Hydralazine-associated Glomerulonephritis

ABSTRACT. Nine patients (6 men, 3 women) with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis developing during hydralazine therapy were seen. Early cessation of hydralazine treatment resulted in improvement in seven patients, while continued hydralazine treatment resulted in permanent renal insufficiency in two. The clinical symptoms of systemic illness associated with the hydralazine syndrome were absent in most patients. Antinuclear antibody test was positive in all, and six investigated patients had antibodies to histones. All patients had anemia, high ESR, and microscopic hematuria. Five of the nine patients were rapid drug acetylators. Renal biopsies from eight patients revealed a uniform histologic picture with segmental necrosis of glomeruli and extracapillary proliferation. Immunofluorescence investigation was positive in all and electron microscopy revealed deposits in the glomerular capillary walls in five of seven specimens. This renal disease may represent a late and monosymptomatic manifestation of the hydralazine syndrome.     

Effect of sodium lauryl sulfate on protein adsorption to hydroxyapatite in vitro and on pellicle formation in vivo

Abstract – Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is widely used as a synthetic detergent in dentifrices. It has been shown to have high affinity for hydroxyapatite (HA), and the binding mechanism has been proposed to be electrostatic, involving the negative sulfate terminals of the SLS and the calcium sites on the HA. The binding of SLS to HA may thus well interfere with the protein adsorption to HA. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of SLS on protein adsorption in vitro and on pellicle formation in vivo. The effect on protein adsorption was studied using ion exchange chromatography. The effect on pellicle formation was studied using enamel fragments carried in the mouth. The study showed that SLS-treated HA adsorbed less protein than untreated HA. Protein adsorbed to SLS-treated HA was more firmly bound to HA as compared to untreated HA. SLS-treated enamel fragments carried in the mouth showed a slower rate of pellicle formation than non-treated enamel.     

Predictive Value of Prodromal Symptoms in Myocardial Infarction

ABSTRACT. Prodromal symptoms within four weeks prior to an acute event leading to coronary care unit admission have been studied in 276 consecutive patients interviewed within 24 hours after arrival at hospital. Coronary heart disease (CHD) was diagnosed in 237 patients, 140 of whom did develop acute myocardial infarction (AMI) (Group I) and 97 who did not (Group 2). Of the remainder, 15 had miscellaneous heart diseases (Group 3) and 24 no heart disease (Group 4). Unstable angina pectoris was equally frequent among CHD patients with and without development of AMI and was related to a higher hospital mortality in AMI patients. Less specific symptoms occurred with equal frequency in the four groups. Patients who developed AMI were not possible to identify by prodromal symptoms.     

PLASMA LEVELS OF SOMATOSTATIN-LIKE IMMUNOREACTIVITY–INDEPENDENCE OF KIDNEY FUNCTIÓN

Plasma levels of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SLI) and gastrin were determined by radioimmunoassay in patients with varying degrees of renal dysfunction. The plasma SLI was not increased in patients with end-stage renal failure as compared to healthy controls. In patients with varying degrees of renal insufficiency no significant correlation was found between the plasma SLI and kidney function as estimated by the 51Cr-EDTA-clearance rate. In uraemic patients a significant inverse correlation was found between plasma SLI and plasma gastrin.     

Complement-Fixing and Lymphocytotoxic Antibodies in Serum of Pregnant Women at Delivery

Abstract. Data from an examination of 2,008 sera from parous women for lymphocytotoxic antibodies (LCTAb) and complement-fixing platelet antibodies (CFPAb) are presented. The incidence of LCTAb was 13.4% and the incidence of CFPAb 2.9%. The finding of 14 sera with CFPAb to platelets in the absence of LCTAb is discussed. It is suggested that cytotoxic antibodies belong to two different globulin classes: complement-fixing cytolytic antibodies and blocking antibodies only cytolytic with rabbit complement. The incidences of CFPAb and LCTAb were found significantly lower in primparae. Smoking also seemed to depress the ability to form antibodies.     

