Prostacyclin synthesis in human lymphatics.

The ability of human lymphatics to generate prostacyclin in important amounts (4.5 +/- 2.1 pg/mg/min) is described. The prostacyclin produced, exhibits the same properties as reported for arterial and venous tissue. No age and sex difference could be observed. The role of prostacyclin in physiology of lymphatics, however, is unknown.

Prostacyclin (PGI2)-generation by different types of human atherosclerotic lesions.

Unaltered human arterial tissue as well as different types of macroscopically and microscopically characterized atherosclerotic lesions were microdissected under a preparation microscope. The prostacyclin formation was examined using its potent platelet aggregation inhibition in vitro according to Moncada's bioassay. In contrast to different PGI2-formation in various experimental animal models the generation in the different lesion types in terms of wet weight was statistically significantly (p less than 0.001) diminished in comparison to normal control tissue. However, the PGI2- formation in different lesion types is comparable. Accepting the hypothesis delivered earlier by us, that the arterial wall is able to react upon exogenous noxes with a temporarily enhanced PGI2-formation, followed (after ceasing) by a decrease of PGI2-synthesis (exhaustion phenomenon) it can be concluded, that the critical stage is prior to the fatty streak formation, which is a preatherosclerotic lesion. Therefore, PGI2-generation-exhaustion might be mainly responsible for initiation and progression of atherosclerosis, probably before any detectable morphological alterations.

Alterations of the internal elastic membrane in juvenile human arteries.

Quantitative changes in the internal elastic membrane (IEM) were studied in human arteries from different location in 31 males and 31 females, using an eight-criterion classification system. The IEM involvement shows a sex-dependent increase with age, and is more pronounced in arteries known to exhibit a more intensive atherosclerotic involvement. It seems that the IEM changes represent a true ageing phenomenon, which is sometimes influenced to a various degree by the atherosclerotic process.

[The "Asthma Programme" (author's transl)]. / Das "Asthmaprogramm"

The "asthma programme", the product of teamwork between the 1st Department of Dermatology and the 2nd Department of Medicine is presented. It contains all examinations necessary for the diagnosis of bronchial asthma: case history, skin test, IgE, RAST, lung function test, inhalative provocation test. The value of each is discussed. Finally, the results of hyposensitation treatment are presented.

[Immunglobulin levels after kidney transplantation and during rejection crisis (author's transl)]. / Immunglobulinveränderungen nach Nierentransplantation besonders in bezug auf akute Abstossungersreaktionen

In the first three weeks after kidney transplantation the patients were examined for daily changes in immunoglobulin levels. Only very seldom was a decrease of IgM detected in our patients who had undergone splenectomy. During half of the rejection crisis there were indeed short periods of increase (spikes) in immunoglobulins. These were observed always before or concomitantly with the clinical diagnosis of a rejection reaction. In order to determine the connection between immunoglobulin-spikes and an approaching rejection episode the general one-sided binominal test was used. A significant relation was established between IgM peaks and an approaching rejection crisis. No such relation could be found for the IgA peaks observed. The IgG globulins showed no consistent pattern during a transplantation rejection. A persistent fall of the IgG globulins was noted in the first ten days after renal allograft with the immunosuppressive regimen of an initial gramme of methylprednisolon and high dosage of azothioprine. A good correlation was observed with the simultaneous depression of serum albumin concentrations. As losses of protein in urine are minimal (already confirmed by other authors), it must be assumed that in the first place a high rate of catabolism and a restriction in the protein synthesis is responsible for the decrease in the IgG globulins and the serum albumins.

A simple test for early detection of severe renal homograft rejection.

Adding urine to a standard buffered fibrinogen solution and then coagulating it with thrombin gives reproducible coagulation times with normal urines. Coagulation of fibrinogen by thrombin is prolonged in acid solutions with a pH below six. Urines of high acidity lower the buffer pH of the fibrinogen solution below a value of six thus rendering the system uncoagulable or significantly prolonging the coagulation time. With this test system we found that out of 16 severe homograft rejections 15 were accompanied by a high acid excretion in six-hour urine specimens. Ten of these acid episodes became apparent 12 to 48 hr before clinical symptoms and before elevation of the serum creatinine could be detected.