No abstract

No abstract

Twenty-one patients undergoing regular hemodialysis completed a trial of energy supplementation. Nine patients added the glucose polymer Polycose to their usual diet and 12 acted as control subjects. The supplemented patients were asked to incorporate 100 or 150 g polymer, equivalent to 1600 or 2400 kJ (400 or 600 kcal) into their usual diet, daily for 6 mo. This resulted in a mean increase in energy intake of 1630 kJ (p less than 0.05) and a mean weight gain of 3.1 kg (p less than 0.005). The addition of glucose polymer to the diet resulted in a mean increase in body fat of 1.8 kg and the lean body mass increased by 1.3 kg. No significant effect on plasma triglycerides, urea, or creatinine was detected. The intake of macro- and micronutrients was not adversely affected and no clinical or psychological side effects were reported. Follow-up of these patients showed that the weight gain was maintained after 6 mo. Glucose polymer was an effective energy supplement that had beneficial effects on the nutritional status of hemodialysis patients.

No abstract

No abstract

A retrospective study evaluated the influence of sex and age on plasma biochemistry and haematology parameters in a captive-bred colony of baboons. Over 1,140 ETDA and heparin blood samples were obtained from 160 clinically normal baboons between the ages of 11 months and 11 years. Data for these blood tests were analysed for the effects of sex, age and sex age interactions. Sex, age and sex age interactions were detected for many plasma biochemistry and haematological parameters. The reference range values for platelets, white-blood cells and mean corpuscular volume and plasma chloride, glucose, total protein and iron were higher (P < 0.01) and red blood cell, plasma sodium, potassium, total CO2, creatinine, urea, total bilirubin, albumin, alkaline phosphate, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase and phosphate were lower (P < 0.01) in the female compared to the male population. Sex age interactions (P < 0.05) were seen with haemoglobin, white blood cells, haematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, sodium, creatinine, urea, calcium, phosphate, total bilirubin, total protein alkaline phosphatase, the liver enzymes and triglycerides. Plasma alkaline phosphatase was highest ( > 800 micro/l) in young juveniles of both sexes; creatinine was higher in older ( > 4 years) compared to younger baboons of the same sex (P < 0.05). Plasma cholesterol and triglycerides were greater (P < 0.01) in young baboons compared to older animals.

The presence of significant renal impairment, positive urine sediment, abnormal liver enzymes, and early age of onset should alert one to the presence of karyomegalic nephropathy. It represents an underdiagnosed disorder with a high degree of ploidy indicative of karyotypic abnormality.

Our data suggest that the antihypertensive drugs clonidine and hydralazine can stimulate production of the circulating anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, whereas furosemide and diazoxide inhibit the production of this cytokine and the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-6 by placentas and PBMCs.