Gastroenterologists' perceptions of need and availability of psychiatric services for patients with hepatitis C.

The authors examined gastroenterologists' perceptions of psychiatric comorbidity in hepatitis C, access to, and use of psychiatric services. An eight-item survey was mailed to gastroenterologists, with a total of 75 participating. Fifty-eight (77.

Preventing relapse of major depression during interferon-alpha therapy for hepatitis C--A pilot study.

Depression is common in hepatitis C, exacerbated by interferon, and is a major reason for discontinuing interferon therapy. We aimed to determine (1) whether patients with a history of major depression could complete a course of peginterferon alpha-2a and ribavirin if pretreated with escitalopram and (2) the relapse rate of depression during the course of therapy in these subjects. Ten patients were enrolled in the study and treated with escitalopram.

Genetic mutations in ten unrelated American patients with symptomatic type 1 protein C deficiency.

Symptomatic patients with Type 1 protein C deficiency and venous thrombosis were analysed for defects in this gene using polymerase chain reaction amplification and direct sequencing of all nine exons. Ten different heterozygous point mutations were detected in 19 patients from eleven American families. Seven represent novel mutations.

Effect of vanadate on amino acid transport in rat jejunum.

Vanadate has been reported to inhibit (Na+ + K+)-ATPase of many cells and in some systems to stimulate adenylate cyclase. Since intestinal transport is influenced by these enzymes, we studied the effects of varying concentrations of orthovanadate (VO-4) on alanine transport in the in vitro rat jejunum. At the higher concentrations tested (10(-3) and 10(-2) M) vanadate had a ouabainlike action on alanine transport.