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Biomedical subjects

A Gil Aguado

Publications and source records attributed to A Gil Aguado.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Hemolytic anemia due to cold-reacting antibodies: association with human immunodeficiency virus infection and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma].

Hemolytic disease by cold-reacting antibodies is a rare form of hemolytic anemia. In most cases a subjacent cause is found. This disease is generally related with reactive lymphoproliferative processes (infections by the Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus) or uncontrolled lymphoproliferative disorders (lymphomas, Waldenström disease, chronic lymphatic leukemia). The presence of high titers of cryoagglutinins have recently been described in patients infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); however, clinical manifestation as hemolytic anemia is very rare. A 37 year old male diagnosed with infection by HIV, non Hodgkin's lymphoma of Burkitt type non convoluted cells, chronic hepatopathy by the B and C virus, Brouet type III cryoglobulinemia and hemolytic anemia by cold-reacting antibodies is herewith described. This multiple association is exceptional as is the important clinical repercussion of the hemolytic anemia derived from the high titers and above all the wide thermic interval of the cryoagglutinin present. Finally, the relation of cryoagglutinin with each of these entities, the concomitant presence of cryoglobulins and the evolution of the titers of the same with the chemotherapy treatment administered for the lymphoma is analyzed.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

[A clinical study of Kaposi's sarcoma associated with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome].

We have retrospectively studied 35 cases of Kaposi's sarcoma in 460 patients with AIDS (incidence of 7.6%) during a period of 10 years. All of them were males, with a mean age of 38 years. 88% of the cases belonged to the homosexual risk group. The tumor was the diagnostic criteria of AIDS in 25 patients. At the moment of the diagnosis, 4 patients were at stage I, 23 at stage II, 1 at stage III and 7 at stage IV, according to the Mitsuyasu's classification; 7 patients had systemic symptoms. The tumor was localized at the skin (34 cases), mucosa (16), digestive tract (7), lung (6) and ganglion (4). The immunological study revealed lymphopenia in 74% of patients, reduction of T4 lymphocytes ( < 0.5 x 10(9)/L) in 93% and inverted T4/T8 ratio in 96%. Sixteen patients received antitumoral treatment (8 with chemotherapy, 7 with interferon and 5 with radiotherapy). The response was stabilization of lesions in 8 cases, partial remission in 2 and progression in 3; in other 3 cases, such response was not assessed. The mortality was 48% and the average survival, 13 months. Opportunistic infections were the cause of death in most patients. Our results confirm the clinical and evolutive characteristics of the Kaposi's sarcoma associated to AIDS; disseminated cutaneous affectation with frequent visceral affectation, poor response to treatment and low survival associated to the presence of opportunistic infections. The lower incidence of tumor observed in our study is related to the different distribution of the risk groups for HIV in our country.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

[Classical panarteritis nodosa: a clearly defined entity. Analysis of 20 cases (author's transl)].

The clinical, biological, and immunological alterations of 20 patients with histologically confirmed classical panarteritis nodosa have been studied. Characteristic angiographic changes were present in 14 cases. There were 14 males and six females, with a mean age of 50 years. The main clinical manifestations were: fever (90%), peripheral nervous system involvement (80%), renal involvement (65%), arterial hypertension (60%), arthropathy (80%), and cutaneous lesions (45%). In most cases there was elevated VSG and alpha 2-globulin, anemia and leukocytosis. HBsAg positivity was found in five patients. The immunological study revealed a polyclonal immunoglobulin increase, changes in the complement components, and a quantitative and qualitative decrease of T lymphocytes. Steroids and immunosuppressive treatment were given to eight patients, and steroids along to 11 patients. The clinical evolution of 17 patients was followed; four patients died, all of them belonging to the group treated with steroid alone.

Adolescent

[Scleroderma with traces of disseminated lupus erythematosus associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and papillary carcinoma of the thyroid gland (author's transl)].

The coexistence of organ-specific and nonorgan-specific autoimmune diseases is an interesting phenomenon. A 52-year-old woman was admitted with fever, general discomfort, polyarthritis, and Raynaud's phenomenon. Physical examination revealed a goiter of stony consistency, hardening, paleness, and atrophy of the skin on the face and upper limbs, and blood hypertension (180/110 mmHg). The biological data included leukopenia, moderate anemia, and a very high sedimentation rate. The latex test was positive (+++); LE cells positive (+); hypergammaglobulinemia (3.5 g); antinuclear antibodies, 1/1280 with an immunofluorescence granular pattern; antithyroid antibodies, 1/160. There was pulmonary, renal, and gastrointestinal involvement compatible with scleroderma, which was confirmed by skin biopsy. A thyroidectomy revealed the existence of a papillary carcinoma with thyroiditis. Responde to treatment with immunosuppressive agents, hypotensive drugs, and thyroid substitution therapy was initially good. The patient was readmitted 8 months later with general discomfort and a severe hyperproteinemia (10 g/100 ml), including 65 percent gammaglobulin and requiring various sessions of plasmapheresis. The patient was discharged, but died suddenly 4 months later. The association of lupus and scleroderma in this patient is discussed and the possibility of its being a mixed connective tissue disease is discarded. The association of this condition with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and the latter with papillary carcinoma of the thyroid are analyzed. The peculiar features of this case are pointed out. The authors postulate that the cause of the sudden death was a vascular cerebral complication induced by the extreme hyperproteinemia.

