Anticipation in familial malignant hematologic diseases (epidemiologic observations)

Between January 1 1983 and December 31 2000, 21 cases of association of haematologic malignancies between parents and their children, two cases of that in grandparents and their grandchildren, and five cases of appearances of haematologic malignancies in uncle or aunt and their nephew or niece were experienced by authors. The diseases manifested in the second (or in the third) generation in 25/28 cases appeared earlier than those in the first generation, and in 13/28 cases had a greater malignity. In the remaining 15 cases the malignity was identical in both generation. Instead of anticipation (greater severity and/or earlier onset) the term dual acceleration (earlier onset and greater malignity) is more exact and thus more proper determine epidemiologic observations of authors. Dual acceleration was proved by authors not only in identical but in different haematologic malignancies manifested both in first-degree and second-degree relatives.     

Lovastatin potentiates antitumor activity and attenuates cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin in three tumor models in mice.

Lovastatin, a drug commonly used in the clinic to treat hypercholesterolemia, has previously been reported to exert antitumor effects in rodent tumor models and to strengthen the antitumor effects of immune response modifiers (tumor necrosis factor alpha and IFN-gamma) or chemotherapeutic drugs (cisplatin). In the present report, we show in three murine tumor cell lines (Colon-26 cells, v-Ha-ras-transformed NIH-3T3 sarcoma cells, and Lewis lung carcinoma cells) that lovastatin can also effectively potentiate the cytostatic/cytotoxic activity of doxorubicin. In three tumor models (Co-ion-26 cells, v-Ha-ras-transformed NIH-3T3 sarcoma cells, and Lewis lung carcinoma cells) in vivo, we have demonstrated significantly increased sensitivity to the combined treatment with both lovastatin (15 mg/kg for 10 days) and doxorubicin (3 x 2.5 mg/kg; cumulative dose, 7.5 mg/kg) as compared with either agent acting alone. Lovastatin treatment also resulted in a significant reduction of troponin T release by cardiomyocytes in doxorubicin-treated mice. This observation is particularly interesting because lovastatin is known to reduce doxorubicin-induced cardiac injury.     

Local administration of cyclosporin allows reduction of the dose prolonging survival of heart tissue allografts

In the H-2-incompatible donor-recipient combination (BALB/c----CBA/H) local administration of cyclosporin allows a 4-fold reduction in a single dose prolonging survival of heart tissue allografts. These results suggest that local administration of cyclosporin may be useful for certain grafts.     

Differential diagnosis of anemias

The authors describe the factors influencing of normal hemoglobin level, pathogenetic and morphological classification of anemias and the possibilities to distinguish their different types. They highlight features of iron deficiency anemia and anemia of chronic diseases. They summarise in tables the basis of laboratory diagnosis and possibility of identification of different types of anemias.     

Goodpasture's syndrome: A report of seven patients including long-term follow-up of three who received a kidney transplant

Seven patients with Goodpasture's syndrome are presented. Bilateral nephrectomy was performed in five patients, and postnephrectomy pulmonary hemorrhage occurred in three. Three nephrectomized patients underwent a successful renal transplant, renal transplantation being postponed until circulating antiglomerular basement membrane antibody had disappeared. The argument is made that pretransplant bilateral nephrectomy in patients with Goodpasture's syndrome is indicated.     

Diabetes mellitus and pregnancy — Management and results at Rikshospitalet,Oslo, 1970–1977

Summary During the years 1970–1977, 234 pregnant diabetics were treated in Oslo. A regimen of close metabolic and obstetric control was used. The total perinatal mortality was 4.3%, and 3.1% in 160 patients followed from before week 28. In 74% of patients mean blood glucose (determined 4 times daily) during the last 5–6 weeks of pregnancy was below 6 mmol/l and in only one patient above 8 mmol/l. There was a low incidence of ketoacidosis (5 patients), pyelonephritis (3 patients), and severe preeclampsia (1 patient), although mild to moderate preeclampsia occurred in 28 patients. Preeclampsia was not associated with foetal loss. Macrosomia was rare. Respiratory distress occurred in 33 infants, in most cases light to moderate. Two foetal deaths were associated with respiratory distress. Progression of retinopathy was frequent, and appearance of or progression of proliferative changes occurred in 15 patients with retinopathy before pregnancy. Loss of visual acuity was rare, and reading vision was not lost by any patients. Induced vaginal delivery has been used in half the deliveries during the last years, whereas Caesarean section was preferred during the first years. Mean duration of pregnancy at delivery has been 260 days, 256 days during the first four years, and 262 days during the last four.     

Studies on the derivatives of 2-amino-4-p-chlorophenylthiazole-5-acetic acid. I. Syntheses and pharmacological analysis of acylderivatives of 2-amino-4-p-chlorophenylthiazole-5-acetic acid.

A number of new acyl and imidoderivatives of 2-amino-4-p-chlorophenylthiazole-5-acetic acid (II) and its methyl ester (VII) were synthesized. Methyl ester VII heated in benzene solution with acid anhydrides was transformed into adequate acyl derivatives (VIII, IX, X, XIII, XVI). Some of them (X, XIII, XVII) by heating with acetic anhydride underwent cyclization and were transformed into the imido derivatives (XI, XIV, XVIII). Compounds XI, XIV and XVI heated with diluted aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide underwent selective hydrolysis giving the respective dicarboxylic acids XII, XV, XVII. Pharmacological analysis revealed that some of the synthesized preparations exert an anti-inflammatory effect and allow to draw limited relations between chemical structure and pharmacological activity in this group of compounds.     

Influence of HLA-A, B, C, and D matching and pretransplant blood transfusions on kidney graft survival.

A significant influence of matching both for the HLA-A and B and the D/DR antigens on graft survival in patients transplanted with kidneys from living related or cadaveric donors is demonstrated. A generally reduced survival of cadaveric grafts during the last few years may at least in part be explained by the use of more three and four antigen-mismatched donors. The beneficial effect of pretransplant blood transfusions on graft survival in our material is almost nulled when uremic patients, dying while waiting for a transplant, are also considered. In addition, significantly more high-risk patients are included in the nontransfused patient group.