PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

B Schaaf

Publications and source records attributed to B Schaaf.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Fas (CD95) expression on CD4+ T cells from HIV-infected patients increases with disease progression.

Active T cell suicide (apoptosis) is supposed to be involved in the CD4+ T cell depletion in the course of HIV infection. We investigated the expression of the apoptosis-related antigen Fas on CD4+ T cells from 25 HIV-positive individuals (CDC I-III) and 8 HIV-negative controls by two-colour flowcytometry. In addition, we evaluated: total CD4 count, HIV p24 antigen concentration in serum after immune complex dissociation, and clinical course of infection in HIV-positive individuals. We found a significant increase in mean Fas expression on CD4+ T cells from HIV-positive individuals compared to HIV-negative individuals (85.84 +/- 14.92% vs. 64.28 +/- 7.59%, P < 0.001). Within the HIV-positive group the increase in Fas expression was correlated with the decline in CD4 count (r = -0.76, P < 0.001), p24 antigen concentration in serum, after immune complex dissociation (r = 0.67, P < 0.001), and CDC stage (r = 0.73, P < 0.001). The upregulation of Fas antigen on CD4 cells is associated with CD4 depletion and other virological and clinical marker of disease progression in HIV infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Characterization of protein-antiproteinase imbalance in bronchoalveolar lavage from patients with pneumonia.

In order to clarify the mode of inactivation of alpha1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha 1-PI) in pneumonia, 21 immunocompetent patients and 19 immunocompromised patients with acute pneumonia (Groups I and II) were studied. Nine patients successfully treated for pneumonia and 10 healthy volunteers served as controls (Groups III and IV, respectively). The concentrations of alpha 1-PI, elastase and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were determined using a luminometric assay. Elastase inhibition capacity was determined using a colorimetric assay. Thus, the functional activity of alpha 1-PI was calculated. Both elastase and MPO were significantly higher in group I, when compared with the other groups. The mean concentration of alpha 1-PI was significantly higher in patients with acute pneumonia (Group I 13 mg.l-1, Group II 4.22 mg.l-1) than in Groups III and IV (2.65 and 0.33 mg.l-1, respectively), whereas, the proportion of active alpha 1-PI was significantly lower in Group I than in the other groups. Only a small proportion was present as a complex with elastase (ca. 5.9%) or in oxidised form (ca. 4.8%), 85% of alpha 1-PI was irreversibly proteolyzed. This resulted in free elastase activity in 7 of the 40 patients (18%) with acute pneumonia. We conclude that functional activity of alpha 1-PI is markedly impaired due to irreversible proteolysis in acute pneumonia, despite high immunological concentrations.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Dextrose and vigilance: the effect of dextrose on the spectro-analytic parameters of pharmaco-EEG].

In a randomized single-blind cross-over-design the effect of 15 g dextrose was investigated against placebo with 48 healthy subjects at two different days each. The quantitative pharmaco-EEG was recorded occipitocentral at the left side (O1-Cz) under vigilance controlled conditions and then under resting conditions (three minutes each). Having measured its baseline it was repeated six times every 20 minutes starting 10 minutes after the application of the substance. After the administration of dextrose a stabilization of vigilance could be seen in the EEG by the following differences of statistical significance (p < = 0.05) between dextrose and placebo under resting recording conditions: In the first control (14.-16. minute post) there was a significant decrease of the relative power in the delta and in the theta range combined with an increase of alpha 2. In the second control (34.-36. minute post) there was a significant decrease of relative power in the theta range and significant increase in the alpha 1 range. In the third control (54.-56. minute post) and later on no effects of dextrose were left in the pharmaco-EEG. The significant differences in the first and second control have to be interpreted as follows: After the administration of dextrose the level of vigilance was increased compared to the placebo group.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Comparison of efficacy and safety of teicoplanin in gram-positive infections: a multicentre study.

A multicentre open trial included 219 hospitalized patients suffering from various Gram-positive infections. Previous antimicrobial therapy had been carried out in 37% of patients. The initial teicoplanin dose was 400 mg for 77.6% and 800 mg for 12.6% of the patients, 9.8% received other initial doses. The dose on subsequent days was 200 mg or less for 63% of patients and 400 mg for the remaining 27%. The mean duration of treatment was 11 days. Concomitant antibiotic treatment was given in 35% of cases. The overall clinical success rate was 86.9%. Therapy failure or recurrence of infection was seen in 5% and 2%, respectively. Elimination of pathogens was seen in 85.1% of all evaluable cases. Adverse drug reactions were observed in 14 patients. From these results, we conclude that teicoplanin is safe and effective in the therapy of many different infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria.

Adolescent↗