Soluble intercellular adhesion molecule and C-reactive protein as early markers of infection in newborns.

In order to find a reliable early marker of infection in newborns a study with simultaneous determination of soluble Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) was planned. Prospectively 90 babies < 5 days of age suspect of infection were included. Retrospectively this population was classified into an "infected" group (n = 45) and a "non-infected" group (n = 45).

Fifteen minutes bone scintigraphy in patients with clinically suspected scaphoid fracture and normal x-rays.

Occult fractures of the scaphoid bone occur frequently and may lead to non-union. The use of three-phase bone scintigraphy in patients with normal x-rays of the scaphoid after carpal injury is widely advocated.In this study, 40 patients with negative radiographs but clinically suspected scaphoid fracture, all had rapid bone scintigraphy with images taken 15 min after intravenous injection of 99 m-Technetium Hydroxymethylene diphosphonate.

Nasal continuous positive airway pressure and early surfactant therapy for respiratory distress syndrome in newborns of less than 30 weeks' gestation.

Objective: To determine whether early versus late treatment with porcine surfactant (Curosurf) reduces the requirement of mechanical ventilation in very preterm infants primarily supported by nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nasal CPAP).

Design: Multicenter randomized, controlled trial.

Patients: The study population comprised 60 infants <30 weeks' gestation with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) who had an arterial to alveolar oxygen tension ratio (a/APO2) of 0.

External quality assessment in primary health care by using fresh whole blood.

Desktop analyzers and single-test meters used in primary healthcare are mainly calibrated to measure whole blood. To minimize matrix effects of control materials in external quality assessment schemes, we stabilized fresh human EDTA-treated blood with sodium iodoacetate (1.8 mmol/L).

Surfactant therapy and nasal continuous positive airway pressure for newborns with respiratory distress syndrome. Danish-Swedish Multicenter Study Group.

Background: In southern Scandinavia most babies with respiratory distress syndrome are initially treated with nasal continuous positive airway pressure. We performed a multicenter trial to investigate whether the addition of a single dose of porcine surfactant administered during a short intubation before the occurrence of serious deterioration could reduce the subsequent need for mechanical ventilation.

Methods: We randomly assigned 35 infants with moderate-to-severe respiratory distress syndrome to surfactant therapy (Curosurf, 200 mg per kilogram of body weight) plus nasal continuous positive airway pressure and 33 infants to nasal continuous positive airway pressure alone.

In vivo binding of human inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor free heavy chains to hyaluronic acid.

In vivo binding of human inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor to hyaluronate was investigated by immunoelectrophoretic techniques. Pathological synovial fluids and follicular fluids both contain high concentrations of soluble hyaluronate. Heavy chain epitopes of inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor were firmly associated with the hyaluronate in synovial fluid and follicular fluid.

Urine protein excretion after Hymenoptera sting.

The urinary excretion of albumin was measured on 7 consecutive days after a bee or wasp sting in 20 healthy persons, using a semiquantitative immunochemical chromatographic procedure (Micral stick). The mean albumin excretion was 11.1 +/- 15.

Prophylactic ephedrine during spinal anaesthesia: double-blind study in patients in ASA groups I-III.

Forty-eight patients scheduled to undergo spinal anaesthesia were allocated to three groups of 16 each according to ASA classification I-II-III. Each patient received a fluid load of 7 ml kg-1 and either ephedrine 12.5 mg i.

Giant cell arteritis: loss of vision during corticosteroid therapy.

The case of a patient suffering from giant cell arteritis, with loss of vision after about 60 d of steroid treatment, is reported. No other clinical or biochemical signs of active disease were observed. The aetiology of the vascular occlusion is discussed briefly.

Carbohydrate as covalent crosslink in human inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor: a novel plasma protein structure.

The primary structure of inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor is partially elucidated, but controversy about the construction of the polypeptide backbone still exists. We present evidence suggesting that inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor represents a novel plasma protein structure with two separate polypeptide chains covalently crosslinked only by carbohydrate (chondroitin sulphate).

Trainability of the pelvic floor. A prospective study during pregnancy and after delivery.

The contractibility and trainability of the pelvic floor were investigated during pregnancy and after vaginal delivery in 86 healthy primiparae. One group (TG) (n = 38) was instructed in training the pelvic floor from the 33rd week of pregnancy, whereas the other group (non-TG) (n = 39) was not. Both groups were measured by perineometry five times between 33rd-39th week of pregnancy and approximately 8 weeks after delivery.