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Biomedical subjects

A Wollner

Publications and source records attributed to A Wollner.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[The safety and immunogenicity of an heptavalent pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine (Prevenar) administered in association with a whole-cell pertussis-based pediatric combination vaccine (DTP-IPV/PRP-T) to French infants with a two-, three-, and four-month schedule].

UNLABELLED: Invasive pneumococcal disease is presently a leading cause of mortality due to bacterial infectious diseases in French children less than 2 years of age, and only the pneumococcal conjugate vaccines induce a protective immune response for those within this vulnerable age group. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The safety and immunogenicity of a heptavalent pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine (PREVENAR was tested in French infants immunized with the 2, 3 and 4 month French schedule as part of an open, randomized, comparative clinical study, in association with a whole-cell pertussis-based pediatric combination vaccine. RESULTS: In the PREVENAR plus DTP-IPV/Hib association group, 90.6-100% of children achieved a post-dose three threshold IgG concentration of >0.15 microg/ml against each of the seven pneumococcal serotypes. Regarding immunogenicity, no interference with the antibody response to the various antigenic components of the DTP-IPV/Hib vaccine was observed. Local reactions were significantly less frequent at the PREVENAR injection site than at the DTP-IPV/Hib injection site; there was no increase in systemic adverse events in the vaccine association group compared to the DTP-IPV/Hib alone group, further exception of fever >38 degrees C which was more frequently reported in the PREVENAR + PENTACOQ group following the second dose of vaccines (56% vs. 35%); no serious adverse event could be considered to be related to the PREVENAR immunization in this study. CONCLUSION: The heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is immunogenic when administered at 2, 3 and 4 months. PREVENAR can be administered simultaneously with the DTP-IPV/Hib combination vaccine.

Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine↗

Immunological measurement of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta1) in blood; assay development and comparison.

Development of a new, sensitive immunoassay for measuring transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta1) is described and compared with four commercially available TGF-beta1 immunoassays. Preanalytical conditions were evaluated. The nonlinearity found in serum or plasma is due to masking of TGF-beta1 by binding proteins in blood. Mixing TGF-beta1 with latency-associated peptide or alpha2-macroglobulin at physiological concentrations suppressed most of the TGF-beta1 signal. Plasma fibronectin showed no effect, even at concentrations exceeding its physiological range. Equilibrium concentrations computed from a model system confirmed the experimental results. Dilutional nonlinearity could be markedly reduced by an appropriately designed activation procedure that minimized the effects of reassociation between TGF-beta1 and its binding partners during restoration of a neutral pH. Plasma should be used for measuring TGF-beta1 in blood. Because serum TGF-beta1 is highly significantly correlated with the platelet count, probably most of the TGF-beta1 is released by platelet degranulation.

Cross Reactions↗

Radiation pneumonitis complicating mediastinal radiotherapy postpneumonectomy.

Radiation pneumonitis is a well-characterized clinicopathological syndrome. The severity of radiation-induced lung injury correlates, among other factors, with the extent of lung volume incorporated within the field of radiation. The present article describes the cases of two patients with radiation pneumonitis following pneumonectomy and mediastinal radiotherapy. Postpneumonectomy pulmonary-mediastinal shift of the remaining lung towards the operated side, with inclusion of lung parenchyma within the "mediastinal" radiation portals, resulted in a substantial (albeit clinically unsuspected) radiation pneumonitis. Chest computed tomography in the postpneumonectomy patient may be helpful to evaluate the degree of pulmonary-mediastinal shift and optimization of the radiotherapy field.

Combined Modality Therapy↗

[Bacterial epidemiology of pharyngitis in pediatric private practice].

OBJECTIVES: While viruses are usually the causal agents of common sore throat in children, bacterial infections cannot be distinguished solely on the basis of clinical presentation. Thus most physicians in France prefer to prescribe antibiotics in order to prevent rheumatismal complications of group A streptococcal infections. We updated current epidemiological data on bacterial pharyngitis in paediatric out-patient clinics. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted from March 1 to June 1, 1992 by 9 physicians. Throat swabs were obtained from 102 controls and from 307 patients with acute pharyngitis. Samples were transferred to the same bacteriology laboratory for examination. RESULTS: The mean age of the children was 6.1 years for patients and 7.2 years for controls. Throat swabs were inoculated for culture within a mean delay of 22.6 hours. Cultures were performed on Columbia blood medium with nalidixic acid and colistin then incubated in CO2 enriched atmosphere and on trypticase blood soy medium + 3.5% NaCl. Group A streptococcal strains were identified by search for beta-haemolysis and latex characterisation of group A polyosides. Group A streptococcal strains were found in 8.8% of the controls and 36.8% of the patients. Groups B, C or G streptococci were found in 10.8 et 11.4% of the controls and patients respectively (NS). Arcanobacterium haemolyticum was never isolated. Clinical association of sore throat, erythematous pharyngitis, fever > 38 degrees C and cervical lymph nodes was found in only 33.63% of the sore throat cases with group A streptococcal infection and in 7.73% of those without group A streptococcal infection (p < 0.0001, sensitivity 33%, specificity 92%). CONCLUSION: These results emphasize the necessity either to treat all pharyngitis or to do throat swabs or rapid group A streptococcal tests for diagnosis.