Fluoride retention in clean and plaque-covered demineralized enamel in vivo after application of monofluorophosphate

The retention of fluoride in clean and plaquc-covcred demineralized enamel in vivo was measured 1 wk after a single application of a MFP solution with low or high content of free fluoride. Demineralization of the enamel was induced in vivo during a 4-wk period prior to application of fluoride by applying orthodontic bands on a pair of premolars scheduled for extraction of orthodontic reasons. The band from one tooth of each pair was then removed and the tooth cleaned (clean enamel lesion). The band on the contralateral tooth (plaque-covered enamel lesion) was left in place. The MFP solutions were applied and the teeth extracted after one more week. The chemical form of fluorine in the lesions was analyzed by conventional acid etching of the enamel combined with KOH dissolution and by a nondestructive surface analysis using ESCA to detect intact monofluorophosphate ions. The ESCA measurements showed that MFP was only present in the clean enamel lesions, indicating complete hydrolysis by dental plaque. Alkali soluble fluoride could be extracted from both plaque-covered and clean enamel lesions. Conflicting results regarding the amount of fluoride uptake in the lesions were obtained with the acid etching and the ESCA technique. It was thus not clearly established whether plaque enhanced fluoride uptake in carious lesions after MFP application.     

The Blood Volume in Pheochromocytoma Patients before and during Treatment with Phenoxybenzamine

ABSTRACT. Total blood volume (TBV), red cell volume (RCV) and plasma volume (PV) were determined in 15 pheochromocytoma patients (9 males and 6 females) prior to and during preoperative treatment with phenoxybenzamine. Seventeen healthy male volunteers served as controls. Untreated male patients did not differ from the controls with respect to TBV, RCV or PV. In the total group of pheochromocytoma patients, phenoxybenzamine, in a dose of 145.6 ± 45.2 (SD) mg/day over 14.3 ± 5.7 (SD) days, induced significant increases in TBV (+9.4%) and PV (+14.5%), whereas RCV remained unchanged. During phenoxybenzamine, the mean PV in male patients significantly exceeded the control mean. We conclude that pheochromocytoma patients adapt their TBV to excessive catecholamine production and that they rarely present with profound hypovolemia. Moderate but higher doses of phenoxybenzamine than previously recommended induced marked increases in TBV secondary to PV expansion. Phenoxybenzamine counteracts the development of hypovolemia most effectively, thereby constituting one of several important measures for successful surgical management of pheochromocytoma patients.     

Desorption of acquired enamel pellicle in vivo by pyrophosphate

Abstract – Soluble pyrophosphate (PP) has been introduced in dentifrices to inhibit the formation of dental calculus. The mechanism of inhibition is probably an adsorption of the pyrophosphate ions to the Ca-sites on the enamel surfaces and a blocking of the active sites for crystal growth. It has been shown in a recently published study that PP reduced the protein adsorption to hydroxyapatite (HA) in vitro and also inhibited the pellicle formation in vivo. The aim of the present study was to examine the desorption potential of pyrophosphate on the acquired enamel pellicle in vivo. Enamel fragments were carried in the mouth to collect pellicle material and some of the enamel surfaces were then treated with PP. Pellicle formation was examined by SEM of the enamel surfaces. The results showed that pyrophosphate desorbed the acquired enamel pellicle effectively. The clinical consequences of this effect is unknown, but it could possibly explain some aspects of hypersensitivity of teeth observed in some individuals using dentifrices containing PP.     

Charcoal Hemoperfusion for Treatment of Serious Carbamazepine poisoning

Abstract A case of severe carbamazepine intoxication (total dose 80 g) is reported. Because of deep coma and cardiovascular symptoms, intensive care and hemoperfusion were employed. The carbamazepine hemoperfusion clearance rate was 80–90 ml/min, but due to a probable ongoing absorption from the gut the effect of hemoperfusion was limited. Long hemoperfusion periods are recommended due to the pharmacokinetic pattern of carbamazepine