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A Parrot

Publications and source records attributed to A Parrot.

53 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

[Pulmonary artery hypertension due to tumor micro-embolism].

We report the case of a 37 years old woman with a past history of a chondrosarcoma who was admitted to hospital for acute pulmonary hypertension which proved rapidly fatal; autopsy confirmed that the etiology was tumour microemboli rising from a single cardiac metastases from her chondrosarcoma. The originality of this case report lies in the origin of the microemboli and the way in which they presented as a recurrence of the cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Results of chemotherapy in 30 AIDS patients with symptomatic pulmonary Kaposi's sarcoma.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to report the effects of a three-drug chemotherapy regimen in patients with symptomatic AIDS-related pulmonary Kaposi's sarcoma and to analyse prognostic factors for survival. METHODS: Thirty consecutive HIV seropositive patients with respiratory symptoms and proven pulmonary Kaposi's sarcoma were treated with the same therapeutic regimen comprising adriamycin (30 mg/m2), bleomycin (10 mg/m2), and vincristine (2 mg) administered intravenously once every four weeks. RESULTS: Two patients died during the first course of chemotherapy. In the other 28 cases dyspnoea improved and Pao2 rose despite minimal (n = 17) or no (n = 11) improvement in the chest radiographic appearance. The median survival from the beginning of chemotherapy was 6.5 months. Poor prognostic factors for survival were: (1) absence of cutaneous Kaposi's sarcoma; (2) previous opportunistic infection; (3) CD4 cell count < 100/microliters; (4) leucocytes < 3500/microliters; (5) haemoglobin < 10 g/dl; and (6) absence of radiological response. Of the 28 patients 24 experienced at least one episode of neutropenia which was associated with bacterial infection in 16 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Chemotherapy may improve respiratory impairment in patients with extensive pulmonary Kaposi's sarcoma but the outcome remains poor. The efficacy of chemotherapy may be limited by neutropenia.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1994

Alveolar CD8+CD57+ lymphocytes in human immunodeficiency virus infection produce an inhibitor of cytotoxic functions.

We investigated the CD8+CD57+ alveolar cell functions and their immunoregulatory role in lungs from HIV-seropositive patients with the clinical presentation of lymphocytic alveolitis at different stages of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease. We previously reported, at Stage IV of HIV infection, an expansion of CD8+CD57+ alveolar lymphocytes mirroring the decline of local anti-HIV cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses, and demonstrated that sorted CD8+CD57+ alveolar lymphocytes inhibited the effector phase of these HIV-specific CTL. In the present study, we show that the expansion of CD8+CD57+ alveolar T cells can also be detected at stages II and III of HIV disease, although at a lower degree than observed at Stage IV of HIV infection. When sorted, these CD8+CD57+ alveolar lymphocytes block effector killer cells such as allospecific CTL, natural killer (NK), and lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells. The mechanism of action of these inhibitory T-lymphocytes has been further studied and we demonstrated that: (1) cell-to-cell contact between inhibitor and killer is not required, (2) nonstimulated alveolar CD8+CD57+lymphocytes but not CD57- lymphocytes spontaneously release a solube inhibitor of cytolytic functions (ICF). This inhibitory activity of alveolar CD8+CD57+ cells is mediated by a glycosylated protein which is distinct from tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha), TNF beta, transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF beta 1), TGF beta 2, interferon alpha (IFN alpha), interferon gamma (IFN gamma), and prostaglandins. The release of such an inhibitor of killer cell functions by CD8+CD57+ lymphocytes in the lungs, which are an important interface between the sterile body and the antigen-laden environment, may play a role in the local control of cell immunity.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1993

[Acute drug-induced lung diseases with hypoxemia, cytotoxic drugs excluded].

Drug-induced acute lung diseases constitute a chapter of pneumology and intensive care that is now in full mutation. In practice, these diseases are still inadequately indexed and little known, the only exception being those caused by cytotoxic drugs observed in onco-haematology. They create for clinicians difficult diagnostic and therapeutic problems. From the cases reported in the literature, recent review papers and 10 personal cases, the authors ask five successive questions concerning hypoxic pneumopathies: 1) which patients?; 2) which clinical features?; 3) which initial diagnostic discussion?; 4) which are the elements likely to support the drug-induced hypothesis?; 5) which outcome?

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

Carboxyl-terminal and central regions of human immunodeficiency virus-1 NEF recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes from lymphoid organs. An in vitro limiting dilution analysis.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) specific for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) proteins have been analyzed in lymphoid organs from seropositive patients. Indeed, an active HIV replication coexists with a major CD8+ lymphocytic infiltration in these organs. We have shown in a previous report that HIV-seropositive patients lungs were infiltrated by HIV specific CD8+ lymphocytes. In the present report, we show that HIV-specific CTL responses can also be detected in lymph nodes and spleens, and were mainly directed against the ENV, GAG, and NEF HIV-1 proteins. The primary NEF-specific CTL responses were further characterized by epitope mapping. Determination of epitope-specific CTL frequencies were performed by limiting dilution analysis. Our results indicated that, in addition to the central region of NEF (AA66-148), a new immunodominant region is recognized by CTL. This region corresponds to the carboxyl-terminal domain of NEF (amino acids 182-206). AA182-206 is recognized in association with at least two common human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules (HLA-A1 and B8), with clonal frequencies of one CTL per 10(-5) to 10(-6) splenic lymphocytes. Our data indicate that lymphoid organs may represent a major reservoir for in vivo activated HIV-specific CTL. Furthermore, the carboxyl-terminal domain of NEF was found to be conserved among several HIV strains. Therefore, our finding is of interest for further HIV vaccines development.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

[Lymphocytic alveolitis in the early stages of HIV infection: correlation with biological and prognostic factors].

