Serum beta 2 microglobulin in malignant lymphoproliferative disorders.

Serum beta-2-microglobulin (S-beta 2M) was measured at diagnosis in 44 patients with lymphocytic leukemias and 47 with malignant lymphomas. Among patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) S-beta 2M was raised (greater than 3 mg/l) in 74% and in 23.5% of those with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The frequencies for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and Hodgkin's disease (HD) were 59.2% and 40%, respectively. In CLL patients high serum values correlated with large tumor mass, as estimated by Rai's clinical criteria (P less than 0.001), by total peripheral lymphocytes (r = 0.41, P less than 0.05) and by the percentage of bone marrow infiltration of the lymphocytes (P less than 0.01). A significant relation was also found in CLL patients between S-beta 2M level and survival (P less than 0.05). In ALL no association was found between S-beta 2M level with peripheral lymphoblast concentration, French-American-British (FAB) subclassification, splenomegaly, and survival. In NHL patients a significant association was found between S-beta 2M levels and stage of disease (P less than 0.01) and an obscure relation (P less than 0.1) with the presence of lymph nodes greater than 3 cm in diameter, splenomegaly, and hepatomegaly. No significant association was found between S-beta 2M level and histologic subtypes, presence of B symptoms, bone marrow involvement, and survival. In HD patients a significant association was found between the level of S-beta 2M and stage of disease (P less than 0.05) and presence of splenomegaly (P less than 0.05). No association was found between S-beta 2M level and histologic subtypes, lymph nodes greater than 3 cm in diameter, bone marrow involvement, and B symptoms. A significant relation was found between S-beta 2M level and survival in HD patients with widespread disease (P less than .025).

Cardiac arrhythmias in chronic renal failure? Holter monitoring during dialysis and everyday activity at home.

25 patients undergoing regular haemodialysis for chronic renal failure underwent Holter ECG monitoring for a continuous 48-hour period covering dialysis and the intermediate period of everyday activity at home. A low dialysate potassium concentration (1.7 mEq/l) was used. Clinically significant arrhythmias (greater than 100 ventricular extrasystoles/24 h) were found in only 1 patient and there were no complex ventricular arrhythmias. Benign atrial arrhythmias occurred in 22 patients (88%). Haemodialysis had no influence on type or frequency of arrhythmias.

Effect of combined administration of furosemide and aspirin on urinary urate excretion in man.

Furosemide (20 mg) was administered intravenously to 7 healthy volunteers, before and after 4 days of oral administration of aspirin in uricosuric dosage (1 g daily). Aspirin prevented the decrease in urinary urate excretion induced by furosemide, without interfering with its natriuretic action. This finding is suggested to be the result of the opposite and independent effects of the two drugs on tubular reabsorption of urate.