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R Hällgren

Publications and source records attributed to R Hällgren.

245 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMed1976

Detection of circulating IgG aggregates and immune complexes using 125I protein A from Staphylococcus aureus.

A method for detection of circulating immune complexes by the use of 125I labelled staphylococcal protein A is described. In a polyethylene glycol solution as little as 1-2 mg/l of soluble heat aggregated human IgG could be quantitated. Variables which might influence the assay were examined. Separation of immune complexes in serum from monomeric IgG was essential and achieved by gel chromatography on Sephadex G200. This assay may be suitable for clinical routine for detection and quantitation of immune complexes. A preliminary study on the clinical application of the method is presented. 58% of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and 42% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis had increased levels of immune aggregates in serum compared to a group of healthy individuals.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗
PubMed1975

Arterial calcification and progressive peripheral gangrene after renal transplantation. Report of two cases treated with parathyroidectomy.

Two cases of progressive arterial calcification and peripheral gangrene after successful renal transplantation are presented. Parathyroidectomy was performed and was followed in one case by healing of the peripheral necroses. It is suggested that parathyroidectomy should be considered in similar cases even in the absence of hypercalcemia.

Arteriosclerosis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Kinetic studies of phagocytosis. I. The serum independent particle uptake by PMN from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.

The initial phagocytic rate of IgG coated polyvinyl toluene latex particles was assayed for isolated PMN cells. The kinetic studies of phagocytosis were performed in serum-free medium using an electronic particle counter. The mean phagocytic rate for the reference group of apparently healthy individuals was 0.60 min-1. PMN cells from 5 of 26 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) had subnormal values of particle ingestion rate, although the mean of the group was not significantly reduced compared to the controls. Correlation coefficient between the log of rheumatoid factor titer and phagocytic rate was 0.58 (P less than 0.001). During penicillamine treatment an increased rate of phagocytosis was observed in patients with RA. Granulocytes isolated from 17 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) had a significantly increased (P less than 0.001) mean initial rate of phagocytosis (0.91 min-u). Two patients in this group had an acute exacerbation of disease activity and were treated with large doses of prednisone. An appreciable decline in phagocytic rate was observed during the intensive corticosteroid therapy.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Serum beta 2-microglobulin levels in primary biliary cirrhosis.

Serum beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2 mu) was determined in 44 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and in 63 patients with other liver disorders. beta 2 mu levels were elevated in PBC when compared with chronic persistent hepatitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis and noncirrhotic alcohol liver disease, but not in comparison with chronic active hepatitis and alcoholic liver cirrhosis. With the exception of chronic persistent hepatitis, all liver disorders had significantly increased serum concentrations of beta 2 mu when compared with controls. A significant correlation between beta 2 mu and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p less than 0.001) and beta 2 mu and serum IgG (p less than 0.05) was found in PBC. No significant difference in beta 2 mu levels was noted when PBC patients with early and late histopathological changes were compared. D-penicillamine treatment significantly (p less than 0.01) but transiently reduced beta 2 mu levels in PBC; this may reflect the presumed immunosuppressive action of this drug.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Jejunal release of prostaglandin E2 in Crohn's disease: relation to disease activity and first-degree relatives.

Patients with Crohn's disease of the distal ileum show increased permeability to hyaluronan and increased release of histamine and complement components in uninvolved parts of the proximal jejunum. These abnormalities are related to disease activity, and are not found in first-degree relatives. Increased synthesis of prostaglandins has been observed in inflamed areas of the intestine in active Crohn's disease. Our purpose was to measure luminal prostaglandin release in patients with active and inactive Crohn's disease and their first-degree relatives. Twenty-four patients with Crohn's disease of the distal ileum (10 in remission and 12 with inflammatory activity) and 17 of their first-degree relatives were included and compared with healthy control subjects (n = 39). Ten centimetres of the proximal jejunum was isolated between balloons as described previously and perfused with a balanced electrolyte glucose-containing solution. Luminal concentrations of PGE2 and albumin were measured and their luminal release was calculated. Luminal release of PGE2 was significantly higher in patients with Crohn's disease than in control subjects [69.7 +/- 11.5 and 34.0 +/- 4.7 pg/cm per h (3.7 +/- 0.6 and 1.8 +/- 0.3 ng/L), respectively, P < 0.01]. The PGE2 levels, however, were not positively correlated to disease activity. Furthermore, there was a modest, but significant increase in luminal PGE2 in first-degree relatives [53.6 +/- 7.0 pg/cm per h (2.9 +/- 0.4 ng/L), P < 0.05]. These changes were not accompanied by significant changes in luminal permeation of albumin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ischemic edema in stroke. A parallel study with computed tomography and cerebrospinal fluid markers of disturbed brain cell metabolism.

