Effect of flunixin meglumine on placental expulsion in dairy cattle after a caesarean.
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Publications and source records attributed to H Stocker.
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Anaemia commonly occurs in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, often necessitating blood transfusion. This multicentre study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of epoetin alpha in preventing the decline in haemoglobin (Hb) level, and to determine whether the transfusion requirement could be reduced, in patients receiving 4-6 cycles of primarily platinum-based combination cyclic chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer (SCLC). A total of 130 non-anaemic SCLC patients were randomized to receive no additional treatment (n = 44), epoetin alpha 150 IU kg(-1) subcutaneously (s.c.) three times a week (n = 42) or 300 IU kg(-1) s.c. three times a week (n = 44). Reductions in epoetin alpha dosage were made during the study if Hb level increased to >15 g dl(-1). The mean weekly dosage was 335 and 612 IU kg(-1), respectively, in the two active treatment groups. Significantly fewer (P < 0.05) epoetin alpha-treated patients experienced anaemia (Hb < 10 g dl(-1)) during the course of chemotherapy (300 IU kg(-1), 39%; 150 IU kg(-1), 48%; untreated, 66%). This was reflected in the significantly lower number of treated patients transfused [300 IU kg(-1), 20% (P< 0.001); 150 IU kg(-1), 45% (P< 0.05); untreated, 59%]. Epoetin alpha was well-tolerated, and there was no evidence of sustained, clinically significant, hypertension. In summary, epoetin alpha is effective and well-tolerated in maintaining Hb level and reducing transfusion requirement in patients undergoing cyclic chemotherapy for SCLC.
Calves with chronic indigestion have disturbed general attitude and condition, decreased appetite, loss of hair, clay-like faeces and ruminal and metabolic acidosis. Possible causes include dysfunction of the oesophageal-groove reflex, reflux of abomasal contents into the rumen and abnormal ruminal motility. The anion gap may be increased or within normal limits. Metabolic acidosis is significantly more severe in calves that are unable to stand than in calves that can stand. Treatment of chronic indigestion consists primarily of intravenous administration of sodium bicarbonate, transfaunation of the rumen and oral administration of electrolyte solutions.
Results of surgery of high teat stenosis remained disappointing until nowadays. The aim of this pilot study was to elaborate a new theloscopic surgical resection. A 5.5 year old swiss milk cow was suspected to have posttraumatic high teat stenosis. Diagnosed was ascertained by teat sonography. Animal was sedated and local anesthesia was performed at the base of the teat. After a teat side incision, resectoscope was introduced. Stenosis was electro-divided under continuity saline-solution irrigation and coagulation of bleeding vessels. After a follow-up period of 4 months, the cow was milked without residual. No intercurrent infections occurred. There were no signs of recurrence in the control teat sonography. Theloscopic electroresection of teat stenosis is a possible new, surgical, minimal invasive, option, to treat high teat stenosis.
Patients expected to need at least three units of blood for their elective cardiovascular or orthopaedic surgery, were allocated randomly to receive intravenous (i.v.) Epoetin alfa 600 IU kg-1 (n = 27), 300 IU kg-1 (n = 30) or placebo (n = 23), on days 1, 4 and 7. Provided haemoglobin > or = 11 g dL-1, one unit of blood was collected on days 1, 4, 7, 11 and 14. Iron supplementation was given throughout the study. Surgery was scheduled between days 18 and 21. Significantly more patients treated with Epoetin alfa (100% for 600 IU kg-1; 97% for 300 IU kg-1) were able to donate > or = 4 units of blood compared with placebo (78%) (P = 0.011 and P = 0.032). No significant differences were seen in total patient exposure to homologous blood (7.4%, 3.3% and 17.4%, respectively). Mean red cell volume donated (P = 0.005 for 600 IU kg-1; P = 0.158 for 300 IU kg-1 both vs. placebo) and production (P < 0.001 and P = 0.012, respectively) were dose related. Twenty-four patients became iron deficient. No differences in the incidence of adverse events were seen between the groups.
A three-week-old foal was submitted to the clinic because of a minor traumatic injury at the lower jaw. At admission the foal exhibited diarrhea, a distended abdomen and reduced general condition. These findings could not be associated with the injury. On abdominal radiography decreased abdominal detail and a dorsocaudal displacement of the intestine was present. Ultrasonographically multiple fluid-filled cystic structures of several centimeters in diameter were identified. These cystic structures appeared to be associated with the liver. At laparotomy and at necropsy the liver was markedly enlarged and firm and had large, thin-walled, with a bile-like fluid filled cysts, 4-20 centimeters in diameter. Histological lesions were characterized by proliferation of small bile ducts and of interlobular connective tissue as well as focal subacute cholangitis. Gross and histological findings were considered to be consistent with congenital polycystic liver disease and fibrosis with ascending cholangitis.
