Effect of Obesity and of Starvation on Insulin Activity

thromboembolic occlusive vascular disease, for which in any event side-effects render it unsafe.On the other hand, as the present studies demonstrate, Complamin clearly does not exploit the full fibrinolytic potential of the body, and a search for further modifications of nicotinic acid or other pharmacological substances which would produce a sustained fibrinolytic response would seem worth while.In particular, a non-toxic substance administered by mouth might, by long-term admini- stration to increase physiological fibrinolytic activity, have an important role in the prophylaxis of vascular thrombosis.Summary Complamin, a nicotinic-acid/theophylline ester, produces brisk but transient fibrinolytic activity when injected or infused intra- venously.A refractory state soon appears, in which patients do not respond to further therapy.However, prior fibrinolytic response to exercise dose not reduce the response to Complamin, nor is the fibrinolytic response to exercise reduced when exercise follows Complamin.It would therefore appear that resistance to repeated injections of Complamin is not due to exhaustion of the body's fibrinolytic potential.Side-effects of Complamin include flushing of the skin, abdominal pain, and hypotension, which may be severe.Because of the transient nature of the fibrinolytic response and the danger of hypotension, Complamin does not appear to have a place as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of thromboembolic occlusive vascular disease.We are grateful to Professor E. M. McGirr