[Effects of intravenous administration of clarithromycin on plasma levels of gastrin and group I pepsinogen].

Erythromycin and some of its derivatives have prokinetic gastrointestinal properties. In addition, erythromycin has been shown to stimulate isolated chief cells of the gastric mucosa, and to activate pepsin secretion. The above study was aimed at ascertaining in a group of dyspeptic patients whether clarithromycin, a structural analogue of erythromycin, is apt to modify certain functional parameters of gastric secretion, above all the patterns of gastrin and PG-I secretion.

[Chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction associated with volvulus of the transverse colon. The identical mode of clinical presentation and of the intestinal manometric pattern in monozygotic twins].

Two monozygotic female twins with chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction associated with transverse colon volvulus are described. Quite similar clinical events and temporal coincidences characterized the symptoms which has preceded and followed right colectomy undergone by both of them due to intestinal volvulus. The esophageal, gastroduodenal, colonic and anorectal manometric investigation revealed very similar alterations in both girls.

[Changes in mechanical and functional processes of the lower esophageal sphincter in patients with reflux esophagitis].

The present study was performed to establish eventual inferences of functional and mechanical alterations of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) in determining reflux esophagitis. The LES basal pressure, the percentual incidence of the incoordinate LES relaxations swallowing-induced, the LES overall and abdominal length, with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), with and without endoscopic evidence of esophagitis, were manometrically evaluated in 117 consecutive patients. In patients with symptomatic GERD, a significant LES pressure reduction, which is inversely related to the severity of the endoscopic mucosal damage, an increased prevalence of the incoordinate LES relaxations swallowing-induced and, only in patients with esophagitis, a significant reduction of the LES overall and abdominal length of the LES, were showed.

Failure to find evidence of immunoglobulin inhibitor(s) of thyroid hormone binding to serum proteins in non-thyroid illnesses.

In order to verify the hypothesis of the presence of IgM (or an IgM-like substance) capable of inhibiting thyroid hormone binding to serum proteins and, therefore, capable of enhancing serum free thyroid fractions in non-thyroid illnesses (NTI), we measured TBG and TBPA maximum binding capacities and TBG concentration by an immunoradiometric system in normal pooled sera (NPS) before and after enrichment with purified immunoglobulins (IgM and IgG) from euthyroid NTI sera (free T4, free T3 and TSH levels were normal). A known amount of TBG was diluted 1:2-1:6 with deionized water or with IgM from NPS or from each of 6 NTI sera; the measured values were not different from these expected on theoretical grounds. Likewise, IgM or IgG from normal or from each of 7 NTI sera failed to modify both TBG and TBPA capacities of different NPS, and NTI immunoglobulins showed no binding activity directed to [125I]T4, [125I]T3 or [125I]TBG.