In view of the high anti-oxidative potential oftocotrienol, the role of the tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) of palm oil in preventing pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) was explored in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial in an urban teaching hospital. Healthy primigravidae were randomized to receive either oral TRF 100 mg daily or placebo, from early second trimester until delivery. Out of 299 women, 151 were randomized into the TRF arm and 148 into the placebo arm. A total of 15 (5.0%) developed PIH. Although there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of PIH (4/151 or 2.6% in the TRF arm vs. 11/148 or 7.4% in the placebo arm, p = 0.058) between the two arms, there was a tendency towards a lower incidence of PIH in the TRF arm compared to the placebo arm. With TRF supplementation, the relative risk (RR) of PIH was 0.36 (95% CI 0.12-1.09). In conclusion, although TRF from palm oil does not statistically significantly reduce the risk of development of PIH in the population studied, the 64% reduction in incidence of PIH is substantial. The findings warrant further clinical trials, particularly in high risk populations. and ZA. Mahdy, HH. Siraj, H. Khaza'ai, MS. Mutalib, MH. Azwar, MA. Wahab, AZ. Dali, R. Jaafar, NA. Ismail, MA. Jamil, N. Adeeb
Few studies concerning the occurrence of cow’s milk allergy with the use of double-blind, placebo controlled food challenge test in adolescents and adult patients suffering from atopic dermatitis exist. Aim: To evaluate the occurrence of cow’s milk allergy in adolescents and adults suffering from atopic dermatitis. Method: Altogether 179 persons suffering from atopic dermatitis were included in the study: 51 men and 128 women entered the study with the average age of 26.2 (s.d. 9.5 years). Complete dermatological and allergological examinations were performed. Results: The positive results in specificIgE and in skin prick tests were recorded in 12% of patients. According to the open exposure tests and double-blind, placebo controlled food challenge tests these patients are only sensitized to cow’s milk without clinical symptoms of allergy. Double-blind, placebo controlled food challenge test confirmed food allergy to cow milk only in one patient (worsening of atopic dermatitis), the oral allergy syndrome was observed in another one patient, occurrence of this allergy was altogether 1.1%. Conclusion: Cow’s milk allergy rarely plays a role in the worsening of atopic dermatitis in adolescent and adult patients., Jarmila Čelakovská, Květuše Ettlerová, Karel Ettler, Jaroslava Vaněčková, Josef Bukač, and Literatura 29
Úvod: Kardiochirurgické výkony jsou zatíženy signifikantním rizikem vzniku ischemické cévní mozkové příhody (CMP), které se dle jednotlivých studií pohybuje mezi 1,3 a 3,6 %. Asymptomatické ischemické infarkty lze detekovat po kardiochirurgické operaci dokonce až u 32 % pacientů. Cílem studie je prokázat efekt sonolýzy (kontinuálního transkraniálního dopplerovského (TCD) monitoringu a. cerebri media (ACM)) u pacientů podstupujících kardiochirurgický výkon na snížení rizika vzniku nových ischemických lézí detekovaných pomocí magnetické rezonance (MR). Soubor a metodika: Do studie jsou zařazováni pacienti indikovaní k izolovanému aortokoronárnímu bypassu nebo k izolovanému výkonu na jedné srdeční chlopni. Pacienti jsou randomizováni do skupiny se sonolýzou (monitorování pomocí TCD) a kontrolní skupiny bez sonolýzy. U všech pacientů byla provedena MR mozku před výkonem a 24 hod po něm a byla hodnocena četnost výskytu, lokalizace a velikost nových ischemických změn po výkonu. Výsledky: Během 16 měsíců bylo zařazeno 78 pacientů (48 mužů, průměrný věk 63,7 ? 15,8 let), 35 pacientů bylo randomizováno do skupiny se sonolýzou, 43 pacientů do kontrolní skupiny. Ve skupině sonolýzy byly detekovány nové ischemické změny u osmi pacientů (23 %) – u pěti (14 %) v povodí pravé (stimulované) ACM, ale jen u dvou (6 %) větší než 0,5 cm3. V kontrolní skupině byly detekovány nové ischemické změny u 10 pacientů (23 %) – u osmi (19 %) v povodí pravé ACM, u pěti (12 %) větší než 0,5 cm3 (p > 0,05 ve všech případech). Závěr: Pilotní data studie prokázala trend k redukci počtu i objemu ischemických lézí mozku u pacientů se sonolýzou v průběhu kardiochirurgické operace., Background: Heart surgery is burdened with a significant risk of ischemic stroke. Asymptomatic cerebral infarctions can be detected in as many as 32% of patients after heart surgery. The aim of this study is to prove the efficacy of sonolysis (continual transcranial Doppler (TCD) monitoring) during open-heart surgery to decrease the risk of new brain infarctions detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Material and methods: Patients indicated to isolated coronary artery bypass or isolated one heart valve surgery were included in the study. Patients were randomized to a sonolysis group (TCD monitoring), and to a control group without sonolysis. All patients underwent brain MRI before and 24 hours after the surgery and the presence of new ischemic lesions was evaluated. Results: During 16 months, 78 patients (48 males, mean age 63.7 ? 15.8 years) were enrolled to the study. Thirty five patients were randomized to the sonolysis group and 43 to the control group. In the sonolysis group, new brain infarctions were found in eight (23%) patients – in the right (TCD-monitored) MCA territory in five patients (14%) but > 0.5 cm3 in two (6%) patients only. In the control group, new infarctions were found in 10 patients (23%) – in the right (TCD-monitored) MCA in eight (19%) patients and > 0.5 cm3 in five (12 %) (p > 0.05 in all cases). Conclusion: Pilot study results showed a trend towards reduction in a number and volume of new brain ischemic lesions in patients treated with sonolysis during heart surgery. Key words: ultrasound – sonolysis – brain ischemia – coronary artery bypass graft – heart valve – magnetic resonance imaging – brain The authors declare they have no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study. The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE “uniform requirements” for biomedical papers., and E. Hurtíková, M. Roubec, M. Kuliha, A. Goldírová, J. Havelka, R. Brát, M. Bortlíček, R. Herzig, D. Školoudík