Color Doppler sonography in hypothyroidism.

Background: The value of color Doppler sonography in thyroid disease continues to be a matter of debate. Over the past few years, several studies have proved unable to yield unequivocal results. Only a few studies concerning color Doppler sonography in patients with hypothyroidism have been published.

Color coded duplex sonography of inguinal vessels in i.v. drug addicts.

Background: During recent years increasing numbers of intravenous drug addicts with severe damage to the groin vessels were examined in our angiological ultrasound laboratory. The value of color duplex sonography for the clinical evaluation of these findings is the subject of the present study.

Patients And Methods: Over the course of six years every drug addict admitted to our hospital who either complained of pain or discomfort in the inguinal region or showed conspicuous clinical findings in this area was examined in our ultrasound laboratory.

[Acute ischemia of the leg in a drug addict].

A 39 year old male comes to the emergency room because of rapidly increasing pain in his left leg one hour after the injection of Flunitrazepam into a groin vessel. There is a history of drug abuse for more than 15 years. The left leg is cool and shows intense patchy cyanosis.

[Pharmacodynamics of etilfrine pivilate in the orthostatic syndrome].

Etilefrine pivalate is synthesized by esterification of etilefrine with pivalic acid anhydride. The pharmacodynamics were investigated in 8 subjects suffering from the orthostatic syndrome. Cardiocirculatory parameters were measured in the lying and standing position for 3 h after the oral ingestion of 30 mg of etilefrine pivalate.

[Clinical application of a totally implantable catheter system].

A central-venous, totally implantable catheter system was used in 56 patients, aged 7 months to 75 years, predominantly for cytostatic treatment. The observation period was maximally 22 months. Infections occurred in four patients with leukaemia and severe agranulocytosis (after faulty puncture, and after rupture of the connection between catheter and injection port).

Pharmacokinetics of methimazole in humans.

A newly developed method for extracting and measuring methimazole in biological fluids was used to study the pharmacokinetics of methimazole in two euthyroid and eight hyperthyroid subjects. The volume of distribution approximated total body water; the biological half-life was 2-3 h in euthyroid and about 6 h in hyperthyroid patients. Total clearance was lower in hyperthyroid patients than in euthyroid subjects, and it did not increase after thyroid function was normalized.

Evaluation of screening tests for pheochromocytoma.

Autonomous and excessive synthesis of catecholamines is the predominant feature of pheochromocytoma tissue. An increased amount of catecholamines in the sympathetic neuron is the precondition for positive pharmacological tests. High rates of false-negative results are seen because of a down-regulation of adrenoceptors in pheochromocytoma patients.

[Possibilities of surgical and drug therapy of parasitic cholestasis].

Out of 123 patients with hydatid-disease of the liver in 15 patients biliary engorgement by compression from cysts or parasites in the biliary system were observed. Diagnosis can be established by serology, sonography, scintigraphy, ERCP and CT. Invasive diagnostic procedures are not indicated.

Diagnosis and treatment of phaeochromocytoma with 131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine.

131I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy was performed in 30 patients with biochemically proven catecholamine excess. In all but two patients scintigraphy localised the lesion(s) correctly. In high concentrations the same radiopharmaceutical agent was used for treatment of 3 patients with a malignant multilocular and one patient with an intra-adrenal unilocular phaeochromocytoma.

[Electrostimulation anesthesia in comparison with enflurane-nitrous-oxide inhalation anesthesia during gynecologic operations. 2. Hormonal reactions in the pre-, intra- and postoperative course].

This study describes the secretion of cortisol, growth hormone, prolactin and catecholamines before, under, and following gynaecological surgery in electrostimulation anaesthesia combined with nitrous oxide (ESA). The hormonal stress reactions of ESA were compared to inhalation anaesthesia with enflurane-nitrous oxide ( EFL ). Twenty-two patients undergoing laparotomy were allocated evenly to one of these procedures.

Scintigraphic localization of phaeochromocytomas.

131I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine scanning was performed in 14 patients with phaeochromocytomas. In all but one patient scintigraphy successfully localized the lesion(s). The results confirm that scintigraphic imaging with 131I-meta-iodo-benzylguanidine, a noninvasive method, is a valid and reliable procedure for imaging and localization of adrenal and extra-adrenal phaeochromocytomas, both benign and malignant.

[Specific scintigraphy in pheochromocytoma].

In 5 patients with pheochromocytoma and 1 patient with a pheochromoblastoma, 131I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine was used to localize hyperfunktioning adrenergic tissue. Except in one patient, a correct localization of the tumors was obtained. Three patients had an intraadrenal pheochromocytoma of the left adrenal gland, 1 patient a retropancreatic pheochromoblastoma and 1 patient multilocular pheochromocytoma with tumors in both renal hili, in the supraclavicular region and in the bones.

Pharmacokinetics of 3H-phenylephrine in man.

7-3H-phenylephrine was given to 15 volunteers by a short-infusion n = 4) or p.o. (10 volunteers, 1 patient with porto-caval anastomosis).

Dihydroergotamine increases the bioavailability of orally administered etilefrine.

Etilefrine undergoes considerable first-pass metabolism through conjugation in the gut wall. In six volunteers bioavailability was reduced to 35% for a fast release tablet and to 17% for a sustained release preparation. The addition of dihydroergotamine (DHE) to the sustained release preparation surprisingly increased bioavailability to 61%.

Therapeutic effects of intraarterial phentolamine in "Raynaud's syndrome".

Five patients suffering from "Raynaud's syndrome" were studied as regards the effects of increasing doses of intraarterially administered phentolamine on the blood flow to the digital arteries. Upon angiography they had shown multiple occlusions of their digital arteries. Venous occlusive plethysmography of the forearm, volume pulse amplitude of a finger tip of treated and untreated extremity, respectively, intraarterial pressure in the brachial artery and ECG lead II have been monitored continuously.