Efficacy and tolerability of pantoprazole 40 mg versus 80 mg in patients with reflux oesophagitis.

BACKGROUND: Pantoprazole is a substituted benzimidazole which is a potent inhibitor of gastric acid secretion by its action upon H+, K+- ATPase. METHODS: Pantoprazole 40 mg and 80 mg were compared in a randomized double-blind study in 192 out-patients with stage II or III (Savary-Miller classification) reflux oesophagitis. Patients received either pantoprazole 40 mg (n = 97) or pantoprazole 80 mg (n = 95), once daily before breakfast for 4 weeks. Treatment was extended for a further 4 weeks if the oesophagitis had not healed. RESULTS: After 4 weeks complete healing of the reflux oesophagitis was seen in 78% of protocol-correct patients given pantoprazole 40 mg daily (n = 86), and in 72% in the 80 mg (n = 87) group. The cumulative healing rates after 8 weeks were 95 and 94%, respectively (P > 0.05, Cochran-Mantel- Haenszel), and time until healing of oesophagitis comparable in both groups. Differences between doses were also not significant in an intention-to-treat analysis. Both dosing schedules were well tolerated and the patients experienced remarkable symptom relief. No adverse event or changes in laboratory values of clinical significance could definitely be ascribed to the trial medication. CONCLUSION: The 40 mg pantoprazole dosage is comparable to 80 mg in reflux oesophagitis, both in efficacy and tolerability.     

Complete surgical excision is effective treatment for children with immature teratomas with or without malignant elements: A Pediatric Oncology Group/Children's Cancer Group Intergroup Study.

PURPOSE: To determine whether the 3-year event-free survival (EFS) of children with completely resected immature teratomas is greater than 85%. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with immature teratomas treated at Pediatric Oncology Group or Children's Cancer Group institutions were eligible. Pathology was centrally reviewed to confirm diagnosis and tumor grading. Follow-up included physical examination, measurement of tumor markers (alpha fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin), and imaging. All patients were monitored for events, defined as tumor recurrence, second malignancy, or death. RESULTS: Seventy-three children (median age, 7.8 years) with extracranial immature teratomas were enrolled on study. Primary tumor sites included ovarian (n = 44), testicular (n = 7), and extragonadal (n = 22). However, on review, 23 patients had foci of yolk sac tumor (n = 21) or primitive neuroectodermal tumor (n = 2), whereas 50 had pure immature teratomas. Twenty-five patients had increased alpha fetoprotein (n = 18), human chorionic gonadotropin (n = 5), or both (n = 2); nine had foci of yolk sac tumor on review. Pathology review identified 23 patients with grade 1, 29 with grade 2, and 21 with grade 3 immature teratomas. With a median follow-up of 35 months, the overall 3-year EFS was 93% (95% confidence interval, 86% to 98%), with 3-year EFS of 97.8%, 100%, and 80% for patients with ovarian, testicular, and extragonadal tumors, respectively. Only four of 23 patients with immature teratoma and malignant foci developed recurrence, suggesting that surgical resection followed by close observation are effective treatment. Overall, five patients had disease recurrence 4 to 7 months from diagnosis, and four (80%) are disease free after platinum-based therapy. The fifth patient has residual tumor after cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin treatment requiring further therapy. CONCLUSION: Surgical excision is safe and effective treatment for 80% to 100% of children with immature teratoma.     

Molecular forms of human growth hormone secreted in vivo: nonspecificity of secretory stimuli

Several molecular forms of human GH (hGH) are present in blood, but their individual regulation is largely unknown. To examine the factors controlling the secretion of individual hGH variants, the relationship between the mixture of circulating hGH forms and the type of preceding secretory stimulus was studied in 18 normal subjects and 5 acromegalic patients. The stimuli employed were L-dopa, GH-releasing hormone-(1-40), exercise, spontaneous sleep-related and daytime secretory bursts, estrogens, and TRH in the acromegalic patients. Three monomeric hGH forms (22K, 20K, and acidic hGH) were identified in all samples; their mean relative proportions were 76.4%, 15.8%, and 7.9%, respectively. These proportions were similar in all subjects, regardless of stimulus, sex, or presence of acromegaly (P greater than 0.25). We conclude that the release of individual hGH forms is not stimulus specific, but, rather, that the secretory granule contents are released in toto upon somatotroph stimulation.     

