Severe postpartum hypertension and reversible cerebral angiopathy associated with ergot derivative (methergoline) administration.

A 36-year-old woman (gravida 2, para 2) delivered a healthy child by cesarean section at the 37th week of an unremarkable gestation. Blood pressure remained within normal range throughout the pregnancy, surgery, and for the 9 following days. On day 10, about 36 hours after the initiation of oral methergoline to suppress lactation, the patient complained of severe posterior headache, flashing scotomata, hypertension, tonico-clonic seizures and then homonymous left hemianopsia and hemiparesis.

[Effect of iron depletion on long-term response to interferon in patients with chronic hepatitis C with increased plasma iron without accumulation of liver iron].

We studied the effect of iron depletion on the response to subsequent interferon therapy in a population of 83 patients affected by chronic hepatitis C who had not previously undergone any specific therapy and who had laboratory confirmation of iron overload (serum ferritin > 400 ng/mL in the males and > 300 ng/mL in the females). The population was divided into two homogeneous groups. Group A consisted of 43 patients who underwent phlebotomy (300 mL every 10-15 days for an average total of 8 sessions) until serum ferritin levels of < 100 ng/mL were obtained.

Management of patients with HCV infection poorly tolerant to recombinant interferon alpha.

Background/aims: To evaluate leukocyte interferon-alpha tolerability and efficacy in the retreatment of patients poorly tolerant to recombinant interferon-alpha.

Methodology: Patients with chronic hepatitis C, poorly tolerant to a previous interferon-alpha treatment (118 patients; 73 "relapsers": Group I; 45 "non-responders": Group II) were retreated with 6 MU tiw of leukocyte interferon-alpha for 6 months and then followed-up for 12-34 months. Only patients with complete regression of any previous interferon-related adverse event were included.

[The retreatment with natural leukocyte interferon alfa-n3 of chronic hepatitis C patients: the intolerant and nonresponsive results to prior treatment with recombinant alfa interferon].

To evaluate leukocyte interferon alpha-n3 tolerability and efficacy in the retreatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C poorly tolerant to previous treatment with recombinant interferon alpha, 142 patients (73 "relapsers" and 69 "nonresponders") were retreated with leukocyte interferon alpha-n3 (6 MU thrice weekly for 6 months) and followed up for 12-42 months. Only patients with complete regression of any previous interferon-related adverse events were included. Three patients dropped out due to recurrence of a severe depressive syndrome.

Prolonged treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid for primary biliary cirrhosis.

Eighteen patients affected with biopsy-proved primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) (histological stage III and IV) received ursodeoxicholic acid (UDCA) 600 mg for 1 year. Signs and symptoms and biochemical tests (glutamic and oxalcetic transaminase, glutamic and pyruvic transaminase, bilirubine, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, alkaline phosphatase, leucine aminopeptidase, bile acids, plasma proteins electrophoresis, immunoglubulins A, G and M) and antimitochondrial antibodies were evaluated before the treatment and every four months during the treatment. The results were compared with those obtained in 8 untreated patients affected PBC.