Clinical, laboratory and histopathological findings are described in ten Braunvieh calves with Spinal Dysmyelination (SDM). Characteristically, immediately after birth the animals were normally alert but remained in lateral recumbency with opisthotonus, spastic hind limbs, partially increased spinal reflexes and were unable to stand or support themselves. Histological examination of the spinal cord revealed a bilateral symmetrical reduction of myelin. Means of differentiating between SDM and other conditions, in particular spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) are discussed.
A four-week-old Simmental x Red Holstein calf had lesions of skin and oral mucosa since its first days of life. Where skin or mucosa was exposed to minimal trauma as in oral cavity or over joints, it broke off, forming blisters and erosions. The diagnosis of epidermolysis bullosa, a hereditary disease, was based on clinical and histological findings. Histology pointed to the epidermal form of epidermolysis bullosa, comparable to epidermolysis bullosa simplex in humans.
This was an open-label multicentre study of recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) in 116 children aged 6 months to 20 years with anaemia of chronic renal failure undergoing haemodialysis. Haemoglobin concentration at entry ranged from 3.4 to 9.5 g/dl. r-HuEPO was given intravenously two or three times per week, the starting dose being 75 U/kg per week. This was subsequently titrated in steps of 75 U/kg per week with the goal of increasing haemoglobin concentration at the rate of 1 g/dl per 4 weeks into the range 9.6-11.2 g/dl (6-7 mmol/l), with treatment then continued for up to 1 year with the aim of maintaining the haemoglobin concentration within the target range. Of the 115 children in whom efficacy could be evaluated, 93 (81%) achieved the target haemoglobin and a further 6 had a rise in haemoglobin concentration of at least 2 g/dl. At 52 weeks, the median maintenance dose for children < 30 kg was 225 U/kg per week, compared with 107 U/kg per week for children > or = 30 kg. Analysis suggested that 150 U/kg per week would have been a more appropriate starting dose. The mean transfusion requirement fell from 8.9 to 0.7 units/patient per year. Of the 22 patients who failed to reach the target, 15 went on to transplantation and left the study prematurely. Sub-group analysis showed that similar doses lead to similar rates of rise in haemoglobin regardless of the severity of the original anaemia. Assessment of quality of life suggested that this may have improved with r-HuEPO.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
One hundred and thirty dairy cattle that had undergone a caesarean operation because of dystocia were assigned either to a treatment group, receiving 25 mg dinoprost (synthetic prostaglandin F2 alpha) or to a control group, receiving 5 ml saline solution, administered intramuscularly after removal of the calf and reposition of the closed uterus into the abdominal cavity. In 52 of 65 (80.0 per cent) prostaglandin-treated animals and in 38 of 65 (58.5 per cent) control animals the complete placenta was expelled within 12 hours. This difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05).
Between 1988 and 1990, selenium concentrations were measured in the serum of 188 calves admitted for various conditions to the University of Zurich veterinary hospital, and in 64 healthy calves that served as controls. The lowest mean concentration was measured in the controls and it was 14.5 micrograms/L. The mean concentrations in patients not previously supplemented with selenium for the three years were 29.1, 27.5 and 23.0 micrograms/L, respectively, and the concentrations in the patients after supplementation were 61.7, 88.7 and 72.6 micrograms/L, respectively. The differences between the two groups of patients, and between controls and calves of 1989 without selenium supplementation were statistically significant (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between mean selenium concentrations of calves of different age groups or between calves of different disease groups. Selenium concentrations were not correlated with blood pH, plasma protein and fibrinogen concentrations. The low values measured in untreated calves paralleled results of previous studies in calves and cows in Switzerland.
Ruminal fluid and blood samples were analysed in 39 calves with poor suckling behaviour and reduced milk intake (group 1) and in 21 calves with normal suckling behaviour (group 2). The pH level and chloride concentration was determined in the ruminal fluid as well as in the blood. In addition Gram stains and subsequent microscopical examinations of the ruminal fluids were carried out. Blood samples were submitted for blood gas analysis. Notable differences were found between the two groups. The pH level of the ruminal fluid was less than 5.5 in 29 of the 39 calves in group 1 (74.4%); in contrast, the pH was always above 5.5 in group 2. In group 1, 22 calves with a pH of less than 5.5 also revealed a metabolic acidosis of the blood. Mainly gram-positive bacteria were found in the ruminal fluid of 74.4% of the calves in group 1. On the other hand, 76.2% of the calves in group 2 revealed a mainly gram-negative flora. There was no difference in the chloride concentration, either in the blood or in the ruminal fluid and the values showed a high range of scatter.
