Biguanide-induced lactic acidosis in Finland.

Twenty-four patients with biguanide-induced lactic acidosis were reported to the Adverse Drug Reaction Register of the Finnish National Board of Health from 1974-1977. Of them, 23 had been treated with phenformin and one with metformin. The mean age of the patients was 71 years, and all but one were more than 65 years of age.

Pituitary function after pituitary apoplexy.

Pituitary function was studied in nine patients who had recovered from pituitary apoplexy. All the patients recovered spontaneously; none required immediate surgery. Four of the patients had acromegaly, two had pituitary-dependent Cushing's syndrome, and a "functionless" pituitary adenoma was found in three.

Association of precipitating anti-adrenal anti-adrenal antibodies with moniliasis-polyendocrinopathy syndrome.

The association of precipitating anti-adrenal antibodies with different subgroups of idiopathic Addison's disease were studied. We had previously found these antibodies in patients with the moniliasis-polyendocrinopathy syndrome. Sera of 36 adult patients suffering from different froms of Addison's disease were examined for the presence of adrenal antibodies demonstrable either by immunofluorescence (IFL) or by gel diffusion.

Thyroid function in acromegaly before and after transsphenoidal hypophysectomy followed by cryoapplication.

Thyroid function was studied in acromegaly before and after transsphenoidal hypophysectomy followed by cryoapplication. The clinical material comprised 36 euthyroid, 1 hypothyroid and 3 hyperthyroid patients. In addition to the usual thyroid parameters a standard thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation test using 200 mug of synthetic TRH given iv was used.

Distribution and age-dependent concentration in brain tissue of glycoproteins containing N-acetylgalactosamine.

Glycoproteins that yield non-dialyzable, alkali-labile, N-acetylgalactosamine-containing heteropolysaccharides upon proteolytic digestion show a threefold enrichment in white matter relative to gray matter. Approximately 50% of these glycoproteins appear in soluble extracts prepared from rat brain. This distribution contrasts with that of the predominant alkali-stable sialoglycopeptides, which account for 60% of the total brain glycoprotein-carbohydrate.

Hypomagnesemia due to renal disease of unknown etiology.

A young man, investigated because of tetanic convulsions and arthritic pains, was shown to have hypomagnesemia, hypermagnesuria, hypokalemia, hypercalciuria, progressive nephrocalcinosis and chondrocalcinosis. In this syndrome, renal function was normal except for the abnormal excretion of electrolytes. Renal sodium conservation was normal.

Inheritance of endogenous hypertriglyceridaemia type IIB or IV.

The genetic background of endogenous hypertriglyceridaemia was evaluated in 239 first-degree relatives of 48 probands with serum triglyceride level in excess of 30.0 mM and with either normal (type IV) or elevated (type IIB) serum cholesterol concentration. In one quarter of the families, all examined first-degree relatives of the proband were normolipidaemic and, thus, the disorder was classified as non-genetic.