PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Litwin

Publications and source records attributed to A Litwin.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Time of separation of the umbilical cord: a comparative study of treatment with alcohol and Rikospray.

The time of cord separation and the umbilical changes post cord falling were studied in 394 infants, 35 to 42 weeks gestation, 1900 to 4500 g birth weight. Two methods of treatment; alcohol 70% with 0.5% chlorhexidine, and Rikospray were compared. The mean +/- SD age of cord separation was 6.36 +/- 2.64 days (range 3-20 days) in all infants studied. The time of cord separation and post fall umbilical complications were similar in the two treated groups. The only point of difference was the repulsive odor in the alcohol-treated group, making handling of the infants very unpleasant.

1-Propanol↗
PubMed1988

Changes in endogenous insulin secretion during childhood as expressed by plasma and urinary C-peptide.

Basal fasting values of plasma C-peptide (CP), plasma insulin and 24 h urine CP were determined in 224 normal non-obese subjects of both sexes ranging in age from 1 to 20 years. Analysis of the results by age, pubertal rating, sex and bone age (BA) during childhood showed that mean +/- SD plasma CP levels in both sexes rose from 0.07 +/- 0.08 pmol/ml at the age of 1-2 years to 0.21 +/- 0.11 pmol/ml at 8-10 years. Mean +/- SD plasma insulin levels in both sexes rose from 3.2 +/- 4.3 microU/ml at the age of 1-2 years to 5.9 +/- 4.5 microU/ml at 8-10 years. Mean +/- SD urine CP levels rose from 6.5 +/- 2.8 pmol/mg creatinine per 24 h at the age of 2-8 years to 7.7 +/- 3.5 pmol/mg creatinine per 24 h at 8-11 years in both sexes. During puberty, plasma and urine CP and plasma insulin levels rose further to peak at pubertal stage P3, the values in females being higher (CP = 0.32 +/- 0.06 pmol/ml) than those in males (CP = 0.22 +/- 0.06 pmol/ml) (P less than 0.005). Plasma insulin levels in females were 13.2 +/- 6.9 microU/ml and 6.4 +/- 3.1 microU/ml in males (P less than 0.05). Urine CP levels were 14.5 +/- 5.7 pmol/mg creatinine per 24 h and 10.8 +/- 5.4 pmol/mg creatinine per 24 h in females and males respectively (P less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Hypercalciuria as a cause of persistent or recurrent haematuria.

Of 91 children with idiopathic persistent or recurrent haematuria, eight also had hypercalciuria. This was transient in three and persistent in five. Persistent hypercalciuria was a rare cause of microscopic haematuria (two of 80), but common in association with gross haematuria (three of 11).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Complete absence of external genitalia in limb-body wall complex: two cases.

Two neonates with limb-body wall complex (LBWC) and complete absence of the external genitalia are presented. Our patients are the sixth and seventh cases of complete absence of the external genitalia recorded in English publications and the first two cases associated with LBWC. The incidence of complete absence of the external genitalia in our newborn population during a period of 12 years (1975 to 1986) was one case per 13 420 births.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1988

Regulation of the immune response to allergens by immunosuppressive allergenic fragments. 1. Peptic fragments of honey bee venom phospholipase A2.

Nine patients with anaphylactic sensitivity to honey bee venom (HBV) were treated with P-1, a pepsin derived fragment of HBV phospholipase A2 (PLA2). P-1 caused only rare reactions with doses of 100 micrograms/injection. Treatment resulted in a substantial decrease in specific anti-PLA2 IgE and IgG antibodies as well as a decline in skin test sensitivity to PLA2. Another group of HBV-sensitive patients was treated with unaltered PLA2. Doses greater than 20 micrograms/injection were not tolerated. PLA2 injections caused an increase in anti-PLA2 IgG and IgE antibodies as well as increase in skin test sensitivity. This study demonstrates that a nonimmunogenic fragment derived from an allergen can downregulate immune responses and thus offer a new modality for therapy of allergic diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in healthy children, adolescents and adults as determined by a radioimmunoassay specific for the synthetic 53-70 peptide region.

A radioimmunoassay (RIA) specific for the synthetic 53-70 peptide region of human insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) was used to determine IGF-I in the serum of 191 healthy newborns, children and adolescents and in 26 adults. The results compare favourably with reported values obtained using RIA systems for the native IGF-I molecule. Intra- and inter-assay CV were 3.3 and 7.2% respectively. In childhood, mean +/- SD IGF-I levels rise from 6.0 +/- 3.5 nmol/l in newborns to 16.5 +/- 4.0 nmol/l at 8-11 years in both sexes. At the onset of puberty, IGF-I levels in females (24.9 +/- 6.6 nmol/l) are significantly (P greater than 0.005) higher than in males (17.2 +/- 4.2 nmol/l). With further pubertal development IGF-I levels continue to rise, reaching peak values at pubertal stage P4 (40.6 +/- 4.5 nmol/l in males, 42.8 +/- 5.1 nmol/l in females) and decline thereafter to lower values during adulthood: 16.5 +/- 5.8 nmol/l (males) and 24.2 +/- 7.0 nmol/l (females) (P greater than 0.001). In pubertal males, IGF-I correlates significantly with height (r = 0.66, P less than 0.001), bone age (r = 0.69, P less than 0.001) and growth velocity (r = 0.64, P = 0.025) as well as with testosterone levels (r = 0.69, P less than 0.001). In pubertal females a significant correlation is found between IGF-I and height (r = 0.55, P less than 0.020). The ready availability of a simple, precise and reproducible IGF-I RIA, should contribute much to evaluating the importance of IGF-I measurements in normal growth and in the diagnosis and therapy of various growth disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome. A new kindred with variable phenotypic expression.

