Incompatibility of contrast agents with intravascular medications. Work in progress

In vitro and in vivo precipitation of iodinated contrast agents when ioxaglate and papaverine are given together has been reported. To verify these reports and to investigate other medications not previously tested, the authors analyzed mixtures of contrast agents and medications in vitro with a light spectrophotometer and observed them for visible precipitates for up to 120 minutes. Previously reported incompatibilities between ionic or low-osmolality contrast media and medications were verified, and several new incompatibilities were discovered. No incompatibilities were found when the drugs tested were mixed with the new nonionic contrast media.     

Chlamydial etiology of acute lower respiratory tract infections in children in the Sudan

The role of Chlamydia pneumoniae in 110 Sudanese children with signs of acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRI) was investigated. Four (3.6%) had evidence of C. pneumoniae infection, of whom 3 were culture-positive, while 1 had an antibody response suggesting a recent infection. IgG antibodies at a titer of ≥1:32 to C. pneumoniae, Chlamydia psittaci and Chlamydia trachomatis were detected in 27 (24.5%), 27 (24.5%) and 7 (6.4%) of the 110 ALRI cases, respectively. C. pneumoniae, C. trachomatis or C. psittaci were not detected in nasopharyngeal secretions from any of 110 patients when fluorescence-labeled specific monoclonal antibodies were used. In a seroepidemiological survey, 318 healthy Sudanese persons aged between 1 month and 67 years were studied for C. pneumoniae antibodies.     

Sweet's syndrome—therapy with cyclosporin

We report the case of a 39-year-old female patient suffering from Sweet's syndrome after an upper respiratory tract infection. Cyclosporin A at a dose of 10 mg/kg per day was given as initial treatment. Skin lesions and general malaise resolved within 9 days. The cyclosporin dose was decreased within 21 days, without recurrence of the eruption. Cyclosporin is a potent inhibitor of T lymphocytes, but affects granulocyte and monocyte functions as well. Success of treatment in our case shows that cyclosporin represents an alternative to steroid treatment in patients with Sweet's syndrome.     

Lipid and insulin concentrations in obese postmenopausal women: separate effects of energy restriction and weight loss.

The separate effects of energy restriction and weight loss on serum lipids were studied in 24 postmenopausal moderately obese women before and after weight loss of greater than 10 kg to normal weight. Fasting serum triglycerides (TGs), total cholesterol (TC), high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and insulin were measured at the end of four 10-d in-hospital phases, two before and two after weight loss: phase I, stable weight; phase II, 3350 kJ/d(800 kcal/d), followed by outpatient weight loss; phase III, 3350 kJ/d (800 kcal/d); and phase IV, stable weight. Diet composition and exercise were constant the entire study. Energy-restriction effect was determined by comparing average values in stable-weight phases (I and IV) with low-energy phases (II and III); weight-loss effect was determined by comparing values in obese phases (I and II) with reduced-weight phases (III and IV). Energy restriction lowered TG, TC, LDL cholesterol, the LDL-HDL cholesterol ratio, and insulin and raised HDL cholesterol (all P less than 0.05). Weight loss lowered TG, TC, LDL cholesterol, and insulin (all P less than 0.01) but did not change HDL cholesterol or the LDL-HDL cholesterol ratio. The results suggest that reduction to a weight-steady nonobese state significantly lowers TG, TC, and LDL cholesterol but does not improve HDL cholesterol or the LDL-HDL cholesterol ratio.     

Onconeural antigens and the paraneoplastic neurologic disorders: at the intersection of cancer, immunity, and the brain.

Paraneoplastic neurologic disorders (PNDs) are believed to be autoimmune neuronal degenerations that develop in some patients with systemic cancer. A series of genes encoding previously undiscovered neuronal proteins have been cloned using antiserum from PND patients. Identification of these onconeural antigens suggests a reclassification of the disorders into four groups: those in which neuromuscular junction proteins, nerve terminal/vesicle-associated proteins, neuronal RNA binding proteins, or neuronal signal-transduction proteins serve as target antigens. This review considers insights into basic neurobiology, tumor immunology, and autoimmune neuronal degeneration offered by the characterization of the onconeural antigens.