Clinical results of piezoelectric gallstone lithotripsy.

The safety and efficacy of piezoelectric extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy in the treatment of symptomatic gallbladder stones were evaluated in 53 consecutively treated patients. All treatments were performed as outpatients without anesthesia; over 95 per cent of 109 treatments were performed without analgesia or sedation. Ursodeoxycholic acid was administered post-treatment. Seventy per cent of patients had multiple sessions. Cumulative stone-free rates of 38 per cent at 6 months, 65 per cent at 12 months, and 75 per cent at 15 months were achieved. There was no difference in eventual stone clearance between patients with single stones less than 20 mm diameter, single stones greater than or equal to 20 mm diameter, or multiple (two or three) stones, although patients with single smaller stones required significantly fewer total shocks to become stone-free (P = .02). Stone clearance correlated with estimated stone volume. Biliary pain occurred in 62 per cent of patients after treatment but ceased in stone-free patients. Biliary complications of pancreatitis (7.5%) and choledocholithiasis (3.8%) were successfully treated by endoscopic papillotomy. Nonbiliary complications were virtually nonexistent. Three patients (5.7%) had elective cholecystectomy. Results indicate that piezoelectric lithotripsy is a safe, minimally painful treatment that, in conjunction with oral bile acids, can produce stone-free rates of 75 to 100 per cent in selected patients.     

Mucosal immunity to Pseudomonas aeruginosa alginate in cystic fibrosis.

Patients with cystic fibrosis commonly acquire chronic pulmonary infection with alginate-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The infection remains localized at the mucosal surfaces of the airways. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays immunoglobulin concentrations and titers of specific antibodies to purified P. aeruginosa alginate and to P. aeruginosa sonicated antigens were measured in tears, saliva, sputum and serum. CF patients had significantly higher concentrations of IgG, IgA and SIgA in serum and saliva than controls. They also had significantly higher levels of specific antibodies to alginate and sonicated antigen in secretions and serum. Local production of IgA, IgG and IgM antibodies to P. aeruginosa was demonstrated. Only a minor proportion of specific IgA antibodies were present as secretory IgA in tears, saliva and sputum. The ratio of alginate-specific SIgA to specific monomeric IgA in sputum was significantly lower than the similar ratio in saliva, whereas the same ratio for specific P. aeruginosa sonicate antigens was found in saliva and sputum.     

The prevalence of intermittent claudication. Sex-related differences have been eliminated.

OBJECTIVES: to investigate the prevalence of intermittent claudication (IC) in an unselected population of nearly 20000 individuals between 40 and 69 years of age.DESIGN: epidemiologic investigation of residents in Nord-Tr?ndelag County, Norway. MATERIAL AND METHODS: between 1995 and 1997, all residents 20 years of age or older in Nord-Tr?ndelag County, Norway, were invited to attend the HUNT Study. A total of 19748 participants between 40 and 69 years of age responded to questions related to the symptoms of intermittent claudication.We estimated the prevalence of IC based on these questions. RESULTS: the age-adjusted prevalence of intermittent claudication in the total population was 1.1% for men and 1.2% for women. We found an increase in the prevalence of IC by age, however, no sex differences were observed. CONCLUSION: the prevalence of intermittent claudication increased gradually by age. However, in contrast to previous reports, there was no difference by sex.     

Species differences in blood-mediated nitrosocimetidine denitrosation

Nitrosocimetidine (NC) is the nitrosated derivative of cimetidine (Tagamet), a p.o. administered drug used widely in the treatment of stomach ulcers. NC is capable of methylating DNA in vitro and in cultured cells in a manner similar to that of the laboratory carcinogens 1-methyl-2-nitro-1-nitrosoguanidine and methylnitrosourea (MNU) and gives positive indications in short-term in vitro tests for genotoxicity, generally held to be prognostic of compound carcinogenic potential. Nevertheless NC has been found to be a weak or non-carcinogen in the rat and mouse model systems and to produce minimal levels of tissue DNA alkylation when dosed p.o. or i.v. to rats. The results from our earlier experiments (D. E. Jensen, Cancer Res., 43: 5258-5267, 1983) indicated that compound denitrosation is the primary fate of NC in the rat and suggested that denitrosation is the blood, mediated by hemoglobin sulfhydryl residues, is perhaps the major detoxification mechanism. We now report that whole blood and hemoglobin isolated from various mammalian species differ in their capacity for NC degradation rate enhancement and for compound denitrosation. The observed whole blood activity in the degradation reaction (rat greater than mouse/guinea pig greater than human/hamster) paralleled the hemoglobin activity. The NC half-life in isolated rat blood, 37 degrees C, was found to be about 2 min and in hamster or human blood 27 min. For reference, the MNU half-life in isolated blood is 8 min. Compound denitrosation accounted for at least 75% of the degradation in rat blood and 40 to 55% in human and hamster blood. Parallel NC denitrosation activity was found in the various hemoglobin preparations. The NC degradation rates in the presence of the several hemoglobin species were roughly proportional to the number of sulfhydryls on the hemoglobin tetramers available for reaction with p-chloromercuribenzoate and approximated the rates observed in solutions containing equivalent concentrations of L-cysteine. The percentage of total decomposition due to compound denitrosation in the presence of rat hemoglobin, 95%, was found to be unique relative to the L-cysteine-mediated reactions (about 35%) and the reactions studied over the pH range 6 through 10, the denitrosation process never accounted for more than 50% of the total degradation. Chemically blocking the sulfhydryls on human hemoglobin using iodoacetamide deleted the NC degradation rate enhancement. We found no evidence for nitrosylhemoglobin formation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Gastroduodenal mucosal hemodynamics by endoscopic reflectance spectrophotometry

