[Takayasu arteritis--a rare differential diagnosis in aortic dissection. A case report].

A 36-year-old woman was delivered to our hospital with suspected aortic dissection from an outlying hospital in May 1994. She reported a history of acute and persistent thoracic and epigastric pain. The physical examination revealed a minor senso-motorical palsy of the left side as residuum after minor strokes occurring 12/93 and 4/94.

Endothelin and atrial natriuretic peptide in non-insulin-dependent diabetic versus nondiabetic patients on chronic hemodialysis.

Plasma levels of endothelin (ET) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) are known to be elevated in patients on chronic hemodialysis. Since ET and ANP plasma levels are found to be raised in nonuremic diabetic versus nondiabetic subjects, we wanted to detect a possible difference in plasma levels of these hormones in diabetic versus nondiabetic patients who were on chronic renal replacement therapy. ET is a possible marker of increased vascular atherogenic activity.