Detecting EGFR Mutations in Patients with Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

Mutations in the receptor of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are used as biomarkers for predicting the response of treatment with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR TKIs). Non-small cell lung cancer patients usually have activating EGFR mutations that leads to a very good response when they are treated with EGFR TKIs. Our tumor samples were examined for the presence of sensitive mutations in the EGFR gene, resistant mutations or the absence of mutations. To identify the types of the mutation, we used a real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. Additionally, we evaluated the frequency of EGFR mutations and their association with smoking status, gender and histology. The tumor samples (n = 551) were tested for 29 somatic mutations in the EGFR gene. Sensitive mutations in the EGFR genes were found in 55 NSCLC samples (10.0%). The prevalence of EGFR mutations was much higher for females than for males (27.1 vs. 3.9%, p <0.001). The prevalence of EGFR mutations was greater in subjects who had never smoked than in smokers (15.0 vs. 6.08%, p <0.003). Additionally, the frequency of EGFR mutations was higher in adenocarcinomas than in other histological types (14.9 vs. 5.1%; p <0.001). Our results show that activating mutations on the EGFR gene are more frequent in females than in males, in adenocarcinoma than other histological types and in non smokers than smokers.

[Hemodynamic changes and left ventricular function in patients with hypertension during an acute trial of urapidil]. / Khemodinamichni promeni i levokamerna funktsiia u bolni ot khipertonichna bolest pri ostur opit s urapidil.

The left ventricular hemodynamic changes were studied in 9 hypertensive patients (6 patients with hypertensive attack and 3 patients with a severe form of the disease) by simultaneous recordings of the M-type echocardiogram, apexcardiogram and phonocardiogram in an acute trial with Urapidil administered intravenously in a dose of 0,7 mg/kg body mass. The arterial pressure and the peripheral vascular resistance decrease. The stroke and the minute volume do not change. The heart rate increases. The telediastolic and telesystolic dimensions of the left ventricle decrease. The percentage amplitude of the aI-wave of the apexcardiogram also decreases. The fraction of the shortening of the left ventricular dimension increases with 23,0%, the ejection fraction increases with 13,5% and the average speed of the circumferential fibres shortening increases with 21,4%. Urapidil applied i.v. exerts a rapid hypotensive action and improves the left ventricular function.

[Treatment of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia and tachyarrhythmia with verapamil]. / Lechenie na paroksizmalnite supraventrikularni takhikardii i takhiaritmii s verpamil.

The antiarrhythmic effect of isoptin was verified in 47 patients--30 with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia and 17--with paroxysmal ventricular fibrillation: in case of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia with 5--10 mg isoptin i.v. for the restoration of sinus rhythm and with 240--320 mg orally for maintaining the effect and in case of ventricular fibrillation--i. v. for the slowing down the heart rate. Isoptin, i. v. applied, restores the sinus rhythm in 93,3 per cent of the patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia and in 17,6 per cent--with ventricular fibrillation and slowsdown the heart rate in 94,6 per cent among those with ventricular fibrillation. The oral isoptin reduces the paroxysms of the supraventricular tachycardia in 86 per cent and slowsdown the sinus rate and lengthens PQ.