Impression cytology of the conjunctival epithelium after antiglaucomatous treatment with latanoprost.

PURPOSE: To study nongoblet and goblet epithelial conjunctival cells after several treatment periods with latanoprost, a prostaglandin analogue. METHODS: Twelve patients (20 eyes) were studied before the onset of treatment and after 1, 3, and 6 months of latanoprost use. Impression cytology was carried out to analyze cellular density and morphologic parameters such as minimum and maximum diameter and area. RESULTS: Nongoblet epithelium cell density did not change over the treatment period. The density of goblet cells increased after 1 month of use, but returned to initial cell density after longer treatment periods. Nongoblet epithelial cells underwent a significant reduction in size after 1, 3, and 6 months of treatment. In addition, the minimum/maximum diameter ratio suggested that after 1 month there were some changes in shape (a slight elongation) when compared to cells of untreated patients. Nevertheless, after longer treatment periods, the cells regained their original shape. No changes in size were observed in goblet cells, except for a slight decrease in maximum diameter after 6 months of treatment, which suggests that the cells became more rounded. CONCLUSIONS: The density of nongoblet epithelial cells does not change after different treatment periods with latanoprost. However, their size decreases and after short treatment periods their shape also undergoes changes. The density of goblet cells increases after 1 month of treatment, but decreases again after longer periods. Their size does not undergo any modification, although there is a variation in shape after 6 months of treatment.

[Determination of serum ferritin: ideas for avoiding induced ferropenia in blood donors]. / Determinación de ferritina sérica: consideraciones para evitar ferropenia inducida en donantes de sangre.

PURPOSE: To evaluate blood donation as a cause of iron deficiency. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Serum ferritin levels were determined by enzymoimmunoassay with an SRItm autoanalyser in 500 blood donors of both sexes chosen at random and in 200 suitors for blood donation, used as control group. Iron deficiency was defined by ferritin values below 15 ng/dL. Age, sex, total number of blood donations and those carried out in the last year were all correlated for the statistical analysis, performed with the SPSS/PC+ pack. RESULTS: The mean ferritin value in men was 86.0 ng/dL, and in women this was 27.1 ng/dL. With respect to the control group, blood donors showed increased iron deficiency, 7.4% for men and 11.8% for women. Highly significant direct correlation was found in male donors between total donations, last-year donations and age, and between total number of donations and age in female donors; highly significant inverse correlation was found between total number of donations, last-year donations and ferritin levels among the male donors, while these correlations lacked significance in the female donors. When correlating last-year donations with mean ferritin levels in women, low, although constant, ferritin values were seen, whereas a marked descent was found in men. Iron deficiency was strikingly spread among women, ranging between 21% of those with one blood donation to 46% in those with 4 donations during the last year; in men, iron deficiency was present in 14% of those with 4 or more blood donations in the last year. With respect to total number of blood donations and mean ferritin values, iron deficiency was found in 50% of the women with 8 donations and in 12.8% of men with 14 donations. Ferritin levels decrease in blood donors with aging beyond two blood donations in both sexes. CONCLUSIONS: 1st) Iron deficiency related to blood donation is demonstrated. This deficiency is clearly seen in men after the first blood donations and is more intense in women, as their previous reserves are lower. 2nd) Ferritin is the best marker for estimating iron deposits, and enzymoimmunoassay is the technique of choice as it seems easy to perform and is automatic. 3rd) Determining ferritin levels in the first blood donation seems advisable in order to assess previous deposits and to evaluate yearly the state or iron reserves. 4th) Iron supplement is advisable during the 4 first donations in regular blood donors and in those with iron deficiency, with ferrous sulphate at a dose of 100 mg/day for 10 days.

[Echocardiographic follow-up of insulin-dependent diabetics]. / Seguimiento ecocardiográfico en diabéticos insulinodependientes.

Results of echocardiographic test made on 29 patients with Diabetes Mellitus type I, under 14 years of age, on two occasions with an average of 33 months between test are presented. Anomalies were detected in approximately 30% of patients and persisted in re-evaluations of those patients with more than three altered parameters. Decrease of septal movement, as an index of myocardial contractibility affectation, is the only parameter which increased rate with time. Authors do not find any correlation between echocardiographic anomalies and age, sex, duration of diabetes, insulin doses and glycohemoglobin values. Due to high incidence of echocardiographic anomalies detected, they recommend these test be conducted periodically on type I diabetics, even though relation between control of the illness and long-term complications still appears to be uncertain.