The reflectance spectrophotometric technique measures an index of mucosal hemoglobin concentration and an index of oxygen saturation by spectral analysis of light reflected from the mucosal surface. Using a commercially available unit, a technique for obtaining reproducible endoscopic measurements with acceptable intraobserver and interobserver variability was developed in the anesthetized dogs. The reflectance spectrophotometric finding that experimentally induced prehepatic portal hypertension did not affect gastric mucosal blood flow was confirmed by hydrogen gas clearance measurements. Endoscopic studies in patients with active duodenal ulcer disease revealed a higher index of mucosal hemoglobin concentration and a normal index of oxygen saturation (i.e., an increase in blood flow) at the margin of the ulcer compared with the adjacent normal appearing mucosa.     

Age and immune response to a surgical stress

We studied the effects of age and a relatively standardized stress (elective inguinal herniorrhaphy) on immune response. The patients included 20 men, ten at least 60 years old and ten younger, who were free of infection and illness and had not had prior surgery. Immune responses were measured one day before and five and 30 days after operation. We determined immunoglobulin levels, performed three delayed-hypersensitivity skin tests and a test for neutrophil chemotaxis, and measured lymphocyte responses to autologous cells, phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A), and pokeweed. We also studied responses in 40 controls matched for age and sex. The responses to PHA and Con A were significantly lower in older patients than in controls at five days after operation; responses to Con A were still significantly lower at 30 days. Morbidity correlated with depressed immune responses in both age groups, even when there was no difference between older and younger patients.     

The effects of peripherald-amphetamine, 4-OH amphetamine, and epinephrine on maintained discharge in the locus coeruleus with reference to the modulation of learning and memory by these substances

d-Amphetamine, 4-OH amphetamine, and epinephrine have been shown in many behavioral studies to facilitate memory when given post-training. The effect of these drugs on the maintained discharge of cells in the locus coeruleus (LC) was investigated using a route of administration (intraperitoneal) and a log-dose range of these drugs comparable to those used in the behavioral experiments.d-Amphetamine profoundly suppressed maintained discharge: an inhibitory effect was observed at every dose (0.1, 1.0, 10.0 mg/kg). In contrast, only the highest dose of 4-OH amphetamine (8.2 mg/kg) inhibited activity in the LC, and this effect was a modest one. Unlike the amphetamines, epinephrine (500 μ/kg) elevated maintained discharge. These results are discussed in the contex of the hypothesized involvement of the LC in the enhancement of memory by these drugs.     

Early operation or conservative management of patients with small bowel obstruction?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcome after initial non-operative treatment in patients with small bowel obstruction (SBO). DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: University hospital, Norway. PATIENTS: One hundred and fifty-four patients with 166 episodes of SBO admitted during the period (1994-1995). Patients younger than 10 years as well as patients with large bowel obstruction, paralytic ileus, incarcerated hernia or SBO caused by cancer were excluded from the study. INTERVENTIONS: Patients with signs of strangulation were operated on early. The rest were given a trial of conservative treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Need of operative treatment. Incidence of bowel strangulation, complications and death. RESULTS: There were 166 cases of SBO. Twenty patients were operated on early among whom bowel was strangulated in 9. Among the 146 patients initially treated conservatively 93 (64%) settled without operation, 9 (6%) had strangulated bowel and 3 (2%) died. Of the 91 patients with partial obstruction but no sign of strangulation, 72 (79%) resolved on conservative treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with partial obstruction with no sign of strangulation should initially be treated conservatively. When complete obstruction is present, it may settle on conservative management, but the use of supplementary diagnostic tools might be desirable to find the patients who will need early operative treatment.