Immunoscintigraphy in the detection of tuberculosis with radiolabelled antibody fragment against Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin: a preliminary study in a rabbit model.

Immunoscintigraphy with radiolabelled monoclonal antibodies is widely used to detect solid tumours, but only a few trials have been carried out concerning the specific in vivo localization of an inflammatory process. The purpose of this study was to investigate the detectability of tuberculous foci utilizing this method with radiolabelled bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-specific F(ab')2 in rabbits. All of the tuberculous lesions (n = 8) were clearly visualized on serial scintigraphy for up to 48 h after injection of the antibody. Immunohistochemical and Ziel-Neelson staining of the tuberculous lesions confirmed the presence of the tuberculous antigens and bacilli. It failed to demonstrate any sustained retention of the BCG-specific antibody fragment in the control group with syphilitic orchitis (n = 2). Therefore, the specific in vivo localization of tuberculosis is feasible by immunoscintigraphy.     

Percutaneous instillation of fluconazole in the treatment of pulmonary aspergilloma]

A 68-year-old woman had pulmonary aspergilloma in the right upper lobe with old cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis. Despite intravenous fluconazole there was no change in the size of the fungus ball. Endobronchial instillation of fluconazole also failed. Subsequently percutaneous instillation of fluconazole was attempted with localized drainage. The fungus ball decreased in size after 8 weeks. Although slight hemoptysis and subcutaneous emphysema occurred in this case, these condition required no treatment. This method of treatment appears to be useful for inoperable cases of pulmonary aspergilloma.     

Sucralfate and sodium sucrose sulphate in the treatment of superficial corneal disease in keratoconjunctivitis sicca.

We have studied the effect of the aluminum complex of sucrose sulphate (Sucralfate suspension) and the sodium salt of sucrose sulphate (sodium sucrose sulphate solution) on patients with keratoconjunctivitis sicca. Eyes treated with either of these two drugs showed a decrease in painfulness and blurring of vision. On examination the surface area of the corneal lesions, stained with fluorescein, diminished during treatment. As for the difference in effect between the two eyedrops, the solution was better tolerated.     

Elevated body temperature restricts growth of Haemophilus influenzae type b during experimental meningitis.

Elevation of the environmental temperature appeared to counteract the temperature-depressing effects of urethane anesthetic and allowed rabbits intracisternally infected with Haemophilus influenzae type b to mimic the development of a fever following infection. Elevated core body temperature (greater than 39 degrees C) was associated with an inhibition of the growth of H. influenzae in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) during the first 12 h postinfection, whereas bacterial growth was essentially unrestricted in rabbits with reduced (approximately 37 degrees C) body temperature. Bacterial densities 24 h postinfection were different, hyperthermic animals having log 6.0 +/- 0.4 CFU/ml of CSF and hypothermic rabbits having log 8.2 +/- 0.8 CFU/ml of CSF (P less than 0.05, Wilcoxon rank sum test). However, the growth of this bacterium in vitro, in either pooled rabbit CSF or brain heart infusion broth, was not inhibited at 39 degrees C. These results suggest that elevated body temperature associated with the development of fever during meningitis may be associated with restriction of the growth of H. influenzae in vivo but that this effect is apparently not due to an innate inability of the bacterium to grow at elevated temperatures.     

Role of leukocyte adhesion in filterability of a blood cell suspension

Research Institute of Physicochemical Medicine, Ministry of Health, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences Yu. M. Lopukhin.) Translated from Byulleten Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 113, No. 5, pp. 488–489, May, 1992.     

Morphofunctional changes in the small intestine of children with food allergy

Children with food allergy underwent allergologic and gastroenterologic examinations using esophagogastroduodenojejunoscopy. Impairment of the jejunum in the form of jejunitis associated with function abnormality as shown by the loading tests was revealed. It is concluded that the given patients: group should be examined for the morphofunctional status of the upper gastrointestinal tract.     

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacokinetic-dynamic modelling of rocuronium in infants and children

We have determined the pharmacokinetics and pharmacokinetic- pharmacodynamic relationship of rocuronium in infants and children. We studied infants (n = 5, 0.1-0.8 yr) and children (n = 5, 2.3-8 yr), ASA II, in the ICU while undergoing artificial ventilation under i.v. anaesthesia with an arterial cannula in situ and the EMG of the adductor pollicis muscle was monitored. Rocuronium 0.06 (infants) and 0.09 (children) mg kg-1 min-1 was given i.v. over +/- 5 min until 85% neuromuscular block was obtained. Arterial blood samples were obtained over 240 min. Plasma concentrations were measured by HPLC. Pharmacokinetic-dynamic variables were calculated using the Sheiner model and the Hill equation. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test (P < 0.05). The mean administered dose was 0.32 (SD 0.08) mg kg-1 and 0.4 (0.1) mg kg-1 for infants and children, respectively. Infants differed from children in plasma clearance (4.2 (0.4) vs 6.7 (1.1) ml min-1 kg-1), distribution volume at steady state (231 (32) vs 165 (44) ml kg-1), mean residence time (56 (10) vs 26 (9) min), concentration in the effect compartment at 50% block (1.2 (0.4) vs 1.7 (0.4) mg litre-1) and the slope of the concentration-effect relationship (5.7 (1.3) vs 3.9 (0.5)). Calculated mean ED90 values were 0.26 and 0.34 mg kg-1 for infants and children, respectively. The time course of neuromuscular block after equipotent doses did not differ.