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Biomedical subjects

J Fuchs

Publications and source records attributed to J Fuchs.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes in serum during unstable angina.

Values for total lactate dehydrogenase (LD, EC 1.1.1.27) activity in serum, LD isoenzymes 1 and 2, and the LD 1:2 ratio in 25 patients with unstable angina were compared with the same variables in 25 patients whose angina was stable 24, 48, and 72 h after admission. Mean total LD activity and mean LD-2 activity were found to be within the normal range, both in the unstable angina and stable angina groups of patients. In the unstable angina group the mean LD-1 was significantly higher (p less than 0.01) than in the stable angina group at each time studied. The mean LD 1:2 ratio was also significantly different (p less than 0.001) between the two groups of patients. In the unstable angina group of patients the ratio was increased (0.85, SD 0.09), as in patients with acute myocardial infarction, whereas in the stable angina group of patients the ratio was normal (0.60, SD 0.06). We conclude that a high LD 1:2 ratio, even in the presence of normal total LD activity, may indicate myocardial damage in some patients with unstable angina and could therefore help in the clinical and functional evaluation of patients with unstable angina.

Adult

Euthyroid atypical subacute thyroiditis simulating systemic or malignant disease.

An unusual form of atypical subacute thyroiditis (SAT) occurred in 13 patients. The clinical presentation in all patients simulated systemic or malignant disease, involving fever of long duration and loss of weight without localized thyroid tenderness and without signs or symptoms of thyrotoxicosis. Eleven of the 13 patients had normal serum free thyroxine values. In the ten patients in whom a needle biopsy was done, the histologic findings were the same as in typical SAT. In the other three patients, the diagnosis was made based on the following clinical findings: high erythrocyte sedimentation rate, low radioactive iodine uptake, and good response to salicylate (aspirin, 2 g/day) or steroid (prednisone, 30 mg/day) treatment. Early recognition of this variation of atypical SAT may save the patients unnecessary investigations in search of systemic or malignant disease.

Adult

Polymyositic heart disease.

There is an apparent correlation between the severity and duration of skeletal muscle involvement, cardiac manifestations and the extent of conduction system disease in polymyositis. Cardiac involvement during the course of polymyositis has been recognized as one of the typical features of skeletal muscle myositis. We report a patient with polymyositis in whom bifascicular block, prolonged P-R interval and congestive heart failure appeared three years before any clinical or laboratory evidence of active skeletal muscle myositis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of polymyositis where cardiac manifestations preceded those of skeletal muscle myositis.

Cardiomyopathies

2-Mercaptopropionylglycine and related compounds in treatment of mitochondrial dysfunction and postischemic myocardial damage.

Reversal of mitochondrial dysfunction caused by uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation, diamide, ageing and ischemia was studied using 2-mercaptopropionylglycine (MPG) in reduced and oxidized (ox-MPG) forms and other SH compounds. Rat heart mitochondria and mitochondrial ATPase, OS-ATPase from beef heart and the isolated working rat heart preparation were examined. MPG and ox-MPG partly prevented and reversed mitochondrial uncoupling and improved deteriorated heart function. ATPase activities were decreased by MPG and ox-MPG in both types of preparation. Three mechanisms are probably involved in thiol action. These comprise alternatively and/or additively: a) SH/S-S interchange reactions; b) free radical scavenger function; c) polar-polar (apolar) interactions. This may contribute to improve oxidative phosphorylation which is considered as a result of recoupling damaged mitochondria by MPG.

Adenosine Triphosphatases

Plasma viscosity in ischemic heart disease.

Plasma viscosity was measured by the capillary method in 108 patients with ischemic heart disease. The highest value of plasma viscosity was found in 11 patients with severe unstable angina (1.66 +/- 0.068), while in 18 patients with less severe unstable angina plasma viscosity was lower (1.61 +/- 0.056; p less than 0.025). In 43 patients with acute myocardial infarction plasma viscosity was 1.53 +/- 0.10, significantly lower than in the two groups with unstable angina (p less than 0.005). In 36 patients with stable angina plasma viscosity was 1.42 +/- 0.089, similar to that found in 100 normal subjects. Plasma viscosity did not increase in 30 ischemic heart disease patients during exercise-induced myocardial ischemia. It is suggested that the elevated plasma viscosity in unstable angina demonstrated in this study compromises the oxygen delivery to the myocardium and coronary blood flow and therefore may possibly be a factor in the pathophysiology of this syndrome.

