Replacement of intravenous administration of anti-D by subcutaneous administration in patients with autoimmune thrombocytopenia.

Intravenous (IV) administration of anti-D in patients with autoimmune thrombocytopenia (AITP) may result in severe hemolysis and even death. Over a 3-year period, we gave anti-D only subcutaneously (SC), and none of our patients have developed any acute adverse reaction. Most importantly, SC delivery of anti-D produces largely the same beneficial effect as obtained by IV anti-D. We recommend replacement of IV administration of anti-D by SC administration in AITP.

[H2O2 low temperature plasma sterilization. New possibilities for use with eye surgery instruments]. / H2O2-Niedrigtemperatur-Plasmasterilisation (NTP). Neue Möglichkeiten für den Einsatz augenchirurgischer Instrumente.

The H2O2-low-temperature-plasma-sterilization (STERRAD 100) works with a temperature below 50 degrees C (140 degrees F). This system is appliable for thermostabile materials as well as for thermolabile materials. The efficancy of this new system is shown by a biological test with Bacillus pumilus spores. 5 typical ophthalmic surgical instruments were contaminated. After sterilization the numerical reduction of the microorganisms had to be at least 6 log levels. Corrosion caused by hydrogene peroxide was excluded after exposing steal with a high quantity of this substrate. Electromicroscopy analysations of the surfaces of stainless steal after LTP, steam sterilization and hot-air sterilization are compared. Options and limitations of this new sterilization technique are discussed. A newly developed operating system with a complete instrumental box (OP-Set) will be introduced.

Interactions of physiological and pharmacological concentrations of ANP and angiotensin II in conscious dogs.

This study in conscious, chronically instrumented dogs investigated the effects of human atrial natriuretic peptide [hANP-(99-126)] at physiological (5 ng.kg-1.min-1) and pharmacological (5-900 ng.kg-1.min-1) doses on angiotensin II (ANG II)-mediated effects on hemodynamics, renal excretion, and aldosterone release. Five female beagle dogs kept chronically on a dietary sodium intake of 2.5 mmol Na.kg body wt-1.day-1 received an intravenous infusion of 1, 4, 10, 20, and 50 ng.kg-1.min-1 ANG II (20-min periods) without (protocol 1) or with (protocol 2) simultaneous intravenous infusion of 5 ng.kg-1.min-1 hANP-(99-126). In protocol 1, glomerular filtration rate (means +/- SD) decreased from 4.0 +/- 0.6 to 2.8 +/- 0.5 ml.kg-1.min-1, renal sodium excretion (UNaV) decreased from 2.8 +/- 1.6 to 0.4 +/- 0.2 mumol.kg-1.min-1, and urine volume (V) decreased from 45 +/- 23 to 6 +/- 8 microliters.kg-1.min-1. There were no differences in the values between protocol 1 and protocol 2. Mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) increased similarly from 118 +/- 16 to 166 +/- 9 mmHg in protocol 1 and from 109 +/- 11 to 162 +/- 7 mmHg in protocol 2. Maximal aldosterone secretion was stimulated less in protocol 2 (481 +/- 92 vs. 362 +/- 158 pg/ml; P less than 0.05). In ANG II-pretreated (20 ng.kg-1.min-1) dogs (n = 4; protocol 3), intravenous hANP-(99-126) doses of 300-900 ng.kg-1.min-1 decreased MABP and central venous pressure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Atypical presentation of Hodgkin's disease in a patient at risk for the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Hodgkin's disease (HD) has been reported in association with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) only occasionally, and these patients seemed to have aggressive unusual HD. We report an additional case of HD in a 50-year-old homosexual man with a marked change of his clinical course after the development of seropositivity to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In 1978, HD stage IIIA, nodular sclerosing type, was diagnosed and treated with splenectomy and total nodal radiotherapy, which led to a complete response lasting till 1985. The patient then reported to our clinic with generalized lymphadenopathy and paresis of the m. biceps and m. triceps due to an infiltration of C6/C7 by HD. Laboratory findings revealed a T4/T8 ratio of 0.5 and HIV antibodies. He was given chemotherapy (COPP), but after a good initial response he developed pulmonary infiltration of HD. Therapy was changed to ABVD, but the patient did not respond to treatment and died of progressive HD in 1986. We therefore conclude that the natural history of HD in patients at risk for AIDS may be altered to a higher malignant form, and treatment modalities used in these patients must be further evaluated.