Iopamidol and meglumine diatrizoate: comparison of effects on patient discomfort during aortofemoral arteriography

Iopamidol was compared with Renografin-60 (meglumine diatrizoate, Squibb) in a controlled, randomized double-blind study of 40 patients undergoing peripheral arteriography for arteriosclerotic occlusive disease to determine which agent caused less discomfort. Each patient was evaluated for objective signs of discomfort and subjective feelings of pain and heat. Monitoring was achieved by multiple physical examinations, chemical tests, electrocardiograms, and intra-arterial pressure recordings. It is concluded that iopamidol is safe and causes significantly less patient discomfort than Renografin-60.     

Outpatient lumbar myelography. Initial results in 79 examinations using a low-dose metrizamide technique

Seventy-nine patients underwent lumbar myelography on an outpatient basis, with a low (3.75 g) dose of metrizamide as the radiocontrast agent and a 25-gauge spinal needle used for lumbar puncture. No patient experienced significant neurotoxicity following the examination; 70.8% (56 of 79) experienced minimal (23%) or no (48%) side effects. Three patients (3.8%) were admitted to the hospital for management of common side effects (headache, nausea/vomiting, back pain). We obtained postmyelographic computed tomographic scans on 96% (76 of 79) of the patients. Our initial results suggest that outpatient lumbar myelography is safe and can be performed with a very acceptable incidence of side effects.     

Effect of postpartum maternal infection on proteins and trace elements in colostrum and early milk

In developing countries, maternal infections during lactation are common. In this study, we evaluated the effect of acute maternal postpartum infection on the composition of colostrum and early milk with special emphasis on milk proteins and trace elements. The study was carried out in two maternity hospitals in Lima, Peru. Subjects were normally nourished women (body mass index (BMI) > 20.0) who intended to exclusively breastfeed their child and who had fever and clinical symptoms of infection within the first 48 h postpartum ( n = 34). Non-ill women of similar characteristics were selected as controls ( n = 23). Blood and milk samples were taken on days 1 and 14 postpartum. An acute phase response was confirmed by significantly increased serum levels of C-reactive protein in infected women. Serum zinc levels increased significantly from day 1 to day 14, but were not affected by infection. Serum copper levels were significantly higher in ill women than in non-ill women on day 1. All participating women were breastfeeding on day 14. Whey protein levels, the whey/casein ratio and total protein levels decreased significantly with time, but were not affected by infection. There were no differences in milk iron or copper levels with time or infection. Milk zinc levels decreased significantly with time, but were not affected by infection. Maternal infection during the early postpartum period does not appear to adversely affect the initiation of lactation or milk protein and trace element contents.     

Mechanisms of action and targets for actual and future antiplatelet drugs

Platelets are key players in arterial thrombosis and have become important targets in the primary and secondary prevention of atherothrombosis. Antiplatelet drugs are primarily directed against platelets and inhibit platelet activation by a number of different mechanisms. They are used for the prevention and treatment of thrombotic processes, especially in the arterial vascular system. Antiplatelet drugs in clinical use and experimental drugs are discussed.     

Hemorrhagic tumor necrosis during a pilot trial of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and anti-GD3 ganglioside monoclonal antibody in patients with metastatic melanoma

Hemorrhagic tumor necrosis is an inflammatory event that leads to selective destruction of malignant tissues, with both potentially toxic and beneficial consequences. A pilot clinical trial was undertaken combining tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) with the monoclonal antibody R24 (MoAb R24) against GD3 ganglioside in patients with metastatic melanoma. Patients received MoAb R24 to recruit leukocytes to the tumor followed by low doses of recombinant TNF-alpha to activate leukocytes. Eight patients were treated and seven patients had mild toxicity. One patient with extensive metastatic melanoma developed tumor lysis syndrome within hours after treatment with almost complete necrosis of bulky tumors in multiple visceral sites. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of hemorrhagic tumor necrosis in a patient with metastatic cancer in multiple visceral sites.     

