ABSTRACT
A patient with rheumatoid arthritis and collagenous colitis apparently responding to sulfasalazine and prednisolone enemas is reported. It is suggested that this form of therapy should be considered in patients with this rare disorder not only as a short-term measure but also, in the case of sulfasalazine, as long-term treatment in patients with chronic symptoms.
Subject(s)
Colitis/drug therapy , Collagen/metabolism , Prednisolone/therapeutic use , Sulfasalazine/therapeutic use , Administration, Oral , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/complications , Colitis/pathology , Enema , Female , Humans , Microscopy, Electron , Middle Aged , Prednisolone/administration & dosage , Rectum/metabolism , Rectum/ultrastructure , Sulfasalazine/administration & dosageABSTRACT
Thirteen out of 49 patients suspected of having specific food intolerance after withdrawal and reintroduction of specific foods, were further subjected to double blind placebo controlled food challenges. Only three of these subjects were thus shown to have proven specific food intolerance. Of the remaining 10, nine were strong 'placebo reactors'. The study suggests that a small number of patients with gastrointestinal symptoms have verifiable specific food intolerance but that a greater number have symptoms attributable to psychogenic causes.
Subject(s)
Food Hypersensitivity/complications , Gastrointestinal Diseases/etiology , Adult , Double-Blind Method , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Food Hypersensitivity/diagnosis , Food Hypersensitivity/psychology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Radioallergosorbent Test , Skin TestsABSTRACT
The effect of wheat bran on zinc absorption was studied in normal volunteers using a zinc tolerance test (ZTT) and whole-body monitor to measure the 7-day percentage retention of 65zinc (65Zn). Twenty-three subjects (age 21-26 years) were randomized into three groups. All were given 5 microCi of 65Zn orally in a 10 ml solution of zinc sulphate which contained 15 mg of elemental zinc. In addition, Group A were given 20 g wheat bran, Group B 20 g Rice Krispies (a low-fibre food) and Group C had zinc alone. The differences between the retention of 65Zn in the three groups were all statistically significant (A vs B P less than 0.005; B vs C and A vs C P less than 0.001). Similarly the differences in the areas under the ZTT curves in the three groups were all statistically significant (A vs B P less than 0.005; B vs C and A vs C P less than 0.001). We conclude that wheat bran leads to a significant reduction in zinc absorption which could eventually induce a state of zinc deficiency.
Subject(s)
Dietary Fiber , Sulfates/metabolism , Triticum , Zinc/metabolism , Adult , Dietary Fiber/adverse effects , Dietary Fiber/analysis , Edible Grain/adverse effects , Edible Grain/analysis , Humans , Intestinal Absorption , Malabsorption Syndromes/etiology , Male , Random Allocation , Triticum/adverse effects , Zinc/deficiency , Zinc SulfateABSTRACT
The effects of different types of adrenoreceptor blocking agents on portal venous pressure were studied in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Oral atenolol (selective beta 1 blocker), propranolol (non-selective beta 1 and beta 2 blocker), and prazosin (alpha blocker) were compared in three groups of eight patients. Haemodynamic measurements were made before and after two or three and eight weeks of therapy. The dose of beta blockers was sufficient to reduce the exercise heart rate by more than 25%. Propranolol and prazosin produced a sustained reduction in the mean portohepatic venous pressure gradient of the order of 25% and 18% respectively. The cardiac index was significantly reduced by propranolol but not altered by prazosin. Atenolol produced an early reduction in portohepatic venous pressure which, although not sustained, showed a good correlation with reduction in cardiac index. No such relationship was found with propranolol. All three drugs were well tolerated by these patients with advanced cirrhosis. Therefore propranolol and prazosin have proved to be effective agents for the reduction of portal venous pressure.
