Addition of sufentanil to bupivacaine in caudal block effect on stress responses in children

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present randomized study was to determine the effect of adding sufentanil to bupivacaine, compared with bupivacaine alone in caudal block, on the surgical stress response in children. METHODS: The children were premedicated with midazolam 0.5 mg/kg. All children received induction with nitrous oxide and sevoflurane. Anesthesia was maintained with the same volatile agents in the both groups. The children were randomly allocated to two groups. Group I received bupivacaine alone (n = 17) and group II received bupivacaine + sufentanil (n = 16). Caudal block was performed with 0.25% bupivacaine 2 mg/kg (group I) or 0.25% bupivacaine 2 mg/kg with sufentanil 0.5 microg/kg (group II) after induction of anesthesia. Blood samples were obtained after induction of anesthesia (T(0)) to measure baseline concentrations of cortisol, prolactin, glucose and insulin. Additional samples were obtained 30 min after the start of surgery (T(1)), and 60 min after the end of surgery (T(2)). RESULTS: All of the basal values (T(0)) were within the normal ranges of the authors' laboratory for children of this age group and there were no differences between the groups (P > 0.05). In both groups, glucose concentration increased at T(1), compared with T(0) and T(2) (P < 0.05). The glucose concentration was unchanged at T(2) compared with T(0) in both group (P > 0.05). In both groups, prolactin concentration increased at T(1), compared with T(0) and decreased at T(2), compared with T(1) (P < 0.05). Cortisol decreased at T(1) and T(2), compared with T(0) in both groups. (P < 0.05). Insulin concentration remained unchanged at T(0) and T(2), but increased slightly at T(1) in both groups (P > 0.05). There were no significant differences in plasma prolactin, cortisol, glucose and insulin levels between the two groups at T(1) and T(2) (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: There is no advantage in adding 0.5 microg/kg sufentanil to bupivacaine over bupivacaine alone in the caudal block, with regard to the surgical stress response in children.     

Hyperprolactinemia inhibits natural killer (NK) cell functionin vivo and its bromocriptine treatment not only corrects it but makes it more efficient

We studied NK cell function in eight patients with pathological hyperprolactinemia by measuring⁵¹Cr release by K562 cells exposed to their mononuclear cells and found it decreased compared to normal controls (P<0.01). Bromocriptine (BrC) treatment corrected NK function but also made it more efficient at 12:1 than at 25:1 or 50:1 effector:target ratios (ANOVA;P=0.01). The study of NK cell function in agarose revealed that its decrease in hyperprolactinemia is due to their low active binding to target cells, active killing, and recycling capacity. BrC tended to correct them but also increased recycling capacity to levels higher than those of controls (P<0.05). Sequential studies in three hyperprolactinemic patients before and after BrC showed correction of NK function within 1 week but its increased efficiency at the 12:1 effector:target ratio required 8 weeks. We conclude that hyperprolactinemia decreases NK cell function. BrC corrects this by decreasing prolactin levels but also makes NK function more efficient by increasing the capacity of NK cells to recycle after killing.     

Endocrinology: Gonadotrophins and prolactin rise after bilateral oophorectomy for benign conditions

The aim of this study was to analyse the changes in folliclestimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and prolactinconcentrations in the 3 months following oophorectomy in pre-menopausalwomen operated on for benign gynaecological conditions. Includedin this analysis were 21 women (mean age 47 years, range 46–52)who underwent bilateral oophorectomy plus hysterectomy for fibroidsor ovarian cysts. Plasma concentrations of FSH, LH and prolactinwere measured before and on days 2, 4, 6, 14 and 30 after surgery;in 10 cases measurements were made on day 60, and in five caseson day 90 after surgery. Hormone concentrations were measuredin duplicate daily samples, and immunoenzymatic assay kits wereused for all the immunoassays. The FSH and LH concentrationsincreased constantly after surgery. Mean prolactin concentrationsalso increased from 12.1 ng/ml before surgery to 31.5 ng/mlon day 14 after bilateral oophorectomy, but decreased thereafterto 18.2 ng/ml on day 30, 10.9 ng/ml on day 60 and 6 ng/ml onday 90. In conclusion, transient (2–3 weeks) increasedprolactin concentrations are observed after surgical castration.     

