Programming a fixed long atrioventricular delay is not effective in preventing ventricular pacing in patients with sick sinus syndrome.

Aim: Most patients with sick sinus syndrome (SSS) and normal atrioventricular (AV) conduction receive dual chamber (DDDR) pacemakers. Programming a long AV delay has been proposed to avoid ventricular pacing. The present study aimed to evaluate ventricular stimulation in SSS patients with DDDR pacemakers with a long AV delay.

Spectrophotometric and direct-reading methods for the analysis of gas phase peroxyacetic acid.

A new method for the determination of peroxyacetic acid (PAA) in gas phase samples is described. It is based on the oxidation of ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonate) by PAA with formation of a radical cation which is characterized by four strong absorption maxima between 405 nm and 810 nm. These allow for sensitive spectrophotometric determination of the peracid.

Effect of high-dose growth hormone and glutamine on body composition, urine creatinine excretion, fatty acid absorption, and essential fatty acids status in short bowel patients: a randomized, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study.

Background: Positive effects of high dose growth hormone and glutamine (GH + GLN) on body composition in short bowel patients have been described. Lack of effects on intestinal absorption found in some studies has been ascribed to concomitant essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency. This study describes changes in body weight (BW) and composition, 24-h urine creatinine excretion, intestinal fatty acid absorption (total, saturated, unsaturated and EFA), and EFA status in relation to treatment with GH + GLN in 8 short bowel patients.

Dose-related cardiac electrophysiological effects of intravenous magnesium. A double-blind placebo-controlled dose-response study in patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia.

Aims: The role of magnesium as an antiarrhythmic drug is yet not conclusive. Therefore, we performed a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled dose-response study of cardiac electrophysiological effects of intravenous magnesium.

Methods And Results: Thirty-six patients undergoing an electrophysiological evaluation for paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia were randomized to one of the following dosages of intravenous magnesium (0, 5, 10 or 20 mmol).

Deficiencies of essential fatty acids, vitamin A and E and changes in plasma lipoproteins in patients with reduced fat absorption or intestinal failure.

Objective: Deficiencies of essential fatty acids (EFA), vitamin A (retinol) and vitamin E (alpha- and gamma-tocopherol) were studied in non-HPN patients with different degrees of fat malabsorption (managing without home parenteral nutrition (HPN)), and in HPN-patients receiving HPN with and without parenteral lipids.

Design And Subjects: Phospholipid fatty acids (including EFA), cholesterol, retinol, alpha- and gamma-tocopherol in plasma and the intestinal absorption of fatty acids and energy (balance-studies) were measured in 40 non-HPN patients, 44 HPN patients and 35 controls. Subgroups were non-HPN patients with fat:total energy absorption ratios >25% (A), between 15 and 25% (B), and <15% (C), and HPN patients receiving (D) and not receiving parenteral lipids (E).

In vivo and in vitro degradation of glucagon-like peptide-2 in humans.

Glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2), an intestinal product of glucagon gene expression which induces intestinal growth in mice, has been proposed as a treatment for intestinal insufficiency. GLP-2 is metabolized extensively by dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) in rats, but less is known about its fate in humans. Therefore, GLP-2 metabolism was investigated in healthy volunteers after 1) a 500-Cal mixed meal (n = 6), 2) iv infusion of synthetic human GLP-2 (0.

Elevated plasma glucagon-like peptide 1 and 2 concentrations in ileum resected short bowel patients with a preserved colon.

Background: The glucagon-like peptides (GLP) 1 and 2 are secreted postprandially from L cells located mainly in the ileum. Both hormones prolong intestinal transit and GLP-2 is intestinotrophic in rodents. Patients with a jejunostomy have poor adaptation, rapid gastric and intestinal transit, and impaired postprandial GLP-2 secretion.

Emergency coronary artery bypass surgery after failed percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

Coronary complications caused by percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) may necessitate emergency coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). In 1994-1998, 132 patients (1.5% of the patients registered in the Danish PTCA registry) underwent CABG within 24 h because of angioplasty complications.

Utilization of short-chain fatty acids by colonic mucosal tissue strips. A new method of assessing colonic mucosal metabolism.

Background: Previous metabolic studies of the colonic mucosa have been done using isolated cells or small biopsy specimens.

