Hip joint laxity cannot be quantified precisely on standard position radiographs. The proposed stress technique yields significantly higher degrees of femoral head subluxation than the standard position.

Summary In a prospective study the degree of hip joint laxity was compared with subsequent hip joint development. A total of 70 non‐selected adult dogs from 34 breeds presented for hip dysplasia screening was examined. The degree of hip joint laxity was quantitated using a newly developed radiographic stress technique. The dogs were re‐examined according to the standard radiographic technique after 1 year or more. There was a positive correlation (r = 0.58) between the degree of subluxation (SI) and the subsequent Canine hip dysplasia (CHD) grade. All dogs with an SI value of up to 0.35 developed hip joints ranging between normal and mildly dysplastic at worst. Of the dogs with an SI value higher than 0.35, 76% developed hip dysplasia. Of those 40 dogs grading normal or borderline normal on standard radiographs, 15% demonstrated lax hip joints with an SI of more than 0.35. Breed‐specific differences in the correlation of degree of hip joint laxity to the development of coxarthrosis were noted. If both excessive hip joint laxity and development of arthrosis are considered exclusion criteria for breeding dogs, then the current mode of selection does not adequately restrict potential breeding stock. Only dogs demonstrating an SI of 0.35 or less on stress radiographs and graded normal or borderline normal on standard radiographs should be used for breeding, equivalent to 49% of all dogs examined in this study. A further 36% of the dogs examined, most of them currently still accepted as breeding dogs, would not pass. Breed‐specific acceptable degree of hip joint laxity in breeding dogs should be determined. Selecting breeding dogs based on the results of hip joint laxity assessment may further decrease the incidence of CHD in the offspring.

The rate of bactaeremia following surgical endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract is reported with up to 50% depending on the therapeutic measure performed. In a prospective study we examined 160 patients treated by surgical endoscopy of the upper digestive tract. The rate of bactaeremia showed a significant difference with 12.5% after diagnostic and 28.96% after surgical endoscopy. Our results recommend a single shot antibiotic prophylaxis depending on the endoscopic measure performed and the patient's individual risk.

Background: A clinical phase II study with an oral formulation of Miltefosine (INN of hexadecylphosphocholine) was performed in patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer. Material and Methods: Eligibility criteria included histological proof of breast cancer, measurable disease without previous radiotherapy of the indicator lesions, pretreatment with chemotherapy, WHO performance status of grade < 2, and informed consent. The drug was given twice daily at a single dose of 50 mg for the first week with the option of increasing the daily dose to 150 mg in the second week if tolerability was good. The minimum treatment duration was 9 weeks. Results: 23 patients have been entered into the study and 17 were evaluable for toxicity. 11 patients were evaluable for response. There was no objective tumor response. 4 out of 11 patients had reached a no-change status. Progressive disease was seen in 7 patients with 2 early deaths. Gastrointestinal side effects like nausea and vomiting (15/17) and loss of appetite (15/17) reached a maximum of WHO grade 4, diarrhea (4/17) was at the most of WHO grade 3. Conclusion: Miltefosine given daily by oral route showed no therapeutic activity in patients with advanced metastatic breast cancer.

Background: The introduction of r-Interferon alpha (rlfn α) into cytostatic chemotherapy of metastatic melanoma appears to improve objective remission rates. Favorable results of early clinical and single institution trials, however, generally could not be confirmed by prospective multicenter studies. With the introduction of fotemustine (FM), a chloro-nitrosurea (CNU), chemically characterized by the graft of an aminophosphonic acid on the CNU-radical, a new active compound became available for the treatment of patients with melanoma, yielding an objective remission rate of 12% (95% CI 6-20%; EORTC1995). Methods: Hoping for an improvement of this modest response rate, a controlled multicenter phase I/II study was started, combining rlfn α2b (10 MU s.c. day 1-28) with FM, initially for 2-, thereafter for 3-weekly doses of 100 mg/m² at days 14, 21, and 28, followed by a 5-week rest period. Results: Out of 31 patients 28 were eligible and evaluable for safety, 26 evaluable for efficacy. We observed 1 complete and 1 partial remission (7.7%, 95% CI 0.9-25.1%), no change occurred in 6 out of 26 (23%). In 24 patients treatment was terminated because of tumor progression. Toxicity was well within acceptable limits and similar to FM alone: Up to 10% WHO grade III thrombocytopenia, 20% grade III and IV granulocytopenia, and moderate gastrointestinal tract toxicity with 10% grade III and 3% grade IV nausea and vomiting, despite conventional antiemetic medication. Conclusions: rlfn α2b in the schedule and dose tested does not seem to improve remission rates of FM alone and may be disadvantageous both in terms of tumor response and quality of life.