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Biomedical subjects

R Tannous

Publications and source records attributed to R Tannous.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Immune thrombocytopenia and elemental mercury poisoning.

Three cases of severe mercury toxicity occurring within a family are reported. Two cases of thrombocytopenia occurred in this family and represent the second such report in the literature of an association between elemental mercury toxicity and thrombocytopenia. Three of the children presented with a combination of dermatologic and neurologic manifestations reminiscent of acrodynia or pink disease. Each of the four children in this family were treated with dimercaptosuccinic acid. The hazard of vacuuming spilled mercury and appropriate clean-up procedures are described.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[The cancer registry at the Hôtel Dieu de France Hospital].

Between January and December 1989, 541 new cases of cancer have been diagnosed at Hôtel-Dieu de France Hospital at Beirut. These cases were among 5400 histopathologic or hemato-cytologic examinations performed during the same period. There were 311 men (57.5%) and 230 women (42.5%). In men lung cancer was the most common site (19%) followed by bladder cancer (16.7%) and prostate cancer (11.6%). In women the most frequent cancer reported was breast cancer (36.1%) followed by uterine (body and cervix) cancer (15.2%) and digestive tract tumors (12.3%). Hematologic malignancies were more frequent between children and young patients. We have noted a progressive frequency of breast, lung, digestive tract, bladder and genito-urinary cancers with age. The establishment of a national tumor registry covering all diagnosed patients in different Lebanese Institutions is warranted.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Acute monoblastic leukemia: a unique subtype--a review from the Childrens Cancer Study Group.

The acute non-lymphocytic leukemias (ANLL) are generally treated as a homogeneous group. However, the literature is replete with articles alluding to distinctive features of acute monoblastic leukemia (AMoL). This review addresses the unique clinical, laboratory, epidemiological, and therapeutic features of AMoL. Leukemic monoblasts are distinguished from other cells in the myelocytic series by physical properties such as greater adhesiveness, deformability, and motility. Patients with AMoL often exhibit hyperleukocytosis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and extramedullary involvement, particularly in the skin, gingiva, and central nervous system (CNS). AMoL occurs predominantly in adults over 40 and children under 10, fifty percent of whom are under 2 years of age at diagnosis. Its relatively common occurrence in infants parallels the high rate of proliferation of monocytes in that age group. Additionally, its occurrence in young children appears to be associated with in utero exposure to marijuana and parental exposure to pesticides and solvents. Therapeutic results are generally poor due to high rates of fatal complications during induction, induction failures, and frequent extramedullary and medullary relapses. This poor outcome is particularly noted in infants. Higher remission induction rates attained with epipodophyllotoxins and incorporation of bone marrow transplantation have not yet resulted in substantial improvement of long-term outcome. Recurrence of disease in the CNS is minimized by the use of intensive CNS presymptomatic treatment, usually incorporating irradiation. Our review suggests that unique and innovative treatment strategies are needed to improve outcome for patients with AMoL.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Sex-specific criteria for interpretation of thallium-201 myocardial uptake and washout studies.

A study was undertaken to determine the effect of gender on criteria for the quantitative analysis of exercise-redistribution 201Tl myocardial scintigraphy. The studies of 26 normal females and 23 normal males were subjected to bilinear interpolative background subtraction and horizontal profile analysis. Significant sexual differences were found in both regional uptake ratios and washout rates. These differences primarily reflected a proportionately decreased anterior and upper septal uptake in females, and faster washout in females. Faster myocardial 201Tl washout rates in females could not be clearly ascribed to either a physiological or artifactual explanation. It is concluded that since important differences exist between males and females in the detected pattern of 201Tl myocardial uptake and washout, sex-specific criteria may enhance the predictive accuracy of exercise-redistribution 201Tl myocardial scintigraphy.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Nonendemic adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma in the United States: report of two cases and review of the literature.

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a recently described distinct clinicopathologic entity characterized by a leukemic or lymphomatous proliferation of hyperlobulated peripheral T-cells, which is usually widespread at presentation and is associated with infection by a type C retrovirus. ATLL rarely is described outside of endemic regions, which include southwestern Japan, the Caribbean region, and the southeastern United States. The authors report the clinical, pathologic, and immunologic features of two cases of nonendemic ATLL that occurred in patients from the midwest United States. One patient was a 16-year-old white girl from rural Iowa, and the other was a 46-year-old white man from rural Minnesota. The features of 13 other probable nonendemic ATLL cases from the United States were compiled and reviewed. In the United States, nonendemic ATLL occurred in widespread geographic locations, affected mostly white people, and was characterized by an aggressive course with generalized adenopathy, blood and bone marrow involvement, and hepatosplenomegaly at presentation. Skin involvement was present in one-fourth of the patients. Hypercalcemia was rare. Although antibodies to type C retrovirus were detected in three of the five patients tested, the available data is not sufficient to establish a conclusive association between nonendemic ATLL and type C retrovirus infection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Large cell lymphoma complicating acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is a very rare complication of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). We present the pathologic, clinical, immunologic, and ultrastructural features of the third reported example of NHL following successfully treated ALL. This white girl developed ALL with predominantly L1 cells at 3.5 yr of age. The lymphoblasts were terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) positive and were non-B, non-T cells. She achieved a complete remission with standard induction therapy and has remained in continuous complete remission. Four and one-third years after the onset of ALL, she developed multifocal, pleomorphic large cell lymphoma of the small bowel, which resulted in episodes of intussusception and obstruction. These pleomorphic and frequently multinucleated lymphoma cells lacked TdT, common ALL antigen, and all tested markers of B cell, T cell, and histiocyte differentiation. Following three small bowel resections, systemic multiagent chemotherapy, and abdominal irradiation, she is currently free of disease.

