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Biomedical subjects

E Hippe

Publications and source records attributed to E Hippe.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Tumor cell concentration and tumor burden in relation to histopathologic subtype and other prognostic factors in early stage Hodgkin's disease. The Danish National Hodgkin Study Group.

Prognostic factors were examined by multivariate analysis after a recent follow-up of the 300 patients with Hodgkin's disease pathologic stage (PS) I or II treated with radiotherapy +/- adjuvant combination chemotherapy in the prospective randomized trial of the Danish National Hodgkin Study. Initial biopsy material was classified according to the Rye histopathologic classification, the grading and subclassification proposed by the British National Lymphoma Investigation (BNLI), and tumor cell concentration in sections. Tumor cell concentration as a prognostic factor turned out to be better than the other classifications. However, if macroscopic tumor burden was taken into account both tumor cell concentration and the other histopathologic classification systems lost their prognostic significance. Significantly, however, a combination of macroscopic tumor burden and tumor cell concentration, yielding an estimate of the total tumor cell burden, was even better than the macroscopic tumor burden as a prognostic factor. In conclusion, a simple tumor cell concentration count seems to be the most useful form of histopathologic subtyping for prognostic purposes in early stage Hodgkin's disease.

Hodgkin Disease↗

Autoantibodies to cytokines--friends or foes?

Cytokines form a network of communication signals between cells of the immune system, and between the immune system and other organs. They interact with structurally complex and often dynamically expressed target cell receptors. The recent demonstration of autoantibodies to cytokines, even in sera of normal individuals, suggests further complexities in the way that nature regulates cytokine functions. Based mainly on evidence obtained by investigating autoantibodies to interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), Klaus Bendtzen and colleagues discuss the possibility that naturally occurring antibodies may function as specific physiological carriers and regulators of cytokines.

Animals↗

Vitamin B-12 and folate function in chronic alcoholic men with peripheral neuropathy and encephalopathy.

Forty-six male alcoholics hospitalized with polyneuropathy or intellectual impairment were studied after at least 2 wk of alcohol abstention. Neurological evaluation included neurophysiological examination of the sural nerve and tibial nerve, neurophysiological examinations, and CT-scanning of the brain. Alcohol and vitamin intakes were quantified by the interview method. Vitamin B-12 and folate status included examinations of peripheral blood and bone marrow aspirate, plasma vitamin B-12, plasma and erythrocyte folate, formiminoglutamic acid excretion test (FiGlu), methylmalonic acid excretion, and deoxyuridine suppression test (dU) on phytohemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral lymphocytes. The liver function was assessed by galactose elimination capacity and plasma clearance of antipyrine. There was no hematological sign of folate or vitamin B-12 deficiency. About 8% had low plasma folate, while neither erythrocyte folate nor plasma vitamin B-12 were decreased. However, half of the patients had functional folate deficiency as determined by abnormal FiGlu or dU. Compared to the remaining patients, those with abnormal FiGlu or dU had significantly more abnormal neurophysiological tests, and lower folate intake. There was no correlation between FiGlu or dU and the quantitative liver function tests. It is concluded that 1) folate deficiency may contribute to the development of alcoholic polyneuropathy, 2) the classical parameters for folate deficiency (blood concentrations, peripheral blood, and bone marrow examinations) are not reliable in diagnosing folate deficiency and 3) functional tests like FiGlu and dU are necessary to diagnose folate deficiency in alcoholics.

Adult↗

Alcohol intolerance in the hypereosinophilic syndrome.

Alcohol intolerance presented as an initial symptom in two patients with hypereosinophilic syndrome. In patient 1 alcohol intolerance persisted during the whole course of disease, while in patient 2 all symptoms including alcohol intolerance disappeared after treatment with prednisolone and vincristine. Alcohol intolerance seems to be influenced by hypereosinophilia and may be of clinical value in the evaluation of the activity of the malignant disorder.

Adult↗

Recombinant interferon-alpha-2b treatment of hairy-cell leukaemia: experience with a low-dose schedule.

50 patients with hairy cell leukaemia (HCL) were treated with recombinant interferon (IFN) alpha-2b 2.0 x 10(6) IU/m2 subcutaneously three times weekly to evaluate the efficacy of low-dose IFN therapy in inducing and maintaining remission of the disease. At the time of this report 48 patients, of whom 22 were splenectomized, had been treated for at least 3 months and were considered evaluable for response. The median observation time on IFN-alpha-2b was 11 months (range 3 to 20). 4 cases with atypical disease (spongy lymphoid myelofibrosis) were also included. All patients responded to IFN. After 3 months 11/48 patients (23%) had achieved a partial remission (PR) with normalization of peripheral blood values. After 6 months 27/43 patients (63%) had achieved a favourable response; complete remission (CR) was recorded in 4 and PR in 23 patients. The proportion of patients with favourable responses (CR + PR) increased with the duration of therapy and after 12 months of therapy 23/28 (82%) patients showed CR or PR, 9 patients (32%) being in CR. Splenectomized patients disclosed a trend towards a more rapid response. It is concluded that IFN-alpha-2b is a highly effective first-line therapy for HCL.

Adult↗

IgM monoclonal gammopathy and neuropathy in two siblings.

A sister and a brother with a progressive mixed axonal and demyelinating polyneuropathy were found to have a monoclonal IgM gammopathy of kappa and lambda type, respectively. Sural nerve and cutaneous nerve specimens obtained by biopsy showed deposits of IgM on myelin sheets. Sera from both patients contained antibodies directed to bovine peripheral nerve myelin as determined by ELISA technique and to normal human peripheral nerve myelin as demonstrated by indirect immunofluorescence histochemistry. These siblings may have a genetic predisposition to the formation of autoantibodies with peripheral nerve myelin as the target for the immune attack.

Aged↗

Autoimmunity related to IgM monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. Peripheral neuropathy and connective tissue sensibilization caused by IgM M-proteins.

In eight of 10 consecutive cases of IgM monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), the M-protein had specificity towards various tissues as estimated by direct and indirect immunofluorescence studies of skin and/or sural nerve biopsies. Five of the cases had neuropathy. In three of them, including two siblings with a demyelinating peripheral neuropathy, the IgM was bound to the myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) of peripheral nerves. One had axonal neuropathy with IgM activity against the peri- and endoneurium, while another case with post-infectious neuritis had IgM activity against structures in the endoneurium but no IgM autoimmunity in the direct fluorescence test. The latter improved clinically in parallel with a decrease in the M-protein indicating a pathogenetic role of the autoantibody. In three other cases, the IgM was bound to connective tissue structures, two of them also had plasma antibodies against the peri- and endoneurium in the indirect fluorescence test. Finally, two cases showed no reaction of the M-protein against any tissue structures. Since an autoimmune pathogenesis is suspected, the HLA types of seven patients are reported.

Aged↗

Immunoglobulin deposits in peripheral nerve endings detected by skin biopsy in patients with IgM M proteins and neuropathy.

Immunofluorescence studies of sural nerve and skin biopsies from three patients with IgM M proteins and clinical neuropathy showed that IgM M protein was bound to the nerve myelin in two patients and by the peri- and endoneurium in one. It is suggested that immunohistochemical studies of skin biopsies provide a simple effective method of detecting immunoglobulin binding to peripheral nerves in patients suspected of having an autoimmune neuropathy. In contrast to sural nerve biopsy, skin biopsy does not cause sensory loss or pain in a denervated area and can easily be repeated.

Aged↗