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Haemochromatosis may impair the function of endocrine organs, amongst others the pituitary gland. It was the aim of this study to determine pituitary function in adult patients with genetically defined hereditary haemochromatosis in a prospective diagnostic study using a standardised stimulation test. Therefore, 22 patients (7 females, 15 males; age at diagnosis of haemochromatosis 48.1 ± 7.9 years; age at study inclusion 50.7 ± 7.7 years) with genetically defined hereditary haemochromatosis were investigated by a combined pituitary stimulation test (CRH, GHRH/arginine, GnRH, TRH). In 11 patients (50% of the study population; 2 females, 9 males), pituitary insufficiencies were detected [isolated corticotrophic insufficiency (peak cortisol181.25 μg/l/500 nmol/l) n=10 (2 females, 8 males); combined corticotrophic and borderline gonadotrophic insufficiency (basal testosterone 2.4-3.0 μg/l without basal LH-elevation) in 1 male]. Somatotrophic pituitary insufficiencies were not found. IFG-1 concentrations below -2 standard deviations in 7 patients (32%) may be attributed to impaired hepatic IGF-1 synthesis. Hypopituitarism, particularly corticotrophic insufficiency, seems to be prevalent in a considerable number of middle-aged patients with hereditary haemochromatosis. Despite normal somatotrophic function, low IGF-1 serum concentrations may be found in a subgroup of haemochromatosis patients.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that selenium levels are relatively low in Europe and may be falling. Low levels of selenium or low activity of some of the enzymes dependent on selenium have been associated with asthma. METHODS: The GA(2)LEN network has organized a multicentre case-control study in Europe to assess the relation of plasma selenium to asthma. The network compared 569 cases in 14 European centres with a diagnosis of asthma and reporting asthma symptoms in the last 12 months with 576 controls from the same centres with no diagnosis of asthma and no asthmatic symptoms in the last 12 months. RESULTS: All cases and controls were selected from the same population defined by age and place of residence. Mean plasma selenium concentrations among the controls ranged from 116.3 microg/l in Palermo to 67.7 microg/l in Vienna and 56.1 microg/l among the children in Oslo. Random effects meta-analysis of the results from the centres showed no overall association between asthma and plasma selenium [odds ratio (OR)/10 microg/l increase in plasma selenium: 1.04; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.89-1.21] though there was a significantly protective effect in Lodz (OR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.29-0.78) and a marginally significant adverse effect in Amsterdam (OR: 1.68; 95% CI: 0.98-2.90) and Ghent (OR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.03-1.77). CONCLUSION: This study does not support a role for selenium in protection against asthma, but effect modification and confounding cannot be ruled out.

The problem of T classification of proximal gastric carcinomas is becoming increasingly important due to a rise in the incidence of these tumors. The aim of this study was to examine the gastric insertion of the lesser and greater omenta and its role in the T classification of gastric carcinomas. The stomach and greater and lesser omenta were removed from 76 fixed cadavers and 12 measurements each were done in defined localizations. The lesser omentum extended to the gastric wall in 98% of the cases. This junction as well as the omental thickness and thus the retroperitoneal part are especially pronounced in the cardiac region. According to the current UICC classification, even advanced tumors extending into the gastric wall can be classified T2 as long as they do not penetrate the visceral peritoneum. This results in « understaging » and a seemingly poorer prognosis for cardiac carcinomas. Our study results support the recommendation of Hermanek and Wittekind [5] to subdivide the T2 stage of gastric carcinomas on the basis of infiltration depth.

During the development of somites in mouse embryos, widespread activity of unspecific cholinesterase (BuChE) was demonstrated after prolonged incubation. Independent of their position, all somite cells and their derivatives (dermatome, myotome and sclerotome) exhibited enzyme activity in the perinuclear space and in the endoplasmic reticulum. The plasmalemma did not show any enzyme activity. Differentiation of the sclerotome into vertebrae was accompanied by a reduction of BuChE. However, a low enzyme reaction was still present in the first typical differentiated chondroblasts. Notochordal cells were detectable by their high BuChE content. This was also found in cells already showed severe degeneration. In addition to BuChE, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was first visible of day 9 of embryonic development in newly formed myotubes of the myotomes. Some hypotheses on the functional significance of of embryonic BuChE are discussed in the light of these results.