Threshold for occluded formaldehyde patch test in formaldehyde-sensitive patients

Our purpose was to investigate the eliciting threshold concentration of formaldehyde in formaldehyde-sensitive individuals in the occluded and non-occluded patch teat and to evaluate the relationship in repeated open application test (ROAT) with a product containing a formaldehyde releaser. 20 formaldehyde-sensitive patients and a control group of 20 healthy volunteer were included in the study. Occluded and non-occluded patch tests with formaldehyde solutions form 25 to 10,000 ppm. and ROAT for I week with a leave-on cosmetic product containing on average 300 ppm formaldehyde. Were carried out simultaneously on each subject. In the occluded patch test. 1/2 of the 20 patients only reacted to 10,000 ppm formaldehyde. 9 reacted to 5,000 ppm. 3 reacted to 1.000 ppm. 2 reacted to 500 ppm and I reacted to 25 ppm. No definite positive reactions were observed in the non-occluded patch test or in the ROAT No positive reactions were observed in the control group to any of the test procedures. We concluded that the threshold concentration for occluded patch test to formaldehyde in formaldehyde-sensitive patients was 250 ppm. The threshold in occluded patch test corresponded to the degree of sensitivity Definite positive reactions in the ROAT were not seen, either indicating that they are unlikely to happen with the type of product used or that the exposure time was too short.     

Capsaicin cough sensitivity in allergic asthmatic patients increases during the birch pollen season.

BACKGROUND: A change in neural responsiveness may occur as the result of allergic inflammation in the lower airways as well as in the upper airways. In the lower airways, capsaicin cough sensitivity is known to reflect sensory neural reactivity. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to establish whether allergic inflammation changes airway neural sensory reactivity during prolonged allergen exposure. METHODS: Ten nonsmoking patients with birch pollen-allergic asthma performed a capsaicin inhalation challenge twice, once in the off-pollen season and once during the pollen season. The number of coughs and symptoms induced by capsaicin were recorded and compared with those of healthy control subjects. RESULTS: The response to capsaicin, expressed as number of coughs, increased in a dose-dependent manner during both tests. Before the season, the response was similar to that of healthy control subjects, but during the pollen season, the reactivity was significantly increased. Variations in forced expiratory volume in 1 second were not significant before and after each challenge, and values did not change during the pollen season as compared with the winter season. CONCLUSIONS: Sensory reactivity in allergic asthmatic patients may be increased during prolonged allergen exposure as during the pollen season. This finding suggests that allergic inflammation in the lower and/or upper airways may trigger neurogenic mechanisms of significant clinical importance.     

Analgesic nephropathy in Hungary: the HANS study.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of analgesic nephropathy has improved significantly with modern imaging techniques. We reviewed a large portion of the Hungarian dialysis population to obtain additional insight into the problem. METHODS: Twenty-two participating dialysis units enrolled 1400 patients on renal replacement therapy between 1 January 1995 and 1 January 1998. Patients with no known aetiology (n = 284) were interviewed and studied with renal imaging. We assessed the presence of decreased renal mass combined with either bumpy contours, papillary calcification, or both. The subjects studied were interrogated extensively. RESULTS: Our survey suggested analgesic nephropathy in 47 of 1400 patients (3.3%), 3-fold higher than the EDTA database estimate for Hungary. The analgesics most commonly abused were phenacetin-containing mixtures. The driving symptoms were mainly headache and joint pain. Cardiovascular complications were more common than in the rest of the dialysis population, independent of smoking and lipid values (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Phenacetin should be banned. Our study results support the need for longitudinal cohort and case-control studies in Hungary.     

Patency of the internal mammary artery used as sequential graft.

In 28 patients with the left internal mammary artery (IMA) used as a sequential coronary artery graft, clinical and angiographic evaluation was made 19-47 months postoperatively. Patency was 96% in the proximal anastomoses and 93% in all the anastomoses. Angiography, however, showed optimal function in only 75% of the distal graft ends. These observations indicate that routine use of left IMA as a sequential graft should be restricted to experienced surgeons. Clinical and angiographic findings did not always correlate, emphasizing that evaluation of IMA-graft patency should include angiography.     

