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Biomedical subjects

E Westphal

Publications and source records attributed to E Westphal.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

[Dose-effect relation of N-prajmalium bitartrate with control of plasma levels].

15 patients with ventricular ectopic beats classified to at least Lown class III with more than 100 ventricular ectopic beats in one hour were treated with N-prajmalium bitartrate (NPAB) in increasing dosages. The first dosage of 4 X 5 mg/d has been increased by 5 mg in three steps of three days to a level of 4 X 20 mg/d. A resting ECG, the systolic time intervals and a 24 h ECG were registered before treatment and after every dose. The median PQ time increased from 170 msec to 200 msec, the increase becoming significant (p less than 0.05) with a dose of 4 X 5 mg/d NPAB and above. Frequency, QRS and the frequency-corrected QT time did not change significantly. At a dose of 4 X 10 mg/d NPAB the increase of the quotient pre-ejection period to ejection time PEP/LVET became significant, increasing continuously from 0.35 to 0.48. Six of the 15 patients showed a significant reduction of ventricular ectopic beats, couplets and salvoes. In two patients the antiarrhythmic effect was significant at 4 X 5 mg/d. With an increasing dose from 4 X 10 mg/d each responder showed a significant reduction of ventricular ectopy. The lowest effective plasma concentrations ranged from 15 to 213 ng/ml with a median value of 58 ng/ml and an upper quartile of 94 ng/ml. There was no significant difference in plasma concentrations between responders and non-responders.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

HLA typing of nonviable tissues with a multiple microabsorption method.

HLA typing is usually performed by directly measuring complement-dependent cytotoxicity on viable peripheral blood lymphocytes as target cells. To overcome the limitations inherent to viable targets, absorption inhibition techniques have been developed. The main drawbacks of most of these techniques are, however, that they are not very feasible and require relatively large amounts of absorbing material and rare antisera. Therefore, we adjusted the multiple microabsorption method (MMA) and tested simultaneously for 16 HLA specificities of the A, B, and C locus on 6 different nonviable tissues. The results of the MMA, when compared with those of the usual microlymphocytotoxicity test (LCT) that was run in parallel, correspond in 96% of the 28 comparable antigen pairs. Only one false negative and no false positive result was found. The absorbing quality of the individual organs differed, as was to be expected: lymph node and spleen rank on the top, followed by liver and kidney, whereas brain and muscle show several negative reactions. Altogether, the MMA proves to be a reliable and practical method for typing nonviable tissues, eg, in hematological diseases or in certain forensic situations.

Brain↗
PubMed1983

HLA-related lymphocyte responsiveness in psoriasis.

In order to find associations among the genetic, immunological and environmental factors that might be important in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, the relationship between streptococcal antigen- or mitogen-induced lymphocyte responses in vitro and HLA phenotypes was studied in 23 patients with psoriasis. Patients showed an elevated lymphocyte response to somatic A-streptococcal antigens when compared with healthy controls. In contrast, the response to mitogens (PHA, Con A, PWM) was impaired in patients with psoriasis. The impaired mitogen-induced lymphocyte transformation was found mostly in psoriatics with HLA-B13/B17. The elevated cellular immune response to somatic A-streptococcal antigens, on the other hand, was observed mainly in psoriatics without HLA-B13/B17. The results indicate that gene products of the HLA region known to be associated with psoriasis are involved in the cellular immune response, as expected from clinical trials. These findings also provide further evidence of at least two different subtypes of psoriasis, characterized by genetically and immunologically defined markers.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1982

[High association between properdin factors BfF1 and HLA-B 18 in a Portuguese family (author's transl)].

The HLA and the Bf systems were studied as part of a family investigation carried out in Portugal. In four generations the rare phenotype BfF1 could be determined four times and the BfF1S phenotype six times, HLA-B18 being simultaneously positive in all cases. Since the frequencies of the individual factors F1 and B18 do not differ essentially from those obtained in Central Europe and no inbreeding situation was present, the high-grade linkage disequilibrium between F1 and B18 may also be presumed for the Portuguese population. Neither among the F1/B18 homozygous nor among the heterozygous subjects could one discern any morbid state (e.g., insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) from which an association with the F1/B18 haplotype could be deduced. Finally, the rarity of Bf factors, such as F1 and S0.7, is discussed from the standpoint of selection vs. mutation.

Complement Factor B↗
PubMed1977

Lymphocyte activation by streptococcal antigens in psoriasis.

Cell-mediated immune responses in 28 hospitalized patients with psoriasis and in 36 healthy controls were studied using the two-step leukocyte migration agarose test. Specific cell-mediated immunity to A-streptococcal cell wall and cell membrane antigens occurred significantly more often in patients with psoriasis than in the control group. A statistically significant correlation between psoriasis-associated antigens of the HLA-B locus and cellular immune reactivity to A-streptococcal antigens or clinical course was not found. When patients with guttate psoriasis were compared separately with the control group, leukocyte migration inhibition induced by cell-free supernatants of A-streptococcal antigen-exposed mononuclear cell cultures was found to be more frequent than in other forms of psoriasis.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

First case of disseminated Mycobacterium avium infection following chemotherapy for childhood acute myeloid leukemia.

A 14-year-old girl of Indian origin with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is presented, who was diagnosed at the age of twelve. Antileukemic chemotherapy had to be discontinued after 6 weeks because of persistent high fever and the emergence of liver and spleen abscesses. Serologic and biopsy findings were consistent with disseminated candidiasis; however, a liver biopsy also revealed granulomatous lesions with caseous degeneration. No acid-fast bacilli could be detected. Upon antifungal treatment the patient's condition improved, but fever spells and high inflammatory blood parameters persisted. One year after the diagnosis of AML was established, Mycobacterium avium was cultured from bone marrow aspirates. The patient's cellular immunity was severely compromised at that time as reflected by the marked depression of T-lymphocyte counts, in particular of CD4-positive cells. HIV and other lymphotropic virus infections were subsequently excluded. After 5 months of specific treatment the patient recovered from mycobacterial infection and remains in first remission of AML. Opportunistic infections have rarely been diagnosed in oncologic patients to date, while data on T-cell function in AML is sparse. Fever of unknown origin should prompt the search for infectious agents unusual to date in this patient group.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The major histocompatibility complex and the chemosensory signalling of individuality in humans.

The chemosensory identity of mice and rats is determined partly by polymorphic genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). In inbred strains of mice, as well as in seminatural populations, MHC-associated mating preferences selectively influence reproductive success, thus serving to promote heterozygocity in the MHC. In order to determine whether MHC-associated chemosignals are present in humans, two studies were conducted. In a first study, olfactory identification of MHC-associated chemosignals was conducted on 12 trained rats' responses to the urine odors of humans. In a second study, MHC-associated olfactory cues in humans were analyzed by means of gas chromatography. The results indicate that the urine odors of humans are associated with the MHC and demonstrate that the profile of volatile components in the urine odors shows some association with the MHC. Furthermore, results show that a profile of some specific components, as well as a few ubiquitous volatiles, constitutes MHC-associated odor signals in humans.

Animals↗