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Biomedical subjects

C E Lange

Publications and source records attributed to C E Lange.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Specific IgE antibodies in the diagnosis of atopic disease. Clinical evaluation of a new in vitro test system, UniCAP, in six European allergy clinics.

A new immunoassay system utilizing new automatic instrumentation, new software for evaluation of data, and reagents updated for increased speed and accuracy was evaluated. Six clinical studies included 894 consecutive patients. Major symptoms were rhinoconjunctivitis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, and urticaria. The prevalence of inhalant allergy was 54-69%. Phadiatop, detecting atopic sensitization to common inhalant allergens, agreed with clinical diagnosis in 764/836 cases (91.4%). The clinical sensitivity and specificity were 93% and 89%, respectively. The clinical sensitivity and specificity of UniCAP specific IgE derived from 5170 comparisons with clinical diagnosis were 89% and 91%, respectively. Specific IgE measurements in UniCAP and in the Pharmacia CAP System agreed in 266/274 cases (97%). A comparison of the sensitivity and specificity of Pharmacia CAP System RAST in 1987 and with UniCAP specific IgE in 1995 showed equivalent performance without change of efficacy or degradation of IgE antibodies after 8 years. The systems were equivalent also in terms of measured values (r=0.96, slope=1.12), confirming the standardization of allergens and of assay calibration. UniCAP is an efficient laboratory system for routine diagnostic testing of allergy and a valuable tool for basic studies on allergens and antibodies.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1992

[Detection of varicella zoster virus infections using polymerase chain reaction].

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect varicella zoster virus (VZV) DNA in vesicle samples from patients with varicella and zoster. Primers and the oligonucleotide probe were chosen from the region of the immediate early gene 63. Procedures for preparing the DNA from the specimens were omitted, and the amplified DNA was directly detected in ethidium bromide-stained polyacrylamide or agarose gels, thus providing a rapid and less laborious assay. A total of 66 vesicle specimens including 3 crusts (collected on days 1-14 after the onset of exanthem) were tested by the simplified VZV-PCR, and 64 (97%) were positive. When the direct visualization of the amplified DNA was confirmed by DNA hybridization, a non-radioactive hybridization assay involving a digoxigenin-labelled oligonucleotide probe and detection by chemiluminescence proved as adequate as a radioactive hybridization assay. Thus, the VZV PCR described appears to be a useful diagnostic test for detecting and identifying varicella zoster virus.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1985

Simplified fixative medium for direct immunofluorescence in skin biopsies.

The main limitation for the use of direct immunofluorescence in skin biopsies was the necessity for frozen tissue. In 1973 Michel et al reported use of a liquid fixative, consisting of ammonium sulfate, N-ethyl-maleimide, magnesium sulfate, and potassium citrate, for handling skin biopsy specimens. The present study introduces a simplified liquid fixative medium consisting only of ammonium sulfate and saline. Comparisons of direct immunofluorescence findings in biopsy specimens transported in these two transport media and in fresh-frozen specimens revealed only minimal differences between the three different procedures.

Ammonium Sulfate↗
PubMed1984

Vinyl chloride-induced hepatic coproporphyrinuria with transition to chronic hepatic porphyria.

A chronic hepatic disorder of porphyrin metabolism was found in 36 workers with vinyl chloride (VC)-induced hepatic injury following long-time industrial exposure. Pathologic porphyrinuria, especially secondary coproporphyrinuria with transition to subclinical chronic hepatic porphyria, is a consistent pathobiochemical parameter for the recognition of VC hepatic lesions. The porphyrinuria is of diagnostic value for the incipient toxic phase. Erythrocyte uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase activity studied in six cases with initial chronic hepatic porphyria was normal, suggesting that VC affects only this enzyme in the liver.

Chemical Industry↗
PubMed1984

Growth, interleukin-2 production, and responsiveness to IL-2 in T4-positive T Lymphocyte populations from malignant cutaneous T cell lymphoma (Sézary's syndrome): the effect of cyclosporin A.

