Distribution of lithium elimination rates in a selected population of psychiatric patients

Summary Chronic treatment with conventional lithium carbonate was interrupted in a selected group of 40 psychiatric patients of mixed sex and race. All patients had normal renal function. Serum samples were taken 12, 24, 36 and 48 h after the last dose and lithium was assayed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Decay rates calculated for the 12–24 h and 36–48 h periods yielded different values. This was ascribed to the presence of an incomplete redistribution phase during the earlier period. The distribution of elimination rates determined during the later period gave a more symmetrical spread and approximated a normal distribution. The mode, median, mean and standard deviation of the lithium elimination half-lives were 12.5, 14, 18.2 and 7.3 h and 22.5, 24.5, 29.8 and 10.1 h for the two periods, respectively. The results contrast sharply with another report of the distribution spread of elimination half-lives in a much larger sample. The current values have implications for dosage prediction, serum level monitoring and dosage formulation, especially sustained-release preparations. The evidence was against the possibility that some individuals retain lithium.     

Auditory toxicity effects of long-term cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum II therapy in genitourinary cancer patients

To determine the auditory toxicity effects of long-term cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum II therapy, pure tone hearing thresholds were measured prior to therapy and repeated before each subsequent treatment. CDDP was given by a slow intravenous drip method at a low dose of 1 mg/kg body weight, with 37.5 gm mannitol, once a week for six treatments and every 3 weeks thereafter. From a group of 173 genitourinary cancer patients treated, 50 male patients were selected who received at least 12 months of CDDP with no active conductive ear pathology, and whose audiograms obtained at baseline, 6th weeks, 26th weeks, and 52nd weeks of treatment were all available for comparison. Pure tone threshold levels deteriorated across time particularly by the 52nd week and at the higher frequencies. Threshold differences across time were statistically significant and within a linear trend. Of the 50 cases, 30% showed suspect or no ototoxicity, 26% mild, 32% moderate, 2% marked, and 4% showed severe ototoxic changes. Of the two cases who developed severe ototoxicity, one showed complete recovery. There was partial recovery in 26% and no recovery in 54%. Individual variability in susceptibility to and recovery from ototoxicity necessitates systematic audiometric monitoring throughout the therapy.     

In vivo evaluation of cell mediated immunity against human melanoma

Evaluation of cell mediated immunity against human melanoma target cells was performed in an in vivo model using human tumor xenografts growing in Balb/c athymic mice. Intraperitoneal inoculation of 1 × 10⁷ human melanoma cells produced peritoneal carcinomatosis which lead to death of the animals at 23.8 ± 2.6 days (N = 12). Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from normal donors were administered to tumor bearing mice, and survival times of 22.0±2.3 days were observed (N = 8). Peripheral blood lymphocytes from four of five normal donors which had been presensitized on monolayers of melanoma tissue culture cells in vitro failed to prolong host survival times. In contrast, PBL obtained from 15 of 20 melanoma patients were found to prolong survival of the tumor bearing nude mice. Of these 15 patients, 8 were undergoing specific active immunotherapy, while 7 had not been sensitized except by the disease process. The ability of PBL obtained from patients to prolong survival of tumor bearing animals did not appear to correlate with either the stage of the disease or the patient's clinical course. The possible mechanisms for the prolonged survival and usefulness of this model are discussed.     

Hemodialysis in elderly patients

International Urology and Nephrology -     

Incidence of Chromosomal Abnormalities from a Morphologically Normal Cohort of Embryos in Poor-Prognosis Patients

Purpose: Preimplantation genetic diagnosis of aneuploidy was performed on the embryos yielded by 70 poor-prognosis patients, with the aim of transferring those with a normal chromosomal complement, thus possibly increasing the chances of pregnancy. Methods: Multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was applied for the simultaneous detection of chromosomes X, Y, 13, 16, 18, and 21. Inclusion criteria were (1) a maternal age of 36 years or older (n = 33), (2) three or more previous in vitro fertilization cycles (n = 20), and (3) an altered karyotype (n = 17). Results: A total of 412 embryos underwent FISH, resulting in 234 (57%) that were chromosomally abnormal. Euploid embryos were available for transfer in 59 patients, generating 19 pregnancies (32%), with an implantation rate of 19.9%. Conclusions: High rates of chromosomally abnormal embryos in poor-prognosis patients can determine repeated in vitro fertilization failures when embryo selection is performed on the basis of morphological criteria alone. Hence, the FISH analysis could represent the prevailing approach for the identification of embryos possessing full potential for developing to term.     

