Adverse ocular effects associated with niacin therapy.

In a retrospective survey of patients taking medication for hyperlipidaemia, those taking niacin (nicotinic acid) were more likely (p < 0.05) to report sicca syndromes, blurred vision, eyelid oedema, and macular oedema compared with those who never took niacin. Additionally, 7% of those taking niacin discontinued the drug owing to adverse ocular side effects, while none of the other lipid lowering agents were found to cause these side effects (p = 0.016). Data from spontaneous reporting systems support a possible association of decreased vision, cystoid macular oedema, sicca-like symptoms, discoloration of the eyelids with or without periorbital or eyelid oedema, proptosis, loss of eyebrow or eyelashes, and superficial punctate keratitis with the use of niacin in high doses. Decreased vision may be marked, and if the drug is not discontinued, may progress to cystoid macular oedema. All ocular side effects listed above are reversible if the association with niacin is recognised and the drug is discontinued; both the incidence and severity of the ocular side effects seem to be dose dependent.     

Combined anti-bradycardia/anti-tachycardia pacemaker-cardioverter-defibrillator systems in patients with recurrent ventricular tachyarrhythmias]

In 41 patients with recurrent sustained ventricular tachycardia and/or ventricular fibrillation an integrated pacemaker-defibrillator-system (PCD, Medtronic, model 7216 A or 7217 B) was implanted. In 21 out of 24 (88%) patients a new transvenous implantation technique in combination with a subcutaneous patch electrode was used. The implanted devices comprise antibradycardiac pacemaker functions, two different forms of antitachycardiac pacemaker functions (ramp and burst pacing), and internal cardioversion or defibrillation capabilities. During a mean follow-up of 8 months 147 episodes of ventricular tachycardia were detected, 131 of them were terminated successfully by antitachycardiac pacing; in 13 episodes internal cardioversion was applied to revert ventricular tachycardia. Twenty-seven episodes of ventricular fibrillation or rapid ventricular tachycardia (greater than 200/min) were detected and successfully terminated by internal defibrillation. In six patients with intermittent rapid atrial fibrillation, change of antiarrhythmic therapy was required to avoid activation of the device. The new integrated pacemaker-defibrillator systems improve therapy in patients with life-threatening tachyarrhythmias by reducing the number of internal cardioversions/defibrillations; the non-thoracotomy approach reduces the post operative risk.     

Specific and nonspecific effects of ethanol vapor on plasma corticosterone in mice.

The intent of this study was to determine whether chronic ethanol (EtOH) vapor inhalation, with or without adjunct pyrazole (PYR) administration, was stressful in mice, as defined by increases in plasma corticosterone (CORT) concentration. Mice were randomly assigned to groups differentiated both on the basis of EtOH vapor exposure and the presence or absence of PYR administration. Blood samples for blood EtOH concentration (BEC) and plasma CORT concentration were obtained from mice after 72-96 hours of treatment. Mice were sacrificed after 96 hours of treatment and body and adrenal weight determined. BEC was significantly higher in PYR-treated animals and animals treated with the higher EtOH vapor concentration. Plasma CORT was elevated in proportion to BEC; however, other nonspecific stresses, in particular that of PYR administration, also elevated plasma CORT. Nonspecific stresses associated with this protocol may reduce the generality of these observations. Nevertheless, the high correlation between BEC and plasma CORT concentration in the PYR groups indicates that, with suitable control groups, the PYR-EtOH vapor inhalation approach is viable for studies concerned with EtOH effects on hypothalamic-anterior pituitary-adrenocortical function.     

Formation of mitochondrial phospholipid adducts by nephrotoxic cysteine conjugate metabolites.