Bone Marrow↗
PubMed1983

Acquired chemotactic inhibitors during infection with guinea pig cytomegalovirus.

Factors involved in neutrophil and monocyte migrations were serially studied in strain 2 guinea pigs undergoing initial cytomegalovirus infection and sham-inoculated controls. All studies remained unchanged in uninfected animals. Monocyte migrations and neutrophil spontaneous migration remained unchanged in infected animals. However, transient abnormalities occurred early in infection, comprising a decrease in neutrophil-directed migration towards C5-derived chemotactic fractions (C5-fr) and a decrease in the chemotactic activity of zymosan-activated plasma. Consequently, the presence of neutrophil- and chemotaxin-directed inhibitors in plasma was investigated. Normal neutrophils, C5-fr, Escherichia coli-derived bacterial factor, and the synthetic peptide F-met-leu-phe were first incubated with control or infected plasmas and then assayed for directed migration and lysosomal enzyme release. Results indicated the de novo appearance of both neutrophil- and chemotaxin-directed inhibitory activities in plasma during early infection. The neutrophil-directed inhibition was heat stable (56 degrees C for 120 min) and nonspecific (responses to all chemotaxins were inhibited). The chemotaxin-directed inhibition was heat stable and C5-fr specific. The cytomegalovirus-induced inhibitors may be important in the enhanced susceptibility to concurrent opportunistic infections.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Decreased chemotactic activity in activated newborn plasma.

The roles of complement levels and CFI activity in the regulation of chemotactic factor generation were evaluated in newborn and adult plasmas. Plasma samples were obtained from 19 healthy adults, 19 neonates, and 12 3-day-old infants. CFI levels were determined in all samples, chemotactic activity in 15 of the 19 adult and newborn samples, and complement levels in 10 of these 15. Compared to adult plasmas, CFI activity was higher in newborn and infant plasmas and chemotactic activity was lower. A close reciprocal relationship was shown between these two activities (r=-0.958). When corrected for the effects of CFI, the difference in chemotactic activity between newborns and adults disappeared. Mean levels of C1, C3, C4, C5, C3 to C9, CH50, factor B, and properdin were lower in newborn plasmas; however, C2 levels were higher. Partial correlations between these complement components and the chemotactic activity were of small magnitude and statistically not significant. These data suggest that higher CFI activity, rather than lower complement levels, accounts for most of the differences in chemotactic activity between newborn and adult plasma. (J Lab Clin Med 99:331, 1982.)

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Role of chemotactic factor inactivation in neutrophil chemotaxis.

CFIs have been implicated in the regulation of several inflammatory mediators; consequently, we have evaluated the effects of CFI on neutrophil chemotactic and lysosomal enzyme release response to C5-derived chemotaxins. Chemotaxis was measured by direct migration under agarose, LER by glucosaminidase release from cytochalasin B-treated neutrophils, and CFI activity by its inhibition of LER. After inactivation by CFI, C5-fr lost their ability to stimulate neutrophils, and acquired a new chemotactic inhibitory activity. On gel chromatography, the stimulatory activity of C5-fr and the inhibitory activity of inactivated C5-fr eluted as separate peaks with different molecular weights. Effects of CFI on neutrophil responses to C5-fr, ZAS, and ZAP were adverse and dose-dependent: maximal neutrophil response to C5-ft decreased in amplitude as CFI levels increased, and a close reciprocal relationship was demonstrated between the endogenous CFI and the chemotaxis activities of ZAS (r = -0.833) and ZAP (r = -0.932) in 10 healthy adults. The data suggest that CFI is a potent regulator of neutrophil response to C5-derived inflammatory mediators.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Rectosigmoidal colitis in common variable immunodeficiency disease.

A patient with common variable immunodeficiency disease is described with severe colitis confined to the rectosigmoid region. Inflammation was extensive in the regions involved and exhibited a character that we believe is most unusual. Inflammation was transmural in the regions involved. Macrophages were the major inflammatory cells, and no granulomas or giant cells were seen. Although the disorder seemed distinct from either ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, the colitis responded favorably to oral azulfidine, prednisone, and to steroid enemas.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Quantitation of chemotactic factor generation in human sera.

Increased sensitivity of chemotaxin titration in the 'migration under agarose' method was achieved by reduction in agarose concentration of the medium from the conventional 1.0% to 0.5%. Satisfactory technical properties of the gel were achieved by inclusion of 2.0% bovine serum albumin. The modificatin resulted in increased migration rates and greater reproducibility than those achieved with other media. The range of normal values was established by study of sera of 20 normal adults with use of a single batch of target cells. It is concluded that under the conditions described, a difference in chemotactic differential of 10% or more between a serum sample submitted for assay and that of pooled serum from normal subjects is statistically significant.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Health outcomes of a community-based therapy program for children with cancer--a shared-management approach.

Critical to providing cancer therapy to children in rural areas is finding dependable sources of therapy near the patients' homes. In this study, comparison was made of 668 visits by 24 patients to nearby private practitioners, who carried out 70% of the therapy, with 712 visits by 22 other patients for whom all care was managed by pediatric hematologist-oncologists. There was no significant difference by Wilcoxon rank sum test between the two groups in the accuracy with which protocol rules were followed, in the incidence of neutropenia, infection, fever, thrombocytopenia, drug toxicity, or the proportion of days hospitalized. The findings indicate that the private practitioners participating in a shared-management system were a dependable resource for providing 70% of the total cancer therapy to these patients.

Antineoplastic Agents↗