[Differences in application and granting benefits for severely disabled patients before and after introduction of new benefits within the scope of the public health reform law].

Constituting part of the health reform in Germany ("Bundesgesundheits-Reformgesetz"), an extension of health insurance benefits for severely disabled persons was introduced in 1991. The assessment of eligibility for benefits is based on standardised medical examinations. Examinations performed in the state of Baden-Württemberg in 1990 (n = 6401) were compared with a 20% random sample of those performed in 1991 (n = 7563) in order to analyse eventual changes in acceptance rates of applications.

Follow-up study of sensory-motor polyneuropathy in type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic subjects after simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation and after graft rejection.

The influence of successful simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation on peripheral polyneuropathy was investigated in 53 patients for a mean observation period of 40.3 months. Seventeen patients were followed-up for more than 3 years.

Plasmatic factors of haemostasis remain essentially unchanged except for PAI activity during n-3 fatty acid intake in type I diabetes mellitus.

Diabetic patients are prone to develop vascular complications. Increased procoagulatory factors and a reduced fibrinolytic potential are considered as thrombogenic risk factors, although controversy remains. In epidemiological and dietary intervention studies fish or fish oil, rich in the two n-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have demonstrated a potential to reduce cardiovascular disease.

Pilot study on omega-3 fatty acids in type I diabetes mellitus.

Patients with diabetes mellitus are prone to develop vascular complications. Because omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (omega 3FA) intake has a potential protective effect on cardiovascular disease, we studied the influence of omega 3FA supplementation (5.4 g eicosapentaenoic acid and 2.

Fate of late complications in type I diabetic patients after successful pancreas-kidney transplantation.

The success rate of pancreas transplantation allows us to study in more detail the potential beneficial effects of normoglycemia on secondary complications in diabetes mellitus. We report a prospective follow-up (mean 26 mo) of metabolic control, neuropathy, retinopathy, and peripheral microcirculation in 31 patients with type I (insulin-dependent) diabetes (mean age 33 +/- 1 yr; mean duration of diabetes 21 +/- 1 yr) after combined kidney and segmental pancreas grafting. All patients had normal HbA1 levels.

Immunoturbidimetric assay for the determination of microalbuminuria using the Hitachi analyser.

A sensitive and specific immunoturbidimetric method is described for the determination of low concentrations of urinary albumin using a Hitachi 704 or 705 analyser. The sensitivity was 1 mg/l and the precision attained was good (CV 15%, 7% and 6% for low, medium and higher albumin concentrations). The assay was used to determine urinary albumin excretion rates in healthy controls (less than 15 micrograms/min) and in type I diabetics.

Increased thromboplastic potential in diabetes: a multifactorial phenomenon.

Coagulation parameters, platelet aggregation, and thromboxane production as well as metabolic parameters were measured in 31 diabetic patients, 12 without and 19 with clinically manifest late complications, and in 14 healthy control subjects. Spontaneous in vitro aggregation as well as ADP, collagen, and arachidonic acid induced aggregation were higher in both groups of diabetic patients, without an increase in thromboxane B2 production. In diabetic patients with late complications an increase in fibrinogen, fibrinogen cyanogen bromide peptide, factor VIII related antigen, C1-esterase inhibitor, and antithrombin III was observed in comparison to healthy subjects.

Counterregulatory hormone release after human and porcine insulin in healthy subjects and patients with pituitary disorders.

Human and porcine insulin were administered intravenously to a group of healthy volunteers in two different doses (0.075 IU/kg body weight and 0.12 IU/kg body weight) and to two groups of randomly selected patients with pituitary disorders in a dose adapted to their individual glucose tolerance (0.

Hormonal profile and glucose tolerance in late pregnancy and postpartum.

Oral glucose tolerance, plasma insulin and basal levels of glucagon, hGH, hPRL, hPL, TSH, T4, T3, thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG), cortisol, corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) and estriol were measured in 23 normal pregnant women in late gestation (31 +/- 0.4 weeks of pregnancy). Twelve of these subjects could be re-examined 14 +/- 2 weeks postpartum.

Crossover study with human insulin (recombinant DNA) in type I diabetic subjects.

The activity of three combinations of regular and NPH human insulin (recombinant DNA) has been compared to that of an intermediate-acting pork insulin in a crossover study in type I diabetic subjects. After a prephase, the patients injected each insulin subcutaneously for 1 wk in different order. During the 5-wk period, daily glucose profiles were self-monitored, except at the end of each week, when blood was sampled for the determination of glucose, HbA1, glycosylated albumin, C-peptide, glucagon, and routine laboratory parameters.

[Effect of caerulein on blood glucose, serum insulin, glucagon, prolactin and growth hormone before and after oral glucose load in healthy volunteers and diabetic patients (author's transl)].

Eleven healthy volunteers, five type I diabetics, and one type II diabetic man were examined. After an overnight fast caerulein (20 ng/kg) was injected intravenously and 60 min later an oral glucose tolerance test was performed with 100 g glucose in the normals and 25 g glucose in the diabetics. Blood pressure, pulse rate, blood glucose, serum insulin, glucagon, prolactin and growth hormone values were measured during the whole period of 240 min and compared with the same parameters in control tests in the same persons without caerulein application.

The prostaglandins system and insulin release. Studies with the isolated perfused rat pancreas.

Using the isolated perfused rat pancreas PGE2 (1 MUM and 10 muM) had no effect on basal or glucose (10 and 20 mM)-induced insulin release (IR). PGF2 alpha stimulated basal IR at 1 muM and inhibited IR at 10 muM. The glucose-induced IR was unaffected by this PG.

Sulphydryl requirement for insulin release from the perfused pancreas. Studies with ethacrynic acid and dithiothreitol.

Using the isolated, perfused rat pancreas the importance of sulphydryl groups for the secretory process of insulin was investigated. It was found that ethacrynic acid (EA, 0.075-0.