The comparative effects of diltiazem and verapamil in 30 patients with long-standing atrial fibrillation were evaluated in a prospective clinical trial. After a one- to two-day washout period during which drugs other than digoxin were withdrawn, patients were randomly assigned to diltiazem or verapamil treatment groups. All therapy was double blind. Both drugs were given in ascending doses as follows: days 1-6 (part I): diltiazem, 180 mg/d, or verapamil, 240 mg/d; days 7-12 (part II): diltiazem, 360 mg/d, or verapamil, 480 mg/d. Patients failing to convert to sinus rhythm after 12 days had dosage reduced to 180 mg/d of diltiazem or 240 mg/d of verapamil, and quinidine, 750 mg/d, was coadministered for another six days (part III). Medication compliance was verified by frequent measurement of serum drug concentrations. Three verapamil patients dropped out during part I due to adverse reactions (dyspnea, pulmonary congestion, skin rash, or hepatotoxicity). The higher dosage of either verapamil or diltiazem in part II was not well tolerated, and in eight patients part III had to be initiated early due to symptomatic bradycardia. Only one patient in the diltiazem group converted to sinus rhythm, whereas five converted with verapamil (two with verapamil alone, three when combined with quinidine). Thus, diltiazem and verapamil alone are unlikely to convert atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm. The combination of verapamil and quinidine, however, is a potentially useful pharmacologic approach, having converted atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm in nearly 50% of patients.

The authors have verified that retina dysfunction in patients suffering from chronic pancreatitis could be demonstrated by the help of electroretinography and eliminated or significantly corrected by administration of pancreas enzyme preparations. The retinograph may be applied successfully in the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis and also in evaluation of the efficacy of the substitution treatment. The insufficiency of zinc absorption may play a definite role in the development of these functional disturbances. It has also been established that lower zinc values parallel with the decrease of the stool fat contents in patients suffering from chronic pancreatitis and can be significantly improved by enzyme preparations.

Zusammenfassung Bei 20 gesunden Männern, 20 männlichen Kaninchen, 20 männlichen Meerschweinchen und 20 Ebern wurden die freien Aminosäuren im Serum des Nüchternbluts quantitativ bestimmt. Das Serum wurde mit 5% Sulfosalicylsäure enteiweißt; die Auftrennung der Aminosäuren erfolgte durch Chromatographic an Ionenaustauschersäulen. Ergebnisse: Im Vergleich mit den Männern ist im Serum der männlichen Kaninchen die Konzentration von Alanin, Arginin, Glycin, Histidin, Isoleucin, Leucin, Lysin, Methionin, Ornithin, Phenylalanin, Prolin, Serin, Threonin, Tyrosin und Valin statistisch signifikant höher. Im Vergleich mit den Männern ist im Serum der männlichen Meerschweinchen die Konzentration von Alanin, Lysin und Tyrosin statistisch signifikant niedriger und die Konzentration von Arginin, Citrullin, Cystin, Glycin, Isoleucin, Methionin, Ornithin, Phenylalanin und Serin statistisch signifikant höher. Im Vergleich mit den Männern ist im Serum der Eber die Konzentration von Alanin, Arginin, Citrullin, Glycin, Isoleucin, Leucin, Ornithin, Phenylalanin und Valin statistisch signifikant höher. Der Vergleich der Aminosäure‐Konzentrationen, die im Serum der Kaninchen, Meerschweinchen und Schweine bestimmt wurden, untereinander, ergab eine Vielzahl statistisch signifikanter Unterschiede.

No abstract