Hemodynamic changes associated with reduction in total cholesterol by treatment with the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor pravastatin.

Hemodynamic changes associated with the lowering of total cholesterol (TC) by the water-soluble HMG-COA reductase inhibitor pravastatin were investigated in 59 patients with hypercholesterolemia (TC level at least 220 mg/dl) who received pravastatin therapy for 6 months. The patients were divided into two groups according to the reduction in TC: a > or = 15% reduction group and a < 15% reduction group. The changes in hemodynamics were compared before and after pravastatin treatment. No changes in blood pressure, heart rate or aortic damping factor were found in either group. However, significant decreases in pulse wave velocity and total peripheral resistance, and increase in cardiac output were seen in the > or = 15% reduction group. All these hemodynamic parameters remained unchanged in the < 15% reduction group. The 12 patients with a clear pravastatin-induced reduction in TC maintained over a 5-year period showed no changes in blood pressure, heart rate or aortic damping factor, but the reductions in pulse wave velocity and total peripheral resistance, and increase in cardiac output were maintained. These changes in hemodynamics were not dependent on aortic elasticity, and appeared to result from improved peripheral hemodynamics. Lowering of TC levels by pravastatin results in improvement in the peripheral endothelium-dependent vasodilation disorder associated with hypercholesterolemia.

[Long-term changes in body mass index in rural inhabitants: Takasu study].

Based on community health examination data (1975-1992) of Takasu, a rural town in Hokkaido Prefecture, long-term changes in body mass index (BMI) were studied and contour maps were developed. The results were as follows: 1) A high median BMI, 23 or more, appeared in female age groups from 50's to 70's during the observation period, whereas the high median BMI appeared in male age groups 30's and 40's after 1981. 2) Median BMI in age groups 30's and 40's at the time of the initial observation increased gradually with age in both sexes.

A case of severe IgA nephropathy associated with psoriatic arthritis and idiopathic interstitial pneumonia.

A patient is described with severe IgA nephropathy associated with psoriatic arthritis, idiopathic interstitial pneumonia and brain hemorrhage that developed serially over one and a half years. The histological findings of the renal biopsy showed severe endo- and extracapillary proliferative glomerulonephritis. Massive IgA deposits were observed by immunofluorescence not only in the mesangium but also along the capillary walls. Electron microscopy revealed abundant electron-dense deposits in the mesangial and subendothelial areas. The overlapping or coexistence of these conditions has rarely been reported.

[Clinical experiences of lividomycin on respiratory tract infections (author's transl)].

Clinical effects of a newly developed aminoglycoside antibiotic lividomycin, were investigated in 13 patients suffering from respiratory infections. 1. A total of 13 patients with the following infectious diseases was treated with 1 g/day of lividomycin for 3 to 11 days (average 6.7 days): Acute pneumonia 3 cases, bronchiectasis 3 cases, acute bronchitis 5 cases, suppurative diseases of the lung 1 case, and pyothorax 1 case. As the results, the antibiotic was effective in 5 patients, moderately effective in 4 patients and ineffective in 4 patients, and thus the global effective rate was 62.9% (9/13). 2. As in the case of kanamycin, lividomycin indicated fairly good sensitivity against a total of 17 strains comprising Staphylococcus aureus (7 strains), alpha-Streptococcus (2 strains), beta-Streptococcus (3 strains), gamma-Streptococcus (1 strain), Neisseria (2 strains) and Haemophilus (2 strains) which were isolated from sputum. 3. No side effects attributable to lividomycin were observed.