Markers of eosinophilic inflammation and tissue re-modelling in children before clinically diagnosed bronchial asthma.

Chronic inflammatory changes in the bronchial mucosa have been well documented in patients with established asthma. Much less is known of the changes, which occur in the airways of children early in the evolution of their disease with most of the information based on indirect markers of inflammation only. We evaluated markers of inflammation and tissue re-modelling in bronchial biopsies from children with early respiratory symptoms before a clear clinical diagnosis of bronchial asthma could be made.

[Ischemic colitis].

Based on experience with 12 patients with ischaemic colitis observed in 1968-1992 the following conclusions can be drawn: ischaemic colitis is not as rare as assumed and its rising incidence must be foreseen. The clinical picture is not typical, but when suitable diagnostic methods are used, it can be diagnosed in a large number of cases. In non-complicated cases the prospects of conservative treatment are good.

[Verrucous carcinoma of the larynx].

The authors give an account on the treatment and their own observations of the biological behaviour of verrucous carcinoma in five patients treated in the Radiotherapeutic Institute of the Municipal Institute of National Health and ENT Clinic of the Institute for Postgraduate Medical Training. They recommend in verrucous formations of the larynx bioptic examination and investigation of the presence of koilocytes. Koilocytes are generally considered a biological correlate of the presence of the HPV virus.

Incidence of colorectal cancer in proctocolitis: a retrospective study of 959 cases over 40 years.

The incidence of colorectal cancer was studied by the actuarial method in 959 patients with idiopathic proctocolitis seen from 1942 to 1981. Forty five per cent had rectal, 23% left-sided, and 32% total involvement of the colon. Six cancers were found: one in the rectal, one in the left-sided, and four in the total form of the disease.