Hepatogenous diabetes differs from type 2 diabetes in that there is less often a positive family history and that the cardiovascular and retinopathic risk is low. The prognosis of cirrhotic patients with diabetes is more likely to be negatively affected by the underlying hepatic disease and its complications than by the diabetes. Antihyperglycemic treatment of hepatogenous diabetes should always be carefully weighed up in each individual case.

Despite the considerable risk of lactic acidosis in the majority of patients, no cases were observed.

Farmers (N = 45) suffering from occupational cow hair asthma were visited at home to evaluate the concentration of cow hair major allergen Bos d 2 in the house dust and to correlate these results with measures of avoidance, degree of sensitization, clinical symptoms, and lung function. Bos d 2 was determined by rocket immunoelectrophoresis. In dust of tiles and linoleum Bos d 2 was difficult to detect, whereas dust samples of carpets often contained high concentrations of the allergen (50–520 μg/g fine dust). Bos d 2 levels were significantly higher when barn and living quarters were in the same building. Concentrations of cow hair-specific IgE were correlated with concentrations of Bos d 2 in house dust samples. A concentration of 20–29 μg Bos d 2 per gram of house dust could be established as threshold value for relevant IgE sensitization. Avoiding the barn is not a sufficient avoidance measure for cow hair asthmatics if the partner continues cattle farming. Cessation of cattle farming and avoiding the former barn results in a marked reduction in Bos d 2 concentration in living quarters, a decreased degree of sensitization, and a reduced symptom score. Farmers with cow hair asthma should avoid cattle and thoroughly clean all carpets in the living quarters to avoid continuous cow allergen exposure.

No abstract

A 70 year old man with type 1 diabetes self-monitored his blood glucose for 15 years by withdrawing capillary blood from the abdominal skin. The precision of this method was determined by simultaneously comparing the specific enzymatic glucose concentrations from the abdominal skin and the finger pad. Intra-and inter-method differences and the means of self-monitoring values from abdominal skin and finger pad, measured by reflectometers, did not differ statistically from their corresponding laboratory monitorings. Thus, self-monitoring from abdominal skin is equal to and interchangeable with self-monitoring from finger pads, provided a high monitoring standard is given. Bootstrap simulation with another l,OOOsamples, accidentally fixed by a computer, confirmed the accuracy and reproducability of the new method. Blood glucose self-monitoring from abdominal skin cannot generally be recommended, but after a quality check, this method might be an alternative to the well-established method of the finger pad for some people with diabetes.Practical Diabetes Int 1998; 16(1): 12-1 5