Prolonged neurological burden in severe lithium intoxication

A 53-year-old woman was brought to the Emergency Department for a persistent state of stupor, tremors, fever and oliguria. The patient had been under treatment for depression. The electrocardiogram showed a wider QRS complex; laboratory tests were as follows: urea 110 mg/dL, creatinine 3 mg/dL, sodium 135 mEq/L, potassium 4.5 mEq/L, and lithium 8.0 mEq/L. Renal replacement was initiated to normalize plasma lithium levels; both stupor and speech impairment persisted for several days after dialysis. Complete recovery was achieved several days afterwards.

Relation of fetal growth to maternal responses to oral glucose tolerance test throughout gestation

Fetal growth is dependent on transplacental supply of fuels. We aimed to assess the effect of serial changes in maternal glucose tolerance and insulin secretion with advancing pregnancy on maternal-fetal outcomes. Sixty-nine healthy pregnant women were studied over the course of gestation for glucose tolerance, by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and hemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)), fetal intrauterine growth (by ultrasound) and pregnancy outcome. Seven women had an abnormal OGTT in the third trimester developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), but none of the 12 mothers of large babies (> 3.9 kg) had GDM: the former had the highest post-load glycemic increment, despite an apparently 'normal' insulin secretory response, the latter showed the lowest post-load glucose increase in the face of the lowest insulinemic response. Neonatal body weight correlated with maternal gestational weight gain, placental weight, third trimester ratio of incremental plasma insulin and glucose integrated areas under the curve and first and second trimester HbA(1c) levels. Fetal growth indices (femur length, biparietal diameter and abdominal circumference) were correlated with both HbA(1c) and 2h OGTT. Fetal growth rate is confirmed as being associated with maternal glycemic equilibrium, but one of the main determinants of high infant birthweight seems to be an enhanced maternal insulin sensitivity, accompanied by remarkable gestational weight gain.

[Low-flow anesthesia: isoflurane increment kinetics as a function of the rotatory circuit volume]

OBJECTIVE

Study of the increment of isoflurane volume concentration in two rotatory circuits having different capacity during low flow narcosis.

DESIGN

Descriptive comparison of different halogenate concentration in circuits connected to two patient groups and evaluation of the significance of the observed differences.

SETTING

Surgery theatres of a district Public Hospital.

PATIENTS

16 female patients included in the same age, weight and body surface group, showing neither obstructive nor restrictive lung diseases. According to the surgical treatment used (abdominal or major gynecological surgery) the patients were then divided into two groups of 8 each.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

After opening the halogenate nebulizer, dry measurement of the isoflurane concentration detected for 30 minutes in the inspiratory and expiratory circuit segment by means of monitors at pre-determined intervals, before abdominal or major gynecological surgery. Simultaneous measurement of isoflurane uptake by means of indirect methods (heart frequency, average arterial pressure, use of muscle relaxing agents). The analysis of the measured values showed higher isoflurane concentrations and a faster percent increase in the small circuit than in the big one (resp. 0.9% vs 0.71% in the inspiratory segment and 0.59% vs 0.4% in the expiratory one, with p < 0.005 and I.C. = 99.00%).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates how the different kinetics of the isoflurane increment in the rotatory circuit is mainly related to the circuit volume. To eliminate the problems due to the "low compliance" of the small circuit (collection of toxic gases) and to the "high compliance" of the big circuit rotatory (awareness), circuits with varying volume might be introduced.

[Prophylactic use of cefotetan in gynecologic surgery]

The efficacy of prophylactic treatment with systemic antibiotics in laparotomic gynecologic surgery is well established. Lately, short-term schemes have been preferred in surgical prophylaxis for different reasons. First of all, experimental data demonstrated that the efficacy of an antibiotic is maximal when it reaches active tissue concentrations at the time of bacterial contamination. In addition with the availability of new, long-acting antibiotics, a long period of time around the operations was possibly covered. The effectiveness of a single preoperative 2 gm dose of Cefotetan was compared with a traditional treatment of 3 gm daily of Cefazolin for one week following surgery in 86 women undergoing laparotomic gynecologic surgery for benign pathology. Our results confirm that preoperative treatment with Cefotetan is able to prevent infectious disease such as 3 gm of Cefazolin per day for one week. Thus, Cefotetan can be used for this type of prophylaxis considering its broad spectrum of action and pharmacokinetic properties.

