PREVALENCE OF MICROALBUMINURIA IN NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES MELLITUS

The prevalence of microalbuminuria was assessed in 50 patients of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. The mean age of patients was 52.1 ± 11.6 years and the duration of diabetes was 8.3 ± 6.8 years. Twenty (40%) patients had microalbuminuria. Microalbuminuria was more common in patients with a longer duration of diabetes (more than 5 years), a poor glycaemic control, and higher systolic blood pressure.KEY WORDS: Microalbuminuria, Diabetes mellitus, Diabetic nephropathy, Chronic renal failure     

Physician integration into mass gathering medical care. The United States Air Show

INTRODUCTION: Limited information exists concerning physician staffing at mass gathering events. METHODS: A retrospective review of the preparation, planning, and provision of medical care for the United States Air Show was performed. Patient encounters from the air show for the years 1981-1991 also were evaluated. RESULTS: The frequency rate of overall encounters was 8.45 patients/10,000 spectators and hospital transport rate was 0.6/10,000 spectators. The majority of complaints were related to heat or minor injuries. During this period, emergency physicians played a vital role in both medical planning and on-site staffing. Emergency medicine residents also participated. A small patient population received direct benefit from on-site physician intervention. CONCLUSION: The on-site emergency physician is of benefit in event preplanning and reducing the burden on the EMS system during mass gathering events.     

A rejoinder to Professor Bruening

Point and Counterpoint

A rejoinder to Professor Bruening     

Factors predicting the acute effect of pamidronate on serum calcium in hypercalcemia of malignancy

Summary In this study we retrospectively reviewed results of the first 9 days of treatment with pamidronate at doses of 30 mg (n=13), 45 mg (n=9), and 90 mg (n=13) in an attempt to see what factors influenced the response of serum calcium to pamidronate.The nadir of serum calcium obtained post treatment was correlated with pretreatment levels of nephrogenous cyclic adenosine monophosphate (NcAMP), the renal tubular threshold for phosphate reabsorption (TmPO4), and the renal tubular threshold for calcium reabsorption (TmCa). Using the post treatment serum calcium levels, patients were divided into good and poor responders depending on whether a normal serum calcium was obtained.Pretreatment NcAMP was significantly correlated with the magnitude of the response of serum calcium (r=0.45, P=0.0001). Pretreatment NcAMP was significantly higher in the poor responders (mean±SEM): 65.0±9.4 nmol/liter GF (poor responders) versus 29.6±6.3 (good responders), P=0.004. NcAMP as a predictor of the acute response of serum calcium showed a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 72%. Pretreatment TmPO4 was negatively correlated with the serum calcium response post treatment (r=-0.41, P=0.003). However, though TmPO4 tended to be lower in the poor responders, this was not statistically significant [0.65 mmol/liter GF±0.09 (poor responders) versus 0.76 mmol/liter GF±0.06 (good responders)]. As a predictor of the acute response of serum calcium, TmPO4 was less good with a sensitivity of 70% and specificity of 58%. No significant correlation was present between TmCa and the serum calcium response. A significant negative correlation was evident between NcAMP and TmPO4 (r=-0.35, P=0.003), however, no significant correlation was evident between NcAMP and TmCa or TmPO4 and TmCa.These results suggest that in a hypercalcemic patient where evidence exists for the presence in circulation of a factor with PTH-like activity (i.e., NcAMP is elevated or TmPO4 is low) the response of serum calcium to pamidronate is less good. NcAMP would appear to be a useful predictor of the response of serum calcium, whereas TmPO4 is less discriminating.     

Further thoughts on double effect: some preliminary responses

Since the papers in this issue by Alan Donagan, Don Marquis, William Nelson and Warren Quinn raise complex and challenging questions about almost every aspect of my "Who is Entitled to Double Effect", I cannot, in the present context, provide more than preliminary responses to some of the more important issues they raise in the hope that this might contribute to further clarification of the doctrine of double effect (DDE).     

Cultured epithelial autografts: three years of clinical experience with eighteen patients.

Eighteen patients with major burns (mean total body surface area burned was 49% and mean total body surface area with full-thickness burns was 38%) had cultured epithelial autografts applied to 2% to 35% of the body surface area. In six patients successful "take" of greater than 65% occurred, and in 12 patients less than 40% "take" occurred. Most wounds underwent early excision to subcutaneous fat or fascia, and the wounds of 16 patients had been treated previously with homograft. Cultured epithelial autografts were covered with either single or multilayered dressings. Perioperative wound cultures showed that all patients had microorganisms, and appropriate perioperative antibiotic coverage of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was noted less frequently in the poor take group, which may have influenced subsequent cultured epithelial allograft take. Adherence and stability of cultured epithelial allografts lag behind adherence and stability of meshed split-thickness autograft. The anterior trunk and thighs are the best recipient sites. The number of autograft harvests that were required to close wounds and the length of hospital stay were not significantly decreased by the use of cultured epithelial allografts as compared with comparable full-thickness burns that were treated previously without cultured epithelial allografts. Presently, grafting with cultured epithelial allografts is an adjunct but not an alternative to conventional burn-wound coverage with split-thickness autograft, because engraftment is inconsistent.