Biomedical subjects

J Curd

Publications and source records attributed to J Curd.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1990

Complement levels in patients with hepatic dysfunction.

Total hemolytic complement activity and serum complement protein concentrations were compared in 17 hospitalized patients with normal hepatic function and 16 patients with liver disease due to alcohol (15 patients) or acetaminophen toxicity (one patient). In contrast to the control patients, individuals with hepatic dysfunction had decreased total CH50 levels and low concentrations of total C3, C4, C5, factor B, and the regulatory proteins factor I and beta-1H. These patients also had increased C4d/C4 ratios, indicating classical pathway activation. The level of complement deficiency appears to correlate with either prolongation of the prothrombin time or depression of serum albumin concentration. These results indicate that patients with hepatic disease have severe complement depletion that is probably multifactorial in origin. This impairment in complement function will contribute to the impaired antibacterial host defense of the patient with chronic hepatic disease.

Complement System Proteins↗

PubMed1987

A novel bioassay to predict the clinical response to cryofiltration treatment. A preliminary report.

Phagocytosis by normal human mononuclear monocytes grown in vitro was examined after incubation with known concentrations of aggregated human gamma-globulin (AHG) and in plasma obtained from patients suffering from immunologic diseases. When the phagocytes were pretreated with AHG, an inverse relationship between amounts of AHG and phagocytosis of radiolabeled Candida albicans was found. Inhibition of phagocytosis by patient plasma was independent of other laboratory determinations including antinuclear antibody, C3, C4, CH50, DNA-binding and circulating immune complexes. Plasma from 5 patients subjected to cryofiltration treatment (CFT) demonstrated less inhibition after than before CFT. This lessened inhibition of phagocytosis in vitro correlated with the clinical response due to CFT. The response to CFT could not be predicted by the conventional laboratory parameters investigated. Improvement between pre- and post-CFT plasma estimated by using the present bioassay may provide a quantitative description of which patient may benefit from plasmapheresis treatment procedures.

Biological Assay↗

PubMed1977

Calcaneal abnormalities in articular disorders. Rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and Reiter syndrome.

The calcaneus of normal control patients, and those with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis, and Reiter syndrome was studied. Pathological abnormalities of the plantar aponeurosis, Achilles tendon, and retrocalcaneal bursa account for the radiographic alterations. In normal individuals, lateral radiographs show the thickness of the Achilles tendon to be not greater than 8 mm; the retrocalcaneal bursa creates a radiolucency which extends at least 2 mm below the superior surface of the calcaneus. In patients with any of these 4 articular disorders, Achilles tendinitis produces thickening of the tendon, and retrocalcaneal bursitis obliterates the normal radiolucency.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Radiographic abnormalities of rheumatoid arthritis in patients with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis.

Radiographic abnormalities of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in 8 patients with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) included atypical features: lack of osteoporosis, bone sclerosis and proliferation about erosions, osteophytosis, and bony ankylosis. Atypical clinical features included a high incidence of flexion contractures of elbows, wrists, ankles, or knees. It is not surprising that bone production occurs about involved articulations in patients with RA-DISH, as the latter disorder is characterized by bony proliferation at sites of ligament and tendon attachment to bone in the axial and extraaxial skeleton, perhaps related to stress.

Aged↗