[Potentiating effect of some fatty acids on platelet aggregation induced with ADP, collagen and 1-epinephrine]. / Effetto potenziante di alcuni acidi grassi nell'aggregazione piastrinica indotta da ADP, collagene e 1-epinefrina.

Since there is evidence of the correlation between the platelet membrane phospholipids and the aggregating properties of several agents, we studied in vitro the effect of Free Fatty Acids (FFA) on ADP, collagen and epinephrine-induced platelet aggregation. Our results showed that "sub-critical" concentrations of long carbon chains of saturated and unsaturated FFA potentiated the platelet aggregation induced by "critical" concentrations of ADP, collagen and epinephrine. However, we suggest that exogenous long carbon chains of FFA could enhance the platelet membrane lipids and could make the platelets more "responsive" or "sensitive" to lowest aggregating stimuli.

Acromegaly. The effects of various steroid hormones on the insulin-induced growth hormone response.

The availability of a sensitive assay for human growth hormone has made it possible to directly measure the effects of various agents purported to alter growth patterns. Acromegalic patients present a special problem both in early diagnosis and in therapy. Being able to measure growth hormone in these patients provides an accurate index of activity and a precise measure of therapeutic effectiveness. In an attempt to determine whether a pituitary block of growth hormone secretion is feasible in this condition, a study was made of the effects of estrogen, androgen and glucocorticoid administration on growth hormone response to a standard insulin tolerance test in a patient with active acromegaly. In the dosage schedules used in this study, it was not possible to suppress either basal growth hormone secretion or blunt its responsiveness to the normal physiologic stimulus of hypoglycemia.