Methods: A new method for assessing the utilization of short-chain fatty acids in human colonic mucosal tissue strips considerably larger than routine samples was evaluated and compared with the method of isolated colonocytes. Human colonic mucosal strips and isolated human and rat colonocytes were incubated with acetate (C2), butyrate (C4), and hexanoate (C6), and oxidation rates obtained by quantifying the production of CO2.

Effect of high dose growth hormone with glutamine and no change in diet on intestinal absorption in short bowel patients: a randomised, double blind, crossover, placebo controlled study.

Background: High dose growth hormone, glutamine, and a high carbohydrate diet may improve intestinal function in short bowel patients.

Aims: To investigate if growth hormone with glutamine and no change in diet improved intestinal function.

Patients And Methods: Eight short bowel patients were randomised in a double blind crossover study between placebo and growth hormone (mean 0.

Obstetric factors, urbanization and psychosis.

Background: Epidemiologic evidence as early as the 1930s has suggested urbanization is linked to schizophrenia, either by place of admission, place of upbringing, or, more recently, place of birth. In the past decade, obstetric complications have been implicated in the etiology of schizophrenia.

Methods: With appropriate protections for anonymity, the files of the Danish Medical Birth Register were linked with the files of the Danish Psychiatric Case Register.

Absorption of calcium and magnesium in patients with intestinal resections treated with medium chain fatty acids.

Background: Steatorrhoea is associated with increased faecal loss of calcium and magnesium. Medium chain C8-C10 triglycerides (MCTs) improve fat absorption in patients with small bowel resections but the effects on intestinal absorption of divalent cations are not clear.

Aim: To assess the effect of dietary replacement of long chain triglycerides (LCTs) with MCTs on calcium and magnesium absorption in patients with small bowel resections.

Intestinal failure defined by measurements of intestinal energy and wet weight absorption.

Background And Aims: Intestinal failure defined by the minimal energy and wet weight absorption required to avoid home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is not well described. Thus the aim of this study was to identify the minimal level of gut function necessary to avoid parenteral support using objective measurements of intestinal function.

Methods: Energy (bomb calorimetry) and wet weight absorption were measured during 48 hour balance studies in 45 HPN patients with intestinal failure and in 44 non-HPN borderline patients with a short bowel or malabsorption exceeding 2 MJ/day.

[Congenital tracheobiliary fistula].

A case of congenital bronchobiliary fistula in a three-year old girl is reported. The patient was born after 40 weeks of gestation and referred due to a long history of respiratory tract problems. Bronchoscopy disclosed a third opening at the level of the carina.

Prophylaxis of postoperative relapse in Crohn's disease with mesalamine: European Cooperative Crohn's Disease Study VI.

Background & Aims: This study investigated if long-term treatment with high-dose mesalamine reduces the risk of clinical relapse of Crohn's disease after surgical resection.

Methods: In a prospective, randomized, double-blind, multicenter study, 4 g of mesalamine (Pentasa; Ferring A/S, Vanlose, Denmark) daily was compared with placebo in 318 patients. Treatment was started within 10 days after resective surgery and continued for 18 months.

Preterm birth and intra-uterine growth retardation among children of women with schizophrenia.

Background: There is conflicting evidence about the frequency of adverse pregnancy outcomes among women with schizophrenia.

Aims: To investigate the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight and intra-uterine growth retardation among women with schizophrenia.

Method: A total of 2212 births to 1537 women with schizophrenia in Denmark were compared with a random sample of all deliveries in Denmark in 1973-1993 (122,931 births to 72,742 women).

Affective disorders among Greenlandic psychiatric patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the treatment incidence, diagnostic stability and clinical and social outcome of affective disorders in the Greenlandic population.

Methods: A cohort of Greenlanders first hospitalized in 1980-1983 and diagnosed with an affective disorder at least once during the period 7 to 12 years after first admission formed the study population. The manic-depressive patients who were still alive at follow-up were invited for a Present State Examination, and information about clinical and social condition was obtained for the total cohort.

Influence of cuff size on blood pressure among schoolchildren.

In 236 schoolchildren aged 7-15 years arm blood pressure was measured using a semiautomatic technique. Three different cuffs were chosen among four cuffs with bladder sizes of either 6 x 20 cm, 9 x 27 cm, 12 x 35 cm or 15 x 43 cm. Ideal cuff size in each pupil was defined as the one in which the width of the bladder was closest to 40% of arm circumference.