[Efficacy and safety of fexofenadine and cetirizine in the treatment of allergic rhinitis]. / Eficacia y seguridad de la fexofenadina y la cetirizina en el tratamiento de la rinitis alérgica.

BACKGROUND: Allergic rhinitis affects 20 million of people in United States and a higher figure all around the world. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of fexofenadine compared with certirizine in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. MATERIAL AND METHOD: It was carried out a prospective, double blind, comparative, randomized and multicentric study in patients with allergic rhinitis, with ages between 12 and 65 years. In the first phase, placebo was administered during three days to all the patients; and then, they were randomly allocated to receive fexofenadine 120 mg or cetirizine 10 mg in one dose a day during 14 days. Laboratory and cabinet tests at the beginning and at the end were performed to value security, as well as a global evaluation of the researcher to estimate effectiveness. RESULTS: 176 patients were included, 63.6% were women, average age was 27 years (+/- 12), 47.7% received fexofenadine and 52.2%, cetirizine. There was not significant difference in parameters of effectiveness nor of security in the studied group. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study confirm the efficacy and safety of the antihistaminic fexofenadine in the treatment of allergic rhinitis.

Erythrocyte production in iron deficiency anemia.

Erythrocyte production was measured in 21 iron deficiency anemia patients after therapy with parenteral iron. The red cell mass was measured twice with 51Cr and red blood cell survival by labeling with 51Cr. In all cases, erythrocyte production increased in the 12 h following parenteral iron administration (dextran or polysaccharide-iron oxide). Production increased sharply for 3 to 6 days, remained high for 2 or 3 days and fell sharply thereafter. It is suggested that this fall is not due to a lack of available iron.

Effect of plasma freezing temperature, anticoagulant and time of storage on factor VIII:C activity in cryoprecipitate.

The influence of ACD and CPDA-1 anticoagulants, and storage time for 3 and 6 months on F VIII:C activity were compared in cryoprecipitate obtained at -70 degrees C, and -30 degrees C plasma freezing temperature. To eliminate variations in F VIII:C activity between donor plasma, the cryoprecipitation at -70 degrees C and -30 degrees C was made in paired plasma volumes (approximately 100 ml) from each blood unit. Employing ACD plasmas (n = 50), there was no significant difference in F VIII:C activity between cryoprecipitate prepared at -70 degrees C (mean = 31.1 IU/bag) and -30 degrees C (X = 30.5 IU/bag), and the storage did not modify F VIII:C activity. In contrast, in cryoprecipitate prepared from CPDA-1 plasmas (n = 31), the F VIII:C levels obtained at -30 degrees C (mean = 43.8 IU/bg) were significantly higher than those at -70 degrees C (mean = 37.3 IU/bag), but a deterioration of F VIII:C activity (about 50%) was observed after 6 months of cryoprecipitate storage. Therefore, if cryoprecipitate is stored it would be more convenient to use ACD instead of CPDA-1 and make cryoprecipitation either at -70 degrees C or -30 degrees C.

Red cell indices in normal adults residing at altitude from sea level to 2670 meters.

Hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cells (RBCs), mean cell volume (MCV), and mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were measured by a single operator in a single laboratory by means of an electronic particle counter in 942 healthy adults (491 females and 451 males) residing at five altitudes: 0, 1000, 1860, 2220, and 2670 meters above sea level. The subjects were carefully screened clinically, and subjects with low transferrin saturation (less than 15%) were excluded. In both sexes there was a differential behavior as a function of altitude, of Hb and PCV on the one hand, and number of RBCs on the other. The findings suggest the presence of two sequential mechanisms of adaptation to progressively lower atmosphere oxygen pressure: One operating from sea level to 1860 meters, which leads to a progressively increasing number of relatively microcytic RBC; and a second one -- from 1860 to 2670 meters -- in which there is an increased but constant number of progressively more normocytic RBC, so that a simplistic model of equal magnitude increases in the three parameters and is seen at 2670 meters, but not at the intermediate altitudes. The middle group's comparativity, essential to these interpretations, apparently was achieved with regard to time elapsed between sampling and testing and with regard to the people integrating the groups.

[Anemia in pregnancy: III. Hematologic data in Mexican mothers with non viable infants]. / Anemia en el embarazo. III. Datos hematológicos en parturientas mexicanas con hijos no viables.

PIP: 65 patients of gestational age 35.4 weeks, and of average age 27.7 were investigated during postpartum after delivery of stillborn babies, to measure hemoglobin, serum assay of iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), folates level, and vitamin B 12 level. Comparison with a series of 270 women in their third trimester of pregnancy showed that the first group of patients had lower mean hemoglobin level, lower serum iron level, lower TIBC, and lower serum folate level. There was no difference in transferrin saturation, and serum vitamin B 12 was higher. The percentage of anemic women was 50% versus 20% in the larger group; however, there was no difference in the prevalence of iron deficiency. There also was a direct correlation with B12 and serum folate. Further studies are needed to validate these findings.^ieng

[Anemia in pregnancy. II. Hematologic and obstetric data in pregnant women attending two Mexican institutions (author's transl)]. / Anemia en el embarazo. II. Datos hematológicos y obstétricos en embarazadas de dos instituciones mexicanas.

PIP: This work analyzes the possible causes of anemia in 2 groups of pregnant women observed in 2 different hospitals in Mexico City; 1 group of 216 patients, and another group of 121 women who were already in labor. Women in the first group were short, of low schooling, high gestation and parity, and high incidence of previous fetal losses. Women in the second group were taller, slightly better educated, but still with high gestation and parity, and high incidence of fetal lossed. Hematological data collected included hemoglobin level, packed cell volume, RBC folates, serum assay of iron, total iron binding capacity, and albumin. 23% of patients in the first group, and 17% in the 2nd. group were found to be anemic; the percentage rose to 49% and 35% respectively if patients with low hemoglobin level were also considered to be anemic. The principal finding of the study was that iron deficiency was present in 53% of cases of anemia, and that it was probably to be ascribed to nutritional deficiencies.^ieng

Nutritional anemia. VI. Fetal hepatic storage of metabolites in the second half of pregnancy.

The non-heme iron, folates, and vitamin B12 in the liver of 77 fetuses were assayed as were serum levels of these metabolites in 70 of their mothers. The findings indicate the existence of independent placental transport mechanisms, switched on and off at different stages of late gestation, and peculiar to each metabolite.