Antipyrine clearance in children from single saliva samples.

The saliva clearance of antipyrine was measured in 18 children from four samples taken about 9, 13, 22 and 25 h after ingestion of 20 mg kg-1. Antipyrine clearance determined from each of the samples using a volume of distribution estimated from age (A) and body weight (BW) and height (BH) (V = 1.535 X A + 0.

Contribution of local blood flow regulation mechanisms to the maintenance of arterial pressure in upright position during epidural blockade.

The contribution of local blood flow regulation mechanisms to the maintenance of arterial pressure in upright position was studied in 5 normal subjects. Central sympathetic blockade was induced by epidural anesthesia. Blood flow in anterior tibial muscle in both legs and in brachioradial muscle in one arm was measured by the local 133Xe washout technique.

Carbon dioxide elimination after acetazolamide in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and metabolic alkalosis.

Acetazolamide, an inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase, which catalyzes hydration/dehydration of carbon dioxide, has been used for correction of metabolic alkalosis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Animal experiments have shown that the gradient between tissue and the alveolar CO2 tension increases after inhibition of carbonic anhydrase, suggesting retention of CO2. In order to determine the true degree of carbon dioxide retention after total inhibition of carbonic anhydrase, 10 patients with COPD and pronounced metabolic alkalosis (base excess above 6) under controlled mechanical ventilation were studied.

Immediate and long-term mental recovery from general versus epidural anesthesia in elderly patients.

The postoperative course of mental performance during the first week and at 3 months after operation was studied in 30 patients above the age of 60, undergoing total hip replacement arthroplasty. The patients were randomly allocated to receive either general anesthesia, epidural analgesia, or general anesthesia plus epidural analgesia. The surgically induced increase in plasma cortisol and glucose was inhibited in the two groups receiving epidural analgesia.

The alcoholic patient and surgical stress.

In order to find out how the response to operative trauma is influenced by chronic alcohol consumption, 53 patients (28 alcoholics and 25 non-alcoholics) were investigated. The chronic alcoholic was defined as a person having a regular, daily alcohol consumption of over 70 g pure alcohol for at least 3 years. The mean annual consumption in the patients studied was 52 litres pure alcohol (143 ml/day).

Effect of spinal sympathetic blockade upon postural changes of blood flow in human peripheral tissues.

The effect of head-up tilt upon subcutaneous and skeletal muscle blood flow in the crus was studied before and during epidural blockade in 10 subjects. Relative changes in blood flow were estimated by the local 133Xe washout technique. In subcutaneous tissue head-up tilt induced a decrease in blood flow of about 40% and there was no difference in the vascular response to head-up tilt before and during epidural blockade.