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Biomedical subjects

I Phocas

Publications and source records attributed to I Phocas.

50 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Vaginal fluid prolactin: a reliable marker for the diagnosis of prematurely ruptured membranes. Comparison with vaginal fluid alpha-fetoprotein and placental lactogen.

The aim of this study is the evaluation of the reliability of vaginal fluid (VF) prolactin (PRL) for detecting prematurely ruptured membranes (PROM) and the comparison of this marker with vaginal fluid alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and placental lactogen (HPL). In 21 pregnant women with recent or prolonged PROM from 20 to 41 weeks' gestation, in whom intact membranes were never found subsequently VF- and MS-PRL, -AFP and -HPL were measured by enzyme immunoassays, which are sensitive and very rapid. The same markers were also measured in MS, VF and urine samples (U) in 12 pregnant women of the same gestational age, without PROM, in whom the membranes were ruptured later during labor. In PROM, independently of prematurity and duration of PROM VF-PRL levels were significantly higher (2-10-fold) than the paired MS-PRL (p less than 0.0001) and ranged from 130 to 2315 ng/ml. In contrast, VF-PRL and urine PRL concentrations in pregnancies without PROM were very low or undetectable (range: 0-5 ng/ml and 0.15-1 ng/ml, respectively). Vaginal fluid AFP values in PROM from 20th to the 33rd week of pregnancy were significantly higher (5-50-fold) than the paired MS-AFP (p less than 0.01) and ranged from 103 to 5500 ng/ml. In PROM after the 33rd week of pregnancy, VF-AFP values were either lower (1/3), or equal to, or even higher (up to 2-fold) than MS-PRL. On the contrary in pregnancies with intact membranes, VF-AFP were always less than 9 ng/ml and urine AFP was undetectable (range: 0.2-1.1 ng/ml).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Biomarkers↗
PubMed1988

Clearance pattern of maternal serum pregnancy specific beta 1-glycoprotein after treatment in active and regressed tubal pregnancy.

The clearance pattern of maternal serum pregnancy specific beta 1-glycoprotein (SP1) was studied in 16 cases of tubal pregnancy (9 active and 7 regressed) after 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120 and 192 h following surgery. The mean values of the hormone in both groups showed a statistically highly significant difference in all measurements before and after treatment (P less than 0.001), but they followed the same exponential regression pattern. The half-life of SP1 in active tubal pregnancies after salpingectomy was 36.2 h and in regressed tubal pregnancies after salpingostomy was 37.5 h.

Fallopian Tubes↗
PubMed1987

Hormonal and biochemical parameters in polyhydramnios.

Fifteen consecutive cases of polyhydramnios (PH) out of a total number of 8806 deliveries performed between the 28th and the 41st week of pregnancy were investigated during the period from 1979 to 1985. Three cases of acute PH and 12 cases of chronic PH of which 10 were idiopathic were distinguished. From the time the clinical diagnosis was established until delivery, maternal serum and amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and prolactin (PRL), as well as maternal serum oestrogens (OT), placental lactogen (HPL), chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein (SP1), were studied. A very high increase of maternal serum AFP in all the cases of PH was observed (p less than 0.001) and was associated with the high degree of risk for obstetrical complications, while, on the other hand, amniotic fluid AFP was increased only in PH associated with congenital abnormalities of the fetus. Maternal serum PRL was not different from normal values (p greater than 0.2), while amniotic fluid PRL was lower in all the cases of chronic idiopathic polyhydramnios studied. The protein hormones and the oestrogens showed a discrepancy in their elevation, according to the kind of PH, the outcome of pregnancy, and the condition of the infant at birth.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Serum alpha-immunoreactive inhibin in males with renal failure, under haemodialysis and after successful renal transplantation.

Serum alpha-immunoreactive inhibin was evaluated in 16 male renal transplant recipients with stabilized renal function of mean age 38.5 +/- 10.7 years and was compared to that in sex- and age-matched 17 haemodialyzed patients; 10 patients with chronic renal failure and 26 healthy normal men (controls). Serum LH, FSH, prolactin and testosterone were also measured simultaneously, in the same samples. In renal transplant recipients, inhibin was found significantly higher than that in controls (P<0.001), 25% however of the values were in the normal range. In contrast, all haemodialyzed patients showed highly elevated inhibin values of inhibin were also highly elevated compared to those in normals. A negative correlation was noticed between inhibin and FSH only in controls (r(s) = -0.610, P<0.005). In renal transplant recipients, inhibin showed a strong correlation with serum creatinine (sCr) (r(s) = 0.710, P<0.008), while in the case of graft rejection the rise of sCr was immediately followed by a parallel increase of inhibin. In conclusion, the highly elevated inhibin in uraemic men not improved by haemodialysis and persistent after successful renal transplantation, might be implicated in the pronounced hypergonadotropic hypogonadism of haemodialyzed patients and the remaining dysfunction of hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis in renal transplant recipients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Breast cancer markers during normal pregnancy.

