High serum levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 at the baseline are significantly correlated with a negative response to administration with rHuEPO. Thus, pretreatment evaluation of TNF-alpha and IL-6 serum levels can help to select those patients who are most likely to benefit from treatment with rHuEPO. On the contrary, Hb level, red blood cell count, lactate dehydrogenase and BFI score do not predict the outcome of treatment with rHuEPO.

The origin of caffeine detections in equine serum and urine after theophylline administrations was examined. Three different preparations containing theophylline were administered to standardbred mares. Both blood and urine samples were collected. Caffeine was detected and quantified in theophylline administration samples by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). Further in vitro analysis showed that caffeine metabolites were not detected when caffeine, or caffeine-containing products, were added to urine. Data derived from HPLC-UV and LC-MS-MS analysis of dosages of theophylline and caffeine are used to propose the establishment of a threshold limit to control and discern between metabolic and administered caffeine concentrations. A serum caffeine concentration of 250 ng/mL and a urine caffeine concentration of 1000 ng/mL are suggested. Based on the data supplied, these threshold concentrations could effectively control orally administered caffeine in racehorses, up to the dosage used in this work, up to 72 h before sampling time.

Mini‐Abstract We report the clinical case of a 63‐year‐old woman with a squamous cell carcinoma in the distal esophagus complicated by an esophago‐pericardial fistula and pneumopericardium. This is a rarely observed condition usually associated with a high mortality because may result in cardiac tamponade. However, as the esophago‐pericardial fistula was open and the air was free to enter and exit throughout the cardiac and respiratory cycle without significantly increasing pericardial pressure, our patient showed only a mild hemodynamic impairment without overt clinical signs of cardiac tamponade.

A study of the effects of intravenous administration of either 150 mg or 250 mg of furosemide to standardbred mares pre-treated with other drugs was undertaken to determine whether a unique pattern of drug elimination into urine and from plasma for each compound occurred. Furosemide significantly reduced the plasma concentrations of codeine compared to control 2-6 h after furosemide administration. In contrast, the plasma concentrations of theophylline, phenylbutazone, pentazocine, guaifenesin and flunixin were not markedly altered by furosemide. In the case of acepromazine, clenbuterol and fentanyl, the data generated were insufficient to state with certainty whether or not furosemide affected the plasma concentrations of these three drugs. A significant reduction was noted in the urinary concentrations of guaifenesin, acepromazine, clenbuterol, phenylbutazone, flunixin, fentanyl and pentazocine within 1-4 h of furosemide administration. The urinary concentrations of theophylline remained reduced as long as 8 h after furosemide injection. Furosemide administration to horses pre-treated with codeine resulted in depression of urinary morphine concentrations 2-4 h and 9-12 h after furosemide injection. A lower furosemide dose (150 mg) produced changes in drug urinary excretion and plasma elimination equivalent to the higher dose (250 mg). It is evident that furosemide affects the urinary and plasma concentrations of other co-administered drugs but not in a predictable fashion, which limits the extrapolation of these results to as yet untested drugs.

Analytical procedures were developed to monitor furosemide concentrations in post-race serum and urine samples obtained from horses participating in an exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) program. High performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet light detection proved a reliable, sensitive method for measuring urinary furosemide concentrations up to 12 h after administration of either 150 or 250 mg of the drug to race horses. However, this method was unreliable for determination of serum furosemide concentration. High performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection proved a reliable, sensitive method for measuring serum furosemide concentration in horses administered 250 mg of the diuretic, permitting detection of approximately 5-10 ng/ml 6 h after treatment. This method was applied to field conditions where furosemide was administered to horses (between 150 and 250 mg intravenously) 4 h prior to the race. Analytical results assisted in establishing a threshold concentration of 85 ng/ml for serum furosemide. It was found that serum furosemide concentrations are a valid measure of compliance with furosemide administration in the EIPH program.