吉西他滨治疗高龄晚期非小细胞肺癌

目的:观察吉西他滨治疗高龄晚期非小细胞肺癌的疗效,并与同期单纯支持治疗的患者比较,以探讨高龄晚期非小细胞肺癌的治疗方案。方法:吉西他滨组21例,采用吉西他滨单药化疗,剂量为1250mg/m2,静脉滴注,第1、8天用药,每21天为1周期,共4周期。对照组23例不用任何化疗,单纯支持对症治疗。结果:吉西他滨组总有效率为28.6%,其中PR6例,SD12例,PD3例。对照组无CR和PR者。吉西他滨组中位缓解期6.3个月。吉西他滨组和对照组中位肿瘤进展时间分别为5.8和2.6个月,中位生存时间分别为12.8和4.6个月(P<0.01);1年生存率分别为46.6%和9.2%(P<0.01)。吉西他滨组KPS、体重增加和临床症状改善情况均显著高于对照组(P<0.01)。毒副反应方面吉西他滨组12例(57.1%)出现Ⅰ、Ⅱ级血小板减少,7例(33.3%)出现Ⅰ、Ⅱ级白细胞下降,未见Ⅲ、Ⅳ级毒性反应。少数患者血红蛋白下降Ⅰ度,恶心呕吐Ⅰ/Ⅱ度。结论:吉西他滨单药治疗高龄晚期非小细胞肺癌是安全有效的。     

耳穴疗法治疗老人失眠症之临床研究

目的:尝试利用科学性之方法探讨耳穴磁疗对老人失眠症之效果.方法:120位60岁或以上之老年患者,随机分配入三组.第一组及第二组为对照组,分别贴有灯芯或王不留行籽(不加压);第三组为实验组,贴有每粒含66高斯之磁珠(不加压).为针对老年患者常见之脏腑功能衰弱而致失眠,各人均选取相同之穴位:神门、心、肾、肝、脾、皮质下及枕,疗程共3周.结果:疗程完毕后,使用磁珠作耳疗之实验组于治疗前后的睡眠效果指数有明显之改进(P＜0.05),显效17%,有效为65%,总有效率为82%.此外,利用多元回归之反向淘汱法分析女性参加者之数据,发现利用磁珠作耳疗及参加者年龄对预测睡眠效果指数达显著水准(F3,106=9.04,P＜0.001,R2=0.20).结论:耳穴磁疗能有效地改善老人失眠症.     

氯沙坦和非洛地平治疗中老年高血压合并高尿酸血症的疗效观察

[目的 ]　比较氯沙坦和非洛地平对中老年高血压合并高尿酸血症的疗效。　 [方法 ]　 60例中老年高血压合并高尿酸血症患者随机分成两组 ,分别服用氯沙坦 (氯沙坦组 ,n =3 0例 )和非洛地平 (非洛地平组 ,n =3 0例 ) ,分别测定两组患者治疗前后的血压、2 4h动态血压、血尿酸、空服血糖、血脂和肝肾功能。　 [结果 ]　氯沙坦和非洛地平均有明显的降压效果 (P <0 .0 1) ,两组的降压效果相似 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,但氯沙坦降低血尿酸的效果优于非洛地平 (P <0 .0 0 1) ,对血糖、肝肾功能、血脂均无明显作用 ,未发生明显不良反应。　 [结论 ]　氯沙坦治疗中老年高血压安全、有效 ,与非洛地平相似 ,并且有降低高血尿酸作用     

杭州市老年人主要食物摄入量与营养调查

目的了解杭州市老年人的年主要食物摄入量与营养状况,找出存在的主要问题,探讨解决的对策。方法随机抽样调查了杭州市老年大学学员的体质指数、年主要食物摄入量、营养相关疾病患病率及对营养与膳食知识的了解与需求程度。结果杭州市老年人体质指数为22.3±3.1,人均每年主要食物摄入量为:口粮98.6kg,豆类30.1kg,蔬菜110.1kg,水果63.3kg,食用植物油16.2kg,食糖5.0kg,肉类20.1kS,蛋类19.7kg,奶类56.8kg,水产品34.7kg。营养相关疾病患病率较高。结论接受调查的人群年主要食物摄入量基本达到2010年城乡居民食物与营养发展目标中的城市居民人均每年主要食物摄入量的要求,膳食结构基本合理,但仍需加强营养指导。