Impaired glucose tolerance in a hospital population in Jamaica / 11th Congress of the International Diabetes Federation

During the period January to December 1979, 75 g glucose tolerance tests were performed on 311 patients in the Chemical Pathology Department of the University Hospital. There were 14 (4.5 percent) non-pregrant adult patients, not previously diagnosed as diabetic, whose 2-h post-ingestion blood glucose values, using venous whole blood, fell within the range 140-200 mg percent (8-11 mmol/l). On these results they were diagnosed as impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and no therapy given except for dietary advice. Two years later, during the month of January 1982, they were contacted by postal telegrams to return to the hospital for reassessment. A 75-g glucose load was given to each respondent and a 2-h post-ingestion blood glucose level determined. Eight (57 percent) had normal values of mean blood glucose 115 mg percent (6.4 mmol/l): 4 were female, and 4 male; age range 20-76 yr, mean age 40 yr; body mass index range 19.7-35.1, mean value 29.2 (>26 regarded as obesity). Two (14.3 percent) females remained in the IGT group: mean blood glucose value 173 mg percent (9.6 mmol/l); mean age 32 yr; and mean body mass index 29.7. Four (28.6 percent) were frank diabetics, mean blood glucose 347 mg percent (19.3 mmol/l): 3 males 1 female; age range 20-66 yr, mean age 48 yr; body mass index range 24.1-28.7, mean value 25.7

The use of a spironolactone and althiazide combination (aldactacine) in the treatment of benign essential hypertension.

The effects of placebo and of a spironolactone-althiazide combination in the treatment of twenty-two Kenyan Africans with hypertension were assessed using a double-blind technique. After a 2-week medication-free period, patients were randomly allocated to placebo or active treatment for 6 weeks then crossing over to the alternative medication for a further 6 weeks, reverting to the original medication for a final 6 weeks. 100 mg spironolactone plus 60 mg althiazide per day was found to produce greater falls in blood pressure when compared with the placebo periods, sometimes significantly. No serious side-effects were reported. Electrolytes remained within normal limits.

Suppression of delayed hypersensitivity in schistosome-infected patients by niridazole.

Niridazole, an anti-parasitic drug, suppresses manifestations of delayed hypersensitivity and retards allograft rejection in laboratory animals. We investigated the immunosuppressive effects of the standard antihelminthic regimen of niridazole (25 mg/kg/day for seven days) in five patients with schistosomiasis. Although 15-minute skin reactions to schistosomal antigens remained unchanged, niridazole reduced or ablated positive 48-hour skin reactions to tuberculin (PPD), mumps and schistosome antigens in all patients tested six and 15 days after therapy began. Complete recovery of delayed dermal hypersensitivity was observed by 114 days. PPD-induced lymphocyte transformation was severely depressed in three and partially depressed in two of the five patients. Suppression was observed at either six or 15 days (or both) after beginning of treatment, and complete recovery at 114 days. It is concluded that therapeutic doses of niridazole suppress delayed hypersensitivity and antigen-induced lymphocyte transformation in man.