AIM: To measure MCA and CA153 concentrations in maternal serum (MS) and amniotic fluid (AF) paired samples during normal pregnancy, in order to evaluate the usefulness of these markers in monitoring pregnant patients with a history of breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Serum and AF MCA and CA153 values were measured in 20 pregnant women during the 1st trimester, 29 cases in the 2nd, 26 in the 3rd and 20 at parturition and compared with those of 20 healthy, age-matched, non pregnant women (controls). RESULTS: MS values of MCA increased significantly with gestational age (p < 0.0001), being higher in the 3rd trimester and in labor than in control values (p < 0.0001). MCA values in AF were remarkably higher than those in MS and increased significantly with advancing gestation (p < 0.0001). In contrast, CA153 values in AF, which were marginally higher than in MS, did not differ significantly with the progression of pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal serum MCA values are significantly influenced during pregnancy. Thus, this marker seems to be reliable only during early pregnancy. In contrast, CA153 remains a useful marker in monitoring pregnant breast cancer patients.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS) throughout normal pregnancy.

AIM: TPS concentrations were measured throughout normal pregnancy in maternal serum (MS) and amniotic fluid (AF), in order to evaluate the usefulness of TPS in the follow-up of pregnancy breast cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Following informed consent, 30 pregnant women during the 2nd trimester, 28 during the 3rd and 26 at parturition were included in the study. For comparison, 28 women in the 1st trimester and 28 healthy, non pregnant women (controls) were also studied. Both MS and AF antigen values were measured by an enzyme immunoassay (BEKI Diagnostics). RESULTS: Maternal serum TPS concentrations increased significantly with gestational age (p < 0.0001), being significantly higher in the 3rd trimester and during labor than those in the controls (p < 0.0001). Amniotic fluid TPS values were markedly elevated, compared with those in MS (p < 0.0001, paired-t-test), declining significantly from the 2nd to the 3rd trimester (p < 0.0015) and labor. Both MS and AF TPS values during labor depended on the mode of delivery, being higher in the cases terminated by vaginal delivery, compared to those by elective cesarean section. CONCLUSION: Maternal serum TPS values are influenced significantly by pregnancy, and thus, this antigen, as tumor marker seems to be reliable only during early pregnancy.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroidal axis dysfunction and cortisol secretion in patients with nonclassical congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate thyroid function and TSH and cortisol (F) secretion in hyperandrogenemic women with nonclassical congenital adrenal hyperplasia (NC-CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency (Group A) when compared with women with hyperandrogenemic symptoms (menstrual irregularities, hirsutism, acne, seborrhea and sterility) of other etiologies (Group B). METHODS: Seventy-two women were subjected to stimulation of the adrenal cortex with i.v. ACTH administration in the early proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle. Basal plasma TSH, T3, T4, and FTI as well as basal and ACTH-stimulated plasma F and 17-hydroxyprogesterone levels were determined. RESULTS: According to internationally accepted criteria and HLA haplotyping, we diagnosed 28 NC-CAH patients as well as affected heterozygotes of the disease. No significant difference was found in the plasma T3, T4, or FTI or F concentrations between the women of the two groups. On the contrary, plasma TSH levels were significantly lower in patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency when compared to the women with hyperandrogenemic symptoms of other etiologies. CONCLUSION: The results of this study support a dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroidal axis due to altered ACTH secretion patterns.

17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pleural fluid and serum soluble interleukin-2 receptors in pleural effusions.

Pleural fluid and serum soluble Interleukin-2 receptors (sIL-2R) were measured by an enzyme-immunoassay in 13 patients with tuberculous pleurisy, in 28 patients with carcinomatous pleurisy and in 17 transudates from patients with congestive heart failure. Significantly higher values of sIL-2R were observed in exudative than in transudative (mean +/- SEM = 713 +/- 111 U/ml) pleural fluid samples, the highest being found in tuberculous (3777 +/- 501 U/ml) and the intermediate in carcinomatous exudates (1981 +/- 160 U/ml) (p less than 0.0001; on way ANOVA). Serum sIL-2R were significantly higher in carcinomatous and transudative groups than in age- and sex- matched controls (p less than 0.002; one way ANOVA), while there was no significant difference between the tuberculous group and controls. The pleural/serum sIL-2R ratio was significantly higher in tuberculous (5.32 +/- 0.60), than in carcinomatous pleurisy (2.67 +/- 0.20) and higher still than in transudates (0.76 +/- 0.10) (p less than 0.001; one way ANOVA). In conclusion, the pleura/serum sIL-2R ratio may be a helpful parameter in differentiating tuberculous from carcinomatous pleurisy and an additional confirmatory one for distinguishing transudates from exudates.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Soluble interleukin-2 receptors (sIL-2R) and neuron specific enolase (NSE) in small cell lung carcinoma.

