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SUMMARY1. Sodium and water reabsorption were determined in virgin controls and rats at 9 and 20 days of pregnancy during a water diuresis induced and maintained by infusion of 2f5% dextrose and in normally hydrated women during the third trimester and again 2-3 months after delivery.2. Reabsorption from the proximal tubules and distal nephron segments was assessed using the clearance of lithium as a marker of the sodium and water delivery from the proximal tubules to the loops of Henle.3. Glomerular filtration rate and whole-kidney reabsorption of sodium and water were significantly increased at both stages of pregnancy in rats and late in pregnancy in women when compared to the respective non-pregnant control. Fractional reabsorption was unaltered in pregnant rats but increased in pregnant women.4. Proximal tubule sodium and water reabsorption were increased in pregnant rats and women; fractional reabsorption was unaltered.5. Absolute reabsorption of sodium and water in distal nephron segments were increased during pregnancy in both rats and women. Although increases in fractional reabsorption were detected in pregnant women, this was not the case at either stage of gestation in rats.

ObjectivesBiologics are medications widely applied in the management of inflammatory rheumatic diseases. The drugs were found to be effective but their application is associated with some disadvantages. Medication with biologics is relatively expensive, and in Poland, it is carried out in specialized centers. The study was designed to evaluate various aspects of satisfaction and dissatisfaction of Polish patients treated with biologics.Material and methodsAn anonymous questionnaire was distributed in 23 Polish rheumatological centers involved in the treatment; 1212 returned questionnaires were used for analysis. Responses were received from 606 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 427 with ankylosing spondylitis, 117 psoriatic arthritis, and 62 adult patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (in whom administration of the drugs had been introduced before they were 18 years old). The investigated group constituted about one-fifth of all rheumatic patients on biologics in Poland.ResultsA beneficial or very beneficial influence of the medication on the state of physical health was found mostly in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (51.3 and 30.5%) and ankylosing spondylitis (51.0 and 36.8%). Family life was improved by the treatment especially in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (40.7 and 35.6% beneficial and very beneficial, respectively), sleep quality and sexual life mostly in those with ankylosing spondylitis (beneficial/very beneficial influence 41.5/38.4, and 38.7/23.9, respectively). There was a rather small influence of biological treatment on the financial situation of the patients. In general, satisfaction with the treatment was evaluated as positive or very positive in 88% of all investigated patients.In a significant part of the patients, transportation to the medical center was considered as a disadvantage of the treatment. About one-third of the patients considered laboratory and imaging tests to be done before initiation of the medication as a difficulty, and for about 40% waiting time for qualification for the medication was a significant disadvantage. The route of drug administration was without importance for 4/5 of the patients.ConclusionsSumming up, the results were similar in the patients suffering from various diseases although those with psoriatic arthritis felt the highest satisfaction (possibly due to the positive aesthetic effect), and those with ankylosing spondylitis had significant improvement in sexual life (probably due to younger age). Relatively low satisfaction was found in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. There was a small influence of medication on financial status of the patients. Application of biologics has few disadvantages and most of them are associated with the organization of health services (waiting time for the tests, transportation to the medical centers).

The preparations characteristics The presently available statin preparations are not a homogenous group chemically, which implicates a variability of indications and limitations of their use. There are two generations of statins, among them there are six statins, which are commonly in use. The first generation, 3 natural statins, the funghi metabolism products, lovastatin, simvastatin and pravastatin; the second generation, 3 synthetic statins fluvastatin, atorvastatin and rosuvastatin. In 2001 cerivastatin for its serious adverse reactions, was withdrawn from use. Each statin has different pharmacokinetic properties, which causes differences in the force of hypolipemic and pleiotropic action and adverse reactions. Hydrofilic statins, pravastatin and fluvastatin, are more liver selective, they penetrate the blood-brain barrier to a small extent and are characterized by a lesser drug penetration to other tissues. A limited penetration through cellular membranes may limit their beneficial pleiotropic effect (for example in the vascular wall), but at the same time causes a rarer occurrence of adverse reactions (in muscles and in the central nervous system). Lipophilic statins, simvastatin, lovastatin and atorvastatin, to a greater extent than hydrophilic statins penetrate through liver cell and endothelial membrane as well as the blood-brain

ObjectiveTo examine yttrium-90 distribution 1 and 72 h following its injection into a knee joint in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).MethodsIn 14 RA patients we injected yttrium-90 into the affected knee joint using lateral approach. To assess the radioisotope distribution in the joint, the superimposed sequential SPECT and CT imaging was performed 1 and 72 h after the injection. We analyzed the percentage of radioisotope distribution in three predefined compartments of the knee joint (lower, upper medial, upper lateral).ResultsAfter 1 and 72 h, the mean percentage distributions were, respectively, 7.14 and 23.07 % in lower; 21.42 and 15.38 % in upper medial, and 71.42 and 61.53 % in upper lateral compartment. The percentage of isotope deposition did not change significantly with time in any of the compartments (all p > 0.26). The deposition of isotope, both at 1 and 72 h, was significantly greater in upper lateral compartment, where the injection was performed, than in all other compartments (all p < 0.05).ConclusionsUsing the SPECT/CT hybrid method, we proved that the majority of isotope is located at the compartment adjacent to the injection. Two injections targeting different compartments might improve the clinical efficacy of the procedure.