Multiple primary lung cancers. Results of surgical treatment

During a 13-year period, multiple primary lung cancers were diagnosed in 80 consecutive patients. Forty-four patients had metachronous cancers. The initial pulmonary resection was lobectomy in 36 patients, bilobectomy in 3, pneumonectomy in 1, and wedge excision or segmentectomy in 4. The second pulmonary resection was lobectomy in 16 patients, bilobectomy in 2, completion pneumonectomy in 7, and wedge excision or segmentectomy in 19. There were two 30-day operative deaths (mortality rate, 4.5%). Actuarial 5- and 10-year survival rates after the first pulmonary resection for stage I disease were 55.2% and 27.0%, respectively. Five-year and 10-year survival rates for stage I disease after the second pulmonary resection were 41.0% and 31.5%, respectively. The remaining 36 patients had synchronous cancers. The pulmonary resection was lobectomy in 18 patients, bilobectomy in 3, pneumonectomy in 10, and wedge excision or segmentectomy in 8. There were two 30-day operative deaths (mortality rate, 5.6%). Actuarial overall 5- and 10-year survival rates after pulmonary resection were 15.7% and 13.8%, respectively. We conclude that an aggressive surgical approach is safe and warranted in most patients with multiple primary lung cancers and that the presence of synchronous primary cancers is ominous.     

Dietary behaviour of an adolescent French male population

The dietary history method was used to determine the total energy and macronutrient intake, the distribution of daily energy from the different meals and the energy contribution of various food groups, in a population of 299 boys, aged between 10 and 15 years. The effects of age, the social status of the father (SPS), the ponderal index, the importance of breakfast or lunch, and the level of energy intake on dietary indicators, were studied. In our population, energy intake increased with increasing age but the energy contribution of macronutrients did not vary. The diet of boys whose fathers were in the upper SPS classes differed from the diet of those boys whose fathers were manual workers: for example they consumed less energy and pastries, but more animal protein (in percentage of energy intake), more dairy products, and more fruit. The ponderal index was negatively related to energy intake but positively related to protein intake, especially from meat and meat products. The energy intake from protein, animal protein and the energy contribution of dairy products, meat and meat products, fish and vegetables was lower among large eaters than among small eaters. The energy contribution of pastries, sugar and sweets was higher among large eaters.
Similarily, the energy intake from morning and evening snacks was also higher among large eaters. It should be noted that boys who had a substantial breakfast took in less energy from all other meals (including snacks and main meals). Such informaton is necessary in order to develop an effective health programme.     

Heart rate and blood pressure variability as markers of sensory blockade with labour epidural analgesia

PURPOSE: To evaluate the correlation between the progression of somatosensory blockade and changes in autonomic outflow following the onset of labour epidural analgesia. METHODS: Twelve labouring parturients consented to participate in the study. Baseline electrocardiogram, blood pressure (BP) and respiratory rate were recorded for ten minutes. The epidural consisted of 0.125% bupivacaine with 50 microg of fentanyl (total volume 20 mL). Measurements were repeated for ten minutes after initiation of the block. The level of sensory block was measured bilaterally with loss of sensation to ice at two-minute intervals. Wavelet transform was used to obtain heart rate (HR) and BP variability every two minutes following the loading dose of epidural medication. High frequency power of HR variability was used to assess changes in parasympathetic activity. The total power of BP variability was used to assess changes in sympathetic activity. A nonparametric repeated measures ANOVA was used for the variability data, and a Spearman rank correlation test was used to evaluate the relationship between the sensory block and HR and BP variability. RESULTS: The sensory block progressed to T9 at ten minutes post-epidural and was the mirror image of the decrease in total power of BP variability. High frequency power of HR variability increased to a plateau at six minutes post-epidural. A significant correlation was found between the increase in sensory block and the observed decrease in BP variability (r = -1.000, P = 0.0028). CONCLUSION: In this study of labouring parturients, BP variability correlated with the progression of both sympathetic and somatosensory block following epidural anesthesia, while HR variability was shown to be a surrogate marker of increased parasympathetic activity.     

Effects of the anticholinesterase edrophonium on spectral analysis of heart rate and blood pressure variability in humans.

Edrophonium, an anticholinesterase, exerts a biphasic effect on cardiovascular autonomic drive in humans (lower doses enhance; higher doses reduce). Twenty-five anesthetized, mechanically respired (10 breaths. min(-1), constant tidal volume) patients were given either saline (n = 10) or edrophonium (0.01-1.0 mg. kg(-1), n = 15) following surgery. ECG, radial arterial pressure, and respiratory rate were sampled at 250 Hz to obtain time series for consecutive R-R intervals (RRIs), and systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). A Wigner distribution was used for time frequency mapping of spectral powers at high (HFP, 0.15-0.5 Hz) and low (LFP, 0.0-0.05 Hz) frequency. Edrophonium produced a dose-dependent decrease in heart rate [baseline 66.8 +/- 1.9 (S.E.M.) beats per minute; maximum decrease to 55.8 +/- 1.4 beats per minute with 1.0 mg. kg(-1), P < 0.01]. HFP of the RRI increased at low doses (0.2-0.4 mg. kg(-1); maximum increase to 111.0 +/- 58.2% baseline; P < 0.01) but decreased (-49.5 +/- 35.5% baseline; P < 0.01) at higher (1.0 mg. kg(-1)) doses. Edrophonium had no effect on SBP and DBP. HFP of SBP decreased with increasing doses (maximal decrease to -26.2 +/- 7.5% baseline, P < 0.01, 1.0 mg. kg(-1)). LFP of SBP was also decreased (-46.3 +/- 10.9% baseline, P < 0.01, 1.0 mg. kg(-1)). Edrophonium may enhance (lower dose) or reduce (higher dose) cardiovascular autonomic drive in humans, as evidenced by the significant changes it evokes in HFP of the RRI (parasympathetic drive), and in the HFP and LFP of SBP (sympathetic drive). These observations may account for the modest autonomic side effects of edrophonium when this drug is used clinically.