Biochemical Markers of Bone Turnover in Camurati–Engelmann Disease: A Report on Four Cases in One Family

Moderate increases in ``classical' biochemical markers of bone turnover have been described only in some patients with Camurati–Engelmann disease. However, the determination of the following ``new' markers has not been previously performed: serum osteocalcin (BGP), bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PICP), aminoterminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PINP), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), telopeptide carboxyterminal of type I collagen (ICTP), urinary pyridinoline (PYR), crosslinked N-telopeptides of type I collagen (NTX), and Crosslaps (CL). Such a determination may improve the evaluation of the disease activity. To evaluate the usefulness of biochemical markers of bone turnover reflecting Camurati–Engelmann disease activity we measured the levels of all these markers in four affected patients. The results were compared with bone scintigraphic indices of disease activity. Except for PICP and TRAP, bone formation and resorption markers were abnormal in all patients and were related to bone scan indices of disease activity. Among the markers of bone formation PINP, BAP, and BGP showed the highest values, whereas NTX and CL were the most sensitive markers of bone resorption. These results suggest that the determination of NTX or CL, and PINP or either BAP and BGP, associated with bone scan evaluation, provides the best assessment of Camurati–Engelmann disease activity. Received: 14 June 1996 / Accepted: 31 December 1996     

A rapid solid-phase extraction and HPLC/DAD procedure for the simultaneous determination and quantification of different benzodiazepines in serum,blood and post-mortem blood

Summary A rapid and quantitative method for the determination of benzodiazepines using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode-array detection (DAD) is reported. The drugs were extracted from serum, blood or post-mortem blood using C₁₈ extraction columns. Brotizolam was used as internal standard. Experiments with spiked serum/blood samples resulted in recoveries between 75% and 94% for all investigated benzodiazepines. Excellent linearity was obtained over the concentration range 5–1500 ng benzodiazepine/ml. The limit of detection was approximately 2 ng/ml. The detection of low therapeutic serum levels of highly potent benzodiazepines is also possible.      

Changes in immunologic response in tonsillectomized children. I. Immunosuppression in recurrent tonsillitis.

The possible immunoregulatory role of the tonsils was studied by determining immunoglobulins IgG, A, M, E and factors C'3, C'4 and PFB of the complement system before and after tonsillectomy. The synthesis in vitro of IgG and IgM by lymphocytes stimulated with pokeweed mitogen was also measured. There were statistically significant differences between pre and post-operative levels of serum IgG, IgA and IgM, which decreased after surgery. Practically no change in the mean values of IgE and no significant differences in the levels of serum C'3, C'4, and PFB, were found. The in-vitro synthesis of both immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM) by lymphocytes increased significantly after tonsillectomy. Our results suggest that not only does tonsillectomy have no counterproductive effect on the immune system, but that, on the contrary, it seems to improve the immune response, since it appears to unblock the suppression to which the immune system was subject.     

光照黄斑部试验的临床研究─—眼底病患者MPT的改变及其机理的探讨

７９只眼底病患眼的光照黄斑部试验（ＭＰＴ）结果显示：中心性浆液性脉络膜视网膜病变、老年性黄斑变性渗出型和Ｒｉｅｇｅｒ型中心性渗出性脉络膜视网膜病变患眼的光照黄斑恢复时间显著延长，其它黄斑部病变患眼也有不同程度的延长。本文结合眼底荧光血管造影和黄斑视野域值试验对光照黄斑部试验的机理进行了探讨。     

中药聪脑汤治疗老年性痴呆的临床研究

目的:比较聪脑汤和双益平(石衫碱甲)片剂治疗老年性痴呆(阿尔茨海默病,Alzheimerdisease,AD)的疗效。方法:35例AD病人随机分为2组,聪脑汤组20例,双益平组15例;分别给予聪脑汤50ml,口服,日3次和双益平片剂0.15mg,口服,日2次,两组疗程均为8w。结果:与治疗前相比,两组长谷川痴呆量表(HDS-R)积分均有显著性改善(P<0.05),聪脑汤组和双益平组总有效率分别为75%和73.4%,两组比较差异无显著性。结论:聪脑汤对AD临床症状有一定改善作用。     

4-[(4-氯苯基)(5-氟-2-羟基苯基)亚甲氨基]丁酸酯类的合成及其抗惊厥活性

作者设计并合成了8个γ-氨基丁酸(GABA)的衍生物(Ⅳ_(a-b)),使GABA的酯通过亚胺键,连接在一个易于通过血脑屏障的亲脂性载体上。合成的8个标题化合物,均用NIH提出的抗癫痫药物开发程序进行评价,结果化合物Ⅳ_b和Ⅳ_f表现出有效的抗惊厥活性。     

Fahrunsicherheit durch Drogen und Medikamente

Zusammenfassung Medikamente – insbesondere solche mit zentralnervöser Wirkung – können einerseits die Fahrsicherheit einschränken, andererseits kann durch eine Arzneimitteltherapie eine krankheitsbedingt eingeschränkte Fahrsicherheit gebessert bzw. eine Fahreignung wiederhergestellt werden. Für die verschiedenen verkehrsmedizinisch bedeutsamen Arzneimittelgruppen werden im Folgenden die relevanten Leistungseinbußen dargestellt. Die dem Arzt im Zusammenhang mit einer Arzneimitteltherapie obliegenden umfangreichen Beratungs- und Hinweispflichten für seinen Patienten werden ebenfalls vorgestellt.     

重组合异种骨临床疗效观察

重组合异种骨（ＲＨＢ）骨形成蛋白（ＢＭＤ）与去除抗原特性后的异种松质骨的复合物，是近年来医学研究的一个新成果。既具有ＢＭＰ的高度诱导成骨作用，又具有松质骨的支架作用，十分便于临床使用、填充骨缺损。作者等应用ＲＨＢ治疗１６例骨缺损及骨不连，证实它是一种高效的成骨诱导物质，诱导生骨作用肯定，无明显副作用，临床使用方便，较自体骨移植愈合时间快，避免了取自体髂骨的痛苦。作者等认为，本生物制品颇值得大力推广应用。     

Acute biliary-vascular fistula following needle aspiration of the liver

A patient with cavernous transformation of the portal vein and a suspected hepatic mass lesion underwent an ultrasound-guided aspiration of the liver with a skinny needle. Two days later he became acutely ill. Bilirubin level peaked at 1375 mumol/L (80.4 mg/dL), and alkaline phosphatase level was 2290 IU/mL. There was no evidence of biliary obstruction. A biliary-vascular fistula was diagnosed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiography, and nasobiliary drainage was placed, leading to resolution of the symptoms and jaundice. A pressure gradient between the biliary tree and a venous collateral probably led to flow of bile into a blood vessel. Nasobiliary drainage should be considered as a potential therapy for acute biliary-vascular fistula.