Of 102 patients suffering from prostatic carcinoma, complete data on the serum concentration of 7 tumour markers were available from 90 patients, together with tumour grade, local stage and the presence or absence of skeletal metastases. The serum content of prostatic acid phosphatase, prostate specific antigen, neopterin, thymidine kinase, osteocalcin, C-reactive protein and tissue polypeptide antigen was measured. By means of Cox's regression and multivariate analysis the ability of these variables to predict prognosis, i.e. death from prostatic cancer, was studied. Neopterin appeared to be the most efficient marker, followed by tumour grade, thymidine kinase and prostate specific antigen. No other variable provided information of statistical significance. In multivariate analysis thymidine kinase performed best, followed by neopterin, tumour grade and prostate specific antigen. Several serum tumour markers reflect the biological activity of human prostate cancers and their value should be further explored. They may become useful in the management of individual patients.

(Gln4)-neurotensin was infused i.v. for 5 to 70 min at 3 different infusion rates (6, 12 and 18 pmol X kg-1 X min-1, respectively) in 19 male volunteers, aged 26-47. The plasma concentration of neurotensin-like immunoreactivity (NTLI), the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure, blood pressure, heart rate. ECG and blood glucose concentration were measured. The volunteers did not report any subjective effects during the infusion. Following infusion periods of 30 min or more the volunteers often reported bowel movements starting 5 min or more after cessation of the infusion. Neither blood pressure nor heart rate changed significantly. No changes were noted in the continuous ECG or in the blood glucose concentration. Apparent steady state levels of about 300 pM NTLI were reached at about 40 min during infusion of 12 pmol X kg-1 X min-1 (Gln4)-neurotensin. In all volunteers the LES pressure was significantly reduced within 5 min of starting the infusion. In 6 volunteers 12 pmol X kg-1 X min-1 (Gln4)-neurotensin was infused i.v. for 5 min. The LES pressure decreased significantly (P less than 0.01) from 13.7 +/- 1.3 mmHg to 5.3 +/- 0.8 mmHg. The decrease in the LES pressure occurred at plasma NTLI concentrations of approximately 50 pM, i.e. at levels below those obtained in man after a meal or the ingestion of fat. The present data further support the hypothesis that in man plasma neurotensin, or a neurotensin metabolite is an endocrine hormone involved in the postprandial regulation of the motor functions of the gastrointestinal tract.

A method for the study of physiological events during transurethral resection of the prostate (TUR) is described. Measurements of volumetric irrigating fluid balance, blood loss, central venous pressure (CVP) as well as blood haemoglobin and serum levels of sodium and glycine were performed at 10-min intervals. This regular interval monitoring (RIM) method offers the possibility to retrospectively correlate changes that occur during TUR at discrete time intervals. In 20 patients undergoing TUR, irrigating fluid absorption occurred throughout the procedure although the risk of having an absorption increased 30 min after surgery commenced. Increase of blood loss coincided with intravascular but not with extravascular absorptions. If there was a rapid massive intravascular absorption of about 500 ml/10 min, the CVP increased greater than 2 mmHg. The total intraoperative blood loss was not greater in patients with large absorption volumes. RIM will detect absorption greater than the urine excretion in any given period of time. If absorption occurs during a limited time of the TUR, RIM allows a partial correction for the urinary excretion in the volumetric fluid balance.

Continuous recording of intravesical pressure (IVP) and incremental volumetric measurements of irrigating fluid absorption were performed during 37 transurethral resections of the prostate (TUR). Absorption which resulted in concomitant dilutional changes in peripheral blood, indicating intravascular absorption, was associated with prolongation of the time required to increase the IVP. There was an inverse relation between the change in maximum IVP and the rate of irrigating fluid absorption. Absorption that did not result in concomitant dilutional changes in peripheral blood, indicating extravascular absorption, was associated with similar changes in IVP parameters but the critical pressure for absorption was lower.