Search

The authors made a retrospective analysis of late ineffectiveness of sulphonylurea derivatives and its correlation with the age of diabetes onset, duration of the disease, sex, body mass, smoking cigarettes, diabetes history in the family, coexistence with some diabetic complications as retinopathy, ischemic heart disease, arterial hypertension and vascular diseases in lower limbs. The study was carried out in a group of 220 patients with diabetes type 2 lasting from 1 up to 25 years, aged 30-77 undergoing therapy in the Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolic Diseases in the years 1976-1987 in whom a late ineffectiveness appeared to sulphonylurea derivatives. The average time of effective therapy by means of sulphonylurea derivatives in the group examined was 8.7 +/- 4.9 years (9.2 +/- 5.2 in men and 8.3 +/- 4.6 in women). The time of effective therapy by means of the above drugs was inversely proportional to the age of patients when diabetes type 2 appeared. The time of effective therapy by means of sulphonylurea derivatives in obese men was significantly longer than in obese women. No correlation was found between the appearance of late ineffectiveness of sulphonylurea derivatives and diabetes history in the family, smoking ischemic heart disease, arterial hypertension, retinopathy and vascular diseases of lower limbs.

Plasma somatostatin-like activity (SLI) was measured in obese women with type 2 diabetes in fasting condition and after a test meal (714 kcal: 27% carbohydrates, 8% protein, 73% fat). The tests were done twice: first, after a week of dietetic treatment and then 7 days of metformin administration, 1.5 g a day. Blood glucose and insulin concentration (IRI) were also followed throughout the test. The plasma SLI on fasting and after the test meal, before and after treatment with metformin did not show any significant differences. Blood glucose was lower in the fasting state significantly and serum insulin showed a tendency to decrease at the end of the test. These findings contradict the hypothesis of a possible role of somatostatin in peripheral blood in the enteric effect of metformin. The local (paracrine?) action of SLI secreted after metformin administration cannot be excluded.

The purpose of the work was checking whether possible electrophysiological changes in peripheral nerves in diabetes were connected with acetylation phenotype. The authors determined the conduction velocity in peripheral nerves (medianus, peroneal, femoral, facial and sural) in 49 diabetics, divided into two groups depending on the acetylation phenotype determined by Evans method. The results failed to demonstrate differences in the frequency of neuropathy between both groups of acetylators.

Erythromycin A cyclic 11,12-carbonate, a compound with high antibacterial activity, forms with L-aspartic acid a salt possessing valuable properties as a potential chemotherapeutic agent. The L-aspartate of erythromycin A cyclic 11,12-carbonate exhibits strong anti-bacterial activity, especially against Gram-positive bacteria and shows low toxicity. The serum and the lung tissue levels of the discussed salt after a single dose administration to a rat were measured in comparison with those of erythromycin, its L-aspartate, erythromycin cyclic 11,12-carbonate and its L-glutamate. The new erythromycin derivative showed definitely superior characteristics to those of the other substances tested. The activity of the L-aspartate of erythromycin A cyclic 11,12-carbonate in chemotherapy of experimental staphylococcal infection and experimental pneumococcal bronchopneumonia in mice is superior to that of the parent carbonate and erythromycin itself.

The purpose of this study was to establish the correlation between the genetically determined rate of acetylation of certain drugs and the development of diabetic neuropathy. Acetylator phenotype was determined according to Evans in 100 healthy individuals and 160 diabetics including 80 patients with type I and 80 with type II diabetes. The diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy was based on clinical neurological examination. In addition, electrostimulation was carried out in 49 diabetics. Among the healthy controls, the fast acetylator phenotype was found in 44 cases (44%) and the slow one in 56 (56%). In type I diabetes these values were 51 (64%) and 29 (36%), in type II 46 (58%) and 34 (42%), respectively. The predominance of fast acetylators in type I diabetes was statistically significant (p less than 0.01) when compared to the healthy population of Warsaw. However, no significant correlation was found between diabetic neuropathy and the distribution of acetylator phenotype. Further prospective studies are necessary in order to ascertain whether the acetylator phenotype might be considered a genetic marker of type I diabetes.