Plasma transferrin levels in abnormal endocrine states. II. The changes in various endocrine states.

The clinical significance of the measurement of plasma transferrin (Tf) in patients with hypophysial disorders was reported in our previous paper. In the present study, we determined plasma Tf levels in 55 patients with various endocrine states and considered their clinical significance compared with plasma somatomedin-C (SM-C) levels. Plasma Tf levels decreased significantly in patients with anorexia nervosa (P less than 0.02), hyperthyroidism (P less than 0.05), primary hypothyroidism (P less than 0.05), and Cushing's syndrome (P less than 0.05), while they were elevated significantly in pregnancy (P less than 0.01) or females using estrogens (P less than 0.05). The former two declines were considered a reflection of the malnutritional state since a significant negative correlation was observed between plasma Tf levels and the percentile deficit from the ideal body weight in patients with anorexia nervosa (P less than 0.01), or between plasma Tf and elevated T3 levels which induce hypermetabolism in patients with hyperthyroidism (P less than 0.01). A significant correlation was observed between the SM-C and Tf levels in these subjects (including normal controls and patients with hypophysial disorders) as a whole (r = 0.79, P less than 0.001). These data indicate that plasma Tf is changeable according to the endocrine and nutritional conditions with good correlation to the SM-C, and it is suggested that Tf also operates as a growth factor in vivo.

[The clinical significance of the measurement of plasma transferrin as a growth factor. II. The changes in various endocrine status].

The clinical significance of the measurement of plasma transferrin (Tf) in patients with hypophysial disorders was reported in our previous papers. In the present study, we determined plasma Tf levels in 55 patients with various endocrine states and considered their clinical significance compared with plasma somatomedin-C (SM-C) levels. Plasma Tf levels decreased significantly in patients with anorexia nervosa (p less than 0.02), hyperthyroidism (p less than 0.05), primary hypothyroidism (p less than 0.05) and Cushing's syndrome (p less than 0.05), while they were elevated significantly in pregnancy (p less than 0.01) or females using estrogens (p less than 0.05). The former two declines were considered a reflection of the malnutritional state of the patients since a significant negative correlation was observed between plasma Tf levels and the percentile deficit from the ideal body weight in patients with anorexia nervosa (p less than 0.01), or between plasma Tf levels and elevated T3 levels which induce hypermetabolism in patients with hyperthyroidism (p less than 0.01). A significant correlation was observed between the SM-C and Tf levels in these subjects (including normal controls and patients with hypophysial disorders) as a whole (r = 0.79, p less than 0.001). These data indicate that plasma Tf is changeable according to the endocrinological and nutritional conditions with good correlation to the SM-C, and it is suggested that Tf also operates as a growth factor in vivo.

[Suppression by dopamine of GH release induced by GRF in a case of acromegaly].

Inhibition of plasma GH by dopaminergic agonists is one of the characteristics of the GH secretion in acromegaly. GRF is known to stimulate GH secretion in most patients with acromegaly. In order to elucidate the relationship between GRF and dopamine in regulating the secretion of GH in this disease, we examined plasma GH responses to dopamine (DA) infusion (4 micrograms/kg/min), GRF injection (100 micrograms i.v.), sulpiride (SP) injection (200 mg i.v.), a DA blocker, DA plus GRF and SP plus GRF in a 51-year-old male patient with acromegaly. Plasma GH was reduced to 14% of the initial level by iv infusion of DA, and was elevated to 158% by iv injection of GRF. No considerable change was observed in plasma GH by iv infusion of SP (114% of the initial level). GH release induced by GRF was remarkably reduced by simultaneous administration of DA (28% of the initial level), whereas SP administration did not affect GRF-induced GH release (154%). The marked reduction of GH release after DA plus GRF seems to suggest that the effect of DA on the GH regulation is stronger than that of GRF in this acromegalic patient. It is suggested also that endogenous DA may not play an inhibitory role in GH secretion in this case since DA blockade by SP did not raise basal GH levels and the GH response to GRF.

[Pharmacokinetics and clinical evaluation of amoxicillin sustained release preparation].

C-AMOX--long acting amoxicillin preparation (gastro coating 3, enterocoating 7)--has been investigated to give following results. A pharmacokinetic study of C-AMOX was conducted in 6 healthy male volunteers in postprandial state (30 minutes after light mean). The levels of 1.8--2.5 micrograms/ml in blood was detected for 6 hours after 500 mg dose orally. It was seemed to be long acting amoxicillin in blood levels. And, the calculated data of AUC of C-AMOX was 15.17 micrograms . hr/ml administered 500 mg dose, and 14.33 micrograms . hr/ml of AMPC twice 250 mg doses, respectively. The urinary excretion rate was 56.1% of the dose during 10 hours. Sixty-six patients with respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections and others were treated with C-AMOX 0.5 g twice daily for 4--7 days mainly. Thirty one patients of all were cured excellent, 27 were good, 4 were fair and 4 were poor. The global efficacy rate was 87.9%. Only 1 patient was occurred diarrhea, and no abnormal laboratory finding was observed.