The analgesic effect of calcitonin in humans: studies on the role of opioid peptides

The possibility that the analgesic action of calcitonin could be due to variations in beta-endorphin levels in both peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid was studied. A total of 40 microgram of synthetic salmon calcitonin was injected i. v. in four male volunteers undergoing minor operations under rachianesthesia. Beta-Endorphin was determined in blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples that were collected before and at regular intervals after calcitonin injection. No statistically significant variation in beta-endorphin levels was observed either in peripheral blood or cerebrospinal fluid. Since the injected calcitonin was free of contaminants (demonstrated by both high pressure liquid chromatography and radioimmunoassay of endorphin made on the injected preparation) and since an increase was observed in the immunoreactive calcitonin in cerebrospinal fluid following calcitonin i. v., self-analgesic action may be hypothesized, even though action through prostaglandins or other systems cannot be excluded.

Human milk: relationship of fat content with gestational age

In order to assess the suitability of early human milk as a food for preterm infants, concentrations of fat were analyzed in milk samples representative of complete 24-h expressions, obtained serially over the first 30 days of lactation from 47 mothers delivering at term (FT) and 25 mothers delivering prematurely (PT). During the first postpartum month milk fat increased with progressing lactation both in FT and PT mothers' group. The increase was significant over the first 10 day period. During this stage the fat content was significantly higher in the milk from PT mothers than in FT mothers. A significant inverse correlation of fat content with gestational age was established. On the basis of these results, the higher energy intake obtained with PT milk suggests that is may be reasonable to prefer the use of mothers' own early milk than pooled milk as the more appropriate feeding for premature infants.

[Combination of antifungal chemotherapeutic agents in experimental candidiasis in mice]

For the valuation of therapeutical activity of many new recent antifungal drugs, these were employed in the various possible associations in the experimental candidosis of the mouse. From the results obtained calculated on the survivance percentage, was concluded that the best antifungal is the 5 fluorocytosine + amphotericin B association.

["Variant" angina: clinical, electrocardiographic and coronarographic aspects in 40 cases. Considerations for treatment (author's transl)]

Forty patients with chest pain and the electrocardiographic aspects of Prinzmetal's variant angina were studied by means of selective coronary arteriography. In 36 cases (90%) severe coronary lesions could be demonstrated: in 75% of the cases a critical obstruction involved a single major coronary trunk; only in 15% two or more vessels were affected. The vessel most frequently involved by critical obstruction was the left anterior descending (57%); in 5 cases (12.5%) a severe stenosis of the common left coronary trunk was present. In 8 cases critical stenosis were reduced by coronary dilators and were completely resolved in 2 cases. Peripheral lesions with multiple secondary branches involvement were present in none of the cases. A common finding was the absence of evident collateral anastomotic circulation. The comparison of the electrocardiographic manifestations of the anginal crisis and the angiographic findings showed a strict correlation between the area of subepicardial lesion and the major coronary vessel distributing to the corresponding myocardial region. Of the 40 patients, 17 were treated medically and 23 underwent a surgical aortocoronary bypass: the results (surgical mortality 22%; complete success 52%) are compared with those in the literature. Prognosis appears to be severe: coronary arteriography must be performed under criteria of urgency, and the possibilities of treatment must be considered on the basis of the angiographic findings.