[Acute pericarditis--clinical quality control trial].

Quality control aims to analyze not only the results of therapy but the efficiency and cost effectiveness of diagnostic procedures. In a catamnestic analysis of the outcome in 97 patients with acute pericarditis seen at this hospital from 1982 to 1992, we tried to answer the question whether a conservative diagnostic strategy might harm the patient. The outcome in 33 patients after limited diagnostic activity (patient story, clinical status; WBC differential count, ESR; creatinine and creatine kinase; ECG and chest x-ray) was the same as in 33 patients who underwent additional diagnostic procedures.

[Acute kidney failure in infectious mononucleosis].

Overt renal disease is a rare complication of infectious mononucleosis (MI). In contrast, up to 16% of patients with MI have been shown to exhibit abnormalities in urinary sediment. Histological abnormalities--usually interstitial nephritis, and occasionally glomerular lesions--are rather common.

[Hyperkalemic emergency: causes, diagnosis and therapy].

Eight patients with life threatening hyperkalemia were treated in the intensive care unit over a period of 2 years. Serum potassium at admission was 7.1-11.

[Psychogenic water intoxication].

Six new cases of psychogenic water intoxication are discussed in the light of 150 observations published in the literature since 1935. 87% of all patients were schizophrenic, and 13% had other psychoses and a variety of functional and organic psychopathies. Psychogenic polydipsia is a prerequisite of psychogenic water intoxication.