Evaluation of colour vision impairment during acute hypobaric hypoxia in aviation medicine: a randomized controlled trial.

The digitization of aircraft cockpits places high demands on the colour vision of pilots. The present study investigates colour vision changes upon acute exposure to hypobaric hypoxia. The digital Waggoner Computerized Color Vision Test and the Waggoner D-15 were performed by 54 healthy volunteers in a decompression chamber. Respective altitude levels were sea level, 10,000 or 15,000 ft for exposure periods of 15 and 60 min, respectively. As for 60 min of exposure a significant decrease in colour perception was found between subjects at 15,000 ft as compared to the control group as well as between subjects at 15,000 ft as compared to subjects at 10,000 ft. No significant difference was found in the comparison within the 15,000 ft groups across time points pre-, peri-, and post-exposure. Thus, pilots appear to experience only minor colour vision impairment up to an exposure altitude of 15,000 ft over 60 min of exposure.

[A therapeutic comparison between hemodilution and pentoxifylline in arterial obstructive disease. An objective assessment by quantitative Doppler sonography]. / Therapievergleich zwischen Hämodilution und Pentoxifyllin bei arterieller Verschlusskrankheit. Objektivierung durch quantitative Dopplersonographie.

The effects of a five-week course of haemodilution or pentoxifylline were compared in two matched groups of 10 patients each (18 men, 2 women; mean age 63 [47-77] years) with peripheral vascular disease of the legs, using clinical findings and Doppler ultrasound measurements as the criteria. Ten patients (group I) had six venesections of 400 ml each followed by the injection of 500 ml low-molecular dextran (10%), while the other ten (group II) received 400 mg pentoxifylline four times daily by mouth after initial intravenous loading. Pain-free and maximal walking distance increased in group I by 139 and 598 m, respectively (P less than 0.01), and by 155 (P less than 0.01) and 191 m in group II. The greater increase in maximal walking distance in group I was significant as calculated by regression analysis (P less than 0.05). Only in group I was there a significant prestenotic maximal and effective increase in blood flow velocity (by 66%: P less than 0.001 and 68%: P less than 0.05, respectively), while the poststenotic effective velocity also increased significantly by 66% (P less than 0.01). There was no significant change in group II patients.

[Physical activity in the prevention of arteriosclerosis]. / Körperliche Aktivität in der Prophylaxe der Arteriosklerose.

Epidemiological investigations show that morbidity rate and severity of coronary sclerosis seem to decrease in regular physical activity. The influence of regular physical activity on coronary factors of risk, such as hypertension, fat parameters, glucose tolerance, and uric acid is summarized with the help of literary data. An essential intermediary role seems to belong to the height of the insulin levels in the metabolic factors of risk. The result of own investigations was that by training basic and stimulated insulin secretion clearly diminish. Apart from this, during physical load particularly an increased rate of lipolysis is reduced during physical load. Together with a decrease of lipogenesis the two factors might play an essential role in the prevention of coronary sclerosis by regular physical activity.

Diminished insulin response in highly trained athletes.

Insulin secretion and glucose tolerance were examined in 6 highly conditioned athletes in comparison with a control group of 115 normal healthy persons. During glucose infusion the athletes showed low insulin secretion although there was no difference in the levels of blood glucose compared to the control group. It is concluded that under physiologic conditions the extent of insulin secretion is not dependent only upon the blood glucose levels. The results show that a lack of insulin response can occur as a consequence of adaption to physical training. A reduced insulin response, therefore, does not necessarily indicate a diabetic or prediabetic state.

[Behavior of the lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in patients with hypertriglyceridemia during exertion]. / Verhalten des Fett- und Kohlenhydratstoffwechsels bei Patienten mit Hypertriglyzeridämie unter körperlicher Belastung.

In pateints with hypertriglyceridaemia in rest and during ergometer load an increased rate of lipolysis with increased metabolism of free fatty acids could be proved. This led to a disturbance of the glucose tolerance with hyperinsulinism and during muscle work to a limitation of the capacity of the oxidative glucose metabolism in musculature.

[The effect of physical training on lipid parameters in the blood]. / Einfluss des körperlichen Trainings auf Fettparameter im Blut.

Physical training leads to an improved metabolic capacity of musculature. At the same time through a decreased liberation of catecholamines a reduction of the increased lipolysis develops. The two factors together condition an improved glucose tolerance and a decrease of the reactive insulin secretion. Thus, among others, the synthesis of triglycerides is reduced and an essential factor of risk is favourably influenced for the development of arteriosclerosis.

[Significance of clinical and functional diagnostic findings for the physical rehabilitation ability of the patients with heart infarct]. / Die Bedeutung klinischer und funktionsdiagnostischer Befunde für die körperliche Rehabillitationsfähigkeit von Herzinfarktpatienten

In 75 patients with condition after myocardial infarction or chronic ischaemic heart disease, respectively, was tested to what extent from clinical and functional-diagnostic findings prognostic estimations concerning the regaining of a cardiocirculatory functional capacity corresponding to age are possible by a complex rehabilitation programme. A daily ergometer training lasting eight weeks which was individually dosed was in the centre of rehabilitation. It was shown that from the findings of ergometry with permanent ECG-registration the effect of rehabilitation, as a rule, can be predicted.

[Secretion of insulin and disorders in fatty acid metabolism in diabetic patients with coronary heart diseases]. / Insulinsekretion und Fettstoffwechselstörungen bei Diabetikern mit koronarer Herzerkrankung

The behaviour of the blood glucose, the insulin secretion, the free fatty acids, of glycerol and of the triglycerides after glucose tolerance test was examined in 66 patients with condition after myocardial infarction. 16 of the 34 patients loaded with an oral glucose tolerance test and 25 of the 31 patients loaded with an intravenous glucose infusion test showed disturbances of the glucose tolerance. The insulin secretion was significantly different neither in normal nor disturbed or lying in the borderline region glucose tolerance. With increasing glycerol values a significant deterioration of the glucose tolerance developed. The triglyceride values in the plasma increased with increasing insulin secretion. The results seem to be important with regard to the pathogenetic relations between the carbohydrate and fat metabolism and might be fo importance also for a differentiated therapy.