Recent studies suggest that the combination of caffeine-containing drinks together with alcohol might reduce the subjective feelings of alcohol intoxication—the so-called “masking effect”. In this study, we aimed to review the effects of alcohol in combination with caffeine or energy drink with special focus on the “masking effect”. Fifty-two healthy male volunteers were analysed concerning breath alcohol concentration and subjective sensations of intoxication using a 18 item Visual Analogue Scale in a randomised, double-blinded, controlled, four treatments cross-over trial after consumption of (A) placebo, (B) alcohol (vodka 37.5 % at a dose of 46.5 g ethanol), (C) alcohol in combination with caffeine at a dose of 80 mg (equivalent to one 250 ml can of energy drink) and (D) alcohol in combination with energy drink at a dose of 250 ml (one can). Primary variables were headache, weakness, salivation and motor coordination. Out of four primary variables, weakness and motor coordination showed a statistically significant difference between alcohol and non-alcohol group, out of 14 secondary variables, five more variables (dizziness, alterations in sight, alterations in walking, agitation and alterations in speech) also showed significant differences due mainly to contrasts with the non-alcohol group. In none of these end points, could a statistically significant effect be found for the additional ingestion of energy drink or caffeine on the subjective feelings of alcohol intoxication. This within-subjects study does not confirm the presence of a “masking effect” when combining caffeine or energy drink with alcohol.

Exposure to single-chamber as well as to dual-chamber bag PDFs induce increased vulnerability of mesothelial cells to repeated exposure of the same solution. These effects were delayed with dual-chamber PDFs. Injury-induced inflammation and impaired HSP expression upon PDF exposure might initiate a vicious cycle with progredient mesothelial cell damage upon repeated PDF exposure. Certainly, interventional studies and translation of these results into the in vivo system is needed.

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Background The incidence of uveitis in children suffering from persistent or extended oligoarthritis has been shown to be about 17 to 32%. Uveitis and its local corticosteroid (CS) therapy are associated with a high rate of acute and chronic ocular complications and are responsible for a significant morbidity in children and in adulthood. Methods We retrospectively analysed all consecutively treated children of a single pediatric rheumatology outpatient clinic, who were receiving weekly methotrexate (MTX) for therapy of oligoarthritis during the time period from January 2002 to November 2011. In order to study a population which is at a high risk to develop uveitis, inclusion criteria were as follows: age below seven years at the first episode of oligoarthritis and an observation time period of at least 6 months. Exclusion criteria were: other types of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and a diagnosis of uveitis before the onset of oligoarthritis. The children underwent slit lamp examinations at regular intervals, most of them were examined at the department of ophthalmology of the Medical University of Vienna. Results 30 children, 24 girls and 6 boys, fulfilled the inclusion criteria, 29 of them were positive for antinuclear antibodies. The age at the start of arthritis was median 2 7/12 years (1 3/12- 6 6/12).The time duration from the onset of arthritis to the start of MTX therapy was median 4 months (2-30 months). The median duration of MTX therapy was 30 months (8-77). The median observation time after start of oligoarthritis was 47,5 months (24-106). During continuing MTX therapy, only one of 30 children had a diagnosis of uveitis and this was diagnosed just 3 months after the start of MTX therapy. In one other child, a first episode of an anterior uveitis was diagnosed 3 months after MTX had been stopped after tapering it. Conclusions In this retrospective analysis the observation time after the diagnosis of oligoarthritis was long with median 47,5 months (24-106). MTX therapy was associated with a very low incidence of uveitis in children suffering from persistent or extended oligoarthritis. Uveitis is associated with a high rate of acute and late complications due to the disease and due to topical CS therapy. The significant morbidity due to late ocular complications may be reduced in those children, who are receiving MTX for therapy of persistent or extended oligorarthritis. Disclosure of Interest None Declared