The spiny dogfish (Squalus cubensis/megalops group): the envenoming of a fisherman, with taxonomic and toxinological comments on the Squalus genus.

The authors report a spiny dogfish (Squalus cubensis/megalops group) sting of a professional fisherman. He was injured on the left hand by the spine anterior to the fish's dorsal fin and manifested local edema, erythema, and excruciating pain for 6 h. Sharks of the genus Squalus megalops/cubensis and Squalus acanthias are found throughout the world; they have two spines in front of their dorsal fins and channels with a whitish mass containing large vacuolated cells which secrete venom. The Squalus genus has a complex taxonomy; the species involved in this injury belongs to the megalops/cubensis group. A detailed taxonomic and toxinological study on the Squalus genus is important and would complement other work on these fish, especially as stings in humans are very rare and not fully understood.     

Recombinant interferon alfa-2a with or without vinblastine in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: results of a European multi-center phase III study.

A total of 178 patients with metastatic renal cell cancer were randomized to receive interferon alfa-2a (rIFN alfa-2a) or interferon alfa-2a+vinblastine (VLB). IFN alfa-2a was injected intramuscularly at a dose of 18 MIU 3 times a week and VLB was given intravenously at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg once every 3 weeks. The response rate was 11% for patients on monotherapy and 24% for those on combination treatment. The 5-year survival for 145 eligible patients was 9%, independently from the treatment arm. The performance status was significantly related to long-term prognosis, and 13% of the patients with performance status 0 were alive at 5 years, as compared to 6% and 0% for patients with a WHO grade of 1 and 2, respectively. The most frequent adverse events in both treatment arms were flu-like symptoms (95%), fatigue (70%) and gastrointestinal disturbances (68%). Leukopenia was observed more frequently with combination treatment (53%) than with IFN alfa-2a alone (30%). In conclusion, rIFN alfa-2a monotherapy at this dose and schedule has modest antitumor activity in metastatic renal cell cancer. The combination of rIFN alfa-2a+VLB results in a doubling of the response rate, but this does not translate into prolonged survival. Toxicity (except leukopenia) and tolerance were similar in both treatment arms.     

Long-term results with vagus nerve stimulation in children with pharmacoresistant epilepsy.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively review our experience with VNS in pediatric patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy and examine the seizure-frequency outcome and rates of discontinuation in two age groups: adolescent and pre-adolescent children. RESULTS: Complete pre- and post-VNS data were available for 46/49 patients. Median age at implantation was 12.1 (range 2.3-17.9) and median duration of epilepsy 8.0 (1.9-16.9) years. Twenty-one patients (45.6%) were under 12 years at the time of surgery. Median follow-up was 2 years; follow-up exceeded 4 years in 9/46 patients. As compared to baseline, median seizure-frequency reduction in the setting of declining numbers was 56% at 3 months, 50% at 6, 63% at 12, 83% at 24 and 74% at 36 months. When a last observation carried forward analysis was employed median seizure-frequency reduction in the range of 60% was observed at 1, 2 and 3 years post-VNS. Twenty patients (43.5%) had >75% seizure-frequency reduction. No response (increase or <50% reduction) was observed in 19/46 (41.3%). Five patients (10.1%) were seizure-free for more than 6 months by their last follow-up. There was no difference in the number of AEDs used before and after VNS. The long-term discontinuation rate was 21.7% and reflected a lack of clinical response or infection. CONCLUSIONS: In this series VNS was well-tolerated and effective as add-on therapy for refractory seizures in children of all ages. Response was even more favorable in the younger group (<12 years at implantation). Infection and lack of efficacy were the most common reasons for discontinuation of long-term VNS therapy in this group.     

When should treatment of acute experimental pancreatitis be started?

Sodium taurocholate pancreatitis in the rat is a frequently used experimental model for evaluating therapeutical regimes in this disease. It is, however, uncertain when treatment should be started, as the early phase of this experimental model and thus the time when the pancreatitis really develops is unknown. Serum and pancreatic enzymes, as well as pancreatic morphology, were therefore studied 5, 30, and 60 min after induction of sodium taurocholate pancreatitis. It was found that increase in serum enzymes and decrease in pancreatic enzymes and morphological changes characteristic for acute pancreatitis develop as early as 5 and 30 min after induction of pancreatitis. Thus, therapy in this model may be started shortly after induction of acute pancreatitis.     

Rewarming from experimental hypothermia: comparison of heated aerosol inhalation, peritoneal lavage, and pleural lavage

This study compares the thermal transfer and rewarming characteristics of heated aerosol inhalation (HAI) alone and combined with peritoneal lavage (PEL) or pleural lavage (PLL). Closed-system PEL and PLL are equally efficient at rewarming hypothermic dogs and do so at a rate approximating 6 degrees C/h/m2. Cardiovascular responses to PEL and PLL were similar. Serum electrolytes, protein, Hct, and arterial blood gases were comparable and little changed when compared in prehypothermia and postrewarming periods. HAI alone provides little heat for rewarming; more heat is realized from endogenous metabolism. Nevertheless, HAI's ease of use and possible selective cardiac rewarming characteristics argue for its inclusion with other methods of active rewarming. The use of PEL or PLL is governed by clinical circumstances.