Phospholipid determination in platelets,plasma and red cells of patients with chronic myeloproliferative disorders

Abstract: Red cell phospholipids (PLs) were assessed in 11 patients with essential thrombocythemia and 5 patients with polycythemia vera. Platelet and plasma PLs were also determined in 10 of these patients, and the results were compared with studies performed in 16 healthy volunteers. The amount of platelet PLs in patients was similar to controls (556 ± 90 nmol/10⁹cells, versus 481 ± 91 nmol/10⁹cells), as was the percentage of the main specimens of these compounds, including phosphatidylserine (11.1 ± 0.8%), which is relevant for platelet procoagulant activity. We did not find differences between red cell PLs of patients (300 ± 60 nmol/10⁹cells), versus controls (289 ± 71 nmol/10⁹cells), and the sphingomyelin/phosphatidylcholine ratio in these cells was the same in both groups (0.75 ± 0.1). Finally, we did not detect any alteration in the amount of plasma PLs specimens.     

精神病混合家系GRIK2基因多态性的关联研究

目的　在中国汉族人群混合家系中探讨GRIK2基因多态性与精神分裂症、心境障碍是否 关联。方法　采用PCR RFLP技术对GRIK2基因多态性rs6922753(T/C)和rs2227283(G/A)分型,进行 传递不平衡检验(TDT)。结果　(1)rs6922753多态性与精神分裂症(χ2=3.13,P>0.05)或心境障碍 (χ2=3.20,P>0.05)无关联,但在发病年龄≤25岁的患者中与两组疾病均相关联(P<0.05);(2) rs2227283多态性与精神分裂症(χ2=9.85,P<0.01)、心境障碍(χ2=13.50,P<0.01)呈显著关联;(3) 双位点TDT提示单体型TG、CA与精神分裂症、心境障碍相关联(P<0.05)。结论　在中国汉族人群 中GRIK2基因或邻近基因可能是精神分裂症和心境障碍的共同易患基因之一,并可能影响发病年龄。     

抑郁症的睡眠脑电图与人脑兴奋守恒假说

目的　探索抑郁症状与睡眠脑电图参数的相关性。方法　对 18例抑郁症和 10例正常人评定汉密尔顿抑郁评定量表 (HAMD)和检测睡眠脑电图。结果　HAMD总分与觉醒次数及REM密度分别呈显著正相关 (r分别等于 0 .4 0 8和 0 .4 4 5 ,P均 <0 .0 5 )。结论　抑郁症和正常人的白天中枢抑制与夜间中枢兴奋相关 ,从而支持人脑兴奋守恒假说。     

广泛性焦虑症与抑郁症患者免疫、内分泌及单胺递质的对照研究

目的探讨广泛性焦虑症(GAD)与抑郁症(MD)患者在免疫、内分泌和单胺递质方面的差异。方法 对30例GAD患者(焦虑症组)、38例MD患者(抑郁症组)在治疗(5-羟色胺再摄取抑制剂治疗6~8周)前后分别检测血清白细胞介素2(IL-2)、白细胞介素6(IL-6)、白细胞介素1β(IL-1β)、白细胞介素8(IL-8)、可溶性白细胞介素6受体(SIL-6R)、肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-α)、皮质醇(CS)、促肾上腺皮质激素(ACTH)、肾上腺素(EPH)和去甲肾上腺素(NE)水平。选择30名年龄和性别与患者组相匹配的健康人为对照组。结果 (1)焦虑症组治疗前IL-8[(122±76)ng／L]、SIL-6R[(2 065±790)ng／L]水平均高于对照组(99±68)ng／L]、[(294±48)ng／L,IL-6水平为(1.6±0.7)ng／L,低于对照组[(5.3±2.7)ng／L],差异均有显著性意义(P<0.05);抑郁症组治疗前IL-2[(7.7±6.7)ng／L]、IL-8[(119±67)ng／L]、SIL-6R[(1308±371)ng／L]水平均高于对照组,差异均有显著性意义(均P<0.05)。经治疗后,焦虑症组IL-6[(4.3±1.2)ng／L]水平较治疗前升高,IL-8[(39±9)ng／L]水平较治疗前降低(P<0.05);抑郁症组IL-2[(2.4±1.2)ng／L]、IL-8[(47±15)ng／L]水平较治疗前降低(P<0.05);均接近于对照组水平(均P>0.05)。(2)焦虑症组治疗前ACIH[(49±28)ng／L]、EPH[(67±45)ng／     

隐性脊柱裂排尿功能异常的临床特征

目的：研究伴有排尿功能障碍的隐性脊柱裂患者临床特征。方法：总结41例有明显排尿功能障碍的隐性脊柱裂患者临床资料。以18岁为界，将患者分为儿童组和成人组，所有患者均接受X线检查，除4例儿童外，均接受普通尿流动力学检查。结果：儿童组发病高峰年龄在1～2岁，主要临床表现为持续性原发性遗尿，部分伴有尿频、尿急及轻度急迫性尿失禁现象；成人组发病高峰年龄在18～26岁，主要临床表现为尿频、尿急、排尿前踌躇、排尿困难、遗尿等。结论：隐性脊柱裂患者常有排尿功能异常表现，出现症状的高峰时间为出生后及青春发育期后。X线、CT、MRI和尿流动力学等检查在隐性脊柱裂排尿功能障碍的诊断和治疗方案制定中有重要地位。     

Sleep complaints and their relation with drug treatment in patients suffering from Parkinson's disease.

