In a controlled, randomised, double-blind study to see whether knowledge of left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) could reduce the frequency of left-sided heart failure after acute myocardial infarction, LVEF was determined a few days before hospital discharge in a consecutive series of 60 patients. Subsequently, the patients were randomly assigned to two groups. The cardiologist responsible for their treatment was aware of the LVEF result in group I but not in group II. A month after hospital discharge there was no significant difference in the LVEF between the groups. 2 months after discharge there were no significant differences between the groups in clinical and radiological signs of left-ventricular heart failure or the use of drugs. The cardiologist's clinical estimate of the LVEF and the result of the radionuclide determination were significantly correlated. Thus, the use of LVEF did not change the clinical outcome. The need for randomised controlled studies in the evaluation of diagnostic methods is emphasised.

In a 6-week clinical trial 4 dose regimens of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT), a thymidine analogue with potent anti-viral activity against HTLV-III in vitro, were examined in 19 patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or AIDS-related complex (ARC). AZT was given intravenously for 2 weeks, then orally for 4 weeks at twice the intravenous dose. AZT was well absorbed from the gut and crossed the blood-brain barrier. Therapeutic levels were maintained with 5 mg given intravenously or 10 mg given orally every 4 h. Treatment was not limited by side-effects, the commonest of which were headaches and depression of white-cell counts. 15 of the 19 patients had increases in their numbers of circulating helper-inducer T lymphocytes (p less than 0.001) during therapy, 6 who were anergic at entry showed positive delayed type hypersensitivity skin test reactions during treatment, 2 had clearance of chronic fungal nailbed infections without specific anti-fungal therapy, 6 had other evidence of clinical improvement, and the group as a whole had a weight gain of 2.2 kg. Also, with the highest dose regimen cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells for HTLV III became negative.

Existing criteria for the diagnosis of growth hormone (GH) deficiency do not identify all children who can be made to grow faster with GH. There is a spectrum of GH secretion in short slowly growing normal children and in some cases the secretion may be inadequate to promote optimum growth in height. A diagnostic/therapeutic trial of GH therapy, with auxological monitoring, may be the only means of identifying some patients who will benefit. Assessment of the place for GH therapy in the treatment of short stature requires special knowledge of childhood diseases, growth, and endocrinology.

A completely synthetically produced peptide vaccine, consisting of the 18-aminoacid Escherichia coli heat-stable toxin and the 26-aminoacid epitope of the heat-labile toxin B subunit, was given orally to thirteen volunteers. It raised antitoxin titres to both toxin components four-fold in serum samples and seven-fold in jejunal aspirates over preimmunisation control titres. Jejunal aspirates taken after immunisation from vaccinees, but not controls, neutralised the secretory activity of both toxins in appropriate biological assays. These findings show that synthetically produced vaccines are immunogenic in human beings. The peptide used is a promising vaccine for diarrhoeal disease caused by enterotoxigenic strains of E coli.

204 of 460 patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding admitted to a busy district hospital were found to be bleeding from peptic ulcers or to have signs of recent haemorrhage at endoscopy within 24 h of admission. To determine if the small bipolar probe could stop bleeding or rebleeding, patients were allocated to electrocoagulation (101) or not (103); other aspects of treatment were identical. Groups were stratified by ulcer site to give similar numbers in each. To allow for differences in sex, age, initial haemoglobin, presence of other diseases, and shock, data were analysed by logistic regression. Fewer patients in the treated group (17) continued to bleed or rebled compared with controls (34). Rebleeding and mortality rates in the treated group were higher early in the trial, suggesting the need for experience in application of the probe. Further improvements in technology and technique may result in significant reductions in mortality.

Analysis of the results of United Kingdom Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (UKALL) trials since 1972 showed that no improvement in remission or survival had been achieved over the 7 years up to 1979 for 1470 patients in trials UKALL II to VI. UKALL VII (1979-80) gave somewhat better results for a small group of good-prognosis patients. However, UKALL VIII, introduced in 1980, produced a 15-20% increase in 4-year disease-free survival compared with the best results of previous studies, despite a higher frequency of treatment-induced morbidity and mortality. Factors possibly contributing to this highly significant difference include the policy of continuing therapy without interruption during induction, a long course of intramuscular asparaginase over 3 weeks, full-dose mercaptopurine and co-trimoxazole during central-nervous-system prophylaxis, and the use of sustained maximum tolerated oral doses of mercaptopurine and methotrexate maintenance. An intensive sustained approach to chemotherapy in childhood ALL is needed, especially in the early stages of treatment.