sIL-2R and NSE were measured in 24 patients with small cell carcinoma (NSCC) of the lung, in 25 patients with non small cell carcinoma (NSCC) and in 20 controls matched for age, sex and smoking habits. Significantly elevated values of sIL-2R and NSE were found in the SCC group (mean +/- SEM: 2103 +/- 314.4 U/ml and 44.5 +/- 7.3 ng/ml respectively), compared to those in the NSCC group (1079 +/- 104.5 U/ml and 3.64 +/- 0.8 ng/ml, p < 10(-7) respectively) and to controls (561 +/- 44.6 U/ml and 1.7 +/- 0.3 ng/ml p < 10(-5). In the SCC group, 83.3% of sIL-2R and 87.5% of NSE values were above cut-off (900 U/ml and 10 ng/ml respectively), while in the NSCC group, 48% of sIL-2R and only 8% of NSE values were above cut-off. In the controls, all values of both parameters were below cut-off. The results suggest that sIL-2R and NSE in concurrent measurements may help in decision making as regards treatment and prognosis.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A comparative study of serum alpha-beta A immunoreactive inhibin and tumor-associated antigens CA125 and CEA in ovarian cancer.

alpha-i.r Inhibin, has been recently proposed as a useful tumor marker for mucinous ovarian carcinomas (Ca), as the widely used tumor marker for ovarian malignancies, CA125 is efficient only in nonmucinous ovarian Ca, and, together with CEA, fails to detect minimal disease and show long half-life in serum after successful surgery. Moreover, conflicting evidence has been reported as to whether inhibin in ovarian malignancies is the biologically active dimer alpha-beta A inhibin or the inactive free alpha-subunits and inhibin precursors. Serum alpha-beta A i.r inhibin. CA125 and CEA were measured preoperatively and 8 days postoperatively in 39 postmenopausal patients with ovarian cancer (13 mucinous, 15 serous and 11 different other ovarian Ca) in comparison with 20 age-matched healthy women (Controls), 18 patients with benign ovarian tumors and 10 patients with nonovarian gynecological malignancies. Serum alpha-beta A i.r inhibin values were very low in controls (0.121 U/ml; 0.060-0.250) while they were greatly elevated in both benign (67% sensitivity) and malignant ovarian tumors (100% sensitivity in mucinous Ca, 80% in serous and 90.9% in other ovarian Ca, taken as cut-off level the maximum value in Controls, 0.250 U/ml). In contrast, in non-ovarian malignancies no increased values of alpha-beta A inhibin were found (0% sensitivity). Our results on the sensitivity of CA125 and CEA are in agreement with previous studies. After successful surgery the very high concentrations of alpha-beta A i.r. inhibin were reduced very rapidly (8 days) to normal postmenopausal values in contrast to those of CA125 and CEA, that remained elevated. Serum alpha-beta A i.r inhibin seems to be very useful in monitoring after treatment the patients with any type of ovarian malignancy and specifically those with mucinous ovarian cancer.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cytokines in gynecological cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cytokines are considered as part of host defence to infection or injury. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Pretreatment values of TNF and sIL-2R were measured in 132 women with a) ovarian carcinoma (n = 25), b) breast cancer (n = 20), c) endometrial cancer (n = 15), d) cervical squamous cell carcinoma (n = 19), e) cervical adenocarcinoma (n = 11) and f) benign gynecological diseases (n = 42) in order to evaluate whether these cytokines could be useful in the discrimination of malignant from benign gynecological diseases. RESULTS: Both TNF and sIL-2R were significantly higher in all cancer groups together (mean +/- SD: 30 +/- 11 pg/mL and 1293 +/- 465 U/mL respectively), than those in the benign group (16.0 +/- 6 pg/mL and 626 +/- 233 U/mL, respectively; p < 0.0001), while no significant differences were found for TNF and sIL-2R values in the five cancer groups. Significantly higher cytokine values were measured in the advanced stage diseases (33 +/- 11 pg/mL and 1705 +/- 192 U/mL), than those in the limited cancer (26 +/- 12 pg/mL, p < 0.05 and 916(521 U/mL, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that, cytokines may be useful in the discrimination of malignant from benign gynecological diseases and in monitoring tumor activity in patients early in the malignancy process.

Breast Neoplasms↗