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Biomedical subjects

N Saku

Publications and source records attributed to N Saku.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

[A case of colon cancer with tension pneumothorax and empyema as a consequence of colo-pleural fistula].

A 63-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with fever and chest pain. Chest radiography revealed left pleural effusion with left pneumothorax and small nodular shadows in the right lung field. On CT of the chest and abdomen, multiple nodules were seen in both lung fields, and masses appeared in the liver and spleen. Fiberoptic colonoscopy showed obstruction at the end of the transverse colon. Biopsy of this obstruction proved it to be cancer. In this patient, a colo-pleural fistula was also diagnosed using thoracoscopy under local anesthesia and from the inflow of contrast medium from the colon into the thoracic cavity seen in abdominal radiographs. This was a rare case of a colo-pleural fistula without diaphragmatic deficiencies. Medical thoracoscopy is useful for the diagnosis of complicated pleural effusions as was seen in this case.

Anesthesia, Local↗
PubMed1999

Eicosapentaenoic acid modulates arachidonic acid metabolism in rat alveolar macrophages activated by silica.

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was used to modulate the activation of alveolar macrophages, to examine its potential anti-inflammatory effect in addition to its anti-arteriosclerotic or anti-thrombotic effects. Wistar strain rat alveolar macrophages (2 x 10(6) cell) obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage were preincubated with EPA (0-20 microM), and further incubated with 1 mg of silica for 90 min. Leukotriene (LT) B4 and LTB5 of the supernatant were analyzed by reverse phase HPLC. EPA inhibited the production of LTB4 dose-dependently. The production of LTB5, a metabolite from EPA, was increased at low concentrations of EPA (0-10 microM) and decreased at high concentrations (>10 microM). These results suggest that EPA is competitive with arachidonic acid (AA) at low concentrations, and that EPA may inhibit AA metabolism via inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase or phospholipase A2 at high concentrations.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

[Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma with Sjögren's syndrome].

A 68-year-old woman presented with Sjögren's syndrome. Chest X-ray films disclosed consolidated shadows in the right S2 and an infiltration shadow in the right S8 with small nodules. Pathological examination of transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) specimens revealed lymphocytic infiltrations that stained positive with UCHL-1 and L 26 in immunohistochemical studies. Lung tissue specimens obtained by video-assisted thoracic surgery showed lympho-epithelial lesions with dense lymphocytic infiltration. Southern blot hybridization and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays demonstrated monoclonality and immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement. These findings yielded a diagnosis of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. The detection of rear-ranged genes encoding for immunoglobulin heavy chains is useful for the diagnosis of primary pulmonary lymphoproliferative disorders, especially malignant lymphomas.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

[Relationship between the onset and outcome of interstitial pneumonia associated with polymyositis and dermatomyositis].

We investigated the outcome of 12 patients with interstitial pneumonia (IP) associated with polymyositis and dermatomyositis (PM/DM). The mean age of the patients was 53. There were 3 cases of PM/DM preceding the respiratory symptoms (RS), 7 cases of simultaneous PM/DM and RS, and 2 cases of PM/DM delayed with RS. In these 3 groups, there was a tendency for cases with PM/DM preceding RS to be younger. Jo-1 antibody was positive in only one case of the simultaneous group. Patients in whom IP preceded PM/DM or was simultaneous with PM/DM showed a better response to corticosteroid. The chest CT findings and TBLB findings showed a BOOP pattern in these patients. TBLB findings are not useful for diagnosing the pathological type, however they are useful for evaluating the effectiveness of steroid therapy on IP in PM/DM.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

[Diffuse panbronchiolitis with P-ANCA-positive arteritis and necrotizing glomerulitis].

A 53-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a skin eruption, a high fever, and diplopia in April of 1992. He had been given a diagnosis of diffuse panbronchiolitis in 1981. After administration of erythromycin began in 1987, symptoms and chest roentgenographic findings gradually improved. Arteritis of peribronchial muscular arteries with medial destruction was seen in lung biopsy specimens, and periglomerular granulomatous inflammation and necrotizing glomerulitis were seen in renal biopsy specimens. P-ANCA was found, but a test for cytoplasmic ANCA (which is the most specific antigen of Wegener's granulomatosis) was negative. Chronic pulmonary infection due to diffuse panbronchiolitis might have formed ANCA, which may have caused the vasculitis in this patient.

Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic↗
PubMed1996

[Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia associated with high levels of serum KL-6].

In May 1995, a 52-year-old man complaining of fever and dyspnea was admitted to a hospital. Based on clinical and radiographic findings, hypersensitivity pneumonitis was suspected. Steroid pulse therapy was unsuccessful, and he was then transferred to our hospital. A chest X-ray film showed bilateral ground-glass shadows and a high-resolution CT scan showed cystic air spaces. The number of CD4-positive lymphocytes in peripheral blood was very low. A test for anti-human immunodeficiency virus antibody was positive and Pneumocystic carinii was found in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia were diagnosed. In this patient, the level of serum KL-6, a new marker of interstitial pneumonitis, was very high, and KL-6 was expressed on type II pneumocytes. The level of serum KL-6 may be useful as a marker of the activity of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1993

Adult Still's disease with Sjögren's syndrome successfully treated with intravenous pulse methylprednisolone and oral cyclophosphamide.

A patient with adult Still's disease and Sjögren's syndrome failed to respond to conventional doses of corticosteroids. Therefore intravenous pulse methylprednisolone combined with oral cyclophosphamide was given which subsequently resolved the flare of rashes, fevers, and arthritis. This combination therapy may be a useful therapy to consider in patients with adult Still's disease who are resistant to conventional treatment and may allow a reduction in daily corticosteroid requirement.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1993

[A case report--pulmonary cryptococcosis associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and review of 44 cases in Japan].

A case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) associated with pulmonary cryptococcosis which was successfully treated with fluconazole (FCZ) and flucytosine (5-FC) is described. A 63-year-old woman who had been treated with steroid for SLE and low dose methotrexate (MTX) for RA was admitted to Jichi Medical School Hospital because of abnormal shadow in the chest X-ray film. Physical examination revealed no abnormality. A chest CT film showed multiple nodular shadows localized in the right lower lobe. An ultrasonically guided trans-cutaneous lung biopsy performed on 10th hospital day established a diagnosis of pulmonary cryptococcosis. Following the treatment with FCZ and 5-FC for a month, her abnormal lung shadows improved and serum cryptococcal antigen level was decreased. A survey of the literature from 1955 to 1990 revealed 44 cases of SLE associated with cryptococcosis in Japan, in addition to our case, most of whom were on corticosteroid therapy. The majority of patients were young women, representing the usual population of patients with SLE. 34 of these patients had cryptococcal meningitis; 22, pulmonary cryptococcosis; 6, sepsis; 6 cutaneous cryptococcosis. Twenty patients died. Deep fungal infections should be considered whenever patients with SLE have fever of unknown origin, diffuse pulmonary infiltrates, or unexplained CNS symptoms.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