In an unblinded trial of intravenous streptokinase (SK) in early acute myocardial infarction, 11 806 patients in one hundred and seventy-six coronary care units were enrolled over 17 months. Patients admitted within 12 h after the onset of symptoms and with no contraindications to SK were randomised to receive SK in addition to usual treatment and complete data were obtained in 11 712. At 21 days overall hospital mortality was 10.7% in SK recipients versus 13% in controls, an 18% reduction (p = 0.0002, relative risk 0.81). The extent of the beneficial effect appears to be a function of time from onset of pain to SK infusion (relative risks 0.74, 0.80, 0.87, and 1.19 for the 0-3, 3-6, 6-9, and 9-12 h subgroups). SK seems to be a safe drug for routine administration in acute myocardial infarction.

To test the effect of transplantation of T-cell-depleted bone marrow on recipient immune function the results of pre-transplantation immunisation with tetanus toxoid and hepatitis-B vaccine were studied in 38 donor-recipient pairs. Immunisation of the donor alone resulted in transfer of an antibody response to the recipient; immunisation of both donor and recipient resulted in potentiation of the antibody response in both magnitude and duration. These findings indicate that donor T-cell-depleted marrow can transfer humoral immunity to the recipient and that appropriate pre-transplant immunisation schedules may be of benefit to the recipient.

To compare antibiotic regimens for their effectiveness in preventing or treating wound sepsis, well-defined criteria for outcome are needed. A method of assessing wound healing has been devised that defines carefully the characteristics to be considered and how they are to be awarded points. Objective criteria are also included in the assessment. Points are given for the need for Additional treatment, the presence of Serous discharge, Erythema, Purulent exudate, and Separation of the deep tissues, the Isolation of bacteria, and the duration of inpatient Stay (ASEPSIS).

In clinical measurement comparison of a new measurement technique with an established one is often needed to see whether they agree sufficiently for the new to replace the old. Such investigations are often analysed inappropriately, notably by using correlation coefficients. The use of correlation is misleading. An alternative approach, based on graphical techniques and simple calculations, is described, together with the relation between this analysis and the assessment of repeatability.

Patients with disorders of propionate metabolism have low plasma levels of free carnitine and excrete higher than normal quantities of esterified carnitine. The response to a 19 h fast was assessed as a physiological index of carnitine deficiency. In patients with propionic acidaemia and methylmalonic acidaemia a substantial ketogenesis developed in response to fasting. Supplementation with L-carnitine significantly reduced this ketogenic response.

60 patients with severe mastalgia of more than 6 months' duration were randomly selected for treatment with either tamoxifen 20 mg daily or placebo for 3 months. As measured by linear analogue scoring, pain relief was achieved in 22/31 (71%) of those receiving tamoxifen and 11/29 (38%) of those taking placebo. Patients who did not respond to the first course of treatment were allocated to the alternative treatment for 3 months. Pain control was achieved in 8/12 (75%) of those receiving tamoxifen and 2/6 (33%) of those receiving placebo. The commonest side-effects were hot flushes (27% of patients receiving tamoxifen and 11% of those receiving placebo) and vaginal discharge (17% tamoxifen, 7% placebo). Side-effects caused 6 patients in each group to discontinue treatment. Tamoxifen is of value in the management of severe cyclical and non-cyclical mastalgia, and relief can be achieved without undue side-effects in the majority of patients.

In a blind, placebo-controlled study of dietary manipulation therapy in outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis there was significant objective improvement during periods of dietary therapy compared with periods of placebo treatment, particularly among "good responders". Possible explanations for improvement include reduced food intolerance, reduced gastrointestinal permeability, and benefit from weight loss and from altered intake of substrates for prostaglandin production. A proportion of the improvement was due to a placebo response, but this was not sufficient to explain the whole improvement.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 273 patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were randomised to receive either magnesium intravenously or placebo immediately on admission to hospital. Of 130 patients with proven AMI 56 received magnesium and 74 received placebo. During the first 4 weeks after treatment mortality was 7% in the magnesium group and 19% in the placebo group. In the magnesium group 21% of patients had arrhythmias that needed treatment, compared with 47% in the placebo group. No adverse effects of intravenous magnesium were observed.