Host and environmental determinants of heart rate and heart rate variability in four European populations.

Objective: In a population-based sample of nuclear families recruited in the framework of the European Project on Genes in Hypertension (EPOGH), we investigated the association between heart rate (HR) and its variability (HRV), and gender, age, posture, breathing frequency, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, family history of hypertension and various lifestyle factors, such as smoking, alcohol and coffee consumption and physical activity.

Methods: RR interval and respiration were registered in the supine and standing positions (15 min each) in 1208 subjects in Bucharest (Romania, n= 267), Cracow (Poland, n= 323), Mirano (Italy, n= 323) and Novosibirsk (Russian Federation, n= 295). After exclusion of 199 participants on antihypertensive treatment and/or patients with diabetes mellitus (n= 40) or myocardial infarction (n= 4), 993 subjects were eligible for analysis.

Infections with hepatitis B and C viruses in patients on maintenance dialysis in Romania and in former communist countries: yellow spots on a blank map?

We studied prospectively, between 1993 and 1998, the prevalence and incidence of markers against hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis D virus (HDV), in 180 patients with chronic renal failure, dialysed in the Nephrological Clinic, Cluj. HBV and HCV markers were common in the patients who were already on haemodialysis in 1993 (antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen [HBcAb]: 57.9-88%; hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg]: 8.

Augmentation of CD8 and CD4 lymphocytes subsets in AIDS infected children after treatment with a non-toxic chelating agents compound--Rodilemid.

Twelve children were included into the protocol, 5 in March 1989 and 7 in April 1993. All of them were HIV 1 positive and had diarrhoea, important adenopathy and opportunistic infections. Seven out of 12 patients had an immunological monitoring.

[The role of the hepatitis B, C and D viruses in the etiology of chronic hepatopathies in Cluj].

Objective: We studied the prevalence of viral hepatitis B, C and D markers in chronic hepatopathies from Cluj.

Material And Methods: Sera of 297 patients with chronic hepatopathies (236 adults and 61 children) have been tested for viral hepatitis markers: HBsAg, anti-HBc, anti-HBs, HBeAg, anti-HBe, anti-HDV, anti-HCV, by automated ELISA.

Results: HBV infection markers in 32% (adults) and 4.

[The prevalence of hepatitis C and B viral markers in patients with sexually transmitted diseases in Cluj].

Background: Recently, hepatitis C virus (HCV) have been recognised as being one of the most important cause of non-A, non-B hepatitis. Although parenteral transmission of HCV is wellknown, the risk of sexual transmission is still under debate.

Objective: This study was conducted to assess the HCV infection markers in sexually transmitted disease (STD) patients from an endemic area for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

[The markers of hepatitis B, C and D viral infection in multiply transfused patients].

Objective: We aimed to assess the seroprevalence of HBV, HCV and HDV virus markers in multi-transfused patients from Cluj-Napoca.

Material And Methods: Stored serum samples of 105 multi-transfused patients (25 children, 19 adults and 61 chronically hemodialyzed patients) have been tested for HBsAg, anti-HBs, total anti-HBc, anti-HCV, total anti-HDV by automated ELISA (Sanofi Diagnostics Pasteur kits).

Results: HVC infection has been observed in 4/25 (16%) children, 14/19 (74%) multi-transfused adults and 48/61 (79%) haemodialysis patients.

Nipple discharge in women. Is it cause for concern?

Nipple discharge is one of the most common breast complaints in women. Galactorrhea (milky discharge) may occur during pregnancy or breast-feeding or as a result of drug therapy, hypothyroidism, or hyperthyroidism. Nonbloody discharge is most common and is usually benign.

[The advantages of agglutination and precipitation tests used in the serological diagnosis of meningitis due to H. influenza type B].

During the period January 1985-July 1988, 532 purulent CSF taken from patients with meningitis, aged between 3 weeks and 91 years, were studied by microscopic examination, cultivation and for H. influenzae type B (HITB) also by coagglutination (COA), counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) and double immunodiffusion (DID) in agarose gel. Positive CSFs were taken from the patients aged 1 month-24 years old, of which 76% from children under 5 years old, and 42% from children under one year.

Abdominal pain, colomegaly, and jaundice from heart failure related to mitral stenosis.

Abdominal manifestations of cardiac disease may result in misleading and erroneous diagnoses. We present a case of congestive heart failure secondary to rheumatic valvular disease resulting in the appearance of an acute surgical abdomen.

Value of measuring hormone receptor levels of regional metastatic carcinoma of the breast.

