Identification of harmful drinking in subjects who have had their driving license suspended due to alcohol use: a retrospective Italian study.

OBJECTIVE: Early identification of Harmful Drinking (HD) is difficult, and underestimated. The aim of our retrospective study was to investigate the presence of HD in a population of subjects who had their driving license suspended due to driving under the influence of alcohol. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively recruited 979 subjects. During the first appointment (T0), clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients were evaluated, and the AUDIT questionnaire was administered. Two groups were then defined: Harmful Drinking (HD) and non-HD, and all subjects underwent a brief interview for 5-10 minutes before being assigned to a group. RESULTS: 95.9% of our sample were identified as non-HD, whereas 4.1% of them were HD; twenty-one (2.1%) of the HD underwent a control appointment (T1), and 17 (1.7%) of them were diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD); there was a statistically significant reduction in mean daily alcohol intake (p<0.009), and in the mean values of the blood markers of HD between T0 and T1 in HD. CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows that 4.1%, and 1.7% of subjects presented a diagnosis of HD and AUD, respectively, and their entry in a protocol of drinking monitoring proved beneficial in reducing alcohol intake. Thus, the implementation of strict surveillance of subjects found driving under the influence of alcohol involving a network of professional figures (from police forces to specialists in alcohol addiction treatment) may help to detect and to treat subjects with HD and AUD, and to monitor their alcohol use over time.

The course of inflammatory bowel disease during pregnancy and postpartum: a prospective European ECCO-EpiCom Study of 209 pregnant women.

BACKGROUND: The impact of pregnancy on the course of IBD is still controversial. AIM: To investigate the impact of pregnancy on IBD and to search for factors with potential impact on remission. METHODS: Pregnant IBD women from 12 European countries were enrolled between January 2003 and December 2006 and compared at conception (1:1) with nonpregnant IBD women. Data on disease course were prospectively collected at each trimester during pregnancy and in the postpartum (6 months) using a standardised questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 209 pregnant IBD women were included: 92 with Crohn's disease (CD; median age 31 years, range 17-40) and 117 with ulcerative colitis (UC; median age 32 years, range 19-42). No statistically significant difference in disease course during pregnancy and postpartum was observed between pregnant and nonpregnant CD women. Longer disease duration in CD and immunosuppressive therapy were found to be risk factors for activity during pregnancy. Pregnant UC women were more likely than nonpregnant UC women to relapse both during pregnancy (RR 2.19; 95% CI: 1.25-3.97, 0.004) and postpartum (RR 6.22; 95% CI: 2.05-79.3, P = 0.0004). During pregnancy, relapse was mainly observed in the first (RR 8.80; 95% CI 2.05-79.3, P < 0.0004) and the second trimester (RR 2.84, 95% CI 1.2-7.45, P = 0.0098). CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant women with Crohn's disease had a similar disease course both during pregnancy and after delivery as the nonpregnant women. In contrast, pregnant women with ulcerative colitis were at higher risk of relapse during pregnancy and in the postpartum than nonpregnant ulcerative colitis women.

Incidence of craving for and abuse of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) in different populations of treated alcoholics: an open comparative study.

Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a drug currently used for the treatment of alcohol dependence. The aim of our study was to investigate the incidence of craving for and abuse of GHB in 47 patients enrolled and divided into four groups: group A (pure alcoholics), group B (alcoholics with a sustained full remission from cocaine dependence), group C (alcoholics with a sustained full remission from heroin dependence) and group D (alcoholics in a methadone maintenance treatment [MMT] programme). All patients were treated with an oral dose of GHB (50 mg/kg of body weight t.i.d.) for three months. Craving for GHB was statistically significant higher in group B than in group A (P < 0.001), C (P = 0.01) and D (P < 0.001), and in group C than in group D (P < 0.05). Abuse of GHB proved to be statistically significant higher in group B than in group A (P < 0.001) and D (P < 0.01), and in group C than in group A (P = 0.01) and D (P < 0.05). Thus, the administration of GHB in alcoholics with a sustained full remission from heroin or cocaine dependence is not recommended; however, this should not discourage physicians from using GHB for the treatment of pure alcoholics or alcohol dependents following a MMT.