Nephrotoxic cysteine conjugates derived from a variety of halogenated alkenes are enzymatically activated via the beta-lyase pathway to yield reactive sulfur-containing metabolites which bind covalently to cellular macromolecules. Mitochondria contain beta-lyase enzymes and are primary targets for binding and toxicity. Previously, mitochondrial protein and/or DNA have been considered as molecular targets for cysteine conjugate metabolite binding. We now report that metabolites of nephrotoxic cysteine conjugates form covalent adducts with rat kidney mitochondrial phospholipids. Rat kidney mitochondria were incubated with the 35S-labeled conjugates S-(1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl)-L-cysteine (TFEC), S-(2-chloro-1,1,2-trifluoroethyl)-L-cysteine (CTFC), S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine, and S-(1,2,3,4,4-pentachlorobutadienyl)-L-cysteine. Quantitation of metabolite binding to whole mitochondria and to mitochondrial protein and lipid fractions revealed that as much as 42% of the 35S-label associated with the mitochondria was found in the lipid fraction. Total lipids were also extracted from 35S-treated mitochondria and separated by thin-layer chromatography. 35S-Containing metabolites were found in the lipid fractions from mitochondria treated with each of the conjugates. Lipids from both [35S]CTFC- and [35S]-TFEC-treated mitochondria contained major 35S-labeled lipid adducts which had similar mobility by thin-layer chromatography. Fatty acid analysis, 19F and 31P NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometric analyses confirmed that the major TFEC and CTFC adducts are thioamides of phosphatidylethanolamine.     

Incidence clinique des psychotraumatismes dans la consultation externe d’un service de psychiatrie

The authors aimed at evaluating the impact of psychotraumas in psychiatric outpatients. One hundred forty psychiatric outpatients were consecutively included, without distinction of their current pathology. They filled in an inventory of potentially traumatic experiences, a psychological dissociative experiences scale, a somatoform dissociative experiences questionnaire, and underwent a structured interview for diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (according to the DSM-IV). One hundred subjects related psychological trauma, and 76 patients suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder. Dissociative disorders are found significantly correlated with traumatic experience and to posttraumatic stress disorder. The traumatic impact is found more substantial as the number of events was elevated. This study confirms the elevated prevalence of the psychological traumas and psychotraumatic aftermaths in outpatients of a department of psychiatry, independently from the mental disorder.     

Occupational exposure to hazardous substances and risk of cancer in the area of the mouth cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx and larynx. A case-control study

A case-control study of squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract conducted in Heidelberg and Giessen (FRG) provided information on occupational factors in 200 patients and 800 controls (adjusted to sex, age and area of living; 4:1 matched design). The number of subjects exposed to wood dusts, organic chemicals, coal products or to cement was significantly elevated in the tumour group. An increased risk for head and neck cancer was observed after exposition to wood dust (RR = 2,2), organic compounds (RR = 2,4), coal products (RR = 2,7) and especially to cement (RR = 4,4). The cancer risk due to cement exposition showed a positive correlation to the duration of exposition and remained significantly elevated after adjustment for alcohol and tobacco consumption.     

Psychophysiological activity and neuropsychological test performance in alcoholics.

This study examined electromyogram (EMG) and skin conductance level (SCL) as mediators of neuropsychological test performance of alcoholics. Alcoholics and controls with high EMG performed less well than low EMG subjects on 12 measures of neuropsychological performance. For SCL, the alcoholics and controls in the Low Group did not differ from those in the High Group on any measure. Analyses that used information intake (Low EMG and High SCL) and rejection (High EMG and Low SCL) information postures (IPs) demonstrated that the intake group outperformed the rejection group on 10 neuropsychological measures. Subjects with intake IPs reported more stimulation, concentration, and interest during the tasks than did subjects with rejection IPs. Results suggest that IPs can be used to identify alcoholics with neuropsychological deficits.     

How to assess fetal metabolic acidosis from cord samples.

The degree of metabolic acidosis at birth has been calculated in cord artery and vein samples from 21 term fetuses with cord artery pH less than 7.20. The aim of the study was to compare base deficit values calculated from either Siggaard-Andersen alignment nomogram (BD blood) or the Acid-Base chart (BD extra cellular fluid, BDecf). BDblood was found to be consistently higher in the cord artery as compared with BDecf, 13.2 +/- 3.5 and 9.9 +/- 2.9 mmol/l (Mean +/- SD), respectively. A significant correlation was found between cord artery PCO2 and BDblood whereas BDecf appeared unaffected by PCO2. In cases with cord entanglement BDecf a-v differences were increased to 3.4 +/- 2.3 mmol/l as compared with the small a-v difference noted in acidotic cases without cord entanglement, 1.1 +/- 1.25 mmol/l. It is speculated that with acutely emerging, intermittent asphyxia due to cord compression, a cord artery and vein difference in metabolic acidosis may exist and where the vein captures the basal level and the artery the acute changes. It is concluded that BDecf in both cord artery and vein add valuable information on the mechanisms behind metabolic acidosis.