Auditory and vestibular system findings in patients with vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia

Impairment of the auditory-vestibular system has been reported in patients with vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia (VBD), but little is known about the underlying cause of the symptoms. Auditory testing (pure tone audiometry, auditory brain stem response and stapedius reflex) and vestibular tests (assessment of nystagmus, eye tracking tests, caloric test and rotational test) were performed in 23 patients with auditory-vestibular symptoms and/or cranial nerve impairment associated with VBD. Specific evidence of auditory and/or vestibular system impairment was observed in 19 cases (83%). Among patients with abnormal test findings, 47% had evidence suggesting peripheral impairment, 16% evidence suggesting central dysfunction, and 37% evidence suggesting both peripheral and central dysfunction. Although compression of the vestibulocochlear nerve plays an important role in the genesis of the auditory-vestibular dysfunction in patients with VBD, mechanism such as brain stem-cerebellar ischemia and impaired blood supply to the vestibular labyrinth may be just as important.     

Small-dose oral iron absorption test in anaemic and non-anaemic elderly hospitalized patients

Abstract: The small-dose (20 mg) oral iron absorption test (OIAT) was performed in 76 hospitalized elderly patients and 30 healthy adults. Of the elderly patients, 34 were considered as iron deficient (serum ferritin level <20 μg/L) of whom 23 were anaemic and 11 not anaemic, 21 had the anaemia of chronic disorders (ACD) and another 21 were non-anaemic patients with a normal serum ferritin level. There was a significant inverse correlation between the serum ferritin level as a measure of iron store and the maximum increase in serum iron during a 3-h test (C_max), in the elderly as well as in the healthy adult group. A decision limit of 80 μg/dL for C_max is a good discriminant between absent (serum ferritin <20 μg/L) and adequate body iron stores. Sixty-eight per cent of the patients with a serum ferritin level <20 μg/L but virtually none of the ACD patients, non-anaemic elderly inpatients with normal serum ferritin levels and healthy adults had a C_max level >80 μg/L. Although further investigation is needed before the OIAT can be recommended as a valuable test for evaluating iron absorption, predicting mild iron deficiency and differentiating between different categories of anaemia, it seems worthwile that more effort should be done to validate this simple and safe test.     

战士体内VitB_1、VitB_2储备水平检测

选择南方热区某特种部队战士５２人，分两组分别口服５ｍｇＶｉｔＢ１和ＶｉｔＢ２，收集４ｈ尿液，用荧光法进行负荷试验。结果：ＶｉｔＢ１组，所测２９人中，１５人缺乏，９人不足，２人正常，３人充裕；ＶｉｔＢ２组，所测２３人中，１１人缺乏，１２人不足，反映该部队全年约５％的发病是由于ＶｉｔＢ１、ＶｉｔＢ２缺乏不足所致。其原因为膳食摄入不够     

Active behaviors in the rat forced swimming test differentially produced by serotonergic and noradrenergic antidepressants

This study demonstrated that distinct patterns of active behaviors are produced by antidepressants that selectively inhibit norepinephrine (NE) or serotonin (5-HT) uptake in the rat forced swimming test (FST). A behavior sampling technique was developed to score the active behaviors swimming, climbing and diving, as well as immobility. The rat's behavior was recorded at the end of each 5-s period during the test session. The sampling technique was both reliable, as demonstrated by test-retest reliability and inter-rater reliability, and valid, as shown by comparison to the timing of behavior durations. Five different antidepressant drugs which block monoamine uptake and two 5-HT_1A receptor agonists were shown to decrease immobility in the FST; however, they produced distinct patterns of active behaviors. The selective NE uptake inhibitors desipramine and maprotiline selectively increased climbing, whereas the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) fluoxetine, sertraline and paroxetine selectively increased swimming. The 5-HT_1A receptor agonists 8-OH-DPAT and gepirone also selectively increased swimming. These results show that:1) SSRIs are not false negatives in the FST; 2) at least two behaviorally distinct processes occur in the FST; and 3) enhancement of NE neurotransmission may mediate climbing in the FST, whereas enhancement of 5-HT neurotransmission may mediate swimming.     

