Maximally recommended doses of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors do not completely prevent ACE-mediated formation of angiotensin II in chronic heart failure.

BACKGROUND: The added benefits of angiotensin II type I receptor (AT(1)) blockers (ARBs) to ACE inhibition suggests that recommended doses of ACE inhibitors provide only partial inhibition of ACE in chronic heart failure (CHF). Accordingly, the level of ACE inhibition was assessed by the pressor response to angiotensin (Ang) I in patients who had been treated with recommended doses of ACE inhibitors. METHODS AND RESULTS: Forty-two patients with CHF receiving 40 mg/d of a long-acting ACE inhibitor or 150 mg of captopril were studied. Radial artery systolic pressure (RASP, mm Hg) was monitored noninvasively. The pressor response to ascending doses of Ang I was evaluated in all patients before and after administration of the ARB valsartan. The pressor response to Ang I before and after valsartan was also reevaluated in 11 patients after the dose of ACE inhibitor was doubled for 1 week. RASP increased linearly with significantly ascending doses of Ang I despite treatment with ACE inhibitors. The pressor response to Ang I was blunted significantly by valsartan. Ang I-induced increase in RASP did not correlate with duration of ACE inhibitor therapy. After the dose of ACE inhibitors was doubled, the pressor response to Ang I was no longer different from that noted after valsartan. CONCLUSIONS: Recommended doses of ACE inhibitors do not fully inhibit ACE in CHF. The level of ACE inhibition achieved is not related to duration of ACE inhibitor therapy. Greater ACE inhibition is also achieved at twice the recommended doses of ACE inhibitors.

Seroprevalence of human immunodeficiency virus-1, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus in patients having major surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the proportion of major surgical procedures that involve patients having serologic evidence of infection with human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a single center in Westchester County, New York. METHODS: Blood samples sent for transfusion screening or cross-match were tested blindly for HIV antibody (anti-HIV), HBV core antibody, HBV surface antigen (HBsAg), and HCV antibody (anti-HCV). Demographic characteristics and operation category were correlated with serologic results by univariate and regression analyses. RESULTS: Of 1,062 operations evaluated, 71 (6.7%, 95% confidence interval [CI95], 5.2% to 8.4%) were performed on patients with either anti-HIV, HBsAg, or anti-HCV. In 17 (1.6%, CI95, .93% to 2.5%) of these operations, the patient evidenced anti-HIV; in 15 (1.4%; CI95, .79% to 2.3%), HBsAg; and in 55 (5.2%, CI95, 3.9% to 6.7%), anti-HCV. Anti-HCV was detected significantly more often than anti-HIV (5.2% versus 1.6%, P < .001) or HBsAg (5.2% versus 1.4%, P < .001). Operations involving women aged 25 to 44 years had the highest proportion with serologic evidence of at least one of the three viruses (17.2%); of anti-HCV (15.3%); and of anti-HIV (6.7%). Logistic regression analysis found that being in the 25- to 44-year age group was associated significantly with infection with any virus (P < .001) and with anti-HCV (P < .001). The strongest logistic predictors of anti-HIV seropositivity were having anti-HCV seropositivity (P < .001), being age 25 to 44 years (P < .001), and having a general surgery operation (P = .002). CONCLUSION: The prevalences of serologic evidence of at least one of the three viruses (16.7%), of anti-HCV (14.5%), and of anti-HIV (5.6%) are high in patients aged 25 to 44 years undergoing major surgery at a tertiary-care medical center located in Westchester County, New York. Anti-HCV is more prevalent than anti-HIV or HBsAg and is predictive of anti-HIV seropositivity. Testing for anti-HIV alone would have detected only 24% of patients infected with a bloodborne pathogen. These data strongly underscore the importance of universal precautions.

Utility of dapsone for prophylaxis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole-intolerant, HIV-infected individuals.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the safety and efficacy of 100 mg dapsone three times weekly for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) prophylaxis in HIV-infected, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX)-intolerant patients. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review of patients followed-up to 22 May 1992. SETTING: Infectious diseases outpatient clinic of a tertiary care center in suburban New York City. PATIENTS: Twenty-three HIV-infected patients requiring PCP prophylaxis with documented intolerance to TMP-SMX. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients were followed clinically and with laboratory testing at approximately monthly intervals. RESULTS: Dapsone was discontinued in nine (39%) patients because of adverse reactions. All reactions occurred within the first 2 months of treatment. Two (14%) of the remaining 14 patients developed histologically proven PCP over 126 patient-months of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Approximately 40% of TMP-SMX-intolerant HIV-infected individuals are also intolerant of dapsone. Prophylaxis failures may be expected on a dose regimen of 100 mg dapsone three times weekly. More experience with other dose regimens and alternative agents is needed.

Vesicular erythema migrans.

BACKGROUND: Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. The characteristic rash, erythema migrans, is an early sign of the disease. Clinical criteria remain the "gold standard" for diagnosis at this stage of illness. OBSERVATIONS: Five (8%) of 65 patients with erythema migrans seen in a Lyme disease diagnostic center in Westchester County, New York, had a lesion with vesicles. Borrelia burgdorferi was cultured from two of five. In one case the positive culture came from a swab of the blister fluid. CONCLUSIONS: Recognition of erythema migrans and its variants is important, since early treatment of Lyme disease may prevent late complications. Vesicular erythema migrans should be added to the differential diagnosis of inflammatory vesicular rashes in the appropriate clinical setting.