Age Factors↗

Acting via A2 receptors, adenosine inhibits the upregulation of Mac-1 (Cd11b/CD18) expression on FMLP-stimulated neutrophils.

Modulation of neutrophil responses by adenosine may have an important role in limiting tissue injury during inflammation or ischemia-reperfusion. Mac-1 (CD11/CD18), a member of the leukocyte integrin family, participates in neutrophil adhesion to endothelium, in transendothelial migration, and in phagocytosis. Using monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry, we investigated the effect of adenosine on the increase in plasma membrane expression of Mac-1 which occurs following stimulation of neutrophils with the chemotactic peptide N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine (FMLP). Adenosine and 5'N-ethylcarboxamido-adenosine, a potent A2 agonist, each produced a dose-dependent inhibition of as much as 50% of the increase in Mac-1 expression on neutrophils stimulated with FMLP, with an IC50 of approximately 1 nM. The effect of adenosine was blocked by 8-p-sulfophenyltheophylline, an adenosine-receptor antagonist, N6-cyclopentyl-adenosine, an A1-selective agonist, had no effect on FMLP-stimulated Mac-1 expression in the concentration range expected for its action on neutrophil adenosine receptors of the A1 type. We also found that dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate inhibited the upregulation of Mac-1, and that the effect of adenosine on Mac-1 expression was not reversed by colchicine or vinblastine. We conclude that adenosine acts via A2 receptors to inhibit the upregulation of Mac-1 expression of FMLP-stimulated neutrophils, and that A1 receptors are not involved. This effect of adenosine may help to limit Mac-1-dependent neutrophil exudation at sites of inflammation or ischemia-reperfusion.

Adenosine↗

[Prevention of acute otitis media. Amoxicillin versus glycoproteins from Klebsiella pneumoniae. Study in children under 5 years of age].

Several studies in the English language literature have shown that continuous antibiotic prophylaxis is more effective than a placebo in preventing recurrent otitis media. In this prospective, randomized trial the effectiveness of continuous amoxicillin therapy was compared with that of glycoproteins from Klebsiella pneumoniae (GKP). The two treatments were administered during 3 months to children aged 1 to 5 years, who had at least 3 episodes of otitis media within the 3 months preceding their admission to the trial. The trial lasted from February 1989 to July 1990. It involved 60 children (mean age: 22.6 months) who had been seen as out-patients and had recovered from their latest episode of otitis. Thirty-three children received amoxicillin 25 mg/kg/day divided into two doses, during 3 months. Twenty-seven children were given GKP 2 tablets per day during 8 days in the 1st month and 1 tablets per day during 8 days in the following 2 months. During the study period, 14 cases of otitis media were observed in children under amoxicillin, as against 22 cases in children under GKP. When the type of day-nursery was taken into account as adjustment factor, the results showed a significantly lower percentage of failures in the amoxicillin group (P less than 0.03). Both treatments were well tolerated (no child was excluded from the trial for intolerance). No Clostridium difficile toxin developed in the amoxicillin group.

Acute Disease↗

Effect of hyperoxia on bronchial response to inhaled methacholine.

Bronchial reactivity to methacholine (MCH) under normoxic and hyperoxic conditions was studied in a double-blind controlled study in 10 normal subjects and nine asthmatic patients. The normal volunteers were challenged while breathing dry, 21% and 100% O2, and the maximal percent falls in forced expired volume in is (FEV1) following inhalation of the highest concentration of MCH (64 mg/ml) were 8 +/- 5% and 9 +/- 8%, respectively; P = NS. The asthmatic patients had their MCH challenge breathing the same gas composition and the provocative concentrations that caused a 20% fall in FEV1 (PC20) were 0.18 mg/ml (range 0.06-5.73) and 0.25 mg/ml (range 0.07-8.49), respectively, which were statistically not significantly different. We conclude that in humans, 100% O2 does not affect bronchial reactivity to MCH.

