Capillary gas chromatographic assay of camphor and m-cresol in dermatological creams

Camphor and m-cresol mixtures are used in antiseptic and anti-itching creams. No compendial method exists for these preparations. This paper reports a capillary gas chromatographic method using FID detection with 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol as internal standard on a 30 m×0.32 mm Supelcowax®-10 column (0.25 μm film) with helium as carrier gas. Ramped temperature programming was applied. The method allows simultaneous quantitation of camphor and m-cresol in the presence of o- and p-cresols, calamine and zinc oxide. Overall percent recoveries (±SD, n=9) of camphor, o-, p- and m-cresol from spiked placebo creams, at a labeled amount of 10 (w/w)% were 96.9±0.6, 98.2±0.6, 99.2±0.5 and 101.0±0.9%, respectively, and at a labeled amount of 1% were 96.7±0.6, 97.8±0.9, 97.8±0.6, and 100.3±1.0%, respectively. The recovery studies were carried out at ±30% of the labeled amounts. Linear peak area or height ratios were obtained (r>0.999) for camphor, o-, p- and m-cresol covering a concentration range of 10–200% of the labeled amount. Linearity (r>0.999) was also obtained for m-cresol when the relative concentration of o- and p-cresol was varied from 5 to 100% of the m-cresol concentration. The resolution between the ‘critical pair’ of p- and m-cresol was ≥1.1. The limit of quantitation was 23 pg for m-cresol and 9.3 pg for camphor using an injection split of 1:50. The repeatability (%RSD) for all compounds were <2% for peak area and <1.4% for peak height ratios. System suitability and robustness of the method were established. The method was successively applied to the assay of available commercial products and allows assay of camphor and the three cresol isomers.     

The myocardial performance index during low-dose dobutamine echocardiography in control subjects and patients with a recent myocardial infarction: a new index of left ventricular functional reserve?

BACKGROUND: Wall-motion analysis during low-dose dobutamine echocardiography (LDDE) is a semiquantitative measure of left ventricular contractile reserve after myocardial infarction (MI). The Doppler echocardiographic myocardial performance index (MPI) is a quantitative measure of combined left ventricular systolic and diastolic function. We sought to characterize the changes in MPI during LDDE in control subjects and patients with MI, and to describe the relation of these changes to changes in regional systolic function. METHODS: MPI was obtained at rest and during LDDE (10 microg/kg/min) in 25 healthy volunteers (group 1) and 50 patients with a recent MI. Patients were divided into two subsets; those with (n = 23; group 2A) and those without (n = 27; group 2B) a contractile reserve defined as an improvement of wall motion in more than two contiguous infarct-zone segments during LDDE. DeltaMPI was defined as the change from rest to LDDE. RESULTS: MPI decreased significantly during LDDE in groups 1 and 2A, whereas MPI increased in group 2B (DeltaMPI = 0.12 +/- 0.04 and 0.10 +/- 0.08 vs -0.03 +/- 0.08, P <.0001). On multivariate analysis, Deltawall-motion score index predicted DeltaMPI (beta = 0.65, P <.0001) independently of age, sex, and the dobutamine-induced change in heart rate and systolic blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Data suggest that the change in MPI during LDDE may provide a simple and quantitative measure of overall left ventricular functional reserve in patients with a recent MI.     

Combined sclerotherapy and operation for the treatment of bleeding oesophageal varices.

OBJECTIVE--To identify prognostic factors in a consecutive series of patients with bleeding oesophageal varices and develop an optimum regimen of treatment. DESIGN--Retrospective review. SETTING--I Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Vienna, Austria. PATIENTS--301 consecutive patients with bleeding oesophageal varices. OUTCOME MEASURES--Median survival and survival at one year after sclerotherapy alone (n = 213), or sclerotherapy with portosystemic shunt (n = 54), Hassab's devascularisation (n = 29), or liver transplantation (n = 5). RESULTS--Prognosis was dependent on the severity of liver damage at the start of treatment. Median survival for Child's class A was 47 months, for Child's class B 54 months, and for Child's class C 2 months. The overall one year survival for patients in Child's class C was 33%, for sclerotherapy alone 28%, and for sclerotherapy and portosystemic shunt 42%, Hassab's devascularisation 50%, and liver transplantation 80%. CONCLUSION--Despite the small number of patients who underwent liver transplantation and their poor initial prognosis (Child's class C, n = 4; class B, n = 1) our results suggest that liver transplantation should be considered for the treatment of patients with end stage cirrhosis and bleeding varices.     

