A long-term follow up of patients with autoimmune thyroid disease

A survey in a general practice in the North-East of England in 1963 detected thyroglobulin antibodies in 16.2% of women and 4.3% of men. High titres of antibodies were found in 4.6% of women and 1.6% of men. Forty six subjects with thyroglobulin antibodies (from an original total of fifty-two) were studied in 1972 and forty of these were studied further in 1975. These subjects were compared with a group of age- and sex-matched controls from the original survey. Three of the subjects had developed overt hypothyroidism by 1975 and a raised serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentration was found more frequently in euthyroid subjects peviously found to be antibody positive. There was a striking difference in the antibody studies in that only 26% of the previously antibody positive subjects had thyroglobulin antibodies in 1972 and 30% in 1975. A raised serum TSH concentration was found to correlate with cytoplasmic a-tibodies and particularly with the combination of cytoplasmic and thyroglobulin antibodies.

Vaginal isolation of Neisseria meningitidis in association with meningococcaemia

The isolation of meningococci from the vagina is unusual. This report concerns a young woman who presented with vaginal bleeding and subsequently developed a febrile illness which responded to oral ampicillin. The main clinical features included vomiting and drowsiness followed by a rash and arthritis. Neisseria meningitidis group B was isolated from cultures of a vaginal swab and blood. A brief literature review of genital infections with meningococci is given.

Serum gonadotrophins in young children

LH and FSH were assayed in serum samples from children ranging from newborn to 13 years. In boys, LH was found in most samples up to 4 months of age, in many up to 10 months, but in only 38 percent between 1 and 8 years. In girls, it was found in only 29 percent of the samples under 1 year and the frequency and concentration changed little thereafter until 8-10 years. FSH was detected in all samples from boys up to 4 months and in most of those from girls up to 2 years. After these ages the frequency declined in each sex and there was little further change until 8-10 years. Between 1 and 8 years the proportion of samples containing either FSH or LH was similar for the two sexes, but whereas in boys high LH tended to be associated with high FSH, and vice versa, there was no such correlation in girls. The results are discussed in relation to gonadal development and steroid synthesis.

Acute haemolytic anaemia associated with polyagglutinability of red cells

A 7-week-old albino infant developed acute haemolytic anaemia following an operation for strangulated inguinal hernia. This was considered to be due to polyagglutinability of the red cells, the haemolysis subsiding as the cells returned to normal. The red cell changes were shown to be due to activation of T-antigen, reacting with anti-T in the adult blood transfused to the infant.

Evaluation of a tanned red cell technique for thyroid microsomal antibodies

A haemagglutination test for thyroid microsomal (cytoplasmic) antibodies, using formolized tanned sheep red cells, is described and evaluated. The technique is essentially similar to the thyroglobulin tanned red cell test. It has been shown to be more sensitive and easier to use than the complement-fixation test. A combined screening test to detect both thyroglobulin and microsomal antibodies is described.

L-dihydroxyphenylalanine: effect on S-adenosylmethionine in brain

Forty-five minutes after intraperitoneal injection of a single dose (100 milligrams per kilogram) of L-dihydroxyphenylalanine, the concentration of S-adenosylmethionine in rat brain was lowered by 76 percent. As little as 10 milligrams of L-dihydroxyphenylalanine per kilogram decreased content of S-adenosylmethionine in the adrenal medulla by 51 percent, whereas 100 milligrams per kilogram did not significantly depress concentration of S-adenosylmethionine in the liver in this time interval. Concentration of S-adenosylmethionine in the brain varied diurnally; L-dihydroxyphenylalanine lowered this concentration whether administered at the daily peak or at the nadir.