We analyzed the response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) of peripheral blood (PBL), intraepithelial (IEL) and lamina propia (LPL) lymphocytes in eight patients with Crohn's disease (CD). We also studied the effect of indomethacin, a prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor, and monocyte depletion on mitogen-induced stimulation of these cells. The blastic stimulation index was significantly lower in PBL and intestinal mucosa lymphocytes of CD than in controls (p less than 0.001). This index increased after addition of indomethacin in PBL and LPL and after monocyte depletion in PBL. The suppressor index on blastic stimulation, obtained when indomethacin had been added to the cultures was higher in PBL and intestinal mucosa lymphocytes of patients with CD than in controls. After monocyte depletion, this suppressor index decreased significantly in PBL and did not change in controls. These data suggest that prostaglandins could be one of the responsible factors for hyporesponsiveness of lymphocytes in CD.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Loss of suppressor T cell function and circulating immune complexes in alcoholic cirrhosis.

In the present work Concanavalin-A-induced T suppressor function has been studied in 28 patients with active alcoholic cirrhosis and 22 patients with inactive cirrhosis. Control subjects were 14 alcoholics without liver disease and 70 healthy individuals with normal liver function tests. Suppressor T cell function was decreased in active alcoholic cirrhosis whereas this change was not observed in inactive cirrhosis nor in alcoholics without liver disease. The suppressor T cell activity of normal individuals was inhibited by heat-inactivated serum pretreatment of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. The data suggest that there is some kind of serum factor in alcoholic cirrhosis able to affect lymphocyte suppressor activity. No linear correlation could be established between serum level of circulating immune complexes (CIC), determined by solid-phase C1q-binding assay, and suppressor T cell function. There were no differences between sera of alcoholic cirrhosis patients with or without CIC regarding their inhibition of suppressor T cell activity of normal individuals. These results suggest that these serum factors are not related to the presence of CIC.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Intestinal and peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations in Crohn's disease.

Cellular immunity has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease. In the present work, we have studied T-lymphocytes subsets in peripheral blood and intestinal mucosa of eight patients with active disease, using monoclonal antibodies. Intraepithelial and lamina propia OKT-3 +ve cells were significantly lower than in peripheral blood (p less than 0.001). We have found an increase of B cells and OKT-8 +ve cells in intestinal mucosa with a significant decrease in helper/suppressor ratio. These findings are in accordance with a high suppressor-cytotoxic function in patients with active diseases.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Acute phase reactants activity and carcinoembryonic antigen in inflammatory intestinal disease (author's transl)].

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Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Simultaneous bilateral facial paralysis].

Simultaneous bilateral facial paralysis (SBFP) is very rare, but it can present itself as the first complaint in a wide spectrum of diseases and a comprehensive evaluation must be completed. Bilateral Bell's Palsy can be diagnosed only when all other possible causes have been excluded. The prognosis and treatment for SBFP is dependent upon the underlying etiology. We present four cases of SBFP seen in our department which were finally diagnosed as leukemic infiltration, sarcoidosis, Bell's Palsy and demyelinating polyneuropathy (probably Guillain-Barré syndrome). The most important etiologies of the SBFP and the management of this entity are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Normative data for the neuropsychological evaluation of intravenous drug users].

BACKGROUND: There are many recent epidemiological studies that find that intravenous drug users' (IDU's) performance in several measures of neuropsychological function are not the same than that of the general population, whether they are seropositive to HIV-1 infection or not. Consequently, it has been stated the need to establish appropriate norms for this population. The purpose of this study is to provide normative data on a battery of neuropsychological tests from a IDU group. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This report provide normative data from a group of 116 IDU, on a battery of neuropsychological tests stratified by age group (mean = 30.9; SD = 4.5), and educational level (mean = 8; SD = 2.4). Comparisons between the means of the different groups according to age and education, and also with respect to sex are made. The analysis includes estimation of partial correlations between neuropsychological test scores and age and education. RESULTS: The analysis demonstrates that education is an important determinant of performance for most of these tests, while there are no differences in performance between the two age-groups. With respect to sex, females out-performed men on a measure of motor speed and coordination. CONCLUSIONS: This report provides norms that may be of use as a reference for clinical evaluation and research in drug user populations. It also emphasizes the need to establish normative data controlling for variables like educational level, from a population with special characteristics such as IDU population.

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