Practical aspects of roadside tests for administrative traffic offences in Germany.

In the context of the European project ROSITA, the Institut of Legal Medicine Homburg/Saar has co-operated with the Saarland traffic police in order to assess different roadside drug tests for their functionality and reliability in traffic controls, and for their analytical force of evidence. In 254 cases within the time period from June 1999 to December 1999, police officers performed a (voluntary) roadside drug testing in saliva/sweat, or urine, to confirm or refute their initial suspicion that a driver had used drugs. Whereas in 45 cases the tests gave negative results (which were confirmed by lab urinalysis), in 209 cases the police officers ordered blood samples after a positive outcome of the tests. In 203 of the 209 positive cases, the results could be confirmed by GC/MS analysis. Regarding the prevalence of used drugs, a single consumption was found in 156 cases (113 cannabis, 38 amphetamines/methamphetamines, three opiates, two cocaine), and a consumption of two drugs was found in 44 cases (34 cannabis+amphetamines/methamphetamines, five cannabis+opiates, three cannabis + cocaine, two cocaine+amphetamines/methamphetamines). In three cases, multi-consumption was found. In six cases, the performed tests gave an incorrect prediction to the police officer at the roadside.The roadside tests gave 97.6% correct assistance to the police officers in the right direction (79.9% correct positive predictions and 17.7% correct negative predictions). As a consequence, the performed tests can be seen as a positive and needful tool for the police to get an immediate response to their initial suspicion and to take the right steps concerning a following legal action.

Extraskeletal osteosarcoma of the thigh.

To our knowledge extraosseous osteosarcoma has not been reported in the Malaysian literature. We report a case of extraosseous osteosarcoma which was treated by intra-arterial chemotherapy, embolization, wide resection of tumour and salvage of limb with good functional result.

[Persumbran in general practice. Placebo controlled double-blind trial in patients with angina pectoris]. / Persumbran in der Praxis. Plazebokontrollierte Doppelblindprüfung bei Patienten mit Angina pectoris.

In a randomized double-blind trial performed in 58 offices of internists and general practitioners, Persumbran (25 mg dipyridamole + 10 mg oxazepam) was compared with placebo. A total of 344 patients with mild-to-moderate angina pectoris in whom the tranquilizing effect of oxazepam appeared meaningful and who had already previously been treated with Persumbran, were admitted to the study. In more than 50% of the patients, coronary heart disease had been confirmed by ergometry or angiography. The dose administered during the trial was oriented to the previous treatment with Persumbran. During the first week of the trial, all patients received a placebo; in the following 6 weeks, one group of patients received Persumbran, the other was continued on placebo. If required, nitroglycerine capsules were to be allowed. The patients in the Persumbran group registered an average of 18% fewer "mild", 50% fewer "moderate", and 35% fewer "severe" attacks of angina pectoris; the total number of attacks, weighted for severity, was significantly lower than in the placebo group. The use of nitroglycerine capsules was 39% less in the Persumbran group as compared with the placebo group. Also episodes of "prolonged cardiac complaints whose duration was not exactly definable" were significantly less frequent in the Persumbran group. Moreover, restrictions in activity due to cardiac complaints, as recorded by the patients were significantly fewer in the Persumbran group.

Peculiar contrast medium incident.

At the end of bulk processing of contrast media, water is added. If this is not done properly, the result may be that contrast medium is eventually replaced by water, so that a few bottles of useless "contrast medium" may end up in the hands of the user.

[Roentgen study on the topic of the "aging heart" with special reference to age, clinical diagnosis and therapy]. / Röntgen-Untersuchung zur Frage des "Altersherzens" unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von Alter, klinischer Diagnose und Therapie.

Volume and linear measures of the heart (absolute as well as relative) are investigated in 640 patients (male + female). The heart size increases with increasing age. Radiological heart size shows in comparison with clinical diagnosis and findings no evidence for an old-age heart. The increasing heart size due to age is rather expression of multimorbidity during lifetime.