Comparison of venom and whole-body rast and intradermal testing in vespid-sensitive patients

14 patients clinically hypersensitive to vespid sting by history, 6 patients with large local reactions and 10 control subjects were skin tested with serial two- and tenfold dilutions of venom and whole-body extract of yellow jacket, wasp, and white-faced hornet antigens. Radioallergosorbent test determinations with the same antigens were also made. Determination of minimal reactive dose by skin testing distinguished control and hypersensitive patients groups for all three antigens using either venom or whole body extract. Yellow jacket venom skin testing detected 12 of 14 patients considered clinically hypersensitive. This was not the case with the other two venoms, possibly because most of the patients were yellow jacket sensitive, or any of the whole-body extracts. The Radioallergosorbent test was less useful than venom skin testing in detecting patients considered clinically sensitive.

Clinical comparison of skin testing and the radioallergosorbent test in dog-sensitive patients using mixed and breed-specific antigens

A study of clinical history, intradermal test end points and RAST values with six different dog antigens was made in 20 patients and 5 control subjects. Skin testing was found to be more useful clinically than the RAST. Considerable variability among mixed epidermal extracts was noted. There was no apparent advantage to testing with three individual-breed extracts studied, compared to the most potent mixed epidermal antigen. The results of this study suggest that further efforts toward standardization of potency, methods of preparation and, possibly, breed composition of dog allergenic extracts are required to develop improved allergens for clinical use.

Double-blind trial of oral carbuterol in bronchial asthma

A double-blind comparison of 2 and 3 mg oral doses of carbuterol, a beta sympathomimetic drug with preferential selectivity for bronchial smooth muscle, was made with 25 and 35 mg doses of ephedrine sulfate over a six-month period in 26 patients with bronchial asthma. Spirometry was done before and three hours after administration of 3 mg of carbuterol or 35 mg of ephedrine sulfate at intervals of two weeks and one, four and six months. The data suggest a cumulative improvement in pulmonary function status with continued oral carbuterol use over the six-month period. However, the clinical effectiveness of the drug on pulmonary function was not clearly distinguishable from that of ephedrine in the present study.

A kindred with red cell pyruvate kinase deficiency

A case is described of mild haemolytic anaemia in a female homozygous for pyruvate kinase deficiency, with 20% of normal enzyme activity and with the unexplained associations that she suffers from angina pectoris and that three of her children died in childhood from a muscular dystrophy presumed to be Werdnig-Hoffman disease.

Lipoma of the corpus callosum

Lipoma of the corpus callosum is a rare congenital condition, often asymptomatic, but which may present as epilepsy, hemiplegia, dementia, or headaches. This paper reviews the condition and reports the only two cases which are known to the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London. The second case demonstrated the value of computerised axial tomography (EMI scan) in making the diagnosis and showing associated anomalies.

Double-blind, cross-over study of cromolyn sodium inhibition of exercise-induced bronchospasm in adults

Twelve asthmatic subjects with exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) were studied during two initial and one final control period as well as after placebo lactose and 20 mg cromolyn sodium administered 15 minutes before treadmill exercise. During exercise the heart rate was maintained at approximately 80% of the age-adjusted predicted maximum. The mean FEV1 in the 12 subjects decreased 40% and 33% after exercise during control periods, 28% with placebo treatment and 13% after cromolyn sodium. Placebo was associated with 25% and cromolyn sodium with 67% protection of FEV1 (P less than 0.005). Similar effects were noted on FVC and MMF measurements. Cromolyn sodium appeared to decrease EIB in seven of the 12 asthmatic patients. The results of this study suggest that cromolyn sodium is effective in some adult patients with EIB.

Semi-automated closed-circuit bladder wash-out pump

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Death of doctors

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