Variability of the Schirmer tear test values in a normal Arab population

Background: As in many parts of the world, the Schirmer tear test is the main test used by optometrists in Saudi Arabia for assessing adequacy of tear production. Variability of the test has been reported in different ethnic groups but not in Arabs. This paper looks at the mean and repeatability of the values obtained by the Schirmer test in a normal Arab population Method: The test was performed on the right eyes of 23 young adult Saudi male subjects at five visits over two weeks. Result: Results showed that for each subject the test values were not repeatable, varying widely over the period of evaluation. The mean value was estimated at 10.6 mm and the 95 per cent confidence limits were 7.9 and 13.3 mm. It was also established that the greater the amount of tears, the greater the variability. Conclusion: This study supports the claim that the Schirmer test is not repeatable and hence is unreliable. Therefore, caution should be exercised in employing it for clinical diagnosis. (Clin Exp Optom 1995; 78: 5: 190–193)     

正常人口腔粘膜不同部位表面感觉的测试

目的 建立正常人口腔粘膜不同部位表面感觉的正常参考值，并测试各年龄组感觉值是否存在差异。方法 利用动静两点辨别觉试验，测试90例健康人口腔粘膜不同部位的表面感觉。结果 舌尖感觉功能最好，其次为舌背、舌腹、颊粘膜、口底和硬腭。健康人的口腔粘膜不同部位的表面感觉随着年龄增长有显著性变化。结论 口腔粘膜不同部位感觉辨别力存在差异，健康人口底、舌腹、舌背、颊和硬腭粘膜感觉功能有增龄性变化。     

The desipramine-induced growth hormone response and the dexamethasone suppression test in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Ten patients with DSM-III-R obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) underwent the desipramine (DMI) growth hormone (GH) stimulation test as well as the dexamethasone suppression test (DST). The results were compared with the responses in a group of matched healthy controls. The GH response to DMI did not differ between patients and controls and 9 of 10 patients showed cortisol suppression in response to dexamethasone. The data suggest that neither alpha 2 adrenergic dysfunction nor DST non-suppression are features of primary OCD.     

Oxidative breakdown of octanoic acid is maintained in patients with cirrhosis despite advanced disease

As an octanoic acid 13CO2 breath test is frequently used to test gastric emptying of solid food, the purpose of the present study was to study whether oxidative breakdown of octanoic acid is affected by severe liver disease. The design of our study was twofold. First, cirrhotic patients (n = 82) of varying severity were compared with healthy controls (n = 17). Values of half-time, time point of maximal expiration and cumulative recovery of octanoic acid breath tests (OBT) were not significantly different between them. Secondly, cirrhotic patients (n = 10) were studied before placement of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, 4-7 days later and 1-2 months later. Values of half-time, time point of maximal expiration and cumulative recovery of consecutive OBTs did not change significantly. The OBT may therefore be a suitable test in the future to detect delayed gastric emptying of solids in cirrhotic patients with reduced liver function and portal hypertension.     

Controversies in tuberculosis

Tuberculous infection among children continues to be a significant cause of morbidity. The symptom complex are so variable among children that the final diagnosis often rests on the laboratory tests. Proper interpretation of the tests, specially tuberculin test and radiographic studies, are necessary for establishing correct diagnosis. The usefulness of tuberculin test in both unimmunized and BCG vaccinated children is highlighted. BCG accelerated response as a test should be reserved for identifying serious form of pulmonary disease or CNS tuberculosis when the tuberculin test is negative. Radiographic assessment may be sensitive in some instances but not always specific and hence needs cautious interpretation. Tuberculosis among BCG vaccinated children though not uncommon, needs proper documentation. Current trends in the management of tuberculosis including CNS forms are briefly outlined.