[Immune status of pregnant patients especially in possible premature labor]. / Untersuchung zur Immunitätslage Schwangerer insbesondere beim Vorliegen einer Frühgeburtsymptomatik.

In this study it could be shown that pregnant women having a normal course of pregnancy had significantly higher levels of T-lymphocytes and T-helper cells compared with non-pregnant women. Also other parameters belonging to cellular immune defence showed a similar--in the sense of an improved immune function--trend (even though this was not statistically significant). In pregnant women with symptoms of threatened prematurity significantly lower levels for lymphocytes. T-lymphocytes and T-helper cells were measured than in women who had a normal course of pregnancy. The ratio was also clearly reduced--in those cases where later preterm labour did actually occur it was particularly low at 1.1. In the group of pregnant women with premature labor the number of those who found the situation "very stressful" amounted to 65% and in the group whose course of pregnancy was normal, the percentage was 26%. The results of this study point to the fact that in pregnant women with premature labor the immune function is often impaired and it can be assumed that this provides favourable conditions for ascending infections which then cause a higher risk of prematurity. Further studies should be made concerning the causal connections which we have postulated between physical and psychological overstrains and impairment of the immune function.

[Aggregation inhibiting and anticoagulant effects of oligoamines. 13. Improvement in the storage of whole blood and erythrocyte suspensions with oligoamines]. / Antiaggregatorische und anticoagulante Eigenschaften von Oligoaminen, 13.Mitt.: Verbesserung der Lagerfähigkeit von Vollblut und Erythrocytensuspensionen durch Oligoamine.

The impairment of the functions of red blood cells or their destruction during storage can be delayed or even inhibited by oligoamines especially RE 1492 (N,N',N''-Tris-(4-phenylbutyl)benzene-1,3,5-trimethanamine). When citrated whole blood (WB) is stored at 4 degrees C for 7 d half of the red blood cells (RBC) have lost their ability to form rouleaux. Addition of 100 mumols/L RE 1492 maintains 50% reaggregability up to day 28th of storage. When citrated WB is stored at 37 degrees C the reaggregability has declined to 40 percent after 10 h. With 100 mumols/L RE 1492 no reduction of this property is observed up to 48 h. These results are correlated with the maintainance of the discocyte form of RBC and a persistent filtrability of RBC suspensions through a 5 microns microporous membrane. With 100 mumols/L RE 1492 only one fifth of the haemolysis of untreated WB occurs. The efflux of potassium ions from RBC into the blood plasma during a 72 h storage is bisected by RE 1492. The binding of oxygen to RBC remains unchanged.

Beta-receptor blockade, physical activity, and metabolism.

The adaptation processes under physical activity are regulated through an increase in the sympathetic impulse, whereby the circulation adaptation is mediated specifically by way of beta1-receptors and the energy supply predominantly by way of beta2-receptors. The maximum performance capacity, therefore, is restricted through every form of beta-blockade. However, it follows from the receptor pattern that the mixed beta1/beta2-blockade exhibits a substantially clearer effect. For everyday performance, the predominant beta1-selective blockade represents practically no handicap. The special advantages of beta1-selective-compared to nonselective-blockade are discussed. Beta1-blockers practically do not affect glycogenolysis. Under beta1/beta2-blockers, hypoglycemia could reactively lead to reflective pressure increases and bradycardia through epinephrine release. Beta1-blockers additionally influence the cellular potassium homeostasis to a substantially lower extent. Under nonselective blockers, a distinct increase in the serum potassium and a retardation of the reuptake in the cells are observed. Also, lipolysis is strongly negatively influenced under nonselective blockers. Especially for atherogenesis, the important high-density lipoprotein cholesterol is negatively influenced under nonselective blockers in contrast to selective ones. Under these aspects, results are demonstrated that were obtained in 16 hypertensive patients treated with bisoprolol. In conclusion, beta1-selective blockers are largely "metabolically neutral" and are therefore to be preferred.