[Behavior of the lithium excretion fraction in hypertensive patients during variations of sodium intake]. / Comportamento della frazione di escrezione del litio nel paziente iperteso durante variazioni dell'introito sodico.

Fractional excretion of lithium (FeLi) is a marker of proximal tubular sodium reabsorption. During different sodium intakes (normal = 120 mEq/day, low = 40 mEq/day and high = 240 mEq/day) fractional lithium excretion was evaluated in essential hypertensive patients (n. 19) and control subjects (n. 5). Our data showed that FeLi was higher in hypertensives than in controls. Dividing hypertensives on the basis of blood-pressure sensitivity, salt resistant patients showed lower FeLi levels as compared to salt sensitive ones. Our findings indicate that proximal tubular sodium reabsorption is decreased in essential hypertension; this behavior is particularly evident in salt sensitive patients, suggesting that factors affecting proximal tubular function are activated in these patients in order to reduce the impairment of renal excretory capability.

[Prostatic pathology and correlated urethral stenosis. 10 cases treated with transluminal urethroplasty]. / Patologia prostatica e stenosi uretrali correlate. Dieci casi trattati con uretroplastica transluminale.

Our study was intended to verify the efficacy and the side effects of intraluminal dilatation of the distal urinary tract with vascular balloon catheter in a group of patients with urethral stenosis. In 6 out of 10 patients, there was a significant increase in urethral diameter (by 70% to 150%). In 4 patients, the stenosis was only slightly improved (increase in urethral diameter by 10% to 20%). Only 5 patients, all belonging to the group in which dilatation was anatomically effective, have been having normal micturition and have been asymptomatic. According to data in our possession, transurethral dilatation does not seem to be very effective, since it restores adequate micturition in only 50% of cases. In view of the absence of severe side effects, however, this technique may be indicated in patients with medical problems that preclude surgery.