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and death: a spectrum of etiologies

Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) registry data show increased mortality in congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) infants compared with other extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) indications. To test the hypothesis that death might be related to various clinical parameters, retrospective data collection was solicited on 175 ECMO-related CDH deaths from 41 American ECMO centers (ELSO Registry 1980 through 1989). Data capture forms were received on 100 of 175 infants representing 29 of 41 centers. After review of all available material, a predominant cause of death was assigned. Other diagnoses were given secondary status. We analyzed arterial blood gas values at 6, 3, and 1 hour pre-ECMO, as well as at the time of highest recorded PO2 (preductal and postductal) and lowest recorded PCO2, and correlated these findings with predominant cause of death. The relationship between individual variables and cause of death was assessed by t test. Multivariate analysis was performed by using a stepwise discriminate procedure. The most common predominant causes of death were brain death (29%), pulmonary hypertension (25%), and pulmonary hypoplasia (17%). Correlation of arterial blood gas values at 6, 3, and 1 hour pre-ECMO with predominant causes of death established the following statistically significant associations (P less than .05): (1) pulmonary hypoplasia and low PO2 at 6 hours pre-ECMO; (2) brain death and low pH at 1 hour pre-ECMO; and (3) pulmonary hypertension and high HCO3- at 1 hour pre-ECMO.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

脾切除对结直肠癌切除术后的影响：一项多中心、嵌入式、配对队列研究

目的探讨医源性脾脏损伤脾切除对结直肠癌切除患者术后长期生存的影响。方法对1990年1月1日至1999年12月31日10年间行结直肠癌手术切除并附带脾切除患者进行病例配对回顾研究。分析患者年龄、性别、依据美国麻醉学医师协会（ASA）标准评估的身体状况、疾病分期、手术类型及预后等资料。配对病例来自同一医疗中心，性别、年龄、疾病分期及手术类型完全相同。手术附带脾切除患者为试验组，未切脾者为对照组。结果55例患者行医源性脾切除术，对照组在年龄、性别、身体状况、疾病分期及手术类型上与之匹配。随访时间（从手术开始到患者死亡或者最后一次随访1为2～205个月（中位随访时间为43个月）。Cox比例危险度模型进行Kaplan-Meier法生存分析发现两组间差异有显著性意义，不切除脾脏对患者生存有利（危险度1．8，95％可信区间为1-3．3，P=0．0399），未切脾组与切脾组5年生存率分别为70％和47％，10年生存率分别为55％和38％。结论结直肠癌患者在行结肠或直肠切除时，因医源性脾脏损伤而切除脾脏者，预后较差。     

Superparamagnetic iron oxide-enhanced MR imaging: pulse sequence optimization for detection of liver cancer

The effects of magnetic resonance (MR) pulse sequences and timing parameters on tumor-liver contrast were studied in an animal model of metastatic liver cancer. Six spin-echo (SE), three inversion-recovery (IR), and four gradient-echo (GRE) sequences were evaluated at 0.6 T before and after injection of super-paramagnetic iron oxide. GRE techniques, irrespective of echo time and flip angle, showed the greatest change in signal intensity (enhancement) of the liver after administration of iron oxide. Single-acquisition GRE sequences (16 seconds) matched the contrast-to-noise ratio (C/N) performance of the most effective 6.4-minute SE sequences. Multiexcitation GRE sequences showed tumor-liver C/Ns per unit time that were significantly (P less than .05) higher than those achieved with SE and IR sequences. GRE sequences, which recruit intravoxel dephasing as an additional source of transverse relaxation enhancement (T2*), show a higher C/N per unit time and in this respect seem superior to SE and IR sequences for MR imaging with superparamagnetic iron oxide.     