Increased risk of breast cancer in first-degree relatives of Crohn's disease patients. An IG-IBD study.

BACKGROUND: Increased rates of colorectal cancer have been reported in patients with ulcerative colitis as well as with Crohn's colitis. This risk could be the result of shared genetic susceptibility and could be co-inherited rather than being just secondary to a long-standing, extensive mucosal inflammation. AIM: To assess the prevalence of all malignancies in first-degree relatives of Crohn's disease patients in order to establish whether any association exists. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 632 outpatients with a diagnosis of Crohn's disease and 632 control subjects were recruited. Information concerning the presence of malignancies was collected in 3,292 first-degree relatives of Crohn's disease patients and in 3,303 first-degree relatives of controls. RESULTS: Two hundred and fourteen (6.5%) subjects were found to be affected by malignancy in the first-degree relatives of Crohn's disease patients and 180 (5.5%) in the first-degree relatives of controls. Forty-seven (7.4%) of Crohn's disease patients had a first-degree relative with IBD, but none of them had cancer. The frequency of extra-intestinal malignancies was higher in first-degree relatives of Crohn's disease patients than in those of controls (p=0.011). Frequency of breast cancer in female relatives of Crohn's disease patients, mainly in mothers, was two-fold higher than that in controls (0.91% versus 0.42%; odds ratio=2.16; 95% confidence interval=1.14-4.08; p=0.015). The presence of breast cancer showed no association with any specific phenotype of disease in Crohn's patients. CONCLUSIONS: These results did not corroborate the hypothesis about a common genetic susceptibility between Crohn's disease and colorectal cancer. An unexpected finding was the more frequent occurrence of extra-digestive malignancies. The prevalence of breast cancer in first-degree relatives of Crohn's disease patients, in particular the mothers, was more than double than in those of controls. This association, if confirmed, would suggest that there may exist common genetic and/or environmental factors for Crohn's disease and breast cancer.

Nutritional state and energy balance in cirrhotic patients with or without hypermetabolism. Multicentre prospective study by the 'Nutritional Problems in Gastroenterology' Section of the Italian Society of Gastroenterology (SIGE).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: A total of 334 stable, compensated cirrhotic patients admitted to 10 Italian Gastroenterology Units were included in a prospective study to evaluate nutritional state and energy balance in liver cirrhosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nutritional state and calorie intake were examined in the total population, while adequacy of calorie intake versus measured total energy expenditure was evaluated in a comparable subpopulation and in 40 matched controls, by computing the energy balance. RESULTS: Our data demonstrated that: (i) malnutrition was present in 25% of the total patients and significantly correlated with the Child's group (A=16%; B=25%; C=44%); (ii) the type of malnutrition is influenced by mBEE: normometabolic patients exhibit a significant (p<0.005) reduction of mid-arm fat area while both hypermetabolic and hypometabolic patients show a significant (p<0.005) decline in kg of free fat mass; (iii) normometabolic and hypometabolic patients have a negative energy balance, due to a high level of physical activity (127+/-14 kJ) in the first group and a reduced energy intake/kg body weight (102+/-12 kJ) in the second; (iv) hypermetabolic patients have a positive energy balance due to decreased daily physical activity/kg body weight (108+/-28 kJ); (v) malnourished and normometabolic patients eat a significantly (p<0.05) reduced percentage of protein whereas malnourished and hypermetabolic patients eat a significantly increased percentage of fat (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Although multivariate regression analysis confirms that the Child-Pugh's score is a better independent predictor of malnutrition, the measure of REE, TEE, calorie intake and energy balance need to be routinely performed in cirrhotic patients, in order to recognise hypermetabolic and hypometabolic patients (approximately 30%) in whom the nutritional and metabolic parameters are indispensable as a basis for designing and prescribing personalised nutritional strategies that can treat muscle malnutrition and thus improve the morbidity and mortality rates.

Impaired tuftsin activity in cirrhosis: relationship with splenic function and clinical outcome.

