Paternal lineage of alcoholism, cohort effects, and alcoholism criteria

Adoption studies have led to the suggestion that there may be two distinct subgroups of alcoholics with differing genetic contributions. Among 249 male alcoholics we used discriminant analysis to relate the features of type 1 and type 2 alcoholism it the presence or absence of a family history of alcoholism in male paternal relatives. We found that guilt and hinging, features usually attributed to type 1 (milieu-limited) alcoholism, were in fact more prevalent m the family history positive group. An additional cohort analysis found cohort-related variations in type 1/type 2 characteristics. The possible implications of these findings are discussed.     

Effects of long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation of infant formula on cognition and behaviour at 9 years of age

Aim Long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) supplementation of infant formula may have a beneficial effect on cognitive development. This study aimed to investigate the effect of LCPUFA formula supplementation primarily on cognition and secondarily on behaviour at age 9 years. Special attention was paid to the potentially modifying effect of maternal smoking during pregnancy. Method A double‐blind, randomized control study was performed in two groups of healthy infants born at term: one group, constituting the control group, received standard formula (n=169) and another group received standard formula supplemented with LCPUFAs (n=146). A breastfed group (n=159) served as an additional reference. At 9 years of age, 72% of the children (control group: n=123; 71 males, 52 females; LCPUFA group: n=91; 42 males, 49 females; breastfed group: n=127, 64 males, 63 females) underwent extensive cognitive and behavioural testing. Results An interaction between infant nutrition and smoking during pregnancy was found. Among children exposed to smoking during pregnancy, LCPUFA supplementation was associated with higher mean verbal IQ scores (p=0.007) and learning and memory (p=0.006). Among children not exposed to smoking during pregnancy, LCPUFA supplementation was associated with lower mean verbal memory scores (p=0.003). Executive function scores were significantly lower in the LCPUFA‐supplemented group than in the control group (p=0.001). Breastfeeding was associated with better performance on IQ (p=0.005). Interpretation No consistent beneficial effect of LCPUFA formula supplementation on cognitive development in term‐born infants was found. The study confirmed that breastfeeding is associated with better cognition.     

基于合理给药时间的口服植物药制剂的临床药学调研

目的 促进口服植物药制剂的临床合理使用和科研工作。方法 查阅药品说明书和检索新编临床用药参考软件,找出注明食物-药物相互作用或对服药时间由特殊要求的信息。检索CNKI和PubMed有关进食与植物药制剂疗效或有效成分生物利用度关系的文献。结果 说明书明确要求空腹服用的进口植物药制剂有4种,包括草木犀流浸液片、桃金娘油肠溶胶囊、帕歌斯片和非洲臀果木提取物胶囊。说明书明确要求空腹服用的国产植物药制剂有10种。空腹服用对植物药生物利用度影响的文献涉及绿茶提取物制剂（空腹吸收更好）、齿叶乳香树脂提取物制剂、四物汤和知母皂苷B-II（餐后吸收更好）。植物药有效成分的生物利用度可能与脂溶性大小、胃酸中稳定性以及系统前肠道代谢有关。有12种中成药的服药有时辰要求。结论 植物药制剂说明书中有关食物-药物相互作用信息的标注率低,植物药正确服药时间（特别是空腹还是餐后）还没有引起临床医务人员和科研人员足够的重视,有必要在该领域加强临床药学和科研工作。     

茵芩清肝汤联合硫普罗宁治疗湿热兼血瘀型酒精性肝病的临床研究

目的:观察茵芩清肝汤联合硫普罗宁对酒精性肝病湿热兼血瘀型患者的临床疗效。方法:对武汉市中医医院肝病科门诊110例确诊为酒精性肝病,饮酒史5年以上,近1月内未接受中西药物及其他治疗方法的男性患者,按就诊顺序编号,运用随机数字表法分为治疗组与对照组,各55例。治疗组患者口服茵芩清肝汤和硫普罗宁、对照组患者口服硫普罗宁,观察患者症状、体征、肝功能、血脂、肝纤维化指标、腹部超声波等方面的改善情况,以1个月为1个疗程,共观察两个疗程。结果:通过治疗前后中医证候综合评分的变化来分析各组患者中医证候疗效,结果显示,治疗组总有效率、临床症状改善等方面明显优于对照组(P<0.05),两组患者治疗后肝功能、血脂、血清肝纤维化指标和腹部超声波结果均有明显改善,与本组治疗前比较,差异有显著性意义(P<0.01或P<0.05),且治疗组患者改善更明显。结论:茵芩清肝汤联合硫普罗宁对酒精性肝病湿热兼血瘀型治疗效果好,未见明显不良反应,值得临床推广应用。     

T3 Laryngeal cancer: a retrospective study of the Dutch Head and Neck Oncology Cooperative Group: study design and general results

511 Patients with T₃ N_0-3M ₀ squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, treated in the Netherlands from 1975 until 1984, were retrospectively analysed. Four different treatment policies were followed: primary surgery, planned combination of radiotherapy and surgery, primary radical radiotherapy, and selective radiotherapy. General results are presented. Local control rate was 72%. Regional control rate was 90% for clinically N₀ patients and 78% for clinically N₊ patients. Salvage therapy was overall successful in 38%. Surgical salvage for local radiation failures (with regional relapse) was successful in 69%, and for regional failures (without local relapse) in 46%. Ultimate locoregional control was 78% and, due to 8% distant metastases, 5-year actuarial corrected survival was 70%. Prognosis did not improve over the years. Corrected survival was independently correlated with tumour extension, involvement of neck nodes and treatment strategy. Corrected survival was similar for primary radiotherapy and primary surgery, but significantly better for planned combined therapy. Multiple primary tumours occurred significantly more often in male (19.5%) than in female patients (7.3%) (P = 0.05), the bronchus being most commonly affected. Cumulative actuarial risk for metachronous tumour was 15% after 5 years and 30% after 10 years so prevention and early detection of these second tumours may play the most important role in improving overall survival rates in the future.     

