Association between alcohol consumption and aeroallergen sensitization in Danish adults

BACKGROUND: It has been proposed that alcohol consumption may be one of the lifestyle factors associated with a westernized, urban, and affluent lifestyle contributing to the rise in atopic disease. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to investigate the association between alcohol consumption and atopy (aeroallergen sensitization). METHODS: In 1982, a population-based cross-sectional study of 3608 Danes (79% of the invited), aged 30, 40, 50, and 60 years, was carried out. Information on alcohol consumption was obtained by a questionnaire. Aeroallergen sensitization was defined as a positive test for the detection of specific IgE against a panel of 19 common inhalant allergens in stored serum samples. A total of 3317 subjects with complete information on all variables were included in the analyses. RESULTS: We found a statistically significant association between alcohol consumption and aeroallergen sensitization (independent of the type of alcoholic drink consumed). This association appeared to relate only to those who consumed more than 8 drinks/week. After adjustment for confounders this association was only statistically significant for those who consumed 15-21 drinks/week (adjusted odds ratio 1.8, 95% confidence interval 1.2-2.8). CONCLUSION: In this adult general population, self-reported alcohol consumption was positively associated with aeroallergen sensitization.     

Periocular involvement in cutaneous leishmaniasis

OBJECTIVE: Although cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) occurs mostly in the facial area, periocular involvement accounts for 2-5% of the facial lesions. CL lesions localized in the periocular region can easily be confused with various other diseases. The aim of this study was to examine the frequency of periocular involvement in CL in the Cukurova region of Turkey, as well as the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and methods of treatment of this disease. METHODS: Between December 1998 and December 2004, patients who were diagnosed with CL were evaluated prospectively with respect to periocular involvement. RESULTS: From the 2066 patients evaluated with CL, 2622 lesions were identified. In 59 (2.9%) of these patients, a total of 66 (2.5%) lesions were located in the periocular area. Thirty-two (48.5%) of these lesions were of the papular type, 15 (22.7%) the nodulo-ulcerative type, 10 (15.2%) the plaque type, and nine (13.6%) the nodular type. Dacryocystitis was identified in four patients with periocular involvement. Over the follow-up period, no ocular or periocular deformities or complications developed in these patients. CONCLUSION: Patients suspected of CL should be evaluated and treated early in the course of their disease to prevent any permanent ocular or periocular deformities.     

Effects of the antimigraine compound zolmitriptan ('Zomig') on psychomotor performance alone and in combination with diazepam in healthy volunteers

Zolmitriptan (Zomig^TM) is a 5HT_1B/1D agonist which has the ability to cross the intact blood-brain barrier to access central as well as peripheral receptors. Because of the potential for central nervous system side effects, this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 6-period crossover study evaluated the effects of 2.5 and 5 mg doses of zolmitriptan on psychomotor performance and investigated any pharmacodynamic or pharmacokinetic interaction with diazepam. Twelve healthy volunteers received the following "treatments" as single doses: zolmitriptan 2.5 mg, zolmitriptan 5 mg, diazepam 10 mg, zolmitriptan 2.5 mg+diazepam 10 mg, zolmitriptan 5 mg+diazepam 10 mg and placebo. Pre-dose and at 1, 4, 8, and 24 h post-dose, the following validated battery of psychomotor tests was performed: Bond-Lader visual analogue scales (calmness, contentedness, and alertness factors), critical flicker fusion test, choice reaction time (recognition, motor, and total reaction times), finger-tapping test, number cancellation test and digit symbol substitution test. Plasma concentrations of zolmitriptan, its active metabolite, and diazepam and its active metabolites were measured at the same timepoints. Zolmitriptan 2.5 and 5 mg had no effect on psychomotor function when given alone. In contrast, diazepam 10 mg had profound effects, consistent with its sedative properties, but there was no synergism on concomitant administration of either dose of zolmitriptan. Plasma concentrations of zolmitriptan, diazepam, and their respective active metabolites were similar when the two drugs were given alone or in combination.     

Duplex ultrasonography of the portal vein

Although the ability of ultrasonography to provide anatomic detail and physiologic information about the arterial system is well established, its applicability for the venous system and the splanchnic circulation has only recently been recognized. We have found duplex scanning, which is non-invasive, rapid, inexpensive, and reproducible, to be highly accurate in (1) establishing or confirming the diagnosis of portal hypertension, (2) demonstrating portal and splenic vein patency and direction of flow, (3) assessing portosystemic shunt patency, and (4) providing novel anatomic and physiologic information regarding the normal and diseased splanchnic venous system. These ultrasonographic techniques also have a significant role to play in the surveillance of patients who have undergone liver transplantation or massive liver resection. To a great extent, ultrasonography may supplant the invasiveness, discomfort, and expense of contrast angiography in the evaluation of many patients with advanced liver disease.     

Loss of somatal neuropeptide y immunoreactivity in the rat hippocampus following transient cerebral ischemia

Adult male Wistar rats were subjected to 20 min of global cerebral ischemia and allowed to survive for 1, 2, 4, or 21 days. The brains were processed for immunocytochemistry and the hippocampal neuropeptide Y (NPY)-immunoreactive (-i) neurons were counted and compared to control values. In order to map out the subregional distribution of ischemic cell loss in the hippocampus, cells were also counted in hematoxylin-eosin (HE)-stained brain sections processed from additional ischemic rats after 21 days survival. Cell counts demonstrated a significant loss of hippocampal NPY-i somata 1-21 days after ischemia. The ischemic loss of somatal NPY-i was in the CAI stratum oriens, the CA1 stratum radiatum, and the CA3(ab) subfield not correlated to hippocampal cell loss. NPY-i fibers were found in all subfields of the hippocampus 1-21 days after ischemia. It is known that the majority (>50%) of hippocampal somatostatin-i (SS) neurons also costore NPY-i and the SS-i neurons in the CA1 and CA3(ab) regions of the hippocampus are preserved following an ischemic insult. The present results showed a 90% ischemic loss of CA1 and CA3 NPY-i somata. Based on these findings, it is concluded that ischemia selectively damaged NPY-i and not SS-i within some surviving hippocampal neurons that co-localized both peptides prior to the ischemia.