Controlled-release codeine is equivalent to acetaminophen plus codeine for post-cholecystectomy analgesia

PURPOSE: Following ambulatory surgery, long-acting analgesics may provide advantages over short-acting analgesics. This study compared controlled-release codeine (CC) and acetaminophen plus codeine (A/C; 300 mg/30 mg) for pain control in the 48-hr period following laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: Eligible patients were randomized to CC or A/C in a double-blind, double-dummy parallel group study. Unrelieved pain in hospital was treated with fentanyl i.v. bolus. Pain [100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS)] was assessed before the first dose of medication; at 0.5, one, two, three, and four hours post-dose; at discharge; and three times a day for 48 hr. Adverse events were recorded and measures of patient satisfaction were assessed at the end of the study. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients were enrolled in the study; 42 patients in each group. There were no statistically significant differences between CC and A/C treatment. Mean VAS baseline pain was similar in both groups (P = 0.49) and there was no significant difference in the time to onset of analgesia (P = 0.17). At 0.5 hr, the mean VAS pain score was significantly reduced from baseline in both groups (P = 0.0001). The VAS pain scores at discharge were reduced 59% and 56% from baseline, respectively (P = 0.61). There was no difference between treatments in the incidence of adverse events and patients reported similar levels of satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Controlled-release codeine provides an equivalent onset of analgesia, reduction in postoperative pain, and level of patient satisfaction, to acetaminophen plus codeine, over 48 hr following cholecystectomy, with the advantage of less frequent dosing.     

44Sacral extracorporeal magnetic stimulation is an effective treatment for pelvic floor dyssynergia; Comparative study with biofeedback therapy

Background: Recent development of extracorporeal magnetic stimulation (ECMS) which uses current‐changing magnetic fields allows the induction of electrical stimulation in the desired deep tissue. Recent study showed the sacral nerve stimulation reduces corticoanal excitability that may play a functional role in anal continence mechanisms. Preliminary study shows that ECMS of sacral nerve can modify pelvic floor function and expel rectal balloon in patients with pelvic floor dyssynergia (PFD). Aims: To evaluate the effect of ECMS compared with biofeedback therapy (BF) in patients with PFD. Methods and Materials: Thirty‐eight patients who fulfilled Rome II criteria for PFD by colon transit time and anorectal function tests, were randomly treated with 8 sessions of ECMS (2/weeks; n = 19) at prone position or BF (2/weeks; n = 19) at sitting position. Stimulation parameters were set at 50–80% of maximum intensity, 10 and 50 Hz frequency, 3 s burst length with 3 and 6 s off using arm‐typed stimulator (BioCom‐1000, Mcube Co., Korea). Symptom scores for constipation with/without anorectal function test were repeatedly measured after each treatment. Response was defined as 50% or more decreased symptom score after treatment (partial response: 30–50%, poor: <30%). Results: Fifteen patients (age 49.1 ± 13.4 years, mean ± SD; 4 men) completed 8 session of BF and 14 patients (54.5 ± 17.6 years, 3 men) completed 8 session of ECMS. Four patients of BF group discontinued treatment due to unsatisfactory therapeutic effect (n = 1) and withdrew consent (n = 3) and 5 patients of ECMS group discontinued treatment because of same reasons (n = 1, 4). Total symptom scores were significantly decreased after treatment of 8 session in both treatment groups (13.4 ± 6.6 vs. 4.3 ± 4.0 for BF, p = 0.009; 14.9 ± 5.6 vs. 3.4 ± 4.0 for ECMS, p < 0.001). Bowel movements per week were also significantly increased after treatment in both groups (median 2 vs. 7 for BF, p = 0.035; median 2 vs. 7 for ECMS, p = 0.008). Thirteen out of 15 patients showed response in BF group and 12 out of 14 showed good response in ECMS group. No adverse effects in both groups. Conclusions: ECMS is as effective as BF for the treatment of PFD. Long‐term effect of ECMS for the patients with pelvic floor dyssynergia need to be evaluated in the near future.     

Recombinant tissue-plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in acute myocardial infarction in the Chinese in Hong Kong.

