Cutaneous plasmacytosis associated with lung and anal carcinomas

Cutaneous plasmacytosis is a rare disorder characterized by a benign proliferation of mature plasma cells that appears as multiple dark-brown to purplish skin lesions, often associated with polyclonal hypergammaglobulinaemia. We present the case of a 55-year-old Caucasian man who suffered from a cutaneous plasmacytosis associated with two different carcinomas. Cutaneous plasmacytosis seems to be a reactive process because most cases reported are not associated with any apparent underlying disease. Nevertheless, because few reported cases were associated with malignancies, screening of additional neoplasms would be justified.     

Acute myocardial infarction and cardiac perforation on non-gated CT

A 79-year-old man was referred to emergency department for vagueabdominal pain. In the past, the patient had cardiac arrhythmiasnecessitating a pacemaker placement. On admission, the patienthad a normal ausculation and the abdomen examination was unremarkable.Postero-anterior chest radiograph revealed normal cardiac sizeand a small left pleural effusion.     

The use of a new hydrophilic polymer, Kollicoat IR, in the formulation of solid dispersions of Itraconazole.

Kollicoat IR, a new pharmaceutical excipient developed as a coating polymer for instant release tablets, was evaluated as a carrier in solid dispersions of Itraconazole. The solid dispersions were prepared by hot stage extrusion. Modulated temperature differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray powder diffraction were used to evaluate the miscibility of the drug and the carrier. The pharmaceutical performance was evaluated by dissolution experiments, performed in simulated gastric fluid without pepsin (SGF(sp)). In the X-ray diffractograms no Itraconazole peaks were visible; the polymer on the other hand appeared to be semi-crystalline. Moreover, its crystallinity increased during the extrusion process due to exposure to heat and shear forces. Modulated temperature differential scanning calorimetry analysis showed that the drug and the polymer formed a two phase system. Separate clusters of glassy Itraconazole were present for drug loads of 40% or higher, indicating further phase separation. Dissolution measurements demonstrated a significantly increased dissolution rate for the solid dispersions compared to physical mixtures. Interestingly the physical mixture made up of glassy Itraconazole and Kollicoat IR (20/80, w/w) showed a dissolution rate and maximum that was much higher than that of the physical mixture made up of crystalline Itraconazole and that of pure glassy Itraconazole. The results of this study show that Kollicoat IR is a promising excipient for the formulation of solid dispersions of Itraconazole prepared by hot stage extrusion.     

rt-PA Lyse bei Patienten mit schwerer Lungenembolie und rechtskardialen Transitthromben Diagnostik und Verlaufskontrolle mit Hilfe der transösophagealen Echokardiographie

Zusammenfassung Bei Nachweis von rechtskardialen Thromben handelt es sich in den meisten F?llen um sogenannte ,,Transit-Thromben`` aus dem peripheren Venensystem, die nur kurz im rechten Herzen verweilen. Die Inzidenz von transthorakal echokardiographisch nachgewiesenen ,,Transit-Thromben`` bei Patienten mit Lungenembolie liegt bei etwa 3 – 4%. Unbehandelt ist die Letalit?tsrate dieser Patienten jedoch auf Grund der hohen Rate konsekutiver fulminanter Lungenembolien sehr hoch (30 – 40%). Bis vor einigen Jahren galt die operative Embolektomie als das Therapieverfahren der Wahl, das jedoch heute zunehmend durch die systemische, intraven?se Lysetherapie als Alternative ersetzt wird. Im Zeitraum von 1/94 bis 12/95 wurden in unserer Klinik 66 Patienten mit nachgewiesener Lungenembolie behandelt. Bei sieben dieser Patienten mit schwerer oder fulminanter Lungenembolie (10,6%; 5 M?nner, 55 – 74 Jahre alt) fanden sich rechtskardiale Thromben, die in allen F?llen mittels transthorakaler/ trans?sophagealer Echokardiographie (TEE) diagnostiziert wurden. In sechs F?llen sahen wir extrem mobile, wurmf?rmige Thromben im rechten Atrium, die zum Teil diastolisch tief in den rechten Ventrikel prolabierten. Bei einem Patienten waren die Thromben im rechten Ventrikel lokalisiert und fielen ventrikel-systolisch in den rechtsventrikul?ren Ausflu?trakt. In drei F?llen lie?en sich mittels TEE auch Thromben in der rechten Pulmonalarterie darstellen. Fünf Patienten wurden unmittelbar im Anschlu? an die TEE-Untersuchung ohne weitere angiographische Diagnostik mit einer systemischen, intraven?sen Lysetherapie mit 100 mg front-loaded rt-PA über 90 Minuten behandelt. Ein prim?r reanimationspflichtiger Patient erhielt als ,,Ultima Ratio`` 100 mg rt-PA als Bolus, eine weitere Patientin 50 mg rt-PA als Bolus gefolgt von 50 mg über 2 Stunden. Bei allen Patienten stabilisierte sich der h?modynamische Zustand innerhalb kürzester Zeit. In sechs F?llen konnte mittels TEE und einmal mittels transthorakaler Echokardiographie innerhalb von 15 Stunden die komplette Aufl?sung der rechtskardialen Thromben dokumentiert werden. Bei einem Patienten kam es zu einer intracerebralen Blutung und ein Patient verstarb nach 10 Tagen an den Folgen der protrahierten Reanimation mit hypoxischem Hirnschaden. Mittels TTE/TEE lassen sich rechtskardiale Transitthromben als koinzidenter Befund bei Patienten mit klinischen Hinweisen für eine fulminante Lungenembolie gut diagnostizieren sowie der Therapieerfolg verfolgen. In diesen F?llen ist die sofortige systemische Lysetherapie ohne weitere bildgebende Diagnostik durchzuführen, um einer weiteren Verschlechterung der klinischen Situation in Folge Transports und Umlagerung des Patienten mit der Gefahr des Abschwemmens des Transitthrombus vorzubeugen. Eingegangen: 15. Mai 1996 Akzeptiert: 23. Oktober 1996     