Carcinoma, Papillary

[Platelet function in systemic lupus erythematosus (author's transl)].

The platelet function was studied in 23 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, all of whom met the diagnostic creteria established by the American Rheumatism Association. They were not under any treatment, especially with any drug that might interfere with platelet function. The same study was performed on a control group composed of volunteers donors at a blood bank. The platelet count was definitely lower in the patients with lupus than in the control subjects (p less than 0.0005), although a clear thrombopenia was observed in only two indivduals (8.7 percent). Anti-platelet antibodies were found in only six cases (26 percent). There was a linear correlation between thrombopenia and the presence of hemorrhagic diathesis and low levels of C4 and CH50 components. Plateler adhesiveness was clearly lower in the lupus group than in the control group (p less than 0.0005). The presence of kidney disease determined a greater impairment of the platelet adhesiveness (p less than 0.0025). A notable defect on platelet aggregation was induced by ADP, adrenaline and collagen. This was more apparent in the group of patients exhibiting a higher degree of clinical activity and in those who showed a serum complement decrease. The mechanism responsible for this thrombopathy appears to be an interference in the platelet function due to the presence of circulating immunocomplexes. They adhere to the platelet membrane blocking its function and inhibiting the release of the necessary thrombocytic components for the second phase of the aggregation. This platelet alteration is not usually manifested clinically; for this reason no relationship was found between this platelet defect and the presence of hemorrhagic symptoms in our patients. The condition is reversible and may disappear after therapy with steroids and/or immunosuppresive agents.

Adolescent

[Hormonal multiplicity of an apudoma of the lung and pancreas. Characterization of the different peptides in the tumoral extracts (author's transl)].

The capacity which the cells of some tumors have of synthesizing, storing, and releasing hormonal polypetides constitutes the basic characteristic of the neoplasms of the APUD system. On many occasions these polypeptides are released as hormonal precursors of high molecular weight, with a minimal biological action in comparison with the real hormone (big ACTH, big gastrin, etc.), and they have no clinical expressivity. On other occasions they reproduce, however, the clinical syndrome of the hormone released in excess. The production of multiple hormones by a single tumor is not a common event. Here we present the case of a patient with an oat-cell carcinoma of the lung and a carcinoma of the pancreas, both histopathologically primitive. In this patient a syndrome of inadequate secretion of antidiuretic hormone was detected. By means of radioimmunoassay techniques, the existence of antidiuretic hormone, ACTH with a predominance of the components of high molecular weight (big ACTH and beta-LPH) and MSH was demonstrated in the tumoral extracts from the lung, pancreas, and from a mediastinal metastatic lymph node. While the concentrations of ACTH were much greater in the lung than in the pancreas, the opposite occurred for the antidiuretic hormone. The synthesis of MSH by the hypophyseal gland or by tumors is not at present recognized, but rather is considered as a degradation product during the process of extraction. The APUD system makes up the morphologic substrate of the syndromes of familiar multiple endocrine adenomatosis. The present case could represent a variant of sporadic multiple endocrine neoplasms which would have the same anatomical basis.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone

[Panarteritis nodosa with positive Australia antigen (author's transl)].

A case of panarteritis nodosa with positive Australia antigen is presented. Panarteritis appeared following serum hepatitis and caused arthromyalgia, abdominal pain, prolonged fever of unknown origin, peripheral polyneuropathy, blood hypertension, and renal insufficiency. A muscular biopsy showed atrophy due to denervation and necrotizing arteritis in various stages causing serious damage to the arteries. Abdominal arteriography clearly demonstrated the existence of aneurismal dilations in the liver, pancreas, and kidneys. The angiographic findings in panarteritis nodose are discussed with special reference to the aneurysms localized in several organs. Their situation is described in detail; it is usually abdominal and more specifically intrarenal. The fact that they occur in a high percentage of cases is helpful when establishing the diagnosis. Lastly, the role of Australia antigen in the development of panarteritis nodose is discussed. It stimulates an immune response and the production of circulating immunocomplexes which are depostied on the vascular walls with complement fixation and damage to the blood vessels. The possibility that other viral agents may be present in the various types of necrotizing vasculitis in humans is commented on.

Adult