Effect of X-irradiation in rats bearing Walker-256-carcinosarcoma and normal rats -Changes in serum proteins-

Serum protein fractions and total proteins were studied with bloods obtained form the rats exposed each to the partial-, whole-bodies and the transplanted tumors (Walker-256-carcinosarcoma transplanted in the right hind leg). The following results were obtained. 1. The electrophoretic variation induced in the sera of tumor-bearing rats (Group Ⅱ), and the content of total proteins decreased. Early irradiation to the tumor part of rats less induced the variations of the electrophoretic pattern and the decrease of the amount of serum total proteins. When the distant metastasis appeared during irradiation treatment, the electrophoretic patterns and content of total proteins changed proportionally to the variation in sera of Group Ⅱ. On the other hand, the γ-globulin fraction increased in the long-term survival rat. 2. The separation of the rat serum β-globulin into two peaks of β(1)-and β(2)-globulin was shown only in Group Ⅳ (late irradiation to the right hind leg). This finding supposed that some factors involve in the sera of rats with transplanted primary tumor grown up to a fixed size and guessed the appearance of the distant metastasis during X-irradiation. 3. The percentages of the albumin and γ-globulin decreased slightly and those of the α(1)-, α(2)and β-globulin increased slightly in the rats with 300 rad partial-body (the right hind leg) X irradiation daily for 20 days. 4. The remarkable decrease of the albumin and γ-globulin, the increase of the α(1) and β-globulin, the marked increase of the α(2)-globulin and the decrease of serum total proteins were demonstrated for the sera of rats with 1,000 rad whole-body X-irradiation at a time. These phenomena seem to be related to the destructive and reticuloendothelial injury by the exposure

Effect of X-irradiation in rats bearing Walker-256-carcinosarcoma and normal rats Part I. Changes in seromucoid values in tumor-bearing and normal rats after X-irradiation

In rats given implants of Walker tumor a sizeable increase in tumor mass has been shown to precede significant increases in the seromucoid values. Early irradiation to the tumor has prolonged the survival days, and then seromucoid values have remained within the normal limits. After the occurrence of metastatic growth, irradiation to the primary tumor has repressed the tumor growth but the seromucoid has increased significantly. If distant metastasis has occurred, the seromucoid values increase significantly. Therefore the usefulness of the seromucoid value in assessing the occurrence of metastatic growth is shown. The seromucoid values in rats given 300 rad partial body (the right hind leg) irradiation daily for 20 days have been within the normal limits. However, the seromucoid values in rats given 1,000 rad whole body irradiation at a time have gradually increased up to the 3rd day, and markedly increased in the 5th day after irradiation. The seromucoid values on the 5th day after irradiation were about 6.4 times as much as those of normal rats

Clinical observation on serum seromucoid in patients with malignant neoplasm -Relationship between serum seromucoid values in patients with cancer of the lung or cervix and with treatment for cancer

Serum seromucoid values were measured in 30 controls, 21 patients with cancer of the lung and 30 patients with cancer of the cervix. The following results were obtained. 1) The values of serum seromucoid in patients with cancer of the lung were related to the severity of the clinical lesion. But in the cases (66.7%) with localized lesion the seromucoid values were unchanged from normal, so in these cases the measurement of serum seromucoid values is little useful as a diagnostic tool. On the other hand, change of serum seromucoid values was almost reflected to the enlargement or reduction of carcinoma. Therefore, the measurement of serum seromucoid value may be a useful index of monitoring the effectiveness of its treatment and assessing the recurrence or relapse of carcinoma. Serum seromucoid was remarkably increased just before the death. 2) In patients with cancer of the cervix, the normal seromucoid value was over half of the number. Therefore, the measurement of serum seromucoid value may be little useful for the diagnosis of cancer of the cervix. Change of serum seromucoid values was reflected to the reduction or disappearance of carcinoma by its treatment, and is possibly reflected to the infiltration to the adjacent organs or the survival of carcinoma. 3) In patients with cancer of the lung or cervix, relationship between serum seromucoid value and blood sedimentation rate or α1-globulin content was more correlated in patients with cancer of the lung than in patients with cancer of the cervix. 4) In patients with cancer of the lung or cervix, the value of serum seromucoid was related to its clinical stage. Particularly, there was the significant rank correlation between primary tumor size and serum seromucoid value. If the occurrence of distant metastasis was in patients with cancer of the lung, these serum values showed a tendency to be higher than values of patients with no distant metastasis. 5) In patients with cancer of the lung, when the quotient of serum seromucoid (value after radiotherapy/before radiotherapy) is below 1.0 and its serum value shows abnormally high value just after radiotherapy, or when the quotient is above 1.0, the prognosis of the patients is as if poor. 6) In cases with cancer of the cervix with no complications of other disorders, when the quotient of serum seromucoid is below 1.0 and its serum value is abnormally high just after radiotherapy, or when the quotient is above 1.0, any optimism of the prognosis of the patients may not be warranted