The T‐13910C polymorphism in the lactase phlorizin hydrolase gene is associated with differences in serum calcium levels and calcium intake

The C‐variant of a T‐13910C polymorphism (rs4988235; NT_022135.15:g.25316568G > A) upstream of the lactase phlorizin hydrolase (LPH) gene causes lactose intolerance. Association studies with differences in bone parameters and fracture risk have been inconclusive. The objective of this study was to examine the association of LPH rs4988235 with body height and bone parameters and calcium homeostasis in two elderly populations of Dutch Caucasians and assess interaction with vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms. Genotyping of LPH and VDR polymorphisms was performed in 6367 individuals from the Rotterdam Study and 844 from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA). Associations with age, height, weight, bone mineral density (BMD), skeletal morphometric parameters and serum vitamin D and calcium levels, and dietary calcium intake were assessed using ANOVA or analysis of covariance, and allele dose effect was assessed using linear regression analysis. Fracture risk was analyzed using Cox's proportional hazard regression analysis. Associations with body height (p = 2.7 × 10^?8) and vertebral area (p = .048) found in the Rotterdam Study were explained by population stratification, as assessed by principal‐component analyses, and disappeared after additional adjustments. No associations with femoral neck or lumbar spine BMD or with fracture risk were detected. Calcium intake and serum ionized serum calcium were significantly lower in C‐homozygotes (p = 9.2 × 10^?7, p = .02, respectively). For none of the parameters studied was interaction between the T‐13910C polymorphism and VDR block 5 haplotype 1 observed. We show that the C allele of the T‐13910C polymorphism causing lactose intolerance is associated with lower dietary calcium intake and serum calcium levels but not with BMD or fractures. The associations observed with height and vertebral area were the result of population stratification. This demonstrates the impact of population stratification and urges researchers to carefully take this into account in genetic associations, in particular, in dietary intake–related phenotypes, of which LPH and lactose intolerance are a strong example. © 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research     

Predictors of growth and body composition in HIV‐infected children beginning or changing antiretroviral therapy

Objectives

The aim of the study was to describe growth and body composition changes in HIV‐positive children after they had initiated or changed antiretroviral therapy (ART) and to correlate these with viral, immune and treatment parameters.

Methods

Ninety‐seven prepubertal HIV‐positive children were observed over 48 weeks upon beginning or changing ART. Anthropometry and bioelectrical impedance analysis results were compared with results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2002 (NHANES) to generate z‐scores and with results for HIV‐exposed, uninfected children from the Women and Infants Transmission Study (WITS). Multivariate analysis was used to evaluate associations between growth and body composition and disease parameters.

Results

All baseline lean and fat mass measures were below those of controls from NHANES. Weight, height and fat free mass (FFM) index (FFM/height²) z‐scores increased over time (P=0.004, 0.037 and 0.027, respectively) and the waist:height ratio z‐score decreased (P=0.045), but body mass index and per cent body fat z‐scores did not change. Measures did not increase more than in uninfected WITS controls. In multivariate analysis, baseline height, mid‐thigh circumference and FFM z‐scores related to CD4 percentage (P=0.029, P=0.008 and 0.020, respectively) and change in FFM and FFM index z‐scores to CD4 percentage increase (P=0.010 and 0.011, respectively). Compared with WITS controls, baseline differences in height and mid‐thigh muscle circumference were also associated with CD4 percentage. Case–control differences in change in both subscapular skinfold (SSF) thickness and the SSF:triceps skinfold ratio were inversely associated with viral suppression. No measures related to ART class(es) at baseline or over time.

Conclusions

In these HIV‐positive children, beginning or changing ART was associated with improved growth and lean body mass (LBM), as indicated by FFM index. Height and LBM related to CD4 percentage at baseline and over time. Altered fat distribution and greater central adiposity were associated with detectable virus but not ART class(es) received.