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Retrospective investigations on 849 low birth weight infants between 1,001 and 2,500 gm born from 1966 to 1982 were done. The infants were divided into three groups with birth weights from 1,001 to 1,500 gm, from 1,501 to 2,000 gm, and 2,001 to 2,500 gm. The results of spontaneous delivery, delivery with manual assistance and caesarian section were compared. In the weight group 1,001 to 1,500 gm (14%), the perinatal mortality was 32%. In caesarian sections, the perinatal mortality was 19%, in spontaneous deliveries the perinatal mortality was 32% and in delivery with manual assistance the perinatal mortality was 45%. In the second weight group of 1,501 to 2,000 gm the perinatal mortality was 14.8%. Spontaneous delivery had a perinatal mortality of 16%, manual assistance a perinatal mortality of 14% and caesarian section a perinatal mortality of 10%. In both birth weight groups of 1,001 to 1,500 gm and 1,001 to 2,000 gm, the infants born by caesarian section had a significantly improved prognosis. Therefore, we recommend caesarian section in these weight groups for all breech presentations. In vertex presentations, caesarian sections are indicated when additional risk factors especially prolonged labour are apparent. In the third weight group between 2,001 and 2,500 gm the overall perinatal mortality was 4.9%. The spontaneously delivered infants have a mortality of 4.1%. Manual assistance was associated with a perinatal mortality of 5.9%. Caesarian section had a perinatal mortality of 11%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Clinical and bacteriological investigations in patients with IUDs in place have only been presented by a few authors with varying results. In order to investigate how often inflammatory factors are responsible for complications with the IUD bacteriological investigations from the vagina and from the removed IUD were carried out in 66 patients. Control examinations of the bacteriology of the vagina and the uterus in women without IUDs were carried out in 60 cases. When the patients were asymptomatic pathogens were found in 1/2 of the cases. When the IUD caused complications such as abnormal uterine bleeding and inflammation in 20 of 26 cases pathogenic microorganisms were found. Women without IUDs only showed pathogenic organisms in the uterine cavity in 6 of 80 cases. The bacteriological results from the uterine fundus or the IUD and the vagina were not always identical and many times discrepancies in the flora were discovered. Even in cases with an asymptomatic IUD more than 1/2 of the patients may show pathogenic bacteria in the uterine fundus. This explains the experience that IUDs may cause symptoms after mild infection and bleeding suddenly even after months and years of compatability. We consider it necessary to treat these problems with antibiotics (2 x 10 mg Progynon) in order to increase the proliferation of the endometrium and to administer inhibitory drugs for fibrinolysis such as cyclocaprone anvitoff or amnio-epsilon-caproic acid. If these measures are not successful the IUD must be removed to eliminate the focus of the infection. The most common bacteria found were y-hemolytic streptococci strept fecalis and E. coli. (authors)

The benefits of statin therapy in cardiovascular medicine are ascribed to its lipid-lowering effect as well as its anti-inflammatory properties. Whereas all statins have been shown to reduce cholesterol plasma levels, their effect on inflammatory markers has been inconsistent. Here, we show that statins differ markedly in their effectiveness in preventing activation of NF-kappaB, a transcription factor involved in the activation of immediately early genes during inflammation.Six statins (atorvastatin (Atv), cerivastatin (Cer), fluvastatin (Flu), lovastatin (Lov), pravastatin (Pra), simvastatin (Sim)) were tested for their ability to influence the induction of NF-kappaB in human monocytes (Mo) during inflammation. Mo isolated from healthy blood donors were incubated with LPS (10 microg/ml) in the presence and absence of statin (0.001-5 microM). NF-kappaB binding activity (EMSA), degradation and phosphorylation of the inhibitor protein IkappaB-alpha (Western blotting), tissue factor (TF) mRNA (rtPCR), and TF activity (clotting assay) were analyzed.All statins inhibited LPS-induced NF-kappaB binding activity in Mo in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect was due to reduced phosphorylation and degradation of the NF-kappaB inhibitor protein IkappaB, and was primarily dependent on the absence of mevalonate. Whilst this effect appeared with all statins, there were marked differences in the degree of inhibition between the statins. Cer (45 +/- 9% inhibition, p0.05) was 9-fold more effective in reducing NF-kappaB activation than Flu (5 +/- 10% inhibition). The differences in the potency of statins (CerAtvSimPraLovFlu) were also reflected at the transcriptional level and the protein level of NF-kappaB controlled tissue factor expression.The finding that statins differ in their potency in interfering with the activation of NF-kappaB signaling in human monocytes further supports the hypothesis that some statins inhibit the inflammatory response more than others.