The evaluation of coagulation profiles in calves with suspected septic shock.

The purpose of the study reported here was to evaluate the haemostatic function in calves with suspected septic shock and to reflect the occurrence of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Twenty-six calves suspected of having septic shock (experimental group) and 10 clinically healthy calves (control group) were used. On admission, the experimental group of calves had been ill for an average of 2 days. Therapy was applied to the experimental group of calves. The packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb), white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC) and platelet (PLT) counts were determined. Blood smears for toxic neutrophil and schistocyte intensity were evaluated. For the coagulation profile, plasma activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT), fibrinogen and fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products (FDPs) values were determined. Toxic neutrophils in blood smears were observed in 12 calves of the experimental group. APTT was prolonged in the experimental group compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Fibrinogen concentration was found to be higher in the experimental group than in the control group (p < 0.001). Total leukocyte counts were higher in the experimental group compared with the control group (p < 0.01). Platelet counts in the experimental group were lower than the control group (p < 0.001). However, when the individual values of coagulation profiles of each calf were evaluated, 8 calves had at least three abnormal coagulation profiles (APTT >72 s, PT >34.5 s, TT >33.7 s, FDPs >5 microg/ml, PLT < or = 150 x 10(3)/mm(3)) and abnormal erythrocyte morphology (schistocytes > or = 1). The most common abnormal tests in the coagulation profile were APTT and PT (7 cases), FDPs (6 cases), thrombocytopenia (4 cases), and schistocytes in blood smears (8 cases) in these 8 calves. The results of this study indicate that DIC might be a significant risk factor for mortality in calves with suspected septic shock.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation in cattle with abomasal displacement.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate haemostatic function in cattle with abomasal displacement (AD) and to reflect the occurrence of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Ten adult cattle with left displacement of abomasum (LDA) (group I), 10 adult cattle with right displacement of abomasum with volvulus (RDA) (group II) and 10 clinically healthy adult cattle (control group) were used as material. Numbers of platelets (PLT) and coagulation tests (activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT), serum fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products (FDPs), fibrinogen) were measured before the surgical treatment of cattle with LDA and RDA. APTT was prolonged only in group II compared with the control and group I (p<0.05). However, when the individual values of coagulation profiles of each cow were evaluated, two cattle in group I and three cattle in group II had at least three abnormal coagulation profiles, which reflect the occurrence of DIC. These cattle died after surgical treatment. The two cattle with LDA had abnormal APTT, FDPs and PLT values; three cattle with RDA had abnormal APTT, PT, TT, FDPs and PLT values. APTT (5 cases), FDPs (5 cases) and thrombocytopenia (5 cases) were the three most common abnormal tests on coagulation profile in the cattle with LDA and RDA. The results of the study indicate that cattle with AD had a spectrum of haemostatic dysfunction and that DIC was a significant risk factor for mortality.

Plasma gastrin activity and the diagnosis of bleeding abomasal ulcers in cattle.

The present study was designed to evaluate the usefulness of plasma gastrin determinations as a diagnostic aid and to review the clinical and haematological findings in cattle with bleeding abomasal ulcers. Twenty-nine cows with bleeding abomasal ulcers and six healthy cows were used. Clinical and laboratory examinations, including plasma gastrin levels, were performed. Anorexia, depression, dark-coloured to black faeces, pale mucous membranes, abdominal pain, moderate tachycardia and tachypnoca were the most pronounced clinical symptoms in the cattle with bleeding abomasal ulcers. Plasma gastrin concentration was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the cattle with bleeding abomasal ulcers than in healthy cows. The mean plasma gastrin concentration in healthy cattle was 103.2 pg/ml, while the mean plasma gastrin concentrations in cattle with bleeding abomasal ulcers were found to be 213.6 pg/ml. Haemoglobin levels, packed cell volume, total white blood cell count and mean corpuscular volume were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the cows with bleeding abomasal ulcer than in the healthy cattle. The results of this study show that measurement of plasma gastrin can be useful in the diagnosis of bleeding abomasal ulcers in cattle.

[Institutional care for frail elderly from Weimar to Bonn (1924-1961)]. / Anstaltsfürsorge für "Alterssieche" von Weimar bis Bonn (1924-1961).

The article deals with the development of institutionalized care and its overall discourse concerning the elderly sick people in Germany from 1924 to 1961. This period of time embraces an ambivalent process of modernization that falls short of any unilinear success story. Neither politics nor the medical sciences had the impact to make the nursing homes catch up with the advanced hospitals. They became low-grade institutions within the national welfare system. These homes evolved from poor-law houses with no specialized care whatsoever. The chronically ill and infirm old people emerged during the 19th century not as the result of straight forward professionalization. The Social Hygiene in the Weimar period and the racist paradigm of the Nazi-period turned a blind eye to the chronically ill elderly people well into the era of the murderous "euthanasia". At least in the second half of World War II chronically sick old people were increasingly regarded as so called "useless eaters" and, thus, doomed to be killed or starved to death. The mortality rate remained very high after the end of the war due to wide-spread hunger. The situation did not improve until 1948 and in the 50s this part of state welfare took advantage of the general expansion in the social and health care system.