Osteopetrosis A case presentation

Osteopetrosis (Albers-Schonberg's disease, marble bones) is a rare disease characterized by generalized increased density of the skeleton. A case showing typical roentgenological findings of the disease is presented and following a brief review of the literature, the roentgenographic characteristics are discussed

SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF ROSUVASTATIN FOR HYPERLIPIDEMIA IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE (CKD) STAGE 3 AND ABOVE

The frequency of hypertriglyceridemia is high in CKD patients, but few medications are available for controlling this lipid parameter when renal insufficiency advances. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of long-term treatment with rosuvastatin, one of the strong statins for hypercholesterolemic control, on lipid abnormalities in patients with CKD stage 3 and above. The protocol consisted of a 4-week run-in period and a 48-week treatment phase with rosuvastatin. Inclusion criteria were CKD stage 3 and above with serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels above 100mg/dL and triglyceride levels above 150mg/dL. Patients received 2.5 to 5.0mg rosuvastatin daily. Lipid parameters and myolysis-related indicators were measured. Forty-nine patients (29 men and 20 women aged 61 ± 9 years, serum creatinine levels above 1.5mg/dL) were enrolled in the study. Rosuvastatin significantly decreased (P〈0.05) serum LDL cholesterol from 163 ± 39 to 126 ± 31 mg/dL and apolipoprotein B from 151 ± 36 to 108 ± 24mg/dL at 4 weeks and maintained these parameters at low levels. Rosuvastatin also significantly decreased (P = 0.001) serum triglyceride levels from 194 ± 43mg/dL at baseline to 160 ± 51mg/dL at 48 weeks. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentrations did not change from baseline (56 ± 16mg/dL) to 48 weeks of treatment (57 ± 17mg/dL). However, LDL/HDL ratio decreased significantly (P = 0.036) from 3.4 ± 0.7 to 2.2 ± 0.9, which approached the target level (2.0). During the rosuvastatin treatment period, serum creatine kinase, aldolase, and myoglobin concentrations did not change. In conclusion, rosuvastatin treatment improved serum triglyceride level as well as the LDL/HDL ratio in hyperlipidemic patients with CKD stage 3 and above, without serious adverse effects, suggesting that rosuvastatin is useful to control not only hypercholesterolemia but also hypertriglyceridemia in CKD patients

EFFECT OF SARPOGRELATE ON FISTULA PATENCY OF FOREARM ARTERIOVENOUS ANASTOMISIS IN UREMIC PATIENTS

Subcutaneous arteriovenous fistula in the forearm is a common vascular access for hemodialysis. However, primary failure of native fistula occurs because of either thrombosis formation within the first several weeks after surgery or immature vein dilatation. To evaluate the effect of platelet inhibition on fistula thrombosis and maturation failure, we used an antiplatelet agent, sarpogrelate hydrochloride, in our study. The study was designed as an open-label, parallel, prospective, randomized study for 8 weeks, comparing patients receiving sarpogrelate 300 mg/day (sarpogrelate group, n=33) with controls receiving no medication (n=46). The primary outcome was fistula patency failure determined by pulse Doppler ultrasound examination of the arteriovenous fistula performed 8 weeks after surgery. Pulse wave velocity was also measured to determine the ankle brachial pressure index (ABI). The drug was well-tolerated and did not increase bleeding events during the 8-week study period. In the sarpogrelate group, patency failure occurred in 1 of 33 patients (3.0%), and the occlusion rate was significantly lower (P=0.001) than that in the control group (3 of 46 patients; 6.5%). Average blood flow rate in the sarpogrelate group was 546±174 mL/min, and was significantly higher (P=0.036) than 448±183 mL/min in the control group. However, the diameter of the shunt vessel in the sarpogrelate group was 5.2±1.3 mm, which was not different from 5.1±0.6 mm in the control group. The Vmax was not significantly different between two groups (1.01±0.56 m/sec in the sarpogrelate group and 0.89±0.66 m/sec in the control group). In all patients (n=79), blood flow correlated with ABI (r=0.34, P=0.045). Our results suggest that sarpogrelate reduces the frequency of fistula patency failure. Sarpogrelate may maintain fistula patency, which is necessary for hemodialysis, by increasing ABI

Two Cases of Crohn's Disease

We encountered a 24-year old female with a swelling and severe pain in the hypogastric region as her main complaints and another 32-year old male with hypogastric pain persisting for several years as main complaint. On the x-ray examinations of the gastrointestinal tract of these two cases, both of them were suspected of Crohns disease, and they were subjected to surgical operation. As to a result of pathohistological examinations they were definitively diagnosed as case of Crohns disease. As to the definition of Crohns disease opinions differ even today, but we presented of our findings on these two cases as well as our review on the x-ray pictures on Crohns disease available in the literature