[Hemophagocytosis and undifferentiated carcinoma of the lung]. / Hemofagocitosis y carcinoma indiferenciado de pulmón.

Hemophagocytosis (HP) constitutes a valuable sign in the diagnosis of a number of hematologic diseases such as malignant histiocytosis (MH). It has also been described in the course of hematologic neoplasias being extremely rare in solid tumors. We present the case of a patient with pancytopenia, hepatomegaly, skin lesions and rapidly fatal evolution in whom the finding of HP in bone marrow arouse the suspicion of a MH. The post mortem study revealed the existence of undifferentiated lung carcinoma with a high degree of invasiveness, not finding histiocytic proliferation. The cases in the literature of the association of HP with non hematological neoplasias are revised as well as its possible pathogenic mechanisms. We conclude that MH needs to be considered as a non specific finding and that exhaustive cytochemical studies are necessary for the correct identification of the phagocytic cell.

[Psychosocial factors in young people with coronary disease]. / Estudio de los factores psicosociales en los jóvenes coronarios.

Psychosocial factors are analyzed for a group of 44 coronary patients, males under 40 years of age and women under 45. The questionnaires describe a group which is predominantly masculine, with a personality inclined toward developing different pathological symptoms, full of stress and anxiety, having previously experienced vital events, on-the-job stress, gastric pathologies and possessing a very limited capability of dealing with problems. Without possessing the behavioural pattern known as a type "A" personality. The data presented tends to confirm the importance of psychosocial factors among young coronary patients and the possibility and suitability of their being evaluated by the general practitioner.

Radiotelemetric comparison of two antacids using the Heidelberg capsule.

The acid neutralizing capacity of a new antacid, almagate (hydrated aluminium-magnesium hydroxycarbonate, Al2Mg6(OH)14(CO3)2 X 4 H2O, Almax) has been compared with that of a popular mixture of aluminium-magnesium hydroxide codried gel, aluminium hydroxide and calcium carbonate (antacid A) using a transistorized telemetric technique (Heidelberg capsule) in 10 healthy volunteers following a double-blind crossover design. After placement of the radio transmitter capsule in the stomach a standard bicarbonate alkali test was made followed by the antacid under study. From the pH versus time curves obtained it was clearly shown that both antacid A and Almax produced a rapid (less than 1 min) neutralization of gastric acid (greater than pH 3) and that there were no significant differences between the two in terms of duration of effect (mean values of 48.35 and 54.65 min, respectively) and area under the pH versus time curves (mean values of 166.9 and 197.2 mm2, respectively). The maximum pH reached with Almax (mean 8.3) was, however, significantly (p less than 0.05) higher than that reached with antacid A (mean 7.6) although these maximum values were only transient. A calculation of antacid capacity relative to the bicarbonate alkali test control in each subject showed that Almax (5.75) had an apparently greater capacity than antacid A (3.33) but the individual variations were too great to allow statistical confirmation of this difference.