Upper Airway Obstruction With Hypoxaemia And Sleep Disruption In Down Syndrome

Six of 12 children with Down syndrome (DS) tested by means of long-term tape-recordings of oxygen saturation, breathing movements and expired CO2 were found to have previously undetected and severe upper airway obstruction during sleep. In five cases the obstruction occurred in the pharynx and in the sixth it was due to bilateral choanal stenosis. When compared with age-matched controls, overnight tape-recordings showed episodes of abnormal arterial hypoxaemia and an abnormally elevated end-tidal CO2. Episodes of obstruction were most marked during sleep associated with a non-regular breathing pattern. Abnormal episodes of hypoxaemia were associated with continued breathing movements. Sometimes there was no airflow (complete obstruction); at other times airflow continued normally or was reduced in amplitude (partial obstruction). During episodes of partial or complete airway obstruction the inspiratory waveform showed a characteristic shape. These results show sleep-related upper airway obstruction to be an often undetected complication of DS and all necessary measures should be taken to overcome the obstruction when it reaches the stage of producing abnormal hypoxaemia. Choanal dilatation and tracheostomy were successful in treating two of the children. Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy were successful for one child, but only of marginal benefit for two others.     

Pituitary volume in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder.

BACKGROUND: Abnormalities in the limbic-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (LHPA) axis have been implicated in the pathogenesis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). To our knowledge, however, no prior study has measured pituitary gland volume in OCD. METHODS: Volumetric magnetic resonance imaging studies were conducted in 31 psychotropic drug-na?ve children (10 boys, 21 girls) aged 8-17 years and 31 case-matched healthy comparison subjects. RESULTS: Pituitary volume was significantly smaller in patients with OCD as compared with healthy control subjects (11% smaller). Smaller pituitary volume in patients with OCD was associated with increased compulsive but not obsessive symptom severity. Boys with OCD had smaller pituitary gland volumes compared with control boys (20% smaller). No significant differences in pituitary volume were observed between girls with OCD and control girls. Boys with OCD had significantly smaller pituitary volumes than girls with OCD (31% smaller), whereas control boys also had smaller pituitary gland volumes compared with control girls (21% smaller). CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide new evidence of reduced pituitary volume in pediatric OCD that seems to be more prominent in male patients. The observed alterations in pituitary volume are consistent with neuroendocrine studies that have reported abnormalities in the LHPA axis in OCD.     

Peritonitis in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis in children living in Saudi Arabia

The clinical aspects of peritonitis and catheter infections were reviewed in 64 children on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis living in Saudi Arabia over a period of 6 years. Peritonitis occurred in 41 children (64%). The mean time from starting dialysis to the first episode of peritonitis was 7.2 months. The incidence of peritonitis was 1 episode in 9 treatment months. Gram-negative organisms were responsible for the majority of episodes (42%), followed by Gram-positive organisms (20%), and Candida albicans (6%); 32% were culture negative. Recurrent peritonitis was present in 20 cases. Catheter was replaced in 24 patients: 44% due to recurrent peritonitis. Peritoneal membrane loss occurred in 7 patients, 3 had Candida peritonitis and 3 had recurrent peritonitis due to Pseudomonas. The mortality rate was 4.6% but none of the deaths were related to peritonitis or dialysis. Received August 23, 1995; received in revised form October 2, 1996; accepted October 18, 1996     

Psychiatric disorders in two general hospitals: a survey of prevalence and treatment by nonpsychiatrist physicians.

This study reports an opinion survey of 211 nonpsychiatrist physicians in two general hospitals who estimated that 16.1% of their patients have psychiatric disorders and that they spent 13.8% of their time in treating the psychiatric components of their patients' illnesses. Physicians indicated that anxiety and psychosomatic and depressive illness were the most frequent psychiatric disorders and that one-third of them would personally treat such disorders without referral to psychiatric consultation. The findings also suggest that adequate undergraduate psychiatric education was associated with increased recognition of psychiatric disorders and more preference for their personal treatment. In addition, it provides a possible explanation for the discrepancy between the high prevalence of psychiatric disorders in general hospital patients and the low referral rate to psychiatric consultation.     

Malignancy may adversely influence the quality and behaviour of oocytes

A case series of eight cycles of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in five women diagnosed with malignant disorders is presented. These patients chose to defer definitive treatment for a chance for preservation of potential fertility. The response of these patients to ovarian stimulation, and the outcome, was compared with 17 IVF cycles in 12 age- matched patients with isolated tubal infertility. An apparent adverse influence of malignant disease on the quality and behaviour of oocytes was observed. Despite a comparable total number of oocytes per cycle in the two groups, a significantly reduced percentage of mature oocytes was retrieved per cycle from patients with malignant diseases. The oocytes from patients with malignant disorders were of a poorer quality and exhibited a significantly impaired fertilization rate compared to the controls. We propose that neoplastic processes, irrespective of the site or cell of origin, may have a detrimental impact on the biology of oocytes, an effect akin to that seen on spermatozoa in men with certain malignancies.