Administration, Inhalation↗

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia complicating low dose methotrexate treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.

Low dose methotrexate has been used effectively for various rheumatic and non-rheumatic diseases. Three cases of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia occurring during treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with low dose methotrexate are presented. Several mechanisms might contribute to impaired immunity and the rare development of opportunist lung infection with methotrexate. A high degree of suspicion may result in earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Adolescent↗

[Cefaclor versus penicillin V in staphylococcal infections in children].

Although rheumatic fever virtually no longer occurs in France, pharyngitis due to group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (ABHS) remains a common pediatric problem. American studies have underscored the high rate of bacteriologic treatment failures and recurrences of ABHS pharyngitis. Furthermore, several comparative studies have demonstrated that cephalosporins provide better results on these two parameters. This prospective randomized study compared the effectiveness of penicillin V (50,000 to 100,000 IU/kg/day in three divided doses) and Cefaclor (20 to 40 mg/kg/day in three divided doses), each given for ten consecutive days. From September 1989 through October 1990, 117 children (mean age 5.7 years) were entered into the study. All study subjects were seen as outpatients and found to have ABHS pharyngitis on the basis of a rapid screening test and confirmatory bacteriologic studies. Cefaclor was given to 56 patients and penicillin V to 61. Reevaluation with a repeat bacteriologic study was performed in all patients at the end of the treatment period, or earlier in the event of new clinical manifestations, and towards D40. Among patients given penicillin V, bacteriologic failure rate at completion of therapy was 19.6%, clinical failure rate on D10 was 8%, and recurrence rate on D40 was 16.5%. Cefaclor exhibited greater bacteriologic and clinical effectiveness, with 3.4% bacteriologic failures on D10 (p less than 0.01), 1.7% clinical failures on D10, 8.9% clinical recurrences between D10 and D40, and an overall 10.6% rate of failure or recurrence (p = 0.05).

Adolescent↗

[Randomized study of cefatrizine versus cefaclor in conjunctivitis otitis syndrome].

The association conjunctivitis-otitis is highly suggestive of Haemophilus influenzae infection. This conjunctivitis otitis syndrome could be a good model to assess the efficacy of different antibiotic regimen in the treatment of acute otitis media due to HI without tympanocentesis. This prospective randomized trial compared the efficacy of two orally cephalosporins which demonstrate in vitro an activity against HI. This study was conducted from 4.20.1988 to 3.15.1989 and involved 73 children with COS examined in an outpatient clinic. The mean age was 17.7 months. Before treatment culture were taken from the lower palpebral conjunctivae. 81 strains was found: HI 61 (beta-lactamase-producing 15), Streptococcus pneumoniae 16, Branhamella Catarrhalis 4. The 73 patients were treated with 40 to 50 mg/kg/day of the test drug for ten days, 25 with Cefaclor in 3 divided dose (group 1), 24 with Cefatrizine in 3 divided dose (group 2), 24 with Cefatrizine in 2 divided dose (group 3). The recoveries was obtained in 17/25 in the group 1, 18/24 in the group 2, 15/24 in the group 3. There was no significant difference between the 3 groups.

Acute Disease↗

Pneumococcal infection of a prosthetic hip joint.

A case of late haematogenous pneumococcal infection of a prosthetic hip joint is presented. In view of the relatively benign nature of pneumococcal arthritis, the patient was treated with parenteral antibiotics and surgical drainage without removal of the prosthesis. This was followed by complete resolution.

Aged↗

Hypertrophic non-pulmonary osteoarthropathy in a patient with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

A 20-year-old woman with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, in clinical remission, developed pains in the wrists and knees. Radiological and scintigraphic evaluation revealed tumor recurrence and bone metastases. No pulmonary involvement was observed. Reinstitution of combined chemotherapy resulted in abolition of the metastatic lesions and resolution of her rheumatic complaints.

Adult↗

Tumor genesis syndrome. Hypophosphatemia accompanying Burkitt's lymphoma cell leukemia.

A case of Burkitt's lymphoma cell leukemia with recurrent hypophosphatemia that coincided with tumor growth, and hyperphosphatemia during tumor lysis is presented. Redistribution of body phosphorus with increased uptake by the rapidly replicating tumor cells is suggested. Tumor genesis syndrome seems to us to be a proper term to include metabolic abnormalities that result directly from tumor growth.

Adult↗