The authors report the results of a study of 139 of their patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis, treated with chlorambucil of cyclophosphamide between 1965 and December 1973, with an observation period of 4 to 12 years. 8 patients were lost to follow-up, 38 died and 93 were reexamined. In this series 7 deaths were attributed to hemolymphoreticulopathy of various cytological types; 6 deaths were due to visceral cancer and 2 others to cancer of the tonsils. They confirm that such treatments increase the risk of hemopathy but apparently not the risk of visceral cancer. The risk was not a function of the total dose of the drug administered since no neoplasia was observed in the 25 subjects who received the highest doses. The addition of chlorambucil to cyclophosphamide seems to increase the risk of hemopathy. It was noticed that the 7 cases of hemolymphoreticulopathy occured after 60 years.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Methodologic problems concerning pharmacology effect on bronchomotricity in asthma (Raw, V/V) (author's transl)].

Study of spirometric, flow-rate and Raw modifications in three groups of 5 to 8 asthmatic patients (stage I or II) before and after acetylcholine and pneumallergen (dust) action is made. The same modifications were studied on the action of dust before and after a chemical protector effect. In two control groups the following parameters were verified: 1) the stability of Raw and V/V (normal subjects: 8); 2) the reproductibility of the acetylcholine bronchospasm, before and after the action of chemical protector (asthmatic patients: 11). Some considerations about the methodology in the practice of bronchomotricity data are submitted.

Acetylcholine↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) tissue distribution in the rat as measured by radioimmunoassay and by radioreceptorassay (author's transl)].

A new radioimmunoassay which allows the measurement of the rat vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, was performed. VIP is present in the whole digestive tract of rat, mainly between the duodenum and the colon. 1.5% of the total VIP is present in brain. The VIP-like immunoreactivity appears to correspond to biologically active molecule since a radioreceptorassay using liver plasma membranes as the target tissue, gives the same results as the radioimmunoassay.

Animals↗