[The therapeutic action of hidrosmin in chronic lymphedema]. / Acción terapéutica de hidrosmina en el linfedema crónico.

During three months, 20 women, diagnosed of primary (n = 7) or secondary (n = 13) lymphoedema, were treated with hidrosmin, 400 mg t.i.d. The volume of the extremities was measured before and after therapy by projection of shadows with optoelectronic data collection; characteristics of oedema were also evaluated by means of an scoring scale including data on severity and consistency of oedema, pain, loss of function and trophic changes. The volume of the affected extremity was 2784 +/- 972 cc before treatment and was reduced to 2597 +/- 819 cc after it, the mean reduction being 5.8% +/- 9.0% (p less than 0.001). The overall scoring for clinical parameters was 4.2 +/- 1.4 before treatment and 3.5 +/- 1.5 after (p less than 0.05). The drug was well tolerated. The authors have considered hidrosmin as an important therapeutical options for the treatment of chronic lymphoedema.

[Therapeutic ranges of anti-epileptic drugs in monotherapy of children]. / Rangos terapéuticos de los antiepilépticos en monoterapia en el niño.

Relationship between steady-state plasma concentrations of phenobarbitone (PB), phenytoin (PHT), primidone (PRM), carbamazepine (CBZ) and sodium valproate (VPA) and their efficacy and toxicity, were studied in 392 pediatric outpatients, long-term treated in monotherapy for epileptic seizures or febrile convulsions, in order to establish "target" values which may be used, as reference, in clinical practice. The concentration-efficacy and toxicity curves suggest target values of 20, 15, 9, 10, 6 and 70 mg/l for PB, PB derived from PRM, PRM, PHT, CBZ and VPA respectively. Above 25 mg/l of PB, 20 of PHT and 100 of VPA, markedly decreased the probability of response in refractory patients, and a clear increase in toxicity was shown. Above 7 mg/l of CBZ a decrease in the percentage of seizure-free patients was observed, without an increase of toxicity. For PRM no efficacy "ceiling" was found but side effects increased. The target values proposed may be helpful as a reference for the initial dosage of antiepileptic drugs in children, during monotherapy. Nevertheless, final doses should be adjusted according to clinical response of each patient.