Adult

Low serum creatine phosphokinase values in patients with acute viral hepatitis.

Low values of serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) were found in a group of 27 patients suffering from acute viral hepatitis. The values were significantly lower than CPK values in a group of 25 patients with extra hepatic obstructive jaundice (23.3 +/- 32.1 versus 163 +/- 43 U/L, p less than 0.001). CPK values in the hepatitis group when recovered (6 months after hospitalization) were much higher than the mean CPK levels in the same group during the acute illness (178 +/- 28 versus 23.3 +/- 32.1 U/L, p less than 0.001) and were the same as a control group of 26 healthy volunteers (179 +/- 28 versus 179 +/- 20.9 U/L). Similar results were found when the groups were divided into separate male and female groups. Serum CPK values, thus, were found to be a useful diagnostic tool to distinguish between patients with intrahepatic jaundice due to acute viral hepatitis and patients with extra hepatic obstructive jaundice.

Adolescent

Multiform accelerated idioventricular rhythm in acute myocardial infarction: electrocardiographic characteristics and response to verapamil.

Thirteen patients with acute myocardial infarction with multiform accelerated idioventricular rhythm (AIVR) occurring during the first 12 hours of monitoring in the coronary care unit are described. This arrhythmia, similar to the more common uniform AIVR, was intermittent, did not cause hemodynamic compromise, and was not related to more serious ventricular arrhythmias. There was no correlation between the bundle branch block pattern of the multiform AIVR and the electrocardiographic location of the myocardial infarction, but there was a perfect correlation between the frontal plane electrical axis of the multiform AIVR and the electrocardiographic location of the myocardial infarction. The presence of fusion beats between the different forms of AIVR suggests multifocality rather than multiformity. Intravenous verapamil (3 to 5 mg bolus) was administered to 6 patients with multiform AIVR in whom the arrhythmias were persistent enough to allow the evaluation of the effect of verapamil on the arrhythmia. Verapamil caused no change in the rate of AIVR in 1 patient, but in a second patient it decreased the rate by 20 beats/min. In 4 patients, verapamil abolished the arrhythmia: in 2 patients carotid sinus pressure (induced sinus slowing) allowed the emergence of the AIVR at a lower rate, and in the remaining 2 patients the arrhythmia was not observed.

Adult

Entorhinal cortex lesions induce a decreased calcium transport in hippocampal mitochondria.

Lesions to the entorhinal afferent of the hippocampus in rats caused marked changes in calcium transport into mitochondria. Pyruvate-supported calcium transport into mitochondria from the denervated hippocampus was decreased to a larger extent than succinate-supported transport, and adenosine triphosphate-supported transport was not significantly modified. Although cytochrome oxidase and succinate dehydrogenase activities were not significantly changed by entorhinal lesions, pyruvate flux through pyruvate dehydrogenase was significantly decreased, and this effect was correlated with changes in pyruvate-supported calcium transport. The active portion of pyruvate dehydrogenase decreased, whereas total pyruvate dehydrogenase was not modified. These data suggest that denervation might initiate dendritic atrophy and subsequent growth responses by modifying calcium regulation through a change in the phosphorylation of pyruvate dehydrogenase.

Adenosine Triphosphate

[Diagnosis and therapy of carotid sinus syndrome (author's transl)].

We investigated 76 patients with carotid sinus syndrome followed over a time period of 12-40 months (mean 24 months). In 27 patients long-term ECG were recorded over 24 hours continuously. Carotid Doppler sonography was performed in all patients. 14 patients were studied electrophysiologically. The long-term ECG examinations in patients with carotid sinus syndrome showed a significant tendency to nocturnal bradycardia, and normal heart frequency during the day. In 41% of patients extracranial obstruction of internal carotid arteries could be demonstrated. During carotid sinus massage was a significant increase of the AH time, but there was no significant changes of the HV time. 12 out of 14 patients (86%) developed an AV-block during carotid sinus massage and atrial pacing. In 31 patients pacemakers were implanted. The indication for pacemaker implantation was the clinical symptom of syncope. These patients were observed over a period of 15-40 months (mean 24 months). 15 patients were free of symptoms after the pacemaker implantation, whereas 8 patients complained of dizziness and 4 patients experienced TIA's. 45 patients without pacemaker implantation were observed over a time period of 12-24 months. 30 patients were followed over 12 months. 16 patients were free of symptoms, 14 complained of dizziness. There was no syncopy in this group and no patients died during the observation period. In patients with cardio inhibitory carotid sinus syndrome and syncopy, pacemaker implantation is the therapy of choice. In asymptomatic patients or patients with occasional dizziness pacemaker is not indicated.

