Dilution of semi-solid creams: influence of various production parameters on rheological properties and skin penetration.

Unlabelled: In order to customise treatment for patients, topical formulations are often diluted with drug-free cream bases to adjust the drug dose and thereby the formulations' activity to the patients' needs. However, the process of dilution influences properties of the formulations. Stability can be reduced as well as the microbial stability and most importantly, efficacy and skin penetration behaviour can be severely and unpredictably changed.

Tailored intermittent therapy of carcinoid.

Background/aims: There is no established standard care of carcinoids as all experts agree. Endogenous somatostatin diurnal rhythm is influenced by administration of lanreotid. The purpose of this study is to evaluate efficacy of lanreotid on the clinical course in a group of patients with metastatic carcinoid.

Carcinoid tumors--somatostatine in the diagnosis and therapy.

Background: Carcinoid tumors have a neuroendocrine origin and endocrine activity is typical for them.

Objectives: The main objective of the present study was to determine differences in the levels of an endogenous somatostatin, a neuron specific enolase in serum and excretion of 5-HIAA in the urine in patients with carcinoid tumors and also to determine the changes of these parameters during the treatment with long acting somatostatin analogue--lanreotide.

Subjects And Methods: 30 pts with carcinoid tumors (20 pts with metastatic disease, 10 pts after resection of the primary tumor without known metastases at the time of the investigation) and 12 healthy probands were included in the study.

[Diurnal rhythm of endogenous somatostatin in patients with carcinoid].

Aim Of The Study: Was to investigate the differences of the circadian rhythm of the endogenous somatostatin in patients with carcinoid and in healthy probands.

Methods: The group of 30 patients (16 men/14 women) was divided onto two groups. The group M of 20 (12/8) pts with metastatic disease and group B of 10 pts without known metastases at the time of investigation.

[Lactilol (Importal, 10g in powder made by ZYMA) in the treatment of portal systemic encephalopathy].

In a group of 15 patients with portal systemic encephalopathy (PSE) associated with cirrhosis of the liver with portal hypertension and spontaneous systemic shunt of the portal circulation the authors administered Lactitol (Importal, powder à 10 g Zyma), in amounts up to 40 g/day for a period of 56 days. In the course of treatment every patient was repeatedly examined before the onset of treatment and three times during treatment. The grade of PSE was assessed on the basis of the score of the neuropsychiatric examination from which the PSE index was worked out.