Histological evidence of carcinoma in a hepatic tumour associated with oral contraceptives.

A primary hepatic tumour occurred in a 21-year-old woman who had been taking oral contraceptives for two years; she was treated by partial hepatectomy. Part of the neoplasm showed features suggestive of focal nodular hyperplasia, while the remainder had the histological characteristics of a well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma. This is the first report of malignant transformation of a tumour in a patient taking oral contraceptives.     

Hormone-elicited enzyme release by the small intestinal wall

Three enzymes of intestinal origin-enterokinase, alkaline phosphatase, and sucrase-were released into the perfused small intestinal lumen of the rat upon intravenous injection of the gastrointestinal hormone cholecystokinin-pancreozymin (CCK-PZ).The presence of bile in the perfusion fluid greatly augmented this release. The results suggest that a combined mechanism of enzyme liberation due to direct hormonal stimulation of the gut wall and further solubilization of released intestinal enzymes by bile may be responsible for the appearance of these enzymes in the gut lumen.     

Distal renal tubular acidosis and lymphocytic thyroiditis with spontaneously resolving hyperthyroidism. Report of 1 case without nephrocalcinosis

In a 33-year-old woman concurrence of a complete distal renal tubular acidosis (RTA) and lymphocytic thyroiditis with spontaneously resolving hyperthyroidism was observed. Until recently, the rare association of RTA and hyperthyroidism had been thought to be governed by nephrocalcinosis, via hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria. However, in this case, nephrocalcinosis was not present, but there were histological signs of renal interstitial mononuclear cell infiltration, and the RTA persisted despite the resolution of the hyperthyroidism. This observation supports the idea that immunological mechanisms may relate RTA and hyperthyroidism when the latter has an autoimmune origin.