Enterococcal endophthalmitis following cataract extraction, treated with ampicillin intravitreally.

A case of Enterococcal endophthalmitis developed following an extracapsular cataract extraction. The infection was successfully treated with intravenous and intravitreal ampicillin, but a secondary glaucoma led to a later enucleation. We report a case of postoperative endophthalmitis with an unusual etiology, which did not respond to common treatment.     

The Influence of Intramammary Lipopolysaccharide Infusion on Serum Ca,P, Vitamin D,Cytokines and Cortisol Concentrations in Lactating Sows

Ten multiparous lactating sows were used to investigate whether intramammary infusion of lipopolysaccharides (LPS; Escherichia coli 0111:B4; 2.0 μg/kg of body weight) would affect the circulating concentrations of Ca, P, 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25‐OHD), tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and cortisol. The sows were randomly allotted to either control group (control) or LPS‐treated group with five individuals per group and were infused with either physiological saline solution or LPS solution. The rectal temperature and udder quarter appearance were recorded at 0 (just before infusion), 1, 3, 7, 12 or 24 h after infusion. Blood samples were taken at 0, 1, 3, 7, 12 or 24 h after infusion. Before infusion, the rectal temperatures of all sows were below 39.2°C. At 3 and 7 h after infusion, the sows in the LPS group had a rectal temperature over 39.4°C. At 24 h after infusion, the rectal temperatures returned to pre‐infusion levels. Serum Ca and P concentrations in the LPS group decreased (P < 0.05) after LPS infusion compared with the control group at 1 h after infusion. No significant differences (P > 0.05) in the concentrations of 25‐OHD were observed between groups control and LPS at any sampling time. Increased (P < 0.01) concentrations of serum TNF‐α, IL‐6 and cortisol were observed in the LPS group compared with the control group at 3 and 7 h after infusion respectively. In conclusion, the elevation of serum concentrations of TNF‐α, IL‐6 and cortisol and the alterations of circulating concentrations of Ca and P following LPS infusion indicate that the immune system has been activated and immune activation may affect macromineral homeostatic regulation, which might have important implications for metabolic health of lactating sows. Lowered serum Ca and P following immune activation also shows a causative mechanism whereby immune activation increases the risk of secondary disorders such as mastitis‐metritis‐agalactia syndrome. However, immune activation did not affect circulating concentrations of vitamin D metabolites.     

A Brief Mental Health Outcomes Measure: Translation and Validation of the Czech Version of the Schwartz Outcomes Scale-10

The Schwartz Outcomes Scale-10 (SOS-10) is a 10-item scale developed to measure the effectiveness of psychiatric treatments. Using standard methodology, we translated the scale into Czech and examined the psychometric properties of the Czech version. 207 in-patients admitted to Prague Psychiatric Center were included in the study. All patients completed the SOS at admission and discharge. The SOS-10 scale was also administered to 170 persons from the general population. Reliability, validity and sensitivity to treatment change of the Czech SOS-10 were analyzed. The Cronbach’s α coefficient was 0.92. The item-total correlation coefficients varied from 0.56 to 0.82. The SOS-10 correlated well with condition-specific measures including depression (BDI) and anxiety (BAI) and a global self-rated symptom severity scale (CGI). The SOS-10 also had significant correlations with the Health, Basic needs, Relationship, and Leisure time domains of the Czech version of the Subjective Quality of Life Analysis (SQUALA-CZ). The scale discriminated well between patients and controls, with patients scoring significantly lower on all SOS items. The patient sample’s admission and discharge scores were significantly different, indicating that the scale is sensitive to treatment changes. We concluded that the Czech SOS-10 is valid with reliability and factor structure similar to the American language version.     

Reactions in rat gluteal muscle to titanium implants

A new approach to the analysis of tissue-implant interaction is presented using rat gluteal muscle as implantation site and using monoclonal antibodies to identify and quantify cells around the implant. The method can be used for comparative studies on biocompatibility. In this methodological investigation, pure titanium (Ti) was studied, revealing an initial response of macrophages, followed by the formation of a fibrous membrane, in which, even at 50 and 70 d, la-expressing cells and suppressor T-lymphocytes were present.