Twenty-six female patients were recalled for examination 10 years after a Roux-Y gastric bypass (RGB) procedure for morbid obesity, to determine whether there was biochemical and/or bone densitometry evidence of metabolic bone disease. These patients were compared with seven control patients who had achieved weight loss by dietary restriction. The serum calcium (4.3 +/- 0.03 vs 4.6 +/- 0.06 mEq/l; p = 0.002) was decreased in the RGB group. Both the serum alkaline phosphatase level (121.0 +/- 7.6 vs 87.3 +/- 8.3 U/I; p = 0.018) and the serum osteocalcin (12.6 +/- 1.2 vs 9.5 +/- 1.9 µg/ml; p = 0.078) level increased in the RGB group. The 1,25(OH) vitamin D level (50.5 +/- 2.5 vs 40.5 +/- 4.9 pg/ml; p = 0.152) was similar for both groups; the 25(OH) vitamin D level (24.3 +/- 1.6 vs 35.9 +/- 3.4 ng/ml; p = 0.008) was decreased in the RGB group as compared with the control group. Bone mineral density was elevated in three of the lumbar measurement sites, and marginally decreased (0.90 +/- 0.02 g/cm(2) vs 1.03 +/- 0.06 g/cm(2); p = 0.067) in the femoral neck of the RGB group compared with the controls. This biochemical pattern suggests the development of metabolic bone disease following the RGB.

Most patients with moderate to severe head injury initially do not tolerate enteral feedings postinjury. This intolerance is more prolonged than that found in patients suffering other types of trauma. The authors prospectively evaluated 12 patients with moderate to severe head injury (Glasgow Coma Scale score between 4 and 10) throughout their hospitalization for liquid gastric emptying as a possible mechanism for intolerance to enteral feeding. During Week 1, the majority of patients displayed a delay in gastric emptying. Patients also displayed an abnormal biphasic response (gastric emptying faster than normal during the early stage but prolonged later). By Week 2, many patients still had delayed and abnormal biphasic responses to gastric emptying. By Week 3, an improvement was observed with the majority of patients exhibiting rapid gastric emptying, but delays and abnormal biphasic responses were still seen. Patients who initially had rapid or normal gastric emptying tolerated full-strength full-rate feedings significantly earlier compared with those who experienced delayed gastric emptying (8.5 +/- 0.5 days vs. 13.7 +/- 3.2 days, p less than 0.001). All patients tolerated full-strength full-rate feedings by Day 16 postinjury (range 7 to 16 days) except the two patients who displayed delayed gastric emptying for prolonged periods of time (mean 25 days). This is the first study to longitudinally evaluate gastric emptying following head injury. The authors suggest that patients with moderate to severe head injury often experience alterations in gastric emptying which may affect their ability to tolerate enteral feedings.

No abstract

No abstract

Tc-99m pertechnetate and I-123 were used to perform thyroid scanning in 122 patients with history or clinical evidence of thyroid disease. Thyroid scans were abnormal in all patients, while thyroid palpation was abnormal in all but 19. The quality of thyroid imaging was similar with both agents in 42%, better with I-123 in 18%, and better with Tc-99m in 7%. In the remaining 33% (40 cases), there were discrepancies between Tc-99m and I-123 images. The most frequent discrepancies were "hot" or "warm" lesions on Tc-99m scans that were "cold" or normal on I-123 scans. Results from this study indicate that neither Tc-99m nor I-123 is always superior to the other as a thyroid imaging agent.