Plasma amino acid concentrations in elderly patients with protein energy malnutrition.

Objective: to compare amino acid concentrations in healthy and malnourished elderly patients.

Method: plasma amino acid concentrations were examined in 24 men and women (80-100 years of age) with protein energy malnutrition (PEM) and compared with those of 44 healthy, similarly-aged controls. Plasma samples were determined by using cation exchange columns with ninhydrin detection in an high performance liquid chromatography system.

Sonographic lung surface evaluation in pulmonary sarcoidosis: preliminary results.

The value of sonography in lung diseases such as sarcoidosis is not established. Twelve patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis and eight control subjects underwent a sonographic examination using a high frequency probe (7.5 MHz).

Peripheral pulmonary lesions: ultrasonic features and ultrasonically guided fine needle aspiration biopsy.

When transthoracic biopsy is required for diagnosing lung diseases, radiographic procedures are the methods of choice, sonographic application being still limited. Sixty-four consecutive patients with pulmonary lesions adjacent to the chest wall underwent sonography. Findings showed hypoechoic homogeneous lesions (56 cases) with posterior regular margin (57 cases).

Ultrasonically guided aspiration biopsy in osteolytic bone lesions of the chest wall.

Sixteen consecutive patients with one or more osteolytic bone lesions of the chest wall radiologically confirmed underwent ultrasonically guided aspiration biopsy. Nine patients (56.2 percent) had bronchogenic carcinoma with a direct extension.

Ultrasonic signs of pneumothorax: preliminary work.

Ultrasonography is considered to have limited application in respiratory diseases because air reflects sound waves. Twenty-four patients with radiologically confirmed pneumothorax and 100 healthy subjects underwent sonography. In all normal subjects, the hyperechoic pulmonary interface showed respiratory motions termed the "gliding sign" with some comet-tail artifacts.

Sonographic approach to diagnosing pulmonary consolidation.

Thirty-nine consecutive patients with consolidated lung confirmed radiologically underwent sonography, and their sonograms were compared with results for 100 healthy subjects. The hyperechoic line of normal aerated lung and its air artifacts showed respiratory motions ("gliding sign," n = 100). Patients with pneumonia demonstrated distinct sonographic patterns.

Ultrasonographic approach to diagnosing hydropneumothorax.

Ultrasound results for 11 patients with HPN confirmed by CXR were compared with those for 100 healthy subjects. The observation of the hyperechogenic line of the pleuropulmonary surface (normal subjects) showed back-and-forth respiratory movements in every case which we call the "gliding sign." Ultrasonographic signs were shown in all patients with HPN.

Diagnosis of pneumothorax by ultrasound immediately after ultrasonically guided aspiration biopsy.

We report two cases of pneumothorax detected by echographic examination immediately after ultrasonically guided aspiration biopsy and confirmed by chest x-ray film. The pneumothorax was characterized by the disappearance of the lung tumor. In the real-time image, the respiratory excursions of the visceral pleura also disappeared.

The evolution of oral contraceptives. Maximizing efficacy, minimizing risks.

No single pharmacologic agent has been more widely studied than the oral contraceptive (OC). Scientific efforts have been directed primarily toward maximizing the benefits of OCs--which remain the most effective, reversible form of birth control--while minimizing their potential risks, specifically thromboembolic disorders and cardiovascular disease. Decreases in the dose of estrogen from the 100 micrograms--150 micrograms levels of the 1960s to the 30 micrograms--50 micrograms formulations of today have been accompanied by dramatic reductions in the risk of thromboembolic events.