Uptake of thallium (Tl)-201 in the lungs has been proposed as a measure of left ventricular dysfunction. In this study we were interested in pursuing two goals: 1) to assess possible relationships between the post-exercise Tl-201 lung-heart (LH)-ratio determined from the anterior view during SPECT-acquisition, myocardial ischemia and the extent of coronary artery disease; and 2) to explore the effects of coronary revascularisation procedures on the LH-ratio. The study group consisted of 145 patients with early and late postexercise Tl-201 tomograms, including 32 PTCA-patients with pre- and post-PTCA studies and 20 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) with corresponding pre- and post-CABG studies. Ischemia was defined as evoked angina during the exercise test in combination with greater than or equal to 1 mm horizontal or downsloping ST-depression on the ECG. The severity of coronary obstructions was assessed from coronary angiograms with a PC-based digital caliper technique; a stenosis was defined to be significant when its severity exceeded 50% diameter stenosis. The LH-ratio was defined by the ratio of the mean pulmonary counts and the mean myocardial counts assessed from corresponding regions of interest (ROI's) positioned over the left lung and the heart, respectively in the anterior view of a tomographic data acquisition procedure. Our results made clear that the LH-ratio was not significantly different between patients with and without ischemia during exercise, and between patients with single vs. multiple vessel disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Coronary Artery Bypass↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Interference of dopamine infusion on gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA)-stimulated prolactin increase.

The effects of simultaneous iv administration of dopamine (DA) and gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) were evaluated in 5 normal women. After injection of 50 mg GABA alone, PRL plasma concentrations showed a significant (p less than 0.02) rise. DA infusion (500 g/min over a 60 min period) significantly (p less than 0.02) decreased PRL plasma levels. When GABA was administered intravenously during DA infusion, the rise of PRL plasma concentrations, which was observed after injection of GABA alone, was suppressed. PRL circulating levels significantly (p less than 0.02) decreased as during infusion with DA alone. These results seem to support the hypothesis that stimulatory effects of GABA or its analogues on in vivo PRL secretion could be due to an inhibitory effect of these drugs on endogenous DA.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Dose-related effects of gamma-amino beta-hydroxy butyric acid (GABOB) infusion on growth hormone secretion in normal women.

The effect of gamma-amino beta-hydroxy butyric acid (GABOB) infusion on GH secretion has been investigated in 3 groups of 6 normal women. Different doses (100 mg/min, 20 mg/min, 3.5 mg/min) of GABOB diluted with normal saline solution were infused iv over a 20 min period and compared with control tests performed using only saline solution. The infusions with GABOB at the doses of 100 mg/min and 20 mg/min were followed by a significant rise (p less than 0.01) in GH plasma levels, in comparison to control tests. The quantitative GH secretion after 100 mg/min GABOB infusion was significantly greater (p less than 0.05) in comparison with quantitative GH secretion after 20 mg/min GABOB infusion. After 3.5 mg/min infusion, only 3 out of 6 subjects showed an increase in the hormone concentrations. The acute injection with sulpiride (5 mg iv, bolus), performed either before or after the start of GABOB infusion, failed to affect GH response to GABOB. These results show that GABOB infusion induce a dose-dependent rise in GH plasma levels in normal women. The dopaminergic system does not seem to be involved in this effect.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Unbalanced progesterone and estradiol secretion in catamenial epilepsy.

Ten women with a documented history of catamenial epilepsy underwent a hormonal study to evaluate hypophyseal-gonadal function. Baseline values of luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone and prolactin were similar in catamenial seizure patients and in control groups throughout a complete menstrual cycle. Stimulated secretions of the same hypophyseal hormones in catamenial seizure patients overlapped those of the controls. The luteal secretion ratio of progesterone to estradiol was significantly reduced in catamenial seizure patients versus normal controls. In a subgroup of catamenial seizure patients on antiepileptic therapy, luteal progesterone levels were remarkably decreased compared to normal and epileptic controls. These results indicate that catamenial epilepsy is characterized by an imbalance in ovarian steroid secretion and emphasize the need for an endocrinological assessment in these patients.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Safety and efficacy of computerized closed-loop delivery of arbutamine: a new pharmacologic myocardial stress modality for the assessment of coronary artery disease. The European Arbutamine Study Group.