BACKGROUND: Cirrhotic patients show increased susceptibility to bacterial infections. It is not known whether tuftsin deficiency, which is associated with an increased incidence of infections in many disease states, is present in cirrhosis. Our aims were to determine whether tuftsin activity is deficient in cirrhosis and if so, whether this deficiency is related to splenic function, contributes to altered neutrophil granulocyte function, or influences the occurrence of bacterial infections and patient survival. METHODS: Tuftsin activity and splenic function were assessed in 31 patients with liver cirrhosis and 31 healthy subjects. The phagocytic activity of neutrophil granulocytes from 23 patients was tested in vitro with addition of both autologous and pooled sera from healthy subjects. In 10 patients and eight controls it was also tested with addition of synthetic tuftsin. Patients were followed up until death or liver transplantation. RESULTS: Patients had reduced tuftsin activity (median 8% (range 3-24.5)) compared with controls (17% (11.5-37)) (p<0.001) and a higher pitted red cell count (p<0.001). Tuftsin activity was correlated with pitted cell count (p=0.02) and the Child-Pugh score (p=0.002). Nineteen of 23 patients showed deficient phagocytic activity of neutrophil granulocytes, which was correlated with tuftsin activity (p<0.001), improved in all cases but one with addition of serum from healthy subjects, and normalised with addition of synthetic tuftsin. Reduced tuftsin activity did not influence patient survival but was associated with a higher incidence of bacterial infections (p=0.029). COMMENT: Tuftsin activity was reduced in cirrhosis, and contributed to impaired phagocytic activity of neutrophil granulocytes. Such an abnormality appears to be related to impaired splenic function and severity of cirrhosis, and probably favours the occurrence of bacterial infections.

[Pseudothrombocytopenia: clinical comment on 37 cases]. / Pseudopiastrinopenia. Considerazioni cliniche su 37 casi.

BACKGROUND: Pseudothrombocytopenia (PTCP) is characterized by in vitro EDTA-, pH-, temperature- and time-dependent clumping which gives rise to spurious piastrinopenia at platelet count in automatized analyzers. It is caused by serum immunoglobulins recognizing some cryptoantigens on the platelet surface membrane. Aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of PTCP in a series of patients and its clinical significance. METHODS: From all the inpatients, in Internal Medicine Division, during 29 months, we have considered as PTCP the thrombocytopenias persistent in EDTA and contemporaneously, missing with ACD at the automatized counter, after microscopic examination. Then we estimated: PTCP rate in regard to all patients, sex, age and morbid associations both in PTCP group and in all patients. These frequences were compared with the chi-square test. RESULTS: 37 cases of PTCP are observed from a cohort of 2922 inpatients (1.26%): 23 were males, 17 females; median age was 73.7+/-11.2. The frequency of the following associations was significantly higher in the PTCP group: solid tumors in 9/37 (24.3%), myelo- and lymphoproliferative syndromes in 7/37 (18.9%), autoimmune disease in 4/37 (10.8%). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that PTCP is one of the more frequent thrombocytopenias: it is important to identify it, to avoid clinical and therapeutic mistakes. Moreover PTCP, in our study, is often correlated with important diseases. We can conclude that in hospitalized old patients, PTCP could represent a signal to search more severe illnesses.

A reassessment of splenic hypofunction in celiac disease.

OBJECTIVES: Because there is controversy regarding the prevalence, familial occurrence, and possible factors inducing splenic hypofunction in celiac disease, we have reassessed them in a large series of untreated patients and their first-degree relatives. METHODS: Pitted red cell counting was used to measure splenic function and the effect that age at diagnosis has on it, while severity of intestinal lesions and nutritional status were estimated by multiple linear regression analysis. Moreover, serum tuftsin activity was assayed by measuring its ability to stimulate phagocytosis of opsonized Staphylococcus aureus. RESULTS: We found that 32.8% of untreated celiacs and none of their relatives had pitted red cell values in the range of splenic hypofunction (>4%). Only age at diagnosis, but not the other two covariates, was significantly associated with the degree of splenic hypofunction. Tuftsin activity was depressed in celiac disease and this reduction was significantly greater in hyposplenic patients. CONCLUSIONS: In celiac disease the prevalence of splenic hypofunction is lower than formerly believed. The duration of preexposure to gluten is a crucial factor for the prevalence and severity of this complication that does not affect celiac relatives. In celiac disease splenic hypofunction is accompanied by a reduced phagocyte activity linked to the decreased release of tuftsin.

