[Borreliosis--Lyme disease--a growing clinical problem]. / Borelioza--choroba z Lyme--narastajacy problem kliniczny.

Clinical and epidemiological analysis of Lyme disease cases treated at the Infectious Diseases Clinic of the Medical University of Gdansk and the District Hospital of Infectious Diseases in the years 1993-1995 was done. The results were compared to data presented in the literature. The material consisted of 184 patients, 169 in I stage of the disease and 15 in the II stage. Out of 15 in the II stage, 2 patients presented with lymphocytoma benigna cutis, 7 with arthritis and 6 with neuroboreliosis. The Lyme disease diagnosis was confirmed with positive serological tests in 45% of patients in the I stage and in 100% of patients in the II stage. Over the analysed time interval, 1993-1995, the incidence of Lyme disease has increased markedly; 1993-38 cases, 1994-50 cases and 96 cases in 1995.

[Functional disorders of the hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid axis in epilepsy]. / Zaburzenia czynnosci osi podwzgórze-przysadka-tarczyca w przebiegu padaczki.

Changes of the hormonal functions of the axis hypothalamus-hypophysis-thyroid were assessed in epileptics prior to the beginning of the anticonvulsant therapy (50 cases), during short-lasting treatment (12 months) and during long-lasting treatment (54 cases treated during a mean period of 15.3 years). The serum levels were determined of thyreotropin (TSH), total T4, total T3, total cholesterol, and thyroxin-binding globulin capacity. The test of TRH stimulation was used for the determination of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal system function. It was found that epilepsy may impair the function of the axis hypothalamus-hypophysis-thyroid probably at the hypothalamic level. Anticonvulsants (diphenylhydantoin, phenobarbital, carbamazepine) may cause hormonal disturbances producing both tertiary and primary hypothyroidism, and in patients treated many years the response of the TSH was more evidently impaired than in the cases treated for a short time.