Treatment with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), the preferred method of treating kidney stones <3 cm in size, has been shown to induce silent and often self-limiting acute and chronic lesions in the kidneys and adjacent organs. We conducted a randomized clinical trial to determine whether ESWL produces ischaemia and reperfusion injury in the kidneys and whether oral administration of antioxidants reduces the degree of short-term renal injury in patients treated with ESWL. The study included 120 patients with renal stones (1-3 cm in size) treated with ESWL. The patients were divided into three groups--patients in group A (n=39) served as a control group and were not given any antioxidants; patients in group B (n=41) were given two capsules of antioxidants "Nature Made R: " 2 h before ESWL, and 2 and 8 h after ESWL; and patients in group C (n=40) were given two capsules of the antioxidants 2 and 8 h after ESWL. Double 'J' stents were inserted in patients before treatment with ESWL. Blood and urine samples were obtained from all patients just before the start of treatment with ESWL, and at 2 and 24 h and on 7th and 28th day after ESWL. Serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), alpha-tocopherol, cholesterol, albumin and ascorbic acid, and alpha-tocopherol/cholesterol ratio were determined. Urinary levels of albumin and beta(2) microglobulin were also determined as measures of renal tubular injury. At 24 h after ESWL, patients given antioxidants (groups B + C) had significantly reduced mean serum concentration of MDA (P<0.001); higher levels of serum ascorbic acid (P<0.001) and serum albumin (P<0.001); lower alpha-tocopherol/cholesterol ratio, lower urinary albumin and beta(2 )microglobulin levels compared with patients who did not receive antioxidants (group A). These findings suggest that treatment with ESWL generates free radicals through ischaemic/reperfusion injury mechanism, and that oral administration of antioxidant may protect these patients from short term renal injury caused by ESWL.

Background: The current status of radioiodine-131 (RaI) dosimetry for Graves' hyperthyroidism is not clear. Recurrent hyperthyroidism and iatrogenic hypothyroidism are two problems which interact such that trying to solve one leads to exacerbation of the other. Optimized RaI therapy has therefore begun to be defined just in terms of early hypothyroidism (ablative therapy) as physicians have given up on reducing hypothyroidism.

Indium-III-hydroxyquinoline labelled platelets, though useful in the detection ofthrombus, have not gained widespread use owing to the time and technical skill required for their preparation. A study was therefore conducted evaluating a new method of imaging thrombus with platelets radiolabelled with a "'In labelled monoclonal antibody, P256, directed to the platelet surface glycoprotein complex IIb/IIIa. When the number of receptors occupied by P256 was less than 3% of the total available on the platelet surface platelet function, as assessed by platelet aggregometry, was undisturbed. P256 was radiolabelled with "'In using diethylenetriaminepenta-acetic acid, which achieved a specific activity of 185 MBq (5 mCi)/mg. No impairment of immunoreactivity was detected at this specific activity. Platelets were labelled with radiolabelled monoclonal antibody in vitro in two patients at a receptor occupancy of 6% and in vivo-that is, by direct intravenous injection of P256-in six patients at a receptor occupancy of 1%. In vivo recovery and biodistribution kinetics suggested that after in vitro labelling platelets were minimally activated. The "'In kinetics recorded after intravenous P256 suggested rapid and efficient radiolabelling of platelets and gave no indication of platelet activation. Of the six patients who received intravenous P256, three had documented thrombus, two