PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

A I Fink

Publications and source records attributed to A I Fink.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Sicca complex and cholangiostatic jaundice in two members of a family probably caused by thiabendazole.

An entire family (father, mother, and three daughters) were given thiabendazole because one of the children had acquired pinworm infestation. The mother and one daughter (non-infected) developed a sicca complex (keratoconjunctivitis sicca and xerostomia) accompanied by cholangiostatic jaundice. Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease and presents many immune mechanism aberrancies. An association between autoimmune liver disease and sicca complex has been reported. Labeled mitochondrial antibodies bound to the parotid duct have been noted in patients with autoimmune cholangiostatic jaundice and such antibodies may be similar to the antibody against salivary duct found in Sjögren's syndrome. It is suggested that in these two patients, thiabendazole may have acted as a hapten and by binding to the body protein induced the production of autoantibodies which may have acted against the biliary epithelium, the salivary duct epithelium, and the lacrimal gland ducts.

Adolescent

The anatomic basis for glaucoma.

The greatest bulk of aqueous passes through a sieve-like trabecular wall to reach Schlemm's canal. The vacuoles of the endothelial lining of the trabecular wall are pressure-dependent one-way valves, adapted morphologically to provide for adequate aqueous transfer. Resistance to aqueous outflow seems to be most concentrated in the juxtacanalicular tissue which is also the site of the greatest mucopolysaccharide concentration and phagocytic activity. Normal intraocular pressure may be maintained through a balance between hydrophilic polymerized MPS and hydrophobic depolymerized MPS. It may be effected also by a phagocyte-induced, self-cleaning biologic filter mechanism of the trabecular wall. The use of electron microscopy and improved biochemical techniques have led recently to a greater understanding of the anatomy of the structures concerned with the outflow of aqueous from the anterior chamber. Despite these advances, no clear-cut differences between normal and glaucomatous eyes have emerged thus far. However, the future should bring more knolwedge as the stimulus of conflicting theories leads to progress.

Aged