单侧鼻前庭切口经蝶切除垂体腺瘤

对１６例垂体腺瘤采用单侧鼻前庭切口经蝶切除，效果满意，既可减少手术创伤，又缩短了手术距离，且避免了美容缺陷，是一种设计巧妙，较为实用的手术方法，尤其适用于生长激素腺瘤。     

Empty Sella and Headache

SYNOPSIS
Empty sella is an anatomical condition caused by herniation of the subarachnoid space into the pituitary fossa through an incompetent seller diaphragm. Headache seems to be one of the most frequently reported symptoms. We studied 13 headache patients (12 females, 1 male) presenting with primary empty sella (PES) on CT scan. The characteristics of the headache were analyzed and plasma levels of pituitary hormones or cortisol assessed. We confirmed the nonspecific nature of the headache in PES even though the majority of our patients complained of daily headache, mostly localized anteriorly. Hormone plasma levels were within normal range in all the patients assessed. However, four patients reported earlier endocrine disorders and more than half of the patients presented with obesity.
In our opinion, PES should be suspected in middle-aged overweight women with daily headache even in the absence of endocrine symptomatology.     

经蝶垂体腺瘤手术后残留原因分析

目的：探讨经蝶切除垂体腺瘤手术后残留的原因，提高治疗效果；方法：回顾性分析自1992年10月至2003年1月，在我院及外院经蝶手术治疗后，MRI检查证实仍有残留的118例垂体腺瘤。结果：肿瘤主体残留在海绵窦占46．6％，鞍内37．3％，鞍上5．1％，混合9．3％，颅外1．7％；影响肿瘤根除的主要因素，肿瘤侵袭海绵窦46．6％，术者经验不足36．4％，肿瘤侵润生长9．3％，肿瘤体积巨大3．4％，出血多4．2％。针对残余瘤组织再手术者为10．1％，普通放射治疗39．0％，r刀治疗38．2％，药物治疗11．0％。结论：经蝶手术残瘤的主要原因是肿瘤侵袭海绵窦，这些病例不能或很难单纯手术根除；其次是术者经验不足和技术问题而造成。在有残瘤的病例中，有半数以上病例可以通过提高技术水平达到肿瘤的全切或次全切除。     

拇指掌指关节内侧籽骨的出现时间及其临床意义

本文对正常人和某些内分泌疾病患者的拇指掌指关节内侧籽骨的出现情况进行了X线观察和分析,证实该籽骨的出现遵循一定时序,正常在青春发动期出现。在性早熟时该籽骨出现时间显著提前;而在垂体性侏儒症时则出现延迟,对某些内分泌疾病具有诊断价值。     

Prolactin responses to haloperidol in drug-free and treated schizophrenic patients

Summary The prolactin response to 5 mg haloperidol i.m. was studied in 12 schizophrenic patients in a drug-free state and after a month treatment with haloperidol, as a possible index of dopamine receptor sensitivity and occupancy. Blood samples were taken at times 0, 60, 90 and 120 minutes. The increase in PRL observed in the drug-free state disappeared after drug treatment. The PRL plasma levels after treatment with 60 mg haloperidol per os were higher than the maximal PRL responses after 5 mg i.m. The increases in baseline PRL caused by the treatment correlated positively to the reduction in the BPRS score. The test was also performed in a group of 11 patients chronically treated with haloperidol during a daily dose of 60 mg, and 15 days after reduction of the dose to 30 mg. PRL increases after 5 mg haloperidol i.m. were observed only after reduction of the dose. It is suggested that the prolactin response to haloperidol is an index of the occupancy of receptors that are involved in the PRL releasing mechanisms, and could be used to verify their blockade by the neuroleptics, especially in patients that do not respond positively to drug treatment.     

Inhibition by indomethacin of spontaneous mammary tumorigenesis in SHN mice

This experiment was designed to examine the effects of indomethacin, a potent prostaglandin synthesis inhibitor, on spontaneous mammary tumors in mice. The growth of established mammary tumors and the appearance of new tumors in multiparous SHN mice were significantly suppressed by the subcutaneous implantation of pellets of indomethacin diluted to 1/12 with cholesterol. Furthermore, the same treatment inhibited normal and preneoplastic mammary gland growth in virgin SHN mice. The pattern of estrous cycles, ovarian structure, and plasma prolactin levels were not affected significantly by the treatment. All results have demonstrated that indomethacin inhibits mammary tumorigenesis of mice primarily by route(s) other than the endocrine system under the present experimental conditions. Indomethacin would be the first agent that appears to inhibit the growth of spontaneous mammary tumors of palpable size in mice.