Plasma volume and protein content in progressive exercise: influence of cyclooxygenase inhibitors.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory compounds such as ibuprofen and naproxen reduce volume loss in sheep following injection of endotoxin. We investigated whether these drugs would change the course of plasma volume reduction during progressive exercise on a cycle ergometer. Subjects [15 males; age (mean +/- SD), 26.3 +/- 8.3 yr; height, 180.3 +/- 4.5 cm; weight, 76.8 +/- 8.0 kg; peak VO2, 3.8 +/- 0.6 l.min-1] exercised for 5 min at 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70% of peak VO2 with and without a 24-h pre-treatment with either ibuprofen or naproxen. The two tests for each subject were done a week apart. Blood samples were drawn before and after each exercise level. Based on blood analysis, cyclooxygenase inhibitors significantly altered the retention of protein within the vascular volume during exercise. That is, the degree of concentration of protein per unit of plasma volume loss during exercise was less with drug treatment. In spite of this, ibuprofen and naproxen did not influence fluid shifts during exercise. Use of cyclooxygenase inhibitors probably increased the permeability of vascular endothelium to large molecules, which was only evident when hydrostatic and osmotic events in muscle capillaries caused an increase in bulk flow across the capillary walls.

Solitary plasmacytoma.

A retrospective review is presented of nine patients presenting with solitary plasmacytoma. Between 1963 and 1980, these patients were treated with radiation at the Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Louisville. Criteria for admission to this particular study include (1) a solitary focus of plasmacytoma proven by biopsy, (2) normal bone marrow findings (less than 10% plasma cells), and (3) no evidence of disseminated disease. In six patients the primary site was osseous, and in three extramedullary, two of which were located in the nasopharynx and nasal cavity and the third in the stomach. All of the extramedullary plasmacytomas are disease free for periods ranging from 4 to 10 years. Of the six patients with osseous lesions, two developed multiple myeloma in 2 and 3 years, two are NED (No Evidence of Disorder) after 9 years, one died of intercurrent disease, and the remaining patient was NED for 2 years, after which he was lost to follow-up. These results suggest the more favorable prognosis of extramedullary plasmacytoma and support the theory that the solitary plasmacytoma of bone and extramedullary plasmacytoma are distinct disease entities.