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Biomedical subjects

L Hodinka

Publications and source records attributed to L Hodinka.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Cyclosporin and sulfasalazine combination in the treatment of early rheumatoid arthritis.

The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of a new formulation of cyclosporin-A (CyA) and sulfasalazine (SASP) combination treatment in preventing disability and reducing inflammatory disease activity in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis, as well as to assess the tolerability, safety, and suitability for long-term treatment. Forty five patients with early, active rheumatoid arthritis, (RA) were treated with CyA and SASP combination therapy for 12 months. The patients were evaluated by disease activity and radiologic measurements. The combined CyA and SASP therapy seems to be effective. Disease activity parameters improved within 3 months. The individual treatment response rate according to EULAR response criteria was 78% after a one year treatment period. Five patients were withdrawn due to gastrointestinal side effect and two patients because of lack of efficacy. CyA and SASP combination treatment seems to be effective in early severe RA, and with careful monitoring, side effects can be kept under control.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Fatal myocardial lesion in systemic lupus erythematosus].

The authors present the case of a 47-year old female patient. She suffered from a moderate activity SLE for two years. The outcome of SLE was changed by an ulcer because of leg injury, which was repeatedly infected. Severe polyarthritis, leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, clinical signs of vasculitis and in the last two months fever, high ESR, and pericarditis appeared. The angina pectoris, the cardiac decompensation, the electrocardiogram, the echocardiogram was suspect to diffuse myocardial lesion. Cardiac decompensation caused the death of the patient. Besides the activation of her autoimmune disease, infection was suspect in the patient taken immunosuppressive and steroid drugs, though it could not be verified. Autopsy verified besides the recent necrosis of heart without reaction, and multifocal myocardial abscess, which appeared possible in the terminal phase.

Abscess↗
PubMed1991

Improving the risk-benefit ratio of NSAID therapy in the elderly.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely prescribed to elderly patients. This population may have a decreased capacity to metabolize and excrete NSAIDs and other agents. Furthermore, older patients frequently use NSAIDs concomitantly with other commonly prescribed drugs, thereby increasing the potential for drug interactions. A major challenge in rheumatology is to improve the risk-benefit ratio of NSAID therapy in older patients. Clinicians first must identify which patients are at increased risk. Several studies have shown that compromised cardiovascular and renal functions in older individuals may be important factors in increasing their vulnerability to the adverse effects of NSAIDs. Epidemiologic studies have provided valuable information concerning risk factors for adverse drug reactions in the elderly. Older patients with rheumatic diseases, osteoporosis, degenerative changes and certain autoimmune diseases and neoplasms should be treated less aggressively than younger patients. Statistical analyses of data bases correlating specific adverse events with NSAID use in the elderly may help clinicians in their therapeutic decisions. These data bases are now available in several readily accessible forms.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Clinical and histological evaluation of synovial needle-biopsies in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. I. Relationship between clinical activity and histological pattern.

In 50 patients suffering for 1-15 years from rheumatoid arthritis, needle-biopsy of the synovial membrane was carried out. The finding correlated with the general clinical activity of the disease. Each type of histological change was evaluated with regard to its diagnostic value in assessing clinical activity. Among the histological changes, oedema, synovial cell proliferation, lymphocyte-plasma cell proliferation and necrotic vasculitis showed a negative correlation with clinical activity, while a positive correlation was observed between clinical activity and the presence of fibrin (fresh and old), fibrinoid, fibrinoid basophilia, fibroblast proliferation, synovial cell desquamation, concentric perivascular sclerosis, fibrosis and hyalinosis. Vascular changes of the synovial membrane such as oedema, fresh fibrin exudate, necrotic vasculitis showed a negative correlation with clinical activity while hyalinization and concentric sclerosis and clinical activity were found to be in positive correlation. It is concluded that in the course of rheumatoid arthritis the histological changes do not necessarily run parallel with the clinical activity of the disease.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1984

Clinical and histological evaluation of synovial needle-biopsies in rheumatoid arthritis. II. Relationship between local clinical activity and histological pattern.

The histological pattern of synovial needle-biopsies of 50 patients suffering from classical or definitive rheumatoid arthritis has been compared with the clinical activity of the disease. Each histological change was evaluated in terms of its value in characterizing local clinical activity. It was shown that most changes of the synovial ground tissue are in a positive correlation with local clinical activity. Among the vascular changes of the synovial membrane, oedema of vascular walls, exudation of fresh fibrin, leukocyte infiltration and thickening of vascular walls were in negative correlation, while chronic fibrin, lymphocytic or plasma cell infiltration and hyalinosis were in positive correlation with local clinical activity.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1981

Levamisole-induced neutropenia and agranulocytosis: association with HLA B27 leukocyte agglutinating and lymphocytotoxic antibodies.

Among 37 patients treated with levamisole for rheumatoid arthritis (n = 19), for Reiter's disease (n = 4) and for chronic articular brucellosis (n = 14) followed up during 6-12 months, 3 developed agranulocytosis and 3 severe neutropenia. Serum samples drawn before and during treatment were tested for leukocyte agglutinating and lymphocytotoxic antibodies. Leukocyte agglutinating antibodies were induced in 8 patients, in 5 of them in association with agranulocytosis or neutropenia. In 1 patient with agranulocytosis and in another one with neutropenia lymphocytotoxic antibodies were also induced. Two agranulocytotic and one neutropenic patient possessed HLA B27 antigen. In altogether 11 HLA B27 carriers the number of circulating neutrophils were significantly reduced during levamisole treatment when compared with those of patients lacking HLA B27 antigen.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Skin manifestations and serum IgE levels in levamisole-treated rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Skin manifestations may occur as adverse effects of immunostimulant therapy with Levamisole. They are generally regarded as drug-induced hypersensitivity reactions. Our observations revealed that, in Levamisole-treated rheumatoid arthritis patients, urticaria was accompanied by an elevation of serum IgE, but other types of skin reactions were not. Moreover, elevation of IgE occurred without any skin reactions in some cases. It is suggested that Levamisole - stimulating T lymphocytes - may also stimulate IgE-mediated atopic responses.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1979

Antibodies to native DNA in connective tissue disease. A comparison of radioimmunoassay, counterimmunoelectrophoresis and indirect immunofluorescence on Crithidia luciliae substrate.

Sera of patients with symptoms of connective tissue diseases were investigated for the presence of antinuclear antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence on rat liver substrate. In positive cases antibodies to native DNA were determined by radioimmunoassay and by counterimmunoelectrophoresis. Twenty seven selected sera were also tested by indirect immunofluorescence on Crithidia luciliae substrate to test the sensitivity and specificity of this method. Immunofluorescent antinuclear antibodies could be found in all groups of connective tissue diseases while anti-native DNA antibody was demonstrated in higher amount only in the cases of systemic lupus erythematosus and therefore determination of anti-native DNA antibody may be helpful in the diagnosis of oligosymptomatic SLE. Counterimmunoelectrophoresis and immunofluorescence on Crithidia smears may serve as screening methods for anti-native DNA while radioimmunoassay provides a quantitative determination, although there are minor differences in the sensitivity and the specificity of these three methods.

Adolescent↗