In several studies in humans and animals it has been suggested that high osmolality and ionicity of contrast media are responsible for higher nephrotoxicity. To examine this suggestion, we evaluated the renal effects of three different contrast media-an ionic high osmolar, an ionic low osmolar, and a nonionic-following intravenous and renal arterial administration, in a population of 84 unselected, nondiabetic patients with adequate renal function. The results showed that the nephrotoxicity is minimal and equal for all three contrast media and for both routes of their administration, and it is concluded that in this category of patients the far higher cost of the newer low osmolar ionics and nonionics should be considered seriously in regard to nephrotoxicity. © 1992 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.

The cycles of 11 renal transplant recipients (RTR), at least 24 months after stabilization of graft function and four hemodialyzed (HD) patients, menstruating regularly, were evaluated by concurrent and systematic determinations throughout the cycle of LH, FSH, estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, prolactin and SHBG and in the case of RTR also by ultrasound follow-up. Biphasic estradiol secretion, midcycle LH and FSH surge, duration of luteal phase, midluteal progesterone values and in the case of RTR, ultrasonic parameters were consistent with: (1) normal ovulatory cycles in five RTR; (2) ovulatory cycles with luteal phase deficiency in five RTR and two HD patients; (3) anovulatory cycles in one RTR and two HD patients. Thus, in HD patients only abnormal cycles of central etiology were found, while in RTR, luteal phase deficiency was a very common syndrome, in equal percentage with normal ovulatory cycles. © 1992.

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) antigen were measured in 56 full-termed pregnancies by enzyme-immunoassays (EIA-MEIA). The measurements were done in maternal serum (MS), umbilical cord blood (UCB) and amniotic fluid (AF) samples, during delivery. Very high antigen levels were found in AF samples (median: CEA = 124 ng/ml; CA-125 = 710 U/ml; SCC = 710 ng/ml) compared to UCB and MS. CEA and SCC showed significantly lower value's in MS (0.6 and 1.7 ng/ml, respectively) than in UCB (1.6 ng/ml, P = 7.7 × 10-9; 3.55 ng/ml, P = 6.5 × 10-6, respectively), while CA-125 had significantly higher values in MS (6 U/ml) than in UCB (0.0 U/ml, P = 17 × 10-6; Wilcoxon paired test). All CEA values in MS were below cut-off (≤ 5 ng/ml), while 10% of CA-125 and 30% of SCC values were above cut-off (≤ 35 U /ml and ≤ 2.5 ng/ml, respectively). Amniotic fluid CEA with meconium had higher values (P = 0.0002), while the highest CA-125 values in AF samples were found in primiparae (P = 0.02). Moreover SCC in AF samples from vaginal delivered pregnancies showed significantly higher values, compared to those from cesarean section (P = 4.2 × 10-7; Mann-Whitney U-test). Thus, our findings suggest that pregnancy has an influence on maternal serum SCC and CA-125 values, while CEA is independent of gestation and seems to conserve its diagnostic value during pregnancy as well. © 1992.

α-Immunoreactive inhibin was measured using an enzyme immunoassay kit in the culture medium (Ham's F-10 medium supplemented with 14% heat-inactivated human serum) from day 3 or 4 to day 14 post-fertilization of 31 surplus pre-embryos from eight women participating in an in-vitro fertilization programme. Inhibin secretion was demonstrated in all of them from the fourth day after fertilization (mean ± SEM: 3.0 ± 0.7U) and was independent of the morphological development of pre-embryos (2-4 cells, n = 4; 6-8 cells, n = 4; 8-10 cells, n = 9; 10-12 cells, n = 4; morulae, n = 5 and blastocysts, n = 4). On days 7,10,13 and 14 post-fertilization, mean inhibin values ± SEM for non-disintegrated pre-embryos were respectively: 6.5 ± 0.9U, 12.3 ± 2.0U, 16.8 ± 3.2U and 20.2 ± 3.7U; however, when disintegration was noted on days 10 and 13 after fertilization, inhibin mean values were 9.0 ± 1.4U and 8.4 ± 1.7U respectively. Inhibin levels were significantly correlated with human chorionic gonadotrophin levels in the same culture media only on day 13, while correlation with pregnancy specific β1-glycoprotein occurred on day 7 post-fertilization. In conclusion, early human pre-embryos secrete α-immunoreactive inhibin before the cytotrophoblast is formed. This secretion increases significantly with time when development is continued, while disintegration is followed by a net decline in the rate of inhibin release.

Objective: To study and compare the secretion of pregnancy specific β1- glycoprotein (SP1) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) by human pre- embryos, cultured in vitro, with their respective morphological development. Design: Spare human pre-embryos from randomly selected women participating in a program of in vitro fertilization (IVF) were studied prospectively. Setting: Pre-embryos were cultured, and hormone release was determined in academic research laboratories. Patients, Participants: Pre-embryos (n = 108) cultured for 14 days after fertilization in Ham's F-10 medium (GIBCO Ltd., Paisley, Scotland) were observed, and hCG and SP1 were measured in the culture media at regular intervals. Main Outcome Measures: Discordant secretion of SP1 and hCG. Results: Of the 98 bipronucleate pre-embryos, 53.6% formed blastocysts, 17.3% of which hatched. Human chorionic gonadotropin was detected from day 7 after fertilization concomitantly with blastocyst formation, thereafter showing a logarithmic increase (maximum 10,650 mIU) until the first signs of embryonic disintegration. Pregnancy- specific β1-glycoprotein release started 3 to 4 days after fertilization independently of the morphological development and the future production of hCG, thereafter displaying a nonlogarithmic increase (maximum 41 ng). Conclusions: Hormone secretion and morphological development are unique for each pre-embryo. Human chorionic gonadotropin and SP1 seem to have different biochemical and physiological regulation.

Are follicles where no oocytes are retrieved "empty follicles"? © 1992 Plenum Publishing Corporation.