The concentration of serum creatine-kinase in manic attacks of primary affective psychoses.

The study aims to observe whether subjects with a primary affective disease and manic attacks show modifications of serum concentration of creatine-kinase conferring it the role of a biologic marker. Serum concentration of creatine-kinase was determined for 122 men with mono- and bipolar affective disease during the different stages as well as for schizophrenic men with different clinical forms excepting the affective form. The control group included 60 men. Data indicated that enzyme concentration can constitute a biological marker for a primary affective disease also showing the differences between the different stages of the disease (mania, hypomania, depression and the symptom-free intervals).

Psychosocial factors implied in the onset and clinical picture of the primary affective disorders.

The present study is aimed to investigate the psychosocial factors acting on the individual, at the onset of depressive and/or manic episodes in primary affective disorders. Attention has been paid to the specific influence on the clinical picture, evolution and implicitly on the therapy of the disease.

The serum creatine-kinase as a biologic marker in major depression.

The paper aims at finding whether the serum creatine-kinase activity may be considered as a biological state or a trait-marker in major depression. The study performed in 76 patients (males and females) led to the conclusion that significant increases of the enzymic activity as compared with controls are present in depressive and not in euthymic patients. The same significant increase was found when comparing the depressive and euthymic patients (but not in the group of monopolar depressive females). There were no significant differences between the monopolar and the bipolar form of the disease. The data reported by the authors show that serum creatine-kinase is not a trait-marker in primary affective illness, but it may be taken for a state-marker in this disease. However, the enzyme is not a biochemical discriminant for the type of depression.

[2 cases of hemolytic complications during intermittent treatment with rifampicin]. / Doua observatii de accidente hemolitice în cursul tratamentului intermitent cu rifampicina

Two cases are presented, of hemolytic jaundice, determined by rifampicin. The first occured in a woman in whom treatment was started again after an interruption of 6 months and the second in a man undergoing intermittent treatment that had been tolerated very well for 3 months. Following the extension of the application of rifampicin in intermittent treatment might occur more frequently. Posology apparently has a major role and some precautions are to be taken.