The impact of glucose-insulin-potassium infusion in acute myocardial infarction on infarct size and left ventricular ejection fraction [ISRCTN56720616]

Background

Stopping antipsychotic treatment can interrupt improvement and exacerbate the illness. The reasons for discontinuing treatment during controlled clinical trials were analyzed to explore this phenomenon.

Methods

A post-hoc, pooled analysis was made of 4 randomized, double-blind clinical trials, 24–28 weeks in duration, involving 1627 patients with schizophrenia or a related disorder. Analyses combined all the atypical antipsychotic treatment groups in the studies.

Results

The majority of patients (53%) stopped their treatment at an early stage. Poor psychiatric response along with worsening symptoms was the most frequently given reason for discontinuing the course (36%), which was substantially more common than discontinuation due to poor tolerability of the medication (12%). This phenomenon was corroborated by less improvement in patients who discontinued treatment compared with those who completed, based on the PANSS total scores. Discontinuation due to poor response was, apparently, more predominantly linked to patient perception than to physicians' conclusions alone (80% vs. 20%). Discontinuation due to patient perception of poor response appeared to occur particularly early in the course of treatment. Patients who discontinued due to poor toleration of the medication responded in a more comparable manner with completers.

Conclusion

Discontinuing treatment may lead to exacerbation of symptoms, undermining therapeutic progress. In these studies, poor response to treatment and worsening of underlying psychiatric symptoms, and to a lesser extent, intolerability to medication were the primary contributors to treatment being discontinued. Our findings suggest that adherence may be enhanced by effective symptom control, as objectively measured and as subjectively perceived. Such strategies may improve patients' willingness to undertake long-term therapy and increase the likelihood of a better prognosis.     

Myoepithelial carcinoma of the salivary glands: a clinicopathologic study of 25 patients

Salivary gland carcinomas displaying exclusively myoepithelial differentiation (myoepithelial carcinoma) are considered rare. Their histopathologic features, immunohistochemical profile, and clinical behavior are not well characterized. The authors reviewed the clinicopathologic features of 25 salivary gland tumors fulfilling two fundamental histologic criteria: unequivocally malignant and exclusively myoepithelial. For most of these, the original diagnosis was malignant mixed tumor. Thirteen men and 12 women aged 24 to 77 years (mean age, 55 yrs) participated in the study, and most presented with a painless mass. The parotid gland was the most common site (n = 15). Tumors ranged from 2.1 to 5.5 cm, arising either in association with a benign mixed tumor (n = 15) or de novo (n = 10). Histologically, all the tumors displayed infiltrative growth and most had a characteristic multinodular architecture with a cellular periphery and central necrotic/myxoid zones. Epithelioid, hyaline, spindle, clear, or mixed cell types were noted with accompanying myxoid and/or hyalinized extracellular matrix. Ten tumors were high grade cytologically and 15 were low grade. The mitotic rate ranged from three to 51 mitoses per 10 high-power fields. Necrosis was present in 15 tumors and perineural and vascular invasion were identified in 11 and four neoplasms respectively. Immunoreactivities included CAM5.2 (89%), AE1:AE3 (100%), 34betaE12 (92%), cytokeratin 7 (21%), cytokeratin 14 (53%), vimentin (100%), S-100 protein (100%), smooth muscle actin (50%), calponin (75%), muscle-specific actin (31%), glial fibrillary acidic protein (31%), carcinoembryonic antigen (0%), and epithelial membrane antigen (21%). Ultrastructural examination of three tumors showed myoepithelial features. Ten patients developed recurrences, mostly multiple. Follow up of 17 patients showed that eight patients (47%) developed metastases (six high grade, two low grade) and five patients (29%) died of disease (four high grade, one low grade) after a mean of 32 months. Two patients were alive with disease (19 and 49 mos). Ten patients (59%) were without any evidence of disease after a mean of 42.2 months. Myoepithelial carcinomas exhibit a wide spectrum of cytomorphologic features and diverse clinical outcomes. As a result of their morphologic heterogeneity, they can be confused easily with many tumors. Myoepithelial carcinomas have been underrecognized in the past, primarily by being lumped under a broader category of "malignant mixed tumor." Awareness of their unique cytoarchitectural patterns and immunohistochemical profile is crucial for accurate identification.     

Detection of bacterial pathogens in cerebrospinal fluid using restriction fragment length polymorphism

Background: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is useful for rapid microbial detection in body fluids with low microbial load. It is easier to use universal or broad range primers for the amplification of conserved stretches of DNA common to all bacteria like 16S rRNA gene, followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of PCR products.     

