Endoscopic sclerotherapy compared with no specific treatment for the primary prevention of bleeding from esophageal varices. A randomized controlled multicentre trial [ISRCTN03215899].

Background: Since esophageal variceal bleeding is associated with a high mortality rate, prevention of bleeding might be expected to result in improved survival. The first trials to evaluate prophylactic sclerotherapy found a marked beneficial effect of prophylactic treatment. These results, however, were not generally accepted because of methodological aspects and because the reported incidence of bleeding in control subjects was considered unusually high.

Strongyloides stercoralis associated with a bleeding gastric ulcer.

Infection with the helminthic parasite, Strongyloides stercoralis, is usually acquired by skin invasion (or occasionally via ingestion of larvae). After transformation to the adult form, the parasite preferentially localises in the small intestine, especially in the duodenal and jejunal part. A remarkable feature of Strongyloides is its property of endogenous reinfection.

[Automated uroflowmetry: new variables].

In a major uroflow study new variables are introduced to meet the needs, and to use the possibilities of automatic processing of uroflow signals. It is found that the new variables provide excellent discrimination between male and female patients with bladder outflow impairment and healthy controls. In comparison to some conventional variables they have the advantage of unambiguous determination and low sensitivity to random measurement errors.

Vascular effects of prazosin on normothermic and hypothermic perfusion in the isolated rat kidney.

To investigate whether alpha-adrenergic mechanisms would participate in the vascular response to normothermic or hypothermic perfusion of the isolated rat kidney, four groups of rats were studied. They were perfused for 15 min at 37 degrees C with either normal saline (group I) or prazosin (group II) or at 32 degrees C with saline (group III) or prazosin (group IV). Both in group I and in group III perfusate flow tended to fall with time, although this was significant in group I only.