Sensory neuropathy in paraneoplastic leucocytosis.

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) sensitise nerves to mechanical stimuli experimentally and may induce bone and muscle pain when used as supportive drugs. G-CSF and GM-CSF produced endogenously by tumour cells can cause paraneoplastic leucocytosis. Whether paraneoplastic leucocytosis is associated with changes in pain sensitivity is not yet clear.

Mesenteric panniculitis presenting with acute non-occlusive colonic ischemia.

Background: The role of positron emission tomography (PET) of the mesentery as a diagnostic modality in cases of mesenteric panniculitis is unclear.

Case Presentation: A 67-year-old woman presented with rectal bleeding due to nonocclusive colonic ischemia. Abdominal CT showed features of mesenteric panniculitis.

Class I antiarrhythmics inhibit Na+ absorption and Cl- secretion in rabbit descending colon epithelium.

To clarify the mechanism of the diarrhea associated with the clinical use of antiarrhythmic drugs we assessed the effects of these agents on transepithelial Na+ absorption and Cl- secretion, on basolateral K+ conductance, and on the properties of single basolateral K+ channels of rabbit colon epithelium. Quinidine and propafenone, both at 10 microM, inhibited Na+ absorption by 27 and 38% respectively, compared with 50% with 5 mM Ba2+. The other tested class I antiarrhythmics disopyramide, mexiletine, lidocaine, and flecainide decreased Na+ current by 9-13%.