Cyclic hormonal replacement therapy after the menopause: Transdermal versus oral treatment

Summary In an open, randomized, comparative, between-patient trial, 45 postmenopausal women were treated for 4 months with cyclical transdermal oestradiol 0.05 mg per day or oral conjugated equine oestrogens 0.625 mg per day, in both cases, plus, medroxyprogesterone acetate 10 mg per day on the last 8 days of each cycle. Similar relief from postmenopausal symptoms was obtained with both treatments. Post-treatment histological evaluation of the endometrium did not reveal neoplastic or hyperplastic change in any patient.Early follicular-phase plasma oestradiol levels were observed only after transdermal oestradiol. There was a significant reduction in serum total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in both treatment groups, with no difference between treatments, whereas serum triglyceride levels were decreased only by transdermal oestradiol. Plasma calcium and phosphorus fell significantly and serum intact parathyroid hormone rose significantly, with no difference between the therapies. No significant changes were observed in clotting factors.Transdermal oestradiol appears to be an effective and safe hormonal replacement therapy, and this route of administration may be responsible for the more useful action of the drug on serum lipids and plasma oestradiol levels.     

The pitfalls of the dexamethasone suppression test: A biological marker of endogenous depression?

In the past few years there have been numerous publications which have stressed the value of the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) as a diagnostic marker of endogenous depression. Our own studies in 333 psychiatric inpatients and 121 healthy subjects did not reveal a differential diagnostic use for the DST. This result is in good agreement with other results in the literature. Our data demonstrate that intervening variables such as severity of illness, weight loss, sleep disturbances, situational stress, drug and alcohol withdrawal, and the pharmacokinetics of dexamethasone have an important influence on DST results, regardless of the diagnostic classification.     

鼻内镜下等离子低温射频治疗常年性变应性鼻炎的临床观察

目的探讨鼻内镜下等离子低温射频治疗常年性变应性鼻炎(PAR)的疗效及其优越性。方法在鼻内镜下用等离子低温射频治疗PAR48例,按照海口会议修订的“过敏性鼻炎诊断和疗效评定标准”,用计分法分别评定其疗效。结果该组48例术后随访半年进行评价,其中显效27.1%(13/48),有效58.3%(28/48),无效14.6%(7/48),总有效率为85.4%。疗效评分显示治疗前平均总分为(9.58±1.69)分,治疗后为(5.63±1.15)分(P<0.05)。结论鼻内镜下等离子低温射频烧灼筛前神经终末区域治疗PAR,具有简便、安全等优点,短期效果显著,特别适用于临床上应用抗组胺类药物及鼻内应用糖皮质激素治疗效果不甚理想及由于各种原因不能长期接受抗组胺类药物及鼻内应用糖皮质激素治疗的患者;但长期疗效有待进一步研究。     

ACUTE EFFECT OF ETHANOL ON RENAL ELECTROLYTE TRANSPORT IN THE RAT

1. Despite human and animal studies, the direct effect of ethanol on renal water and electrolyte transport is poorly understood. The acute effect of increasing plasma concentrations of ethanol was evaluated in a water diuretic anaesthetized rat model which inhibits endogenous arginine vaso-pressin (AVP) release. 2. Ethanol at a plasma concentration of 1.69 ±0.28 mmol/L produced an immediate increase in urine flow (174 ± 11 μL/min pre-ethanol and 189 ± 13 and then 206 ± 12 μL/min during the ethanol infusion; P<0.001) as well as an increase in fractional sodium excretion (0.17 ± 0.04 to 0.28 ± 0.05 and 0.27 ± 0.05%; P<0.001). There was also a brief phosphaturia. These increases in electrolyte excretion had returned to control values by 20 min despite a further increase in the plasma ethanol concentration. 3. The urinary excretion of potassium, calcium and magnesium was not altered nor was glomerular filtration rate or renal plasma flow. 4. Ethanol at a mean concentration of 1.60 mmol/L did not alter the action of a maximal concentration of AVP (75 ng/kg) on water or electrolyte transport. However, the antidiuretic effect of a submaximal concentration of AVP (7.5 ng/kg) was augmented by ethanol at concentrations of 1.63 and 0.98 mmol/L. 5. These studies suggest that the ethanol induced diuresis commonly ascribed to inhibition of AVP secretion may also be due to other intrarenal effects of ethanol, possibly acting within the proximal tubule. These results also confirm recent in vitro findings that while ethanol does not inhibit the action of a maximal concentration of AVP, it does modulate the effects of lower AVP concentrations.     

128对不育夫妇血清、精浆抗精浆免疫抑制物抗体与精液检查关系的分析

我们检测了８９对生育夫妇和１２８对不育夫妇血清、精浆中抗精浆免疫抑制物抗体（ＳＰＩ—Ａｂ）的水平。结果表明，不育夫妇血清、精浆ＳＰＩＭ—Ａｂ的水平和检出率均明显高于生育组（Ｐ＜０．０１）；精浆ＳＰＩＭ—Ａｂ水平增高者的精子密度、精子活率、精子运动速度和ＳＰＩＭ活性均明显降低（Ｐ＜０．０１）。提示：ＳＰＩＭ—Ａｂ水平增加可能影响生育。     

精囊腺炎的超声诊断

本文报道了６２例精囊腺炎经腹与经直肠超声检查，二种方法各有其优缺点，经直肠优于经腹超声，应合理选择，超声检查是检测精囊腺炎的一种可靠方法，值得推广。     

纤维结合素角膜上皮愈合作用的研究

人血浆纤维结合素对家兔刮除和板层切除后的角膜上皮愈合均有一定促进作用，角膜上皮裸区明显缩小，优于对照眼。临床治疗５类角膜上皮障碍５９例６１眼，均获得显著疗效。     

Alpha-glucosidase activity and sperm motility

We correlated the activity of alpha-glucosidase in seminal plasma with the motility and differential motility of sperm. Significant positive correlations were found between the alpha-glucosidase activity and both motility and the percentage sperm with good forward progression. This supports the use of alpha-glucosidase in semen as a marker of epididymal function and specifically of the development of motility.     

A study on content and distribution of plasma and tissue fibronectin in rats using ELISA and immunofluorescence

Summary The content of plasma fibronectin and tissue extractable fibronectin in normal rats was measured with rocket immunoelectrophoresis and ELISA in the present study. The difference in tissue fibronectin distribution in various organs and the correlation between distribution and content of fibronectin have been studied. We suggest that tissue fibronectin may be a complex component. The change in plasma fibronectin reflects a dynamic balance existing between the tissue fibronectin pool and plasma fibronectin pool in normal rats. Plasma fibronectin and tissue fibronectin concentrations are not static, and they can only be maintained in a relatively stable state in normal rats.