Familial Sneddon's syndrome

We report the familial occurrence and apparent autosomal dominant inheritance of Sneddon's syndrome with variable clinical expression. The proband, a 40-year-old woman, presented with livedo reticularis and progressive neurological deterioration following a stroke. The diagnosis was confirmed by cerebral angiogram and skin biopsy, both showing the characteristic findings. Two of the patient's sisters were reported to have been similarly affected in the past. Her mother, two additional siblings and five of her seven children exhibited various vasospastic skin phenomena. Familial aggregation of this disorder may be common and a genetic basis may be involved in its pathogenesis.     

Epi-Inositol and inositol depletion: Two new treatment approaches in affective disorder

Inositol is a simple polyol precursor in a second messenger system important in brain myo-insitol, the natural isomer, which has been found to be therapeutically effective in depression, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder in double-blind controlled trials. Recently, epiinositol, an unnatural stereoisomer of myo-inositol, was found to have effects similar to those of myo-inositol to reverse lithium-pilocarpine seizures. We measured the behavior of rats in an elevated plus maze model of anxiety after chronic treatment of 11 daily intraperitoneal injections of epi-inositol, myo-inositol, or control solution. Epi-inositol reduced anxiety levels of rats compared with controls, and its effect was stronger than that of myoinositol. Lithium has been hypothesized to alleviate mania by reducing brain inositol levels. Inositol in brain derives from the second messenger cycle, from new synthesis, or from diet via transport across the blood brain barrier. Because the first two are inhibited by lithium, we propose that an inositol-free diet will augment lithium action in mania by enhancing restriction of inositol.     

Prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis in Slovenia by serological screening of pregnant women

A programme for the prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis in Slovenia involving the screening of pregnant women for Toxoplasma infection is presented. Of 21,270 pregnant women screened for toxoplasmosis between, 1996 and the end of 1999, 13,987 (66%) were seronegative, 7,151 (34%) seropositive and 132 had primary infection; approximately 9/1,000 women were at risk of acquiring the primary infection. One hundred live-born infants of primary infected women were available for follow-up. Nine infected but asymptomatic children were born to mothers who were screened and treated in time and two congenitally infected babies were born to mothers in whom infection was detected too late in pregnancy and who therefore received no adequate treatment. It is suggested that the results obtained in this study outweigh the cost of screening for toxoplasmosis in pregnancy. Pregnant women should always be tested at the beginning of pregnancy and, in cases of seronegativity, should be re-tested in the second and third trimesters of the pregnancy. Toxoplasma primary infected pregnant women and neonates should be treated as soon as possible. However, long-term follow-up of children born to primary infected women would be necessary for an accurate evaluation of the effectiveness of the screening because of the possibility of late onset of symptoms.     

Abuse liability of intravenous buprenorphine/naloxone and buprenorphine alone in buprenorphine‐maintained intravenous heroin abusers

Background Sublingual buprenorphine is an effective maintenance treatment for opioid dependence, yet intravenous buprenorphine misuse occurs. A buprenorphine/naloxone formulation was developed to mitigate this misuse risk. This randomized, double‐blind, cross‐over study was conducted to assess the intravenous abuse potential of buprenorphine/naloxone compared with buprenorphine in buprenorphine‐maintained injection drug users (IDUs). Methods Intravenous heroin users (n = 12) lived in the hospital for 8–9 weeks and were maintained on each of three different sublingual buprenorphine doses (2 mg, 8 mg, 24 mg). Under each maintenance dose, participants completed laboratory sessions during which the reinforcing and subjective effects of intravenous placebo, naloxone, heroin and low and high doses of buprenorphine and buprenorphine/naloxone were examined. Every participant received each test dose under the three buprenorphine maintenance dose conditions. Results Intravenous buprenorphine/naloxone was self‐administered less frequently than buprenorphine or heroin (P < 0.0005). Participants were most likely to self‐administer drug intravenously when maintained on the lowest sublingual buprenorphine dose. Subjective ratings of ‘drug liking’ and ‘desire to take the drug again’ were lower for buprenorphine/naloxone than for buprenorphine or heroin (P = 0.0001). Participants reported that they would pay significantly less money for buprenorphine/naloxone than for buprenorphine or heroin (P < 0.05). Seven adverse events were reported; most were mild and transient. Conclusions These data suggest that although the buprenorphine/naloxone combination has intravenous abuse potential, that potential is lower than it is for buprenorphine alone, particularly when participants received higher maintenance doses and lower buprenorphine/naloxone challenge doses. Buprenorphine/naloxone may be a reasonable option for managing the risk for buprenorphine misuse during opioid dependence treatment.     

Quality and correlates of physical activity counseling by health care providers in Israel

BACKGROUND: The quantity and quality of physical activity counseling by the health care provider can have a profound impact on improving the physical activity of the older population. This study presents an estimate of the quality and quantity of physical activity counseling and tests the associations of different variables with physical activity. METHODS: A random telephone survey of 793 Israeli residents between the ages of 45 and 75 was conducted. Counseling by a health care provider was evaluated using a three-stage approach--assess, advise, and assist. RESULTS: Of those visiting a doctor in the last 3 months 22, 16, and 7% were assessed, advised, and assisted, respectively, regarding physical activity by a health care provider. At all three stages, receiving weight reduction counseling was a main variable correlated with receiving physical activity counseling (OR 3.38-2.43). Having a chronic disease was associated with being assessed; smoking and being a recent immigrant were associated with getting assistance on physical activity. Visiting a health care provider in the last 3 months, and being physically active were also associated with counseling. The dietitians and the physicians had the highest quality and rates of counseling in all three stages. CONCLUSION: It seems that a sedentary lifestyle is not regarded as an independent risk factor during counseling, but more as an important part of weight reduction. An evaluation of physical activity counseling by the three stages can be used to assess the quality of the counseling.