Abortifacient Potential of Aqueous Extract of Senna alata Leaves in Rats

Objective To study the abortifacient activity of aqueous extract of Senna alata leaves in female Wistar rats.Methods Pregnant rats weighing 143.65 ± 13.11 g were completely randomized into 5 groups（A-E）.Rats in group A（negative control） were orally administered,once daily with 0.5 ml of distilled water on days 10-18 post-coitum while those in groups B,C,D,and E were treated exactly like the negative control except they received the same volume containing 2.85 mg/kg body weight of mifepristone（group B,reference drug）,250,500 and 1 000 mg/kg body weight of the extract respectively（groups C-E）.Results Phytochemical screening of the extract showed positive results for saponins（1.22%）,flavonoids（1.06%）,cardiac glycosides（0.20%）,cardenolides and dienolides（0.18%）,phenolics（0.44%） and alkaloids（0.52%）.Respiratory distress,salivation,diarrhoea,changes in the appearance of hair as well as maternal mortality were not observed at any time during the exposure period except in the mifepristone-treated animals where there was episode of diarrhoea and tiredness.The extract significantly reduced（P〈0.05） the number of life foetus,weight and survival ratio of the foetus,numbers of implantations and Corpora lutea,implantation index,progesterone,prolactin,estradiol,follicle stimulating and luteinizing hormones whereas the number of dead foetus,number and percentage of rats that aborted,percentage vaginal opening,resorption index,pre-and post-implantation losses increased significantly.In addition,mifepristone-treated animals produced resorption index that compared well with the distilled water control.There was also no dead or life foetus and serum progesterone concentration was increased in the animals treated with mifepristone.All cases of abortion were accompanied with vaginal bleeding.Although,the final weight of the rats increased significantly,the feed and water intake were not significantly altered in all the treatment groups.The weight of the uterus,uterine-body weight ratio,length of the right uterus horn and uterine cholesterol decreased significantly in all the treatment groups.The uterine alkaline phosphatase activity and glucose concentration increased in only the extract-treated animals whereas mifepristone decreased the uterine alkaline phosphatase activity and glucose content of the animals.Conclusion This study has provided evidence to the age-long claim of S.alata leaves in ＂washing the uterus＂.The abortifacient properties were most pronounced at 500 and 1 000 mg/kg body weight of the extract and were similar to the animals treated with 2.85 mg/kg body weight of mifepristone.Hormonal influence,changes in implantation site,estrogenicity and uterogenicity are suggested as possible mechanism of abortifacient activity of aqueous extract of S.alata leaves.Overall,the extract may be used as an abortifacient especially at 500 and 1 000 mg/kg body weight and therefore not safe for consumption as oral remedy during pregnancy.     

A new pyeloureteral drainage catheter

We describe a new pyeloureteral drainage catheter that can be used for both genitourinary tract stenting and drainage, as well as tamponade of bleeding from the renal parenchyma or subcutaneous tissue. Primary indications for the use of this catheter and recommendations on insertion techniques are presented. With the exception of one case of minor kinking of the catheter, we have had no complications or failures with this catheter. While insertion through an unprotected tissue track is somewhat difficult, we have had good success introducing the catheter through a 24-F or larger Teflon working sheath. The catheter has excellent patient retention properties. It can be converted from external to internal drainage or vice versa simply and quickly on the ward.     

European cervical cancer screening：experiences and results

1　ＯｖｅｒｖｉｅｗｏｆｆｅｍａｌｅｍａｌｉｇｎａｎｃｉｅｓｉｎＥｕｒｏｐｅＣａｎｃｅｒｉｎｃｉｄｅｎｃｅａｎｄｍｏｒｔａｌｉｔｙｅｓｔｉｍａｔｅｓｆｏｒ 1995ｗｅｒｅｒｅｐｏｒｔｅｄｒｅｃｅｎｔｌｙｆｏｒ 38ｃｏｕｎｔｒｉｅｓｉｎＥｕｒｏｐｅ[1] .Ｔｈｅｒｅｗｅｒｅｅｓｔｉｍａｔｅｄ 2 .6ｍｉｌｌｉｏｎｎｅｗｃａｓｅｓｏｆｃａｎｃｅｒｉｎＥｕｒｏｐｅｉｎ 1995 ,ｒｅｐｒｅｓｅｎｔｉｎｇｏｖｅｒｏｎｅ ｑｕａｒｔｅｒｏｆｔｈｅｗｏｒｌｄｂｕｒｄｅｎｏｆｃａｎｃｅｒｗｈｉｌｅＥｕｒｏｐｅ’ｓｉｎｈａｂｉ…     

An unusual case of ureteral tumor in a duplex system

We report an interesting case of ureteral tumor involving both limbs of an incompletely duplicated ureter. Such a case has not been reported in the literature. A 51-year-old female presented with refractory hematuria. A complete evaluation revealed an incompletely duplicated right system with an isolated distal ureteral tumor extending proximally into both arms of the ureter. The patient underwent a successful right nephroureterectomy. Pathology revealed low grade papillary urothelial cancer confined to both arms of the ureter. A brief review of the literature and management is detailed herein.