Aged

[Conservative management of senile cataract with conjunctisan A eye drops].

It seems to be a generally held view that there is no way of treating senile cataract successfully. However, this view is contradicted by the results of a long-term study carried out on 192 eyes treated with Conjunctisan A. According to these results lens opacities in senile cataract can indeed be influenced by therapy. Conjunctisan is a new therapeutic principle which exploits the effect of watersoluble protoplasmic elements, in particular proteins, ribonucleic and deoxyribonucleic acids, phospholipids, polysaccharides, lens-cell-specific nucleic acids and amino acid precursors from the lens, vitreous body, retina, optic nerve, cornea, conjunctiva and placenta. Over a period of observation of 5 years (1973-1978) Conjunctisan A eye drops were administered to the conjunctival sac twice or three times a day. Out of 192 eyes thus treated, lens opacification was halted in 36% and vision improved in 45%. These results concur with those of our earlier investigations on 74 eyes (1969-1973). It is also worth mentioning that opacification is slowed down much more than previously assumed on the basis of experience: this was demonstrated in a comparison with 75 cases of senile cataract that were not treated or treated only by conventional methods.

Aged

Demonstration of immunoglobulin production by tumor cells in non-Hodgkin's and Hodgkin's malignant lymphomas and its significance for their classification.

Combined application of morphologic, immunochemical, and immunologic methods has led to a reinterpretation of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and to the establishment of the Kiel classification. In the present paper, the main Ig-producing entities are considered. These are: 1. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia of the B-type (B-CLL)--a proliferation of lymphocytes and a few so-called prolymphocytes and lymphoblasts. The mean tissue IgM value is slightly increased; the serum IgM level is normal or reduced. The tumor cells bear SIg, and a majority of them have a receptor for C3d but always lack CIg and are usually devoid of receptors for C3b. 2. Lymphoplasmacytoid immunocytoma--a mixed proliferation of lymphocytes and centrocytes, blast cells, plasma cells, or plasmacytoid cells. The tissue Ig content is most often (91%) and most highly increased in this group, whereas the serum Ig level is increased in only 20% of the cases. The tissue IgM of 17 cases was shown to be monoclonal by IEF. Most tumor cells have SIg and a variable numbear CIg. The tumor cells bear both complement receptor subtypes, only a receptor for C3b, or no complement receptors at all. 3. Centroblastic/centrocytic lymphoma--usually a follicular proliferation of abundant small germinal center cells (centrocytes) and some large germinal center cells (centroblasts). The tumor cells bear SIg and both complement receptor subtypes. The C3b- and C3d-positive cells are located in the follicles, as in nonneoplastic lymphatic tissue. 4. Centrocytic lymphoma--a purebred, diffuse proliferation of the small germinal center cells (centrocytes). These cells bear SIg and receptors for C3b and C3d but usually lack CIg. 5. Centroblastic lymphoma--a proliferation of the large germinal center cells (centroblasts). 6. Lymphoblastic lymphoma of Burkitt's type. 7. Immunoblastic lymphoma--a diffuse proliferation of large basophillic cells resembling immunoblasts. The tissue IgM content is increased in 60% of the cases. It proved to be monoclonal with IEF in all five cases studied. The cells of five cases with increased tissue Ig content bore SIg. Nearly half of the cases studied showed CIg. Besides non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, paraffin sections of 87 biopsies from Hodgkin's disease were investigated for CIg in Hodgkin's and Sternberg-Reed cells. These cells stained positively in 68 cases, most often for IgG, followed by IgD. In five cases of the lymphocyte-depleted type, the staining of the Hodgkin's and Sternberg-Reed cells was restricted to one light chain type.

Burkitt Lymphoma

Isolation of an Escherichia coli mutant deficient in thioredoxin reductase.

A mutant of Escherichia coli defective in thioredoxin reductase has been isolated and partially characterized. This mutant has no detectable thioredoxin reductase activity in vitro and yet it exhibits no in vivo defect in reduction of ribonucleotides. Evidence is presented that indicates that, in cells permeabilized via ether treatment, ribonucleoside diphosphate reduction can utilize glutathione as an alternate reducing system.

Escherichia coli