Anti-arrhythmia effect of prolecophen in patients with extrasystole in comparison with other anti-arrhythmia drugs

Oral prolecohen (LEK, Yugoslavia) was given in a single dose of 300 mg to 15 patients with extrasystole of various genesis. The drug produced an antiarrhythmic effect in 50% of patients with ventricular extrasystole, but in those with supraventricular extrasystole. Prolecophenum showed a good tolerance. In 20% of the patients the adverse reactions appeared as mild headache, dizziness, dry mouth, malaise in the epigastric region. There is also evidence for efficacy of other antiarrhythmic agents used in this group of patients.     

Expression of CD20 on acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells in children

CD20 determinant expressed on B precursors is associated with regulation of proliferation, apoptosis and maturation of these cells. The acute lymphoblastic leukemia "common" type (cALL) based on expression of CD20 is subdivided in type I and II. However, the clinical significance of CD20 expression on cALL and significance of cALL type I and II discernment are not fully elucidated. The association of CD20 expression with the expression of multidrug resistance molecule (MDR), CD34, atypical immunophenotypes of leukemia cells and response to induction therapy were determined in the group of 147 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) B progenitor type (ALL-proB -14 patients) and common type (cALL-133 patients). The expression of CD20 on leukemia cells was studied routinely at diagnosis before the therapy. This expression was noted on leukemia cells of 6 ALL-proB patients (42.8%) and 66 cALL patients (49.6%). The expression of CD20 showed no association with the expression of CD34, CD22 and MDR. The reverse association was observed between CD20 expression and the presence of co-expression of myeloid (CD13, CD33, CD65, CD15) and T lymphoid determinants (CD2, CD5, CD7) on leukemia cells. The effect of induction therapy analyzed as time of blast cells cytoreduction in peripheral blood and time of reaching the complete remission showed the slower clearance of peripheral blood from blast cells associated with expression of CD20. There was no association of CD20 expression with the time of reaching the hematological remission. The above results suggested a "protective" role of CD20 against co-expression of other determinants (myeloid and lymphoid) and no association with the results of induction therapy.     

The Assessment of Eating Behaviour in Children Who Are Obese: A Psychological Approach. A Position Paper from the European Childhood Obesity Group

ObjectiveThis paper introduces health professionals to the different psychological models thought to influence eating behaviour in the absence of hunger in children who are obese and to propose a method of assessing these behaviours in practice.MethodsClinical researchers from the European Childhood Obesity Group (ECOG) adopted an evidence-based approach to examine the literature concerning the assessment of eating behaviour in children who are obese. Studies published in English were filtered out of the medical and psychological literature from 1960 to the present, and the resulting bibliography was searched for relevant articles. Key themes from the current evidence were compiled and classified according to the underpinning psychological models. Based on the current evidence and the authors'' combined clinical experience, a three-staged approach to assessment was agreed by consensus.ResultsValid and reliable tools for assessing and monitoring each of the three identified models (Dietary Restraint Theory, Emotional Eating and the Diathesis-Stress Model) are suggested for use in clinical practice, and the ECOG three-staged approach to assessing eating behaviours in the absence of hunger is described.ConclusionsThis paper presents practical guidance on how to assess eating behaviour in the absence of hunger in children who are clinically obese and suggests a focus for future research.Key Words: Children, Obesity, Psychological assessment, Eating behaviour     

Relationship between ventricular extrasystole and parasystole]

Monomorphic ventricular extrasystoles, no less than 30 within an hour, were revealed in 89 of 300 patients with chronic ischemic heart disease during continuous 24-hour ECG recording on magnetic tape. A fixed type of the linkage interval (oscillations of no more than 0.1 sec) was established in 58 (62%) and the variable tupe (oscillations of more than 0.1 sec) in 31 (38%) patients. Oscillations in the linkage interval of more than 0.1 sec gave grounds to suspect parasystole. A deeper analysis revealed parasystole in 8 cases (2.6% of the total number of patients), the remaining cases were included in the group of extrasystoles with a variable non-parasystolic type of the linkage interval. This group of extrasystoles occupies an intermediate position between para- and extrasystole. The large number of transitional forms between extra- and parasystole suggests their common origin.