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Biomedical subjects

A Akesson

Publications and source records attributed to A Akesson.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Epidemiology of Q fever in Sweden.

Q fever is known to be a worldwide disease, with Sweden supposed to be one of a few exceptions. The purpose of this pilot study was to elucidate whether or not a potential risk group for obtaining Q fever in Sweden was seropositive to the causative agent Coxiella burnetii. Blood samples were collected from sheep farmers on the island of Gotland, and from members of their families. Serum samples were examined by ELISA for the presence of antibodies against C. burnetii, phases I and II. Positive reactions were confirmed with Western blot analysis. It was found that 30% of the study group were seropositive to C. burnetii, thus indicating that Q fever is endemic in this area of Sweden.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Isolation of Coxiella burnetii in Sweden.

Coxiella burnetii was isolated from sheep placentas, which had been collected from farms harbouring humans seropositive to the organism. The isolation of these bacteria is the final evidence that Q fever is a domestic disease in Sweden.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Autoantibodies against neutrophil cytoplasm components in systemic lupus erythematosus and in hydralazine-induced lupus.

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibody (ANCA) has been shown to be no marker of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) including lupus nephritis or of progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS). Antibodies against myeloperoxidase (anti-MPO) and elastase, two granulocyte lysosomal enzymes, were found in patients with SLE but not in those with PSS, except for one patient who had anti-MPO. Anti-MPO was present in 21% of patients with SLE, and at low concentrations in about 80% of these cases. Anti-elastase was found in four patients with SLE. In another group of six patients with a SLE-like syndrome induced by anti-hypertensive treatment with the anti-hypertensive hydralazine, anti-MPO antibodies occurred in all six, and anti-elastase antibodies in five. Monitored during a 2-year follow-up period, anti-MPO antibodies were found to persist, whereas anti-elastase antibodies were rapidly eliminated, after withdrawal of the drug.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed1990

A qualitative and quantitative method for in situ characterization of the inflammatory response in experimental myocarditis.

Coxsackie virus B3 causes myocarditis in Balb/c inbred mice. In this model mortality is about 60% on day 7 and 95% on day 12 after inoculation. Significant inflammatory infiltrates appear on day 7. Recent research has focused on the immune response to explain the ensuing tissue damage. Thus we were interested in mapping cellular interaction and time course to understand the development of a possible autoimmune attack. By a newly developed immunohistochemical staining technique single lymphocytes could be visualized and different lymphocyte subpopulations enumerated. Stained cells were easily detectable and readily distinguishable from non-stained cells. Before day 7 Th cells could only occassionally be seen. The number of pan T lymphocytes increased almost 10-fold from day 7 to 12. The T helper/T killer ratio did not change significantly but indicated a predominant increase in Tk-cells. The B cell population also increased, roughly about ten times. The number of class II positive cells was constant. No expression of Il-2 receptor was found. In preliminary studies, exercise and methylprednisolone treatment tended to influence the expression of class II antigens. Cyclophosphamide and cyclosporine A reduced the number of inflammatory cells more than 10-fold. No clear concurrent reduction in mortality was observed.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Normal pituitary hormone response to thyrotrophin releasing hormone in dental personnel exposed to mercury.

Basal serum levels of TSH, PRL, T3, T4, cortisol, glucose and calcium were determined in a group of dental personnel (n = 11) exposed to mercury vapour from dental amalgam, and in an occupationally unexposed control group (n = 9). The TSH and PRL responses after injection of 25 micrograms TRH were also analysed. There were no significant group differences in basal hormone levels or in TRH responses. The findings do not indicate a negative influence on the pituitary function at the present low grade, chronic mercury exposure.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Organ manifestations in 100 patients with progressive systemic sclerosis: a comparison between the CREST syndrome and diffuse scleroderma.

Internal organ function, biochemical, and immunological variables were assessed in 100 patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS), 37 with diffuse scleroderma and 63 with the CREST syndrome. The frequency of oesophageal symptoms and dysmotility did not differ between the two subsets, but patients with diffuse scleroderma had more pronounced motility disturbances. Calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, and telangiectasia were equally frequent in the two groups. Vital capacity, total lung capacity, and static lung compliance were lower among patients with diffuse scleroderma (p less than 0.001), who also had a higher frequency of lung fibrosis (p less than 0.001) and cardiomegaly (p less than 0.01). Sixty eight per cent of the patients with diffuse scleroderma and 62% of those with the CREST syndrome had a positive antinuclear antibody test, which was associated with oesophageal hypomotility (p less than 0.001), fat malabsorption (p less than 0.01) and pulmonary dysfunction (p less than 0.05). Thus, the severity of organ manifestations varied not only with the form of PSS, but also with the absence/presence of antinuclear antibody. This study shows that the term 'CREST syndrome' could be replaced by 'limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis'.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Distribution of selenium and glutathione peroxidase in plasma compared in healthy subjects and rheumatoid arthritis patients.

The distribution of selenium and glutathione peroxidase activity in plasma was compared in samples from healthy adult controls and patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Plasma was separated by gel filtration, and selenium was measured in the eluted fractions by means of graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry with Zeeman background correction. Most of the selenium in plasma of healthy controls was seen in proteins that migrated close to immunoglobulin G, and that had an apparent molecular weight at the peak of 174 kDa. One major peak of glutathione peroxidase activity with an apparent molecular weight of 99 kDa was unmatched by any significant peak in selenium content. Thus, there was only limited correspondence between the elution patterns of selenium and glutathione peroxidase activity. Also, in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis, selenium was distributed amongst plasma proteins with a wide range of molecular weights. The major selenium peak was less pronounced in patients, but the amount of selenium in other parts of the chromatogram was not different from that in controls. Further work is necessary to define the occurrence of different selenoproteins in plasma in patients and in healthy subjects.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Visceral improvement following combined plasmapheresis and immunosuppressive drug therapy in progressive systemic sclerosis.