Phosphoenolpyruvate in the rejuvenation of stored red cells in SAGM medium: optimal conditions and the indirect effect of methemoglobin formation

Red cells stored in saline-adenine-glucose-mannitol (SAGM) medium were rejuvenated by incubation with phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) under conditions that can be achieved easily in ordinary blood banking. Regeneration of 2,3 diphosphoglycerate (2,3 DPG) and adenine nucleotides of stored red cells was dependent on the pH of the incubation medium and the incubation time. In red cells stored for 3 and 5 weeks, the optimal pH and incubation time for regeneration of 2,3 DPG and adenine nucleotides were 5.8 and 90 minutes and 6.1 and 60 minutes, respectively. During the incubation of red cells with PEP, methemoglobin was formed; it increased when the medium pH was below 6.0 and the incubation time exceeded 60 minutes. We conclude that incubation at a medium pH of 6.1 for 60 minutes is optimal for the rejuvenation of stored red cells with PEP. Under such incubation conditions, the concentrations of 2,3 DPG and adenine nucleotides in red cells stored for 5 weeks were restored to normal without methemoglobin formation.     

Full thickness squamous atypia of the glans penis on a background of Zoon's plasma cell balanitis

Erythroplasia of Queyrat (EQ) or squamous cell carcinoma in situ of the glans penis developed in a 79 year old uncircumsised gentleman who had a six year prior history of biopsy proven Zoon's plasma cell balanitis (ZB) affecting the same site on the glans. Prior to the development of clinically evident EQ, the glans had been treated with topical pimecrolimus 1% for one month. The glans was subsequently treated with topical 5-flourouracil 5% for two weeks which resulted in clinical clearance.
EQ is obviously an important differential for penile plaques because of the potential for progression to squamous cell carcinoma, while ZB is generally regarded as benign. The differentiation can only be reliably made histologically.
There are other case reports of both EQ ( 1 ) and carcinoma of the penis ( 2 ) arising in patients with ZB, raising the question as to whether ZB may actually reflect a reaction to underlying pre-existing pathology or even a premalignant state.
The addition of topical pimecrolimus shortly before EQ became clinically evident in this patient is concerning in the light of recent concern regarding the carcinogenicity of topical calcineurin inhibitors ( 3 ).
This case highlights the importance of close clinical follow up of persistent penile inflammatory lesions and prompt biopsy of clinically suspicious areas as second and potentially more serious pathology may occur concomitantly.     

Bronchial artery embolization in the management of hemoptysis: technical aspects and long-term results

Seventy-five patients with hemoptysis were treated with bronchial artery embolization (BAE). The procedure was performed with Hexabrix (sodium methylglucamine ioxaglate), Mikaelson catheters, and Gelfoam particles. Angiographic evaluation of the bronchial artery anatomy revealed ten different configurations, which are described. The embolization attempt failed in three cases (4%); eight additional patients (10.7%) were excluded from the series because of inadequate data. In the remaining 64 patients, 41 underwent BAE alone and 23 underwent either chemotherapy or surgery in addition to embolization. Immediate control of hemoptysis was achieved in 49 of 64 patients (76.6%). Long-term control of hemoptysis was achieved in 46 of the 56 patients included in the long-term follow-up (82.1%). Eight of the 64 patients were lost to follow-up, which ranged from one to 47 months (mean 24.8 months). Hemoptysis recurred in 12 of 56 patients (severe in 10, mild in 2) (21.4%). Twelve patients died (21.4%), five of them due to hemoptysis (8.9%). None of the patients who died of hemoptysis had responded to initial BAE. It is concluded that BAE is an effective treatment for immediate control of life-threatening hemoptysis, allowing long-term control of bleeding in the majority of patients.     

Secondary ureteropelvic junction stricture: percutaneous dilation

Percutaneous incision and balloon catheter dilation of the ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) was performed in nine patients with secondary UPJ strictures. In all patients, the UPJ was successfully dilated, and no immediate complications were encountered. After a postoperative follow-up period of 4-27 months, six patients showed marked improvement on excretory urograms. Three patients had recurrent obstruction after 3-18 months. The 66% success rate of percutaneous balloon dilation with or without endopyelotomy compares favorably with the success rate of open surgical repair of secondary UPJ strictures in adults.