- A Population-Based Study of Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Vaccination and Autism
K.M. Madsen and Others
The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine contains a live, attenuated measles virus, and there have been claims that the vaccine is a cause of autism in young children. This study included all children born in Denmark from 1991 through 1998. Using national-registry data on autistic disorders, the investigators found no association between MMR vaccination and a subsequent diagnosis of autism (relative risk, 0.92; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.68 to 1.24) or a related disorder (relative risk, 0.83; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.65 to 1.07).1477-1482 - Effects of the Amount and Intensity of Exercise on Plasma Lipoproteins
W.E. Kraus and Others
Regular exercise has well-established health benefits, some of which are mediated through changes in plasma lipoproteins. This study investigated the relative importance of the amount and the intensity of regular exercise in producing changes in plasma lipoproteins. The amount of exercise per week proved to have a greater effect on lipoproteins than did the intensity of exercise.1483-1492 - Leukotriene-Receptor Expression on Nasal Mucosal Inflammatory Cells in Aspirin-Sensitive Rhinosinusitis
A.R. Sousa, A. Parikh, G. Scadding, C.J. Corrigan, and T.H. Lee
Patients who are hypersensitive to aspirin have asthma, rhinosinusitis, and nasal polyposis. These findings have been attributed in part to the action of the cysteinyl leukotrienes at one of their receptors. Although aspirin can initiate the reaction, it can also be an effective treatment, since long-term exposure to aspirin leads to a desensitized state. In this study, the authors show that patients with aspirin-sensitive rhinosinusitis have enhanced expression of the cysteinyl leukotriene receptor CysLT1 on inflammatory cells in nasal-biopsy specimens and that desensitization with aspirin is associated with decreased expression of this receptor on these cells.1493-1499 - Brief Report: Two Patients with Unusual Forms of Varicella–Zoster Virus Vasculopathy
D.H. Gilden and Others
Several months after having zoster on the sacrum, a 71-year-old man had a transient ischemic attack with occlusion of the right anterior cerebral artery. Six months after having zoster in the ophthalmic distribution, a 76-year-old woman had sudden loss of vision in the left eye. In both cases, the acute vascular events were caused by the varicella–zoster virus, and in both, the deficits resolved after intravenous treatment with acyclovir.1500-1503
- Renovascular Hypertension, Endothelial Function, and Oxidative Stress
To the Editor: In their elegant study, Higashi et al. (June 20 issue)1 conclude that elevated angiotensin II levels in patients with renovascular hypertension constitute a principal cause of increased oxidative stress that results in impaired endothelium-...1528-1530 - Thrombophilia Polymorphisms and Intrauterine Growth Restriction
To the Editor: Infante-Rivard et al. (July 4 issue)1 found no association between thrombophilic mutations and intrauterine growth restriction defined by a birth weight below the 10th percentile, as we2 and others3,4 have demonstrated, and they found an ...1530-1531 - Recurrent Glomerulonephritis and Risk of Renal Allograft Loss
To the Editor: The article by Briganti et al. (July 11 issue)1 reminds us that the original renal disease may recur in renal transplants and identifies recurrence of glomerulonephritis as an important cause of late allograft loss. The authors report that ...1531-1532 - Aberrant Right Subclavian Artery and Dysphagia Lusoria
To the Editor: Kent and Poterucha (May 23 issue)1 present excellent angiographic images of an aberrant right subclavian artery, which was causing intermittent dysphagia. However, it is our opinion that angiography of the aorta could have been achieved ...1532 - Hypocapnia
To the Editor: The otherwise excellent review of hypocapnia by Laffey and Kavanagh (July 4 issue)1 was somewhat diminished by an oversimplified discussion of the effects of hypocapnia on the cerebral circulation. We would like to add two points. First, ...1533 - Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
To the Editor: In his Clinical Practice article (March 28 issue),1 Stoller states that the use of methylxanthines in patients with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains “unclear.” My colleagues and I disagree. In a meta-...1533-1534 - Peanut Allergy
To the Editor: Regarding the article on peanut allergy by Sampson (April 25 issue),1 one should note that although anaphylaxis is the hallmark of peanut allergy, this allergy can also manifest in the form of such chronic, non–life-threatening entities as ...1534-1535 - Recurrent Peanut Allergy
To the Editor: Allergy to peanuts is potentially fatal, affects 1 in 150 persons in the United States, and until recently was considered to be permanent.1,2 However, recent reports document a 20 percent rate of resolution by school age.3,4 We offer an ...1535-1536
