Ninety-three patients with treatment-resistant venous ulcers were included in a multicentre randomized trial to compare cadexomer iodine and the standard treatment used in each centre combined with compression bandages, in healing venous ulcers. The mean duration of ulcers before the trial was more than 2 years. With standard treatment the mean ulcer size increased slightly during the 6-week trial whereas with cadexomer iodine the ulcer size was significantly reduced. Cadexomer iodine was more effective than standard treatment for reduction of pain, removal of pus and debris, removal of exudate, stimulation of granulation and reduction of surrounding erythema. Bacterial infection of ulcers increased or did not change during treatment with the standard therapy whereas cadexomer iodine significantly reduced infection with Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other pathogenic organisms. A correlation was seen between the time taken to reduce or eliminate infection with Staphylococcus aureus and rate of ulcer healing. Four patients complained of transient pain in the ulcer after application of the cadexomer iodine. It is concluded that cadexomer iodine increased the rate of healing of infected chronic venous ulcers.

The effect of oral tranexamic acid on massive upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage was evaluated in a randomized double-blind study. Totally 50 patients entered the trial and seven were excluded, leaving 22 placebo treated and 21 tranexamic acid treated for analysis. The groups were comparable regarding sex, age, diagnosis, and initial laboratory data. Transfusions requirements and operation frequency did not differ. Mortality was slightly reduced and death delayed in tranexamic acid treated patients.

The glycogen storage in rat skeletal muscle is reduced after a 20% third degree burn. The reason is probably a relative deficiency of insulin caused by insulin resistance at the tisue level. Posttraumatically increased sympatho-adrenal function has been suspected to cause this insulin resistance. In an earlier study, however, it has been shown that adrenal demedullation has no effect on the glycogen storage. In the present investigation an attempt was made to assess the importance of the increased peripheric sympathetic activity. Muscle glycogen, serum insulin and blood glucose were determined at the end of a glucose infusion after infliction of a burn both in 4-hydroxy-dopamine treated rats and rats with an intact peripheric sympathetic nervous system. It was found that a chemical sympathectomy did not improve the glycogen storage. The result indicates that the increased activity of the sympatho-adrenal system after a burn is not the main cause of the reduced skeletal muscle glycogen storage.

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