Human recombinant erythropoietin in the treatment of anaemia in chronic haemodialysis patients.

Five women aged 50-64 years with chronic renal failure caused by interstitial nephritis, maintained by chronic haemodialysis, were treated for three months with human recombinant erythropoietin. The blood haemoglobin level roce from 78.0 +/- 6.9 g/l to 108.4 +/- 15.5 g/l, haematocrit from 21.8 +/- 1.8% to 33.6 +/- 4.8%, and the rate of reticulocytes 1.8% to 4.9%. Serum ferritin concentration declined from 2213 +/- 1982 micrograms/l to 850 +/- 953 micrograms/l. Unlike the pre-treatment period, no blood transfusion had to be given during the administration of erythropoietin. The patients' general condition improved. There were no serious complications. The action of erythropoietin persisted for two months. Human recombinant erythropoietin is a significant help in the treatment of patients with chronic renal failure.

[The importance of screening for hepatitis B surface antigens in pregnancy]. / Význam skríninku povrchového antigenu viru hepatitidy B u tehotných.

Transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) from mother to infant during the perinatal period represents very efficient mode of HBV infection and often leads to severe long-term sequelae. Perinatal transmission can occur when an infant is born to mother positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), frequency of transmission is high if the mother is also HBeAg positive. Prevention of perinatal transmission of HBV is important since the majority of these infants who are infected at birth become chronic carriers and can subsequently develop chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis or primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Routine screening for HBsAg of all pregnant women attending prenatal clinic at the Institute for the Care of Mother and Child, Prague in the third trimester of pregnancy by Sevatest ELISA HBsAg Micro I. method (Sevac, Prague) began in June 1986. HBsAg positive patients were subsequently tested for HBeAg and anti-HBe hepatitis markers. Of the 2744 women examined 22 were found HBsAg positive, of these mostly asymptomatic carrier mothers 2 were positive for HBeAg, 14 for anti HBe and 6 were negative for both HBeAg and anti-HBe. All infants were given passive HBIG prophylaxis in conjunction with HB vaccine after birth regardless of HBeAg status of mother. At present no infant were found HBsAg positive at 6 month of age, observation of this risk group infants continues.

[Circulating antitrophoblast antibodies in normal pregnancy and in EPH gestosis]. / Cirkulující antitrofoblastové protilátky pri fyziologickém tehotenství a pri EPH-gestóze.

Antitrophoblastic antibodies were assessed by the bond with the antigen of syncytiotrophoblastic membranes according to Davies (ELISA system) in 17 nulligravidae, in 33 men and 70 pregnant women. The pregnancy was normal in 27 women in the Ist and in 32 in the IIIrd trimester, 11 women had signs of EPH gestosis. The incidence of antitrophoblastic antibodies rises significantly with the period of gestation, in women with toxaemia the values are reduced as compared with the group in the third trimester. The authors did not find a relationship between the values of these antibodies and the concurrently assessed level of immunoglobulin IgG, IgA and IgM. Possibilities of the development of toxic immunocomplexes during EPH toxaemia are discussed.

[Treatment of anemia in patients on a regular dialysis program using human recombinant erythropoietin]. / Lécba anemie pacientu v pravidelném dialyzacním programu lidským rekombinantním erytropoetinem.

Five women aged 50-64 years with chronic renal failure, due to interstitial nephritis, enlisted in a regular dialyzation programme were treated for three months with human recombinant erythropoietin. The blood haemoglobin level rose from 78.0 +/- 6.9 g/l to 108.4 +/- 15.5 g/l, the haematocrit from 21.8 +/- 1.8% to 33.6 +/- 4.9%. The serum ferritin concentration declined from 2213 +/- 1892 micrograms/l to 850 +/- 953 micrograms/l. Contrary to the period before treatment, during erythropoietin administration no blood transfusion had to be administered. The general condition of the patients improved. There were no serious complications. The action of erythropoietin persisted for two months. Human recombinant erythropoietin is significant help in the treatment of patients with chronic renal failure.

[Routine screening for serological markers of viral hepatitis B in pregnancy]. / Rutinní screening sérologických markeru viru hepatitidy B u tehotných.

Transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) from mother to infant during the perinatal period represents very efficient mode of HBV infection and often leads to severe longterm sequelae. Perinatal transmission can occur when an infant is born to mother positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), frequency of transmission is high if the mother is also HBeAg positive. Prevention of perinatal transmission of HBV is important since the majority of these infants who are infected at birth become chronic carriers and can subsequently develop chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis or primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Routine screening for HBsAg of all pregnant women attending prenatal clinic at the Institute for the Care of Mother and Child, Prague in the third trimester of pregnancy by Sevatest ELISA HBsAg Micro I. method (Sevac, Prague) began in June 1986. HBsAg positive patients were subsequently tested for HBeAg and anti-HBe hepatitis markers. Of the 2744 women examined 22 were found HBsAg positive, of these mostly asymptomatic carrier mothers 2 were positive for HBeAg, 14 for anti-HBe and 6 were negative for both HbeAg and anti-HBe. All infants were given passive HBIg prophylaxis in conjunction with HB vaccine after birth regardless of HBeAg status of mother. At present no infant were found HBsAg positive at 6 month of age, observation of this risk group infants continues.

Glucose and galactose infusions in newborns of diabetic and healthy mothers.

The changes of insulin, blood sugars, lactate and free fatty acid levels were studied in 12 newborns of diabetic mothers and in 21 newborns of healthy mothers in the course of intravenous infusions of glucose and galactose at a dose of 0.5 g.kg-1.h-1. During glucose infusion a striking increase of insulin levels took place, which was higher in the infants of diabetic mothers. Galactose administration caused only a mild insulinemia increase in the 1st h of infusion. In the infants of healthy mothers blood glucose increased during the 1 st h of infusion but decreased afterwards. In the infants of diabetic mothers the increase lasted for the whole time of infusion. The decrease of free fatty acid levels was present in the course of infusions of both sugars. The results show that galactose is quickly metabolized by the newborn and provokes minimal stimulation of the insular apparatus.

[On the mechanism of the contraceptive action of oestrogens administered after ovulation (author's transl)]. / K mechanismu antikoncepcního úcinku estrogenu podaných po ovulaci.

PIP: The antifertility effects of estrogens in animals has long been known, but it was not until 1966 that the effects of estrogen in man became known as well. The estrogen effects during the time of the transport of the egg through the fallopian tubes to the uterine cavity was studied. 50 mg of diethylstilbestrol (DES) was administered daily during the 5-day postovulatory period. The results were a shortening of the cycle, a lowering of plasmic progesterone, and a decrease in the secretion of pregnanediol. The development of the endometrium stopped. These results indicate that DES, when given at this time, shortens the function of yellow corpuscles and affects the further development of the endometrium. Either of these mechanisms could explain the contraceptive effects of the estrogen.^ieng