Arachidonic acid metabolites in CSF in hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy of newborn infants

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cerebral synthesis of eicosanoids in the asphyctic newborn and to investigate the relation between the prostanoid profiles in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the appearance and severity of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE). Levels of 6-keto-PGF _1-α, TXB₂, PGE₂ and PGF_2-α in CSF were measured in 40 full term newborns during the first day of life. Thirty of these newborns had birth asphyxia and were divided into three groups: 10 without HIE, 12 with mild HIE and 8 with moderate-severe HIE. They were compared to a control group of 10 non-hypoxic newborns. Determinations of the metabolites in CSF were performed by RIA and expressed as pg/ml (mean ± SD). The CSF TXB₂ (thromboxane A₂ metabolite) in asphyxiated newborns was always higher than in the control group (28.12 ± 10.6), and related to the severity of HIE ( p = 0:005): without HIE (50.84 ± 16.4; p = 0:02), mild HIE (80.65 ± 12.64; p ± 0:01) and moderate-severe HIE (178.14 ± 20.5; p < 0:01). The CSF 6-keto-PGF _1-α (prostacyclin metabolite) in asphyxiated newborns was always higher than in the control group (80.55 ± 12.56), but indirectly related to the severity of HIE: without HIE (240.95 ± 28.12; p < 0:01), mild HIE (183.65 ± 30.1; p < 0:01) and moderate-severe HIE (140.55 ± 25.12; p < 0:01). In the moderate-severe HIE group, the increase in TXB₂ was higher than the rise in 6-keto-PGF _1-α.     

Occurrence of the t(2;5)(p23;q35) in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Primary CD30(Ki-1)-positive anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) is considered by some to be a distinct clinicopathologic entity associated with the t(2;5) (p23;q35). However, the specificity of t(2;5) for ALCL has not been carefully studied. Therefore, we performed a detailed analysis of all cases of ALCL with abnormal cytogenetics results in the Nebraska Lymphoma Study Group registry, as well as all other cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with t(2;5) in the registry. We found the t(2;5) in only five of 10 cases of ALCL, four of whom were young patients. However, we also found the t(2;5) in 11 other cases of nonanaplastic lymphoma, including eight children with typical peripheral T-cell lymphomas of various types. The t(2;5) was also found in three older adults with B-cell lymphomas of various types. Thus, the t(2;5) was not specific for CD30+ ALCL. However, t(2;5) may define a clinicopathologic entity in children and young adults characterized by variable morphologies with a T-cell or indeterminate phenotype, CD30-positivity, nodal disease with frequent extranodal involvement, advanced stage, and an excellent response to therapy, including bone marrow transplantation for relapsed disease. The clinical relevance of the t(2;5) in older patients requires further study.