A.S. Douglas

VENOUS THROMBOSIS FOLLOWING STROKES

Abstract Thirty patients with a recent cerebro- Summaryn vascular accident resulting in a stroke were studied for evidence of leg-vein thrombosis using the 125 I-labelled fibrinogen technique. 60% developed a deep-venous thrombosis, as measured by this technique, in their paralysed leg; 7% had, in addition, a thrombus in the non-paralysed leg.

Seasonality of disease in Kuwait

To compare the seasonal variation in total mortality and deaths from cardiovascular, respiratory, and malignant disease, data were collected from North-East Scotland (Grampian region) and Kuwait. Seasonal differences were similar, in both timing and degree, for total mortality and deaths from circulatory disease, but were greater in Kuwait for respiratory disease. Peak mortality was during winter in both areas: in Grampian, when the climate is most uncomfortable, and in Kuwait, when the climate is at its most comfortable. Socioeconomic changes in Kuwait have been accompanied by a rapid fall in the degree of seasonality (deseasonality) for both total and infant mortality. These findings suggest that mortality peaks in winter, not because of a seasonally low temperature, but because of a seasonal fall in mean temperature irrespective of the annual mean temperature.

Composition of seasonality of disease.

The composition of the seasonality of total death was ascertained. Vascular disease seasonality constitutes more than half. The remaining seasonality is influenced by respiratory disease. Surprisingly and of possible importance cancer mortality was not seasonal. Deaths from ‘all other disease’ and from ‘injuries’ is seasonal. Seasonality increases with age. In coronary and cerebrovascular disease death has a large seasonal fluctuation. On the other hand hospital admissions and survivors have a minor seasonal fluctuation — Only cerebrovascular admissions reaching the chosen level of significance with a small seasonal amplitude. For vascular disease the ranking of seasonal fluctuation from greatest to least is — Death outside hospital, total death, death inside hospital, admissions, survivors. It is death outside hospital presumably ‘sudden’ that imposes seasonality on coronary disease in general. For respiratory diseases not only death but hospital admissions and survivors have high amplitude seasonality with a much greater fluctuation than for death in vascular disease.

RAISED PLASMA ŒSTRADIOL AND ŒSTRONE LEVELS IN YOUNG SURVIVORS OF MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Of 35 male survivors of myocardial infarction, aged 24-48 years, 34 had higher plasma-oestradiol levels than age-matched controls. 29 of the 35 had higher oestrone levels than controls.

Platelet Function after the Administration of Chlorpromazine to Human Subjects

Chlorpromazine is known to inhibit platelet function in vitro. The intramuscular injection of 50 mg to human volunteers caused only minor changes in platelet function. There was a small, but significant, reduction in the platelet count, the second phase of the double-wave of adenosine diphosphate-induced aggregation and the rate of 5-hydroxytryptamine-induced aggregation. Patients on high doses of chlorpromazine had no demonstrable abnormality of platelet function. This suggests that chlorpromazine, despite its inhibitory effect on platelet function in vitro, is unlikely to interfere with either haemostasis or thrombogenesis after its administration to man.