No abstract

SUMMARY The effects of intravenous infusions of prostaglandins (PGs) F2a(0 4 or 0O8 ,ug kg-' min-') or E2 (0-08 or 0 1 jg kg-1 min=') on net colonic movement of water and electrolytes and on ileal flow were measured in eight healthy males by simultaneous ileal and colonic perfusion. Ileal flow was increased by PGF2e (six subjects)from a mean of 169 ml min-1 to 4 63 ml min-1 (p < 0.01); it also increased in the two subjects given PGE2. Colonic absorptive function was not significantly diminished by either prostaglandin. These results suggest that diarrhoea due to prostaglandins originates in the small intestine.Prostaglandins (PGs) are known to cause diarrhoea when administered orally or intravenously. We have previously shown that intravenous PGF2a stimulates net secretion of water and electrolytes by the human jejunum and ileum (Cummings, Newman, Misiewicz, Milton-Thompson, and Billings, 1973). Prostaglandin E1 perfused intraluminally causes the human jejunum to secrete (Matuchansky and Bernier, 1973) whilst in dogs infusion of PGA1, E1, or F2a into the superior mesenteric artery has a similar effect (Pierce, Carpenter, Elliot, and Greenough, 1971). Net secretion of fluid into the intestinal lumen occurs in acute undifferentiated diarrhoea (Banwell, Pierce, Mitra, Brigham et al, 1971) and cholera (Banwell, Gorbach, Pierce, Mitra, and Mondal, 1971) and it may be mediated indirectly through PGs and cyclic AMP (Bennett, 1971). The colon is an important site of fluid absorption but the response of the large bowel to PGs has not been investigated. We have measured the effect of intravenous infusions of PGF2a and PGE2 on fasting ileal flow rates and on net colonic absorption of water and electrolytes in man using simultaneous ileal and colonic perfusion. MethodsStudies were attempted in 13 healthy male volunteers (age 20-43). The procedure was fully explained to them and approval was obtained from the ethical committees of the Central Middlesex Hospital and

A case of primary plasmacytoma in a lymph node accompanied by IgG Kappa paraproteinemia is described. Eight months after the plasmacytoma's removal, the paraprotein was undetectable in the serum and the patient has remained well for a year. Abundant crystalline inclusions were present in the tumor and the immunoperoxidase technique was used to show that these consisted of monotypic immunoglobulin are were contained predominantly within macrophages. Reported cases of plasmacytoma in lymph nodes are reviewed and the natural history of this group of tumor is discussed.