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Biomedical subjects

E Păunescu

Publications and source records attributed to E Păunescu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[The importance of assessing angiotensin-converting activity in silicosis patients].

The macrophage cells have an essential role in the pathogenesis of silicosis. After the endocytosis of silica grains, the lung macrophage demonstrates an active state, associated with high levels of lysosomal enzymes, expressed also in serum. A similar active state of macrophages is evident in sarcoid lung which manifests also an intensive serum activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme. The angiotensin-converting assay in the serum of 116 silicotic patients revealed over 60 per cent higher levels than in normals. Such increased levels were present more frequently among the patients with early studies of silicosis. In the same patients, the serum acid phosphatase activity, a marker of macrophage activity, and also serum lactate dehydrogenase activity, were higher than in normal individuals. On present evidence, it can be appreciated that increased serum levels of angiotensin-converting activity could be the expression of an active progressive state of silicosis.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[AIDS and tuberculosis: the immunopathogenic processes].

HIV infection is characterized by CD4+ lymphocyte depletion manifested through the loss of the immune response capacity. The resulting immunodeficit is expressed by the blocking of immune surveillance mechanisms and, thus, by the establishment of favourable conditions to the development of opportunistic infections and/or malignant processes. In tuberculosis, the immunodeficiency associated with HIV infection makes possible the evolution of a latent infection to a clinically manifest disease. Latent tuberculosis is characterized by the intracellular persistence of some metabolically inactive Tb bacillus forms which are incapable of multiplication. The conversion of these inactive into metabolically active forms capable of multiplication is usually neutralized by immunosurveillance mechanisms. The blocking of such mechanisms in case of CD4+ cell depletion will allow the multiplication of metabolically active Tb bacillus forms, and the development of a clinically manifest tuberculosis. CD4+ lymphocyte depletion is the result of facilitating antibodies and certain cytokines, and of some autoimmune processes which also affect the non-infected CD4+ cells. Therefore, it is necessary that Tb chemoprophylaxis in HIV infected subjects should also be addressed to the processes initiating the immune deficit, which include autoimmune mechanisms as well as those facilitating HIV infection.

AIDS-Related Complex↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Serum enzyme tests in the diagnosis and follow-up of the evolution of sarcoidosis].

Due to the diagnosis difficulties posed by sarcoidosis, new metabolic or biological tests were suggested for replacing and/or confirming the histopathological examination: determination of the serous levels of the angiotensin-convertase (ACS), lysozyme and acid phosphatase. For establishing the ACS diagnosis value, the enzyme serous level was determined in 117 sarcoidosis patients, histopathologically confirmed (62 with active sarcoidosis, 55 with chronic sarcoidosis) in comparison with 109 patients suffering from other chronic lung affections. The results obtained, statistically processed, showed that the ACS level in active sarcoidosis is increased in 97% of the patients and only in 8% of the patients non-suffering from sarcoidosis. In active sarcoidosis, the ACS level has a positive predicting value of 86.8% and a negative one of 98%. The serous activities of lysozyme and acid phosphatase are not significant in sarcoidosis diagnosis. Of 59 treated patients with active sarcoidosis, in 58 the ACS value became normal after the clinical-radiological remission, thus showing the prognosis value of the test.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The advantages of Reprimum therapy in pulmonary sarcoidosis and other granulomatous diseases].

In sarcoidosis and other granulomatous non-caseous diseases, the election treatment is immunosuppressive, mainly with cortisones that ensure more than 70% lasting remissions. Continuous use of cortisones for a long time (8-30 months) in high doses leads to serious side effects: gastric and intestinal ulcers, obesity, osteoporosis, suprarenal dysfunction, sensitivity to infections. Good results and elimination of the important side effects were obtained by treatment with Reprimum--a semisynthetic antibiotic with a wide spectrum and immunosuppressive properties--administered alone or with prednisone in small doses (15-20 mg once) in 6 weeks' series: 2 weeks--Reprimum 10/mg/kg daily +/- prednisone and for other 4 weeks--Reprimum 15 mg/kg twice a week +/- prednisone followed by two weeks' break. In 75 patients with histopathologically confirmed sarcoidosis (of whom 7-9.3% with outside-the-lung situs, too), the treatment with Reprimum gave: 94.7% lasting remission, only 5.3% failures, reduction of the treatment period to 6-12 months and the absence of any important side reaction. In other 37 sarcoidosis cases, failures of cortisone therapy (of which 11-30% relapses after 2-6 years), the treatment with Reprimum together with prednisone allowed recovery of 29 patients (78.4%). The same treatment with Reprimum, used in 22 patients with immunosuppressive treatment indication (dermatomyositis, Kaposi's syndrome, thrombocytopenias, nodose periarteritis, silicosis), of whom 18 (81.8%) were failures of the cortisone therapy, healed 20 of these cases (90.9%). Reprimum immunosuppressive property acts at the level of T4+ lymphocyte, involved in sarcoidosis pathogenesis. The functional blockage of T4+ lymphocyte can be also achieved by cyclosporine A.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Advantages of treatment with Reprimun in sarcoidosis.

Favourable results were obtained by treatment with Reprimun alone or in association with low doses of Prednisone in 112 patients with sarcoidosis (59% with active sarcoidosis and 33% failures of a previous corticotherapy). Treatments were applied during 3-6 series each one of 6 weeks at intervals of 2 weeks between series. In comparison with the classical corticotherapy, treatment with Reprimun has better results, namely: absence of any major adverse reactions; reduction of the treatment period to 6-12 months (3-6 series); 95% lasting remissions in the sarcoidoses with initial treatment and 78% remissions in the case of failures of a previous corticotherapy.

Adolescent↗