This study evaluated the efficacy of computer-controlled closed-loop delivery of a new synthetic catecholamine, arbutamine, when given to induce myocardial ischemia detected by electrocardiography and echocardiography with a high (10 beats/min/min) and low (6 beats/min/min) rate of increase in heart rate (heart rate slope) in 70 patients with coronary artery disease. The electrocardiographic sensitivity for the detection of myocardial ischemia was 52% for the low slope and 51% for the high slope. The corresponding figures for echocardiographic sensitivity were 83% and 79% for the low and high slopes, respectively. There were no significant differences in changes from baseline to maximum in pharmacodynamic variables, although the mean times to reach maximum heart rate and systolic blood pressure were 1.4 minutes shorter (p = 0.001) and 3.7 minutes shorter (p < 0.05), respectively, for the high-slope regimen. The duration of the infusion was shorter (p < 0.001) for the high slope. In this study, closed-loop arbutamine administration was effective and safe in the detection of coronary artery disease for both heart rate slope regimens.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Prophylactic use of cefotetan in gynecologic surgery].

The efficacy of prophylactic treatment with systemic antibiotics in laparotomic gynecologic surgery is well established. Lately, short-term schemes have been preferred in surgical prophylaxis for different reasons. First of all, experimental data demonstrated that the efficacy of an antibiotic is maximal when it reaches active tissue concentrations at the time of bacterial contamination. In addition with the availability of new, long-acting antibiotics, a long period of time around the operations was possibly covered. The effectiveness of a single preoperative 2 gm dose of Cefotetan was compared with a traditional treatment of 3 gm daily of Cefazolin for one week following surgery in 86 women undergoing laparotomic gynecologic surgery for benign pathology. Our results confirm that preoperative treatment with Cefotetan is able to prevent infectious disease such as 3 gm of Cefazolin per day for one week. Thus, Cefotetan can be used for this type of prophylaxis considering its broad spectrum of action and pharmacokinetic properties.

Anti-Infective Agents↗

PubMedDate not supplied

CA 195: a new monoclonal antibody-defined Lea blood group-related tumor marker in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.

The levels of CA 125 (reference values [RV]s = 35 U/mL and 65 U/mL), CA 19.9 (RV = 40 U/mL), CA 50 (RV = 20 U/mL) and CA 195 (RVs = 10.5 U/mL and 15 U/mL) were measured in blood samples collected before laparotomy from 71 patients with ovarian carcinoma and 204 patients with benign ovarian pathology as controls. CA 125 levels greater than 35 U/mL were observed in 53/61 patients with non-mucinous carcinomas and in 6/10 with mucinous ones, while antigen levels above 65 U/mL were detected in 50/61 patients with non-mucinous malignancies and in 6/10 with mucinous ones; therefore mucinous tumors expressed this antigen less frequently than non-mucinous ones. Elevated CA 19.9 levels were found in 15/61 patients with non-mucinous malignancies and in 8/10 with mucinous ones. Raised CA 50 levels were observed in 13/50 patients with non-mucinous cancers and in 7/8 with mucinous ones. CA 195 values were greater than 10.5 U/mL and 15 U/mL respectively in 20.0% and in 15.0% of 40 patients with non-mucinous tumors, while antigen levels were above 10.5 U/mL and 15 U/mL respectively in 75.0% and 62.5% of 8 patients with mucinous carcinomas. Therefore, CA 19.9, CA 50 and CA 195 highly correlated with mucinous histotype. The results of CA 195 and CA 19.9 determinations were very similar because of the closely related: structures of the two epitopes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Isolation of Chlamydia trachomatis during IVF-ET.

The Authors isolated Chlamydia Trachomatis from the granulosa and from the spermatozoa of an infertile couple taking part in the IVF-ET program at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the University of Pisa.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A possible role of Chlamydia trachomatis in unexplained infertility and sterility.

