Airway hyperresponsiveness to methacholine at age 6 to 8 years in nonasthmatic patients is not related to increased health-care utilization for asthma in the ensuing 5 years: a longitudinal study of a birth cohort.

Background: Children with heightened airway responsiveness have a greater tendency to develop asthma symptoms. Many existing studies describing this relationship have relied on self-reported symptoms that may be prone to recall bias. In addition, few studies have examined the relationship of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) to indicators of asthma severity such as health-care utilization.

The evaluation and management of acute, severe asthma.

This article provides a systematic approach to the patient with acute, severe asthma. After a brief, focused evaluation prompt treatment with inhaled beta 2-agonists and systemic corticosteroids remains the cornerstone of treatment. Ipratropium bromide is now recognized as a useful addition for both adult and pediatric populations, whereas consideration of intravenous MgSO4 and theophylline is warranted for refractory patients.

[Surgical treatment of trigeminal neurinoma].

The article presents the group of five patients with clinical and radiological symptoms of trigeminal neurinoma that were operated on in the Neurosurgical Clinic of Central Clinical Hospital of Military Medical Academy in the five-years period (1995-2000). Three of them were operated in a single step procedure from subtemporal and suboccipital approach. Two other were operated in two steps, also from subtemporal and suboccipital approaches.

[Colloid cysts of the pituitary gland].

Colloid cysts of the pituitary gland are very rare pathological lesions occurring in sellar region. Their pathogenesis is not clear. They are located between the anterior and posterior lobe of the pituitary.

[Preoperative administration of a slow releasing somatostatin analog (SR-lanreotide, BIM 23014) in patients with acromegaly in the course of GH-releasing adenoma].

To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of slow releasing analogue of somatostatin (SR-Lanreotide) in the pretreatment for GH-releasing adenomas, especially macroadenomas. During the last four years (between January 1996 and December 1999) the authors carried out 382 transsphenoidal operations for to various lesions. There were 169 acromegalic patients in this group.