Biomedical subjects

K Szucs

Publications and source records attributed to K Szucs.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Urinary findings in asymptomatic subjects with spina bifida treated with intermittent catheterization.

The urines from 43 asymptomatic children with spina bifida were examined. Eighty-one percent were abnormal because of bacteriuria and pyuria (51%), bacteriuria alone (26%) or pyuria alone (5%). Interleukin-8 was elevated in 54% of the abnormal urines. The presence of pyuria and interleukin 8 suggests that the asymptomatic bacteriuria reflects low grade infection rather than colonization.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Glucocorticosteroid dependent decrease in the activity of calcineurin in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the activity of calcineurin in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 32 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 35 healthy controls. METHODS: The activity of calcineurin was assayed in the supernatants of sonicated mononuclear cells. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the calcineurin activity of patients with SLE not taking glucocorticosteroids (GCS) compared with the healthy controls. On the other hand, the activity of calcineurin was reduced in patients with SLE taking GCS, correlating negatively with the dose of GCS. The stimulation of PBMC by phorbol ester and calcium ionophore decreased the calcineurin activity both in patients with SLE and in healthy controls. GCS could also reduce calcineurin activity in the mononuclear cells of healthy subjects in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with SLE the decrease in the calcineurin activity of PBMC depended on the dose of GCS used for treatment, and it was not a disease specific alteration. The higher the dose of GCS, the greater the inhibition of calcineurin activity. The reduction of calcineurin activity is a new element in the immunosuppressive effects of GCS during the treatment of patients with SLE.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Decreased arachidonic acid release in peripheral blood monocytes of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the release of arachidonic acid (AA) in unfractionated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), separated monocytes and T lymphocytes of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: AA release was measured in cells from 56 patients with SLE and from 48 controls. Of the 56 patients with SLE, 38 were receiving glucocorticosteroids and 18 were not. [3H]AA was incorporated into the membranes of PBMC and purified subsets of monocytes and T lymphocytes. The release of [3H]AA was measured both in nonstimulated cells cultured for 24 h and in cell cultures stimulated by phorbol ester (PMA) and Ca2+ ionophore for 4 h. RESULTS: In the PBMC of SLE patients not taking glucocorticosteroids, the release of AA was decreased in both stimulated and nonstimulated cells. There was a decrease of AA production in monocytes but not in T lymphocytes. This phenomenon could be observed in the active and inactive phases of the disease. CONCLUSION: A defect in AA production may exist in the peripheral monocytes of patients with SLE, resulting in decreased release of AA in patients not receiving glucocorticosteroid therapy.

Adolescent↗