The aim of this research was to quantify sleep problems in patients suffering from Parkinson's disease by means of the new Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS) and to correlate such problems with the possible influence of current drug treatment. A total of 70 patients (36 men and 34 women) with a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease were enrolled. Their mean age was 69.7 +/- 8.2 years, and duration of disease was 7.4 +/- 4.8 years. All patients completed the PDSS and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS Parts I-IV). Drug consumption and doses were registered. The mean score on the PDSS scale was 109.23 +/- 19.75 and on the UPDRS III scale was 25.24 +/- 11.35. The lowest scores were obtained in Item 3 (sleep fragmentation): 5.53 (2.46); and in Item 8 (nocturia): 5.75 (2.91). There was a weak correlation between the PDSS and UPDRS III (cc = -0.355, P = 0.003), PDSS and UPDRS I (cc = -0.272, P = 0.02), and PDSS and UPDRS IV (cc = -0.416, P < 0.001). Motor conditions, mental state, and drug complications influence sleep quality. Although this effect was significant, it was not of a great magnitude. Dopaminergic drugs did not increase daytime sleepiness. As a whole, sleep quality in patients who took dopaminergic agonists did not differ from that of patients who took levodopa in monotherapy.     

Chromatic pattern-reversal electroretinograms (ChPERGs) are spared in multiple system atrophy compared with Parkinson’s disease

Abstract Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD) patients have abnormal visual evoked potentials (VEPs) and pattern electroretinograms (PERGs), attributed to dopaminergic transmission deficiency in visual pathway, probably the retina. VEP abnormalities are not reported in multiple system atrophy (MSA). The aim of this study was to investigate and compare chromatic (Ch) red-green (R-G) and blue-yellow (B-Y), and luminance yellow-black (Y-Bk) PERGs in patients with MSA and IPD. We investigated 6 MSA patients (mean age: 62±7.4 years) not undergoing any pharmacological treatment, as well as 12 early IPD patients (mean age: 60.1±8.3 years) and 12 age-matched normal observers. ChPERGs were recorded monocularly in response to full-field equiluminant R-G, B-Y and Y-Bk horizontal gratings. In MSA only responses to R-G stimuli showed minimal insignificant changes (slight but not significant amplitude reduction without any significant latency delay); no significant abnormality was detected for B-Y and luminance Y-Bk stimuli. By contrast, in IPD all responses were reduced in amplitude and delayed in latency, above all for B-Y stimuli. Present data indicate that both chromatic and achromatic PERGs are virtually unaffected in MSA, whereas in early IPD they are clearly impaired, suggesting different pathogenic retinal mechanisms and a useful simple tool for distinguishing MSA from IPD.     

Involvement of prolactin in the REM sleep-promoting activity of systemic vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)

The involvement of pituitary prolactin (PRL) in systemic vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-induced sleep was studied. Male rats were implanted with electrodes for EEG-recording, with brain thermistors to record cortical temperature (T_crt) and with chronic intracardial catheters to obtain blood samples and to deliver substances. One group of rats (n = 8) received normal rabbit serum (NS) + physiological saline (SAL) on the baseline day and was injected with NS + VIP on the experimental day. In the other group of rats (n = 6), the baseline day was followed by administration of PRL-antiserum (PRL-AS) + VIP on the experimental day. The sera and VIP or SAL were injected 30 min before and at light onset, respectively. Sleep-wake activity was then recorded for the next 12-h light period. Systemic VIP-stimulated PRL secretion as measured by RIA in serial samples obtained hour 1 postinjection. VIP also elicited selective increases in REM sleep (REMS) in the rats pretreated with NS. T_crt was not affected by VIP. Administration of PRL-AS blocked the increase in circulating levels of free (non-IgG-bound) PRL and prevented VIP-enhanced REMS. Comparisons of the sleep effects of PRL-AS + VIP with the previously reported changes in sleep after PRL-AS alone indicate that PRL has a major role in the mediation of the REMS-promoting activity of systemic VIP. The results suggest that an increased release of endogenous pituitary PRL modulates REMS.     

Phobic postural vertigo: a first follow-up

Seventy-eight patients with phobic postural vertigo (PPV) and 17 patients with psychogenic disorder of stance and gait (PSG) were asked to evaluate their condition 6 months to 5.5 years after their original referral and short-term psychotherapy. Two results seem most important: (1) PPV had a favourable course with a 72% improvement rate (22% of patients becoming symptom free), whereas the majority of patients with PSG (52%) remained unchanged; (2) the majority of patients with PPV experienced complete remission or considerable improvement even if their condition had lasted between 1 and 20 years prior to diagnosis. Complete remission of PSG was observed only if the disorder had been present less than 4 months; there was no improvement if it had lasted longer than 2 years. PPV can be defined as a distinct clinical entity with a relatively benign course. It can be reliably diagnosed on the basis of typical features.