In a two-year prospective therapeutic trial, 15 patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) were treated with immunosuppressive drug therapy with or without long-term plasmapheresis. Before the trial all patients had severe involvement of either the esophagus, lungs or kidneys. One patient died of renal failure and another 2 patients withdrew unimproved. In the remaining 12 patients, objective improvement occurred in all but one. The degree and extent of skin involvement decreased significantly (p less than 0.01). Cineradiography revealed increased esophageal motility in 4 patients. Pulmonary function measured as total lung capacity and static lung compliance improved (p less than 0.01). In 4 patients the number of premature atrial or ventricular contractions at 24 h ECG monitoring decreased, as did the concentrations of immunoglobulins and ANA titres in serum. Although it could not be ascertained whether the clinical improvement was associated with combined therapy or immunosuppressive drug treatment alone, our results suggest that immunosuppressive therapy is beneficial in advanced PSS.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Monocyte and iscom enhancement of cell-mediated response to cytomegalovirus.

Cell-mediated and humoral responses to cytomegalovirus were studied in a monkey model. Repeated low doses of virus antigen gave poor reactivities in both respects. High antigen doses gave a good humoral IgG response. When autologous monocytes were incubated with the CMV antigen as the immunizing injection, the specific cellular response to CMV antigen increased. The monocytes themselves did not contribute to the in vitro specific proliferation response. When iscoms were the carrier particles for CMV antigens, cellular response was even more strongly enhanced. In immunization schedules where specific cellular responses are important, we suggest that autologous monocytes or iscoms may be employed as antigen carriers.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Esophageal dysfunction and radionuclide transit in progressive systemic sclerosis.

Sixty patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) were studied by radionuclide esophageal transit (RT) and esophageal cineradiography. Fifty-two patients (87%) had abnormal RT with prolonged transit time and 28 (47%) had stagnation of radionuclide. RT was positively correlated to duration of disease (p less than 0.01). A positive correlation between transit time and the presence of dysphagia was observed. Reduced esophageal motility evaluated by cineradiography was observed in 44 patients (73%). In patients with moderate-severe esophageal dysfunction there was a positive association between prolonged RT and hypomotility at the radiological examination (p = 0.001). RT is a safe and non-invasive method which is more sensitive than cineradiography and might be used as a screening test to evaluate esophageal involvement in patients with PSS.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Nutritional status in girls with juvenile chronic arthritis.

Nutritional status, with emphasis on nutrients involved in inflammatory processes, was investigated in 26 girls with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) and in healthy controls. Children with JCA had decreased plasma selenium compared to controls. Glutathione peroxidase activity in plasma was similar in both groups but the activity in blood was slightly depressed in JCA. The decrease in blood glutathione peroxidase was more pronounced in patients with high to medium disease activity. Ascorbic acid was measured in plasma, platelets, mononuclear cells and granulocytes. A slight decrease in granulocyte ascorbic acid was observed in patients but in plasma, platelets and mononuclear cells no difference was observed. Serum alpha-tocopherol, blood folate and serum cobalamine was the same in both groups. Several patients, especially in the youngest group, exhibited impaired growth. Serum creatinine and arm muscle circumference were lower in the arthritic patients indicating a lower muscle mass. These changes were more pronounced in patients with systemic or polyarticular onset of the disease. The possibility that the changes in nutritional status in patients with JCA can be corrected by dietary supplementation needs further investigation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Gastrointestinal function in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis.

In 24 patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) the pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion was determined to investigate if acid hypersecretion is associated with reflux-oesophagitis--the most common complication to oesophageal involvement in PSS. Gastro-oesophageal reflux was observed in 12, reflux-oesophagitis in 9 and oesophageal mycosis in 8 patients. Gastric acid secretion was increased in 13 (54%) patients and tended to be higher in patients with oesophagitis. Patients with reflux and increased acid secretion seemed to be free from oesophageal mycosis. Bacterial overgrowth and malabsorption are known complications to intestinal scleroderma and these items were investigated using non-invasive methods. Four patients had increased bile acid deconjugation, 3 had increased (14C)xylose degradation indicating bacterial overgrowth and 7 patients had decreased fat absorption in the triolein breath test. Nutritional status with respect to selenium, folate, cobalamin and fat-soluble vitamins was essentially normal.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Hepatotoxic effects of anti-rheumatic drugs in cultured rat hepatocytes.

Drug-induced liver injury has been suggested as a possible mechanism for the liver damage in rheumatic diseases. To evaluate the role of direct toxic action of drugs on hepatocytes, the effects of salicylate, chloroquine, prednisolone and indomethacin on LDH leakage from cultured rat hepatocytes were studied. Exposure for 24 h to the first two drugs induced liver damage, as reflected by LDH release, at concentrations 2-10 times as high as the therapeutic plasma levels in humans. Indomethacin and prednisolone at concentrations approx 50-100-fold higher than the therapeutic plasma levels, were not toxic to cultured hepatocytes. The data suggest that direct a toxic effect on hepatocytes is one possible mechanism of hepatotoxicity for salicylate and chloroquine, especially since the exposure time is much longer in humans than in the experimental model used here.

Animals↗