Dexamethasone increases the capacity of urea synthesis time dependently and reduces the body weight of rats.

Rats of 230 g were treated with 0.1 mg of dexamethasone twice daily for 2 days (n = 5) and 14 days (n = 9). Controls received isotonic saline. During the first week of dexamethasone treatment the rats lost weight rapidly (up to 9 g/day). The weight loss diminished during the second week of treatment. The fasting blood insulin concentration increased sevenfold in the dexamethasone-treated rats. Fasting blood glucagon and glucose concentrations were not different from controls. In the dexamethasone-treated rats the fasting alpha-amino-N concentrations were lower: 4.0 +/- 0.3 mmol/l (mean +/- SEM) versus 6.8 +/- 0.3 mmol/l in controls. The capacity of Urea-N Synthesis, determined during alanine loading was: after 2 days of treatment 14.7 +/- 1.7 mumol/(min 100 g), after 14 days of treatment 7.9 +/- 0.8 mumol/(min 100 g), and in controls 7.5 +/- 1.0 mumol/(min 100 g) (mean +/- SEM). In conclusion, glucocorticoid treatment leads to a transient change in the liver function as to hepatic amino-N conversion, implying that more amino-N than normal is eliminated as urea-N after 2 days of treatment. This may contribute to the early, but not the late body weight loss.

Trainability of the pelvic floor. A prospective study during pregnancy and after delivery.

The contractibility and trainability of the pelvic floor were investigated during pregnancy and after vaginal delivery in 86 healthy primiparae. One group (TG) (n = 38) was instructed in training the pelvic floor from the 33rd week of pregnancy, whereas the other group (non-TG) (n = 39) was not. Both groups were measured by perineometry five times between 33rd-39th week of pregnancy and approximately 8 weeks after delivery. Half of the women were also measured 8 months post partum. At the beginning of the study both groups showed the same strength of the pelvic floor. 8 weeks and 8 months after delivery the TG were significantly (p less than 0.05) better able to contract the pelvic floor compared with the non-TG. 8 months post partum, the TG had regained the initial values of pelvic floor contraction as from 33rd week of pregnancy, whereas the non-TG had not. During pregnancy there was a better ability to contract the pelvic floor in the TG vis-à-vis the non-TG, though not significantly so. No difference in the course of delivery was observed, and the frequency of complications was the same in the two groups.