To assess the value of measuring the estrogen- and progesterone-receptor content of metastatic nodal disease, 38 women with node-positive breast cancer were prospectively evaluated. Receptor content of the primary tumor and a pathologically confirmed positive node were measured simultaneously using a dual-isotope, dextran-coated, charcoal-binding assay. A receptor content of greater than or equal to 10 fmol/mg of cytosol protein was considered positive for both the estrogen-receptor and progesterone-receptor assays.

Diagnosis of pneumococcal meningitis by coagglutination method.

It was tested the possibility to evidence the pneumococcal capsular antigen, by coagglutination, directly in CSF, using a specific coagglutinating reagent for all the 10 serological types of S. pneumoniae more frequently encountered in our country. Were investigated 134 CSF from purulent meningitis, out of which 37 were of probable pneumococcal etiology, on the basis of bacterioscopic examination, 26 of other etiology and 71 of unknown etiology.

Hepatic artery versus portal vein and systemic infusion of fluorodeoxyuridine of rabbit VX-2 hepatic implants.

To compare the efficacy of regional and systemic infusions of hepatic tumors, and to correlate this with tumor perfusion, 29 New Zealand white rabbits underwent perfusion of VX-2 hepatic implants. Tritium-labeled fluorodeoxyuridine (H3-FUDR) and technetium-99m-labeled macroaggregated albumin (Tc 99m-MAA) were infused through the hepatic artery, portal vein, and peripheral vein. Hepatic artery infusion resulted in a significantly improved tumor-to-liver ratio of FUDR uptake (p less than 0.

Hematuria following blunt abdominal trauma. The utility of intravenous pyelography.

To clarify the indications for intravenous pyelography (IVP) and nephrotomography (NT) in the evaluation of patients with hematuria following blunt thoracoabdominal trauma, we performed a retrospective analysis of patients admitted during a one-year period who had undergone IVP and NT for suspected renal injury. One hundred thirty-four patients were reviewed, and the findings of IVP and NT correlated with the magnitude of hematuria on urinalysis, associated injuries, management, and outcome. Sixty-two (46%) of 134 patients had fewer than ten red blood cells per high-power field (RBCs/HPF) on urinalysis (group 1), 19 (14%) of 134 patients had 10 to 30 RBCs/HPF (group 2), and 53 (40%) of 134 patients had greater than 30 RBCs/HPF (group 3).

Fine-needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of primary breast cancer.

To evaluate the role of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology in the diagnosis of primary breast cancer, we reviewed our experience over a recent 5-year period at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. A total of 590 aspirates with subsequent follow-up were documented. One hundred thirty-three primary cancers were histologically proved.

Monoclonal antibody staining and impact of surgical technique on the identification and quantitation of steroid receptors in human breast cancer.

In this prospective study of 31 patients, paired receptor levels from biopsy and mastectomy specimens were found to be significantly correlated on biochemical assay. Despite this fact, 6 of 20 tumors that were estrogen receptor-positive on biopsy, had a negative assay from the mastectomy specimen, indicating the need for a fresh tumor specimen. Immunocytochemical staining with monoclonal antibody H222 Spy, an antibody specific for the estrogen receptor, was evaluated in 34 biopsy and mastectomy specimens.

The effect of antisecretagogues on gastric microflora.

We examined the effect of cimetidine in altering gastric microflora in patients undergoing gastric resection for peptic ulcer disease. Ten patients had administration of cimetidine stopped at least six hours before surgery. Their mean gastric pH was 2.

Determinants of morbidity and mortality in blunt abdominal trauma.

We reviewed retrospectively 260 consecutive patients operated upon for blunt abdominal trauma in a 7-year period; there were 318 injured organs and 40 deaths, giving a mortality of 15%. The injuries with the highest mortality were duodenal, vascular, hepatic, pancreatic, and gastrointestinal perforations; splenic, small bowel and gallbladder trauma had the lowest mortality. Almost half of the fatal cases but less than a quarter of the survivors had two or more non-abdominal injuries and 72% of the survivors but only 32% of the non-survivors had two or more injured abdominal organs.

Peroperative pancreatic aspiration for evaluating pancreatic disease.

Nineteen patients who underwent peroperative pancreatic aspiration during 1976 to 1978 were retrospectively compared with 19 other consecutively chosen patients who underwent pancreatic surgery without this procedure in 1973 and 1974. In 18 of the 19 patients who had pancreatic aspiration, an accurate diagnosis was obtained. Three patients in the 1973 to 1974 series had serious postoperative complications attributable to incorrect intraoperative diagnosis and subsequent operative therapy.

Nasogastric suction in alcoholic pancreatitis.

In order to assess the usefulness of nasogastric suction in acute alcoholic pancreatitis, 37 patients with alcoholic pancreatitis were prospectively investigated. The study failed to demonstrate efficacy of nasogastric suction in those patients with mild disease. Application of a system of prognostic signs proved useful in discriminating between mild and severe disease.