Methotrexate for systemic lupus erythematosus: a retrospective analysis of 17 unselected cases.

We report a retrospective study of 17 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus who were treated with oral methotrexate given as a mean weekly dose of 8.47 +/- 1.72 mg. Methotrexate treatment resulted in symptomatic improvement in 57% of patients and allowed the reduction of the mean daily dose of prednisone from 16.66 mg initially to 8.99 mg at one year follow-up. Twelve of 17 patients (70.6%) experienced at least one episode of toxicity. Factors which might be associated with toxicity are analyzed. Because of its potential as a corticosteroid-sparing agent, controlled studies of methotrexate for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus are indicated.     

The survival of malignant hypertension in blacks, whites and Asians in Britain

Life table analysis was used to compare survival rates in 168 whites, 39 blacks and 26 Asians with malignant phase hypertension. Amongst men, survival until death or the requirement of chronic renal dialysis was significantly worse in blacks, who initially presented with higher blood pressures and more renal impairment. There were no differences in survival in women in the three ethnic groups. Malignant hypertension remains common in Britain and still carries a poor prognosis.     

Daycase arthroscopic knee surgery performed under local anaesthesia with hyaluronidase: technical note

Whilst local anaesthesia for daycase arthroscopic knee surgery has been well reported, there are few centres in the United Kingdom performing such a technique. Hyaluronidase has been widely used as an adjunct to local anaesthetic infiltration in the fields of ophthalmic and plastic surgery, but it is rarely used in orthopaedic surgery. We report our technique, which the senior author has successfully used in 121 patients having arthroscopic knee surgery over the past year, and discuss the role of added hyaluronidase to the local anaesthetic portal infiltrate.