Eighty-nine consecutive Chinese patients (69 males, 20 females) with acute myocardial infarction treated by 100 mg recombinant tissue-plasminogen activator (rt-PA) (7 intracoronarily, 82 intravenously) at 3.7 +/- 1.0 hours after onset, and intravenous heparin or dipyridamole therapy started at 3 hours, were studied prospectively. Their mean age was 59.6 +/- 10.6 years. Forty-six patients (51.7%) had anterior and 39 patients (43.8%) had inferior infarcts. Clinical evidence of reperfusion was seen in 63 patients (72.8%), while new complications included hypotension (5.6%), heart failure (6.7%), cardiac arrhythmias (76.4%), hematoma around vascular access sites (23.6%), melena (2.2%) and cerebral infarction (2.2%). Maximal changes in coagulation profiles were seen at 3 hours, including a decrease in fibrinogen (by 64.2%), an increase in FDP by 11.7 times and D-dimers by 4.4 times. Nine patients (10.1%) had recurrence of angina and 6 patients (6.9%) died due to pump failure (5) and reinfarction (1). Angiogram at 14 days confirmed TIMI (2 or 3) patency of infarct related arteries in 62/81 (76.5%) patients, with a mean global ejection fraction of 52.5 +/- 12.4%. Nearly all survivors could maintain class I-II functional status after discharge. The safety and promises of rt-PA for acute myocardial infarction in the Chinese were confirmed.

     

Rat liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy: effects of insulin, glucagon and epidermal growth factor.

This study evaluated the role of insulin, glucagon and the epidermal growth factor (EGF) on liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy. Male Wistar rats, weighing approximately 200 g, were used. A partial hepatectomy, with resection of the medial and left lateral lobes (67.31%), was performed on the control group and seven hormone-treated groups: insulin, glucagon, EGF, insulin plus glucagon, insulin plus EGF, glucagon plus EGF, and a combination of the three hormones. The hormones were administered subcutaneously two days prior to the partial hepatectomy. The groups administered insulin were allowed to drink 20% glucose in water. Another group of rats received simulated operations, i.e., only a laparotomy was performed. The rats were killed at six, 24, 48 and 72 hours after the operation. Remnant liver weight, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) content, rate of DNA synthesis, mitotic index, blood glucose and serum insulin levels were measured. The results showed that: 1) the effects of single hormone administration on posthepatectomy liver regeneration were not obvious; 2) combined administration of insulin and glucagon increased the weight of the remnant liver, the DNA content, and the rate of DNA synthesis; 3) the combined administration of insulin, glucagon, and EGF increased the regeneration based on the remnant liver weight and mitotic index; and 4) there was no concordance between the change in blood glucose levels and the effect of hormones during liver regeneration.     

Effects of alkyl chain length on the inhibition of NNK-induced lung neoplasia in A/J mice by arylalkyl isothiocyanates

Six homologous arylalkyl isothiocyanates were evaluated fortheir abilities to inhibit pulmonary adenomas induced by thetobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-l-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone(NNK) in A/J mice. Four consecutive daily doses (5 µmol/mouse)of phenyl isothiocyanate (PITC), benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC),phenethyl isothiocyanate (PETTC), 3-phenylpropyl isothiocyanate(PPITC), 4-phenylbutyl isothiocyanate (PBITC), 4-oxo-4-(3-pyridyl)-butylisothiocyanate (OPBITC) and corn ofl were administered to miceby gavage. Two hours following the final dosing, mice were administeredsaline or 10 µmol of NNK in saline i.p. Pulmonary adenomaswere counted at 16 weeks after NNK administration. The miceadministered only corn oil prior to NNK developed an averagemultiplicity of 9.2 tumors/ mouse. Pretreatment with PITC, BITCand OPBITC had no significant effects on NNK-induced lung neoplasia.However, PEITC pretreatment resulted in a 64% reduction of lungtumor multiplicity, but did not affect the percentage of micethat developed tumors. Both PPITC and PBITC decreased tumormultiplicity by 96% and the percentage of tumor-bearing animalsby >60%. These results, in conjunction with our previouswork, demonstrate a general trend of increasing inhibition ofNNK-induced lung neoplasia by arylalkyl isothiocyanates withincreasing alkyl chain length. This study also demonstratesthe remarkable inhibitory activities of PPITC and PBITC, twoisothiocyanates that had not previously been tested as chemopreventiveagents.     

