Placental transfer of the antioxidant stobadine at different gestational stages in rabbits

The distribution of [3H]-stobadine, a pyridoindole antioxidant, was investigated in New Zealand white rabbits and their fetuses on days 20 and 27 of gestation. The concentrations of [3H]-stobadine were determined in maternal and fetal organs after oral administration in a single dose of 5.0 mg/kg. The results of the study showed that during the late period of gestation the fetal organs, especially the brain and heart, were under the protective action of the antioxidant stobadine.     

Radiocirculography in congenital heart disease in children with intracardiac shunts

A modification of radiocirculography suitable for the investigation of children suffering from congenital heart disease was developed and tested in 55 children with intracardiac shunts. Comparison of data derived from radiocirculography with the data obtained by conventional cardiac catheterisation showed radiocirculography has a high degree of accuracy when it is used to assess shunt size. Pulmonary arterial and capillary pressures and pulmonary resistance values were derived from radiocirculography findings and compared with those obtained from catheterisation studies: only in children of school age could the two be closely correlated. In cyanotic heart disease morphological analysis of the radiocirculographic curves proved an especially helpful diagnostic aid. The close agreement between the assessment of aortic override when using angiography and radiocirculography was demonstrated.     

Premenarchal and postmenarchal girls with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: ovarian and other organ-specific autoantibodies, menstrual cycle

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To estimate various organ-specific autoantibodies and detect other endocrine autoimmune disorders and menstrual cycle characteristics in girls with Type 1 insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). DESIGN: Prospective cohort study from 1993 to 1998, duration 4.5 years. SETTING: Diabetes & Endocrine Clinic of the University Hospital, Motol, Prague. PATIENTS: 53 IDDM girls (group A--43 postmenarchal, group B--10 premenarchal), 15.5 +/- 2.5 (8-19) years old, 6.2 +/- 4.3 years after IDDM onset. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ovarian autoantibodies directed to ooplasm, zona pellucida, membrana granulosa, theca folliculi interna, and lutein cells, insulin autoantibodies, thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin autoantibodies. Menstrual cycle character, endocrine glands disturbance. Diabetes control, body mass index, duration of IDDM. RESULTS: Ovarian autoantibodies in at least one of the followed structures were found in 67.9% of the IDDM girls. In the control group of 21 healthy girls of corresponding age, the positive findings in lutein cells were found in only 4.8% of the girls (P < 0.01 versus IDDM girls). The lutein cells commonly associated with theca folliculi interna cells were the most frequent immunopositive structures in diabetic girls (P < 0.05 versus another positive ovarian autoimmune structure). Autoantibodies directed to ovarian steroid producing cells were frequent in IDDM patients with both irregular and normal menstrual cycles. Irregular menstrual cycles were diagnosed in 27.9% of IDDM girls, polymenorrhea in half of them, and oligomenorrhea in the remainder. Diabetes control in our patients (glycosylated hemoglobin HbA1c in postmenarchal girls 10.1 +/- 2.0%) did not differ between those with regular and those with irregular menstrual cycles. Over a follow-up period one-third of the girls with oligomenorrhea and a long-term noncompliance (HbA1c 13.5%) developed secondary amenorrhea. Insulin autoantibodies were found in 67.8%, thyroid peroxidase autoantibodies in 12.5%, and thyroglobulin autoantibodies in 10.4% of the IDDM girls. Autoimmune thyroiditis was diagnosed in 5 IDDM patients (9.4%); hypothyroidism developed in 3 of them. Menstrual cycle was irregular in 4 of the 5 girls with autoimmune thyroiditis (polymenorrhea in 1, oligomenorrhea in another 3 girls). CONCLUSIONS: An increased incidence of various circulating autoantibodies may be markedly demonstrated in IDDM girls. Their reproductive function might have an important relationship to an evidence of ovarian autoantibodies. Menstrual cycle disturbances could be linked to the poor diabetes control, to the presence of ovarian and other autoantibodies, and also to other autoimmune disease.     

MIS (Multicentric Isradipine Study of antihypertensive therapy).

One-year open Multicentric Isradipine Study (MIS) performed in 7 centres in Czechoslovakia included 144 patients with mild and moderate hypertension. Isradipine was given at a dose of 2.5 mg daily. If normalization of diastolic blood pressure (BP) had not been reached, the dosage was increased to 5 mg. Monotherapy with isradipine normalized diastolic BP in 44% of patients. Isradipine (5 mg daily) was combined with bopindolol in patients in whom isradipine alone failed to normalize diastolic BP. These had higher mean systolic and diastolic BP, body weight, erythrocyte and platelet counts at the beginning of the study. The combination of isradipine with bopindolol normalized diastolic BP in 87% of the group at the end of 48 weeks' treatment. Tolerance was excellent in 82% of patients. Treatment was discontinued in 8% patients, undesirable effects being the reason in 2%, ineffective therapy in 2% and poor adherence to therapy in 4%. Isradipine in monotherapy or in combination with bopindolol did not exert an adverse effect on the metabolic risk factors of ischaemic heart disease (cholesterol, glycaemia).