A phase II study of sulofenur,a novel sulfonylurea,in recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer

Summary A total of 16 patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer were treated with sulofenur (LY 186641), a novel oral sulfonylurea. All subjects had received previous chemotherapy. Anaemia occurred in all 16 patients, 14 of whom required a blood transfusion, and 2/16 patients received methylene blue for breathlessness due to methaemaglobinaemia. Treatment was discontinued in 2/16 cases due to rising liver enzyme values, which reverted to normal on cessation of the drug. There was no nausea or alopecia. Only two minor responses were seen. Plasma drug levels were insufficient to result in antitumour activity as extrapolated from animal data. Further studies that attempt to increase the bioavailability and improve the therapeutic index are warranted.     

Stapled diverticulectomy for solitary caecal diverticulitis

Caecal diverticulitis is an uncommon phenomenon in western countries. The clinical diagnosis is often difficult as it mimics other acute abdominal conditions like appendicitis, colitis or neoplasia. Diagnosis is often made at operation. Operative strategy has been controversial and there is no broad consensus emerging. We report the case of a 71-year-old woman, known to have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, who presented acutely with right iliac fossa pain. A clinical diagnosis of appendicitis was made. At laparoscopy, a solitary, inflamed, gangrenous caecal diverticulum was found. A laparoscopic stapled diverticulectomy was performed. The patient made a steady post-operative recovery. Histology confirmed diverticulitis. We conclude that stapled diverticulectomy for solitary caecal diverticulitis is a safe and effective surgical strategy when confronted with this scenario.     

内镜短期内重复筛查观察食管和贲门癌癌前自然史301例

目的:了解进展较快的食管和贲门癌前病变的时间,为寻找合适的筛查间隔提供线索.方法:在食管癌高发区河北涉县对40～69岁人群开展重复的内镜筛查.结果:301例重复筛查共观察到40例病情发生进展者,其中7例重度不典型增生中:1例首检为正常,间隔13个月检出重度不典型增生,1例首检为基底细胞增生,间隔7个月检出,4例首检为轻度不典型增生,分别间隔3个月、4个月、4个月、10.5个月检出,1例首检为中度不典型增生,间隔12.5个月检出;6例原位癌及黏膜内癌中:1例首检为轻度不典型增生,间隔48个月检出,2例中度不典型增生分别间隔4个月、13个月检出2例,3例重度不典型增生分别间隔3.5个月、9个月、17.5个月检出;3例浸润性癌中:1例中度不典型增生,间隔50个月检出、2例重度不典型增生间隔14个月和19个月检出.结论:食管和贲门癌前病变的滞留时间变异较大,有必要适当缩短筛查间隔,通过及时复查捕获那些进展较快、多点起源和首检遗漏的癌前病变.     

复苏因子促进休眠结核杆菌复苏作用的研究

目的研究复苏因子蛋白对休眠结核杆菌的复苏作用，探索对休眠结核杆菌的最佳复苏方案。方法应用含不同浓度复苏因子蛋白的7H9液体培养基培养休眠结核杆菌H37Rv，分别在第6天、第11天、第16天、第30天检测培养物的OD值、并取10μL培养液涂于7H11平板培养、抗酸染色。结果低浓度组合有最佳复苏效果，高浓度复苏因子组合抑制体眠结核菌复苏。低浓度复苏因子A和高、低浓度的复苏因子B、C、E均有不同程度的复苏促进作用，复苏因子D和高浓度的复苏因子A均无复苏作用。重复试验结果相同。结论结核杆菌复苏因子蛋白对结核杆菌有复苏促进作用。     

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase variants: reexamination of G6PD Chicago and Cornell and a new variant (G6PD Pea Ridge) resembling G6PD Chicago

