Our findings show that the ANP/NPRA system significantly contributes to ventricular remodeling in human essential hypertension.

Our data suggest that -344C/T polymorphism affects LV mass and thickness in essential hypertension, independent of adrenal aldosterone. A role for intracardiac aldosterone synthesis is hypothesized.

The role of serotonin (5-HT) in the control of serum cortisol secretion was studied in 50 conscious beagle dogs. A significant rise in corticosteroids was observed after 1.5 and 3 mg/kg (P less than 0.01) iv fenfluramine, an indirect serotonergic agonist, as well as after 2 (P less than 0.05) and 3 mg/kg (P less than 0.01) iv quipazine, a direct agonist of 5-HT receptors. Both drugs exhibited a dose-related effect. A lower dose of fenfluramine, 0.5 mg/kg, was ineffective when administered iv, but raised serum cortisol (P less than 0.05) after direct injection into a lateral cerebral ventricle, through a chronically implanted brain cannula. The marked increases in corticosteroid concentration produced by the highest fenfluramine and quipazine doses were completely abolished by pretreatment with ketanserin, an antagonist of 5-HT2 receptors, which did not affect cortisol secretion when administered alone. These data suggest that brain serotonergic system plays a role in the control of cortisol secretion in conscious dogs.

The reproductive prognosis of 115 women desiring pregnancy who underwent surgery for ectopic pregnancy between 1985 and 1990 at the Clinica Luigi Mangiagalli, was analysed after a median follow-up period of 26 months (range 2-83). Probability of reproductive events was assessed by a product-limit model. Women who underwent surgery for ectopic pregnancy had a 54% probability of becoming pregnant (cumulative pregnancy rate, CPR), and a 36% probability of giving birth to a child (cumulative livebirth rate, CLB) during the 3 years after surgery. These percentages dropped with history of previous ectopic pregnancy (respectively 33%, P = 0.07, and 7%, P < 0.05). Increasing age at surgery and presence of adhesions in the contra-lateral tube seemed to be associated with poor reproductive prognosis (CPR = 40% and CLB = 12% for women aged > or = 35 years and CPR = 37% and CLB = 20% in women with adhesions in the contralateral tube), but these findings were not statistically significant. No association emerged between fertility and parity or type of surgery. The recurrence rate of ectopic pregnancy was 20%. No significant association emerged between recurrence of ectopic pregnancy and age, history of previous pregnancy, history of previous ectopic pregnancy, non-intact contra-lateral tube and salpingotomy.

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