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Biomedical subjects

R G Slavin

Publications and source records attributed to R G Slavin.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Recertification in allergy and immunology: an historical review with special emphasis on the 1983 examination.

Recertification offers a method of evaluating a diplomate's cognitive knowledge of allergy and immunology. In 1983 candidates for the American Board of Allergy and Immunology recertification examination were offered the entire certifying examination but were informed that they would, for recertification purposes, be held responsible only for a subset of questions judged to be particularly clinically relevant. All 40 candidates elected to take the entire certifying examination. Differences between the performance of certifying and recertifying candidates on the recertifying questions were small. Except for the five-choice questions, the differences in performance between the two groups on the remaining questions were also small in an absolute sense. Recertification performance was not related to the time of original certification. Ninety-eight percent of the candidates completed a questionnaire after the examination. Ninety percent stated that they would encourage their colleagues to participate in the recertification process.

Allergy and Immunology↗
PubMed1984

Immune response in experimentally induced uremia. VII. Uremic thymocytes amplify the response of control lymph node cells to alloantigens.

The effect of experimentally induced uremia in the rat on the synergistic response between thymus cells (TC) and lymph node cells (LNC) was examined. It was found that: (1) Uremic TC and LNC interact in a synergistic fashion which is greater than that observed for control cells; (2) The response of uremic LNC to alloantigens is suppressed when compared to the response of control LNC; (3) Uremic TC provide more help to control LNC in their response to alloantigens than do control TC; and (4) Treatment of uremic rats with cortisone acetate (CA) enhances their TC ability to amplify control LNC response to alloantigens. Thus, it appears that, while the response of uremic LNC to alloantigens is markedly suppressed, there are potent amplifier cells present in the thymus of uremic rats which have the ability to act in synergism with control LNC in response to alloantigens. This effect is significantly greater than the synergistic activity of control thymocytes.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Sinusitis.

Sporting events may predispose the athlete to develop sinusitis. Similarly, sinusitis may adversely affect the athlete's performance. The physician caring for the athlete must be aware of a number of conditions that predispose to sinusitis and also of the subtle clinical presentation of sinusitis. Complications of sinusitis may be both local in terms of extension of infection and general, particularly bronchial asthma. Aggressive therapy with an appropriate antibiotic is necessary to ensure eradication of the infection. If there is no significant response to medical therapy, surgical intervention may be necessary.

Ampicillin↗
PubMed1984

Immunologic aspects of phenobarbital hypersensitivity.

Seven patients with hypersensitivity reactions to phenobarbital are described. Clinical manifestations consisted of fever and pruritic skin rash, often associated with adenopathy and conjunctivitis. Reexposure to phenobarbital or other anticonvulsants resulted in redevelopment of symptoms. In vitro lymphocyte stimulation studies with anticonvulsant drugs suggested a cell-mediated hypersensitivity reaction to phenobarbital.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

The role of monocytes and responder cells in suppression of antigen-specific T cell proliferation in chronic renal failure.

The response of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) to the antigen tetanus toxoid (TT) in patients with chronic renal failure being maintained on hemodialysis was examined. We have found that: (1) the response of patients' unfractionated PBL to TT is markedly suppressed when compared to the response of control PBL; (2) the response of patients' purified T cells and T4+ cells to TT co-cultured with 5% autologous monocytes is suppressed when compared to the response of comparable control cultures; (3) the response of patients' purified T lymphocytes co-cultured with 5% autologous monocytes is significantly enhanced over the response of patients' unfractionated PBL, and (4) the suppressed proliferation of patients' PBL to TT is not reversed by hemodialysis. Thus, the presence of suppressor monocytes and the inability of the responding T cells and accessory monocytes to react to antigen contribute to the suppressed antigen-specific T cell proliferation observed in chronic renal failure patients. These results are relevant to the suppressed cell-mediated immunity observed in uremia.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Suppression of mixed lymphocyte culture by uremic adherent spleen cells and peritoneal macrophages is dependent on a cyclophosphamide-sensitive cell.

A model of experimentally induced uremia in the rat has been used to study the effect of uremia on the response of spleen cells to alloantigens. The proliferative ability of uremic spleen cells in mixed lymphocyte culture is significantly suppressed when compared to that of cells from control animals. This suppression appears to be due to both adherent suppressor cells which can be eliminated by adherence to rayon wool and to the inability of uremic T cells to respond to alloantigens. In addition, unstimulated peritoneal macrophages ( PMO ) obtained from uremic rats were also shown to be suppressive to the response of control spleen cells to alloantigens. The suppression by uremic adherent spleen cells and PMO is regulated by cyclophosphamide-sensitive cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Tetanus toxoid as an antigen for delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity.

