99mTc-Diethyl-iodo-HIDA (JODIDA): A new hepatobiliary agent in clinical comparison with 99mTc-diisopropyl-HIDA (DISIDA) in jaundiced patients

The new HIDA derivative, ^99mTc-dimethyl-iodine-HIDA (JODIDA), was compared with ^99mTc-diisopropyl-HIDA (DISIDA) in 17 patients with jaundice by means of paired cholescintigraphic imaging studies. The following parameters were visually assessed: the extent of urinary tract visualization, biliary contrast and appearance time, and gallbladder visualization and appearance time. In the 6 patients with a total bilirubin level of between 19 and 66 mol/l (1.1 and 3.9 mg/dl), both radiopharmaceuticals gave similar results except for the moderate visualization of the urinary tract with DISIDA in contrast to JODIDA. In the remaining 11 patients with a total bilirubin level between 102 and 1303 mol/l (6 and 76 mg/dl), JODIDA showed significant advantages over DISIDA: non-visualization of the urinary tract, stronger and faster biliary contrast, and better gallbladder visualization. JODIDA thus offered substantial diagnostic advantages over DISIDA in 8 of these patients. In 4 patients, the differential diagnosis of jaundice (intrahepatic or mechanical disorder) was possible with JODIDA, whereas DISIDA either could not visualize intestinal or gallbladder activity at all or could not differentiate it from the urinary tract. In one patients, JODIDA offered faster (18 h) diagnosis. In the remaining 3 patients, other, substantially false interpretations could be avoided through the use of JODIDA. Further clinical experience with JODIDA in more than 40 patients confirmed the results of this study. We concluded that JODIDA is of significant advantage over DISIDA in clinical situations such as total bilirubin level above 80–100 mol/l (4.7 to 5.8 mg/dl), examination of small children and critically ill patients and suggestion of bile leakage. As there are also no clinical disadvantages, it could become the rediopharmaceutical of choice for hepatobiliary imaging.     

Efficacy of various dithiol compounds in acute As2O3 poisoning in mice

The efficacy ofdl-dimercaptopropanol (British Anti-Lewisite, BAL),dl-dimercaptopropanesulfonate (DMPS), and meso-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMS A) was compared in reducing the acute As₂O₃ toxicity in mice. Mice were treated with a single equimolar dose of a dithiol compound (0.7 mmol/kg i.p.) 0.5 or 30 min after the s.c. injection of various doses of As₂O₃. Both DMPS and DMSA were significantly (p<0.05) more effective in mice treated 0.5 min after the poisoning if compared to BAL on an equimolar level. The highest potency ratio (PR) (LD50 with treatment/LD5o without treatment) was found in animals injected with DMSA (PR=8.6). The corresponding value for DMPS was 4.2, and for BAL 2.1, respectively. In animals treated 30 min after poisoning the efficacy of DMPS (PR = 2.6) was similar to the efficacy of DMSA 2.4, both being only slightly superior to BAL 2.O. DMPS and DMSA were found to be much less toxic than BAL. The LD₅₀ of arsenic was 0.057 mmol/kg. The efficacy of BAL, DMPS, and DMSA in reducing the tissue content of arsenic following acute As₂O₃ poisoning was investigated in mice (n=6/group) and guinea pigs (n=3-4/group). The animals were injected s.c. with 0.043 mmol/kg As₂O₃ (containing a tracer dose of⁷⁴As(III)). Thirty minutes later the antidotes were administered A were more effective in reducing the arsenic content of tissues than BAL. Moreover, BAL caused accumulation of the toxicant in the brain. It is concluded that the recommendation of BAL as drug of choice in acute arsenic poisoning needs to be carefully re-evaluated.     

MIR204 n.37C>T variant as a cause of chorioretinal dystrophy variably associated with iris coloboma,early-onset cataracts and congenital glaucoma

Four members of a three-generation Czech family with early-onset chorioretinal dystrophy were shown to be heterozygous carriers of the n.37C>T in MIR204. The identification of this previously reported pathogenic variant confirms the existence of a distinct clinical entity caused by a sequence change in MIR204. Chorioretinal dystrophy was variably associated with iris coloboma, congenital glaucoma, and premature cataracts extending the phenotypic range of the condition. In silico analysis of the n.37C>T variant revealed 713 novel targets. Additionally, four family members were shown to be affected by albinism resulting from biallelic pathogenic OCA2 variants. Haplotype analysis excluded relatedness with the original family reported to harbour the n.37C>T variant in MIR204. Identification of a second independent family confirms the existence of a distinct MIR204-associated clinical entity and suggests that the phenotype may also involve congenital glaucoma.     

