Evaluation of ciprofloxacin versus amoxicillin + clavulanic acid or erythromycin for the empiric treatment of community-acquired pneumonia

For the empiric management of community-acquired pneumonia, ciprofloxacin (750 mg b.i.d.) was compared with two antibiotics frequently used in this indication, i.e., amoxicillin + clavulanic acid and erythromycin. One hundred and forty-two patients were randomized in this prospective study. Among them, the 63 patients with bacteriologically documented disease were evaluated. Clinical recovery was achieved in 73.3% of patients in the ciprofloxacin group (22/30) versus 81.8% of patients in the amoxicillin + clavulanic acid or erythromycin group (27/33) (non-significant difference). Clinical failures seen with ciprofloxacin were found to be correlated with recovery of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Ciprofloxacin is effective in pneumonia but should be used only in cases where Streptococcus pneumoniae can be excluded as the causative agent.     

A mechanism of peripheral spread or localization of inflammatory reactions--role of the localized ground substance adaptive phenomenon

It is known that connective tissue-active peptides (CTAP) are released at sites of inflammation. Some of this material diffuses to immediately adjacent tissue and increases ground substance viscosity and fibroblast proliferation. This contributes to host protection against spread of infections and tumors. In a person with normal inflammatory reactivity, it should prevent spread of mediators and products of local inflammation. However, the host with an increased reactivity in sites of increased ground substance viscosity or who is highly reactive to dilution of tissue fluid would respond with more inflammation. A non-infectious, non-malignant process in a host with a highly reactive inflammatory or immune response could end up with peripheral spread. This could occur in any tissue but it occurs with great vigor in the skin. It could present as a peripheral extension of a local disease process, such as psoriasis, or the migration of cyclic lesions with clearing of the central area. There are over a dozen variants of peripherally spreading, ringed lesions described in the dermatologic literature. This includes erythema marginatum of rheumatic fever, erythema gyratum repens associated with cancer, and erythema annulare centrificum associated with allergic reactions to fungi. Many of the ringed dermatologic lesions have an immunologic component. They tend to be associated with inflammatory immune reactions at distant sites. Dermatologists have been gathering information on the ringed phenomenon at least since Hebra in 1854. The acute localized ground substance adaptive phenomenon is a broadly beneficial biologic response.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Stereospecific hydroxylation of (+)-sparteine (pachycarpine) in the rat

Pachycarpine (4), the optical antipode of the lupine alkaloid (-)-sparteine (1), has been prepared from (-)-lupanine; its metabolism was studied in rats. After isolation and chromatographic purification, streochemically homogeneous (+)-(4S)-hydroxysparteine (7) was identified as the major urinary metabolite by use of mass spectrometry and high-field NMR-spectroscopy.     

Tumor scintigraphy with cobalt bleomycin in ORL tumors

Our experiences with cobalt bleomycin scintigraphy in the treatment planning of ORL tumors are described. 142 scintigrams taken from 127 patients have been examined. As is shown by our investigation, cobalt bleomycin scintigraphy is a good examination method, however, too much expenditure is needed to have the necessary data for therapy planning. To our opinion, the information obtained in oto-rhino-laryngology by an exact clinical examination is as good as that of cobalt bleomycin scintigraphy. Our treatment schemes had only to be revised in some exceptional cases.     

Hypolipidemic, hypocholesterolemic and antisclerotic action of the rotenoid glycoside amorphin

Amorphin--24-vicyanoside (C34H4O16(2)H2O)--in a dose of 10 mg/kg orally decreases the content of cholesterol, total lipids, atherogenic lipoproteids in the blood and organs of intact rats and rats with endogenous or ethanol hyperlipemia, inhibits the development of experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits induced by the combination of risk factors (cholesterol + glucose + hypodynamia), decreases the content of lipids in the blood and organs (especially in aorta), prevents the development of morphological manifestations of the aorta atherosclerosis.     

Biopterin in Parkinson''s disease.

Tetrahydrobiopterin is an essential co-factor in the natural synthesis of dopamine. Oral tetrahydrobiopterin was given in small doses to four patients with early Parkinson's disease but had no discernible effect.     

Luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analogue therapy for central precocious puberty. Long-term effect on somatic growth, bone maturation, and predicted height

The long-acting analogue of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone, D-Trp6-Pro9-NEt-LHRH (LHRHa), is effective in the short-term treatment of central precocious puberty. We report the results of two to four years of LHRHa therapy in 27 children with this disorder. Secondary sex characteristics regressed in most patients. Sex steroid levels and basal and LHRH-stimulated gonadotropin levels remained suppressed compared with pretreatment values. Linear growth rates decreased from 11.0 +/- 0.8 (SEM) cm/yr before treatment to 5.7 +/- 0.4 cm/yr at two years of treatment and 3.7 +/- 0.7 cm/yr at four years of treatment. Predicted heights by the Bayley-Pinneau method increased from 156.4 +/- 2.0 cm before treatment to 162.3 +/- 2.3 cm at two years and 163.4 +/- 2.4 cm at three years. Five patients treated for four years had a mean increase in predicted height of 5.5 cm. To date no adverse effects have been observed. However, the ultimate safety of this analogue is not known. We conclude that LHRHa appears to be an effective long-term therapy for central precocious puberty.