[Collagenous colitis. Studies on the differentiation and incidence of the syndrome]. / Die kollagene Kolitis. Untersuchungen zur Abgrenzung und Häufigkeit eines Syndroms.

All colon biopsy specimens of 28 months collected in an institute of pathology, providing a region of 660,000 inhabitants were reviewed for thickening of the subepithelial layer above the normal range of 7 mu. 16 cases were found, eleven of them with mild, uncharacteristic symptoms, eight even without diarrhea. Of the five cases with collagen layers above 10 mu, three suffered from intestinal diseases (unspecific protocolitis, active ulcerative colitis and malabsorption after ileum resection); two showed chronic diarrhea as symptoms of collagenous colitis. We conclude, that a subepithelial collagen layer is without any significance. Above 10 mu, two forms can be postulated: a reactive one, following chronic intestinal diseases and the idiopathic collagenous colitis syndrome of unknown etiology and pathogenesis. The presence of 185 cases is assumed in Western Germany, five of them already published.

The radioimmunological determination of glibenclamide and its metabolites in serum.

This report describes a sensitive and specific radio-immunological method for determining serum levels of the oral anti-diabetic agent 1-(p-[2-(5-chloro-2-methoxy-benzamido)-ethyl]-benzensulfonyl)-3-cyclohexylurea (glibenclamide) and its metabolites. The antigen was prepared by coupling a metabolite to bovine serum albumin. Antibodies could be demonstrated in serum after immunisation of rabbits. The separation of free and antibody-bound glibenclamide was achieved by a dextran-charcoal suspension. Presence of serum did not influence the binding characteristics. The limit of detection was 20 ng/ml. The affinity of the metabolites differed only slightly from that of glibenclamide. The presence of related drugs from the sulfonylurea series such as tolbutamide, glibornuride and the sulfonamide sulfamethoxazol did not affect the determination. Only closely related substances showed a variable degree of affinity towards antibodies. As an example of the possible application of this method, the serum concentration of glibenclamide was determined over a period of 8 h after a single i.v. injection to a volunteer. The data are in close accordance with the results of authors using radioactive glibenclamide.

[Clinical and diagnostical aspects of acute cytomegalovirus infections in previously healthy adults (author's transl)]. / Klinik und Diagnostik der akuten Cytomegalie-Infektion bei primär gesunden Erwachsenen

The clinical symptoms of floride Cytomegalovirus infections of 18 previously healthy adults are reported. Fever was generally observed. In most cases myocarditis or hepatitis could be identified. Two of our patients died of on severe myocarditis. In 3 patients Guillain-Barré-syndrome was observed. Only in few of our cases the clinical picture was characterized by mononucleosis with systemic swelling of lymphonodes and thrombocytopenia or by pneumonia. Other symptoms were found quite seldom. The diagnosis of cytomegalovirus infection could be ascertained by: 1. detection of cytomegalovirus IgM antibody titers of greater 1:64, 2. a four fold increase in the titer of complement fixing antibodies, 3. Virus isolation from urine.

[Elimination kinetics of phenprocoumon (Marcumar) in liver cirrhosis and after premedication with phenobarbital]. / Eliminationskinetik von Phenprocoumon (Marcumar) bei Leberzirrhose und nach Vorbehandlung mit Phenobarbital

In this paper are presented the results of a study on the elimination kinetics of phenprocoumon in patients concomitantly treated with phenprocoumon and phenobarbital as well as in patients with bioptically proved hepatic cirrhosis. The pre-treatment of the patients with phenobarbital (3 X 100 mg), 4 days before phenprocoumon was started, resulted in an accelerated elimination of phenprocoumon. The biological half-life of phenprocoumon was reduced from 150 to 70 hrs when compared to normal controls, and the elimination constant was found to increase to 9,96 X 10(-3). Phenobarbital at plasma concentrations achieved by usual therapeutical dosage schedules of the drug does not interfere with the protein binding of phenprocoumon as could be shown by equilibrium dialysis. Phenobarbital, therefore, does not accelerate the elimination of phenprocoumon. The inducing effect of phenobarbital on the drug metabolizing enzyme system in the liver results in more rapid biotransformation of phenprocoumon. In patients with bioptically proved hepatic cirrhosis, the elimination kinetics did not differ from the results obtained in normal controls.

Pharmacokinetics of phenprocoumon in man investigated using a gas chromatographic method of drug analysis.

A gas chromatographic method for the determination of phenprocoumon (Marcumar) in serum and urine is described, which facilitates accurate values down to 0.5 mug phenprocoumon/ml serum. After the i.v. administration of 20 mg phenprocoumon in a single dose to 4 healthy volunteers the following pharmacokinetic data were obtained: After the initial fast decrease (phase 1) of the serum level of phenprocoumon, probably due to the distribution into the different compartments is followed by a subsequent slower fall (phase 2) which occurs with a serum half-life of 157 h. The apparent distribution volume was 6.51. Analysis of the urine demonstrated that 90% of the excreted phenprocoumon detected was in the glucuronide form.

[Hydroxylation of glibenclamide by liver biopsy specimens]. / Hydroxylierung von Glibenclamid durch Leberpunktionszylinder

A method for measuring hydroxylation rates of the oral antidiabetic agent glibenclamide (Euglucon) by liver biopsy specimens is described. After incubation of the material in a buffer system, containing glibenclamide-14-C, the supernatant is extracted with organic solvent. The extract is condensed and the radioactivity of the spots after thin-layer chromatography is measured. A linear relationship between incubation time and hydroxylation rates could be demonstrated. Equal amounts of the two metabolites, 4-trans- and 3-cis-hydroxy-cyclohexyl-glibenclamide were formed.