Two large and unrelated families were investigated for hereditary nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia associated with deficiency of erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD). In both families, the kinetic and electrophoretic features of the G6PD variants resembled those of G6PD Chicago. Further investigation revealed that members of one of these families previously had been characterized as having the G6PD variants Chicago and Cornell. However, it is clear that each of these terms has been applied to the same variant in this single large kindred. In the second family, we describe a newly identified variant with unique characteristics, which we have designated G6PD Pea Ridge. G6PD Pea Ridge resembles G6PD Chicago but differs in electrophoretic mobility and in a few kinetic parameters. It exhibits an unusually high Ki for NADPH and thus appears to be insensitive to product inhibition. As other cases previously considered to be the Chicago variant become more fully characterized, this probably will be shown to be a heterogeneous group of variants.     

Patient‐reported convenience of once‐daily versus three‐times‐daily dosing during long‐term studies of pramipexole in early and advanced Parkinson’s disease

Background and purpose: In chronic diseases including Parkinson’s disease (PD), complex pharmacotherapy dosing schedules are reported to reduce adherence, perhaps leading to less‐effective symptom control and, in PD, more erratic stimulation of dopamine receptors. However, blinded clinical‐trial designs preclude direct comparisons of adherence to various schedules. Methods: In two double‐blind (DB) studies of early PD and one of advanced PD, subjects received three‐times‐daily (t.i.d.) pramipexole or placebo. In open‐label (OL) extensions, subjects took extended‐release, once‐daily (q.d.) pramipexole. At 24 or 32 OL weeks, q.d. versus t.i.d. dosing preference was surveyed by questionnaire. Results: Of 590 DB‐trial completers with early PD, 511 entered the OL extension. Of 374 survey respondents, 94.4% preferred q.d. dosing (72.2% of them found it ‘very much more convenient’ and 27.8%‘more convenient’), 2.7% preferred t.i.d., and 2.9% chose ‘no difference’. Of 465 DB‐trial completers with advanced PD, 391 entered its OL extension. Of 334 survey respondents, 88.9% preferred q.d. dosing (59.9% of them found it ‘very much more convenient’ and 40.1%‘more convenient’), 5.7% preferred t.i.d., and 5.4% chose ‘no difference’. Results excluding DB‐placebo recipients were highly similar. Conclusions: In this first direct comparison of patient preference for q.d. versus t.i.d. dopamine‐agonist dosing, patients with early or advanced PD had a strong preference for q.d. rather than t.i.d. pramipexole. The high proportion of advanced‐PD patients declaring this preference indicates that it does not depend on whether a patient is taking concomitant PD medications dosed more frequently than q.d.     

Regional neurovascular coupling and cognitive performance in those with low blood pressure secondary to high-level spinal cord injury: improved by alpha-1 agonist midodrine hydrochloride

Individuals with high-level spinal cord injury (SCI) experience low blood pressure (BP) and cognitive impairments. Such dysfunction may be mediated in part by impaired neurovascular coupling (NVC) (i.e., cerebral blood flow responses to neurologic demand). Ten individuals with SCI >T6 spinal segment, and 10 age- and sex-matched controls were assessed for beat-by-beat BP, as well as middle and posterior cerebral artery blood flow velocity (MCAv, PCAv) in response to a NVC test. Tests were repeated in SCI after 10 mg midodrine (alpha₁-agonist). Verbal fluency was measured before and after midodrine in SCI, and in the control group as an index of cognitive function. At rest, mean BP was lower in SCI (70±10 versus 92±14 mm Hg; P<0.05); however, PCAv conductance was higher (0.56±0.13 versus 0.39±0.15 cm/second/mm Hg; P<0.05). Controls exhibited a 20% increase in PCAv during cognition; however, the response in SCI was completely absent (P<0.01). When BP was increased with midodrine, NVC was improved 70% in SCI, which was reflected by a 13% improved cognitive function (P<0.05). Improvements in BP were related to improved cognitive function in those with SCI (r²=0.52; P<0.05). Impaired NVC, secondary to low BP, may partially mediate reduced cognitive function in individuals with high-level SCI.