The mucin and gland content of 26 rectal biopsy specimens-five normal specimens,

Using a cytochemical staining technique, peripheral blood monocytes have been precisely identified and enumerated in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and compared with healthy and disease control subjects. For ulcerative colitis there was a significant monocytosis, which was closely correlated with the total white cell count and with the activity of the disease. For patients with Crohn's disease, the peripheral blood monocyte count was also raised compared with that of the control groups, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. There was no correlation between the monocyte count in patients with Crohn's disease and the total white cell count or the disease activity. Some of the mechanisms that may influence the production and distribution of peripheral blood monocytes are discussed.

No abstract

801Razoxane in treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia Razoxane (ICRF 159; 1, propane, Cl ,H16N404) has been used for treating acute leukaemia.' It is thought to act as an inhibitor of RNA, or more likely of DNA, and to interfere with cell division at the G2/M phase of the cell cycle.2 After recent claims of success with razoxane and cystosine in treating acute myeloid leukaemia and the relative absence of side effects, we decided to treat consecutive and unselected patients with acute myeloid leukaemia with this combination. Patients, methods, and resultsSeventeen consecutive cases seen by us between October 1977 and February 1978 were included in the study. There were 10 adults with acute myeloblastic leukaemia (age range 35-78), of whom two had been previously treated and were resistant to other cytotoxic drugs; five cases of acute myelomonocytic leukaemia (age range 14-82); and two cases of chronic granulocytic leukaemia (CML) in blast transformation (age range 29-39).Razoxane was given by mouth in a dose of 125 mg three times daily, and cytarabine intravenously in a daily dose of 1 mg/kg body weight. Both drugs were given for three consecutive days and the course repeated at ten-day intervals. When no satisfactory response was achieved the dosage was increased to 125 mg razoxane four times a day and cytarabine to 2 mg/kg body weight/day.

Pulmonary function has been assessed in patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease and compared with a healthy population. No statistically significant differences were found in the measurements observed within the three groups.