Evolution of antimicrobial prophylaxis in obstetric surgery

Problems concerning antimicrobial prophylaxis in obstetric surgery are reviewed from the first experiences with multiple-dose treatments to the new short-term prophylaxis. With the purpose to evaluate the effectiveness of a short-term scheme, a controlled population of 134 obstetric patients was treated with a double dose of 2 g i.m. of cefotetan. Clinically important infectious complications were not observed.

[Effects of low-dose oral contraceptives on sugar metabolism]

The effects on carbohydrate metabolism by four low-dose oral contraceptives were evaluated in four low-dose oral contraceptives were evaluated-66 young women randomly divided in four groups. In the various preparations there were a different dosage of estrogen (ethinylestradiol) together different doses and types of progestogen (desogestrel, gestodene, cyproterone acetate). After six months of treatment, in all groups a slight increase of glycemic and insulinemic responses during OGTT was observed; the significance was achieved with the preparation containing cyproterone acetate alone. Glycated hemoglobin did not change. Our results suggest that these new low-dose oral contraceptives induced negligible metabolic side effects.

Metabolic effects of three new low-dose pills: a six-month experience

We evaluated the effects on glucose and lipid metabolism in 57 healthy volunteers randomly assigned to one of three low-dose oral contraceptives: two monophasic (desogestrel + ethinylestradiol, EE, and cyproterone acetate + EE) and one triphasic (gestodene + EE) contraceptives. Glucose and insulin responses during OGTT were slightly affected by the cyproterone pill. The insulin area/glucose area ratio and HbA1c level were unchanged in all women. No preparation affected total and LDL-cholesterol levels. Triglycerides rose in all groups, while HDL-CH did only in women taking the two monophasic pills. The three low-dose pills assessed in this study have negligible effects on glucose and lipid metabolism.

Clinical and metabolic study of a new pill containing 20 mcg ethinylestradiol plus 0.150 mg desogestrel

The clinical and metabolic effects of a short-term treatment with a combination contraceptive pill containing 0.150 mg desogestrel and 20 mcg ethinylestradiol were evaluated in a group of 17 healthy women. In spite of the low estrogen content, the pill exerted a good cycle control and the incidence of irregular bleedings was low. The minor side effects commonly associated with oral contraceptive (OC) use rarely occurred, and an improvement of premenstrual symptoms was reported during pill intake. As for the different biochemical parameters tested, the formulation induced a significant increase of fibrinopeptide A (FPA) plasma levels. However, the resulting increase of peptide was lower than that induced by pills containing 30 mcg ethinylestradiol. No significant modifications of plasma total cholesterol (T-CH) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-CH) were observed, while triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-CH) concentrations and the HDL-CH/LDL-CH ratio significantly increased. A significant increase of apolipoproteins AI (Apo AI) and apolipoproteins AII (Apo AII) concentrations was also observed. Moreover, the pill did not alter fasting insulin and glucose levels and their response to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). It may be concluded that this new formulation can be considered acceptable for clinical use, mainly in consideration of the minor or no changes in the biochemical parameters regarded as risk factors for venous and arterial diseases.

Parathyroid function and pituitary-gonadal axis in male uremics; effects of dietary treatment and of maintenance hemodialysis

Parathyroid and pituitary-gonadal secretions were studied in 18 male uremics following a low protein diet supplemented with essential amino acids and ketoanalogues (SD), and in 8 subjects on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). SD corrected high serum PTH and low serum testosterone (sT) levels, while pituitary hormones (LH, FSH, PRL) were elevated and did not change. Patients on MHD had very high siPTH, PRL and LH levels, while sT was markedly low. These data suggest that PTH is a prominent cause of sexual dysfunction in male uremics, since SD can restore sT secretion by correcting PTH levels, without improving pituitary dysfunctions. In dialyzed patients secondary hyperparathyroidism worsens and is an important cause of low sT secretion, but also a severe hyperprolactinemia develops, which may further impair gonadal function.