Gallium-67 (67Ga) scanning was assessed for its usefulness in the evaluation and follow-up of 54 patients with sarcoidosis, both treated and untreated. Scans were repeated in 23 subjects. Serum levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) were determined concurrently in all 54 patients and bronchoalveolar lavage was performed in 29 patients.

We investigated the effects of advanced age, hospitalization and poor nutrition on passive and active carbohydrate absorption using the probe molecules lactulose and mannitol (passive absorption), and 3-O-methylglucose (active absorption). We studied five groups of subjects; healthy controls aged 20-30 years, 40-50 years and over 65 years, respectively, together with long-stay patients and elderly in-patients being investigated for malnutrition. Each subject undertook two separate studies ingesting a drink containing 5 g lactulose, 2 g mannitol and 2.5 mg 3-O-methylglucose (3-O-MG), on one occasion in isotonic solution and in the second study in hypertonic solution, following overnight fast. Urinary recovery of all three probe molecules declined significantly with age (P less than 0.02) and was reduced in malnourished elderly subjects compared to healthy elderly controls (P less than 0.05). Correction of urinary recoveries for renal function on the basis of creatinine clearance abolished significant differences between groups. Thus passive absorption of carbohydrate is not impaired with advanced age in healthy elderly subjects or long-stay hospital patients. The ratio of the percentage recovery of 3-O-MG to the percentage recovery of mannitol was significantly reduced in the healthy elderly subjects compared to middle-aged and young controls in the hypertonic study; similar changes did not occur in the long-stay and malnourished elderly patients, interpretation of this finding is thus difficult. If confirmed, this impairment would suggest a possible defect in active sugar transport in the elderly.

A primed constant-rate infusion of L-(l-14C)-leucine was used to assess protein flux, synthesis, and breakdown in a group of malnourished elderly subjects (n = 9) and a group of age-matched healthy elderly control subjects (n = 9). No significant differences between the two groups were observed in measures of protein metabolism. Four out of six malnourished subjects, restudied after a period of dietary replenishment, showed non-significant increases in protein synthesis and breakdown. Plasma insulin concentrations were significantly suppressed (p less than 0.05) and plasma growth hormone and cortisol concentrations significantly elevated (p less than 0.05) in the malnourished subjects before and after refeeding compared with the healthy elderly controls.

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Congenital cholesteatomas and intradiploic epidermoid cysts are indistinguishable both histologically and radiologically, and would appear to be the same disease.