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Biomedical subjects

A Koelz

Publications and source records attributed to A Koelz.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Intestinal ischemia after bushmaster (Lachesis muta) snakebite--a case report.

After a snakebite by the Costa Rican bushmaster Lachesis stenophrys, a 64-year-old patient developed cardiovascular shock and coagulopathy. After intensive care and antivenom treatment, he was discharged after 4 days but had to be hospitalised again 3 days later because of abdominal pain and bowel obstruction. An emergency laparotomy revealed a necrotic ileum and caecum, and an obstruction of the superior mesenteric artery. Until now, this type of intestinal ischemic complication after a snakebite has not been reported in the literature. The effects of bushmaster venom are discussed.

Animals↗

Escape of the response to a long-acting somatostatin analogue (SMS 201-995) in patients with VIPoma.

Two patients with severe secretory diarrhea due to metastatic vasoactive intestinal peptidoma were treated with a synthetic somatostatin analogue in an attempt to control the patients' vasoactive intestinal peptide-related symptoms. In both patients, a good initial response to this treatment could be demonstrated; not only did diarrhea subside but there was also a dramatic fall in vasoactive intestinal peptide plasma levels. However, after 11 and 4 days respectively, diarrhea recurred accompanied by a rise in vasoactive intestinal peptide plasma levels. In fact, under treatment with the somatostatin analogue and with natural somatostatin, a significant rebound state was observed regarding diarrhea as well as vasoactive intestinal peptide levels, which caused considerable difficulty in the clinical management in 1 patient. This patient had to undergo surgery. In the second patient, the responsiveness to somatostatin analogue returned a few days after discontinuation of the treatment, lasting, however, for a short period only. The possible mechanism of this escape and rebound with somatostatin treatment is discussed.

Adenoma, Islet Cell↗

Predictability of phenytoin serum levels by nomograms and clinicians.

On the basis of a reliable steady state phenytoin serum concentration on one (lower) dose, the serum concentration on a second (higher) dose was predicted in 28 patients (32 levels) by two previously reported nomograms and 3 physicians who had clinical experience with phenytoin therapy. Both nomograms and all 3 physicians on the average underestimated the serum concentration on the higher dose. Except for 1 physician, this bias was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The mean and SD of the prediction errors (difference between predicted and measured serum concentration) were -2.2 +/- 4.2 and -3.1 +/- 3.6 for the two nomograms and -1.0 +/- 4.0, -2.1 +/- 4.1 and -1.8 +/- 4.2 for the 3 physicians, respectively. Thus, independent of the method used, there was a large uncertainty in the prediction; the approximate 68% confidence interval of the prediction error (mean +/- SD) was almost as large as the therapeutic range of the drug. Because prediction of phenytoin serum levels based on one serum concentration measurement was found unreliable in this study, it is proposed that every patient whose dose had been increased should be under close observation until a new steady state has been confirmed.

Adult↗

Cushing's syndrome or obesity. Bilateral adrenal hyperplasia in a boy 10 years of age.

A rare case of the Cushing syndrome, due to bilateral adrenal hyperplasia is described. Because of generalized obesity, normal height, normal bone age and family history of obesity, a boy 10 years of age had at first been misdiagnosed as simple obesity. A reduction in height velocity, advancement of bone age and development of precocious pseudopuberty led to a more detailed biochemical investigation and to the correct diagnosis. The clinical picture can be misleading in the differential diagnosis of Cushing's disease versus simple obesity. From a comparison of reports on pediatric Cushing's syndrome, it is obvious that in most pediatric cases fat distribution differs from that of adult Cushing's syndromes. Stunted growth is reported to be more frequent, but normal and excessive height in Cushing's syndrome is not uncommon. In adrenal hyperplasia a retardation of bone age is usually expected. Interpretation of endocrine functions must take into account that simple obesity leads to secondary endocrinopathies, which are similar to the findings in Cushing's syndromes. Plasma cortisol at midnight and 12 hourly excretion of free cortisol in urine as well as overnight Dexamethasone suppression of morning plasma cortisol are judged to be good screening parameters. Plasma ACTH assays can help in the initial diagnosis and are mandatory during the follow up for an early detection of Nelson's syndrome.

Adrenal Gland Diseases↗