We studied the usefulness of tetanus toxoid (TT) as a skin test antigen in assessing cellular immune function. Hospitalized patients were skin tested with four antigens, and the response rates between these antigens were compared. Candida and mumps antigens resulted in significantly more positive responses than did TT or PPD. The response rate to the TT significantly declined in older patients, suggesting these persons may not be adequately immunized against tetanus. We found TT is not as useful as Candida or mumps antigens in the evaluation of cellular immune function in a hospitalized population but it may have some usefulness in the evaluation of energy. Negative skin test results may convert to positive after patients receive an immunizing dose of TT, as shown by our data. In addition, there were several patients with a positive response to TT and negative responses to the other common skin test antigens.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Effects of hemodialysis on theophylline kinetics.

Difficulties encountered in controlling theophylline blood concentrations in an asthmatic patient on hemodialysis prompted us to study the effect of hemodialysis on theophylline kinetics. Plasma theophylline extraction ratios, clearances, and half-lives were determined during dialysis for 11 adults given an intravenous infusion of 4 mg/kg aminophylline. For comparison, eight of these patients were evaluated for theophylline half-lives when not dialyzed. Extraction ratios of theophylline during dialysis ranged from 0.22 to 0.51 (0.35 +/- 0.08) for these patients, indicating that a mean of 36 per cent plasma theophylline was removed during each pass through the dialyzer. This compares with a mean extraction ratio of urea of 0.63 +/- 0.07. Plasma clearance of theophylline during dialysis ranged from 52 to 124 ml/min (83 +/ 20 ml/min). Plasma theophylline half-lives during dialysis ranged from 1.6 to 3.4 hours (2.3 +/- 0.5 hours). Theophylline half-lives when not on dialysis ranged from 3.5 to 8.2 hours (5.0 +/- 1.7). Theophylline clearance was significantly faster in every patient during dialysis. Asthmatics requiring hemodialysis should receive additional theophylline during dialysis if therapeutic blood levels are to be maintained. Routine hemodialysis will significantly increase clearance in a toxic patient in whom life-threatening toxicity is occurring and charcoal hemoperfusion is unavailable.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Immune response in experimentally induced uremia. VI. Uremic macrophages are defective in their ability to present antigen to T cells.

The ability of uremic lymphocytes to respond to antigens was examined. We have found that (1) The ability of uremic unfractionated lymph node cells to respond to antigens is severely diminished when compared to the response of control cells; (2) Uremic macrophages are defective in their ability to present antigen to T cells; (3) Treatment of control splenic macrophages with monoclonal anti-Ia antibodies diminishes these macrophages' ability to present antigen, while uremic macrophages so treated show little change in their already diminished accessory cell function; and (4) The uremic splenic macrophage population has more small cells and less Ia determinants per cell than do control splenic macrophages as determined by cytofluorographic analysis. The percentage of Ia+ splenic macrophages is similar in control and uremic rats. It appears that the diminished response of uremic cells to antigens is due to the inability of uremic macrophages to present antigen to T cells. This may play a role in the increased rate of infections seen in uremic patients.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of fluocortin butyl in perennial rhinitis.

Fluocortin butyl (FCB) is a newly synthesized corticosteroid with a high ratio of topical to systemic activity. FCB was studied in a multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of therapy of perennial rhinitis. The study was conducted between January and May 1981. Patients evaluated suffered from either chronic allergic or chronic nonallergic rhinitis or both. A total of 306 patients from 16 investigative centers were evaluated by comparing FCB to placebo. Three separate dosage regimens were employed. Patients received a total daily dose of 2, 4, or 8 mg. FCB was found to be an effective therapeutic agent. It reduced symptoms of nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, postnasal drainage, and sneezing. It also markedly reduced the use of concomitant medications (chlorpheniramine maleate and/or pseudoephedrine). Relief of symptoms was noted as early as the first week of therapy, and the degree of improvement increased progressively during the study. There was little difference between the relief produced by the 4 mg and 8 mg regimens. Both of these were superior to the 2 mg regimen. The drug was well tolerated; no significant side effects were noted.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Suppressor alveolar macrophages in experimentally induced uremia.

The effect of uremic alveolar macrophages (AM phi) on the response of control nonadherent (NA) spleen cells to mitogens was examined. Alveolar macrophages purified from experimentally induced uremic rats were found to be significantly more suppressive than alveolar macrophages purified from control rats. When studying the characteristics of uremic AM phi, it was found that neither indomethacin nor anti-Ia antibody reverses their suppressive activity. In addition, uremic AM phi are shown to suppress via a suppressor factor released to the supernatant over an 18-hr incubation. The enhanced suppressive activity of uremic AM phi may have relevance to the severely suppressed cell-mediated immunity, the increased rate of infections, and the common presence of uremic pneumonitis in humans with chronic renal failure.

Animals↗