The American journal of the medical sciences
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Several reports state that oxygen uptake changed in direct correlation with changes in total oxygen delivery to the tissues in the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Oxygen uptake appeared to be limited by oxygen delivery even at normally adequate levels so that uptake was abnormally dependent on supply. These reports are discussed with respect to whether or not such a result could have been due to errors in measurement or to mathematical coupling by relating two quantities that shared a common variable. ⋯ The accompanying loss of reactive hyperemia and inability to extract oxygen were consistent with a progressive loss of recruitable capillaries. Evidence is presented that the potential for embolization in ARDS is greatly enhanced by activation of the complement and arachidonic acid cascades as well as by the xanthine oxidase system. The resultant use of molecular oxygen by non-ATP producing oxidase systems might also account for the increase of supply dependent oxygen demand in ARDS.
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A 54-year-old woman with recurrent adenocarcinoma of the uterus was treated with new third-generation cephalosporin, cefmenoxime, for a urinary tract infection. She received an alcohol-containing tylenol elixir while receiving the drug on two occasions. ⋯ This is the first report of a disulfiram-like reaction with cefmenoxime. The mechanism, causes, and significance of disulfiram-like reactions are discussed.
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The suggestion of a role for the abnormally regulated growth hormone (GH) in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus (DM), implicates also the somatomedins, as mediators of some of GH actions. The present study was aimed at assessing the somatomedin response to exogenous GH administration in diabetes type II (NIDDM) subjects as well as its possible relationship with the degree of control of diabetes. Twenty-two subjects (seven controls and 15 NIDDM patients), matched for sex and age, underwent human GH infusion (0.1 U/kg b.w.) over a one-hour period (time 0 to 1 hour). ⋯ In contrast, the SM-C increase at time 6 and 24 hours were significantly higher than in controls (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.01, respectively). No significant difference was found between SMs or SM-C response to GH infusion in patients with HbA1a-c greater than 10% vs. less than 10%. These results indicate an exaggerated and prolonged increase in SM-C synthesis following exogenous GH infusion in NIDDM subjects, apparently unrelated to the degree of control of diabetes.
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Eosinophilic Fasciitis is a syndrome characterized by exertion related scleroderma-like skin changes, peripheral eosinophilia, hypergammaglobulinemia and diffuse faciitis. Controversy exists as to the precise classification of the syndrome, i.e., whether it is a distinct entity or a variant of scleroderma. We describe a patient with eosinophilic faciitis but with several unique features: 1) progressive skin changes unresponsive to corticosteroid therapy; 2) elevated anti-DNA antibodies; 3) hypocomplementemia; and 4) a followup biopsy showing sclerodermatoid skin changes. These features and others relating to the controversial aspects of classification of eosinophilic fasciitis are discussed.
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Three cases of presumed respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) pneumonia in immunocompromised adults are described. Two patients had symptoms of cough, fever, and malaise, following completion of a course of combination chemotherapy for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The third patient, a juvenile onset diabetic, developed similar symptoms while hospitalized for severe hyperglycemia. ⋯ Nosocomial infection was considered possible. RSV is not considered a cause of pneumonia in compromised adults. Our three cases suggest that there may be a higher incidence of RSV pneumonia in compromised patients, than previously recognized.