Long-term treatment of anxiety and risk of withdrawal. Prospective comparison of clorazepate and buspirone

Risk of withdrawal was investigated in a prospective, double-blind comparison of clorazepate dipotassium, a benzodiazepine with a long half-life, and the nonbenzodiazepine buspirone hydrochloride in the long-term treatment of anxious outpatients. Patients were treated with therapeutic doses of clorazepate dipotassium (15 to 60 mg/d) or buspirone hydrochloride (10 to 40 mg/d) for six continuous months before their tranquilizer therapy was blindly and abruptly stopped. There was a significant increase in symptom severity consistent with a withdrawal reaction for the clorazepate group but not the buspirone group. For the clorazepate group, there was a suggestion that previous discontinuous exposure to benzodiazepines might sensitize patients to subsequent withdrawal effects. For the buspirone group, a higher dropout rate raised questions about patient satisfaction with therapy in this rather chronically anxious population.     

Conservative treatment of neonatal hydronephrosis.

From February 1990 to January 1991, 19 cases of hydronephrosis in children of less than one year of age were managed at Mackay Memorial Hospital. In the majority of these patients, there were evident causes such as ureteropelvic junction stenosis, ureterovesical reflux or a posterior urethral valve for which definite therapeutic measures were performed. However, some cases had no obvious origins and the hydronephrosis was speculated to be from nonobstructive or physiologic dilatation of the kidneys. The conventional tools, such as intravenous pyelogram or renal ultrasound, which comprise the mainstay of diagnosis, provide limited information on renal functional status. Recent introduction of the Tc-99m diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid (DTPA) diuretic renal scan has enabled us to distinguish between obstructive and nonobstructive hydronephrosis and helps us to determine whether or not surgery is necessary. In the past year, eight patients with hydronephrosis of less than one year of age were diagnosed as nonobstructive after a series of evaluations using renal ultrasound, voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) and Tc-99m DTPA diuretic renal scan. Follow-up studies by echography or DTPA renal scan revealed spontaneous resolution of the dilated collecting systems in these cases and confirms our belief that some hydronephrosis in neonates and infants may resolve spontaneously and may just be a manifestation of physiologic change during development. The value of the Tc-99m DTPA diuretic renal scan in the diagnosis of obstructive uropathy is discussed.     

Thiamin and vitamin B6 intakes and erythrocyte transketolase and aminotransferase activities in morbidly obese females before and after gastroplasty.

To assess the need for postoperative vitamin supplements, intakes and nutritional status of thiamin (B1) and vitamin B6 were studied in 18 female gastroplasty patients who received a placebo or different levels of supplemental vitamins. Postoperative erythrocyte transketolase basal (BA) and thiamin pyrophosphate-stimulated (SA) activities and activity coefficients (AC) correlated significantly with B1 intake. Despite a decrease in apotransketolase, low thiamin intakes were associated with increased AC values during the first 3 months. With return to low B1 intakes following repletion during month 4, the AC values remained normal with low total activities. Both alanine (EALT) and aspartate (EAST) aminotransferase apoenzyme levels declined and AC values increased significantly during the first 3 months. Although the EALT-indices were more sensitive to changes in B6 intake than the EAST-indices, the EASTBA and SA correlated most consistently with the intake. Postoperative dietary intakes of both vitamins were inadequate for maintenance of normal activities of these erythrocyte enzymes. Although B1 intake of greater than or equal to 1.0 mg/day was adequate for maintenance of normal thiamin status in most subjects of this study, supplementation with greater than or equal to 1.5 mg/day is prudent even though it may not prevent the early postoperative loss of apotransketolase. Vitamin B6 intake at the current recommended dietary allowance (1.6 mg) was not adequate to maintain coenzyme saturation of the erythrocyte aminotransferases. Marginal intake of other nutrients may have affected the utilization of both thiamin and vitamin B6.