1 September 1982

Didier Lebrec, Patrick Hillon, Cristina MuńOz, Gerard Goldfarb, Olivier Nouel, Jean‐Pierre Benhamou – 1 September 1982 – The gradient between wedged and free hepatic venous pressures was measured in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis before and 1, 3, and 9 months after continuous oral administration of propranolol at doses reducing the heart rate by 25% or after administration of a placebo. The gradient between wedged and free hepatic venous pressures decreased throughout the duration of propranolol administration, and it did not significantly change in the patients receiving placebo.

Patrick Hillon, Didier Lebrec, Cristina Muńoz, Michel Jungers, Gerard Goldfarb, Jean‐Pierre Benhamou – 1 September 1982 – The effects on cardiac output and portal venous pressure of atenolol, a cardioselective β‐blocker, and propranolol, a nonselective β‐blocker, were compared in patients with portal hypertension due to cirrhosis. One hour after p.o. administration of 100 mg of atenolol, cardiac output decreased by 32%, and portal venous pressure by 16%; the decrease in cardiac output and the decrease in portal venous pressure were significantly correlated. One hour after p.o.

Hyman J. Zimmerman, Kamal G. Ishak – 1 September 1982 – Analyses of 23 fatal instances of hepatic injury in patients taking valproic acid reveals that all but three were less than 20 years old, and all but four had been taking the drugs for more than 1 month. Convulsions, facial edema, lassitude, and vomiting were prominent clinical features. Hypoglycemia was recorded in six patients. Rash and eosinophilia were not seen. Values for transaminases were modestly elevated in most patients. Most levels of SGOT were below 500 IU, and SGPT levels were below 200 IU.

Irwin H. Rosenberg – 1 September 1982

Richard J. Grand – 1 September 1982

Luis Montan̄to, Guido C. Miescher, Alison H. Goodall, Karl H. Wiedmann, George Janossy, Howard C. Thomas – 1 September 1982 – An analysis of the expression of the histocompatibility antigens in the livers of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection and normal subjects has demonstrated an increased expression of HLA‐A,B,C antigens on the hepatocytes of patients with a low level of viral replication (HBe antibody positive) as compared with patients who exhibit a high level of viral replication (HBe antigen positive) and controls.

Irwin H. Rosenberg – 1 September 1982

C. S. Davidson – 1 September 1982

M. Sawkat ANWER, Dietmar Hegner – 1 September 1982 – Ion substitution studies were carried out in the isolated perfused rat liver to define the importance of solvent drag and diffusion in bile acid‐dependent bile formation. Two different methods, namely single injection (20 μmoles) and continuous infusions at 0.4, 0.8, 1.2, and 1.6 μmoles per min taurocholate (TC), were used to determine the bile acid‐dependent bile flow (BADF). Both methods gave essentially the same results. Replacement of Na+ (146 mM) by 120 or 146 mM Li+ and Cl− (127 mM) by 120 mM NO3− increased BADF significantly.