Functional analysis and surface phenotyping using monoclonal antibodies have revealed that malignant T lymphocyte populations in the peripheral blood of patients with Sézary's syndrome resemble the T helper cell populations from normal individuals. In this article we have studied the effects of the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine A (CsA) on growth, interleukin-2 (IL-2) production, and the induction of IL-2 responsiveness of peripheral blood monocytes (PBMs) from five patients with Sézary's syndrome in vitro, using the lectin phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and the phorbol ester phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) as stimuli. The following results were obtained: PHA-induced cell proliferation was significantly more sensitive to inhibition by CsA than that induced by PMA or a combination of PMA and PHA (P less than .005). Sézary PBMs produced only small amounts of IL-2 in response to PHA. Stimulation with PMA, however, resulted in significant IL-2 production. PMA and PHA, when given in combination, acted synergistically. The low levels of IL-2 production induced by PHA or PMA were more sensitive to CsA-mediated suppression than those induced by a combination of PHA and PMA (75% and 55% suppression, respectively). CsA-mediated growth suppression could be overcome if the cultures were supplemented with appropriate amounts of exogenous IL-2. We conclude from our data, that CsA in Sézary PBMs inhibits T cell growth indirectly as a consequence of suppression of IL-2 growth indirectly as a consequence of suppression of IL-2 production. Moreover, like normal T lymphocytes, Sézary PBMs do not express the IL-2 receptor spontaneously, but can be induced to do so. CsA does not interfere with intracellular events leading to the expression and the biologic function of the IL-2 receptor.

Cyclosporins↗
PubMed1984

Long-term cytapheresis in the treatment of Sézary-syndrome.

Lymphocytaphereses using the Fenwal CS 3000 cell separator were performed in three patients with far advanced disease of Sézary-syndrome that was refractory to standard form of therapy. Patients underwent cytapheresis two to three times per week until the WBCs counts were regressed. Thereafter, one pheresis per week was performed for a total of 29 (Pat. A), 18 (Pat. B) to 70 (Pat. C) procedures during periods of 13 (A), 4 (B) to 19 (C) months. During each pheresis the volume of blood processed was 6-7000 mls. The cytaphereses resulted in an average WBCs reduction of 25 to 35% and of 35-56% of the original peripheral blood Sézary-cell counts. Lymphocytes counts dropped by 47 +/- 12% and 87 to 95% of the collected cells were lymphocytes. In addition to the fall in absolute numbers of circulating lymphocytes a change in the relative portions of lymphocytes subpopulations was observed. T-cells were reduced and concurrently B-cells increased. Significant side effects did not occurred during or following cytaphereses. Long-term pheresis can effectively treat symptmoms also in older patients resulting in preferential loss of T-cells and Sézary-cells without exposing the patients to dangerously large shifts in fluid volume. The results suggest also that there may be selected patients for whom lymphocytapheresis is an useful therapy, but no in vitro test can reliably separate responders from non-responders, and some patients become refractory to further cytapheresis-therapy after initial clinical remission.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗
PubMed1983

HLA-linked complement polymorphisms (C2, BF) in psoriasis.

Starting from the known association between psoriasis and several HLA antigens and from the fact that the HLA chromosomal region contains the structural genes for at least three complement components, the authors have looked for an association between psoriasis and allotypes of C2 and BF. C2 and BF polymorphism were examined in 230 psoriatic patients. Two rare complement genes were found to be significantly increased when compared with controls: the frequency of the C2*2 gene was 0.061 among patients and 0.035 among controls (P less than 0.05); for BF*SO7, the frequencies were 0.0304 in patients and 0.0092 in controls (P less than 0.0005). The BF*F gene frequency, however, was significantly decreased among patients: 0.1196 vs. 0.1743 (P less than 0.01). The relative risks were 1.79 for the C2 2, 3.44 for the BF SO7, and 0.6 for the BF F gene product. From previous studies, it is known that these three complement alleles (C2*2, BF*SO7, BF*F) are in linkage disequilibrium with HLA alleles that have also been found increased or decreased, respectively, in psoriasis.

Alleles↗
PubMed1980

[Liver abscess in chronic granulomatosis of childhood (author's transl)].

A thirteen-year-old boy with an abscess of the liver and recurrent infections since infancy is described. Aspergillus fumigatus could be isolated from this surgical treated abscess. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and monocytes from the patient show a normal phagocytosis, whereas the oxygen metabolism and the intracellular killing of kastalase-positive microorganismus (Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans) are strikingly decreased. In contrast, the catalase-negative Pneumococcus pneumoniae is rapidly killed. The iodination (131 J) of PMN is despite phagocytosis also markedly reduced. Myeloperoxidase could be detected in the phagocytes histochemically. No morphologic abnormalities of PMN have been found by electron microscopy. A defect of the humoral of cellular immunity has been excluded. The characterized dysfunction of PMN and monocytes as well as the clinical features of the patient are consistent with a diagnosis of chronic granulomatous disease of childhood.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

[The vinyl-chloride disease].

