Thyrotropin and prolactin responses to ECT in schizophrenia and depression

Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and prolactin (PRL) plasma levels were studied during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in five schizophrenic patients in a simulated ECT (SECT) controlled experimental design. The data were compared to those obtained from a group of 10 depressed patients treated with ECT. In the schizophrenic group, both PRL and TSH increased significantly during ECT compared to SECT, as they did in the depressive group during ECT. Thus, the hormonal TSH and PRL profile during ECT is similar in schizophrenia and depression. It is concluded that the changes in TSH and PRL induced by ECT are specifically linked to the current or the seizure, and are not related to the type of psychopathology.     

Uterine myomata and outcome of assisted reproduction

The aim of this work was to study the effect of uterine myomata on the implantation rate and outcome in in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Among 406 patients, 51 (12.6%) were found to have uterine corporeal myomata. Twelve patients were excluded from the study as they had large myomata, submucous myomata or intramural myomata encroaching on the cavity. These patients were advised to have myomectomy before being enrolled in the IVF/ICSI programme. The remaining patients (n = 39) were sorted according to the number, site and size of the myomata as assessed by transvaginal sonography. Three patients had more than one myoma. Most of the myomata were subserous (72.7%) and the mean diameter of the myomata was 3.5 +/- 0.9 cm. A control group (n = 367) was chosen with normal uteri and no history of uterine reconstruction surgery. The mean age of myoma patients was 34.7 +/- 3.6 years as compared to 34.0 +/- 4.4 years in the control group. The age, period of infertility, body mass index, duration and number of human menopausal gonadotrophin ampoules needed for stimulation, oestradiol levels, number of oocytes retrieved and the fertilization rate were not significantly different in the myoma patients compared to the control group. Fifteen myoma patients (38.5%) subsequently showed one or more pregnancy sacs on ultrasonography of which three (20%) spontaneously aborted during the first trimester and two (13.3%) had preterm labour, as compared to 123 (33.5%), 19 (15.5%) and nine (7.3%) respectively, among the control group (P = 0.27, 0.33 and 0.21). In conclusion, uterine corporeal myomata, not encroaching on the cavity and <7 cm in mean diameter, do not affect the implantation or miscarriage rates in IVF or ICSI.      

Electrode Placement and Prolactin Response to Electroconvulsive Therapy

Study of serum prolactin during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in depressive patients revealed a greater prolactin increase after bilateral than after unilateral ECT. A linear correlation between the two types of prolactin response was found for a group of 10 patients, a finding that suggests a quantitative rather than a qualitative difference between bilateral and unilateral ECT with regard to their prolactin-releasing properties. The magnitude of prolactin response did not differ between right and left unilateral ECT, nor in a systematically studied case of postictal dysphoric excitement that occurred after right, but not after left, unilateral ECT. In this case, maximal prolactin response occurred earlier with right than with left unilateral ECT. Prolactin increase after ECT was not correlated with such factors as severity of depression nor seizure duration.     

四氯偶氮苯在大鼠胆汁中的分泌和代谢

四氯偶氮苯（３,３’,４,４’ｔｅｔｒａｃｈｌｏｒｏａｚｏｂｅｎｚｅｎｅ,ＴＣＡＢ）和四氯氧化偶氮苯（３,３’,４,４’ｔｅｔｒａｃｈｌｏｒｏａｚｏｘｙｂｅｎｚｅｎｅ,ＴＣＡＯＢ）是在合成氯代或二氯代苯胺类除草剂时生成的污染废弃物。此类除草剂经...     

Assessment of thyroidal "C" cell secretion in osteoporotic girls with Turner''s syndrome. Basal and calcium-stimulated levels of total calcitonin, extractable calcitonin and katakalcin

Osteoporosis is a common finding in Turner's syndrome. To test the hypothesis that calcitonin deficiency may contribute to bone mineral loss in Turner's syndrome, we studied basal and calcium-stimulated (2 mg/kg body weight in 5 min) levels of total calcitonin, extractable calcitonin and katacalcin in 15 girls with Turner's syndrome and osteoporosis. Fifteen age-matched healthy girls were studied as controls. Both basal calcitonin (total and extractable) and katacalcin values were not significantly different in patients with Turner's syndrome in comparison with those of the controls. The calcium stimulation test showed a similar "C" cell secretory reserve in both groups. The calculation of delta CT/delta iCa of total and extractable calcitonin and delta KC/delta iCa, which accounts for individual variations in serum ionized calcium increases, did not show any significant difference between girls with Turner's syndrome and controls. We conclude that calcitonin deficiency is not a causative factor of osteoporosis in girls with Turner's syndrome and that in this syndrome long-life estrogen deficiency does not impair "C" cell secretory activity.     

Irinotecan or oxaliplatin combined with leucovorin and 5-fluorouracil as first-line treatment in advanced colorectal cancer: a multicenter, randomized, phase II study.

BACKGROUND: Irinotecan (IRI) and oxaliplatin (OXA) are effective in the treatment of colorectal cancer. Previously untreated patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma (CRC) were randomly assigned to receive IRI plus leucovorin (LV)/5-fluorouracil (5-FU), or OXA plus LV/5-FU in order to compare the response rates, time-to-tumor progression, overall survival rates, and toxicity profiles of these two agents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 1999 to February 2002, 295 patients were randomized to receive either IRI/LV/5-FU or OXA/LV/5-FU. The treatment schedules consisted of weekly IRI 70 mg/m(2) or OXA 45 mg/m(2) plus LV 200 mg/m(2) followed immediately by intravenous bolus 5-FU 450 mg/m(2) for 6 weeks, followed by a 2-week rest period. Treatment was continued for up to four cycles or until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity or patient refusal. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the study arms in the overall response rate (33% with IRI/LV/5-FU versus 32% with OXA/LV/5-FU based on responses demonstrated on a single evaluation; 23% with IRI/LV/5-FU versus 22.3% with OXA/LV/5-FU based on responses confirmed according to WHO criteria) median time to progression (8.9 versus 7.6 months), and median overall survival (17.6 versus 17.4 months). Toxicity profiles (grades 3 and 4) were similar in the IRI and OXA arms (diarrhea 12.3% and 9.8%, neutropenia 8.2% and 4.9%, and febrile neutropenia 1.4% and 1.4%, respectively), with the exception of grade 3 sensory neuropathy, which almost exclusively occurred in the OXA arm (0% versus 5.6%; P=0.003, Fisher's exact test). CONCLUSION: The IRI/LV/5-FU and OXA/LV/5-FU regimens demonstrated equally substantial efficacies and manageable toxicity profiles in the first-line treatment of patients with advanced CRC. However, IRI/LV/5-FU may be the preferable regimen to avoid significant neurotoxicity associated with OXA-LV/5-FU.