Biomedical subjects

S Bussen

Publications and source records attributed to S Bussen.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1994

[Manifestation of Lyme arthritis in the puerperal period].

Lyme disease, a tick-transmitted spirochetal illness caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, usually begins with a characteristic erythema chronicum migrans accompanied by flu-like symptoms. This phase may later be followed by meningitis, neuritis, carditis or arthritis. Congenital abnormalities due to maternal infection during pregnancy have been described. We report on a case of a 36-year old V gravida III para. After a normal pregnancy and a Cesarean section the patient developed postpartal an acute Lyme arthritis.

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PubMedDate not supplied

[Plasma VEGF levels are increased in women with severe preeclampsia or HELLP syndrome].

AIM: To investigate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) serum levels in severe preeclampsia (PE) and HELLP syndrome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Serum concentrations of VEGF, progesterone, estradiol and estriol were measured in 16 patients with PE and 14 patients with HELLP syndrome and in 30 well-matched normotensive pregnant controls. Determination of VEGF was performed by a commercially available immunoassay (Quantikine(R), R&D Systeme, Wiesbaden), those of sex steroids by a radioimmunoassay (Fa. Biermann, Bad Nauheim). RESULTS: Serum VEGF levels were significantly higher in the study than in the control group (172.0 +/- 98.9 pg/ml versus 41.4 +/- 30.5 pg/ml, U-Test: p < 0.001). In patients with HELLP syndrome mean serum VEGF concentrations were increased when compared with healthy controls but serum levels were significantly lower than in patients with PE (109.2 +/- 68.5 pg/ml versus 219.0 +/- 72.9, U-Test: p < 0.05). We could demonstrate a positive correlation between VEGF and estradiol serum concentrations in the study and control patients (Spearman rang correlation: p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that patients suffering from PE or HELLP syndrome have either an increased placental expression of VEGF as a result of hypoxia or show an increased extraplacental production of this growth factor such as in maternal or fetal endothelial cells, macrophages or smooth muscle tissue.

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PubMedDate not supplied

[Reversible loss of vision in severe preeclampsia: case report and review of the literature].

Visual disturbances occur in up to 25 % of the patients with preeclampsia. However, blindness remains a rare phenomenon. A 39 year old primigravida was admitted for observation at 30 weeks gestation with signs of preeclampsia. After 11 days she suffered a complete loss of vision. The blindness reversed completely after cesarean section and antihypertensive treatment. Blindness in preeclamptic patients is mostly caused by hypertensive encephalopathy. We discuss pathophysiological aspects as well as diagnostic approaches and therapeutic options with respect to the available literature.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Predictive value of CEA and CA 15-3 in the follow up of invasive breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The clinical usefulness of tumor markers in the follow-up care of invasive breast cancer is controversial. METHODS: In 1228 serum samples of 664 women with history of breast cancer, the diagnostic accuracy and predictive power of CEA and CA 15-3 for the detection of disease relapse was determined prospectively by analyzing the clinical course for at least 6 months after the measurement of the tumor markers in 1994. RESULTS: A total of 76 patients relapsed during the period of study. The diagnostic accuracy was 83% for CEA and 88% for CA 15-3. CEA and CA 15-3 had a positive predictive value of 27% and 47% as well as a negative prediction of 91% and 93%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The low positive predictive value and sensitivity of these tumor markers clearly limit their clinical utility. Therefore, the effectiveness of routine determinations during the follow-up seems questionable.

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PubMedDate not supplied

[Hyaluronan and CD44 in maternal serum in pre-eclampsia].

BACKGROUND: Pre-eclampsia is associated with serum factors which can activate blood vessel endothelial cells. Hyaluronan (HYA) and its specific receptor CD44 play a central role in cell activation processes. Our study focussed on the behavior of serum concentrations of HYA and the soluble standard form of CD44 (sCD44std) in the maternal serum from normotensive and pre-eclamptic pregnancies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Serum was collected from normotensive pregnant women (n = 10) and from pregnant women with a severe pre-eclampsia (n = 10). HYA-serum concentrations were measured with a radioimmunoassay while sCD44std were measured with an ELISA. RESULTS: The pre-eclampsia group shows a significant (p < 0.001, Mann and Whitney u-test) increased HYA serum concentration (median 79 ng/ml, range 53-165 ng/ml) when compared to the normotensive group (n = 10, median 32 ng/ml, range 19-59 ng/ml). sCD44std-serumconcentration in the pre-eclampsia group (328.3 +/- 68.3 ng/ml) was weakly higher but not statistically significant (p > 0.05) when compared to the normotensive group (292.9 +/- 74.0 ng/ml). There exist no correlations between the HYA and sCD44std serum concentrations in both pre-eclamptic and normotensive groups. CONCLUSION: The increased HYA-serumconcentration may indicate a pathophysiological role of the HYA/CD44-signal transduction system in pre-eclampsia. The existing overlap of HYA serum levels in the pre-eclampsia group with HYA serum levels in the normotensive control group limits the diagnostic precision of HYA serum concentration as a diagnostic parameter in pre-eclampsia. According CD44 it is not excluded that serum concentration of other soluble CD44-isoforms is increased in pre-eclampsia.

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PubMedDate not supplied

[Clinical aspects and therapy of amniotic fluid embolism. Illustration based on a case report].

A case of amniotic fluid embolism during the delivery of an at term pregnancy is reported. The 34-year old primipara with an unremarkable medical history suddenly suffered from a seizure in the second stage of labor. Shortly prior to this event, a prolonged fetal bradycardia was recorded. After forceps delivery a massive postpartum haemorrhage as the result of a consumption coagulopathy occurred. Immediate resuscitation with artificial ventilation improved the condition of mother and child. The substitution of packed red cells and platelets, fresh frozen plasma and other blood derivates was necessary. Mother and child survived without any physical damage or neurological deficit. Because of the clinical pattern we diagnosed an amniotic fluid embolism.

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