Haptoglobin concentrations in children aged 9-10 years and its correlation to indirect parameters of erythrocyte turnover.

Low serum haptoglobin values are often found in children. Nine different parameters were studied in 125 healthy children aged 9-10 years to get indirect information on erythrocyte turnover and its possible relation to the low mean plasma haptoglobin level in childhood. The mean LD activity was higher than in adults.

Determination of a trivariate reference region for free thyroxine index, free triiodothyronine index, and thyrotropin from results obtained in a health survey of middle-aged women.

We measured free thyroxine index, free triiodothyronine index, and thyrotropin in serum in a community survey of the female population 39--60 years old. A statistical method using Mahalanobis' distance was applied to the data, to identify and eliminate highly abnormal values, "outliers." There was a small but statistically significant increase in each of the three hormones with age.

Principles of albumin and IgG analyses in neurological disorders. III. Evaluation of IgG synthesis within the central nervous system in multiple sclerosis.

Fifty-nine multiple sclerosis patients were investigated with regard to blood-brain barrier function by determining the CSF-protein and the CSF/S albumin ratio. Abnormal values were found in 19% and 32% respectively. The occurrence of CSF-IgG elevation due to synthesis within the CNS was analysed by determining the CSF IgG/protein and CSF IgG/albumin ratios and the IgG-index = (CSF/S IgG ratio)/(CSF/S albumin ratio).

Serum activities of hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (HBD) and the isoenzymes of lactate dehydrogenase (LD) as an index of traumatic brain injury.

The lactate dehydrogenase (LD), the hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (HBD), and the LD isoenzyme activities in serum were followed in the posttraumatic period in 113 patients with cranio-cerebral injury, 70 of whom had verified brain contusion--laceration. In patients with brain contusion the HBD activity, known to be exerted mainly by the anodal LD isoenzyme fractions dominating in brain tissue, was significantly raised in 91% of the blood samples taken within four hours, and in 92% of the samples taken between 12 and 24 hours after trauma, while it was within normal limits in all the samples taken within four hours in patients with brain concussion, and increased in only 17% of the concussion patients 12-24 hours after trauma. The LD1 and the LD1+2 activities were of less diagnostic importance in blood samples taken during the first 24 hours.

Vitamin C as a preventive medicine against common colds in children.

During 7 weeks in the spring of 1973 a double-blind pilot study on 172 children in the age group 8-9 was carried out to test the possible effect of 1000 mg vitamin C daily as a prophylactic agent against common colds. During the autumn of 1973, a main study was carried out on 642 children of the same age. The investigations had the same pattern and lasted for 3 months.

Serum enzyme activity of hydroxybutyric dehydrogenase (HBD) and heat inactivated lactate dehydrogenase (LD) after operations on intracranial aneurysms.

The relation between clinical signs of parenchymatous cell damage after brain surgery and the serum activity of the LD-isoenzymes determined either as HBD or as heat inactivated LD, has been studied in 44 patients operated upon for intracranial aneurysms. Seven patients had a postoperative increase of the serum enzyme activity above the upper normal limit. All these showed neurological symptoms as compared to only 14% of those who had a postoperative enzyme level within normal limits.