Impaired splenic function and tuftsin deficiency in patients with intestinal failure on long term intravenous nutrition.

BACKGROUND: Reticuloendothelial system function is impaired in humans receiving lipid regimens. AIMS: To evaluate the effects of long term administration of long chain triglyceride emulsions on reticuloendothelial system function. METHODS: Splenic function and tuftsin activity were measured in 20 patients on intravenous nutrition for intestinal failure, 20 patients with Crohn's disease who were not receiving intravenous nutrition, and 50 healthy controls. RESULTS: Pitted red cells counts in patients on intravenous nutrition (8.0%) were significantly higher (p<0.001) than in healthy controls (0.6%) and in patients with Crohn's disease (0.9%). No difference was found between healthy controls and patients with Crohn's disease. There was a correlation (r=0.50; p<0.03) between percentage of pitted red cells and duration of intravenous nutrition. Tuftsin activity was significantly reduced in the intravenous nutrition patient group (6%) compared with both disease controls (16.5%, p<0.01) and healthy volunteers (17.8%, p<0.001). An inverse correlation between tuftsin activity and pitted red cell percentage was found in the patients on intravenous nutrition (r(s) =-0.44, p<0.05). No relation was found in the patients on intravenous nutrition between pitted red cell percentage or tuftsin activity and type of disease, percentage of ideal body weight, residual length of small intestine, or administration (quantity and frequency) of lipid emulsion. Eight patients on intravenous nutrition had serious infections within the previous 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a short bowel treated with long term intravenous nutrition have impaired splenic function, reduced tuftsin activity, and an increased risk of infection.

A randomized controlled study comparing elemental diet and steroid treatment in Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: Elemental diet is considered an effective primary treatment for active Crohn's disease, but it is usually given by a feeding tube. METHODS: Twenty-two patients (12 males, median age 30 years, range 18-60) with moderately active Crohn's disease were enrolled in a randomized study in which the efficacy of an elemental diet administered orally was compared to high-dose corticosteroids in achieving clinical and laboratory remission. Ten patients were treated by oral elemental diet (Peptamen, Clintec, USA) and 10 received corticosteroids. Both treatment regimens lasted 2 weeks. The two groups did not differ with respect to age, sex, body weight, location of disease, treatment or disease activity prior to the study. In all patients studied, simple Crohn's disease activity index, nutritional status (expressed as body mass index), percentage of ideal body weight, fat mass, fat free mass, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, interleukin-6, intestinal permeability (expressed as permeability index), prealbumin, retinol binding protein and multiskin test were evaluated before and after treatment. RESULTS: After 2 weeks of treatment, there were significant improvements in simple Crohn's disease activity index, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, permeability index, body mass index, prealbumin, retinol binding protein and multiskin test in the elemental diet group. There were significant improvements in simple Crohn's disease activity index and fat free mass in the corticosteroid group. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that, in the short term, an oral elemental diet is at least as effective as steroids in inducing remission of mild-moderately active Crohn's disease, but it may be more effective in improving the nutritional status of these patients, probably through a more rapid restoration of normal intestinal permeability.

Ocular naevus and hyperaemia with dilation of the conjunctival vessels: an early manifestation of Crohn's disease?

Two cases of male patients with Crohn's disease showing the same neonatal ocular abnormality, a sector hyperaemia with dilation of the vessels of the bulbar conjunctiva surrounding a naevus close to the limbus, are presented. In both cases, this manifestation worsened when Crohn's disease relapsed, and improved when the disease went into remission with steroid treatment. In Crohn's disease, eye involvement is reported in varying percentages, but the condition discussed here does not fit into any of the ocular patterns previously described in this disease, and could represent an early manifestation of Crohn's disease.

Increased energy expenditure in growing adolescents with Crohn's disease.

