ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to evaluate dietary fecal tagging (FT) as a cleansing method prior to CT colonography (CTC) in patients with incomplete conventional colonoscopy (CC). After written informed consent was obtained, 24 patients had standard colonoscopic preparation (ScCl), and 25 patients had FT as cleansing method. Segmental distention, fluid levels, fecal residues, tagged appearance of fluid levels, and residual stool were evaluated. Mann-Whitney U test was used to test for significant differences between FT and ScCl groups. Compared with ScCl, FT improved distention (p=0.001), reduced the amount of fluid (p=0.043), but suffered from residual stool (p=0.046). A clear correlation was found between distention and fluid. No differences were found in stool size between FT and ScCl. FT showed a good labeling of fecal residues, and acceptable labeling of fluid levels. Compared with ScCl, FT reduces fluid, favors distention, but suffers from fecal residues. The tagged nature of these residues, however, allows differentiation from polyps.
Subject(s)
Cathartics , Colon/diagnostic imaging , Colonic Polyps/diagnostic imaging , Colonography, Computed Tomographic , Feces , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Bisacodyl , Citric Acid , Colonic Polyps/diagnosis , Colonoscopy , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Organometallic Compounds , Statistics, NonparametricABSTRACT
We report a first case of occupational allergy to chicory (Cichorium intybus) in a vegetable wholesaler. Symptoms occurred after oral, cutaneous or inhalatory exposure. The patient also reported reactions after ingestion of botanically related endive (Cichorium endivia) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa). We identified the responsible allergen by SDS-PAGE and immunoblot to be a 48-kDa protein, confined to the non-illuminated parts of the plants. No cross-reactivity was found with mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), ryegrass (Lolium perenne), and birch (Betula verrucosa) pollen, which suggests that the vegetable is the primary allergenic material.
Subject(s)
Cichorium intybus/adverse effects , Food Hypersensitivity/etiology , Hypersensitivity, Immediate/chemically induced , Occupational Exposure/adverse effects , Administration, Inhalation , Administration, Oral , Adult , Cichorium intybus/immunology , Humans , Immunoblotting , MaleABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: The efficacy and toxicity of a regimen adding ifosfamide to the more classical cisplatin-vindesine combination was studied in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Sixty-four good performance patients with inoperable stage III or stage IV were treated with VIP: vindesine 3 mg/m2 days 1 and 8, ifosfamide 1200 mg/m2 and platinum 30 mg/m2 days 1, 2 and 3, repeated every 4 weeks, up to a maximum of six cycles. Response rate, clinical data and radiological tests were rigourously reviewed by a panel. Overall response rate was 39% (95% confidence interval, 27%-51%) with three patients achieving a complete response; response rate in stage III was 48%. Median survival was 9 months. Toxicity consisted mainly of bone marrow toxicity and nausea/vomiting, but was manageable. There was no renal toxicity greater than grade 2, four severe infections, but no treatment-related deaths. CONCLUSION: VIP as mentioned above is very active in good performance patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Its activity, together with its manageable toxicity--without severe renal or pulmonary toxicity--makes it an attractive candidate for induction chemotherapy.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/drug therapy , Lung Neoplasms/drug therapy , Adenocarcinoma/drug therapy , Adult , Aged , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/adverse effects , Carcinoma, Large Cell/drug therapy , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/mortality , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/pathology , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/drug therapy , Chi-Square Distribution , Cisplatin/administration & dosage , Cisplatin/adverse effects , Cisplatin/therapeutic use , Confidence Intervals , Female , Humans , Ifosfamide/administration & dosage , Ifosfamide/adverse effects , Ifosfamide/therapeutic use , Lung Neoplasms/mortality , Lung Neoplasms/pathology , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Staging , Prospective Studies , Survival Rate , Time Factors , Vindesine/administration & dosage , Vindesine/adverse effects , Vindesine/therapeutic use , Weight LossABSTRACT
In a 31-year-old woman with a history of recurrent arterial thrombosis, both of whose pregnancies had resulted in intrauterine death at 23 and 24 weeks, a "lupus" anticoagulant was identified. The patient's IgG fraction, containing the lupus anticoagulant, reduced the release of prostacyclin (PGI2) from rat aorta rings or pregnant human myometrium. This inhibitory effect was abolished in the presence of arachidonic acid. The production of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha by cultured bovine endothelial cells was also decreased in the presence of the patient's IgG fraction. The plasma level of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha was reduced. An antibody in this patient may interfere with the production or release of PGI2 by the vessel wall, possibly by interfering with the availability of arachidonic acid. This mechanism could play a role in this patient's arterial disease and obstetric problems.
