Effects of acrivastine and terfenadine on skin reactivity to histamine.

The response to the histamine hydrochloride prick skin test was studied in 24 healthy volunteers who received, in random order and at least four days apart, acrivastine (8 mg), terfenadine (120 mg), and placebo. The tests were performed on either side of the back before and at the time of administration (single dose), then every 30 minutes for two hours, and every hour for the following four hours. Evaluation was based on the mean of two measurements of the surface area of the wheal-and-flare reaction accompanied by assessment of topical pruritus.

Efficacy and safety of low-dose aztreonam in the treatment of moderate to severe infections due to gram-negative bacilli.

One hundred fifty-three patients with moderate to severe infections due to gram-negative bacilli, including septicemia (60 cases), lower respiratory tract infection (32 cases), intraabdominal infection (40 cases), and urinary tract infection (21 cases), were treated with aztreonam (1 g every 12 h). This dosage is lower than usual. Criteria for inclusion in the study included documented infection due to gram-negative bacilli and a measurement of severity of disease of less than 12 (as defined by a Simplified Acute Physiology Score for the 115 cases of community-acquired infection).

Efficacy and safety of low dose aztreonam in the treatment of moderate to severe gram-negative bacterial infections.

One hundred and fifty-three patients with moderate to severe infections due to Gram-negative bacteria, including septicaemia (60 cases), lower respiratory tract infection (32 cases), intra-abdominal infection (40 cases) and urinary tract infection (21 cases), were treated with aztreonam 1 g every 12 h. This dosage is lower than usual. Criteria for inclusion included documented Gram-negative bacterial infections, and assessment of the severity of the disease by a scoring system for both community and hospital acquired infections.

[Double-blind study of the efficacy of an antiserotoninergic drug, pizotifen, in Duchenne's muscular dystrophy].

In 40 patients presenting with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a double blind therapeutic trial of 18 months was undertaken in order to appreciate the efficacy of pizotifen, an anti-serotoninergic drug. Quarterly evaluations were performed. Each of them included muscular testing on 31 pairs of muscles, timed tests, dynamometric study of the thumb-forefinger grip, functional testing, respiratory function tests, muscular enzyme determinations, parents' subjective estimation and search for side-effects.

Effects of long-term maintenance therapy with a new glucocorticoid, deflazacort, on mineral metabolism and statural growth.

Deflazacort was substituted for Prednisone (based on the equivalence 1 mg Prednisone equals 1.2 mg Deflazacort), during maintenance glucocorticoid therapy in 9 children, 5 with renal diseases and 4 with connective tissue or immunoproliferative disorders. Six patients received 0.

Determination of the optimal dosage regimen of captopril + hydrochlorothiazide in the treatment of moderate arterial hypertension.

A multicentre controlled trial was carried out to determine the optimal dosage of a 2/1 combination of captopril plus hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in mild hypertension at three doses against placebo in a 6 week double-blind trial. The number of patients was 111:27 received placebo; 26 were treated with captopril 25 mg plus HCTZ 12.5 mg (25/12.

Sodium valproate monotherapy in childhood epilepsy.

154 patients with a mean age of 6 years 1 month were followed on valproate monotherapy for a period ranging from 5 to 27 months (mean 22 months). Absence epilepsies, benign myoclonic epilepsies and epilepsies with tonic-clonic seizures on awakening were the best controlled, followed by benign partial epilepsies and infantile spasms. Reduction to monotherapy resulted in improvement in 13 of 14 patients with primary generalized epilepsy.

[Ceftazidime absorption into bronchial secretions in mucoviscidosis patients].

Penetration of ceftazidime into bronchial secretions was studied in 23 patients, of which 18 had cystic fibrosis. Ceftazidime was used as the single drug for treating exacerbations caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Dosage was 6 g/1.

[Hypophosphatemic rickets in premature infants independent of vitamin D].

The etiology and prevention of rickets in prematures infants are still controversial: insufficient storage or intake in minerals and/or vitamin D, immature vitamin D metabolism, necessitating early vitamin supplementation, for some associated with calcium and phosphate supplementation. The authors report a case of rickets which could be related to an immaturity of the tubular mechanisms of phosphate reabsorption, with a favourable outcome following an increase in calcium and phosphate intake.

Cardiac involvement in cystic fibrosis revealed by a ventricular arrhythmia.

Cardiac involvement in cystic fibrosis (CF) is characterized by acute cardiac failure in the infant with myocardial fibrosis found on pathological examination. In the older child with chronic pulmonary disease, cor pulmonale tends to predominate the clinical picture. We report the case of an adolescent with CF presenting with ventricular arrhythmia.

[Sodium valproate (Na VPa) monotherapy in childhood epilepsy ].

80 epileptic children were treated with sodium valproate as a monotherapy for a mean duration of 15 months. The fits stopped in 50% and diminished in 27.5% of cases.