Undernutrition is considered to have a central role in the pathogenesis of growth retardation in Crohn's disease. This may occur as a consequence of inadequate food intake, increased energy expenditure, or both. Ten growing adolescents with inactive Crohn's disease were assessed with respect to anthropometric parameters and resting energy expenditure, measured by indirect calorimetry during remission, repeated in relapse (N = 5), and compared to that predicted from the Harris-Benedict formula. Mean energy intake was assessed with seven-day diaries in five patients and compared to recommended intake for age, sex, weight, and physical activity. Ten healthy, growing, age- and sex-matched adolescents served as controls. Nine patients with inactive Crohn's disease, who had ceased growing, were matched for disease site and duration and acted as disease controls. Patients and disease controls had lower body mass index (19.2 +/- 0.6; 20.9 +/- 0.7) than healthy controls (23.7 +/- 0.6; P < 0.001). Percent body fat was lower in patients (13.2 +/- 1.9%) compared to healthy controls (20.5 +/- 2.4%; P < 0.05) but not to disease controls (17.0 +/- 2.6%). Patients had higher resting energy expenditure per kilogram of fat-free mass than disease or healthy controls (36.9 +/- 5.1; 32.9 +/- 2.6; 30.9 +/- 2.1 kcal; P < 0.02). Measured resting energy expenditure in patients, but not in disease or healthy controls, was higher than the predicted (measured: predicted 1.15, 1.03, 0.9, respectively; P < 0.03). Energy intake in patients was 97% of recommended intake but the measured ratio of energy intake/resting energy expenditure was lower than the predicted ratio (1.49 vs 1.71; P < 0.05). During subsequent relapse in five patients resting energy expenditure was unchanged. In growing adolescents with inactive Crohn's disease, there is increased energy expenditure that is not accompanied by an increase in energy intake. Relapse of disease does not appear to increase resting energy expenditure further but may "divert" energy from growth to disease activity. This suggests that nutritional therapy should be directed towards increasing caloric intake to maximize growth potential.

Increased resting lipid oxidation in Crohn's disease.

Resting energy expenditure (REE) was measured by indirect calorimetry and body composition was assessed by both direct (bioimpedance) and indirect (anthropometry) methods in 20 hospitalized patients with biopsy-proven ileal Crohn's disease and in a group of 16 healthy volunteers matched for sex, age, and height with the patient group. The Crohn's disease activity index was below 120 in all patients studied, who were treated with a low dose of corticosteroids (0.2-0.3 mg/kg body wt of prednisone). The average weight of Crohn's patients was significantly lower than that of controls (55.70 vs 70.50 kg, P < 0.001) due to both lower fat mass (9.97 vs 18.30 kg, P < 0.001) and lower lean body mass (45.72 vs 52.20 kg, P < 0.02). The average REE was significantly higher in the control group (1785.42 +/- 7.503 vs 1559.1 +/- 48.39 kcal/day, P < 0.001). However, these differences disappeared when REE was normalized by lean body mass (LBM) (34.49 +/- 2.56 vs 34.704 +/- 3.75 kcal/kg LBM P = NS). The nonprotein respiratory quotient was significantly lower in the patient group (0.823 +/- 0.031 vs 0.882 +/- 0.012, P < 0.025), indicating an increased lipid oxidation. This increased lipid oxidation might explain the reduced fat stores found in the group of Crohn's patients, suggesting also that a sufficiently lipid-rich diet could be useful in their nutritional management.

