[Acute experimental pancreatitis in the opossum. The role of early splenectomy in the inflammatory response]].

Background: The role of the Autonomous Nervous System in the immunologic and inflammatory response is still an issue of discussion. Furthermore, the physiopathologic mechanisms involved are still unknown. Acute pancreatitis (AP) does not escape this disconcert.

ACE inhibitors in heart failure--switching from enalapril to perindopril.

Although ACE inhibitors have demonstrated their beneficial effects in heart failure, whether different agents may induce different benefits remains unclear. We designed an open, sequential, prospective study switching heart failure patients receiving enalapril to perindopril which has been reported to be longer acting and better tolerated. The objective of the study was to find out if clinical and functional status could be further improved by changing from enalapril 30 mg daily to a perindopril 4 mg daily.

Intracranial hypotension: the nonspecific nature of MRI findings.

We present three patients who complained of postural headache related to different types of intracranial hypotension: spontaneous or primary, and secondary, but presenting the same findings on brain magnetic resonance imaging. Diffuse pachymeningeal gadolinium enhancement supports the belief that the enhancement is a nonspecific meningeal reaction to low pressure.

[Biliary acute pancreatitis: an etiopathology and evolution review of 148 cases].

Background: A retrospective analysis of the etiologic factors and physiopathogenic mechanisms underlying an acute biliary pancreatitis episode put in evidence the complexity of the attempt to acquire a clear understanding of the entity. In this presentation the authors try to re-examine the main factors involved in the triggering of the disease. Besides the classic theories and their own approach to the management of an acute pancreatic inflammation episode are discussed.

Virilizing ovarian tumor of cell tumor type not otherwise specified: a case report.

Whereas ovarian tumors with overt endocrine manifestations account for less than 5% of all ovarian neoplasms, the incidence of virilizing type tumors in postmenopausal women is even lower since the average age of occurrence is 43 years. Steroid cell tumors not otherwise specified (NOS) are even more rare. We report the case of a 56-year-old woman (age of onset of menopause 43 years) who consulted our service due to a hyperandrogenic syndrome: deepening of the voice, temporal balding, hirsutism and cliteromegaly.

Failure of the müllerian regression factor in two patients with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome.

The present paper describes the histological and endocrinologic features of 2 subjects with 46,XY karyotype affected by complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) with müllerian structures. Both patients had fallopian tubes, but only one had also uterus and presented a seminoma. Serum levels of luteinizing hormone, testosterone and estradiol were high or in the upper part of normal limits, whereas levels of follicle-stimulating hormone were normal.