Clinical, neurophysiological and histopathological findings of sixteen cases of spinal muscular atrophy in calves are described. The first clinical signs usually were noticed at 2-6 weeks of age. The animals showed weakness in the hindquarters, trembling and ultimate recumbency. There was a marked muscular atrophy in all four extremities. In addition, secondary bronchopneumonia was evident in 11 cases. Histopathological lesions consisted of degenerative changes in the neurons of the ventral horns and the axons of the spinal cord as well as degeneration of nerve axons in the extremities. Neurophysiological measurements revealed spontaneous activity in the muscles of the limbs. The conditions is autosomal recessive. So far 11 bulls have been identified and excluded from breeding.
Neurofibromatosis (NF) represents not an entity but a group of several forms which differ as to symptoms, prognosis and inheritance. In 1982 Riccardi suggested a classification into eight categories. Two of these--Von Recklinghausen NF-1 and bilateral acoustic NF-2- were defined in 1987 by a National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference. We describe 13 patients whose symptoms do not fit the diagnostic criteria for NF-1 and NF-2. 6 subjects can be classified as segmental NF-V. One of these patients was remarkable in having iris hamartomata, while his daughter was affected with NF-1. Another (female) patient in this group had areolar freckling, a finding not yet reported in NF patients. 4 cases belong to the late-onset NF-VII category, 3 of whom developed a neurofibrosarcoma. Two subjects are fist-degree relatives (mother and son). We are not aware of familial occurrence of NF-VII. Two further subjects were assigned to the variant form of NF, NF-IV. One patient had symptoms similar to NF-2 but the minimal diagnostic criteria were not fulfilled. Nevertheless, we consider his classification as NF-2 in view of a pattern of intracranial calcification repeatedly and exclusively found in NF-2. In general, assignment to a category of NF is important for appropriate patient management and genetic counselling. Classification of individual patients may be arbitrary at the time.
The efficacy of Rioprostil (a new prostaglandin E1 analogue) is compared with that of ranitidine in the recurrence prevention of duodenal ulcer(s). Duration of treatment is 6 months. Ninety-seven patients received rioprostil, 600 micrograms once-daily orally, and 110 patients received ranitidine, 150 mg once-daily orally. On rioprostil, 14.9% of patients showed a relapse after 6 months compared to 10.1% on ranitidine. Diarrhoea occurred in 7 patients on rioprostil and 3 patients on ranitidine. Rioprostil given 600 micrograms daily in the evening is a highly effective treatment for the prevention of duodenal ulcer relapse, the efficacy not being significantly different from ranitidine 150 mg.
The efficacy of Rioprostil (a new prostaglandin E1 analogue) is compared with ranitidine in the once-a-day treatment in the evening for 4 or 6 weeks of active uncomplicated duodenal ulcer disease. A total of 255 patients are entered in this study; of these 243 have been statistically evaluated. One hundred and twenty (120) patients receive rioprostil 600 micrograms/daily, and 123 patients receive ranitidine 300 mg/daily. After 4 weeks 63.3% of the patients on rioprostil are endoscopically healed, as compared with 69.1% on ranitidine. After 6 weeks the cumulative cure rates are 87.3% and 89.9%, respectively, the difference not being statistically significant. Pain relief is similar for both drugs. Diarrhoea with rioprostil occurs in about 2% of the treatment days and is generally self-limiting.
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) was incidentally diagnosed in a 1-year-old girl. Her father was found to show the cutaneous signs of segmental neurofibromatosis (NF-5). This observation supports the possibility that subjects with NF-5 can transmit NF-1 to their offsprings in some cases, which has to be considered in genetic counseling.
From 1975 to 1988 seventeen patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 and a disfiguring facial plexiform neurofibroma (FPN) were investigated. The FPN was left-sided in 13 patients. It was orbital/periorbital in 4, lower facial in 7 and involved the whole face in 6 subjects. Neuroimaging (n = 13) revealed a tumor (of optic pathways or basal ganglia) in 8, an ipsilateral middle cranial fossa arachnoid cyst in 2, multiple areas of high signal intensity (in T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging) in 1, and normal findings in 2 patients. In NF-1 patients with FPN there seems to be a high incidence of intracranial tumors and possibly of arachnoid cysts. Our observation has to be confirmed in a larger patient series.