Circadian rhythm of serum erythropoietin in myelodysplastic syndromes.

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MSD) are a group of clonal disorders of the hemopoietic stem cell, often evolving in acute leukemia. They are characterized by anemia, and it has been attributed either to a deficiency in erythropoietin (EPO) secretion or to a resistance to EPO itself. Since in healthy subjects the serum circulating EPO levels fluctuate during the day, the aim of the study was to investigate the diurnal rhythm of EPO in MDS.

Circadian rhythm of arginine vasopressin in hepatorenal syndrome.

The etiology of hepatorenal syndrome is still incompletely understood, but the nonosmotic release of arginine vasopressin (AVP) seems to have an important role. Since AVP presents a well-defined daily periodicity in its production and secretion, the aim of the study was to investigate the circadian rhythm in its circulating plasma concentrations in patients with hepatorenal syndrome, compared with healthy controls. Venous blood samples were drawn during a 24 hour period at 2 hourly intervals from a peripheral vein in 10 healthy subjects and in 10 patients with hepatorenal syndrome for the determination of the circulating plasma levels of AVP by radioimmunoassay.

Tobacco smoking and risk of haematological malignancies in adults: a case-control study.

A retrospective study was conducted in 1216 cases to investigate the possible association between tobacco smoking and the risk of haematological malignancies. A small, but not significant, increase in malignancy was observed in smokers. Significant association was demonstrated between tobacco smoking and acute nonlymphoblastic leukaemia, and myelodysplastic syndromes.

Circadian rhythms of fibrinogen antithrombin III and plasminogen in chronic liver diseases of increasing severity.

Acquired deficiencies of fibrinogen, antithrombin III and plasminogen are reported in liver disease, and it is known that their plasma levels fluctuate during the day. The aim of this study was to investigate the circadian rhythms of these three factors in chronic liver disease. Five groups of subjects were considered: (A) 15 healthy controls: (B) 15 patients with hepatic alcoholic steatosis; (C) 15 patients with chronic active hepatitis; (D) 15 patients with compensated cirrhosis of the liver, and (E) 15 patients with decompensated cirrhosis with ascites.

The natural history of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. A 5- to 20-year follow-up of 263 cases.

Patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) have a serum monoclonal component (M-component), but no evidence of multiple myeloma, macroglobulinaemia, amyloidosis or other plasma cell proliferative disease. A long-term follow-up study (median 11.5 years) has been carried out in 263 cases of MGUS, 159 males (60.