Workers engaged in the PVC-production, who were long-term exposed to the gaseous base vinyl chloride exhibit a complex pattern of damages. Changes of the skin, vascular and bone system, as well as thrombocytopenia, liver fibrosis with portal hypertension, disturbances of the porphyrin metabolism and alterations of the central nervous system were observed. Moreover vinyl chloride is oncogenic and may cause angiosarcoma of the liver. By directed occupational medicine supervision, improvement of the production conditions and introduction of new processing techniques health risks at the workplace could be eliminated to a far extend.

Hemangiosarcoma↗
PubMed1977

[HL-A-B 27 in Reiter's disease with special reference to oligosymptomatic course forms].

In 21 patients with the clinical suspicion of oligosymptomatic R.S.), 21 patients with the clinical suspicion of oligosymptomatic R.S. and 16 patients with recurrent non-gonococcal urethritis 23 HLA-antigens were assessed using a lymphocyte toxicity test. 413 blood donors served as a controll group. 85,7% of the patients with R.S. had phenotyp HLA-B 27 compared with 7,4% of the controll persons. The group with the suspicion of R.S. exhibited with 57,1% a marked increased incidense of HLA-B 27 as well. Compared to this, the HLA-B 27 frequency in the patients with recurrent non-gonococcal urethritis was with 6,3% in especially of its oligosymptomatic courses. Because of the close association between HLA-B 27 and R.S. determination of histocompatibility antigens proved to be a valuable tool in the diagnosis of Reiter's disease, especially of its oligosymptomatic courses.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

[The kinetoplast immunofluorescence technic using Crithidia luciliae, a simple test for the detection of DNA-antibodies].

The kinetoplast immunofluorescence test for the detection of antibodies against desoxynucleic acid (DNA) utilizes as a substrate the native double-stranded DNA containing kinetoplast of the hemoflagellate Crithidia luciliae, which is nonpathogenic in human beings. By studying the sera of 279 patients with dermatological and internal diseases, as well as the sera of 80 blood donors, this technique was assessed for its usefulness in routine diagnosis. DNA-antibodies were found most frequently in the sera of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (34/53). Additionally DNA-antibodies were demonstrated in some patients with cicatrical pemphigoid (1/1), autoimmune hepatitis (4/25) and myasthenia gravis (1/3). According to the experience thus far the kinetoplast immunofluorescence test appears to be a specific and well reproducible method to demonstrate DNA-antibodies in a simple way.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMed1977

[HL-A B 27 a criterion for Reiter's syndrome].

The prevalence of 23 HLA antigens were examined in 21 patients with a typical Reiter's disease, 21 patients with incomplete Reiter's syndrome as well as 16 patients with non-gonococcal urethritis. HLA-B 27 antigen was found in 85,7% of patients with typical Reiter's disease as compared to 7,4% of 413 healthy controls. HLA-B 27 was also detectable in 57,1% of patients with clinical suspicion of Reiter's disease. No significant difference from the control frequencies of HLA specifities was found in patients with non-gonococcal urethritis. The association between HLA-B 27 and Reiter's syndrome is so marked that tissue typing is a valuable adjunct in the diagnosis of Reiter's syndrome.

Arthritis, Reactive↗
PubMed1977

[Industrial medicine aspects of lesions due to vinyl chloride].

The VC-disease is another example of the constant threat working people are exposed to. A resonable collaboation of all competent bodies will allow to minimize the hazards or to remove them, and thus to "humanize" the working conditions. The VC-disease should be recognized as an occupational disease, the maximal concentration of VC at the working place should be standardized. New chemical products of considerable economic importance such as VC should be examined carefully before being commercialized.

Air Pollution↗
PubMed1975

[Sequential scintigraphy of liver and spleen in patients with polyvinyl chloride disease (author's transl)].

Occurence of severe liver damage including angiosarcoma in polyvinyl chloride production workers necessitates regular control investigations of liver and spleen. Radioisotope techniques with small irradiation doses which give valid results should be used. Investigations of 15 patients with PVC-induced liver disease showed that hepatic perfusion as demonstrated by 99mTc pertechnate does not correlate with the uptake of sulphide colloid in the hepatic reticuloendothelial system. This provides evidence that in VC disease specific damage of the reticuloendothelial system of the liver occurs. Sequential scintigraphy also proved that the liver perfusion quotient can be considered as a measure of portal pressure. In practice this may be used for follow-up controls. Vascularized tumours described in VC disease can also be demonstrated by scintigraphy.

Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury↗