Attenuation of acetaminophen hepatitis by prostaglandin E2. A histopathological study.

Acute acetaminophen hepatitis was produced in three groups of five rats given 1600 mg/kg by gavage. The protective effect of 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2, 200 micrograms/kg administered subcutaneously 30 min later, was compared to the protective effect of N-acetylcysteine 1 g/kg similarly administered. All animals were killed at 24 hr, and liver tissues were compared histologically to the damage found in acetaminophen-treated controls and untreated anatomic controls. Serum transaminase values at 24 hr exceeded 1000 units in the acetaminophen control group, averaged 658 units in the acetylcysteine treated group, and were near normal (75 units) in the prostaglandin treated group (P < 0.02). Liver samples (1 cm3) were removed terminally at 24 hr. Liver damage was assessed without reference to precedent history. Histopathologically, damage was most severe in the acetaminophen control group, mainly in pericentral lobular zones. The prostaglandin-treated group showed considerably less damage, which was confined to the hepatic vein area. The acetylcysteine-treated group showed an intermediate degree of damage. We conclude that dmPGE2, given 30 min after ingestion of acetaminophen was found to be more effective in limiting liver damage than NAC in this rat model.

Personality patterns seen in irritable bowel syndrome patients.

A study of the personality styles seen in individuals having irritable bowel syndrome was done in a group of 82 patients with this diagnosis. An objective personality test, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, was administered to the irritable bowel syndrome patient group to produce individual profiles for each patient. The 82 profiles were subjected to q-factor analysis resulting in four subgroupings of the original sample. Titles used to describe the personalities seen in the four groups included: inadequate dependency; somatization of affect; reactive depression; and 4) anger and denial. Future studies on the behavioral treatment of irritable bowel syndrome patients may well include a personality inventory as a consideration of how irritable bowel syndrome patients have different personality styles.

Assessment of corticosteroid treatment of ethionine pancreatitis in the rabbit.

Corticosteroid treatment of acute pancreatitis has recently been advocated by clinicians. The effectiveness of steroids in the prevention of pancreatitis was studied in the model of ethionine pancreatitis in rabbits. A group of 20 rabbits received ethionine for 6 days. Methyl prednisolone succinate was also given to half of the group for a period of 6 days. Animals were killed on the 7th day; enzyme determinations were done; tissues from the pancreas and liver were obtained, coded, and read as unknown by the pathologist; and tissue damage categorized. Corticosteroid treatment was associated with greater elevation of serum amylase and other enzymes. Light microscopic examination of pancreas and liver revealed no apparent beneficial effect from corticosteroid treatment. The experiment was repeated with special stains being made of liver and pancreas, and electron microscopic studies of five animals in each group was done. Light microscopy showed little difference in cellular damage between the two groups. Electron microscopy revealed less apparent damage in the steroid treated (methyl prednisolone succinate) animals than controls. Steroids may provide minimal protection on a subcellular level from ethionine pancreatitis.

Inhibition of ethionine pancreatitis in the rabbit by DL-BETA-3 thienylalanine pretreatment.

Beta-3 thienylalanine, an inhibitor of zymogen formation, was studied in the experimental model of ethionine pancreatitis in the rabbit. Beta-3TA pretreated and nonpretreated rabbits were given ethionine for six days and controls were given chow only. Animals were killed and serum amylase values determined. Pancreatic tissue was studied by light and electron microscopy. Beta-3TA pretreated rabbits on ethionine showed normal amylase values, while those receiving only ethionine showed high values. Microscopic examination showed severe pancreatitis in the nonpretreated group but only mild vacuolization of cells in the Beta-3TA pretreated animals. Electron microscopy demonstrated integrity of rough endoplasmic reticulum in pretreated animals and severe distortion of cytoplasmic organelles in nonpretreated animals.

Duodenal contraction wave patterns in patients with and without ulcer.

To determine whether differences in frequency of specific wave sequences and types existed in the four parts of the duodenum in ulcer subjects and controls an analysis of contraction waves in 14 controls and 10 duodenal ulcer patients of similar age was done by a statistical analysis of differences between the two groups. A water-perfused tube system was used. Differences in motor activity, namely, decreased frequency of waves in the proximal duodenum and increased frequency of waves in the distal duodenum in ulcer subjects as compared to controls was demonstrated. This involved a statistically significant decrease in numbers of mixing (or basic rhythm) waves in the proximal duodenum. Increased numbers of isolated waves were found in ulcer patients in the distal duodenum. The predominant types of contraction waves in both ulcer and control subjects were isolated and simultaneous waves, with peristaltic waves were less common in the fasting state. These findings suggest that differences exist in the types of contraction waves in duodenal ulcer subjects compared to controls.