Subclinical coeliac disease: an anthropometric assessment.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prevalence of malnutrition in patients with untreated coeliac disease (CD) according to their pattern of presentation, and the effect of gluten-free diet (GFD) upon nutritional status. DESIGN: Cohort prospective study. SETTING: All subjects were seen at the outpatient 'malabsorption' clinic of the Department of Medical Pathology I, University of Bologna (referral centre), Bologna. SUBJECTS: Eighty consecutive patients with CD (48 with classical and 32 with subclinical presentation), 15 patients with dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) and 40 healthy volunteers (members of the hospital staff). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The nutritional status was evaluated by anthropometric measurements (percentage of ideal body weight for height and sex, percentage of standard triceps skinfold thickness and percentage of ideal arm-muscle circumference). RESULTS: The overall prevalence of malnutrition in our series of CD patients was 53%. Prevalence of malnutrition (actual body weight less than 90% of the ideal) was significantly higher in classical coeliacs (67%) than in subclinical ones (31%, P < 0.002), in patients with DH (13%, P < 0.0003) and in healthy volunteers (13%, P < 0.0001). At diagnosis, percentage values of ideal body weight, triceps skinfold thickness and arm-muscle circumference were significantly lower (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0002 and P < 0.0003, respectively) in classical coeliacs (84.5 +/- 10.6, 71.2 +/- 28.1 and 87.1 +/- 10.8, respectively) than in subclinical coeliacs (95.5 +/- 9.1, 105.6 +/- 41.0 and 94.8 +/- 10.6, respectively). After GFD, 33% of classical and only 3% of subclinical coeliacs were still malnourished. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of malnutrition in CD is lower than was previously thought. CD patients with classical presentation may require a longer period of GFD to achieve a significant improvement of their nutritional status, with respect to those with subclinical presentation, probably because of a greater extent of intestinal damage. Finally, a careful evaluation of dietary habits is usually sufficient to identify incomplete adherence to GFD as the reason for nonimprovement of the nutritional status in patients with CD.

Splenic autotransplantation after splenectomy: tuftsin activity correlates with residual splenic function.

This study set out to determine the relationship between splenic function (as assessed by the percentage of pitted red cells) and tuftsin activity, and to confirm the return of effective splenic function after splenectomy for trauma. Twenty-three patients (13 men) took part. Ten of mean age 48.5 (range 30-74) years had had the spleen removed for traumatic rupture and 13 of mean age 49.7 (range 23-66) years had undergone elective splenectomy. At the time of the study all patients had had the spleen removed a minimum of 1 year previously (mean 6.1 (range 1-15) years). Fifty healthy volunteers matched for sex and age were also studied. In each subject, residual splenic function was evaluated by counting the percentage of pitted red cells. Tuftsin activity was also determined. A highly significant negative correlation was found between pitted red cell percentage and tuftsin activity (rs = -0.80, P < 0.001). Compared with healthy controls (mean 21.6 (range 13-37) per cent), tuftsin activity was significantly reduced both in patients who had undergone splenectomy for trauma (mean 4.4 (range 0-9) per cent; P < 0.0001) and in those who had had elective splenectomy (mean 0; P < 0.0001). Tuftsin activity was significantly (P < 0.001) more depressed after elective than traumatic splenectomy. These data confirm a decrease in tuftsin activity following splenectomy and show that this deficit is significantly greater after elective than emergency removal. These observations confirm that residual splenic function is often present after traumatic splenectomy.

An evaluation of factors affecting Helicobacter pylori prevalence in Tibetans exiled in India.

Helicobacter pylori infection is found world-wide although the epidemiology of infection has not been well defined in many geographical areas. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of H. pylori infection and chronic gastritis and the demographic correlates of infection in a single racial group in southern India. The sample population was selected randomly from the male population register of a Tibetan refugee settlement. Demographic data and results of endoscopy with antral mucosal biopsy were evaluated in 197 subjects (median age 28, range 21-81 years). H. pylori was present in 77.2% of subjects by histology and/or urease test. Chronic gastritis and H. pylori were closely related and there was an association between the number of bacteria present and the severity of the gastritis (P < 0.04). Infection with H. pylori was inversely associated with socio-economic factors, specifically educational level (P < 0.02) and occupation (P < 0.02). Unlike other studies, the prevalence of H. pylori was not found to rise with age, being lower in those older than 40 years (P < 0.005). This difference was still apparent when adjusted for socio-economic status. The major demographic difference between younger and older subjects of low socio-economic status was the greater proportion of early life spent outside India (and in Tibet) by older subjects. Among younger subjects, residence in India for 20 years or more was associated with a greater risk of H. pylori infection (P < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Promotion of gallbladder emptying by intravenous aminoacids.