A kindred with five affected maternally related male members showed variable phenotypic expression of the X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome. In one of the children, agammaglobulinemia developed following infectious mononucleosis. His brother had aplastic anemia in infancy and 21/2 years later died of overwhelming pneumonia resulting from ornithosis. A third brother died of reticulum cell sarcoma. Two maternally related male cousins died of reticulum cell sarcoma of the neck.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Neonatal intestinal perforation caused by congenital defects of the intestinal musculature.

Spontaneous perforation of the small intestine in the newborn is rare. In most cases the etiology is unknown. Three cases of perforation in preterm newborn infants are described. The clinical diagnosis was necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and an urgent laparotomy was performed. The histologic examination was compatible with the diagnosis of a congenital defect of the intestinal musculature. All three infants survived.

Female↗
PubMed1982

Occupational asthma induced by inhalation and ingestion of garlic.

Repeated exposure to garlic dust induced severe asthma in an atopic patient. Subsequently, the patient also developed marked adverse responses after ingestion of garlic. Immunologic investigations carried out in an asymptomatic period revealed significant skin reactivity and bronchospasm after challenge with both garlic dust and extract. The results of a controlled oral challenge test to garlic dust were also positive. The patient's serum contained unusually high quantities of garlic-specific IgE. Cross allergenicity between garlic and other members of the Liliaceae family were documented by the RAST inhibition technique.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Presence of fungiform papillae in classic dysautonomia.

Lack of fungiform papillae over the surface of the tongue is considered essential for the diagnosis of familial dysautonomia. We describe two cases with dysautonomia in which the diagnosis was delayed because numerous fungiform papillae were easily seen. Only a close inspection of the tongue with an ophthalmologic slit lamp revealed that each papilla was degenerated and atrophic. Lacking a clinical sine qua non or easily available diagnostic laboratory tests, fungiform papillae should be studied in detail to establish not only that their number is sufficient but also that their shape and structure are normal. The simple technique described enables confirmation of the diagnosis in children and newborns in whom familial dysautonomia is suspected.

Diagnostic Errors↗
PubMed1981

Immunologic effects of hydralazine in hypertensive patients.

Twenty-seven hypertensive patients (23 blacks, 4 whites) treated with hydralazine had frequent serologic evidence of autoimmunity. However, only 1 patient developed a lupus syndrome. Acetylator phenotype influenced the autoimmune response; slow acetylators had a higher incidence and titers of autoantibodies. The lupus patient not only had high titers of autoantibodies but they were predominantly IgG in contrast to the predominant IgM antibodies found in other slow acetylators. Hydralazine treatment did not alter cell-mediated immune responses and hydralazine antibodies were not detected. However, half the patients tested who received hydralazine had positive lymphoproliferative responses to the drug.

Acetylation↗
PubMed1981

Prospective study of immunologic effects of hydralazine in hypertensive patients.

Twenty-seven hypertensive patients (23 of whom were black) were treated with hydralazine as their major antihypertensive drug and were followed for evidence of autoimmunity and clinical systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Only one patient developed SLE but many, although asymptomatic, had serologic evidence of autoimmunity: antibodies to single- and double-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA), single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), histones, and lymphocytes. Acetylation phenotype profoundly influenced this response; slow acetylators had a higher incidence and larger amounts of autoantibodies. Antibodies to both types of RNA were a more sensitive index of autoimmunity than antinuclear antibodies. Hydralazine treatment did not alter cell-mediated immune responses. The hydralazine SLE patient had large amounts of autoantibodies that were predominantly IgG, while in the others IgM autoantibodies were predominant. No antibodies, but positive lymphoproliferative responses to hydralazine, were found in half the patients tested.

Acetylation↗
PubMed1980

Quillaja bark (soapbark)--induced asthma.

A 24-yr-old man developed sensitization to Quillaja bark (soapbark) dust at his work place. Within 3 mo of being employed in a factory processing Quallaja bark to produce saponin, he experienced asthma symptoms while handling the bark but only nasal symptoms on being exposed to the purified saponin. Bronchial provocation using Quillaja bark dust resulted in immediate bronchoconstriction as well as faintness, diffuse erythema, and hypotension. Radioallergosorbent test (RAST) using the pulverized crude Quillaja bark was markedly positive, and cross-reactivity between gum acacia and gum tragacanth was demonstrated using this technique.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Immunoregulation of Heymann's nephritis. I. Induction of suppressor cells.

Pretreatment of Lewis rats with a series of injections of a renal tubular antigen (RTA) in IFA prevented induction of Heymann's nephritis (HN) when the rats were challenged with RTA in FCA. This absence of disease was confirmed by immunofluorescent staining for rat IgG and histologic examination of the kidneys as well as by lack of development of significant proteinuria. Passive transfer of spleen and lymph node cells from rats receiving such pretreatment into syngeneic recipients prevented induction of HN when these recipients were challenged with RTA in FCA. Passive transfer of serum obtained from pretreated rats was without effect. These results suggest that one of the mechanisms involved in preventing HN by this pretreatment regimen was the induction of suppressor cells. The results of spleen cell transformation indicated that the suppressor cells were specific for RTA as the immune response to a second antigen, PPD, was unaffected. When rats already had active early HN, the diseas course was unaffected by transfer of suppressor cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Acetylator phenotype in systemic lupus erythematosus.

The acetylation rate of sulfamethazine was studied in 25 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Seventeen of 25SLE patients, 68%, were slow acetylators compared to the reported incidence of 52% in the general population. There was no correlation between the acetylator phenotype in SLE patients and the various clinical manifestations or the activity of the disease. Lupus patients who were slow acetylators had a lower lymphocyte response to phytomitogens compared to rapid acetylators.

Acetylation↗