Disease-specific survival and locoregional control in tonsillar carcinoma

In a nationwide survey on oropharyngeal carcinoma in the Netherlands (1986–1990), 380 patients with a tonsillar carcinoma were retrospectively studied. The records of 268 (71%) men and 112 (29%) women with a median age of 59 yr (range 31–91), who had squamous cell carcinoma (272 patients, 98%) or undifferntiated carcinoma (8 patients, 2%) were reviewed with respect to treatment, disease-specific survival and locoregional control. Distribution by stage according to the UICC'92 system was: 27 patients (7%) stage, I, 59 (15%) statge II, 99 (26%) stage III, 182 (48%) stage IV and 13 patients (3%) unknown stage. Using a previously reported revised staging system the following distribution was obtained: 118 patients (31%) statge I, 120 (31%) stage II, 67 (18%) stage II, 54 (14%) stage IV and 21 patients (6%) with an unknown stage. Treatment consisted of radiotherapy alone in 231 patients (61%), surgery and radiotherapy in 101 (27%), surgery alone in 30 (8%), chemotherapy in 5(2%) and 13 patients (3%) did not receive any treatment. At 5-yr the overall survival was 32%, the disease-specific survival 42% and the locoregional control 61%. In patients treated with radiotherapy alone the disease-specific survival was 39%, for surgery and radiotherapy 53% and for surgery alone 83%. The disease-specific suvival according to UICC'92 stage was 71% in stage I, 59% in II, 50% in III and 32% in stage IV (P < 0.0001). In the revised staging the survival figures were 63% in stage I, 43% in II, 31% in III and 9% in IV (P < 0.0001). The two staging systems appeared to be comparable in prognostic discrimination; the clinical relevance of the revised stage might, however, be slightly superior to the UICC'92 version. The difference in results after radiotherapy alone and surgery + radiotherapy remained significant, also after adjusting for stage (P < 0.0001).     

Endoscopic laser surgery for hypopharyngeal diverticula—a preliminary report

Endoscopic laser surgery for hypopharyngeal diverticula was performed in 28 patients. Complete relief of symptoms was achieved in 22, whilst the remaining patients improved considerably. The rate of complications was low. This new application of laser surgery proved to be a safe and reliable method of treatment for dysphagia caused by a hypopharyngeal diverticulum.     

Montelukast decreased exhaled nitric oxide in children with perennial allergic rhinitis

BACKGROUND: Measurement of exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) is a simple and noninvasive method for assessment of inflammatory airway diseases. eNO is elevated in adolescent patients with perennial allergic rhinitis and related to bronchial hyperresponsiveness. The aim of this study was to investigate whether oral loratadine, montelukast, nasal budesonide or nasal sodium cromoglycate could reduce airway inflammation as indicated by decrease of eNO in children with perennial allergic rhinitis as demonstrated by eNO levels. METHODS: A randomized and investigator-blinded study was conducted in a hospital-based outpatient clinic. Children with perennial allergic rhinitis were divided into four groups and treated by loratadine, loratadine with nasal sodium cromoglycate, loratadine with oral montelukast, and loratadine with nasal budesonide, respectively. Allergic rhinitis scores, eNO and peak expiratory flow were measured before and 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: Results showed that eNO in children with perennial allergic rhinitis was reduced by nasal budesonide and oral montelukast within 2 weeks (24.56 +/- 14.42 vs 18.42 +/- 12.48, P < 0.001, in budesonide group; 27.81 +/- 13.4 vs 19.09 +/- 10.45, P < 0.001, in montelukast group), but not in the loratadine and cromoglycate groups. In contrast, loratadine or sodium cromoglycate also did not decrease eNO levels although they could decrease the symptom scores. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that four common treatment modalities could effectively release symptom scores, but decrease of airway inflammation as determined by decrease of eNO might be only achieved by nasal budesonide and montelukast, but not nasal sodium cromoglycate and loratadine. Children with perennial allergic rhinitis with high eNO levels may require oral montelukast or nasal budesonide treatment to prevent airway hyperresponsiveness.     

MALIGNANT HYPERTENSION IN A CHILD WITH HEMOLYTIC-UREMIC SYNDROME TREATED WITH CAPTOPRIL

ABSTRACT. Monnens, L., Drayer, J. and de Jong, M. (Departments of Paediatrics and Internal Medicine, University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands). Malignant hypertension in a child with hemolytic-uremic syndrome treated by captopril. Acta Paediatr Scand, 70:577,.–A 5-year-old boy is presented suffering from malignant hypertension due to hemolytic-uremic syndrome. Captopril, an oral angiotensin-1-converting enzyme inhibitor, was able to curb the natural course of the malignant hypertension. Haemodialysis could be discontinued after 2 months. The glomerular filtration rate recovered to 63 ml/min/1.73 m² 11 months after the acute phase.