Cough Frequency in a Group of Males

An epidemiologic study by questionnaire was undertaken in Great Britain and the United States, to provide data on diabetes mellitus in Down’s syndrome. Among 20,362 patients with Down’s syndrome, 88 living diabetics were found.

A high prevalence of diabetes in the population with Down’s syndrome, particularly In the younger age groups, was noted. In these age groups the prevalence of diabetes in the population with Down’s syndrome exceeded that of the general population by factors 6.8, 3.3, and 3.0. Insufficient data exist to determine the exact statistical significance of these ratios. Further investigation is necessary. Nevertheless, a definitive association between Down’s Syndrome and diabetes mellitus is suggested. The role of prediabetes, autoimmunity and genetics in this association is discussed.     

Acute and chronic effects of domperidone on gastric emptying in diabetic autonomic neuropathy

Gastric emptying was studied with a double radioisotopic method in 12 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus complicated by autonomic neuropathy and in 22 control subjects. In the diabetics, the acute and chronic effects of oral domperidone on gastric emptying, symptoms of gastroparesis, and glycemic control were assessed. Gastric emptying of solid and liquid was slower in diabetics than controls (P<0.001). Acute administration of domperidone increased the rate of both solid and liquid emptying (P<0.005). Domperidone was most effective in those patients with the greatest delay in gastric emptying. After chronic administration (35–51 days), domperidone had no significant effect on solid emptying (P>0.05), but was still effective in increasing liquid emptying (P<0.025). Symptoms of gastroparesis were less after domperidone (P<0.001).Dr. M. Horowitz was supported by a grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia.     

Simultaneous Doppler blood velocity measurements from aorta and radial artery in normal human subjects

We used two independent, pulsed, range-gated, ultrasonic, Doppler blood velocity meters to record blood velocities in the aorta and a peripheral artery in 32 normal subjects aged 8 to 62 years. Aortic signals were obtained from an unfocussed transducer in the suprasternal notch using a 2.25 MHz instrument. Simultaneous tracings were obtained from the radial or posterior tibial artery using an 8 MHz instrument. The audio Doppler signals were subjected to spectral analysis and mean velocity was calculated at 5 ms intervals during 11 successive heart beats at each site. The increase in mean velocity at the start of systole in the aorta followed a linear pattern for the first 45 ms of ejection in two thirds of the beats, irrespective of the age or size of the subject. A similar linear velocity increase in early systole was seen in the peripheral arterial signals after a delay due to the time taken for the flow wave to pass to the periphery. Thus the constant acceleration seen in aortic blood velocity tracings is transmitted to peripheral arteries in an attenuated and delayed but undistorted form.