Thirteen patients with stroke and one with TIA had repeated examinations with computed tomography (CT) of the head, examination of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for adenylate kinase, glutathione, lactate, and albumin and clinical evaluations during the first fortnight after onset. In 9 patients with cerebral infarction edema shown on the CT scans was maximal on days 2--5, after which it diminished. In 2 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage the edema appeared early as a zone of low-attenuation around the high-attenuation area. Most patients with large lesions deteriorated clinically during development of the edema. In 3 patients the CT scans were inconclusive, probably because the lesion was too small. Adenylate kinase activity was present in all CSF samples during the period 6 hours-5 days, while glutathione was occasionally present in the CSF in 12 of the 14 patients. These findings are believed to indicate cell swelling and a leak in the plasma membrane. Based on these observations, it is suggested that initial ischemic edema is intracellular in patients with cerebral infarction, and that adenylate kinase in CSF is a sensitive marker for this type of edema.

Adenylate Kinase↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Lactoferrin, lysozyme, and beta 2-microglobulin in cerebrospinal fluid. Elevated levels in patients with acute cerebrovascular lesions as indices of inflammation.

Serial determinations of beta 2-microglobulin, lactoferrin and lysozyme in CSF were performed in 14 patients with acute cerebrovascular lesions. Marked elevations were noted in patients with cerebral bleeding or hemorrhagic infarction. Patients with infarction without signs of bleeding or with cerebrovascular lesions undetectable by computed tomography also had an increase in these proteins. The increases in CSF of beta 2-microglobulin, lactoferrin and lysozyme could not be explained by a damaged blood-brain barrier but was believed to be a local product of the central nervous system. Peak levels of lactoferrin and lysozyme were noted on day 2-3 after onset of symptoms. Lactoferrin then declined while lysozyme remained elevated for another few days. beta 2-microglobulin gradually increased reaching peak levels on day 4-5 and remained elevated even 2 weeks after the onset of symptoms. We suggest that the increases of lactoferrin, lysozyme and beta 2-microglobulin reflect various inflammatory reactions mediated by granulocytes, macrophages and lymphocytes, respectively.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Oxypurines in cerebrospinal fluid as indices of disturbed brain metabolism. A clinical study of ischemic brain diseases.

Using a HPLC method the concentrations of oxypurines were simultaneously measured in CSF of patients with acute cerebrovascular lesions (CVL) and global cerebral ischemia (GCI) in an attempt to study disturbed brain metabolism during cerebral oxygen deprivation. In cerebral infarction both hypoxanthine and xanthine gradually increased from normal levels at admission to pathologically increased on the fourth day from onset of symptoms. There was no correlation between these substances and the clinical score but the maximum CSF-hypoxanthine concentration was significantly correlated to the maximum lesion volume determined by computerized tomography. In GCI the hypoxanthine-xanthine concentrations were considerably increased less than 20 hours from onset of unconsciousness but the initial levels did not predict the final outcome. These findings suggest that the end products of nucleotide degradation accumulate rapidly in acute cerebral hypoxia but more gradually in CVL probably due to growing local edema with subsequent local hypoxia. In controls and patients with CVL the CSF-urate concentrations were positively correlated to those of CSF-albumin. However, in CVL the increase of urate was relatively much more pronounced than the increase of albumin indicating that urate is a sensitive marker of dysfunction of blood-brain barrier.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Psychological well-being in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate quality of life and psychological symptoms in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome and to compare this with patients with rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: A standardised questionnaire, the Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWB), was used to examine the quality of life and psychological symptoms in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS; n = 34). Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA; n = 32) were used as patient controls. RESULTS: The total mean score +/- SD for PGWB was 84.9 +/- 16.2 in pSS patients and significantly lower (p = 0.001) than in RA patients (97.7 +/- 17.5). Patients with pSS had an increased propensity for depressed mood (p = 0.0009), and suffered from reduced well-being (p = 0.002) and impaired vitality (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that patients with pSS have a reduced quality of life, a higher degree of distress and a lower sense of well-being than patients with RA.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Early and late allergic skin reactions in T cell deficient patients.

Impaired delayed type skin sensitivity is supposed to be due to abnormalities in T lymphocyte functions. Lately it has been assumed that T cells play an important part also in the development of late allergic reactions in the skin and in the lungs. Patients with sarcoidosis, lung carcinoma or with uremia were skin tested with anti IgE antibodies to challenge the hypothesis that the same sort of T cell deficiency as impaired the delayed skin sensitivity also attenuated the late allergic skin reactions. All patients obtained an early reaction and with a size similar to that of normal controls. In most of the patients late reactions were seen, but the frequency varied between 67% for patients with uremia and 100% for those with sarcoidosis. The cancer patients had significantly smaller late reactions than the normal controls while patients with uremia or sarcoidosis had a normal size of their reaction. No correlation could be found between delayed reactions to PPD and late reactions to anti IgE. It is concluded that the type of lymphocyte abnormality giving impaired delayed type reactivity in e.g. sarcoidosis patients does not affect the allergic early or late skin reactivity. Testing for late allergic reactivity may be a new tool for evaluating the immune status of, for example, cancer patients.

Adult↗