Effect of flucytosine on renal function in the rat.

Flucytosine (5-fluorocytosine), a potent antimycotic drug against various systemic infections such as candidosis, aspergillosis and cryptococcosis, is extensively excreted by the kidneys, yet its possible role in renal function is not known. In the present study flucytosine, administered intravenously, increased significantly renal blood flow (RBF) by 26% from 5.06 +/- 0.9 ml/min/kidney. The renal vasodilation was combined with an elevation of creatinine clearance of 140% from a baseline value of 0.23 +/- 0.11 ml/min/kidney. This improvement in renal function was accompanied by an increase in filtration fraction, urine volume and potassium excretion. In comparison, rats administered an equal amount of 5% glucose only showed no changes in the values of these parameters.

[Gianotti-Crosti syndrome. HBsAG-negative papular acrodermatitis, an infantile papulovesicular acrolocalized syndrome]. / Gianotti-Crosti-Syndrom. HBsAG-negative papulöse Akrodermatitis, infantiles papulovesikulöses akrolokalisiertes Syndrom.

We report three cases of the Gianotti-Crosti syndrome (papulovesicular-acro-located syndrome of childhood), a self-limited common disease of childhood, which may be caused by various viral infections. The hepatitis B virus, however, is excluded by definition as a causal agent. The syndrome is characterized by itching papulo-vesicular skin lesions measuring 1-5 mm in diameter and localized to the limbs and face. The clinical and terminological differences between the HBsAG negative Gianotti-Crosti syndrome and the HBsAG positive Gianotti disease are emphasized.

Acute and chronic effects of flucytosine on amphotericin B nephrotoxicity in rats.

The combination of intravenous flucytosine (FC) in 0.9% saline (NaCl) and amphotericin B (AmB) provides synergistic antifungal activity and is associated with a lower incidence of nephrotoxicity than with AmB treatment alone. This study was conducted to examine whether flucytosine can influence renal function and whether it can modify the acute and chronic renal responses to AmB in the rat. In the in situ perfused rat kidney, FC at a concentration of 10 mg/kg/min for 15 min had a vasodilator effect, increasing renal blood flow by 2.5 +/- 0.7 ml/min, an effect not observed with vehicle. After the infusion of FC was stopped for 15 min, AmB induced a decrease in renal blood flow similar to that with both FC and vehicle. In a second series of studies, AmB (5 mg/kg/day intraperitoneally) was administered to four groups of rats for 7 days. In addition, the following groups received the intravenous daily interventions indicated: group 1, 5% dextrose in water (15 ml/kg/12 h); group 2, FC (150 mg/kg/12 h) in 0.9% saline (15 ml/kg/12 h); group 3, 0.9% saline (15 ml/kg/12 h); and group 4, FC (150 mg/kg/12 h) in 5% dextrose in water. Group 1 sustained a 77% decrease in creatinine clearance over the 7 days and a threefold increase in serum creatinine concentration (P of < 0.05). Groups 2, 3, and 4 sustained significantly less nephrotoxicity, with no change in serum creatinine concentration and only 38, 41, and 53% decreases in creatinine clearance, respectively (P of < 0.05), compared with that for group 1. AmB levels in renal tissue varied inversely to creatinine clearance (r of 0.57, P of < or = 0.005). However, no significant differences were found in levels in tissue between groups (P of 0.06). The results of this study suggest that FC has a small but significant effect in reducing chronic AmB-induced nephrotoxicity. This amelioration of renal injury is independent of saline administration. There was evidence that the extent of renal uptake of AmB related to the efficiency of renal function at the end of the experiment.