Patients receiving total intravenous nutrition have inert gallbladders; gallbladder sludge and gallstones often develop, but are preventable if gallbladder emptying can be improved. We measured the effect of giving rapid intravenous infusions of aminoacid solutions in eight normal subjects. Four regimens were tested (250 mL over 30 min, 250 mL over 10 min, 125 mL over 5 min, and 50 mL over 5 min). Gallbladder emptying, as measured by ultrasound and cholecystokinin release, depended on both the amount and the rate of aminoacid infusion. Rapid infusion of 125 mL of an aminoacid mixture (Synthamin 14 without electrolytes) over 5 min (2.1 g per min) produced a 64% reduction in gallbladder volume within 30 min, whereas a 50 mL infusion over 5 min produced only a 22% reduction. Intermittent rapid infusion of small amounts of aminoacids may prevent gallstones in patients receiving intravenous nutrition.

Tuftsin deficiency in AIDS.

Tuftsin is an endogenous tetrapeptide that stimulates phagocytosis and is released from the Fc fragment of IgG by a splenic endocarboxypeptidase. Tuftsin activity and splenic function were measured in 21 patients with AIDS, 7 patients with AIDS-related complex (ARC), 22 patients who had undergone splenectomy, and 37 healthy volunteers. There was a significant inverse correlation between tuftsin activity and splenic function in all subjects. Tuftsin activity was significantly lower in patients with AIDS, ARC, and in those who had undergone splenectomy compared with healthy volunteers. Tuftsin deficiency may contribute to the risk of bacterial infection in symptomatic HIV-positive individuals.

Changes in peripheral blood lymphocytes and immune complexes in splenectomized patients: lack of correlation with residual splenic function.

In 47 patients who had undergone splenectomy (31 post-trauma and 16 elective), the percentage levels of T and B lymphocytes, and the T lymphocyte subsets and circulating immune complexes were studied in peripheral blood and correlated with residual splenic function evaluated by means of the pitted red cell count. The T and B lymphocyte levels in splenectomized patients did not differ significantly from those in controls, while OKT8+ lymphocyte levels were significantly higher both after post-trauma and elective splenectomy; there was no significant difference between the two groups of splenectomized patients. Circulating immune complexes were significantly higher both after post-trauma and elective splenectomy only with the C1qBA and C1qSP methods, while there were no differences between splenectomized patients and controls with the KgBSP method. None of the three methods showed significant differences between post-trauma and electively splenectomized individuals. The pitted red cell levels were significantly lower in post-trauma splenectomized patients with respect to electively splenectomized individuals and 22% of post-trauma splenectomized patients had pitted red cell values within the range compatible with the presence of splenosis. The immunological alterations detected did not correlate with the pitted red cell levels, nor were they less evident after post-trauma splenectomy or in patients with pitted red cells compatible with splenosis: this suggests that the occurrence of splenosis is not sufficient to prevent these alterations. Finally, since in our study the average distance from the operation was 5 yr, it is likely that these alterations can be considered as being stable.

Howell-Jolly body counting as a measure of splenic function. A reassessment.

Non-surgical and surgical asplenia predisposes to fatal infections; therefore, simple, non-invasive and repeatable tests for assessing splenic function are required, even in non-specialized medical institutions. Howell-Jolly bodies are the most characteristic peripheral blood abnormality after splenectomy, but their counting is not considered a reliable measure of splenic function. In this study, in a group of splenectomized subjects and of patients with non-surgical hyposplenism, we have compared counting of Howell-Jolly bodies, stained by both the May-Grünwald/Giemsa method and the Feulgen reaction, with pitted cell counting which is considered a reliable technique for the assessment of splenic hypofunction. A significant correlation has been found between Howell-Jolly body counts, stained by either technique, and pitted cell counts (P less than 0.0001). Through Howell-Jolly bodies were never detectable when pitted cell counts fell between 4 and 8%, values consistent with a very mild splenic hypofunction, for pitted cell counts above 8% their increase was always associated with increasing Howell-Jolly body counts. These data suggest that, although pitted cell counting represents a more sensitive method for evaluating splenic function, Howell-Jolly body counting may still be regarded as a simple and reliable technique for identifying and monitoring those cases associated with a real risk of overwhelming infections.