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Biomedical subjects

A Ruibal

Publications and source records attributed to A Ruibal.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

High level of interferon gamma in tuberculous pleural effusion.

It has been observed that T-lymphocytes of patients with tuberculosis produce interferon gamma (IFN gamma) in vitro. Based on this idea, we studied IFN gamma in pleural fluid and serum. We studied 80 patients with pleural effusion; 30 patients with tuberculous pleurisy had high IFN gamma concentrations in pleural fluid. Patients with malignant pleural effusions, nonspecific pleural effusion, parapneumonic effusions and pleural transudates had low levels. The IFN gamma levels were higher in those with massive tuberculous effusion and apparent pulmonary lesion on x-ray film. We found that the T4/T8 lymphocyte ratio was higher in pleural fluid than in peripheral blood. Numbers of T3 and T4 lymphocytes were higher in tuberculous pleural effusions compared with those in other patients. There is no correlation between IFN gamma levels and lymphocyte subsets in pleural effusion. Perhaps pleural T-lymphocytes produce IFN gamma after stimulation by mycobacterial antigens and this lymphokine activates macrophages, increasing their bactericidal activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Humans

Bone marrow prostatic specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase levels: are they helpful in staging prostatic cancer?

We analyzed serum and bone marrow levels of prostatic specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase quantified by double antibody radioimmunoassay in 70 patients. Of the patients 36 had prostatic cancer, including 23 with metastatic disease. There was a significant correlation between the serum and bone marrow levels of prostatic specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase independently of the metastases (p less than 0.001). No patient with prostatic cancer and positive bone marrow prostatic specific antigen or prostatic acid phosphatase levels had normal serum levels. Quantification of bone marrow prostatic specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase does not provide more information than does serum determination.

Acid Phosphatase