To estimate the presence of latent Chlamydia Trachomatis (C.T.) infections, we have carried out a study on a selected group of couples affected by unexplained sterility and infertility. We examined 193 women and, as control group 210 healthy fertile women. For both groups the main risk factors that could explain the infection epidemiology have been analyzed. The parameters considered are age of first intercourse, number of partners, social-economic conditions and number of voluntary abortions. Amongst all the causal agents of sexually transmitted diseases (STD), C.T. was most common, with an incidence of about 12 per cent in the study group versus the 5.7 per cent of the control group (chi 2 = 4.12).

Abortion, Habitual↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Usefulness and results of microsurgery in the treatment of female sterility].

The purpose of this study is to determine the advantages of surgical procedures performed on tubal sterility. The results of tubal reconstructive microsurgery are reported on the basis of the type of surgical procedure: lysis of adhesion (13 cases); terminal salpingoneostomy and combined procedures (23 cases); unilateral tubo-tubal anastomosis (1 case). Twenty out of 36 patients had adequate follow up: uterine pregnancy was achieved in 50% of patients who had a pure microsurgical lysis of adhesions and in 41.6% of patients who had a microsurgical salpingostomy. The ectopic pregnancy rate was 0%. The percentage of success in terms of uterine pregnancies obtained agrees with that of many other authors.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Raised maternal plasma alpha-fetoprotein and pregnancy outcome.

With the aim of evaluating the clinical value of raised maternal plasma alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in women with singleton fetuses without structural abnormalities, the outcome of pregnancy was evaluated in a group of 20 women with these characteristics. Only 6 women (30%) delivered fetuses with appropriate birthweight at term; there were 6 pregnancy losses (30%), and the remaining pregnancies ended in pre-term delivery and/or birth of a small for gestational age fetus. Ultrasound examination supplied additional information in 3 cases only. Amniocentesis did not seem to affect pregnancy outcome in this group of high-risk pregnancies. Serial AFP testing was useless for monitoring these pregnancies. It is concluded that raised maternal plasma AFP must be regarded as a marker of poor pregnancy outcome even after exclusion of neural tube defects.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The serum concentrations of TAG-72 antigen measured with CA 72-4 IRMA in patients with ovarian carcinoma. Preliminary data.

The Authors assayed CA 125 (cut-off value: 65 and 35 U/ml), CA 19.9 (cut-off value: 40 U/ml) and CA 72.4 (cut-off value 3.8 U/ml) immunoreactivity in blood samples drawn before surgery in 34 patients with ovarian carcinoma and in 47 patients with benign ovarian pathology. With a cut-off value of 65 U/ml, CA 125 had a sensitivity (SE) for ovarian carcinoma of 85.3%, a specificity (SP) of 89.4%, a diagnostic accuracy (DA) of 87.7%; with a cut-off value of 35 U/ml CA 125 had a SE of 88.2%, a SP of 66.0%, a DA of 75.3%; CA 19.9 had a SE of 20.6%, a SP of 70.2%, a DA of 49.4%; CA 72.4 had a SE of 64.7%, a SP of 93.6%, a DA of 81.5%. CA 125 was expressed by all ovarian carcinoma histotypes. CA 72.4 seems to have a high correlation with mucinous histotype, analogously to CA 19.9. However CA 72.4 seems to be preferable to CA 19.9 for its greater sensitivity and specificity.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The trend of serum CA125 levels during the first three courses of chemotherapy as a predictor of second-look findings in patients with ovarian carcinoma.

The serum CA125 levels were monitored monthly in a group of 20 patients with ovarian carcinoma undergoing a six-month chemotherapy cycle. None of the 8 patients with serum CA125 levels higher than 65 U/ml before the third course of chemotherapy had negative second-look findings at the end of chemotherapy. Conversely, no evidence of disease at surgical re-evaluation was found in 9 out of 12 (75%) patients with antigen levels lower than 65 U/ml before the third chemotherapy course; on the other hand, none of the 4 patients of this group in whom serum CA125 values fell below 65 U/ml only after the third course, achieved a complete surgical response. Among the 9 patients in whom second-look surgery documented a complete response, 8 had CA125 levels below 35 U/ml and one had CA125 values above 35 U/ml but lower than 65 U/ml at the three-month check-point. These data suggest that the trend of serum CA125 levels during the first three courses of chemotherapy is a strong predictor of second-look findings in patients with ovarian carcinoma at the completion of treatment.

Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate↗