Broncho-alveolar lavage was performed to assess the degree of pulmonary lymphocytic alveolitis in 32 asymptomatic patients who were infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (VIH). The patients were stages II and III of the CDC classification and the aim of the study was to determine the frequency, nature and prognostic role of the findings. 62.5% of the subjects (20/32) presented with a lymphocytic alveolitis which consisted predominantly of CD8 lymphocyte (64.3 +/- 3.5%), in the absence of an opportunistic infection or broncho-pulmonary tumours. Two sub-populations of alveolar CD8 were shown at comparable levels, a) sub-population CD8+D44+ (22.1 +/- 5%), in whom we showed the possession of cytotoxic activity in particular specific for VIH; b) sub-population CD8+CD57+ (19.6 +/- 3%) which we have shown to be capable in vitro of inhibiting the effector phase of cytotoxic activity of CD8+D44+ alveolar cells specific for VIH. In this group of 32 patients the occurrence of an alveolitis was not correlated with the usual prognostic factors of infection by VIH measured simultaneously with broncho-alveolar lavage (the level of CD4+ blood lymphocytes, and the beta 2-plasma microglobulins and the presence of p24 antigenaemia). In addition the level of CD4 lymphocytes supperior to 400/mm3 and of beta 2-microglobulins less then 3 mg/l whether a lymphocytic alveolitis was there or not confirmed the relatively poorly developed state of the VIH infection in these asymptomatic patients. Also the occurrence of a lymphocytic alveolitis did not seem to be linked to progression of the disease in the group of patients studied.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Epidemiology of micro-organisms responsible for community-acquired pneumonia].

Pneumonias occupy a prominent situation among lower respiratory tract infections where they are remarkable for their potential mortality and for our relative knowledge of the responsible micro-organisms. Analysis and synthesis of each series published must answer several questions, such as: what are the lung diseases considered? which investigations have been performed? which criteria of imputability have been used? in which patients has the study been carried out? in which place, which period and which structure? In spite of methodological lacunae and of the inhomogeneous answers to the questions asked, there is some concordance between the series found in the literature. Thus, more than 90% of community-acquired pneumonias with microbiological identification are caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila, Chlamydia psittaci (or pneumoniae), or Influenza A virus.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Technetium-99m-DTPA aerosol and gallium-67 scanning in pulmonary complications of human immunodeficiency virus infection.

We retrospectively compared the results of 67Ga chest scans and 99mTc-DTPA aerosol clearance measurements with those of fiberoptic bronchoscopy in 88 patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. Of 100 investigations, a pulmonary infection was diagnosed in 39, mainly Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and a noninfectious disorder was found in 42, mainly Kaposi's sarcoma and lymphocytic alveolitis. Gallium scans and DTPA clearance were abnormal respectively in 74% and 92% of infectious complications, and in 12% and 60% of noninfectious disorders. In 10 cases, DTPA clearance was accelerated, while chest x-ray, arterial blood gases and even gallium scanning were normal. A value of DTPA clearance greater than 4.5%.min-1 was both sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. The gallium scan was always normal in bronchopulmonary Kaposi's sarcoma. We conclude that in symptomatic patients: (1) DTPA clearance measurements are useful for detecting lung disease when chest x-ray and/or PaO2 are normal and (2) a gallium scan is indicated to distinguish progressive Kaposi's sarcoma from a superimposed second process when radiological abnormalities of pulmonary Kaposi's sarcoma are present.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1991

[Respiratory involvement in AIDS].

This review paper is divided into three parts. The first two parts are devoted to an analytical description of the clinical, diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic aspects of the various bronchopulmonary and pleural lesions observed in AIDS. The third part presents an overall view of the main diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in the main clinical situations covering all respiratory disorders.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1991

[Pulmonary carcinomatous lymphangitis of prostatic origin, disclosed by acute respiratory insufficiency, regressing by treatment with an LH-RH agonist].

Carcinomatous lymphangitis of prostatic origin is infrequent and usually carries a poor prognosis. The authors report a case of pulmonary carcinomatous lymphangitis related to a prostatic carcinoma. This case was remarkable for its acute mode of revelation and for its favourable outcome under treatment with LH-RH agonists.

Follow-Up Studies↗
PubMed1989

[Unusual thoracic localization of Castleman's tumor. Apropos of a case].

We report a case of angiolymphoid hyperplasia, or Castleman's pseudotumour, located in the chest and most unusually opposite an intercostal space. Pain led to the discovery of the tumour, the nature of which was discovered at surgery, and disappeared after surgical excision. No antigenic stimulus or local haemodynamic disturbance was found, which could have accounted for the very unusual intercostal site of the lesion.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

HIV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes against alveolar macrophages: specificities and downregulation.

To analyse the evolution of alveolar-lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxic activity directed against autologous alveolar macrophages (AM), cytotoxic assays against various HIV+ target cells were performed in a cohort of 75 patients with HIV-associated lymphoid interstitial pneumonitis (LIP) studied at distinct stages of HIV infection. Our data confirm that alveolar HIV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) against AM were detectable before AIDS in patients with CD8+ LIP. Mild CD8+ lymphocytic alveolitis occurs silently in 62% of stage II and III patients with no respiratory symptoms. In these cases, the lack of spontaneous alveolar-lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxic activity against autologous AM may contrast with the detection of primary alveolar CTL specific for HIV proteins such as nef. In AIDS patients, the alveolar CTL lytic efficiency against both AM- and HIV-antigen-expressing cells can be inhibited by a suppressor factor produced by alveolar CD8+ CD57+ cells. Therefore, spontaneous CTL lysis of AM may be (1) limited to a subgroup of patients with active LIP and (2) controlled by distinct mechanisms, including suppressor phenomenons, and HIV replication levels in AM.

Cohort Studies↗