammatory cytokines but leaving functional the rest of the immune response. Other effects of PTX are discussed, as bronchodilation. CONCLUSIONS: The antiinflammatory, antiviral, immunomodulatory and bronchodilatory effects of PTX, along with its low cost and toxicity, make it a promising drug to be considered for SARS treatment, alone or as an adjuvant therapy in combination with other drugs. The classical antiviral approach as single treatment for viral diseases should be reviewed in this occasion; immunomodulatory therapies could play an important role in SARS therapy.” [bolding added]
Caveat: I am NOT an expert on viral infections. As an “amateur,” I have been studying pentoxifylline for almost two decades. Discuss all this with your personal physician.
[Let it be repeated, that “a little bit” of vitamin D will not do the job and that each person needs a different amount. It is NOT a “one size fits all” situation. Actually, the risk of infection of any kind (read: “the risk of dying”) is higher in those who are vitamin D deficient. Your body has to convert “vitamin D2” into “vitamin D3” and then into “calcitriol”/ “active vitamin D”. The limiting factor on taking vitamin D of any kind is that it eventually – slowly – raises the serum calcium level; under medical supervision, hypercalcemia must be avoided.]
Martineau AR et al. “Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data.” BMJ. 2017 Feb 15;356:i6583; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28202713 ; “… Results: 25 eligible randomised controlled trials (total 11,321 participants, aged 0 to 95 years) were identified. IPD [individual participant data] were obtained for 10,933 (96.6%) participants. Vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of acute respiratory tract infection among all participants … . Conclusions: Vitamin D supplementation was safe and it protected against acute respiratory tract infection overall. Patients who were very vitamin D deficient … experienced the most benefit.” [bolding added]
Martineau AR et al. “Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory infections: individual participant data meta-analysis.” Health Technol Assess. 2019 Jan;23(2):1-44; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30675873 ; “… Conclusions: Vitamin D supplementation was safe, and it protected against ARIs [acute respiratory infections] overall. Very deficient individuals and those not receiving bolus doses experienced the benefit. Incorporation of additional IPD [individual participant data] from ongoing trials in the field has the potential to increase statistical power for analyses of secondary outcomes.” [bolding added]
Bermejo Martin JF, Jimenez JL, Muńoz-Fernández A. “Pentoxifylline and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS): a drug to be considered.” Med Sci Monit. 2003 Jun;9(6):SR29-34; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12824965 ; “… The recent outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) as a new viral disease is causing a great concern for health authorities and general population. Very little is known about the infectious agent (a coronavirus) and its etiopathogeny, having no specific treatment yet. Proinflammatory cytokines released by stimulated macrophages in the alveoli could have a prominent role in pathogenesis of SARS. Current treatment of SARS with antiviral agents such as ribavirin and corticosteroids have not achieved very satisfactory results. Corticosteroids exert an antiinflammatory effect and are indicated for the treatment of respiratory distress, but, in the other hand, they exert an immunosuppressor effect on humoral and cellular arms of Immune System. Based on previous reports and on our own experience in HIV, we propose here pentoxifylline (PTX), a drug commonly used in vascular indications, as a possible treatment for SARS due to its interesting properties. PTX would feature a possible antiviral activity along with a well-known cytokine-modulating activity not as immunosuppressant as that of the corticoids, down-regulating proinflammatory cytokines but leaving functional the rest of the immune response. Other effects of PTX are discussed, as bronchodilation. CONCLUSIONS: The antiinflammatory, antiviral, immunomodulatory and bronchodilatory effects of PTX, along with its low cost and toxicity, make it a promising drug to be considered for SARS treatment, alone or as an adjuvant therapy in combination with other drugs. The classical antiviral approach as single treatment for viral diseases should be reviewed in this occasion; immunomodulatory therapies could play an important role in SARS therapy.” [bolding added]
Caveat: I am NOT an expert on viral infections. As an “amateur,” I have been studying pentoxifylline for almost two decades. Discuss all this with your personal physician.