Treatment of experimental visceral leishmaniasis in a T-cell-deficient host: response to amphotericin B and pentamidine.

In experimental visceral leishmaniasis, euthymic but not athymic (nude) BALB/c mice respond to conventional treatment with pentavalent antimony, indicating that the in vivo efficacy of antimony is T cell dependent. This finding correlates with frequent antimony treatment failures for T-cell-deficient patients with visceral leishmaniasis. To determine whether the in vivo efficacies of alternative antileishmanial agents also require T cells, Leishmania donovani-infected euthymic and nude BALB/c mice were treated with pentamidine or amphotericin B. Pentamidine induced leishmanistatic activity in euthymic mice but had little effect in nude mice. In contrast, amphotericin B exerted potent leishmanicidal activities in both euthymic and nude animals. These results suggest that amphotericin B may be of particular use for T-cell-deficient patients with visceral leishmaniasis.     

Lack of effectiveness of D-penicillamine in experimental arsenic poisoning

Based on some anecdotal case reports D-penicillamine (DPA) has been advocated for the treatment of arsenic poisoning. Experimental evidence, however, supporting that recommendation is lacking. In the present experiments the effectiveness of DPA was compared with dimercaprol (British Antilewisite, BAL), dimercaptopropanesulfonate (DMPS), and dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) using different controlled experimental settings. In one study mice received As2O3 (9-14 mg/kg sc). Treatment with DMSA after 30 min afforded almost complete protection against the lethal effects of arsenic whereas DPA was not effective. In a second study, mice and guinea pigs were injected sc with 8.4 mg/kg As2O3 (containing a tracer dose of 74As). Thirty min later 0.7 mmol/kg of DPA or one of the other antidotes was injected ip. As determined 4 and 12 h after the arsenic injection, DPA was unable to reduce the 74As content in any of the organs investigated (blood, liver, kidneys, lungs, heart, brain, testes, spleen, skeletal muscle, and skin). On the other hand, BAL, DMPS, and DMSA markedly reduced the tissue content of 74As with respect to controls. Finally, the ability of the antidotes to reverse biochemical effects of arsenic was investigated in vitro using suspensions of incubated renal tubulus cells. The marked inhibition of gluconeogenesis induced by 30 mumol/L As2O3 was almost completely reversed upon addition of 90 mumol of either BAL, DMPS, or DMSA. In this experimental model, too, DPA was ineffective. It was concluded that the use of DPA in arsenic poisoning needs to be reevaluated.     

Safety and efficacy of a new filter-based protection system for aorto-coronary bypass graft interventions: the ev3 Spider device

PURPOSE: Treatment of aorto-coronary bypass grafts without a protection devices is associated with a high incidence of ischemic events. The Spider(R) system is a new protection device. METHODS AND RESULTS: We included 40 consecutive patients with 50 lesions and stenosis > 50% in bypass grafts. Follow-up was performed according to clinical records and by phone call after 30 days. Final TIMI flow 2 or 3 was observed in 97.5% of the patients, and no-reflow occurred in 10% without incidence of macroembolism. The technical success rate was 92.5%. A new rise of creatine kinase or troponin was observed in 27.5% after treatment, but 8 of 11 patients (72.7%) had only a periprocedural rise of troponin without elevation of creatine kinase. Debris was found in 52.5%, MACE rate was low (10%). Both types of stenoses (types A and B) were embolic, we found a trend for more frequent entrapped debris and periprocedural elevation of ischemic markers in type B stenoses, but these did not reach a significant level. CONCLUSION: Using the Spider system is feasible, and offers a high technical success rate, no macroembolism, and excellent final TIMI flow, but the risk of microembolism and periprocedural myocardial infarction is not entirely eliminated.     

pH-Abhängige Einflüsse apparativer Parameter auf den Diffusionsfluß durch Lipoidmembranen

pH Dependent Influences of Apparatus Parameters on the Flux of Diffusion Through Lipoid Membranes The pH dependence of the diffusion of salicylic acid through membranes containing dodecanol was investigated. The lower the pH, the more does the aqueous layer resist the flux of diffusion. For this reason, apparatus parameters that control the convection of the aqueous phase variously influence the diffusion rate at different pH values. The diffusion resistance of the aqueous layer can be calculated from experimental data.